We’re approaching a season with a full string of holidays – Halloween is just around the corner, followed by Thanksgiving, Hanukah and Christmas; and for many seniors it’s a time that also results in great loneliness known as the Holiday Blues. Holidays aren’t always like seniors remember them to be, with friends and family no longer around, celebrations and traditions can change and make seniors long for the past. The holidays don’t have to become a time dreaded by seniors; with these tips they can make the most of a time of the year that should be filled with joy, not despair:

• Don’t expect too much – if big family get togethers haven’t been a big part of holidays recently, don’t expect them or you’ll only face disappointment

• Don’t do things that are too stressful – holidays are meant to be a time of enjoyment, so if there are certain tasks that surround the holidays that stress you out, avoid them!

• Volunteer – surround yourself with others in the community by volunteering and giving back

• Don’t isolate yourself – when holidays aren’t the way they used to be, seniors might become isolated; join in on activities in the community, get together with friends and make sure you don’t have to be alone

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle – to keep your spirits up, take care of yourself. Exercise, eat well and limit  alcohol consumption

Sources:

1. 4Therapy

2. About.com

You might underestimate the abilities of your loved one who has Alzheimer’s. It’s an easy thing to do, expecting them to have the ability to complete a complex art project when they can’t remember to wear a coat when going outside just doesn’t equate. But don’t take that ignorant attitude, if you take the time to arm yourself with knowledge about this cognitive disease, you’ll know that challenging art projects can have extensive benefits for seniors. Don’t just sit them in front of a juvenile arts and crafts projects with popsicle sticks and paste; enrol them in a program with painting, sculpting or other activities lead by professional artists.

More complex projects can help seniors to feel less isolated – they feel like they’re less than the rest of society when they’re treated as though they’re capable of little. Art can also allow them to express themselves in ways that they’re no longer able to through typical outlets of communication, boost their confidence, trigger memories and general provide inspiration.

Try it with someone you love who has Alzheimer’s, and you’ll see the difference; there’s nothing to lose, where has underestimating their capabilities gotten you anyways?

1. AARP

2. USA Today

Do you feel like you’re missing out on the little things by not living near your grandchildren? You might hear about the big picture things like report cards at the end of the year, but you miss out on things like seeing your grandchild with a face full of tomato sauce after a spaghetti dinner. Now, with technology available like webcams, you can catch all of those little moments that you miss out on by being far away.

Here are some tips for using a webcam, and bridging that gap so you’re part of the daily lives of your grandchildren that way you don’t have to miss a beat:

1. Get the webcam – many laptops that are sold today come with webcams, even a few computer monitors also have webcams built in. If your computer doesn’t have a webcam, you can buy one for as little as $20

2. Set it up – most webcams will come with software and drivers you can install to get it setup. Follow the instructions and put the webcam itself so it comfortably focuses on your face

3. Find a way to chat – to connect with grandchildren, you will need to both use the same type of program that supports webcam chat. Instant messengers like MSN and AOL have webcam chat, or other programs like Skype offer it as well. Choose one that will also be safe for your grandchild to use

Sources:

1. CowboyFrank

2. All Business

Everyone’s on the internet now a days, and while it may have been a stereotype that older adults just can’t embrace new technological trends out of fear, more seniors than ever are finding themselves online. Are you one of these older adults who just can’t live without your daily dose of internet? What are your favorite activities? Are you online shopping? Buying your groceries? Social networking on sites like Twitter or Facebook? Or just searching the internet for information about your health? Whatever you’re doing, the benefits are greater than you think.

A recent study showed that the 6 or more hours per week that seniors are spending online can actually have direct benefits to cognitive enhancement, in turn improving memory and other cognitive functions. So, keep on surfing guilt-free and know that you’re benefiting your health!

Do you let your age put limitations on what you can do? Do you have ideas about what aging is supposed to look like, with knitting needles, Depends and pureed food? Well, it’s time to start re-evaluating the picture that you have of aging, because now getting older just doesn’t look like it used to! Up until recently, you might have only seen fashion ad models as young 20 somethings that wear sizes that aren’t actual numbers, now as aging is becoming a picture of beauty, it’s being reflected that way in the mainstream media.

Recently, seniors are being used as fashion models in major ad campaigns. The model for a new ad campaign, 65 year old Lauren Hutton was the face of Mango’ Fall/Winter 2008/2009 line of clothing, proving that it really is possible to get better with age and show it to the world. This campaign isn’t the only one to appreciate and recognize the aging process, with female fashion models also appearing on the runway during shows in previous years.

Older women in the fashion campaigns are showing just how strong and empowered today’s women can be, what will you do to show your own strength, and prove that age is nothing more than a number?

Via: Trendhunter.com

Seniors with Alzheimer’s face a very real risk of getting lost, and this can lead to accident, injury, or risks to their health. When left to fend for themselves, seniors who have dementia out on their own might forget to take their required medications, remain outside dressed inadequately for the weather or worse.  Seniors can get lost when they wander away from home, or simply when they’re out running an errand and forget where they are or where they live as a result of their Alzheimer’s. In order to help prevent serious situations when 60% of seniors with Alzheimer’s do get lost, tracking technologies have been developed.

Tracking gadgets and wearable items of clothing, like the Ambulatory Tracking Shoes set for release in the spring, do come with controversy. Some are against the technologies as they feel that it allows “big brother” to always be watching, and eliminates senior’s sense of privacy and independence. But for those who support their technologies, that’s the idea; of course not to take away independence, but simply to provide an added element of safety for those who need it.

It seems like between the black and white, in the argument of tracking technology, there are a lot of grey areas from critics and supporters alike. Tell us where you stand and why.

Via: Washington Post

Pill boxes can help Los Angeles seniors to manage their medications, but the traditional kind don’t do much more than make sure that seniors take the right medications on the right days – after that, everything else is left up to them and that can mean that pills are missed or taken in extra doses. A new smart prescription dispensing system, the UBox eliminates these issues. Originally designed to help manage prescription treatment for tuberculosis, this innovation could go a long way to improve seniors’ independence and health.

uBox Smart Pill Box Features:

• Storage - 14 chambers for pill dispensing for 2 weeks worth of medication or multiple types of prescriptions

• Alert system – seniors who find themselves unable to remember when it’s time to take their medications are alerted with flashing lights and a buzzer

• Protection against duplication – so seniors do not accidentally take the same medication again, seniors cannot get the device to open unless it’s time to take a pill

1. MIT News

2. TrendHunter

Image: web.mit.edu

It’s not uncommon for seniors to reach a stage in their life where they just don’t want to venture too far away from their Los Angeles homes. While they once enjoyed frequent trips out for walks, or running errands, they might find themselves sticking with weekly trips for groceries and household supplies. Why is this a phenomenon amongst seniors? The answer is simple, for many, it becomes just too much of a physical challenge to get out there and that can affect their lifestyle and their overall quality of life. To help improve senior’s mobility and independence, an electric walker has been created that makes it easier for seniors to get around and live their lives without restraint.

About the ICIO Personal Transporter for Seniors:

• It has a convertible design

• Seniors can choose to use the personal transporter as a traditional 3 wheeled walker

• During periods when they’d like to move at a faster pace, they can stand on an attachable support and activate the electric function

• The device is suitable for seniors as their level of physical mobility changes, since it also converts into a mobile scooter with a seat

• With the personal transporter, seniors can venture out for exercise and convert the device if they get tired, giving them the security that they won’t be stranded

Sources:

1. TrendHunter

2. The Design Blog

3. TrendHunter

Memories are a fleeting thing for seniors suffering with Alzheimer’s, and family members often go to great lengths in order to help their loved ones hang onto those little memories that have been significant and helped shaped their lives. In Los Angeles, one family caregiver, Jean Bolds cares for her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s, and in order to help preserve her mother’s memories in something tangible that can serve as a reminder of the family’s history, has been contributing to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Quilt to Remember, which serves to honor seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Jean’s mother Aylene was the type of mother during her prime that did everything for her family, and in order to make sure those fond family memories are preserved, if not in her mother’s own mind, she has been creating her section of patchwork quilt from old aprons that were used to bake the countless birthday cakes and Thanksgiving pies over the years. Jean’s contribution has been added to the many other sections of quilt provided by families touched by Alzheimer’s, and is currently available for viewing at Hancock Park in Los Angeles for those who would like to pay their own tribute to the memories of those who are no longer able to look for them in their own minds.

Via: TodaysSeniorsNetwork

Image: beddingnotes.com