Dr. Mauk\'s Boomer Blog

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

Guest Blog: Caring for a Parent with Dementia at Home

Dementia is a progressive illness that causes a decline in mental abilities. Symptoms can include memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding, and changes in mood or behavior.

One of the most important things to remember is that your parents are still the same person they have always been, even if their condition is changing. Be sure to talk with them, spend time with them, and continue to involve them in activities they enjoy.

Caring for a parent with dementia can be difficult. With proper planning and support, it is possible to provide them with the care they need. By following these tips, you can make life easier for both of you.

Tips to Help my Elderly Parent with Dementia

There are many things you can do to make caring for a parent with dementia at home easier. Here are some tips:

Make a daily routine and stick to it as much as possible. It will help your parents feel more secure and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Another thing you can do to keep your parents safe is to ensure that their living environment is as safe as possible. Remove or keep any tripping hazard out of reach like cords and wires, and install safety rails in the bathroom.
Create a comfortable, safe environment where your parents can relax and feel at ease. Remove loose carpets or rugs that could cause falls.
Ensure that your parents are eating healthy foods and drinking enough fluids. Proper nutrition is essential for keeping your parents healthy.
Encourage your parents to get regular exercise, even if it is just a short walk around the block. Exercise can help improve mood and cognitive function.
Make sure your parents get plenty of sleep. Quality sleep is essential for overall health and well-being.
Regularly communicate with your parent’s doctor to ensure they have the best possible care.

Helpful Tools for Caring After Demented Parents

If you find it difficult to care for your parents on your own, many helpful resources are available. Local support groups can offer advice and emotional support, and home health care providers can provide additional assistance with tasks such as bathing, grooming, and medication management.

One of the most common symptoms of dementia is wandering. This can be dangerous for your parents and others, so it’s important to take steps to prevent them from wandering. One way to do this is to keep a close eye on them and ensure that they are always in a safe place. If they do wander off, make sure to have a plan in place to find them quickly. MedicAlert bracelets or ID tags can help emergency personnel identify your parents quickly if they are found wandering.

One important resource to consider is MedicAlert Safe Return, a program that provides identification and emergency notification services for people with dementia or other cognitive conditions. If your parent wanders away from home, caregivers can use the 24/7 hotline to locate them quickly and ensure they receive the necessary medical attention.

How to Cope with a Parent with Dementia

The experience of caring for a parent with dementia can be difficult and emotionally taxing. If you feel overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends or family members. There is no shame in admitting that you need help. Here are some tips for coping:

Seek out support from friends and family members. Talking about your experiences can help you feel more understood and supported.

Join a support group or online forum specifically for caregivers of people with dementia. This can be a great way to connect with others who understand what you are going through.

Look into respite care, which can provide temporary relief from caregiving duties. This can allow you to take a break and recharge while knowing that your parents are in good hands.

Talk to a therapist or counselor about the emotions you are experiencing. This can help you deal with the stress and sadness of this situation.

By Jim|2024-04-23T11:17:28-05:00June 20th, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Navigating Role Changes in the Grandparented Family

Needs of the child

An essential consideration in assigning terms of endearment is what is ultimately in the best interest of your child. I asked myself which was more important – that JJ have us as grandparents? or that he have a forever Mom and Dad? In our case, this was a simpler choice because JJ had plenty of other grandparents, Saunties, and Bruncles, but only one set of reliable parents who were part of his life. While we kept his original birth certificate, the county issued a new one that named us as his parents as if he had been born to us. One of our other adopted children suggested when JJ goes to school, it is more important that he and everyone else knows who his Mom and Dad are. Seemingly simple choices now can become of great importance later in his life.

Involvement of the birth parents

There are many situations in which grandparents care for their grandchildren, even formally adopting them, but the natural parents are still part of the child’s life. In cases like these, it is probably best to keep everyone’s titles the same in order to have less confusion for the child. However, if the birth parents are incarcerated, deceased, have ongoing substance abuse problems, have moved far away, do not ever see the child, or pose a danger or threat to the family, consider what is in the child’s best interest.

Wishes of the child or children

One Grandmother recently told me that when they adopted her grandson at a young age, her husband wanted to continue to be called Grandpa. However, as soon as their boy started to talk, he began to call Grandpa his Daddy, and soon after, Grandpa gave up and embraced his role as Dad along with the new name. What do your children want to call you? What do you want to be called? If they name you Mom or Dad, it is usually because this is how they see you. It is a term of great endearment that fills a need in their life. Names are important because they express relationships to us and others. Strongly weigh what your children prefer to call you and negotiate mutually respectful names for your unique family ties.

Wishes of the relatives

While other relatives cannot determine what your adopted grandchild will call you, relatives will also have some concerns about their changing relationships within this unique family system. Ask relatives what they would like to be called. Grandparents who continue to be part of your child’s life may have unique or cultural names that they prefer to be called so that the child recognizes them as special. Honor those wishes as much as you can. Even small choices as these can strengthen the family ties and provide your little one with the security he deserves.

So, in the land of Saunties and Bruncles there are many unfamiliar twists and turns. The list of difficult choices and tunnels off the rabbit hole on this strange journey will continue on. But, as you take one step at a time, you can successfully navigate your changing role in this new, wonderful family.

By Jim|2024-04-23T11:17:12-05:00June 18th, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: 5 Effective Arthritis Self-Management Tips for Seniors

As a term, arthritis refers to over 100 different diseases that cause pain, swelling and limited mobility or flexibility in joints as well as other areas of the musculoskeletal system. It is an ailment that impacts 54 million adults today, a number that is only set to grow due to increased life expectancies and improved medical capabilities, potentially even rising to 78 million by 2040.

Many people, in particular older adults or family caregivers may assume that arthritis is a normal part of aging that affects everyone at some point, therefore reporting symptoms can sometimes be missed or delayed. However, there are many different ways to treat arthritis that can help improve quality of life. By doing this early, effective arthritis pain management in seniors, in particular aspects such as elderly knee pain treatments can be administered early and have a much greater impact on the spread of the problem.

So what is the most common type of arthritis in the elderly and what helps arthritis pain in the elderly are important questions to ask. Osteoarthritis is one the most common forms of arthritis as comes about as a result of the breakdown of joint cartilage from continued wear and tear. It can occur in any joint, but will typically affect the hands and weight-bearing joints like knees, hips and spinal joints. If proper management of chronic arthritis pain in the elderly is not sorted early, these can worsen over time and make it incredibly difficult to complete even the simplest of tasks.

Arthritis pain management in seniors will often include mild to severe symptoms including:

● Aching

● Painful and stiff joints

● Swelling

● Lack of flexibility and mobility in joints

The key to successful arthritis pain management in seniors first involves an early diagnosis and the incorporation of effective practices to lessen the impact of the symptoms. Within this there are several effective ways that management of chronic arthritis pain in the elderly can be done simply and easily. Here are 5 simple tips that can help anyone suffering from arthritis:

Promote Regular Movement and Activity

Physical activity and regular exercise is a simple, effective, way to relieve arthritis pain in seniors. Being physically active can help to reduce pain, improve joint functionality, and stave off the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Look for exercise and arthritis self-management programs that have been specifically designed with seniors in mind which are led by trained experts to help those suffering with arthritis. Even small amounts of movement throughout the day can make a significant difference and can be done from the comfort of your own home to help strengthen your muscles and joints with low impact exercises.

Encourage Weight Loss

This goes hand in hand with regular movement and activity, but it is always good to encourage those suffering with arthritis to manage their weight and diet effectively. This is because excess weight will cause additional strain on weight-bearing joints, the hips and knees, which are likely areas to be affected by osteoarthritis. Reducing body weight, even by as little as 10% or just 10 to 12 pounds can actually reduce pain and improve joint function for seniors living with arthritis. Talk to experts in arthritis exercises and your doctor about ways that you take better control of your weight, and, by proxy, your arthritis.

Medication Assistance

If the person in question is elderly, it is likely that they will be using some forms of medication and treatment to help with arthritis symptoms. Arthritis is often treatable with medication and treatment plans are available, however there are some ways to make this more accessible and simpler for someone living with arthritis. These methods include:

● Ask the pharmacist to provide upside-down caps on bottles to make them easier to open.

● Use a pill popper device for over-the-counter medications

● Look into a prepackaged medication management systems that are easier to open

● Consult with doctors, pharmacists and caregivers to devise assisted methods that make taking pain medication simpler for those with joint issues

Make Daily Tasks Easier

There are many arthritis-friendly products that can make life easier for seniors living with the affliction. This can be anything from having foam handles on products and arthritis-friendly utensils to make everyday tasks a simpler prospect while also reducing fatigue. This can also be applied to larger products such as installing grab bars in a shower, bathtub and around a toilet to make washing and hygienic tasks much easier and safer. Toilet seat risers can help reduce the effort needed to sit down and stand up while automatic dispensers reduce the need to squeeze bottles, an act difficult for those whose finger joints have less mobility.

Stay Positive

It may seem easier to say than to do, but staying positive is a key part of everyday life for those living with arthritis. Especially in seniors, the symptoms can lead to negative feelings so family members and caregivers should help them remain positive and focused on what they can still do. A positive mental outlook can have a big impact on how you feel as well as how physically able you feel. Spend time with those you love, take up hobbies that you can do even with arthritis and focus on your abilities, rather than your disabilities and pain management becomes a much easier proposition.

Final Thoughts

Easy, effective, and efficient arthritis pain management in seniors will help to improve the quality of everyday life for elderly people. There are more ways to help with this growing problem, from customized movement plans to improved medical assistance, so it’s important to find the right approach depending on the person in question. Consult with doctors, caregivers, and physical therapists to ensure your self-management plan can be done in a safe and healthy manner.

Author Bio:

Kelly Tassos is a creative content writer for MyArthritisRx, a patient-facing digital platform to facilitate self-management of Osteoarthritis. She specializes in helping people understand and receive treatment for inflammatory diseases like arthritis as well as other trending health topics.

By Jim|2024-04-23T11:16:59-05:00June 16th, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Spotting the Signs of Substance Abuse in the Elderly

Those who are at the twilight of their lives are vulnerable not just to illnesses but also to addiction, as well. This is especially true for the elderly who are residents of various healthcare facilities as the prevalence rate of alcohol abuse disorder jumps up to 22%.

Sadly, most symptoms of substance abuse are misinterpreted for depression, natural signs of aging, and other unrelated causes.

Here are just some of the warning signs that would tell you to get some help:

1. Lack of hygiene – People with substance abuse problems hardly care about their hygiene as the priority is when they can have their next fix.

2. Slurred speech – This is quite obvious and when you see them slurring their speech every time you check up on them, chances are they have an alcohol problem.

3. Extreme mood swings – The addicted individual becomes emotionally unstable. They can lash out at you for no reason at all.

4. Hyperactivity – Stimulants like meth and cocaine trigger hyperactivity.

5. Lethargy and excessive sleeping – Prescription opioids are the most commonly abused drugs by the elderly. Abusing their medications can take a toll because of their slowed metabolism.

6. Sudden weight loss – Addicted individuals are not really eating right because, again, their priority is sustaining their addiction. Instead of buying food, they buy drugs instead.

7. Alienation – They will isolate themselves from everybody else because they don’t want to be answering questions about their physical appearance and behavior.

8. Constant lying – When they do get confronted, they lie and lie. They will also feign illnesses in order to trick their doctors into adding into their dosage of prescription opioids.

9. Frequent accidents – Their motor skills will depreciate as they grow older and that’s understandable. However, when they fall more times than usual, it could be a sign that they have an alcohol abuse disorder.

10. Mental health issues – Over time, abusing drugs and alcohol will mess up with the chemistry in their brains. They may develop depression, feeling of isolation, extreme anxiety, among others.

Senior living facilities are not equipped to deal with substance abuse. However, they do have protocols on how to deal with these situations. However, if your parents and grandparents are living on their own and you think they need help, you can search for the rehab facilities in Colorado.

By Jim|2024-04-23T11:16:46-05:00June 14th, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

White clock with words Time for Action on its face

Medical alert systems can provide an added layer of protection that can help you lead an independent life. No matter your age, falling or being caught in a situation where you’re unable to summon medical help in the case of an emergency can be a very real concern. Though medical alert systems are closely associated with senior citizens, they’re a great asset that can offer assistance for a variety of ages and medical conditions.

It’s important to note that medical alert systems are not the same thing as medical ID jewelry. Medical ID jewelry may come in the form of a bracelet or necklace engraved with personal information that identifies medical conditions first responders need to know in order to attend you. These are commonly used for responders to know if a patient has specific drug and food allergies, prescribed medicines, emergency contacts or conditions that could impair judgment such as Alzheimer’s. A medical ID should have the medical emblem also known as the Star of Life that contains the snake and staff symbol.

Medical alert systems, on the other hand, are small electronic devices that allow you to connect with a dispatcher who can seek emergency help or contact a designated family member or friend to come to your aid should you need medical assistance.

Most of these devices can be worn as aw or necklace and function by utilizing wireless voice, data, and geographic location technology to allow for accurate location-tracking and real-time monitoring.

This is ideal for anyone from an unaccompanied minor walking to the bus, a senior living alone that would like more autonomy, or a person that would feel safer walking home late from work.

If you’re considering medical alert devices, there are a variety of features and service options to choose from, including:

• Environmental monitoring: Some medical alert systems have integrated carbon monoxide monitoring that contain sensors that measure concentration of gas in the environment.

• Mobile caregiver tools: Some medical alert systems offer real-time monitoring apps for caregivers to view on their mobile devices. These features will notify caregivers should there be any unusual patterns, periods of inactivity, or low battery life on the user’s medical alert device.

• GPS location services: The GPS accuracy level for certain medical alert systems may suffer interference if used inside a multilevel building. It’s recommended that you let your medical alert company know the layout of the building where the user is residing so that when help is summoned, it arrives at the right place.

• Language support: Medical alert systems are becoming popular, and many companies now offer real-time translators that are able to communicate in up to 180 languages. If you need assistance in another language other than English, ask an agent if they offer translation services before purchasing the device.

• Fall Detection: Some alert systems come with fall detection technology that constantly monitor the speed and direction of the user’s movements. If it detects an unusual movement, such as a fall, the device will alert the monitoring center after a specific period of inactivity.

• Waterproof: Most slips and falls can happen when you’re in the shower. Luckily, the majority of medical alert devices are waterproof to help ensure your safety at all times.

A quality medical alert system will provide you the peace of mind to go about your life feeling secure and independent. To learn more details regarding the equipment, contract, price, reputation and certifications for the best medical alert systems nationwide please read this in-depth study at ConsumersAdvocate.org. At the end of the day, this is a good investment for your health and wellbeing.

By Jim|2024-04-23T11:16:32-05:00June 12th, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Previous 101112 Next