Dr. Mauk\'s Boomer Blog

Each week, Dr. Mauk shares thoughts relevant to Baby Boomers that are aimed to educate and amuse.

Guest Blog: How to Take Care of Elders Who Are Living Alone: 4 Important Tips

Do you feel that your elders are not safe in their house anymore? Of late, you may be noticing that their house is always in a mess, or that they are not grooming regularly. It is apparent that they are skipping meals and medications. It is all too frightening to see the people who brought you up becoming so helpless and careless in their old age. It is not their fault, but now it is your responsibility to take care of them.

We have put together some tips that will help you plan long term care for your loved ones when you feel they are getting too old to take care of themselves:

1. Confront Your Elders: Sit with them and inquire about the problems they may be facing. Is it an untreated chronic pain that has worsened over time, rendering them unable to do simple tasks that they had no problems executing previously? Is it a loss of a loved one they are mourning? Are they feeling marooned from the rest of their family? Isolation or lack of support can be a major recipe for depression.

2. Express Your Concerns: Sometimes elders feel that they have become a burden on their family. This is why they stop sharing their problems. Maybe if you express your concerns, they will honestly tell you what is troubling them.

3. Respect Their Independence: Unless your elders are not completely disabled, they have the right to make their own decisions. If you think something is right for them, let them know about it in an open-ended way. Never impose anything on them.

4. Keep External Help Handy: You might be confident about your situation-handling capabilities, but it is a good idea to keep home care providers, doctors, and geriatric care managers in the loop. Also, you might consider making your elders meet other people who have used home care services before. Hearing unbiased feedback might remove their fear of the unknown.

Old age is the onset of childhood. Even though we tend to ignore our elders as they age, we should realize that, with age, they need greater affection and care. If you are not able to take care of your elders due to responsibilities and work pressure, taking in professional help is a viable option.

By Jim|2025-01-02T13:02:35-05:00January 26th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Home Care vs. The Alternatives: How to Make The Right Choice

Choosing the type of care for your senior family member can be stressful and difficult. The options alone can be confusing. While nursing homes and other more popular, familiar alternatives are often the first choices of most families, many are now choosing to hire medical homecare professionals to provide home care for their elderly loved ones.

Home care is a type of in-home service for seniors and the elderly. Care and services are provided in the home, so your loved one does not have to live separately and far away from you. It has several advantages for you and your senior family members. However, nursing homes and other alternatives also offer some benefits. So, which one should you choose? Should you go for home care, or should you choose a more familiar option?

To make sure you explore your choices efficiently, it is vital to understand each care type and what it can offer to your senior loved one – and to your family, as well.

Different Types of Senior and Elderly Care Services

Aging in Place/Home Care

Aging in Place is another term for home care senior services. This option is ideal for seniors and the elderly who need assistance or personal care for their daily living activities (ADL) – such as dressing up, personal hygiene, and preparing and eating meals – and instrumental activities of daily (IADL) living such as housekeeping and shopping. It does not provide medical care.

If you are considering home care for your senior loved one, there are several things you need to consider.

Home care is ideal for seniors whose homes are in a safe and secure neighborhood. A gated village or community is ideal, although it’s not necessary.
The home should be accessible; transportation should be easy so that your senior loved one won’t have to worry about driving the car.
Seniors should have their family, loved ones, or friends nearby. They should be available to help when needed.
The home should be easy to renovate or modify to accommodate to adjust to your senior loved one’s needs.
Home care is ideal for seniors who do not require a nurse or any other medical professional. Medical needs should be simple.

Aging in place is preferred by families who want a one-on-one and more personal senior care service. It’s an environment that allows the caregiver and his senior client to establish a comfortable and trustworthy relationship. Additionally, home care is also more exclusive than the alternatives because you and your family work with only one caregiver.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are the more popular option among the alternatives. They offer custodial care, which refers to non-medical assistance such as bathing, eating, and dressing up. Nursing homes also provide professional medical care. Licensed physicians and nurses are usually on-call 24/7.

These places are ideal for seniors in need of a high level of personal and medical care. Many of its senior and elderly residents were brought there because of an illness or after hospitalization. Nursing homes are also ideal for seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia as the facility is safe and security is tight.

Assisted Living Facilities

Assisted living facilities offer 24-hour access to care and supervision. These facilities provide room and boarding services to seniors and the elderly. The residents can easily and freely interact with each other.

These facilities do not offer professional medical services as there are no physicians or doctors and nurses in the community.

Assisted living facilities are ideal for seniors and the elderly. They need assistance with some of their day-to-day activities, such as going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and preparing meals.

Independent Living

Independent living housing arrangements are ideal for seniors and elderly residents aged 55 years old and up. It is specifically for those who do not need assistance or require minimal help with their day-to-day activities. There are no licensed physicians and nurses in the housing facility.

Seniors can choose from two housing types: freestanding or apartment-like homes. These houses are easy to manage and do not require yard work and heavy maintenance.

Independent living housing provides its senior residents with fun activities, amenities, and services.

Retirement Community

Also called Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), retirement communities put together assisted living, home care, and independent living in one location. This concept allows seniors to live in one community, so when their housing needs and care level changes, they can conveniently move to one that’s ideal for them.

Retirement communities can be expensive, though, as housing costs and monthly fees can change as the level of care required changes.

Things to Consider

Aside from understanding each option, it is also essential for you and your family to consider the following when deciding which senior care service to choose.

Daily physical and medical needs of your senior loved one.
How accessible and safe the community/facility location is.
Are you capable of meeting the required expenses?
Your senior loved one’s emotional and social needs.

With all the information you have, choosing the right care type for your senior family member will be easier and less stressful.

By Jim|2025-01-02T13:02:20-05:00January 24th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Budgeting for Seniors and Those on Fixed Incomes

Most seniors have a fixed, limited income. Even though it may not seem like a whole lot, there are ways to budget and make the fixed income work to your advantage. After all, you know exactly how much money you are going to get each month. You don’t have to worry about losing a job, or not getting a paycheck. Most of the time the money comes in on a predictable date and this is very advantageous because you know exactly when the money is going to get replenished.

Now to the budgeting. Most seniors have essentials such as paying for medications, food, rent and mortgage, transportation and of course incidentals. Figure out how much you have available after your rent/mortgage expense, medication expense, transportation expense and this is the amount you have for food and incidentals. Going out to eat can be a major expense so staying in might be a good idea for some.
Additionally, if you have money left over at the end of the month, you can save up for a vacation, or a one off purchase.

If you have debt, negotiating the interest rate with the bank or credit card company can save a lot of money. Monitoring utility usage and minimizing utility usage can also lead to a big savings. Leaving on the air conditioning or heat during the day when you aren’t home tends to add up over time. Even though this may amount to 50-100.00 per month, over the course of the year this equates to thousands of dollars.

It’s also worth mentioning that not all insurance premiums are created equal. Some people are unknowingly paying for services outside of Medicare that they may not need. Likewise, for those on an extremely reduced fixed income, it could be worth looking into Medicaid in your state. Each state has different rules, but here is a nationwide guide to Medicaid, which can help pay for regular medical expenses and long term care.

The last piece of advice is to track your not-so-necessary purchases. Write down each time you purchase something that is not essential and you will most likely be surprised. If you are not careful, a large amount of your budget could be going to non-essentials. Whether you use a pen and paper, or are using budgeting software, it is a good idea to keep track of all expenses. Click the lick to see a handy budget sheet created by AARP. This minimizes surprises and will lead to a much easier time getting to the next month’s income check.

Jacob Edward is the manager of Senior Planning in Phoenix Arizona. Jacob founded Senior Planning in 2007 and has helped many Arizona seniors and their families navigate the process of long-term care planning.

By Jim|2025-01-02T13:01:52-05:00January 20th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Top 5 Indoor Games for Senior Citizens to Play

Playing games with older relatives is a great way to keep older family members.

Engaged
Alarm
Concentrate

Also, while building muscles, it showed them a good time!

For the elderly, playing fun, low-impact brain games may be a good way to stay sharp and alert at all times. Research has shown that older adults who often stimulate their brains through active, educational activities tend to score higher on memory and cognitive tests than those who do not participate in sports.

Clear the board game on the top of the cabinet and use it. Indoor games may be one of the best ways to keep the elderly mentally healthy and active. It does more than providing entertainment. Chess is an amazing game to play, and the best chess learning rules seem simple and easy to learn, but the skills involved are huge and bring many health and psychological benefits. It can make your mind young, active, and entertaining at the same time.

We have compiled 5 top memory games for adults: Here are five indoor activities for the elderly, which are sure to make you spend a pleasant day.

Complete a Puzzle
Play Board and Card Games
Chess and Checkers
Card Games
Sudoku

Complete a Puzzle:

Word games for the elderly, such as crossword puzzles, can help maintain a memory. The challenge of the puzzle helps the brain to form and maintain connections. Crosswords involve the left and right sides of the brain. Older adults’ word games also require logical reasoning. Crossword puzzles can also help,

Older people learn new words
Recall vocabulary

Playing crosswords can promote,

Relaxation, which can have a healing
Calming effect, especially during a busy week
Older people don’t have to complete the crossword puzzles alone! For families, this is a fun activity that can be done together, or it can be a bond for a group of older adults.

Play Board and Card Games:

Card games are a great way to think spontaneously, entertain and get along with others, and many games can be used by any number of players, from two to ten or more. Many seniors grew up playing card games, so be sure to ask them what games they like. Some seniors may prefer active and considerate games, such as bridge games or poker games. For others, playing simpler games such as,

Blackjack
War may be more fun

You can study other card games such as Uno that go beyond traditional game rules.

Chess and Checkers:

Chess is an amazing game. These rules seem simple and easy to understand, but the skills involved are huge. For decades, playing chess has been easy, and you can never really stop learning the subtleties of the game. Chess is about strategy, problem-solving, and footstep thinking. It is a great game for older people to participate and stay mentally active while having fun at the same time. Checkers is an improved version of the game, with fewer pieces and simpler rules, and a good choice. Is it better? The manufacturer’s chessboards and chessboards come in many different shapes and styles, including larger versions designed specifically for seniors with weaker vision and motor skills.

Card Games

Sudoku

Sudoku is a popular pencil puzzle. It requires you to use problem-solving skills in a fun and easy-to-learn way. Sudoku can be used on almost any digital platform and traditional paper. Besides, you can play it online. Sudoku requires logic and memory skills, which can push the brain to establish connections. Strategic thinking can also help you improve your concentration and ability to make decisions in a short period. Besides, when you complete the puzzle correctly, there will be a sense of pride and achievement. Sudoku is not the only game that can help older people build memory.

By Jim|2025-01-02T13:01:38-05:00January 18th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Do You Know – How Patient Education Can Help Chronic Disease Management?

Healthcare facilities all around the world often face difficulty in treating patients with chronic diseases and look for ways to make it easy for patients to live with it. Chronic disease management by educating the patients either via online school or through regular sessions is known to an effective way of inculcating in them an awareness of how they can play part in coping with their health conditions. Patient education for chronic disease management helps in empowering them and taking actions that will enable them to achieve their health goals. Here is everything you need to know about educating patients for chronic disease management:

What Exactly is Chronic Disease Management?

Chronic disease management (CDA) is support and care to assist the patients having chronic diseases. It teaches them skills, gives them the knowledge and resources that they need to manage their daily life in a better way. This often includes regular visits from a family physician, other care providers, or referrals to specialized programs and services. The skills that are usually taught vary with diseases. Chronic diseases commonly include diabetes, asthma, chronic kidney disease, arthritis, depression, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

What are the Key Elements of Good Chronic Disease Management?

To be more effective, good chronic disease management should offer support and care that is proactive, team-based, and must be well integrated with the primary health care provider (e.g. your family physician, etc.). It must be easily accessible and should well-coordinated. It should be focused on adopting a healthy lifestyle and overall well being of the patient. CDM aims to encourage the patient to take care of themselves and involves family to encourage them to extend their support to their loved ones suffering from some serious health issues. It helps the patient to live a healthier and happier life by teaching them to cope up with their health condition.

How Patient’s Engagement and Education is Beneficial for the CDM?

Chronic disease management sessions are usually patient-centric. Since their aim is to enable patients to take care of themselves, the patient’s constant engagement is what makes it an absolute success. It is easy to keep the patient under observation as the healthcare provider can keep a constant check of what the patient is eating etc. or can control his routine. However, CDM does not have this privilege, rather their work is to train patients to follow a healthy lifestyle even in the absence of their healthcare provider. Patient’s knowledge and the urge to a better life is what helps them to live the disease but in a happier and healthier way.

When to Begin With the CDM?

Chronic disease management starts way before the patient is actually diagnosed with an illness. The primary health care provider, through regular checkups, encourages patients to take preventive healthcare measures by adopting healthy habits. Through such precautionary measures, the early onset of the disease can be mitigated.

What Do Patients Learn From CDM?

CDM helps the patient to differentiate between major and minor health-related issues and enables them to differentiate between both. For Example, if a person has a cardiovascular disease, through CDM he will be able to learn that what he should do in case of minor chest pain. Either he should instantly rush to the hospital or should talk to his healthcare provider on phone. Having knowledge of one’s health condition will enable them to make a better and timely decision and will save their money and time too.

Besides, knowing at what time you should be taking your medicine and what should you eat will make it easy for the people around you to extend their support, love, and care towards you. It will keep you going with your life, the way it is.

To Sum it Up!

You might have heard the cliché ‘where there is a will, there is a way’ and this how chronic disease management works. Involving the patient in their health care routine and talking and guiding them throughout the process is likely to give them a ray of hope. It is surely the best possible way of dealing with chronic disease. It just not eases their pain but also keeps them motivated to opt for a better and healthier lifestyle every day.

By Jim|2025-01-02T13:01:20-05:00January 16th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

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