At Your Side Blog

Every decade in life brings new adventures and new challenges. For people over 50, certain foods work wonders for healthy cholesterol and blood pressure, for strong hearts, minds and bodies. Other foods need to be moderated to avoid health complications. Share these tips with your aging loved one to show him or her that it’s very possible to still enjoy his or her favorite foods and receive all the healthy, necessary nutrients:

• Eat a variety of food. It’s easy to get into food slumps and to eat the same three meals every day. To increase the likelihood of getting all the nutrients you need, switch up your diet frequently so your body doesn’t build up any kind of resistance to the foods that you eat.
• Eat a hearty high-protein, low-carb breakfast. Try a poached egg with oatmeal (not the pre-packaged kind) and pair with a few berries or an apple and a cup of green tea. Eating a larger breakfast than the rest of your meals will help give you energy and fuel your day.
• Watch your sugar levels. Sugars can be sneaky, and will hide in tasty foods and beverages like tomato sauce, ketchup, fruit juice and wine. If you take sugar in your coffee, switch to natural sweeteners like Stevia or Truvia. Some studies suggest you can also lower sugar and insulin levels with gymnema tablets, taken three times a day.
• Substitute the salt. Some sodium is necessary in the diet, but most people eat much more than they need, increasing the risk of high blood pressure. If your food needs a little something extra, replace the salt with salt-free spices, herbs or lemon juice.
• Listen to your body. If you’re hungry, get a snack. If you’re full, stop eating. It seems simple enough, but many of us eat too quickly to process when we are actually full and continue to eat. Eat slowly and savor each bite—this will allow your body time to tell your brain when you’re full.
• Drink water. You may not often feel thirsty, but people over 50 should still drink several glasses of water each day. Drinking water will also help you feel fuller faster, cutting out unnecessary calories.
• Talk to your doctor. If you would like to know exactly how many calories you should consume each day or exactly how much fiber or protein you should be getting, talk to your doctor. She will be able to determine the healthiest plan for you based on your height, weight, age and health concerns.

The first Mother’s Day observance dates back to the late 1800s, when American women suffragettes like Anna Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe (“The Battle Hymn of the Republic”) urged mothers from the Union and Confederacy to bond together to protest the death of their sons and husbands during the Civil War.

In 1908, the first Mother’s Day observances took place, where sons and daughters visited their mothers to thank them for everything they’ve done. President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day a national observance in 1914, where it became a day to celebrate mothers by giving flowers, cards and gifts.

Today, sons and daughters celebrate their mothers and grandmothers in all kinds of ways. Here are a few ideas to celebrate Mother’s Day this year:

• Give the gift of a good meal. If your mom or grandma lives close to home, take her out to brunch or dinner. Many restaurants offer specials on Mother’s Day, so be sure to call ahead and make a reservation. If she prefers to stay at home, make her favorite meal while she relaxes.
• Say thank you. If your mother or grandmother lives far away, give her a call to say “thank you” or even surprise her with a weekend visit.
• Tell her what she means to you. Write your own Mother’s Day card to give to your mom or grandma. Using your own words is more personal and meaningful than a store-bought one, and you can customize it to tell her just how important she is to you.
• Remember other moms. Get back to the roots of Mother’s Day and honor a mother you know whose child or grandchild is a soldier overseas. Send her a card or flowers, or invite her over for dinner.

How are you honoring your mother and grandmother this weekend?

 May is Older Americans Month, a tradition that has been celebrated across the nation for nearly 50 years. This year’s theme is Never Too Old to Play, a fitting topic for our older loved ones as we always encourage an active and full life, no matter what the age. This month as flowers are blooming and the sun is shining, take the opportunity to get out and have some fun. Here are a few suggestions of activities you can share with a spouse or older loved you whom you may be caring for:

• Go dancing. Get out on the town with friends and go dancing for an evening. Another great idea is to check out what kinds of dance classes are offered at your local community center.
• Go for a walk. Spring is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the warm weather before it gets too hot.
• Clean house. We’ve all heard of “spring cleaning.” Spend an afternoon helping an older loved one prepare their house for the warmer weather, put away winter clothing and get rid of unnecessary clutter around their home.
• Get moving. Ask a friend to join you in a game of racquetball or golf at the local sports center or country club. Health clubs also offer exercise classes specifically for senior citizens, so ask for a schedule of classes and join away.
• Garden party. Now is the time to get your hands dirty in the garden and start planting beautiful flowers around your home. Consider having a garden party with your friends and neighbors to show off your hard work.

What are you doing to stay active this month?

With Earth Day and Arbor Day taking place this month, April is full of reasons to think about how you can help the environment. There are some things you can do that will lead to a healthier life and help the environment. Here are five tips from a recent article on Yahoo! Health:

1. 1.    Drink filtered water. There are at least 315 pollutants in tap water in America, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Use carbon-based filters at home to protect your water.
2. 2.    Eat organically. The EWG created a list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide levels in them: apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines (imported), grapes (imported), sweetbell peppers, potatoes, blueberries (domestic), lettuce and kale or collard greens. Buy the organic version of these foods to reduce your pesticide exposure by almost 80 percent.
3. 3.    Eat a variety of unprocessed whole foods and grains. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains will reduce your risk of unknowingly ingesting large quantities of toxins from an unsafe food product. While most foods are safe to eat, harmful substances can get into the food.
4. 4.    Use more natural cleaning products. Conventional cleaners leave toxic residue, produce poisonous runoff that affects the water supply, and waste plastic. Use cleaning products with recognizable ingredients without the words “danger” or “poison” on the label or make your own low-impact cleaning products.
5. 5.    Go organic for cotton. Conventional cotton is sprayed with about 25 percent of the world’s insecticides and more than 10 percent of the pesticides, and these chemicals are still present when you purchase it.

Following these tips will help your health and the earth. Happy Arbor Day, everyone!

For people of all ages, music often arouses various emotions, sensations and memories. Especially for the elderly, music can help bring them back to pleasurable times in their life reminding them about experiences they had throughout their younger years.  Several studies have been done on music therapy and the elderly, mostly in the areas of Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, and general Geriatrics. Studies suggest music helps elderly patients with chronic pain, cancer, hearing impairment, or those who have recently gone through a surgery or have lost a loved one. In a recent article on Huffington Post, editors discuss 11 Ways Playing and Listening To Music Help Both Body and Mind:

1. Eases anxiety in Cancer patients
2. Reduces stress
3. Helps during surgery
4. Protects your ears’ sound-processing abilities
5. Boosts heart health
6. Soothes pain
7. Helps memory
8. Protects the aging brain
9. Prevents heart transplant rejection (in mice so far)
10. Improves stroke recovery
11. Works as well as a massage at lowering anxiety

What affect does music have in your life?

Holidays are a great opportunity to spend time with your family, and Easter is no exception. There are many activities that are fun for all family members—from grandparents to children. Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy Easter with family:

• Decorate eggs. Dyeing and decorating eggs is a great Easter tradition. This is a wonderful activity for kids to share with their parents and grandparents before the Easter egg hunt.
• Sit down for a family meal. Holiday meals are a special time for many families. Whether you prepare a four course feast or a simple dinner, this is an excellent opportunity for the whole family to get together, share stories and have a great time. Include your elderly loved one in the preparations if you can!
• Play a game. There are so many options for pre- or post-dinner activities. A simple board game or card game can get the entire family involved. If your family is more adventurous, try charades or have a talent show.

What are your best Easter memories? Feel free to share in the comments below.

For many, gone are the days of a luxurious retirement spent on the golf course. The recession robbed many Baby Boomers and would-be retirees of that dream. For the lucky ones, the struggling economy only altered retirement plans, forcing Americans to make smarter financial decisions and do their research when it comes to planning the next phase of their life.

To help make an informed decision, AARP recently published a useful list of the 10 most affordable and livable retirement destinations.

1. Winchester, Virginia
2. Portland, Maine
3. Gainesville, Georgia
4. Wenatchee, Washington
5. Tulsa, Oklahoma
6. Cheyenne, Wyoming
7. Columbus, Indiana
8. Ithaca, New York
9. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
10. Midland, Texas

Are any of these cities on your wish list? Share with us your retirement dreams on our Facebook page!

Susan and her office manager Marie Peart

Personal Mantra: “Therefore strive that your actions day by day may be beautiful prayers. Turn toward God, and seek always to do that which is right and noble. Enrich the poor, raise the fallen, comfort the sorrowful, bring healing to the sick, reassure the fearful, rescue the oppressed, bring hope to the hopeless, shelter the destitute!”

~Abdu’l-Baha

As a Registered Nurse for 32 years, Susan has worked in the hospital as a staff nurse in critical care units, as a home care and hospice case manager, hospice educator, and as nursing educator at a number of universities before opening ComForcare Senior Services in Chester County, Penn. in August 2011. This experience coupled with her passion for helping others and her knowledge of the benefits of aging in place, made this a perfect opportunity for Susan.

Q: What is the number one question or concern you get from families of aging loved ones in regards to in-home care?

A: Being safe at home is the primary concern. Our presence brings reassurance and promotes safety and dignity.

Q: What is your biggest piece of advice for family caregivers?

A: Be open to the benefits of having an experienced agency caregiver assist you in the process of supporting your loved one. This frees you up to be the family member rather than an over-burdened caregiver.

Q: What are you hearing from your clients? Why do most of them opt for staying in their own homes rather than moving into an assisted living facility or nursing home? 

A: Having done some nursing supervisor work in a nursing/rehab facility, I can attest that it is not a dignified place for clients. Understaffing is chronic and the nursing assistants are often demoralized and unhappy. Our care in the home with a one to one ratio is vastly superior care for the fragile elder.

Q: What do you do to stay active in your community?

A: I am involved with the National Geriatric Nurses Association. Our local Chester County chapter plans and executes several educational programs each year which focus on educating the geriatric caregiver. Our next program will help geriatric nurses to identify when seniors are no longer safe behind the wheel.

Q: What does the future hold now that adults over age 80 are the fastest growing segment of the population?

A: Our services will be needed more and more. It is my hope that more people will obtain the long term care insurances to help them fund our services more readily.

According the National Council on Patient Information and Education, adults 65 and older use more medicine daily than any other age group in the U.S. and account for 34% of all prescription medication. As many of you know, it can be extremely challenging for older adults to keep track of all their medications – especially for those suffering from conditions that require them to take multiple medicines each day. Here are a few tips on how you can help your family member keep track and make sure they’re taking the right dosage at the right time. Keep in mind that between 40-75% of older people do not take their medications correctly, according to the council.

• Purchase a pill box with days of the week listed on the top of each pill container. This is simple and convenient.
• Make a chart or list and hang it on the wall near the medicine cabinet. Write down the name and dosage of each medication – including over-the-counter drugs and vitamins – and instructions for taking each medicine.
• Keep medications out on the counter or in a spot where your loved one will see it every day. You know the age old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind!”
• Consider all of your options. Hire an in-home caregiver if you can’t be there 24 hours a day or research various forms of technology that help remind seniors when to take certain medications.

The past couple of days have shown us just how powerful Mother Nature can be. With tornados and severe storms hitting much of the U.S., it’s only appropriate to offer a refresher on disaster preparedness. Consider this, 60% of people who died in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina were older than 60. Be sure to have a conversation with your older loved ones today about what to do in case of emergency so that everyone remains safe and unharmed!

• Establish a “safe room.” Discuss with your family members where you will go in case a tornado hits. Be sure it’s on the lowest floor of the building and has no windows or glass doors.
• Create a “Grab and Go” kit. Fill a duffle bag or bin with cash, a phone charger, clothing for each family member, irreplaceable family heirlooms, extra medications, a blanket, a battery-operated radio and a list of important phone numbers.
• Make a plan. Be sure to talk to a senior loved one who lives independently about what plans they already have in case of emergency. Who will call them to make sure they’re okay? Where will they go if they need to evacuate? Is there a close friend or relative who can help get them to a safe location? Also, meet with neighbors so that you can all come up with a strategy to keep one another safe.
• Ask questions. If your older loved one lives in an assisted living facility or senior community of some sort, be sure to talk to the facility staff and management about what type of disaster plan they have in place. Will your loved one be safe and accounted for? Will they call you or an emergency contact if need be? Does the staff have a plan in place to help less mobile patients? Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get answers.

For more information, visit http://www.ready.gov/tornadoes.