Smart Senior

Senior Living: Downsizing

Your six bedroom house was the perfect family home when you actually had a “family,” but what happens now? Are you going to dig in your heels and stay there, or are you going to pull up stakes and move? My husband and I made the decision to move a few years ago, but the reality of all didn’t hit home until he retired. It gives one pause. Reasons to consider downsizing and moving on: • You are in your late sixties or older • Your children have left home. • Utilities and tax payments are more than you can handle, and yard/home maintenance has become a chore. • You are only using a few rooms regularly, and making the house “senior friendly” would be a big project. If you have lived in the same house for 30 plus years you know that downsizing is not going to be a piece of cake. It is quite a shock to realize that your “worldly possessions” are not as memorable as you might have imagined. In essence you have surrounded yourself with entirely too much “junk.” Even if you don’t move you need to deal with the “junk thing.” You can do it now or you can saddle your kids with the job after you are “gone.” They will remember you fondly if you do it now. You can do this: • Start small with a dresser or a closet. • Make 4 piles (keep, toss, give away or sell). • Select a few choice items that you can’t live without; everything else is suspect. The hardest part is determining whether each item you caress and love is something that you need or not. I have become quite ruthless. As I go through each drawer, closet, and room I toss everything that I haven’t worn, used, or even looked at in the last year. Unbelievable! Granted, downsizing and moving is an emotional, stressful and time consuming experience. On the other hand change is good and a new home is a thing of beauty.

Senior Living: Bathtub Safety

Don’t be an accident waiting to happen. Accidents do happen you know, and not just to the other guy. “What if” it happens to you? Bathtub safety is a big “what if,” and a pretty scary one at that. My husband found that out last week, when for the first time in his life he couldn’t get out of the bathtub. I must admit that the idea of calling 911 entered my mind, but fortunately we were able to problem solve on our own, but “what if”? What if I hadn’t been home? What if he had hurt himself? There is a reason why researchers compile data about trips and slips and falls; older people really do have trouble getting into and out of tubs and showers. My husband swears he will never use the tub again, but is that the answer? Do you really want to deny yourself the pleasure of a relaxing bath or a revitalizing shower? Why do tub and shower accidents happen? Researchers watch and record. People, young and old, instinctively grab on to whatever is closest to them when they start to fall. It doesn’t take long to realize that the shower curtain, glass tub or shower door, or the towel rack is not strong enough to support your weight. You can make bathing safer: • Nonstick mats and treads to provide traction. • Grab bars, properly installed, to give you something to hold on to. Install all around the shower, bath and toilet areas. • A sturdy shower bench will allow you to sit and shower in comfort. Learn how to use a tub transfer seat to ease in and out of your tub. • Do not bath when alone in the house. • Consider replacing your old tub or shower with a walk-in model. Take bathroom safety seriously. Young or old, you can’t be too careful. Ask your doctor for an Occupational or Physical Therapy Consult if you have any doubts about your bathroom safety.

Senior Living: Facing Challenges

“Aging up” (getting older) can be more than a little challenging. Seniors have been telling me for years that “getting old isn’t for sissies,” and like many other old sayings this one is based on a certain amount of truth. Challenges present in many forms. Functional disabilities related to chronic illness, failing memory, difficulty seeing or hearing, or minor aches and pains hit when you least expect it. Good genes and a healthy lifestyle factor into the equation, but what really matters is how you face these challenges. That sounds good, but what does it mean? It means that you need to take an interest. Recognize your limitations, stop feeling sorry for yourselves, and “get a grip.” Find out what you need to do to adapt and move on with your life. Fall prevention is a good example. It is easy to be immobilized by fear after a fall, but keeping it from happening again is about more than making a few home modifications. Down deep it is about admitting that you are afraid and figuring out what to do about it. Seniors struggle with this because it requires quite an ““attitude adjustment.” It requires admitting that you are vulnerable, and understanding that another fall could spell the end of life as you know it. Think about that. Now, say out loud “I could fall again and I have to accept that things cannot go on the way they have been.” Put aside pride and come to terms with your “disabilities.” Accept that you are vulnerable and plan accordingly. Educate yourself; learn everything you can about the “disorder” that is threatening to derail your life. Develop a plan and modify your lifestyle. Turn insurmountable challenges into “little annoyances” that you can deal with. Focus on staying as active and joyous as possible.

Senior Living: Living Alone

Many seniors like living alone. They don’t want a roommate, they don’t want to live in a retirement community, and they don’t want to live with family. After years of communal living, the idea of a few years of “alone time” can be quite intoxicating.  

Living alone can foster a lovely sense of independence, but it does come with a number of risks.  Even if you enjoy your independence, coming home to an empty house can get old in a hurry.  

Preventing the doldrums associated with loneliness will be your first responsibility.   

• Join a senior center, frequent local libraries, take college classes or find a community center.  Seek out ways to meet people and learn something at the same time.
• Find a part time job or volunteer at a local charitable foundation.  
• Buy a computer.  When you live alone, your computer is the best way to connect with the outside world.
• Get out of the house every day and get some exercise.
• Get a pet.

The second responsibility is home safety:

• Accidents happen. If you fall or have a stroke at home, no one will know.  Everyone living alone should have a medical alert system in case of falls or other emergencies.
• Safety-proof your house.
• Make arrangements for a family member or neighbor to watch out for you. Someone who will notice if you don’t pick up your papers or the lights don’t go on at night.

The third responsibility is to monitor your health care. Make healthy lifestyle choices; eat well and exercise regularly. Know your own limitations, be sensitive to changes and see your doctor regularly.

Be open to hiring outside help, or find a smaller house or apartment when home maintenance becomes an issue. Be open to other options when the time is right; stubbornness will get you nowhere.  You can live on your own if you take your personal responsibilities seriously.  

 

Senior Living: Fall Prevention

Articles about home safety are featured regularly in popular newsletters and magazines. Low and no cost home modifications are quick fixes. Many of them you can do yourself or with minimum professional assistance.   Handrails installed along staircases and in hallways, grab bars, improved lighting, and non-slip treads are at the top of most lists because the results are good.

The real question is why people do not implement simple fall prevention strategies. Questionnaires and studies indicate that most people understand the importance of fall prevention, but are reluctant to follow through: 

• Reluctance to take exercise classes
• Reluctance to stop taking psychotropic medications
• Reluctance to have a home safety evaluation
• Reluctance to take osteoporotic medications

Most feel that they have pretty good reasons for not wanting to make changes, but are they good enough? For example:

• Exercise: most people said that they didn’t have time to exercise; they also thought that they were in better shape than they actually were. 
• Psychotropic medications: These commonly include sleeping aids; anticipated sleep disruption is a concern shared by many.
• Home safety evaluations: most people feel that their home is already safe enough.
• Osteoporotic medications: concerns expressed about cost, safety, and efficiency.

Are these reasons good enough? Are you  interested in knowing how to prevent a fall or would you rather just wait to see what happens?  

Before you say anything, think about the two million people who are treated for fall related injuries every year.   When a senior falls it is probably going to be more serious than a stubbed toe or a broken fingernail; we are talking about the real likelihood of brain injuries, hip fractures, immobility or even death.

Most falls are preventable. What are you going to do the next time you read an article on fall prevention?

 

 

Senior Living: Bath or Shower Power

The word hydrotherapy sounds very professional and very modern, but the idea of using water in a therapeutic sense has been with us since ancient times.  The Romans believed that hot and cold baths were an important way to stay healthy. Undoubtedly the idea of hydrotherapy had its origins when the “first people” (our ancestors) discovered natural hot springs, and thought “this is good.”  

A hot bath or a shower is often taken granted.  Busy people are often content with a quick wash and a rinse, but they miss out on the idea that the bath is a lovely and inexpensive form of therapy.  The idea of healing the mind and the body with a good soak or a pummeling with strategically placed jets is timeless, and can be enjoyed at any age.

What can a good soak do for you? Well for one thing it can buy you some much needed  time alone. Relax before bedtime and allow warm water to eases muscle strain, reduces hemorrhoid discomfort, or relieves arthritic joints.

Tub or shower; which is better?   Some people are bath people while others prefer showers. It is your therapy, therefore your preference. As we push ourselves to remain active we learn to live with sore muscles, creaky joints and fatigue, but that doesn’t mean we can’t treat ourselves right.

A senior may have to make a choices based on which venue allows him/her to bathe safely and independently.   

 A walk in bath-tub or a hydrotherapy shower can turn a remodeled bathroom into a spa experience.   Bathtubs and showers designed for senior users come fully equipped with seats, cushions, walk-in and roll-in features, adjustable temperatures and grab bars. Bathing has never been safer and more therapeutic than it is right now.  Every person deserves to have the bathing area of their dreams.

  

Senior Living: Spring Cleaning

 It’s time for “spring cleaning.” Hate it or not, it is time to roll up your sleeves and get ready to wash away winter blues. Spring cleaning, as you know, is more intense than the simple dusting and decluttering that passes for housekeeping these days. Bright sunshine filtering through dirty windows is all that it takes. Before you know it you feel compelled to wash walls, turn mattresses, clean windows, wash curtains, beat rugs, and rearrange the furniture.

Spring cleaning is hard work, especially for seniors who struggle with deceased muscle strength, joint pain, and decreased stamina. Of course the sensible thing to do would be to hire a cleaning crew, but many feel that a more personal connection is needed for this “rite of spring.” Family members may or not be invited to help, but to many delegating the task to strangers just seems wrong.

Enlisting the aid of modern technology can make spring cleaning more palatable. Of course flipping a switch to activate a robotic vacuum cleaner isn’t the same as getting down on your hands and knees, but it does a pretty darn good job. Resign yourself to the fact that “clean is clean” and start looking for products that you feel you can work with. Many of them are designed to accommodate the physical limitations of the elderly and disabled. Professional cleaners know the risk factors associated with dusting and scrubbing. Awkward postures, bent wrists, repetitive motion, grip force, pushing and pulling, and shoving can really do a number on you. Long handled tools with adjustable handle lengths and pivoting heads, squeegees, and battery operated scrubbers can alleviate much of that strain. New lines of ergonomic rakes, shovels, gardening tools, kitchen tools, office and cleaning supplies are available from companies specializing in universal design. Try some of them and you may find that spring cleaning really can be a piece of cake.

Senior Living: The Empty Room Syndrome

 

The kids are gone. You want to turn empty bedrooms into rooms you can actually use, but you don’t know if the time is right.  How long do you have to wait before you can pack up the stuffed animals and high school trophies without feeling guilty? 

Mom wants a sewing room and dad wants a quiet place to watch TV, but what if the kids come back or a parent needs a place to stay?  Heaven forbid if infrequent visitors don’t have a bed to sleep in.

 It is possible to have a new office or a sewing room without sacrificing sleeping space.  Remember the Murphy beds?

Space-saving Murphy style beds are once more in the spotlight. You can have room for company without giving up plans for your sewing room or home office.   The Murphy style bed takes up less space than a sofa sleeper or a futon, while offering the comfort of a real bed.   Wall beds aren’t just for studio apartments or vacation homes. New styles of this old classic can easily be built into any room. The beds are sleek, stylish, comfortable and invisible. You won’t even know they are there unless you need to use them.   You will be pleased to learn that the new models (which fit into a wall or cabinet) are easier to raise and lower that the ones you may remember.

It’s your home. Remodeling should be a guilt free process, but of course it won’t be.  It’s true that you are literally pulling the safety net out from under the former occupant, but if you can provide a comfortable bed, a warm meal, and a big hug when they show up, you can pull it off in style.  

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Home Accessibility

Book Review (4/6/14) Home Accessibility: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier By Shelley Peterman Schwarz (2012)

I read a good book this weekend. I usually skim self-help books, but I found myself reading every word of this one and I hope you will too.  Home Accessibility: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier by Shelley Peterman Schwarz is an important resource for anyone experiencing short or long term challenges. It is filled with information and timely tips for everyone who cares about safety, independence and quality of life.

People tend to ignore accessibility issues until they are faced with a personal crisis. This is a big mistake because independent living, or life as you know it, can change in a heartbeat.  This book serves as a gentle reminder that life isn’t always fair, and it isn’t always easy.

How many of you are experiencing, or know someone who is experiencing, the effects of a long term chronic illness?   You will immediately think of MS, Parkinson’s, severe Arthritis or even Cancer, but widen your scope even more. Think of family members and friends who may be dealing with sensory loss, stroke, heart attack, or chronic lung disease. Chronic illnesses aside, think about those (yourself included) who are simply getting older.  So, who needs this book?  I think you will agree that we all do.

 Don’t be intimidated. This book isn’t one of those huge volumes that you find on the reference shelf in the library. It is short, easy to read and easy to understand. It contains a wealth of information and is an excellent resource for all.

The author, living with Multiple Sclerosis, writes as someone who has faced the challenges of disability and had learned how to cope.  Rehabilitation aside, she gets to the nitty-gritty of adapting your environment so that everyday chores are less of a struggle.  It contains simple cost conscious solutions to keep you safe and independent in your own home.  The tips are practical and range from assistive tools to home remodeling ideas (complete with resources and product information).  This is a 139 page handout that can literally change your life. If you are looking for information about independent living at any age, this book is definitely the place to start.

 

 

 

Independent Living: Adapting The Home to Accommodate Decreasing Vision

Everyone panics a bit when the topic of remodeling comes up; visions of dollar signs and a lot of hard work come to mind, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

What if I told you that a trip to your favorite home improvement store for a few cans of paint and a handful of light fixtures would be good way to start? You don’t have to spend a fortune to take those first tentative steps toward making your home (or the home of a parent) a safer and more inviting place to live.

Visual impairment is one of the top reasons for loss of independence. Overall light levels for seniors needs to be 25-50% brighter than one might suppose, so for heaven’s sake get rid of those 40 and 60 watt bulbs and start exploring various ways to increase the amount of light in the house.

 Explore the world of light bulbs and light fixtures. Ask about fluorescent fixtures, incandescent bulbs, track lights, and natural lighting. You goal will be to provide bright but gentle overall lighting while decreasing glare and minimizing shadowy areas.

Be especially mindful of good lighting in the bathroom and kitchen. Stairwells and entry ways can never be bright enough, and embrace the idea of motion sensors.  Little things like the reflection of light bouncing off a polished wood table, a shiny counter, or glass framing a work of art can be positively blinding to someone with sensitive eyes.  Overall lighting in rooms and in outdoor areas such as garden or backyard will make a home inviting and functional.

You are probably wondering why I mentioned cans of paint.  Have you ever noticed the way light bounces off from a wall painted with glossy paint? It really does, and the same applies to floor tiles. Think about decreasing glare by repainting walls with low gloss paint in warm inviting colors, and by using low gloss floor tiles.

Use contrasting colors to differentiate one area from another.  For example: door frames should be different colors than walls and other trims. Floors and walls should be of different colors and handrails should be readily visible against a wall.  Little improvements can make a difference.

What do you think? A trip to the hardware store and you can get started with a few cans of paints, window treatments, and light fixtures. You will be so pleased with the results that you will be ready to take on more do-it-yourself projects in the future.  Please share your ideas and success stories for home improvements on a budget.