The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. We shop, we plan, we cook and we visit. With all of the activity, it’s easy to for seniors to get caught up and forget to take the time to look after their health.
Seniors of all ages and health need to make sure that they don’t overburden themselves, remain well-rested, eat well and enjoy their time with family and friends. Seniors with diabetes need to take particular care of their health at a time when food is in abundance and diets go out the window until the New Year.
In order to get through the holidays with health in tact, individuals with diabetes need to watch their portion sizes even though there may be a temptation to fill their plates with the vast assortment of food available. While preparing for the season, seniors also need to eat regularly and often (5 to 6 small meals) in order to keep energy levels up.
Meals should consist of lean meats and proteins and fill up on salads, vegetables and calorie-free drinks. Alcohol should be avoided, and to encourage the healthy eating of others, bring a healthy snack or dish to a party.
Do your clients’ family members come to you for gift suggestions for their senior loved ones? Not to worry. Home Instead Senior Care this year researched more than 12,000 senior gift requests to come up with this Top 10 list of popular and economical gifts for seniors. Why not suggest these to families of seniors who are looking for ideas. Or consider them yourself for the seniors on your gift list.
1. Gift certificates to restaurants and grocery stores, or gas cards for seniors who drive
2. Personal items such as hand and body lotions and creams, shower gels, and scented candles
3. Blankets, robes and slippers
4. Books and magazine subscriptions
5. Crossword puzzles, puzzle books and pencils
6. Hats, mittens and gloves
7. Towels and wash cloths
8. Boxed chocolates, chocolate-covered cherries and hard candies
9. Stamps and stationery
10. Gift certificate for companionship services
Remember that the holidays are a great time to give the gift of time – a present that is sure to please any older adult
When the sun goes down, seniors’ fears often take center stage in Phoenix
During the day, dementia regularly sends the 86-year-old woman into states of confusion. But at night, her situation worsens considerably. In the dark, she is terrified and often doesn’t know where she is or whom she’s with. Across the city, another woman about the same age also fears nights. It’s then that she wonders who might know she’s alone and if they’ll break into her house and rob her.
Whether the causes are physical or psychological, or related to diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, night time can be a frightening time for seniors, especially those who are living alone. Many of these problems that occur with seniors at night are rooted in the physical changes that take place as the result of aging. And those issues are often connected to sleep disorders.
In a 2005 Gallup poll of 1,000 adults over the age of 50, less than half of those surveyed (32 percent) reported getting a good night’s sleep all seven days of the week. This Gallup study revealed a number of factors to explain sleep problems including that of worry, according to Dr. Harrison Bloom, senior associate and director of the Clinical Education Consultation Service of the International Longevity Center – USA in New York City. Bloom, a geriatrician, is interested in efforts to help seniors and healthcare providers identify solutions to sleep-related disorders in older individuals.
“The seniors that we serve often face challenges at night that can disturb their sleep as well as their peace of mind,” said Bill Cantrell, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Central Phoenix. “That’s why our CAREGivers are regularly called upon to provide overnight care for seniors – to assist them with the anxiety that can set in at night.” CAREGivers help with various non-medical tasks such as companionship and are available daily from a few hours to 24 hours.
The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. We shop, we plan, we cook and we visit. With all of the activity, it’s easy to for seniors to get caught up and forget to take the time to look after their health.