Lifestyle

Many older adults struggle during mealtimes or simply refuse to eat because they’ve lost their appetite. This is an important issue to address because seniors need to eat well to stay as healthy and active as possible. But how can you convince someone with no appetite to eat? And why do seniors lose their appetites in the first place?

The POWER of your volunteer efforts helps Kay County residents: get to needed medical appointments which has helped one become cancer free, many save their eyesight, and even improve their eyesight and health and with meal deliveries stay in their homes. Other recipients have been provided new ramps designed and built by volunteers. With the ramps it is for many the first time they have been out of their house, let alone be able to get to appointments. One recipient said it best, “to some this may just be a few boards, but to me it is freedom.”

If you are a caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it is important to know that you are not alone and the journey can be as challenging as it is rewarding. You will have many questions and we can help you find the answers RSVP AmeriCorps Seniors and the Kay County Senior Resource Program are here to help you find the answers to your questions and guide you along your journey. Every family’s journey is different. The Kay County Senior Resource Program can provide you with information about services that are available and help you access the needed services. We facilitate two Alzheimer/Dementia Support Groups. Call 580-382-9099 for dates and time.

Alzheimer’s and dementia can cause aggressive behavior, eveninpeoplewhohave never been violent in their lives. These aggressive dementia behaviors can be scary and difficult for caregivers to handle. It’s important to remind yourself that they’re not behaving this way on purpose or to be hurtful. The brain damage caused by dementia is the reason behind these actions. There’s no solution that can prevent all angry outbursts, but there are effective ways to minimize upset, reduce your stress, and increase the safety of everyone involved.

The benefits of spending time in the great outdoors are significant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spending time outdoors may improve mental health and help to reduce stress, and the vitamin D the body absorbs while outside can have a positive effect on blood cells and the immune system.

People are living longer, a reality that can be traced to a number of factors, including advancements in medicine and greater dissemination of information regarding preventive health care. According to data from the United Nations Population Division, the average life expectancy in the United States is 81.65 for women and 76.61 for men. Canada has even higher life expectancies, at 84.74 for women and 81.15 for men.

Seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia are especially vulnerable to the effects of social isolation and loneliness. Dementia also makes it difficult to maintain relationships or participate in social activities, which often creates detachment from family and friends. It can be tough for family caregivers to watch someone they care about go through this. And it’s especially hard when one of your main goals is to help them feel supported, connected, and engaged in their own life.

Acting as a caregiver for a loved one can be emotionally draining however handling the range of emotions brought forth by the need to care for a spouse can be especially draining. While many seniors who are suffering from debilitating effects of aging or disease also suffer from depression, spousal caregivers may be likely to experience depression at an even higher rate than those for whom they care. Such depression can be spurred by a wide variety of emotional struggles. Care recipients may no longer have the cognitive ability to relate to their spouse, leaving spousal caregivers feeling as though they have lost the husband or wife they once knew so well. Many times, caregivers may feel as though they’re adjusting to taking care of an entirely different person, especially with diagnoses like dementia, which can leave caregivers mourning the loss of their previous life with their husband or wife. While caregivers may feel guilty for these emotions, they are completely normal. Although you may fear talking with others about the changes in your marriage, support groups of caregivers in similar situations may offer a chance to talk about your challenges with people in similar situations. Emotional strain can have an undeniable impact on physical well-being. Excess stress can lead to poor sleep, increased blood pressure, weight gain or loss, headaches or any other wealth of symptoms. Aside from physical conditions that negatively affect health, physical challenges may present themselves in other ways. For example, wives may have trouble physically helping their husband move around the home due to a sheer difference in weight and size, while husbands may find that their own physical conditions make It difficult to help their wife with her mobility. To help work around these physical challenges, it may be helpful to seek assistance from a home care agency, physically able friends and family, or assistive devices like motorized wheelchairs or walkers that can help reduce some of the physical strain.