As my elderly mother began getting older, her levels of mobility changed which compromised her ability to care for herself with complete independence in her own Los Angeles home. Her choice was to age in place, so we hired a non-medical caregiver to help her out with the tasks she was struggling with. While we encouraged her to remain active in the community, her choice to stop driving prevented her from getting out of the house as much as she used to. So, we talked to her about bringing a companion into her home at the suggestion of her doctor; a pet to keep her company and fight off the loneliness that sometimes comes with living alone. My mother had been a lifelong animal lover, so she was thrilled at the suggestion of getting a pet, but also worried that she wouldn’t be able to keep up with its needs. To get a feel for how she would like caring for a pet, we started with an aquarium of fish. My mom, with her artistic eye, was excited about choosing her selection of colorful tropical fish, which we knew would be low maintenance with a filter in the aquarium and my offer to clean out the tank once a week.  Just feeding and watching the fish seemed to make my mom happy, and as her confidence in pet care grew, we also decided to add an older cat to her home for additional company.

Sources:

1. HealthyPet

2. About

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Senior depression is an unfortunate reality of getting older for many seniors. After witnessing many drastic changes and tragedies throughout the later years of their lives, it’s no surprise that seniors may struggle with their morale. However, that doesn’t mean that we as friends, family members, and caregivers of seniors have to stand by idly and let a senior suffer with depression in silence; we can step in and help boost their morale by making a positive impact on their lifestyle.

4 Ways to Boost Senior Morale:

1) Encourage physical activity – exercise releases hormones which can help stave off depression. Instead of sitting around at home during a visit with a senior, go out for a walk or pick another activity that’s well suited to the senior’s physical capabilities.

2) Create social situations – the best way to boost senior morale and prevent loneliness is to get them involved in social situations. Invite your senior to a party or encourage them to join a social activity.

3) Help maintain a healthy diet – studies have proven that a well-balanced diet can prevent depression, so keep your senior’s fridge well stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables.

4) Offer support – if your efforts just don’t seem to boost your senior’s morale or they continue to struggle with elderly depression, make sure they know you are willing to listen to anything on their mind. If they aren’t comfortable talking with a friend or family member, encourage them to speak with a counselor or join a support group for seniors.

Sources:

1. Senior Journal

2. Everyday Health

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With many home care agencies, you never know who’s going to turn up on a Los Angeles senior’s doorstep each day of their scheduled care. But what this means is that seniors never have the opportunity to trust, bond and form a friendship with their senior caregivers. We know that the right caregiver is one that a senior can get to know, begin to trust with their home and their care, and someone who will become an important companion. Every day a senior has home care scheduled, we send the same caregiver to provide consistency and because through our process we ensure that the caregiver sent is one that meshes with the senior’s personal needs and personality.

When we send a new caregiver to a senior’s home for the first time, we complete an in-depth assessment to evaluate the needs of the senior and the type of caregiver who would be best suited for the role. However, just because a senior has been sent a caregiver, doesn’t mean that they’re stuck with them forever. If a senior or their family is not satisfied with the caregiver, we will be happy to send a replacement that better meets the request.

Once the right caregiver has been matched with a senior, you’ll never be able to separate them!

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We may think we’re not responsible, but anytime each of us turn a blind eye to the signs that an older adult is being abused or neglected, we are participating in their victimization. Whether we pass a senior in a Los Angeles grocery store who shows signs of bruises and don’t say a word, or we keep our mouths shut while we see an individual verbally battering an older adult in the park; we are sharing in the responsibility of elder abuse. Next time you suspect a senior is being abused, don’t hold your tongue; any of the signs listed below can indicate that a senior is a victim of abuse or neglect, and now’s the time to do something about it.

• The senior is showing physical signs of injury, including bruising, sprains and cuts

• There are bedsores on the senior’s body, which may show signs of neglect

• The senior seems to be tense and argumentative around his or her caregiver

• The senior has withdrawn from many social activities that they once enjoyed

• The senior’s general attitude has changed

• The senior refuses to seek treatment for any issues with drugs, alcohol or depression

• The senior tries to avoid the topic of his/her care

• The senior appears to be losing excessive amounts of weight

• The senior’s caregiver seems “too good to be true”, if you get the impression, that may very well be the case. A good caregiver should be open and honest about their dealings with a senior.

Sources:

1. Planning for Eldercare

While many of us may go through are days making statements like “this is stressing me out”, there’s one group of people that can truly relate to this sentiment on a physical and psychological level; family caregivers. While caring for a senior, especially one that you have close emotional ties to can be stressful in itself, there are additional causes of stress for Los Angeles family caregivers. Family caregivers are forced to cope with stress on a daily basis, while juggling their responsibilities as caregivers with their careers and their family responsibilities.

Stress is directly linked to weakened immunity due to a hormone called called neuropeptide Y (NPY). According to Professor Fabienne Mackay, lead researcher on the study, “During periods of stress, nerves release a lot of NPY and it gets into the bloodstream, where it directly impacts on the cells in the immune system that look out for and destroy pathogens (bacteria and viruses) in the body,”

However, caregiver stress doesn’t only take a toll on the health of a Los Angeles family caregiver; it can also compromise the level of care provided to the elderly care recipient. After all, someone that can’t take care of themselves is in no shape to look after anyone else.

Sources:

1. Medical News Today
2. Medicine Online
3. The American Institute of Stress

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While everyone worries, seniors in particular can find that stress hits them the hardest. The effects of inadequate stress management for Los Angeles seniors who are dealing with the natural stresses and concerns that come with growing older can be fatal; since stress can lead to serious health complications including cardiovascular problems like heart attack, stroke or hypertension. So as a caregiver or loved one of a senior in Los Angeles how can you detect the signs that your senior is worrying their way to an early grave?

Look out for the following signs that your senior loved one is suffering from the effects, so the stress can be managed appropriately before the consequences are grave:

• The senior complains of gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea

• The senior suffers from increased anxiety, demonstrated through inability to make decisions

• Signs of depression are exhibited by the senior, which might be characterized by lack of motivation, and an inability to complete day-to-day tasks

• The senior no longer has an appetite due to constant worrying

• The senior begins experiencing headaches more frequently

• The senior begins complaining of problems with sleeping, since insomnia can be a sign of inadequate coping with stress

Sources:

1. SeniorJournal.com

2. Associated Content

3. The American Institute of Stress

Spring is in the air in Los Angeles and seniors are dying to get outside into the fresh spring air and sunshine. However, when outside in Los Angeles health and safety is important, so when taking a senior outside, ensure that you are properly prepared to provide for their age specific needs by completing this checklist!

• Outdoor time is planned for early in the day, before the sun and temperatures rise

• The outdoor location chosen has plenty of shady areas to escape the sun

• The elderly person is wearing appropriate outdoor clothing – including a hat (and sunscreen) and light, loose clothing. Also bring an extra sweater in case the senior feels cool, and an umbrella should the sunny skies turn to rain

• Items are packed to keep the senior well hydrated, including plenty of cold water, fruits, and popsicles to cool the body down

• You won’t rush the senior when outside – let him/her take their time when walking around

• You understand the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion, and know you can’t always rely on a senior to tell you when they’re not feeling well. Look out for signs of dizziness, nausea, fatigue, confusion, sweating or even fainting

Sources:

1. Today’s Senior’s Network

2. Senior Ark

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