Q – My dad has always loved to play golf, but has recently given it up out of frustration; he says that as he’s getting older his golf swing is getting worse, and for the sake of his pride he’s steering clear of the Pasadena golf courses he used to frequent. Since he’s given up golf, my dad’s becoming more isolated, and he just doesn’t have the same quality of life anymore. Is there anything he can try to improve his golf swing, so he’ll feel more confident about playing again?

A – It can be frustrating as you get older and skills that require physical elements begin to decline due to the aging process. It’s likely your dad’s golf swing isn’t what it once was because his strength and muscle mass is declining with age. This might be normal, but he doesn’t have to accept it and stay off of the greens; your dad can use simple techniques to try and improve his golf swing which might actually surprise you. Golf is about strength and flexibility, so, in order for your dad to improve his swing he needs to focus on his shoulders, arms and wrists. Physical activities like swimming and yoga can be beneficial because they work on strength and flexibility, and activities that make seniors use their hands like knitting or crocheting can improve manual dexterity and range of motion of the hands and wrists.

Encourage your dad to keep up his hobby, these tips should help him improve his swing, but the enjoyment of golf should come from the experience, not the score!

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. About

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.

Often as seniors get older, they begin to notice small changes in their abilities to complete day-to-day tasks. While previously, it might have been no large feat to push a vacuum around the house, now suddenly this is a task that is physically exhausting. Some seniors may find it trying to walk up a flight of stairs or carry the groceries. Many of these seniors suffer in silence, because they believe that these affects are just part of aging. While that may be true to some degree, they are not changes that need to be tolerated.

Often seniors who find themselves faced with these physical changes, are dealing with sarcopenia, a loss of muscle mass in the skeletal system which has a major impact on their overall ability to function. By suffering in silence about the physical changes that often accompany this condition, seniors might just be killing themselves; putting them at greater risks for potentially life threatening accidents or falls.

To prevent the effects of sarcopenia, all seniors need to do is get active to improve their overall strength and balance, while building muscle. Resistance training can help seniors to improve bone density and muscle loss, through lifting light weights a few times per week. Cardiovascular activities like walking or swimming, and stretching will also help out a stop to this deadly and silent killer.

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. Ezine Articles

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.

Learning about new technology can be a challenge for many Pasadena seniors, however, learning to use the computer and internet can have extensive benefits; improving a senior’s lifestyle and their overall health.

• It can make them feel connected to news and younger generations – understanding computer and internet use allows them to understand what other people are talking about
• It increases their access to places limited by mobility – online shopping allows seniors to shop at a wide variety of places which would otherwise be too difficult
• They can keep in touch with family – if seniors have family around the world, it can be a challenge to connect by phone, so email is a great way to communicate. It also helps seniors to communicate if they struggle with their hearing
• They can pay bills online – like with shopping, it can be a challenge for seniors to get out and go from place to place, especially if they no longer drive
• There are social opportunities – seniors can connect with others in their demographic online in chat rooms and forums
• Seniors can find a match – those who are widowed or separated from their spouses may find that meeting a spouse later in life can be one of the best ways to date and find a potential compatible partner

Sources:

1. UINTA Education Center
2. Suite 101

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.

Q – My dad in Pasadena has had to give up driving. I don’t live close enough to be able to take him on errands or to appointments. Are there any services available to help with transportation in his area?

A – In-home senior caregivers can help seniors with transportation to appointments, errands, and virtually anywhere else they want to go. At Home Instead Senior Care, we check all of our caregivers driving records with the DMV to ensure they are licensed to drive and have a good driving record. Caregivers can transport senior clients in the seniors vehicle, or in their own vehicle if the senior does not own a car. However, if they use the caregiver’s car, then transportation fees do apply.

While many communities do offer free transportation services for older adults that are similar to public transportation on buses, they do not offer the same level of flexibility or allow seniors to stick to their own schedule or routines. By having a caregiver to drive them, seniors can do everything on their own time without making sacrifices.

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.

Image Source: www.drivealivedrivingschool.com.au

Q – My mother, who is 72, seems to have increasing stress levels as she gets older and deals with more of the trials and tribulations of aging; are there any proven methods that could help reduce the stress levels of Pasadena seniors?

A – Reducing stress in Pasadena seniors is easier than you’d think, with some simple lifestyle changes that can easily be incorporated into any life; it’s possible to help seniors lead less stressful lives. Encourage your mother to get active in her community and remain social with friends and family. By focusing on someone else and forgetting about her problems while having fun, it’s very possible for her to forget about her own stress.

Diet and exercise can also play a big role in eliminating stress; by ensuring your mother gets a well-balanced diet daily, and incorporates regular exercise into her daily routine, she will find that she copes with stress much more effectively. Depending upon her level of physical mobility, virtually any cardiovascular exercise can have its benefits; consider walking, running, or engaging in one of her favorite sports. Even activities geared completely towards relaxation and control of thoughts can be beneficial, like yoga, meditation or deep breathing exercises.

While it may seem like stress is an inevitable part of aging, with effective stress management techniques, seniors do not need to find themselves over burdened by stress.

Sources:

1. American Institute of Stress

2. About

Image:www.dovechristiancounseling.com

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.

Knowing when your loved one is demonstrating signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s can be one of the first steps to establishing a medical diagnosis and determining appropriate senior care. Read on to determine if the senior in your life could be exhibiting symptoms of dementia.

1. Memory Loss – everyone has brief memory lapses; it’s not unusual to forget the occasional name or date and remember it later, however, seniors with dementia may forget pieces of information that they are never able to recall.
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks – seniors with dementia may forget simple tasks, like how to turn on the stove.
3. Problems with language – sentences formed by a senior with dementia may be hard to understand, they may forget words or substitute inappropriate ones.
4. Disorientation – seniors with dementia may get lost when close to home because they are disoriented with time and place.
5. Poor judgment – seniors may have trouble making decisions, or dress inappropriately for the weather.
6. Misplacing things in strange places – seniors with dementia may put the milk in the bathroom or their keys in the fridge.
7. Mood changes – often seniors with dementia have rapid mood swings for no discernable reason.
8. Problems with abstract thinking – dealing with numbers may be especially difficult.
9. Personality changes – seniors with dementia may become fearful, suspicious and paranoid or demonstrate behaviors unusual for them.
10. Loss of initiative – seniors with Alzheimer’s may lack motivation on a regular basis; getting out of bed or getting dressed may require prompting.

Check out this resource for more information on Dementia:

Sources:
1. Northwestern University
2. Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease
Image: Geriatrics and Aging

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.

Q1 – Fact or fiction; seniors are at a greater risk for cancer?
A1 – As we grow old, the risk of developing cancer does increase slightly. The aging process lowers stress tolerance, which can impact the functioning of major organ systems and seniors may have weaker immune systems which puts them at a higher risk for cancer than younger generations. Statistics indicate that the elderly are at a much greater risk for certain types of cancer than younger Americans.

Q2 – Are there specific times of cancer that are more prevalent in seniors?
A2 – The number one form of cancer that elderly women are at risk for is breast cancer. Statistics show that by age 80, 1 in 10 women are likely to be exposed to breast cancer; a great increase compared to 1 in 2,212 at age 30. For every decade of life, the risk of developing breast cancer increases in women. Studies have also shown that men with diabetes are more likely to develop rectal or colon cancer. Since the risk of contracting diabetes increases with age, especially in senior men who struggle with obesity, the risk of colorectal cancer also increases with age. Other types of cancer, like cervical cancer, are actually more prevalent in younger generations; however the risk does still exist for women and seniors over the age of 40, with an increased risk for those struggling with other health problems.

Q3 – Is there any way for seniors to determine if they have risk factors that could contribute to the development of cancer?
A3 – Family history and overall health both play a major role in preventing cancer. Older adults should be aware of their relatives’ history with cancer so a physician can setup appropriate screening. Seniors can reduce their risk factors with diet and exercise; maintaining a healthy weight and keeping their immune system strong. Seniors can reduce the likelihood of cancer with knowledge and healthy living.

Sources: http://www.imaginis.com/cervical-cancer/risk_factors.asp
http://seniorhealth.about.com/od/cancer/a/br_cancer_age.htm
http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=3701&channel_id=12&relation_id=30096
http://www.springerlink.com/content/l7630l71t816g513/

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.

Pet Adoption for Seniors - Is it right for you?

Bob’s story reveals both the joys and the heartaches of pet ownership for seniors.  On the one hand, many older adults love the companionship of a pet.  But the issues of aging can make it difficult for some seniors to do pet-care tasks.  Walking a dog, taking an animal to the vet, or purchasing necessary food and supplies are more difficult with arthritis and other changes associated with aging.

Helping seniors with their pets is a valuable service our CAREGivers provide, but one that many people don’t know about.  Our CAREGivers fulfill a variety of functions for seniors who have pets.  They exercise the animals, help with their nutritional and medical needs, and comfort seniors when their pets die.

For instance, when one client’s dog died, her favorite CAREGiver sat with her for the entire day to provide solace.  And another older adult’s pet issues have become regular entries in her Home Instead Senior Care client log (a book we keep in a senior’s home to provide an update of daily activities.)

The fact that animals are so much a part of seniors’ lives is good news, since research has demonstrated numerous connections between pet ownership and health and well-being.  For instance, the Humane Society of the United States has found that having a pet can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reduce bone loss, improve circulation and increase levels of exercise.

Home Care Pasadena provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Pasadena, Altadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Eagle Rock, La Canada, South Pasadena, Los Angeles area. Call us today at 626-486-0800.