Buying a practical gift is the best way to go when purchasing something for an elderly individual. Many seniors do not have a lot of extra space to store things they do not use. When choosing a gift, you want to make sure the gift will be used. More so, make sure the gift is easy to use! Below you will find a list of 10 items that are great ideas for senior gifts.

1. If the senior lives alone, a Medical Emergency Notification System is a great gift to ensure their safety.

2. Cell Phones with Easy to see and use buttons.

3. If the senior is a pet owner, a pre-paid walking service or grooming is a great gift.

4. Gift certificates to the barber or hairdresser, especially if they will come to their home.

5. Pre-pay a season of lawn mowing and landscaping.

6. Wall clocks with a large face so they are easy to see.

7. If the senior is hearing impaired, a flashing light doorbell or telephone will be of great use.

8. Universal TV Remotes with large buttons.

9. Lap tables can be handy to eat on and can also provide a place for small items, such as remotes and eyeglasses.

10. Clothing with zippers or large zipper pulls.

Source: associatedcontent

Image Source: sxc.hu

While you will never get the comforts of home during a hospital stay, being well-prepared with the items you will need for a hospital visit will help make your time in the hospital more tolerable and even comfortable. It is recommended that Denver elderly with a history of medical problems that require hospital visits keep a packed bag with the items they will need for the hospital. Other seniors can have a family member pick up the items for their time in hospital on their behalf, although it’s easier if a list is drafted in advance and kept with a close relative or caregiver so essential items are not forgotten in the face of a medical emergency.

Items to include on a packing list for a hospital stay:

1.    Copies of important documents – insurance information, living wills, Power of Attorney’s, phone lists, and lists of current medications should be stored in an enclosed folder.
2.    Clothing – if the hospital allows you to wear your own clothing, choose nightgowns or nightshirts, loose fitting undergarments and short sleeved tops so that monitors and intravenous can still be applied easily. A buttoned cardigan or robe can also be worn for extra warmth.
3.    Toiletries
4.    Eye glasses, hearing aids etc.
5.    Prepaid Phone card
6.    Pen and paper
7.    Books, magazines, knitting and other entertainment
8.    Small amount of cash
9.    Electronics (cell phones, laptops etc if allowed by hospital)
10.    Momentos from home – framed photos or other items can make the hospital feel more like home

Sources:
1.    MedicineNet
2.    Inventor Spot  Beth Hodgson

Image: ehow.com

Buying gifts for the holidays can be overwhelming, especially when you have no idea what to buy. Elderly family members may be difficult to buy for. Below is a list of 10 things that make great gifts for that elderly loved one. Make sure they get something they can use. Most seniors have no room for things that they will never use, so you want to make sure your gift is practical.

1. If the senior lives alone, a Medical Emergency Notification System is a great gift to ensure their safety.

2. Cell Phones with Easy to see and use buttons.

3. If the senior is a pet owner, a pre-paid walking service or grooming is a great gift.

4. Gift certificates to the barber or hairdresser, especially if they will come to their home.

5. Pre-pay a season of lawn mowing and landscaping.

6. Wall clocks with a large face so they are easy to see.

7. If the senior is hearing impaired, a flashing light doorbell or telephone will be of great use.

8. Universal TV Remotes with large buttons.

9. Lap tables can be handy to eat on and can also provide a place for small items, such as remotes and eyeglasses.

10. Clothing with zippers or large zipper pulls.

Source: associatedcontent

Image Source: sxc.hu

Shopping for family members can be a challenge, particularly when you feel like there’s nothing that anyone wants or needs. If you have family caregivers in your life, they might not tell you, but there’s probably nothing more they’d appreciate than a moment to relax and focus on themselves. Here are 5 great gift ideas that can help you ensure they care for themselves:

1. Respite care – a break from caregiving responsibilities is appreciated by most caregivers, whether they’d admit it or not. Hire a service to provide respite or step in yourself, offering assistance once a month, or even just one time!

2. Entertainment gift certificates – send them for a night out at the movies or dinner with a gift certificate

3. Spa services – a day out at the spa can be rejuvenating for a female caregiver. Treat them to the chance to relax!

4. Subscription to a book club or movie service – this is something they can do to relax while providing care. Movies can be enjoyed with their senior, and books can be shared

5. Service to help them at home – caregivers have so much to take care of, help them maintain responsibilities of their own homes with cleaning services for inside the home or for yard work

Via: AgingCare

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Before my mom retired she had a medical problem that we learned was incredibly common amongst both men and women of her demographic, but especially her gender. She suffered from urinary incontinence; it crippled her confidence, affected her ability to do her job due to her preoccupation, and made her feel like she was finally old. She believed that this combination would result in job loss and she loved what she did and just wasn’t emotionally or financially ready to retire. After talking to a Denver doctor about her problem, my mother was given the following recommendations that would help her manage her issue at work, increase her confidence, and allow her to remain in the workforce until she was ready to retire.

1) Get the right pads – menstrual pads are not designed the same as pads for incontinence, get some good quality absorbent pads that can also help to control odor. These will come in handy during a long, important meeting when you can’t escape to the bathroom
2) Practice odor prevention – some incontinence products release a pleasant odor when in contact with fluid, or you can buy sprays to help control the effects of incontinence
3) Use a tampon – for women, tampons also put pressure on the urethra which can also help to control leaks that come with incontinence
4) Watch what you drink – despite the need to remain hydrated, during a long meeting, avoid drinking too much water or coffee, otherwise you’ll have a full bladder and might leak when you stand
5) Consider your wardrobe – choosing darker colored suits for the office will help to mask the presence of fluid
6) Do kegels – to strengthen bladder muscles, regularly contract the muscles you’d use to stop the flow of urine
7) Train your bladder – try to slowly increase the time between bathroom visits until you can go between 3-4 hours between trips
Use a pessary – most common to help bladder weakness after pregnancy, a pessary can help to control incontinence
9) Use deep breathing – when you feel the urge to go, practice deep breathing for 5 minutes until the need passes.
10)  Tighten the pelvic muscles – when you’re going to laugh or cough, tighten the pelvic muscles to prevent leakage

Sources:

1. Web MD
2. Wikipedia

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Pets are great companions for Denver seniors, especially for those who are living alone or who have lost a spouse. But caring for a pet is no easy task, and despite the benefits, it is possible for seniors to have an accident or injury while attempting to care for their favorite furry friend. Fortunately, there is new technology on the market available to help receive the benefits of pets, without the prospective negative repercussions.

• Hyrdosurge – an all-in-one dog bathing system that automatically suds with shampoo, combs and rinses. It’s a device that can be attached to any faucet, and it resembles the end of a garden hose. This can help seniors who face physical strain when struggling to restrain a pet and fumble with multiple bathing devices and products
• GoDogGo – every dog needs exercise, but throwing a ball can be physically laborious for seniors, so this is a product that automatically shoots out tennis balls to entertain and exercise a dog
• Komfort Climate-Controlled Pet Carrier – you’re never supposed to leave a pet in the hot car, but when out and running errands with pets, seniors are able to leave their pets in the climate controlled pet carriers. They adjust the temperature of the carrier if the car temperature is too hot or too cold
• The Haptic Creature – for those seniors who really can’t have a living pet, there’s a robotic version that provides the same therapeutic benefits, as the pet responds to touch and sound just like a real animal

Sources:

1. Forbes

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

I was young when my grandmother was initially diagnosed with aphasia and verbal apraxia, so it was hard to comprehend when one day that lively person who laughed, joked and asked me about my day at school was no longer talking to me. I knew that this wasn’t something that she was doing on purpose; I could understand that much, but it never made sense to me. I can remember being told that my grandmother could understand everything I said, but I still tried to get creative so we could find common ways to communicate together, since she couldn’t rely on speech. We made up hand signals for things like “I love you”, which kind of made for a fun bonding experience.

Now, it’s been nearly 13 years since my grandmother was diagnosed with apraxia, and our family is fortunate enough that we still have her with us. I have my own children now, and while they’re definitely too young to communicate, I know that in some ways, having a great grandmother who can’t speak to them will be no great loss, since that’s all they’ll know of her, and she’s adapted so well to her condition, that she doesn’t let it change who she is!

Sources:

1. Stroke Association
2. The Aphasia Institute
3. Orange Blossom Farm
4. About

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As a geriatric care specialist, one of the most common questions I receive from Denver seniors and their family members is what they can do to prevent the effects of day-to-day stresses from impacting senior health. While often they expect that I will suggest rigorous changes to their lifestyle, my main suggestion is to tell them only to look as far as those around them. By forming a support network of close friends and family members, seniors can reduce their stresses, gain a sense of belonging, and get the support they need to deal with feelings of stress. By staying connected with friends and family, seniors can feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves, which can also distract them from their problems. While simply spending time with friends and family; playing with grandchildren, taking a walk with an adult child, or going to a movie with a friend can be an enjoyable passed time, it also further secures a relationship giving seniors someone to turn to in times of stress.

So, I recommend that if seniors don’t have a strong support network of loved ones and people who care for them; it’s time to get out there and make one. Seniors can join Denver groups for people of their demographic, and shouldn’t be shy about approaching people who they can relate to. However, it is important that they don’t bring people into their lives who cause additional and unnecessary stress.

Sources:

1. Mayo Clinic
2. The American Institute of Stress

Image: www.sccgov.org

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

Choosing an estate executor to manage your affairs in Denver after your death is a big deal. You can hire a professional, or choose a family member or friend who is trustworthy and reliable; often children of aging parents are appointed estate executors of their parent’s will. But, if you choose someone with a personal relationship to you, ensure it’s someone that could handle the responsibility while dealing with the stress of your passing. Depending upon the state of your affairs, an estate executor’s job might be relatively easy and can include any of the following:

•    Beginning the probate process – filing the will and petition for probate. Specific probate laws apply for the process in Denver and may vary between states.

•    Notifying the family – close family members can be notified that their loved one has deceased.

•    Obtaining death certificates and EIN (Federal tax number for the estate)

•    Determining and collecting the deceased assets (locating documents that verify value of the estate and make an inventory list)

•    Letting people know who the executor is – family members and friends with claims will need to get in touch with the estate executor

•    Managing the property of the estate – paying bills, taxes and other on going duties

•    Settle Finances – filing income tax returns on behalf of the deceased

•    Distributing assets – distribute assets to those named on the will

•    Be removed as executor – once the estate is settled, petition the courts to be removed as executor

Sources:
1.    Third Age   Alan S. Novik
2.    AFSP

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

When a family comes together in Denver to discuss the care requirements of an aging loved one, it’s a process of decision making that can make or break a Denver family, but nonetheless is a process that the whole family needs to be involved with. As soon as one family member notices signs that concern them about their senior’s health or living arrangements, it’s time to call a family meeting.

While a series of meetings may take place as care decisions are being made, the first meeting should only involve those closest to the senior being discussed, such as siblings and immediate family members. However, the senior shouldn’t be in attendance at the first family meeting, so that family members are able to discuss their concerns about the senior’s health and well-being without fear that they’re upsetting their loved one.  During this initial meeting, the family can discuss future plans and discuss the role each of them will play in the care of a senior. It’s important at some stage, once the rest of the family comes together, to involve the senior in meetings so they can share their own wishes with regards to senior care. A third party, like a Geriatric Care Manager may be in attendance as  resource and meeting moderator.

At each meeting, allow every family member involved to share their views on how to handle home care, and try to stick to an agenda to minimize disputes and keep things on track.

Sources:
1.    Elder Care Online
2.    Suite101

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.