Health

As you go through the varied periods of your life, your levels of independence can take on different meanings. They can be larger stages, such as leaving your parents’ home or getting married, or smaller stages, like completing tasks you didn’t think you were able to do. Then as you age, independence takes on still another form – having the option to stay in your own home safely and securely. This desire to be at home can remain the greatest wish of many seniors, in spite of their condition of health or capacity to function independently, even in the midst of injury, illness and chronic conditions.

For adult children, caregiving for aging parents at home can turn out to be rife with physical, emotional and social difficulties. Adult children often must increase their capacity as caregiver and become … Read More »

There truly is no place like home, and the majority of adults age 65 and over, 90% per a study from AARP, desire to age in place in their own homes as they age. But how does that have an impact on senior independence?

Although the desire to remain living at home as opposed to moving to a nursing home is quite common, it can pose many difficulties for seniors who are in need of assistance with daily tasks such as driving, fixing meals, showering, walking, etc. The encouraging news is that senior home care in Walnut Creek, like those offered by Hired Hands Homecare, are structured to support senior independence and enhance wellbeing and confidence both inside and outside the home.

At Hired Hands Homecare, we offer expert senior care services that support seniors throughout the … Read More »

It’s often human nature to deny that we need assistance, although the truth is that often we really do. This is especially true for older adults, who may not wish to confess they need help doing the everyday things that used to be a snap but now are getting to be more complicated. For loved ones, this can make recognizing that an older adult requires help more difficult to identify. The encouraging news is that there are tools that can help family members better determine when a senior needs help.

“I never want to live in a nursing home.”

If you’re the child of an elderly parent, you’ve probably listened to your loved one speak those words or a similar sentiment signifying your parent’s wish to continue to age at home instead of moving to a long-term care facility. Truthfully, the majority of seniors want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible – for a variety of reasons. Home is the place they’ve lovingly created, so it’s where they feel the most comfortable. Living at home also brings meaning and purpose to one’s life. Something as simple as looking at one’s belongings, reading the mail, or relaxing on the porch are more meaningful in one’s own home than in a long-term care facility because it is the home that creates the framework of one’s life. … Read More »

Join us this Saturday, October 7, 2017 for the 35th Annual Dublin Senior Info Fair!

The City of Dublin, in cooperation with senior service professionals, is hosting a comprehensive “need to know” information fair designed for seniors, their adult family members, and caregivers. We encourage seniors and their families to PLAY, EXPLORE & CONNECT and learn about healthy lifestyles. Receive valuable information, referrals and services, including free flu shots, blood pressure checks, and balance and grip strength testing.

The Dublin Senior Center will be hosting the 2017 SENIOR INFO FAIR on Saturday, October 7, 2017
from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
7600 Amador Valley Blvd, Dublin.

For more information, please call (925) 556-4511 or email seniorctr@dublin.ca.gov.

Are your elderly loved ones currently taking prescribed medications? Are you certain they’re taking them exactly as prescribed? Research shows that the typical senior is taking a multitude of prescription meds – as many as 15 – 18 of them each and every day. And, as many as 55% of those prescription medications are not being taken correctly for a variety of reasons, with serious repercussions. Knowing as much as possible about your own prescriptions and those your older loved ones are taking can help eliminate the potential for dangerous medication mishaps and allow for the optimum benefits of the medications.

Below are several tips to help ensure proper medication adherence.

Get the answers you need. Don’t be afraid to ask the health care provider and/or pharmacist any and all questions you may have about the prescription. Ensure you know the following:

The … Read More »

All of us recognize that medications can save lives, but most of us have heard frightening stories about patients who have received incorrect medication – either as a consequence of an issue with the physician or pharmacy. What many people don’t consider is that there is a concealed hazard even when we get the correct medication — the risk of non-adherence.

Similar to driving down the wrong side of the road, incorrect medication management is dangerous. In fact, it is more so — as many as 125,000 people die every year due to prescription medication non-adherence, double the number who die in auto accidents. Although many people might think they are following the rules when it comes to their medications, medication adherence mistakes arise frequently. These mistakes include:

Failure to fill or refill a prescribed drug
Missing one or multiple dosages
Taking the wrong … Read More »

There are an astounding 10,000+ prescription drugs available in America, and nearly a third of adults take at least five of these drugs per day. If you happen to be a care provider for an aging loved one, the complexity of dealing with the prescriptions, interactions and doses can be challenging. In fact, research has revealed that 55% of prescription meds are not being taken accurately for a wide variety of reasons, and the outcomes can be severe.

Keep dangerous senior medication mistakes to a minimum and receive the ideal benefits of the medication by following these tips to help manage medications effectively.

Be in the Know Right from the Beginning. Don’t be afraid of asking the medical practitioner and/or pharmacist questions about the drug. Be sure to know these particulars:

The name of the prescription
What the drug is prescribed for
How, when and … Read More »

In the Bay Area, they’re forecasting TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT for the upcoming Holiday Weekend!

We all suffer in hot weather. However, for elderly and disabled people and those with chronic health conditions such as vascular disease or diabetes, the weather does not have to hit 100 degrees to cause heat stress or even deadly heat stroke.

As we age, we gradually lose the ability to perspire and regulate our body temperature. This is why older people tend to overdress — they don’t feel heat the same way anymore. Heart rates do not speed up-or return to normal-as fast during exercise. Older skin also thins and offers less protection from the sun. Poor circulation, heart, lung and kidney diseases, and high blood pressure increase the risk for heat-related illness. Being overweight or underweight also increases risk.

Medications taken for a variety of diseases … Read More »

Take a moment to close your eyes and picture yourself like this: You’ve spent most of your life taking care of and assisting others – as a mother or father, in your career, through volunteering in your community, and as a grandparent. After all those years of living independently and being in control of your life’s decisions, you’ve suddenly aged to the point that now you are the one in need of assistance with bathing and other care tasks. Imagine the sense of loss, vulnerability, and fear.

If you’re taking care of a senior loved one, it can help to put yourself in his or her shoes when facing challenges related to helping the person with personal care tasks. The struggles your older loved one is feeling are real, and a little empathy and patience can go a long way towards … Read More »