Smart Senior

Senior Living: Never Get Lost Again (book review)

 

You’ve probably read stories about seniors getting lost two blocks away from where they live. “Tsk Tsk” you say, “his/her mind is gone”.   What would you say if I told you that people get lost all of the time, and it has nothing to do with their age or mental status?

 I know this because I am “directionally challenged,” myself.   Until I read the book “Never Get Lost Again” by Linda Grekin I thought there was something seriously wrong with me.  I would feel stressed and embarrassed a lot of the time; learning that I had a condition shared by others made me feel a lot better.  Now that I know that I have something legitimate, I can laugh, share, and cope with my disability.

Ms. Grekin calls spatial orientation a “seventh sense”.  Some of us have it and some of us don’t.  This seventh sense allows people to picture where they are in relation to things around them.  People with this seventh sense can usually figure out where they are in relation to where they want to go.

Not having a “sense of direction” means more than just having trouble finding your way. Lacking a directional sense often plays a part in the development of self-esteem and self-confidence.    Imagine what it is like to live in fear of getting lost. You have to go to great pains to plan your outings so that you can get back home without help.  Little has been written on this subject but it is prevalent enough that considerable research is being done.

Society seems to focus on women as the ones that get lost, but many men are afflicted with directional disabilities too.  Knowing that what you have is actually a disability will make you more conscious of the fact that children and yes, men, can also be directionally challenged.

 Self esteem issues aside; you can learn to cope with being directionally challenged.

·        Become accustomed to looking for landmarks; much of “way finding” depends on observation and memorization. 

·        Take the phone number and address of your destination with you in case you need to call and ask for directions.

·        If you are going somewhere new try to do a trial run the day before.  This is extra work but it eliminates a lot of stress.

·        Get specific directions and make sure they include landmarks. Telling someone directionally challenged to go east or north will not help at all. 

·        Keep a notebook with directions, mileage, and landmarks (some people like to use a tape recorder) in your car or on your person.   

·        Carry a GPS or cell phone (use one that gives specific directions. If you are directionally challenged a map is not good enough). Never leave late; always allow time just in case you get turned around.

 Directional disabilities do not always involve driving.  Not remembering where you parked your car can be a real hassle.  Always take the time to look around.  Line up your car with a landmark that you can find again (a letter in the store sign or a logo will do).   If your car is a generic blue or black you might like to tie a bow on the antenna.

You are not alone if you find huge stores disorienting. Many stores have multiple entrances.  Remember which one you used by pinpointing displays or checkout stand numbers. Always go in the same way that you came out or you could be wandering around the parking lot for hours.   Hiking is another story altogether. Do not hike alone if one trail marker looks like the next….a GPS tracker is the next best thing to having a buddy along.

Don’t panic.  People who get lost get found.  Ask directions.  Practice “way finding”.  Keep a positive attitude and learn to laugh a little.  You are not alone.

Senior Living: Long Distance Care Giving

 Long distance care giving is a way of life.  It is not unusual for family members to be scattered across the country, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t care.

Distance care giving is hard work. Whether you live next door or a continent away you will always be the “go-to” person.  It will take more than an infrequent visit to get a handle on how things are going at home.  Visit when you can, preferably not during a holiday, so that you can assess the quality of their lives on a day to day basis.  Introduce yourself to the people who make up their support system: physician, neighbors, members of the clergy, friends, and legal advisors all play an important role.  Friends and neighbors care, but it puts them in an uncomfortable position if they don’t have someone to express their concerns to.

Consider hiring a geriatric care manager to do a professional assessment and set up care plan. Learn how to utilize community resources such as your Area Agency on Aging. There are professional caregivers who can perform the tasks that you are unable to take on; especially from a distance.  Home Care agencies can provide assistance with housekeeping, medication reminders, meal preparation and transportation. 

Modern technology can monitor many aspects of care, but it is only a tool.  The key ingredient in the equation will always be you. The best way to keep abreast of the situation is to keep in touch.

• Make sure they have senior friendly phones and call frequently.
• Video calls give an additional perspective. Skype, iPads and webcams make face to face communication possible.    
• Make sure they wear an alarm pendant, so that falls or home accidents can be detected quickly.

• ·          Have a friend, a neighbor or a volunteer call or check in with them once a day.

• ·         Use electronic medication reminders.

• ·         Set up shopping or meal delivery services.

• ·          Explore the world of smart home sensors.

 People take care of each other; this is who we are, but they shouldnt be expected to do it alone. 

 

 

 

 

Senior Living: A Little Organization Might Be All The Help You Need

        

Everyone is talking about universal design and barrier free renovations these days. A visit to your favorite home improvement store will give you tons of ideas and you will be brimming with enthusiasm. The perfect design is right at your fingertips.   However, remodelingis expensive and not something to tackled in a haphazard fashion. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that a little organization might be all the help you need, and it will get you through those awkward in-between stages.

Start in the kitchen. The kitchen is the busiest room in the house and it probably the most “lived in” one too.   Whether it is a total disaster or just mildly messy is all in the way you look at it.  No matter how careful you are the counters, cabinets and drawers all become repositories for things that you want to keep out of sight.  Junk drawers and “Fiber McGee” closets are laughable when you see them in favorite sitcoms but not so funny when you are trying to find something. Lapses in housekeeping 101 skills are a part of life and they happen to the best of us.

Take off your blinders and take a good look at your kitchen. Do you have to rearrange the shelves in order to find the box of spaghetti hidden behind the soups?  Do you have six boxes of opened cereals?  Do plastic lids and containers tumble out when you open the pantry door? It may be time to reclaim some of that space. Stop saving every plastic container that comes home from the store, store the lids in one plastic storage bag, and stack the containers neatly. It will help, at least until next time.

Get rid of some of those dishes. I am willing to bet that you have old dishes, new dishes and company dishes in the cupboard. Keep your favorites and use the good set for everyday.  Bundle up the extra sets and give them away; someone else needs them more than you do. When you have pared your dishes and your pots and pans down to a respectable number, rearrange the rest so that you can reach them all easily.  No more standing on chairs to get to the top shelf for you.

Try storing aluminum foil, sandwich baggies and wax papers all in one place.  Keep cooking supplies together and near the stove, but not necessarily in that drawer under the oven. You shouldn’t have to get down on your hands and knees to find the right pots and pans, and we won’t even mention the number of times something gets stuck in there.

You probably still want to remodel the kitchen because who can resist the customized cabinets that you saw at the home improvement depot.  Modern cabinetry is wonderful. All of those pull-outs, pull-downs and slide out areas will make you smile from ear to ear;  in the meantime just remember no crawling into, or reaching up for things that you use every day. Buy half a dozen “lazy susan” carousels instead and twirl away.

Clutter doesn’t accumulate overnight and it isn’t going to go away over night, but if you get rid of everything that you don’t need and make sure everything else is easily accessible, you will have taken a big step.  Remodeling could very well be your next step, but remember that putting in new cabinets will not solve the problem if you still have “too much stuff”. If you can’t be ruthless yourself; hire an expert who actually does this kind of thing for a living.

 

 

Senior Health and Fitness: Prevent Frailty

 Aging-in-place is something every senior dreams about, but just wanting it to happen is not enough. What will it take to make sure that you will be able to manage on your own? Adapting your home to meet your needs is always a good idea, but even a well designed house will not save the day if your body lets you down.

People are living longer than they were even one generation ago, but whether they enjoy these additional years or not will depend on how robust and active they are.

Look in the mirror; if you look like a puff of wind could blow you away you could already be classified as a “frail elderly.” Physical frailty is something to be feared. A shuffling unsteady gait, weight loss, fatigue and physical weakness are all signs of physical frailty.

What causes frailty? People who refuse to take care of themselves are setting themselves up for failure. Abuse associated with drinking and smoking are a given but even more serious if coupled with depression, long term medical problems, and/or cognitive impairment. Physical frailty is associated with decreased mobility, falls, and disability.

What are some of the warning signs?

• Do your tire too easily (not a part of normal aging)

• Do you have difficulty walking up a flight of stairs or are unable to walk more than one block

. • Do you have five or more illnesses or are you taking a truckload of pills?

These signs can present themselves long before you reach what you think of as “old age.” Your job is to focus on prevention.

What can you do if you feel that you are spiraling downward?

• Maintain a healthy weight and diet. If you don’t feel like eating or are losing weight unintentionally you should see your doctor.

• Staying active; research indicates that increased physical activity is beneficial for people of all ages, even the oldest of the old.

• Practice fall prevention. Frailty can result from a fall as well as cause one. • Make connections. Relationships can keep you active and socially involved.

• See physician, eye doctor and dentist regularly. Early diagnosis and treatment are important.

Let your doctor know that you are serious about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and that you are willing to do whatever it takes to keep you in your own home. Accept a referral to a geriatrician (a doctor who specializes in older people) and enroll in a program to improve every day functioning, and then adapt your home and your lifestyle to meet your changing needs. It is never too late to improve your strength, health and well-being.