When a loved one is hospitalized, the family must be active in the treatment and over-all care of that person. Seniors often have a family member of caregiver act on their behalf. This can be an overwhelming experience, so it is best to be as prepared a possible. The following list provides some tips that will help family members know what needs to be done when the senior is hospitalized.

1. Make sure all legal documents are in place. This includes Advanced Medical Directives and a durable power of attorney for health care. The first informs all family members and physicians of the type of medical treatment and care the senior wishes to receive if they are unable to make their own decisions at that time. An example of this is a DNR or a Living Will. The second is also known as a health care proxy. This individual is appointed by the senior to make medical decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so. Each of these documents must be signed. The family members and physicians should have copies.

2. Make sure you are able to provide all medical information when asked. Medical history is an important part of treatment plans, so you want to make sure you know all there is to know, including medications, allergies, current physicians and a description of the senior’s mental and physical capacities.

3. Be as active as possible. This requires the family member to be part of the health care team. This can be done by learning how to get in touch with the physician providing care, knowing the nurses who are caring for the senior, having the ability to speak with and social service workers and case managers and being a strong advocate for the medical care of the senior.

There is no feeling worse than sitting at home wondering what’s become of your elderly loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s and has wandered away. Every time the phone rings, for hours on end, you begin to wonder if someone is calling because they have found the senior injured, or even worse, deceased from an accident or injury during their journey while lost and confused. But for some, the prevention of this situation is not enough to consider using a tracking device to help keep track of older adults who suffer from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Some people believe it takes away the privacy and independence of a senior; others know that it does that while offering protection and safety which both should come first.

Despite the controversy of senior tracking devices, there is quite a market out there for them, with more refined technology constantly under development. The latest is a pair of shoes with a tracking device that submits location details back to a computer. The Ambulatory Tracking Shoes are set to go on sale in the spring, and a portion of the costs might be covered by Medicare.

Where do you stand in the argument about senior tracking technology? Share with us what you think about these tracking shoes.

Via: Washington Post

Seniors have often been portrayed as vulnerable and physically week in the media and in movies and TV shows. It’s been a highly publicized stereotype that little old ladies are the subject of purse snatchers and muggers; but today’s seniors are changing everything and are admonishing those misconceptions about older adults. In recent times, seniors have been portrayed in the media, defending themselves against muggers; leaving them begging for mercy, and even against animals like mountain lions while out on a hike. All seniors can follow in the footsteps of these empowered elderly by implementing the following tips:

1. Use what you have – a form of martial arts using canes has become popular and even if seniors don’t have specific training (which will be available across the US in nursing homes and senior centers) they can use their cane in self-defense

2. Remain fit – physically strong seniors have a better chance of fending off attackers, so all older adults should work out with cardiovascular activity, weight training, balance and flexibility activities

3. Take regular self-defense classes – knowing the points to hit on an attacker are crucial for surviving an attack. Self defense classes can teach these areas and also help seniors make sure that they remain safe and free from injury even when defending themselves.

Watch Elderly Sisters Fight Off Home Invader

Sources:

1. Canemasters

2. TrendHunter

3. AJC

Image: theblazingcenter.com

Whether you are a senior preparing yourself and your own home for a potential earthquake devastating the San Diego area where you live, or a caregiver helping an important older adult in your life remain safe during and after a natural disaster, you can benefit from these 6 ways to stay safe in an earthquake!

1. Identify hazards in the home and fix them! Hire a professional contractor for potential issues with the home itself, and secure objects around the home and put them in safe places to minimize damage and injury

2. Create a disaster preparedness plan. Know how you’ll get out of the house in the case of the earthquake and where you’ll go. Share this information with family and friends.

3. Create disaster kits – include non-perishable food, water, and other necessities like flashlights to ensure you can survive for a few days at a time if necessary after an earth quake hits

4. Protect yourself – know how to protect yourself during earthquake safety. Ensure you sit down in a safe spot in your home where objects can’t fall on you to prevent you from losing your balance or getting injured

5. Check things out after a quake – after a quake, check yourself for injuries and observe the state of your home

6. Follow your disaster plan – after the quake has stopped, if safe, implement your disaster plan

Via: KPSP Local

Image: pro.corbis.com

Many seniors with Alzheimer’s encounter something called Sundowning; a restlessness and inability to sleep at night. This is a concern for many San Diego families who have seniors that suffer from this disease, because at night, when they should be asleep, is the time when they are most likely to be at home alone, and when unsupervised, some sometimes incognizant of their actions, this can be a serious safety concern. Home caregivers hired to help with San Diego seniors most often work during the day, unless they live in the senior’s home; and since this can be a more costly alternative for many families, it’s hard  to know what to do with seniors with Alzheimer’s to keep them occupied and safe during the nighttime hours.

Elderserve at Night is a one of a kind Alzheimer’s program to help families and seniors living with this disease cope during the nighttime hours when they can become the most restless and likely to injure themselves with no one available to help. With this nighttime program for seniors with Alzheimer’s, seniors are picked up from their homes and kept busy between 7am and 7pm every evening and well into the night. Seniors are given the opportunity to socialize, the engage in guided activities like painting, music, potting plants, and they are provided methods to just relax away from home where they constantly face the worries that come around when the sun sets.

With this program, seniors even receive meals, the opportunity to shower, and the chance to rest if the mood strikes them; but the top benefit is that seniors and their families know that their loved ones aren’t going to become victims of the night.

Sources:

1. NYTimes

Traditional nursing home and assisted living facilities are large institutions that provide basic care, but don’t necessarily cater towards improving the quality of life for San Diego seniors based on their living arrangements. The Green House Model in eldercare focuses upon quality of life and comfort first, and care elements, while they are a priority, are not the center of being like they are in the large, traditional institutions.

The Green House Model tries to give seniors the comforts of home with the conveniences of having care services around them 24/7. The atmosphere is less sterile and hospital like because they try to provide a warm and welcoming environment where only 6-8 seniors are living. The goal of The Green House Model is to eliminate big institutions and move towards this model that focuses on quality of life to improve overall senior well-being. As more and more seniors are dreading moving to a nursing home or assisted living facility as they get older, the elder care structure is adopting methods that allow for senior independence and aging in place. With this in mind, The Green House Model might just be the future of elder care.

Sources:

1. Eden Alternative

2. NCB Capital Impact

Image Source: pro.corbis.com