Smart Senior

Senior Living: Better Bathrooms

The bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house, and it’s the room that you go into most often. Think about it; wet and slippery floors, poor lighting, cold enamel tiles, a slippery tub, and narrow doors. We spend a lot of time talking about falls and fall prevention, and for good reason. Anyone can take a fall, but for seniors the consequences are often life changing or even life ending. Unless you live in a very modern senior community where every possible safety feature has been addressed, you need to compile a list of your own. You shouldn’t have to fear for your life every time you enter your own little “chamber of horrors.” Most seniors can’t afford to do the kind of remodeling suggested by the experts, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a “better bathroom” on your own. If you have had a fall, or a near fall, you already know that grabbing the shower curtain or a towel bar is not going to do much to save you. Grab bars you can afford. Install them everywhere. Replace all standard towel bars with grab bar-rated towel bars, and install grab bars near the commode and in the shower and bathtub. You can also afford to either remove or replace bathroom doors that swing into the room (sliding doors or pocket doors are good alternatives). Even simpler: • Remove throw rugs that can trip you up. • Apply non-slip decals in tub and shower • Use Soap-on-a-Rope or install liquid soap, shampoo and conditioner dispensers. • Lower hot water temperature settings to comfortable but not scalding temperatures. • Buy a sturdy shower seat. • Consider a raised toilet seat. • Organize your bathroom so that all toiletries are within reach. Not every little suggestion has to cost an arm and a leg, but check out the hundreds of devices and products designed to make your life easier. You can also get a professional evaluation of your bathroom if you ask your doctor to prescribe a home visit by an Occupational Therapist.

Senior Living: Fall Prevention Away From Home

The holidays are right around the corner. For many of you this means you will be away from home visiting family and friends. My cousin and her husband fly from the Wisconsin to Virginia two-three times a year for family visits, and enjoy RV trips during the summer months. I considered them “seasoned senior travelers.” They reminded me that creating a safe environment in your own home is one thing, but being careful when you are on the road is another matter altogether. They both emphasized the importance of being aware of your surroundings at all times, especially in regard to stairs and curbs. For them, in the interest of safety, it meant giving up tickets to their much-loved Packer football games, but they continue to travel. We came up with a few tips to help you navigate the unknown: • When you enter a room for the first time; scan for potential hazards (throw rugs, pets, toys on the floor, and electrical cords). • Homes built for young families often have little regard for personal safety. Many have multiple levels as well as a step up or down leading into the living room. Do not attempt to navigate stair steps without a sturdy hand rail. • Do not tempt fate by wearing socks, stockings, sloppy slippers or fancy dress-up shoes in the house no matter how comfortable they are. • Dim lighting may come under the category of ambience to some but are a safety hazard for others. Pack a flashlight and even a nightlight or two so that you are never left in the dark. With a little bit of care, you can continue to enjoy visiting with family and friends no matter where they live. Be mindful of your limitations. Be sure to take advantage of amenities offered by airlines and hotel/motel accommodations and ask for help when in doubt. Enjoy your holiday. Be a guest and concentrate on taking care of yourself. Drink plenty of fluids, take your medications, and get plenty of rest. Be a guest; they invited you because they wanted your company.

Senior Living: The Perfect Gift

It is never too early, or too late, to shop for presents. Regardless, try being a little creative this year. What are you going to give mom, dad and the “grands”? People spend hours browsing through retail and antique stores looking for the perfect gift, but they often come up empty handed. Face it, seniors don’t need more “stuff” that they will never use, especially more pajamas, nightgowns, slippers or robes. Granted finding the perfect gift isn’t easy, especially when they tell you that they don’t need or want anything at all, but that’s silly. Everyone has a secret list of things that they would like to have but can’t afford, or think they can’t afford, to buy themselves. At times like these it is difficult to be creative, but try to ignore these self-effacing statements and do the right thing. Ergo, seniors need to cooperate too. This means they need to hint broadly and post a list on the refrigerator door. • Think about your senior’s health; a one-year membership at a fitness club or at the local senior center is a fine way to show that you care. • Make up food baskets; not a once a year offering of holiday goodies, but a month to month gift of fruits, soups, crackers, cheeses, breads and other kitchen staples. • Pay for an older adult’s prescription medications for a year, and have them delivered. • Pre-purchase cab fares or bus service or take them out once a week for appointments and shopping. • Gift with a medical alert system, a closed caption phone or other practical safety features. • Volunteer or hire a handyman to winterize their homes, pay for a cleaning service, or shovel snow. If your senior has everything, you can give them the latest books (e-book or hard back), audio books, coupons, art or hobby supplies, or gift certificates at a favorite restaurant. There are many ideas for gifts but nothing is more important than showing them that you care. Forget the chocolates and lap robes and give gifts that they need but are reluctant to buy for themselves. Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries will indeed be dates to remember.

Senior Living: Mobility and Independence

Watching an elderly gentleman nearly upend a table at a popular restaurant was an uncomfortable sight, but knowing it could happen to any one of us was even more sobering. How often have you used a flimsy table to help you get out of chair? Simple household tasks like raking leaves, gardening, or getting out of a chair to answer the door are taken for granted, until your legs are no longer up to the task. Think about it; everyday activities such as walking, going up and down stairs and getting up from a chair unaided will soon determine how and where you are going to live. Growing old happens, but it doesn’t have to be all bad. Research confirms that many of the most frustrating changes associated with aging are caused by a sedentary lifestyle. I know, you hate to exercise but it is time to be practical. Today we are talking about the thigh muscles, the ones that get you in and out of your chair without holding on to anything. The thigh muscles, commonly known as quadriceps or “quads,” make the difference. Skinny thighs are no longer a fashion statement. Every time you swing your leg forward to take a step, climb a stair or get out of a bath tub you should say “thank you” to a pair of big strong beautiful legs. Don’t wait until you have a health crisis to figure out that you need help. See your doctor and tell him/her that you don’t want to be the person who can’t get up off the floor or the one unending a table. Own up to your frailties and discuss joining a gym, hiring a trainer, or working with a physical therapist to stay ahead of the game. Strong quads are essential. The exercises are simple but they are hard; your thighs will burn after just a few repetitions. This is normal and it is a sure sign that there is work is to be done. Try this: Sit in a chair with your arms folded across your chest. Can you stand up, pause, and then sit back down without holding on? Need I say more.

Senior Living: Aches and Pains

The experts tell us that aches and pains are not a normal sign of aging, but I beg to differ. I followed the advice of those experts for years. I thought I was doing everything right, but the aches and pains arrived anyway. If rolling over in bed hurts, or if you feel little twinges in your knees when you bend over, it gets your attention in a hurry. How can you help but think “oh, oh, I’m getting old?” As you age, starting way back in your 30’s when you thought that a few gray hairs were all you had to worry about, your muscles, tendons and ligaments started to shorten, tighten, and lose elasticity. You are not alone if you feel stiff before you exercise, after you exercise or whether or not you exercise at all. You aren’t as flexible as you used to be. Flexibility is natural for some but for those of us born with stiff arms and legs it’s a different story. It’s a genetic thing, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do better. The trick to keep on moving. I’m not talking about running a marathon or heart pumping sweaty aerobics, but about the gentle stretches that make you feel good. You can regain a lot of your lost flexibility by stretching regularly to lengthen those tight muscles and tendons. Before you know it, you will be able to stretch up and reach dishes on the top shelf, turn the steering wheel with ease and turn to look over your shoulder when you are driving. A good range of motion is one of the keys to independent living. You can stretch throughout the day. If you are particularly stiff, you may find it easiest to stretch in the bath or shower or even while still in your warm cozy bed. It will make a difference. Consult a physical therapist, read a how-to book, take a yoga class or engage a personal trainer to learn what kind of stretching you should be doing. You will be rewarded with increased flexibility, a good range of motion, and relief of pain. What a great way to start your day.

Senior Living: Procrastination

Yes, seniors procrastinate too. If spring cleaning, downsizing, or even organizing your closet has you in a dither, you are a procrastinator. Time is not an issue now but whether or not you exercise a little discipline is. What is keeping you from cleaning out the hall closet, trying a new recipe, writing thank you notes, or filling albums with treasured photographs? If you are waiting to feel like it, or for the spirit to move you, it may never happen. Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns and just do it. Why do you suppose it is so hard to get started? The answer, of course, is that you are no longer have a deadline. From kindergarten on you raced from one deadline to another. Now you have to self-motivate, set your own deadlines, and pat your self on the back. Perhaps you are a perfectionist; if you can’t do a job perfectly you don’t want to do it at all. If you can get past that you may find that that some jobs don’t require perfection. Do you really need six perfectly coordinated storage boxes to clean your closet when a couple of trash bags would do as well? Not in the mood. There are a lot of things you will never be in the mood for, but if if you wait for the spirit to move you, you will never get anything done. Set a timer and get to work. You’d be surprised what you can do in 10 minutes. Don’t focus on how unpleasant a job is, but think of the consequences if you don’t do it. Whether it is angry relatives waiting for a thank you notes or mold growing in your refrigerator; now is the time. Do you really want someone else to clean up your messes, after you are gone? Everyone procrastinates to some degree but thinking up excuses becomes tiresome after a while. If patting yourself on the back or rewarding yourself lavishly doesn’t do the trick, you may have to hire help.

Senior Living: Seniors Love Birdwatching

A Love Affair with Birdwatching You know you need to walk more but walking the same old route every day is so boring. Let me introduce you to bird watching, a hobby that will make walking fun again. Wouldn’t you like to know a little more about the cheery critters nesting in your shrubbery? Bird watching is fascinating and it is easy to see why it had become one of the country’s fastest growing hobbies. Walking and bird-watching go hand in hand. You set the pace and the birds provide the entertainment. All you need is a pair of binoculars and a guide book to get you started. Borrow or buy light weight binoculars (at least an 8x magnification) that are not too heavy to hold comfortably in your hands. Next, buy a small guide book that you can tuck in your pocket. That’s all you need to track and identify the birds in your area. Apps and online resources will whet your appetite for more; before you know it bird watching will turn into a true adventure. Ask your grandkids to help you out and don’t be surprised if they offer to join you. If you are new to walking or hiking it is okay to start slowly; in fact, you can sit in your backyard and wait for the birds to come to you. Find a place to sit or stand and just wait. Pull out your notebook and jot down or sketch what it was that caught your eye (the birds color, size, shape, sound and habits). These details will help you identify them when you get a minute to consult your book. What birding can do for you: • Undoes sitting disease. We talked about “sitting disease” last week so you know what I am talking about. • Sharpens the brain. You are multitasking; walking, watching, focusing and taking notes. • Listening and watching stimulates all of the senses. • Improves your mood. Exercise, fresh air, and nature are medicine for the soul. Set your own pace. Listen to your body and relax. Join million of others who have discovered this love affair with nature.

Senior Health: Get Your Flu Shot Today

Flu season is right around the corner. Summer has its own issues but with the exception of an occasional sunburn, a rash of mosquito bites, and the occasional stomach ache, you probably aren’t going to get really sick. Much as I love fall and even winter. I don’t relish the thought of getting a cold or even worse, the flu. Every year, more than 200,000 Americans (many of then seniors) are hospitalized with flu related complications. As you age your body does not recover as easily and you are more prone to complications. Put away fears, myths and misconceptions about flu shots and just do it! What have you got to lose? A simple injection could save you from ending up in the hospital, or worse. What is there about “you could die” that doesn’t get your attention? The flu is often over looked because it is a catch all term. People say that they have the flu every time they feel a little “off,” when in reality it is something else altogether. Typically flu symptoms last two three days but I have known people who feel ill for weeks. Typical symptoms include fever, chills, headache, sore throat, dry cough/chest discomfort, stuffy nose, fatigue and body aches. The flu vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the flu or reduce its severity, but don’t depend on it to do all of the work. You still need to take measures to protect yourself in other ways: • Wash your hand often and refrain from touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. • Cover nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze and dispose of tissues immediately. • Clean germ hotspots such as doorknobs, phones and countertops. • Avoid contact with flu suffers • If you are sick, stay home for at least 24 hours after fever subsides Flu shots are readily available at your doctor’s office, the pharmacy in your grocery store, or at any health care clinic.

Senior Living: "Sitting Disease"

If you are sitting down right now, you may not be aware that researchers have been studying the effects of inactivity on health and well-being. It seems that people, of all ages, are spending too much time sitting down. Studies indicate that too much sitting is bad for you. Researchers now feel that excessive inactivity is a disease, and they are calling it the “sitting disease.” If sitting is bad for able bodied adults, you can only imagine how much worse it is for the seniors in your lives. If you thought that being up and about was good enough, you may need to think again. Getting up, getting dressed, and walking to a favorite easy chair may seem to be all that they can manage, but it isn’t enough. Spending too many hours sitting is one of the perils of living alone. You are probably wondering what the consequences of prolonged chair time could possibly be. Let’s give it a little thought. When you sit too long your body starts to shut down at the metabolic level, which means that circulation slows, digestion becomes sluggish and calorie burn is practically nil. Scientists also include back pain, obesity, diabetes, cancer and depression, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. Keep all this in mind when you visit grandma, whether she lives at home or in a care facility. You can’t rely on her, her neighbors, or even staff in a care facility to get her out of that chair on a regular basis. It may be up to you to come up with an activity plan. Don’t be smug, this doesn’t just apply to granny in the nursing home. People today work, play, shop, bank, pay bills and watch movies without leaving home. Think about it. How many hours do you spend behind a steering wheel, in an office chair, in a kitchen chair and finally on your couch? Is it any wonder that “sitting” is being pegged as a new disease? Sitting isn’t the only culprit but it is a reminder that you need to need to exercise to build core strength, improve bone density and fine tune your body. The human body needs to move, often. Make it a point to get up every hour and walk around for a few minutes.

Senior Living: Have a Happy Day

Retirement is great or it should be, but if you wake up feeling cranky more often than not, something is not quite right. Researchers have been studying seniors for some time now, and the conclusions drawn have been rather alarming. The Stress that became such a driving force in our generation seems to have followed us into retirement. If you still feel strapped, tired, and bummed out, you must be doing something wrong. Stress, sadness, and unhappiness do not belong in your life. Wake up in the morning and think about something pleasant that you want do today. If you need more structure than that, set up a calendar for the whole week. • Pencil in time to read or to visit with a friend (an e-mail, letter, a phone call or lunch date). • Every day do something that give you pleasure (gardening, painting, reading, hiking, cooking). • Do something good for your health (a walk, go to the gym 2-3 times a week, plan healthy meals). Your bliss doesn’t have to come with a big price tag. Try cheap and simple ways to enhance your pleasure: • Smile at a stranger. • Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers. • Take your dog for a walk. Being around animals is known to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Sounds easy enough doesn’t it? Let’s look even further: • Every once in a while, indulge your sweet tooth. Be sure to savor each and every bite. • Sing along to soothing music when stuck in traffics, or skip the freeway and take the scenic way home. • Pamper yourself with a bubble bath or a massage. Get a manicure just for the heck of it. Be good to yourself. Give yourself permission to be happy. Cultivate a sense of humor; smile and laugh more. Think about what you enjoy and build on it. Do something that makes you happy today.