Comfort Keepers® Wallingford, CT

In-Home Elderly Care Serving Central Connecticut

August 20, 2010

COMFORT KEEPERS OF WALLINGFORD, CT WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A FEW HINTS ON HOW TO MAKE COOKING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS MORE FLAVORFUL (Summer Repost)

By Carol Carbutti

Preparing food for in home senior citizens is something that many don’t give much thought to.  Many of our elderly at home parents realize as they get older that there are many foods from the past that they didn’t like.  But as our healthy aging parents age their taste changes and now they might realize those foods are now delicious.  That is because a seniors sense of taste and smell decrease.  You do have to be careful because some elderly parents may not be eating as much as they should due to loss of taste.  There are quite a few things to consider when preparing food for the elderly, whether it is cooked by themselves,  a family member or a visiting caregiver.

When a caregiver prepares a menu they need to follow the dietary guidelines and calorie intake specified by the elderly parents personal physician.  This is very important because the wrong foods and poor preparation can cause a risk of obesity or malnourishment.  You also have to factor in seniors physical health such as, blood pressure, diabetes, digestion problems.  It is very important to check and see if certain medications need to be taken before eating, with food, or after eating.

There are several ways seniors and caregiving companions can add more flavor and nourishment to restricted diets.  Seniors and family caregivers, should consider cooking fresh vegetables instead of buying processed, frozen dinners.  Try cooking potatoes, vegetables or rice in chicken broth that is low in sodium or using the broth in mashed potatoes instead dairy products like milk or butter.  Caregivers should purchase meats  that are tender.  A lean cut of beef has a lot more flavor and will minimize the fat.  Skinless chicken breasts or thighs are another very healthy meal, these can be baked, broiled or grilled with fresh herbs to add flavor.  When buying ground beef, you should use ground sirloin which has less fat and more flavor. 

Here is a helpful tip for an elderly parents morning breakfast, cereal is more nutritious and tastes better if it is cooked.  Fruit can be added for more flavor and healthier eating.  If sugar can be added, try mixing sugar with cinnamon.  Caregivers may also try serving yogurt with granola and fruit.  It is very important to have your senior parent involved in the preparation of their meals so they will feel more useful than just sitting around the kitchen watching.  This will help elderly seniors who have memory loss by familiarizing them with things they used to do in the past.

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August 6, 2010

The 5 Stages Of Senior Retirement Which Is A Journey For The Entire Senior Family From Carol Carbutti Owner Of The Caregiver Service Comfort Keepers In Wallingford, CT (Summer Repost)

By Carol Carbutti

There are five distinct stages to retirement that impact not only the senior citizen moving through them, but also their families, workplace, communities and financial situations, according to Ameriprise Financials The New Retirement Mindscape study.

Researchers have labeled the five stages that the elderly experience before and during retirement as: imagination, anticipation, liberation, reorientation and reconciliation.

Imagination (15 to six years before Retirement Day): Retirement is not necessarily top on your mind; future seniors are putting children through college, pursuing their career, paying bills.

As senior retirement draws closer, they pay more attention to and define their goals and preparation needs. This is when a clearer vision emerges of what is wanted out of this next life phase, and a sense of enthusiasm and excitement about retirement develops.

Anticipation (up to five years before retirement): This is a time of excitement and hopefulness. Emotions intensify and financial resources are almost in place. The elderly spend more time planning for recreation, new hobbies, family and new careers.

Liberation (Retirement Day and the year following): The honeymoon phase. It’s a time of enjoyment, enthusiasm and hopefulness, and it lasts about a year. Senior citizens feel excited, relieved, and liberated from worries and responsibilities. Our elderly parents miss their friends and work connections, but reconnect with spouses and families, hobbies, traveling and beginning new businesses – 89 percent of our seniors indicated they were “very busy” during this time.

Reorientation (two to 15 years after retirement): After the initial liberation period, many elderly people transition into reorientation. During this time, which can last up to 15 years after Retirement Day, there’s a let-down. How much of a let-down and how long it lasts depends on how they reorient their priorities, activities, relationships and daily living. Senior parents often discover the challenges of retirement may include depression, worry and/or boredom.

The study uncovered four distinct experiences within the reorientation stage of the senior retirement journey:

-  Empowered Reinventors (19%): This stage is a time of adventure, new challenges and              fulfillment for our adult parents.
- Carefree Contents (19%): This stage is a time for seniors to adjust to a less frantic lifestyle without the stress of work and responsibilities. Eight out of 10 of our senior parents don’t work at all.
- Uncertain Searchers (22%): This stage is one of mixed feelings – Our retired elderly parents are still trying to figure out what to do with this time in their lives, and may not be on track financially for retirement.
- Worried Strugglers (40%): This stage is most difficult due to a lack of planning and preparation. Most of our senior citizens have not given much thought to what they want to do with their retirement years.

Reconciliation (16 or more years after retirement): Many retirees enter a phase of relative contentment and acceptance. They begin to set their sights on moving to a new home, confront end-of-life issues with families and friends; and find resting and relaxing with other seniors more appealing.

Among pre-retirees and retirees with retirement experience, one of the main discoveries was that both groups find retirement is liberation from the daily grind, which gives them more control over their own time.

This study was for Ameriprise Financial in conjunction with Age Wave and Harris Interactive, Inc. The survey sampled 2,000 people (ages 40-75) around the country in 2005.

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July 29, 2010

When Is It Time To Take The Car Keys Away From Your Elderly Parents - From Comfort Keepers A Caregiving Non Medical Healthy Aging Agency Supporting At Home Services In Wallingford CT (Summer Repost)

By Carol Carbutti

One of the hardest things an adult child will ever say to a senior parent is “Mom, it is time to give up the car keys”.  So choosing the right time to tell your elderly parents may save their lives. But not dealing with this situation could have tragic consequences.

So, what do you do and when? Taking the keys away the first time your aging parent accidentally scrapes the side of the car on the garage? When she clips another vehicle as she pulls into a parking space at a restaurant? Has she been ticketed by police for speeding through a school zone?

Many of our elderly are able to operate a car safely into their 80s and beyond. Most senior citizens will voluntarily adjust their driving habits when they realize that cataracts are affecting their night vision, for example. What do you do when your retiree no longer show this kind of discernment?

According to the National Motorists Association, the primary cause of serious accidents involving elderly drivers is diseases which effect cognitive abilities like memory, judgment and understanding. Diseases like Alzheimer’s account for the majority of accidents caused by elderly drivers.

Before you act all family, friends and caregivers should pay close attention to your aging parents memory, health and judgment before jumping to your worst-case scenario. There are some factors Comfort Keepers of Wallingford, CT use in evaluating your loved one’s fitness to drive:

Are your senior parents driving habits being affected by a short-term emotional disturbance, such as the death of a spouse or friend, a change in circumstances or absentmindedness brought on by stress? If so, suggest to your elder parent that perhaps they should let someone else do the driving for awhile, until things settle down.

Is there a chronic pattern of traffic violations such as running stoplights, speeding or damage to other vehicles? If so, your loved one is becoming a dangerous driver. It’s time to confront your senior parents.

Comfort Keepers points out that according to statistics on driving and the elderly, older retired drivers are more likely to be involved in multiple-vehicle accidents than younger drivers, including teenagers. The elderly are also more likely to be issued traffic citations for failing to yield, turning improperly and running red lights and stop signs — all indicators
of decreased driving ability.

Statistics also suggest that a retiree 65 years or older is more likely to be severely injured in an accident and more likely to die than a younger person in the same circumstances. Fatal crashes rise sharply after a senior turns 70.

As you evaluate your aging parents driving skills, take into account the following conditions — and if remedial driver’s training might help:

Do your aging parents have loss of hearing acuity. Does your elderly parent react to honking horns, screeching tires, emergency sirens? If not, have him/her tested for
hearing loss. Also, insist on refresher driving classes designed specifically for the deaf and senior citizens.

Loss of visual acuity can effect how your elder parents see the road. Contrast sensitivity (the ability to detect sharp borders and lighting changes) can make it difficult to see
road dividers and other road markings. It can also make night driving or driving on extremely bright days very difficult. Have your senior parents eyes checked and fitted for tinted lenses or a visor. Limit driving to times when vision is least likely to be impaired.

If your aging loved ones have chronic diseases and physical impairments like arthritis, muscle degeneration, Parkinson’s or other physical limitations they may need classes for disabled drivers.  They can work with their range of motion and check to see how they respond to an emergency situation.

Your elderly parents medications can have serious side-effects.  Senior citizens may become drowsy, have watery eyes and slowed motor skills. Talk to your loved one’s physician about which meds may affect driving skills, as well as the correct way to take them.  (i.e., how do they interact?).

Knowing precisely when it’s time to ask your elder mom or dad to surrender their driving privileges is not an exact science. It’s also traumatizing for the caregiving son or daughter and potentially devastating to the senior parents.

For most seniors, driving a car represents mobility, freedom.  To take their keys away brings on beginning of social isolation and total dependence on other family caregivers to meet physical and transportation needs. It’s a chilling thought for any aging adult — and men may be especially affected.
 
Before discussing the decision to suspend an elder parents driving privileges, do some research. Locate agencies that provide transportation for seniors. Depending on where you live, there may be city buses or trains convenient to where your loved one lives. Provide him or her with maps and information on bus schedules, taxi fares, etc., then be prepared to volunteer to ride with her a couple of times till she feels comfortable with these new ways of getting around.

Resolve to talk to your elderly loved one reasonably and respectfully about options — not condescendingly, as to a child.

Here at Comfort Keepers we believe we should introduce the subject gently: “Mom, I’ve noticed that you are having a hard time making out the lines on the road and you
sometimes cross into oncoming traffic … would you say that’s true?” then, “Mom, you’ve had a lot of near-misses on the road and I’m afraid you may get hurt — or accidentally hurt somebody else … We all love you, and we want you to be with us for a long time, so I
think it’s time we looked at other options for transportation. Do you understand?”
You’ll likely have to state it very clearly: “Mom, I’ll need to ask you for your car keys.”

There may be tears, protest, anger. But as one who cares and sees the situation objectively, you are responsible for ensuring the safety of your senior parent – and other people on the road. If you don’t, the consequences could be far worse than the temporary pain of having to take away a set of car keys.

The flip side of this decision is that you as the caregiving son or daughter may also be required to adjust your schedule in order to accommodate the transportation needs of your elderly parent or arrange for these services.

In short, not only is your senior parents lifestyle going to change radically, yours will, too. It’s now your responsibility to ensure he/she gets to the grocery store, arrives on time for doctor’s appointments and is able to pick up important prescriptions. If close relatives live in the vicinity, you may enlist their help.

As we and our senior parents age, our roles also change — sometimes subtly, sometimes in ways that turn our lives upside down. Remember there are people out there to help you. You can contact a home care agency or elder care consultant.

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July 23, 2010

SafetyChoice™ by Carol Carbutti’s Comfort Keepers® Office in Wallingford, CT For In-Home Safety, Personal Emergency Response System To Help Enhance Independence and Security For The Seniors, Caregivers and Their Families (Repost)

By Carol Carbutti

New in-home technologies are helping a growing number of aging adults live independently longer. SafetyChoice™ by Comfort Keepers^{® is a line of in-home safety technology solutions that assists seniors in aging independently at home; whether used with or without in-home care provided by a caregiver. The initial release of products under the Safety Choice™ banner which includes personal emergency response systems (PERS) and other monitoring devices has been developed through a partnership between Guardian Medical Monitoring and CK Franchising, Inc., the franchisor for the Comfort Keepers franchise system.www.comfortkeepers.com.www.guardianmedicalmonitoring.com.}

Carol Carbutti

added that demographic studies show that the ratio of seniors to working-age Americans is expected to continue growing—30 percent from 2010 to 2020, and another 29 percent in the following decade.

In the meantime, seniors and their loved ones are discovering that technology solutions—such as those offered through SafetyChoice by Comfort Keepers —can effectively bridge the times when a caregiver can’t be present or when a senior may not yet need a caregiver in the home. Such technologies are monitored by professionals at central stations and provide phone notifications to first responders whether a professional caregiver, family member, neighbor or emergency personnel.

“These systems provide family members the peace of mind that their loved one can get help, even when a caregiver can’t be physically present with them,” Mrs. Carbutti said.

Responding to the increasing needs for care among seniors, Comfort Keepers recently introduced the new SafetyChoice™ line of technology products, which extends personal caregiving. These products include PERS Units as well as other monitoring devices that can detect certain activities by persons with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses, and a portable PERS device with GPS technology.

“Technologies like these, in combination with personal caregiving, lead to improved health outcomes and quality of life for seniors,” Carol Carbutti said. “These technologies make it possible for them to continue living at home—where they most want to be—safely, confidently, and independently.”

PERS units help seniors summon help quickly with the push of a button—reducing wait times for emergency assistance in the event of a fall, illness or other emergency at home. “By greatly decreasing the time for emergency help to arrive,” Mrs. Carbutti said, “emergency response systems help reduce the complications that can result from a fall or other emergency. The shortened wait time usually results in quicker and fuller recovery and an improved chance of returning to retired independent living.”

Carol

Technology can be a good prescription for caregivers’ health, too, Mrs. Carbutti said. According to testimony delivered by the Alzheimer’s Association to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, one in eight caregivers providing care to those with Alzheimer’s becomes ill or injured as a result of caregiving. Technology can relieve some of the stress by giving family members the opportunity to take breaks from their caregiving responsibilities.

To learn more about the SafetyChoice™ by Comfort Keepers® in-home technology solutions in the Wallingford CT area, call Carol Carbutti at (203) 697-1030.

Comfort Keepers®

With over 550 independently owned and operated locations, Comfort Keepers is a leader in in-home senior care to promote independent living. Services include companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, incidental transportation, laundry, recreational activities, personal care and technology products. For more information visit

Guardian Medical Monitoring

Guardian Medical Monitoring, initiated in 1998, offers products and services nationwide and is a division of Guardian Burglar Alarm, North America’s largest independent security and life-safety company. Guardian offers commercial/residential fire and burglar alarms throughout Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Canada. For more information visit

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July 8, 2010

Elderly Communication Between Caregivers And Clients Promotes Healthy Aging and Safety In A Non-Medical Setting

By Carol Carbutti

When we provide services to our seniors at their homes communication is our first step.. Here at Comfort Keepers we stress the importance of honest, respectful and open communication when interacting with our seniors.  When families of elderly seniors are looking for personal care and companionship we offer our willingness to truely listen.  Our caregivers will not pretend to know their problems until we have heard them first.  Then Comfort Keeper caregivers re-state what they have said to make sure the senior knows we have paid close attention and understand what they need.  At times caregivers will suggest other things we think seniors ought to be thinking about.  We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t lend our expertise in their unique situation.  By doing this senior citizens will leave our meeting knowing we really listened to them and that our caregivers cared about what they said.      Communication is a two way street.  When it comes to planning it is best to make a plan.  Each senior and their financial situation is different and must be addressed as such for optimum resolve.  Always try to understand a clients emotional framework.  It is equally important to recognize that these are scary times for seniors.     Comfort Keeper caregivers believe the key is to take the time to know your client.  It is time well spent.  Listen and you may learn something new.  Treat elderly clients based upon your unique facts and always with the greatest respect.

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July 2, 2010

COMFORT KEEPERS WOULD LIKE TO MENTION A FEW COMMON PROBLEMS WITH EYESIGHT AND HEARING LOSS THAT EFFECTS OUR SENIOR POPULATION

By Carol Carbutti

Many adults will find their eyesight usually declines around age 40, and cataracts and macular degeneration may develop with our seniors around the age of 60. As they age our elderly parents will also notice their hearing weakens. Here are a few conditions that are common in the golden years.

Presbyopia is a gradual loss of ability to see objects close to you or read small print. This condition is normal in senior citizens, and a usual treatment is simply to get a pair of reading glasses.

Another common eye problem is Cataracts. These are areas of cloudiness in the lens of the eye that cause loss of sight. Generally, these form slowly without symptoms, and some remain small and do not interfere with vision. Others may grow large or dense, harming vision. Cataract surgery may be needed.

Glaucoma is a result of fluid inside the eye causing too much pressure. Gradually, this pressure can damage the optic nerve, leading to loss of vision and blindness. , senior citizens with glaucoma lack early symptoms of pain or pressure, but annual eye exams that include dilating your pupils can protect you from developing this disease.

The most common cause of blindness in the United States comes from Retinal disorders. The most prevalent among healthy aging senior citizens is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects the area of the retina that provides sharp central vision. Treatment of AMD includes photodynamic therapy, which uses a drug and a strong light to delay the progress of the disorder. Another common retinal disorder is a degenerative disease that affects vision and is called diabetic retinopathy. It is important that our elderly parents seek appropriate medical care, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and have frequent follow-ups to help reduce its prevalence.

Two new drugs, ranibizumab (Lucentis) and bevacizumab (Avastin), are now being used to treat neovascular macular degeneration in senior citizens.

When hearing becomes a problem for baby boomers a doctor may use the term Presbycusis, this is the term used for slowly progressing hearing loss caused by aging.

Tinnitus is a term for a ringing, roaring, or other noise that may come with hearing loss. Our aging parents may experience this due to loud noise, hearing loss, some medicines, and other health problems like allergies or problems in the heart and blood vessels.

Carol Carbutti owner of Comfort Keepers right here in Wallingford, CT would like to remind our family caregivers and private companions of how important it is to get your eyes and hearing checked regularly.  Protecting your seniors eyesight and hearing is very important.

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June 23, 2010

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS TO HELP CARE FOR THEIR ELDERLY PARENTS WHETHER IT’S A LITTLE YARD WORK OR GOING OUT FOR A RIDE EVERY WEEK TO THE GROCERY STORE

By Carol Carbutti

Comfort Keepers, an in home agency for seniors in Wallingford, CT would like to mention that caring for a healthy aging senior parent can take many forms. For some grown children, that care may be as simple as mowing a lawn a couple of times a month. Others may need to drive their elderly parents to the grocery store or make sure that financial matters have been attended to and bills are paid. Still some family caregivers may have to help attend to basic daily needs of their in home parents. Some grown children may have actually reversed roles with their parents, and now they are the cooks, maids, and sitters.

If you and your family members have taken up this role, then you are certainly not alone. The informal, unpaid caregiving duties are valued at over 3 billion dollars in the US. The value of this contribution totals up to more than Medicaid spending for long term care. This does take the pressure off of government programs. You may feel as if you are just doing your duty to the people who dedicated a good part of their lives to bring you up, but you should also take a moment to pat yourself on your back. Even though you may not believe your contribution is noticed, believe me, it has been.

But even though you are providing a valuable contribution to yourself, and to your elderly parents, you may be paying a price. Caregivers do suffer from anxiety and depression. Some resent the burden, but then feel guilt over the resentment. You may also be missing time from work, just as you do when you have to stay home because a child is ill. Some employers are friendly towards adult custodians of elderly parents, but some employees have not progressed to that point yet. This can be a source of additional stress.

Of course, you want to be a responsible adult child, and since you love your parents, you do want to make sure they are well cared for. However, you will not do anybody good in the long term if you do not accept some help when you need it. If you are feeling the strain, do not be afraid to look into sources of help. Services are out there, from counseling to home health care professionals to adult day cares. If you can release some of the burden, your relationship with your charges will improve, and everybody will be happier in the long run.

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June 17, 2010

CAROL CARBUTTI THE OWNER OF COMFORT KEEPERS OF WALLINGFORD, CT WOULD LIKE TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER AND PRICELESS HUMOR FOR OUR HEALTHY AGING IN HOME SENIORS AND THEIR CAREGIVING FAMILIES

By Carol Carbutti

Who would ever think that laughing can be so beneficial? Research has shown that human aging has a mind body connection that elderly parents enjoy with the benefits of laughter. Their response to it can have many unexpected health benefits. Here are a few benefits of laughter and a good sense of priceless humor:

For starters research studies have shown that the ability to see humor, even in difficult situations, causes the reduction of stress reducing hormones in an elderly parents body. Laughter also elevates their mood by releasing endorphins in a seniors body. This increases a babyboomers sense of well being and improves their mood while boosting their immune system. Studies show that laughter can raise the level of hormones that produce infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the effectiveness of immune cells.

Seniors

Another important study shows laughter can reduce risk or even prevent heart disease. The research found that retirees with a priceless sense of humor, found humor even in everyday situations that may cause others stress. The study found that 40% of individuals with heart disease were less likely to laugh at life’s situations.

Healthy aging seniors

should know that a good hardy laugh is just as good as a mild workout since your blood pressure goes up and many muscles stretch while increasing your amount of oxygen. During this increase some seniors notice a higher pain threshold. After they may feel a sense of relaxation when their blood pressure decreases.

Having a humorous outlook also promotes social interaction since they are the ones others want to be around. Laughing is contagious. Scientists feel that the increase in use of the abdominal muscles and utilizing more energy may attribute to a more stable blood sugar level for clients with Type 2 Diabetes.

“Laughter is definitely a healing experience, and we’re not talking metaphorically, we’re speaking absolutely literally. Laughter is one of the best medicines you can have.” Quoteby Deepak Chopra

There is an increasing interest in the benefits of laughter and a growing industry of programs that encourage laughing. Laughter therapy promotes laughing as a coping skill for survival.

There is still much more research to be done on the health benefits of laughter. There is definitely a mind body connection with the benefits of laughter affecting human aging. Remember, priceless humor and enjoying a day with some laughter is better than a day without any laughter at all.

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June 9, 2010

DO YOUR HEALTHY AGING AT HOME RETIRED SENIOR PARENTS ENJOY THE THEATER, WELL FAMILY MEMBERS AND PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANTS SHOULD SUGGEST AND CONTACT THEIR LOCAL SENIOR THEATER GROUP

By Carol Carbutti

Are your  healthy aging parents ready to let their talent shine? If they are, they’re in luck. Our owner Carol Carbutti of Comfort Keepers in Wallingford, CT would like to mention that there are many senior theatre groups around the country and are growing in numbers. In 1999 there were only 79 elderly theater companies, and today the number tops 530 companies across the nation. Here family caregivers and private companions can find the basics about what these groups do, and how to find one in your area.

It’s okay if your interactive parents don’t have any experience and don’t know where to go. Groups range from amateur to professional and are often sponsored by local retirement communities, educational institutions, senior centers, and community theater groups.

Each senior theater group has a different aim and style to their work. Many companies do what’s called “reader’s theater”. This is a script-in-hand performance that alleviates the fear of memorization. They can also find playwriting, play-viewing, TV commercial acting, and play-reading groups.

Do your at home babyboomers have something to teach to the world? They can look for specific theater groups with performances geared toward educating the public about senior issues like fall prevention and concerns related to diseases and illness in their golden years. Such “edudramas” find funding more easily than other theatrical events.

Not all shows are full-length. Some theater groups find it easier to do shorter 10 to 30 minute plays, allowing for an easier rehearsal schedule. These plays are also less expensive to put on.

A great resource for learning more about senior theater is Arthur Strimling’s book, Roots & Branches: Creating Intergenerational Theatre. It’s a great tool for learning to blend the young and old alike in the theater.

Your active retired parents may also want to start their own senior theater group, or find one to join. If they are looking for an existing senior group, try going online or talking to your local senior center. If they want to start their own, get some fun and courageous friends together and have a play-reading party. Invite guests and read a short or full-length play. If the group seems like a good fit, start rehearsing something and shop around for venues to perform.

If performing just isn’t mom or dad’s cup of tea, but they have a love for the theater, they can call their local playhouse or Theater Company and ask for a senior discount package. Almost all regional theaters have special prices and packages for seniors, including passes to see matinees. If they have trouble with seeing or hearing, notify the people in the box office. They can usually move your parents to a closer seat and almost all theaters provide complimentary headsets to seniors with hearing difficulties.

Most regional theaters in the nation have special accommodations for wheelchairs and other disabilities. Phone ahead to inform the box office and they should be able to assist you.

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June 2, 2010

SUMMER HAS BEGUN AND IT IS TIME TO REMIND OUR HEALTHY AGING IN HOME SENIORS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS TO TAKE SOME STEPS TO HELP PREVENT DEHYDRATION, HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE

By Carol Carbutti

     The dog days of summer are upon us again.  Comfort Keepers of Wallingford, CT an in home caregiving agency would like to mention to our at home seniors and their family caregivers that more people die of heat-related causes than from hurricanes, lightning, floods, and tornadoes combined?  During an average summer, about 1,500 people die from these events.  The group that is affected the most from heat related illness is our elderly senior population because they usually live alone with a limited income.  The heat also affects them if they are immobile or take medications that are diuretics.  Family Caregivers and Private personal care assistants need to be aware of their aging mom or dads chronic medical conditions including obesity, cardiovascular lung disease, and diabetes. 

    To prevent heat exhaustion during the summer our healthy aging seniors need to make sure they drink plenty of liquids since many heat related illnesses occur when the body is dehydrated.  Dehydration is a condition where the body lacks sufficient water and electrolytes which are needed to lower its internal temperature on hot days. According to Dr. Jane Potter, president of the American Geriatric Society, older adults are at risk because the aging process changes our physiology.  Seniors do not sweat as much as younger adults and sweating is how the body lowers its temperature.  Simply using a fan will not be effective without sweat; Elderly parents need to remain in a cool, air conditioned environment, take cool baths, or spray themselves with water to lower their body temperature. 

      The most common symptoms of dehydration that caregivers and companions need to be aware of include thirst, going to the bathroom less often, dry skin, fatigue, light-headedness, dizziness, confusion, and increased heart and breathing rates.  In mild cases, simply drinking fluids, particularly a “sports” type drink, effectively restores body fluids.  More serious cases, which require immediate medical attention, include heat exhaustion and heat stroke.  Signs of heat exhaustion and stroke include muscle cramps, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and fainting.  The skin is often cool and the person’s pulse is weak and rapid.  Untreated, this condition is life-threatening.  If you recognize any of these symptoms while caring for your elderly parent or client, call for help immediately, cool them down by any means possible, and apply ice packs to the neck, armpits, and behind the knees.

     Now is a great time for family members to take some precautions: make sure there is a supply of water (water bottles for outdoor activities), check to be sure fans and air conditioning equipment are functioning properly, and establish a “check-in” routine with senior adults who are vulnerable.  If your aging parent requires assistance during a heat wave, establish a relationship with a local home care company before the summer season begins.  Make a plan now for what to do when the weather gets hot to avoid any future issues.

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