Exercise: With age, resistance training becomes increasingly important for maintaining strength and muscle mass. Increased muscle tissue burns fat more efficiently, reduces your heart disease risk, and lessens your chance of a broken hip from falling, a constant risk for the elderly.
Source: Independent Health
Nutrition: Emphasize fruits and vegetables in your loved ones diet, and minimize meat, saturated and hydrogenated fats, and sweets. Eat moderately to avoid obesity.
Source: Independent Health
Medication Safety: Keep track of all side effects in a journal. Note the times of day of side effects, meal times, and when the medication is taken. Share this with the doctor. Before seeing the doctor, write out your questions about medications.
Source: Independent Health
Medication Safety: Tell the doctor about prescription and over-the-counter medications as well as supplements and herbs. Keep a written record of medical history and medications. Be sure to bring it to all doctor appointments and to update this list when medications, dosages, or health status changes.
Source: Independent Health
Medication Safety: Track and talk about eating habits. These might help make a difference in how your loved one’s body reacts to certain medications. Include coffee, tea, and alcohol.
Source: Independent Health
Medication Safety: Ask the doctor to write down directions for medications so there are fewer chances for mistakes.
Source: Independent Health
Nutrition: For a change, try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Try brown rice stuffing in baked green peppers or tomatoes and whole-wheat macaroni in macaroni and cheese.
Source: MyPyramid.gov
Nutrition: Buy fruits that are dried, frozen, and canned (in water or juice) as well as fresh, so that there is a supply on hand.
Source: MyPyramid.gov
Family Caregiver Tip for Dementia: Give yourself a break. Scheduled respite is essential for the caregiver.
Source: Erie County Department of Senior Services Caregiver Resource Center
Family Caregiver Tip for Dementia: Generally try to maintain a stable environment. Care should be taken if you are planning a trip. Dementia patients often react badly to strange places.
Source: Erie County Department of Senior Services Caregiver Resource Center
Family Caregiver Tip for Dementia: Acknowledge your right to feel angry and then do something to get rid of this anger. Punch a pillow, saw wood, smash tennis balls, or scrub floors. Do not lash out at the patient, since it will only make the situation worse.
Source: Erie County Department of Senior Services Caregiver Resource Center
Preventing Falls: Exercise! Walking is the best exercise, so try to do it often. Even short walks help to maintain your strength and balance.
Source: Weinberg Campus
Preventing Falls: When getting out of bed or out of a chair after being there for a while, always get up slowly.
Source: Weinberg Campus
Preventing Falls: Throw rugs pose a tripping hazard. They should be tacked down or removed. Clutter, such as shoes, electrical cords, and magazines are a safety hazard. Keep pathways clear.
Source: Weinberg Campus
Preventing Falls: Poor lighting also presents a safety hazard, so use night-lights in bathrooms or pathways and be sure that lamps and overhead lights adequately light up the living space. Have a light at bedside and use it to get up during the night.
Source: Weinberg Campus
Preventing Falls: Chairs and couches should be of adequate height and with arms of adequate length. Furniture that rolls should be secured so as not to move when least expected.
Source: Weinberg Campus
Caregiver Tip: Take care of yourself. Watch your diet, exercise, and get plenty of rest. Make time for shopping, a movie, or an uninterrupted visit with a friend by taking advantage of community services like adult day care or in-home services.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association, Western New York Chapter
Caregiver Tip: Manage your own level of stress. Stress can cause physical problems (blurred vision, stomach irritation, high blood pressure), and changes in behavior (irritability, lack of concentration, loss of appetite). Note your symptoms. Use relaxation techniques that work for you and consult a physician.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association, Western New York Chapter
Caregiver Tip: Do legal and financial planning. Plan ahead. Consult an attorney to discuss legal and financial issues, including durable power of attorney, living wills and trusts, future medical care, housing, and long-term care insurance.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association, Western New York Chapter
Caregiver Tip: Do you visit your own physician regularly? Be aware of what your body is telling you. Your exhaustion, stress, sleeplessness, and changes in appetite or behavior should be taken seriously. Ignoring these symptoms can cause your physical and mental health to decline.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association, Western New York Chapter
Caregiver Tip for Alzheimer’s: Get a diagnosis as early as possible. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s may appear gradually. It can be easy to explain away unusual behavior when your loved one seems physically healthy. Instead, consult a physician when you see signs of the disease.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association, Western New York Chapter
Caregiver Tip: Educate yourself regarding your loved one’s illness. Look for sources of help.
Source: GeriTalk, a division of Stall Geriatrics
Caregiver Tip: Set aside time for yourself, and enroll those around you to help out.
Source: GeriTalk, a division of Stall Geriatrics
Caregiver Tip: Exercise regularly. Find a support group. Be alert to symptoms of depression.
Source: GeriTalk, a division of Stall Geriatrics
Holiday Cooking Hint: If you are cooking or if you feel comfortable asking the person cooking, try making the recipes healthier by cutting away fat on the meat, limiting the amount of butter used, and sautéing or steaming vegetables.
Source: GeriTalk, a division of Stall Geriatrics
Exercise: With age, many of us experience a slowing of our mental dexterity. It is just as important to exercise your mind as your body. Do daily mind exercises: cross word puzzles, word games, renew an old hobby, take a class in something new – there are even computer games now to exercise your mind.
Source: Pfalzgraf Beinhauer & Menzies LLP, Geriatric Care Management
Medication Safety: Those weekly medication minders can be very helpful, set it up for your self or ask a family member to help you. These make it much easier to track if all of your medications are taken properly.
Source: Pfalzgraf Beinhauer & Menzies LLP, Geriatric Care Management
Home Safety: Consider a life-line type of device; accidents do happen and these can be a life saver.
Source: Pfalzgraf Beinhauer & Menzies LLP, Geriatric Care Management
Preventing Falls: As we age many of us loose weight, check the hems of those pants that are they too long, which can be a fall hazard. Check shoes for fit and quality, a good fitting shoe can make a very positive difference.
Source: Pfalzgraf Beinhauer & Menzies LLP, Geriatric Care Management