Jim, Author at Senior Care Central

About Jim

CFO - Senior Care Central, LLC

Caregiver Tips: Planning for Long-Term Cancer Care

Caregivers for long-term cancer care

Long-term cancer care supports cancer patients throughout their treatment journey. Patients diagnosed with cancer may choose a friend or family member as their cancer caregiver. When taking on the role of caregiver, make sure to understand how to best assist them. Here are some tips below to help get you started.

Tip 1: Understand the diagnosis of your cancer patient and how it affects them

Aggressive Cancers

Being a cancer caregiver opens up new responsibilities and challenges. There are many types of caregiving that provide help for the general health and wellbeing of patients. With cancer caregiving, patients often require specialized help. You may be familiar with senior or disability caregiving, but certain cancers are more difficult to manage. For example, breast cancer is common but involves a different caregiving approach than mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the lungs that typically targets older adults.

There is currently no available cure for mesothelioma. This results in a 79 percent, 1-year survival rate, even with multimodal treatment—which combines one or two cancer treatments. Cancer patients and caregivers may have many questions surrounding treatment. For this reason, caregiver resources help plan and ease long-term mesothelioma cancer care. Take time to understand the type of cancer your patient has and how mesothelioma will affect them physically, mentally, and socially. The decision to have long-term cancer care is hard on the patient, too. Caregivers relieve some of the burdens patients will have. With this in mind, preparing for your patients will help you fully grasp this role.

It’s also crucial to work with the doctors and cancer teams to provide quality care. Depending on what type of caregiver you are, your responsibilities could change. More qualified caregivers may have to administer medications. Connecting with the doctor will help the cancer team with their prognosis strategy and your patient’s long-term cancer care. This will also help you better understand the patient’s needs.

Tip 2: Keep the patient, family and friends involved

It can be devastating when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer. Putting in the effort to work with your patient and their family will make them feel included and comfortable during this difficult time. Caregivers spend a lot of time with patients. By creating healthy relationships with them, you can give them the support and encouragement they need. Often, treatment is hard on patients and takes long recovery times. You will be one of their biggest advocates.

Tip 3: Pay attention to how you feel

Amidst the distress you and your patient will undergo, it’s vital to check in on yourself. It may seem as though your feelings aren’t as valid as those you are helping, but that isn’t the case. You won’t be able to fully care for your patient if you’re not caring for yourself as well. To avoid burnout, dedicate time for yourself to process your emotions and feelings, especially because of how draining long-term cancer caregiving can be.

If you are taking a cancer caregiver position, keep these tips in mind. Caregiving is not babysitting. Patients and their families rely on caregivers to handle what they cannot. Taking on this role is both an immense commitment and a privilege.

By Jim|2023-06-30T10:40:29-05:00July 23rd, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: How to Choose the Right Mattress for Seniors

When you’re a caregiver for a senior citizen, you know how critical it is to find chairs, beds, and couches that are comfortable for your patients. Choosing the right mattress is especially crucial for the elderly. People in the 65+ age range often suffer from chronic pain related to sore, tender muscles, arthritis, and old injuries that have worsened as the years have passed.

A poor mattress can make even a teenager wake up feeling sore and tired, but for seniors, the effects of a poor mattress can cause debilitating pain and worsen inflammation. Senior citizens need a supportive mattress that cradles sensitive areas that are prone to soreness and stiffness, such as the hips, neck, shoulders, and the lower back. It’s also a good idea to choose a mattress with a comfortable top that cushions the heels and elbows, which will lessen inflammation and irritation.

There are tons of different mattress materials, thicknesses, and designs to choose from, but how do you know which one is going to give your senior patients a comfortable night’s rest? Below, we’ve broken down the different types of mattresses and how they can help seniors sleep well and wake up free from discomfort and pain.

What types of mattresses are the most comfortable for seniors?

When searching for a good mattress for an older individual, manufacturers won’t advertise that it’s the best for senior citizens. What you’ll need to do is look for certain traits and design features that will most likely work for an elderly sleeper.

Typically, seniors need a bed that will retain minimal body heat and will sleep cool. Beds that minimize and isolate movement or motion transfer, and are quiet are usually the best choices for seniors, too. You’ll also want to purchase a bed that is supportive and won’t sag or compress too much. Mattresses that are too soft don’t support spinal alignment and can cause someone to wake up in the morning with a sore back and hips.

Most importantly, a mattress for senior citizens needs to support arthritic joints. As people age, the cartilage that naturally cushions and supports the joints wears away, so seniors need a little more support from their beds than a younger individual.

Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Gel memory foam mattresses are some of the most popular choices for seniors. Gel memory foam is denser and more supportive than traditional memory foam, offering a slightly firmer bed that does an excellent job of supporting the joints and the spine. In mattress lingo, gel memory foam is also referred to as Tempur foam. Gel memory foam mattresses are also cooler than a regular memory foam mattress. Loom and Leaf is one of the more popular gel memory foam mattresses this year.

Memory Foam Mattresses

Memory foam is a mattress favorite, and it’s been around for decades. First used by NASA, memory foam is a high-quality material that offers superior comfort and cushioning. While memory foams aren’t typically as supportive as a gel memory foam mattress, some models are firmer than others.

Memory foam mattresses cradle and cushion the body, so elbows and heels aren’t resting on a surface that can cause skin irritation. Seniors who are side sleepers can most benefit from a traditional memory foam mattress. Memory foam cradles the shoulder joint and allows it to rest comfortably while keeping the shoulder disk in proper alignment.

However, if a person has never slept on a memory foam mattress, the new bed may take some getting used to. Memory foam beds have a particular and distinct feel to them. Also, be sure to check the bed’s cool rating. Memory foam beds tend to run hot. Nectar memory foam beds are some of the highest rated bed-in-a-box mattresses.

All-natural Latex Foam

A natural, latex foam mattress is an excellent alternative to memory foam mattresses for older sleepers. Latex is a springier material than either gel or memory foam. Latex doesn’t cradle the body, so for sleepers who switch positions a lot, a latex mattress can be ideal. However, all natural latex mattresses are sometimes too soft for people with severe arthritis. A high-quality all natural latex foam mattress for seniors is the Santa Cruz Natural Mattress.

What about innerspring mattresses?

Innerspring mattresses don’t always offer enough consistent support for seniors who need cushioning for aching joints. But adding a pillowtop to an otherwise decent innerspring mattress can offer enough softness and support for senior citizens. Boxtop and pillowtop mattresses are suitable for sleepers who are light or medium weight. But these mattresses won’t provide enough support or last very long for heavier sleepers.

Can you choose a mattress that uses different types of materials?

It’s possible to find a mattress that uses different technologies. For example, manufacturers who specialize in innerspring mattresses often have products that use a top layer of natural latex foam, or memory foam for added support and comfort. If you’re worried that your senior patients won’t be able to get used to a full memory foam mattress, an innerspring memory-foam hybrid can be a good compromise.

As always, it’s essential to thoroughly research different mattress types, product ratings, and what’s going to work best for an individual patient.

By Jim|2023-06-30T10:39:48-05:00July 19th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Manage stress to help you maintain a healthy weight

By Jim|2023-06-30T10:39:31-05:00July 15th, 2023|News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: How To Transition to a Healthier Path in Your Retirement Years

If you feel stuck in a rut from years of bad habits that leave you feeling sluggish and overweight, it’s never too late to change your course to a healthy and happier lifestyle. First, you have to commit to leaving your old ways in the dust and forging a new path with habits that benefit your health instead of harming it. If you’re ready to start this new journey, Senior Care Central presents the following roadmap you can follow.

Eat Whole Foods

If you own a sports car and put the wrong kind of fuel in its tank, it won’t run very well. The same is true for your body. Eating calorie-heavy processed foods full of saturated fat may taste good, but it slows your digestion and worsens some health conditions, like IBD. You can alleviate the symptoms of IBD (which include fatigue and abdominal cramping) by seeing your doctor for medication and a course of antibiotics. In addition, you can prevent future flare-ups by taking peppermint oil supplements when symptoms start and committing to eating fiber-rich whole foods.

Whole foods give you the nutrition you need for optimal energy and to keep your body running smoothly. Following this meal plan is simple. Eat food that nature made instead of processed food made in laboratories. Fill your plate with organic fruit and vegetables, free-range eggs, wild-caught seafood, meat from pasture-raised animals and natural dairy products. Choose whole-grain bread, brown rice and buckwheat pancakes. A quick online search can give you plenty of recipes to try out at home.

Get Moving Every Day

Your sports car won’t run as designed if it sits unused in your garage for months at a time. Likewise, your body functions best when you get moving with some exercise every day. Studies show regular exercise improves your balance and decreases your chances of falling by 23%. It also fills you with endorphins that leave you feeling energetic and lively! Commit to 30 minutes a day of activities that won’t cause overexertion but get your heart pumping and your breath flowing. Ideas include:

Brisk walks
Strength training
Yoga
Water aerobics
Pilates
Swimming

Avoid exercises that could cause injury, like running, bench presses, rock climbing and high-intensity interval activities.

Stay Social

That sports car of yours loves being seen out in public. Research shows that staying socially active in your retirement years leads to an overall positive mood and increases self-confidence. It can also decrease your risk of developing dementia and help ward off cardiovascular disease when compared to seniors who isolate themselves. To meet others, volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about, start a new hobby, join a church or synagogue, or take up a social sport, such as golf or tennis.

Sleep Soundly

You may have noticed you get sleepy earlier in the evening and tend to rise before the sun comes up. These changes are normal and won’t harm you as long as you get the recommended seven to eight hours of sound sleep a night. Your body needs the rest to recharge you mentally and physically. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, consult with your doctor to find a solution.

You can make the most of your retirement years by ditching your old bad habits for a healthier path. These proactive changes can leave you feeling energized and ready to take a friend out on the road for a spin in your sporty car.

By Jim|2023-06-30T10:38:09-05:00July 11th, 2023|News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog:The Best Anti-Aging Skincare Routine for Seniors

Everyone wants to look young forever, but it’s not always possible. After all, time can be cruel. But, you don’t have to spend your days feeling old and decrepit. There are a few things that you can do to fight the signs of aging on your skin while avoiding surgery or other invasive treatments. Here are some of the best anti-aging skincare routines for seniors:

Moisturize

You should use a moisturizer every day so that your skin doesn’t become dry and cracked. Look for products with sunscreen protection if you live in an area where sunlight is abundant.

Exfoliate

It’s important to exfoliate regularly so that new cells will grow. Exfoliating can also help you to get rid of dead skin cells, which makes your complexion look more vibrant and healthy. That’s why you should moisturize every day so that your skin doesn’t become dry and cracked.

Avoid the sun

If possible, avoid spending time in direct sunlight for extended periods. Because it’s damaging to your skin unless you’re wearing sunscreen with a high level of protection. Finally, be sure that you wear sunglasses when outside so that ultraviolet light doesn’t do any damage on its own.

Exercise regularly

It’s important for everyone over 50 years old to exercise. Make it at least six times per week to stay fit and maintain their weight (or lose extra pounds). The best part is that exercising has a lot of benefits for your skin, so it’s good for more than your body.

Avoid smoking

Smoking not only causes lung cancer but also leads to premature aging. If you have trouble quitting the habit, consider seeing a doctor about some programs that can help. Try adding anti-aging products into your routine until you’re able to break this nasty addiction.

Eat healthy food and drink plenty of water to keep yourself from becoming ill or dehydrated. This is especially important if you live with other people who might be sick because they’ll make you sick too. It will protect them as well since most germs are spread by close contact with someone else who has them already anyway. You don’t want to spend your golden years sick, do you?

Avoid stress

This is another major skincare issue for seniors. If you want a clear complexion and fewer wrinkles around the eyes or mouth, try not to let yourself get too stressed out about anything. Stress leads to lots of different skin problems including acne breakouts and psoriasis flare-ups. Don’t sweat it if something goes wrong because there’s always tomorrow. It will make a huge difference in how you look. You’ll feel better as well from all that relaxation time. This means that everyone wins when you don’t worry too much about things outside of your control. Remember: life happens but it doesn’t have to happen to you.

Use of serums

These are fantastic all-natural anti-aging skincare products. This is where all the magic happens from a skincare standpoint. There’s been tons of research done on this all-natural ingredient. Which has been shown time and time again to be effective for brightening up sun-damaged skin. Then protecting against future UV damage by neutralizing free radicals in the body before they even have a chance to do any harm.

You can also use a fantastic all-natural antioxidant serum that will protect your skin from free radical damage. Also other harmful environmental toxins like smog and cigarette smoke. These all natural products should be applied every morning right after you wash your face. This will give your skin all day protection against UV exposure as well as pollution.

Closing Thoughts

Maintaining a good skincare routine can be very helpful for seniors because it helps to keep them looking young. You don’t need surgery or invasive treatments if you’re willing to try some simple things out first. Take care of yourself and your skin will reward you with a youthful appearance that won’t age as quickly as the rest of your body. Don’t neglect these tips for anti-aging skincare routines unless you want everyone seeing right through how old you are. These tips will help anyone over 50 years old who wants to look younger. Without having any dangerous side effects from traditional surgical methods.

By Jim|2023-06-30T10:37:28-05:00July 7th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

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