Two Simple Secrets Seniors Can Do To Be Twice As Healthy

Posted on February 24, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

Want to be twice as healthy as others your age?

A study out from the Scandinavian country found that people aged 80 and older that did one of two things were twice as healthy as those their age in two years.

That is a lot of twos.

But what are those two things? They were:

Receive home visits from care workers
Attend senior group meetings

The other positive outcome of those who participated in the group meetings was that after a year they were less likely to rate their health as having deteriorated.

The results “amazed” Gerontologist Gwen Yeo, a former director of the Stanford School of Medicine Geriatric Education Center.

As seniors attended group meetings, they learned from their peers, which boosted their self esteem – as did seeing how others were able to age gracefully.

While Yeo said she did not see American health system providing these types of meetings, starting in April, 2014, 1 Assist Care of the Valley Senior Care: Assisted Living At Home In East Idaho will partner with Phoenix Media Enterprises of Rexburg and others to provide monthly group sessions for seniors and their families to gather together. The meetings will be two fold. First, to learn from other seniors and their support network on how to age gracefully. The second will be to learn from experts on how to prepare for and to know the options available to them when aging.

Essentially, these will be the types of meetings that the Swedish study has shown to help the health of the elderly.

Seniors that are less comfortable or unable to attend group meetings also have the option of using 1 Assist Care of the Valley to receive home visits and receive the same kind of care in their home as they would in an assisted living facility. 1 Assist Care of the Valley Senior Care of Rexburg sends caregivers into the homes of seniors living in Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Ashton, Driggs and between.

Yeo pointed out that home visits are becoming more commonplace in the U.S. as hospitals are working more closely with families to reduce trips to the emergency room and to reduce readmission rates, which hospitals can be penalized for.

Swedes live on average two years longer than those living in the United States. When it comes to life expectancy, the U.S. ranks 35th in the world while Sweden ranks tenth. Sweden’s elderly also have access to meals on wheels, help cleaning and shopping, personal-care assistance, transportation and home healthcare.

To find out more about assisted living care you can receive at home or about the monthly meetings starting in April, fill out your information below. Or you can call us at 557-4215.

* This information was originally reported by the Chicago Tribune.

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More Dangerous than Obesity For Seniors

Posted on February 20, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

43% of seniors suffer from the ailment that is twice as deadly as obesity.
Overcoming it is not as hard as you think.

A recent study suggests that loneliness is twice as dangerous to the elderly as obesity is. In this article 1 Assist Care of the Valley discusses how to help either yourself or your loved one overcome it.

A recent study has been completed – and its findings are worrisome, especially when you consider that 43% of seniors suffer from what the study warns us of.

According to a University of Chicago Professor, John Cacioppo, feelings of loneliness can cause premature death in seniors by 14%. That is twice the risk of obesity.

He went on to explain that the effects are quite dramatic in that they:

Disrupt sleep
Elevate blood pressure
Increase levels of the hormone cortisol – which can lower immunity levels, slows the body’s ability to heal from wounds, and impairs cognitive performance
Increase depression
Lower overall subjective well-being

So what does that mean for your parent – or even yourself?

Traditional Options

Does that mean that retirement cannot be enjoyed the way that was envisioned? Absolutely not. Retirement can bring an added sense of drive to do those things that were difficult to do earlier, be that traveling or gardening or family history work, and so on.

Does that mean that the best choice is to put them into an assisted living home in Idaho Falls or in Rigby where they are certain to be surrounded by people?

For some, that is a great choice. When you consider the average employee to resident ratio at such homes is 10 to 1, and most residents spend much of their time alone in their own rooms, that may not be the best option either.

So what to do? – The solution is simple.

Professor Cacioppo suggests staying in the social circle that they have spent the past decades developing.

What better place than in the home where:

Family can visit in a warm place
They are surrounded by the neighbors that they became friends with
They can go to church and serve in new ways and in ways that they know
They can look forward to coming back to when they travel
They can continue to beautify inside and out

But living alone can be dangerous! I mean, if your loved one lives in Driggs or St. Anthony, that is so isolated.

Not so much anymore. With technologies like smart homes, electronic response systems, and Skype, family and professionals can know they are safe.

But I live far away or simply cannot spend the time with my loved one the way that they need! They cannot even remember what they had for breakfast, so I am not sure if they are even eating.

1 Assist Care of the Valley Senior Care in Rexburg helps to overcome these concerns. By sending caregivers to the home, there is the one on one interaction that helps to overcome loneliness – and they help with those tasks that make a house a home. Whether that is preparing a meal and eating with them, or reminding them to take the correct medication, or exercising with them, or gardening with them, or taking them places. You can know that your loved one is safe and taken care of.

We will even keep you informed with what we have done every day and how it went.

And if 43% of seniors are suffering from loneliness, there is a pretty good chance your loved one just might need it.

To schedule a free home visit with us or to discuss some options for a senior you care about, give us a call at 208-557-4215, or fill out your information below and we will be in touch with you.

If your loved one is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran, be sure to ask about our program that can provide financial assistance for these types of services.

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ABC: 3 Warning Signs That Your Elderly Loved One Might Need Help

Posted on February 18, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

Happy President’s Day!

We have now enjoyed Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. Typically, we are looking forward to the warmth of Spring and a break that goes along with it.

It might also be a good time to check in with your mother or father to make sure they are doing okay.

Doing so should be a positive experience. In 2014, you have a number of options not available earlier to make sure your loved one is taken care of and safe, even without you having to be there 24 hours a day or placing them into an assisted living home in Idaho Falls.

When visiting with Mom and Dad, here are some simple ABC’s to consider their situation.

A is for Aroma
Is there an unpleasant smell that seems to be new? It might be that they have lost a little of their sense of smell and may have something that needs to be thrown away. Or it could be something else. It could be that they do not have the energy, memory, or ability to either clean the house or to get cleaned up every day – or every few days.

Did your Mom or Dad insist on cleanliness growing up? That desire to have a clean house or to be clean and beautiful does not go away as they age. But their ability to or memory to may.

Bad question to ask: What is that smell? May embarrass your loved one.
Good question to ask: Mom, can I help you clean up? This will allow you to assess the situation and find out what the odor is.

B is for Bedtime Clothes
Is your Mom and Dad in their evening attire throughout the day? This may be a sign of depression or loneliness. According to a study released this year, loneliness is more deadly to seniors than obesity is. Or it may be a sign that they do not have the energy to get changed.

Either way, a change needs to be made – and not just a change of clothes.

Bad question to ask: Why are you still in your pajamas? Your loved one may get defensive.
Good question to ask: I love your pajamas! What is your secret to finding such good sleeping attire? This will open up your loved one and will open a conversation about buying clothes with large necks and other clothes that are easy to get in and out of, but still make them feel stylish and beautiful.

C is for Catching Up With Life
This one will require more conversation. Are they calling you by name? Do they remember what happened five minutes ago? Are they slurring their speech? Are they keeping up with the things they used to love, be that news or grandchildren or religious activities.

Short term memory loss, slurred speech, disengagement with life are all things that should raise red flags and it is time to seek professional help.

D is for Dining
Bonus one. Be sure to ask your loved one about what they ate for breakfast. If they cannot remember, that is a sure sign that there is a problem. This is also true is their clothes seem to start sagging. A loss of weight may mean that they are forgetting to eat, which will lead to other more serious problems.

If your conversation with your mom or dad shows signs of concern, be sure to make two more phone calls. The first to your parent’s physician. The second to 1 Assist Care of the Valley to discuss how we can help your loved one enjoy life at home while you know that they are safe and taken care of as you are able to deal with the other demands of life.

See any of these? Call us today for a free home visit from our team. You can call us at 557-4215 or fill out the contact form below and we will reach out to you.

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Your Mother’s Greatest Fear About Aging – And What She Loves

Posted on February 1, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

1 Assist Care of the Valley sponsors free monthly educational sessions in East Idaho to prepare families and individuals for aging in graceful and happy ways.

You know your parents. You know them well. Age changes people. And that is not a bad thing. With age comes wisdom, experience, and a beauty only the elderly can claim. But things happen to the body and the mind as we age. Here are four statistics you may not know about the elderly.

<img class=” ” alt=”Elderly woman climbing a wall with the text ” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LiX01VmZvD8/UYf-6RyNH7I/AAAAAAAAHLU/dIW-WRUmrbM/s1600/Sorry-Grandma-No-Bingo-Today-Funny-Old-Lady-In-RussSe Financial</a>, is that they are going to be a burden on you. Yeah, they are more concerned with putting you out than they are worried about death. Talking about what is in store for the future does not have to be gloomy or depressing. The time will come when age will impact your family’s life. Wouldn’t you rather face that time prepared with a plan that you have all discussed and understand what everyone is to do – and what the desires of both your parent and yourself are?

3. Your loved ones may not know what is coming
According to that same report by GenWorth, 49% of those who receiving long term care had not even considered the possibility that they might even need long term care. That represents almost half of those receiving care.

4. You may not know what is coming
This is probably the most surprising, as it represents well over half of those who were providing support to their loved one. Of those providing support, 57% had to dip into their own retirement funds or personal savings to take care of their parents. What does that mean? It means that not only did their loved ones not plan for or realize what was coming, but neither did the family member providing the support.

Conclusion – Be Prepared Now
Does that mean retirement does not have to look like what you hope it looks like? Absolutely not. Go and travel the way that you want. Let your loved one do the same. Read the books that you all want to read. But in order to make that happen, you need to sit down and plan. Understand the reality of what may come and prepare for it. There are options out there to help you prepare for the unexpected – and expected. The time to start is today. As in now. Schedule some time as a family. You will all pat yourselves on the back later for making the right choice now.

<a href=”www.valleyhelpathome.com”><img alt=”Picture of a frustrated woman – the greatest concern for the elderly is being a burden on their children.” src=”http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2013/05/11/1226639/918334-frustrated-woman.jpg” width=”312″ height=”176″ /></a> Your mother’s greatest concern about aging? That this is how your are going to feel about making sure she is taken care of as she ages.

To find out more about this and other topics to prepare your family for aging, fill out the form below and we will update you on the free monthly informational sessions. <a title=”Our Services” href=”http://www.valleyhelpathome.com/our-services-east-idaho-teton-jackson-hole-in-home-care/” target=”_blank”>1 Assist Care of the Valley</a> also provides assisted living services to seniors who desire to stay in the comfort of their own home throughout East Idaho. To find out more, fill out the form below and we will reach out to you.

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