Senior Care and Memory Problems

Memory Problems in Seniors | The first time a senior forgets where they put their purse, wallet, car keys, remote control, or other important object, they may wonder if they are starting to forget things. Others will simply write it off as a “senior moment”. If this sort of activity happens several other times, however, words like “dementia” and “Alzheimer’s disease” start to enter the senior’s mind. These can be very scary times.

While a certain percentage of memory problems are related to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, these are not the only reasons that seniors have memory problems. In fact, according to the National Institute on Aging, “Memory loss can happen at any age and for a number of reasons.” The good news is that, unlike dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, many of the reasons for memory loss are actually treatable and reversible.

In Home Care Services Support Memory Problems in Seniors

One of the main reasons seniors have trouble with their memory is related to medication. The average senior over the age of 65 takes between 8 and ten medications. Many of these drugs have side effects that impact memory, and the mix of the medications further complicates matters. Often, seniors who have a medication-based brain fog can see the reversal of this condition with an adjustment to their medications. The key, however, is early identification and good communication with the physicians. If your senior loved one receives senior care in Calgary, Comfort Keepers caregivers can help them with a medication management regimen that includes keeping a close watch on the memory.

Another reason many seniors face memory issues is a lack of sleep. Simply put, the brain does not function as well when it is tired as when it is rested. A common reason for sleep problems in seniors is sleep apnea. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, sleep apnea does not just lead to fatigue and daytime naps, “It is linked to memory loss and dementia”.

Sleep apnea is diagnosed through a sleep test. Comfort Keepers senior care in Calgary can help your senior loved one arrange a test, or – if they are unable to go to a sleep clinic – may be able to help with a home testing kit. If sleep apnea is discovered, caregivers can help with a bedtime routine that includes a CPAP device.

For many seniors, memory is challenged because of stress. There is simply too many things going on in the brain to keep them all straight. Stress-related memory problems are even more severe when linked with a lack of sleep. Finding ways to reduce stress is not just good for the memory, but it is also highly beneficial for a senior’s overall health.

In short, memory problems are not uncommon in seniors. Thankfully, there are many reasons for these issues other than chronic or irreversible illnesses and diseases.In many cases, a simple lifestyle modification or change in medication may be all that it takes to bring the memory back to normal. If your senior loved one has a memory problem, Comfort Keepers senior care can help.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help with Memory Problems in Seniors

If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

In Home Care for Calgary, AB and the surrounding areas of: Airdrie, Aldersyde, Banff, Black Diamond, Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, Okotoks, Redwood Meadows and Sherwood, AB.

What To Do When Your Aging Loved One’s Personality Changes

Personality Changes in Seniors | There are many reasons a senior’s personality may change. As we age, people experience numerous physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, and each person handles these experiences differently. One of the common results of various stressors in a person’s life is a change in personality. For example, a person who was always calm and reserved may become angry and outspoken, or a person who was always gregarious may become withdrawn.

Personality changes are not always negative or bad, but they do typically indicate that something has changed in a senior’s life. Therefore, it is important that a senior caregiver take note of any personality changes in case there is an underlying medical condition causing it.

Three of the more common reasons behind personality changes in seniors:

• The death of a spouse or significant other. Many seniors have spent the majority of their life with a person who “completed” them. When their other half passes on, many seniors do not know how to function or cope with the world in which they are now left alone. Many seniors will require the help of a senior caregiver if their loved one who passed supported them in daily living activities or took care of many of life’s tasks. In addition to requiring this physical support, they may also need help coping with their emotions. Emotions range from anger, resentment, and hostility to depression, sadness, and isolation. There seems to be little connection between a person’s personality prior to such a significant loss and the emotions displayed after. In loss, personality changes are often profound.
• Medication. Most seniors over the age of 65 are on at least five to ten different medications. Many times these medications can impact a person’s hormones, chemical balance, and brain functions. It is no wonder that changes in personality are common side effects of many common medications. Senior caregivers should watch for sudden personality changes after new medications are added and when medications are stopped. Should a personality change occur unexpectedly, checking to see if the senior has been taking all of their medication as prescribed is a good place to start. For example, a senior may have run out of a medication and not had it refilled.

• Dementia, Alzheimer’s, TBI, and other brain-related diseases or injuries. Any sickness, injury, or disease can cause significant changes in a senior’s personality, but those ailments that directly impact the brain are known for causing such shifts. As different areas of the brain die, the controls and filters that were there are gone as well. This means that if a brain center that blocked hostility is damaged or lost, a person may find themselves getting frequently angry. Without impulse control, a person may become quite aggressive, sexual, hyper-emotional, and so forth.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help with In Home Care for Seniors

If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

In Home Care for Calgary, AB and the surrounding areas of: Airdrie, Aldersyde, Banff, Black Diamond, Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, Okotoks, Redwood Meadows and Sherwood, AB.

Suggestions For Managing Stress in Seniors

Managing Stress in Seniors | When people think about stress, they may consider deadlines at work, screaming children, caring for a loved one who is sick, changes in relationships, or even their own health. The truth of the matter is that all of these could or could not be stressors, as each person responds to internal and external demands differently. What may cause one person to “become stressed” may not cause another person a moment’s pause or care. This is why it is important for each person to know their own stress triggers and for a home health aide to know the stress triggers of the senior for whom they are caring.

How Can A Calgary Home Health Aide Help Managing Stress in Seniors?

When a person becomes stressed, the body releases chemicals called cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine into the bloodstream. These chemicals, and the way the body reacts to them, determine the way a person responds to various incidents of stress. This means that it is not just important for the home health aide to understand a senior’s stressors, but they must also understand the way or ways in which they respond to their stress triggers.

The reason it is so important to understand stress is that it is associated with a plethora of negative health issues. These issues tend to become magnified with age. For example, WebMD notes, “Stress seems to worsen or increase the risk of conditions like obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma.” Stress has also been linked to “age-related atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, cancers and dementia, according to the National Institute of Stress.

A home care aide should not just understand what causes a senior’s stress, but they should know what helps to de-escalate stressful situations as well. For some seniors, soothing music may help them relax, while others may find the sounds of a harp or flute irritating. Studies have found that chronic senior stress can be reduced through pet therapy. In fact, just petting a dog typically lower the release of cortisol, increase the release of serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone), and lower blood pressure. Of course is the senior is allergic to the dog, this sort of pet therapy may not be the answer.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help 

If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

What is Atrial Fibrillation for Seniors?

Atrial Fibrillation in Seniors | In atrial fibrillation, the heart starts to beat extremely rapidly – from 300 to 600 beats a minute. To put this in perspective, a normal resting heart rate is only 60 to 70 beats a minute. This type of irregular heartbeat is most common in seniors with the risks of developing AF doubling every ten years after the age of 50.

While AF is not dire in and of itself, it greatly increases the risk of medical conditions which are very serious such as thromboembolisms, dementia, and depression. If not caught in time, thromboembolisms can lead to a stroke and or death.

Atrial fibrillation is often a symptom of an underlying problem or condition such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and congestive heart failure. It can also stem from dehydration, an electrolyte imbalance, alcoholism, and even stress.

Home Care Calgary

The primary way to treat hypertension is through medication therapy and non-medical lifestyle changes such as exercise and diet modification.

Home care can be an essential element in helping a senior lose weight and eat a healthy diet. Many seniors who are obese, suffer from hypertension, or have AF, also struggle with at least one daily living task. In addition to the risks associated with AF, these seniors also risk losing their independence and quality of life. Home care can provide supports that range from light housekeeping and laundry to shopping, cooking, and personal care.

Seniors who require medications to deal with their AF may find that their medication management program is getting overwhelming, as most seniors over 65 already take at least 5 to 10 different medications. If your senior loved one requires support with their medication management, home care from Comfort Keepers will keep them on-track.

In short, atrial fibrillation is common among seniors, but it is also a condition that should not be taken lightly. Many risk factors, such as obesity and hypertension, can be limited through exercise and a proper diet. Other times, medication may be necessary. Whatever their unique situation, a home caregiver can provide the supports your loved one needs in their fight against AF.

Low Impact Exercises for Seniors

Low Impact Exercises | There is no lack of research touting the myriad benefits of exercise. This makes it all the more frustrating for millions of seniors who want to harness these benefits but are physically limited by chronic pain and disease. The good news is that most of the benefits associated with regular exercise do not require gym memberships, fancy equipment, or even strenuous activity. In fact, low-impact exercises are often preferable as they produce benefits while limiting potential pain and injury.

Low-impact and high-impact refers the to amount of stress placed upon the joints during exercise and not the intensity or effectiveness of the movements or routines. Many low-impact exercises go so far as to remove any stressful or repetitive contact of body parts with hard surfaces. Examples of such activities include swimming, biking, yoga, and Tai Chi. Others, such as water aerobics or low-impact aerobics allow the contact of limbs with the ground, but in a highly-controlled manner. Water aerobics offsets the impact of the limbs and stress on joints through the buoyancy of the water.

Many of the benefits of regular exercise are related to a controlled increase in the heart rate. Low-impact exercises are able to increase the heart rate just as effectively as high-impact exercises. Many of them also come with the added benefits of working on balance and flexibility as well. Further, low-impact exercises tend to raise the heart rate at a slower pace so those who need to carefully monitor their heart rate or blood pressure can do so more easily.

Of course, the greatest benefit of low-impact exercise is the lack of stress on the joints. This makes low-impact activities a great option for seniors dealing with joint pain from arthritis and autoimmune disorders or who are worried about the consequences of osteoporosis. In addition to protecting joints from impact, the loss of weight through exercise makes a significant difference when it comes to the workload the joints are subjected to. Losing just five or ten pounds can make an enormous difference that can be felt in the joints.

In Home Caregiver for Calgary’s Seniors

Seniors who live alone may have additional concerns about exercise, especially if they are dealing with physical pain or issues that limit mobility. Should they fall or get injured, they may not be able to get help. Other times, the stress related to the exercise counteracts the benefits. This is where an in home caregiver can make all of the difference. An in home caregiver can provide the physical, emotional and social support needed for seniors to exercise safely and confidently. Plus, it is a whole lot more fun to work out when there is somebody to encourage you, prod you on, and talk to. An in home caregiver can also provide transportation to a senior center, fitness center, or pool should transportation be needed.

In short, low-impact exercises are far from inferior forms of exercise. In addition to being joint-safe, they are effective ways to reduce stress, reduce weight, and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. In situations where seniors require assistance to take advantage of exercise opportunities, a senior caregiver can provide essential physical, emotional, and social supports.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help with Low Impact Exercises

If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

Homecare Service for Seniors in Calgary, AB

Homecare Services for Seniors | Tens of millions of seniors are not able to fully care for themselves and require assistance in one or more daily living tasks. Many of these seniors have family members who can support them as family caregivers.

The reasons for support are varied and range from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to cancer and Parkinson’s. Other seniors face autoimmune disorders, ALS, fibromyalgia, and problems with pain and mobility. In addition to these chronic issues, seniors may face short-term, acute issues that limit their ability as well. For example, surgery or an accident may only have a recovery time of weeks or months, but that is a long time to go without food, water, or even conveniences.

Does your aging loved one need more support?

If your senior loved one requires support with one or more daily living tasks, homecare services from Comfort Keepers may be the answer. Even if family caregivers are available, homecare services can provide respite care relief should caregivers need a break. Other times, family caregivers need support, especially as progressive diseases move into their later stages.

Comfort Keepers homecare services include light housekeeping, laundry, cooking, transportation, and personal care such as toileting assistance, bathing, grooming, and dressing. In Calgary, Comfort Keepers homecare services also include specialized dementia and Alzheimer’s care, hospital to home transition assistance, end of life care, and even private duty nursing support.

In short, if your senior loved one requires support to remain free, safe, and independent, Comfort Keepers has all of the services and supports they need under the umbrella of one agency. Even better, with Comfort Keepers trademarked Interactive Caregiving approach, homecare services address the holistic needs of your loved one, including their cognitive, emotional, and social well-being in addition to any physical tasks and chores that may be performed.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help with Homecare Services for Seniors

If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

Homecare Assistance for Older Drivers

Homecare Assistance and Senior Drivers | Gerald is 70 years old. He has been driving since she was a young teenager. His insurance company has rewarded him with lower rates for many years because of his safe driving record. Now, because of a few medical complications, the doctor is recommending that he no longer has a driver’s license. Gerald is furious about the loss of his license. He wonders if the doctor has the right to restrict his license, and if he does, how will he live his life without the use of his vehicle?

Gerald is not alone.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there are currently around 25 million drivers over the age of 70 on American highways. This number is set to skyrocket over the next two decades as the Baby Boomers age. The IIHS also notes that while many seniors remain safe drivers, “Once people turn 70, their crash rates start to tick up. After 80, the acceleration is marked. Octogenarians on up have a higher collision rate per mile traveled of any age group except for teens, and their rate of fatal collisions per mile traveled is the highest of all drivers.”

In absence of a national law on senior drivers, each state imposes its own rules. Most require drivers over the age of 65 to renew their license in person and pass an eye exam. All states allow physicians and family members to report suspicions of unsafe driving, and a handful of states actually require physicians to report their belief that a senior may no longer be fit to drive. These states are in the vast minority, however, and even then the senior can often draw out the suspension for some time.

Even if a senior knows they may be moving a little slower, seeing and hearing a little less, and having aches and pains that impact their ability to handle a vehicle as aptly as they used to, most are reluctant to turn over their keys. A big part of the issue is freedom, independence, and the ability to safely function in life without adequate transportation support. As Gerald wondered, how will life be lived without the use of a vehicle?

Homecare Assistance in Calgary, AB

Homecare assistance is available in all 50 states. Most homecare providers provide transportation assistance as part of their standard services. Comfort Keepers does.

Some areas of the country have more needs than other parts. For example, seniors who live in New York City likely have much greater access to efficient public transportation than seniors who live in most any suburban or rural community. Even seniors in sprawling metropolises like Los Angeles which lack the breadth of public transit found in cities like San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New York, or even Pittsburgh, may find getting around difficult if not impossible.

In these situations, many seniors turn to friends or loved ones. Even those who have these options, however, find that homecare assistance affords them increased freedom and they don’t feel like they are becoming a burden, which lessens their anxiety from an already stressful situation.

Another benefit of homecare assistance is care for the underlying reason the license was taken away. Most seniors, like Gerald, who needed to give up a license, have underlying, progressive medical issues which require on-going, long-term care. It may start with transportation, but in these circumstances the homecare assistance will likely grow into many other daily living tasks and perhaps even personal care.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help with Homecare Assistance and Senior Drivers

If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.

Fall Prevention for Seniors

Senior Fall Prevention | More seniors fall and get hurt than individuals in other age groups. As a result, many people assume falling is a result of aging. The good news is that this is false logic. Falls are not a result of aging, and they can be prevented. For seniors, fall prevention is more than avoiding the odds, it is about maximizing health, independence, and quality of life, because when seniors do fall it is usually serious.

Tips for Senior In Home Safety

The first step in fall prevention is analyzing and preparing the home environment. After all, over 70 percent of senior falls take place in the home. Calgary seniors can count on Comfort Keepers to provide support in this area. A home risk analysis will identify the areas most likely to lead to a fall so they can be fixed. The most common findings are cords, cables, and loose rugs in walkways. Safety suggestions often include grab bars near toilets and showers, addressing level shifts in the flooring, motion sensor lighting, and railings in the hallways.

Statistically, the primary reason for age-related senior falls is a lack of strength and flexibility in the lower half of the body. Frail seniors may be too afraid to start an exercise program, and those with chronic, progressive, or severe medical issues may struggle many forms of exercise. In these cases, the most popular forms of exercise include walking, water aerobics, swimming, yoga, and Tai Chi. Others find that stationary bikes are more to their liking. The secret is simply finding something that is of interest that can be done safely. Calgary seniors Comfort Keepers staff can make all of the difference, as they offer the physical, emotional, and social supports needed for seniors to find and stick with an exercise program.

A significant number of senior falls are also attributed to decreased vision, dizziness due to medication and ear problems, and improper diet. Fall prevention includes regular medical check-ups and proper treatment such as up-to-date prescriptions for glasses, dietary guides, and medication management and oversight. Calgary seniors can get much of this support, including transportation to and from appointments, shopping, and cooking from Comfort Keepers senior care services.

Comfort Keepers^® Calgary Can Help with Senior Fall Prevention

If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.

Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.