Dr. Mauk’s Boomer Blog

Finding the right senior care center for your loved one is a daunting task. With so many different types of care centers available, it’s important to understand the differences between them and to research the options in order to determine which one best fits your loved one’s needs. From residential care homes to assisted living facilities, there are a variety of options to consider.

There are also important factors to consider such as the quality of care provided, the cost of care, and the atmosphere of the facility. By taking the time to understand the different types of senior care centers, researching the options, and considering the factors that are important to your loved one, you can make an educated and informed decision that will ensure your loved one is receiving the best care possible. Top class hospitals also have their own senior care network which can be consulted according to one’s need.

Unlocking the Secrets to Finding the Perfect Senior Care Center for Your Loved One

Finding the right senior care center for your loved one is a daunting task. With so many different types of care centers available, it’s important to understand the differences between them and to research the options in order to determine which one best fits your loved one’s needs. From residential care homes to assisted living facilities, there are a variety of options to consider.

There are also important factors to consider such as the quality of care provided, the cost of care, and the atmosphere of the facility. By taking the time to understand the different types of senior care centers, researching the options, and considering the factors that are important to your loved one, you can make an educated and informed decision that will ensure your loved one is receiving the best care possible.

Types of Senior Care Centers

When you begin your search for the perfect senior care center for your loved one, it’s important to understand the different types of care centers available. Each type of care center offers different amenities and services, and each one is designed to meet the needs of a different type of senior.

The first type of care center is a residential care home, which is a residential home or building that provides care services for seniors. Residential care homes typically provide on-site nursing care and assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and grooming. They also provide social activities and recreational activities, as well as meals and housekeeping.

Another type of care center is an assisted living facility, which is a residential community designed to provide care and assistance with daily activities. Assisted living facilities typically offer a variety of services such as meals, housekeeping, personal care, and social activities. They also provide medical care and supervision, as well as help with mobility and other activities of daily living.

Finally, there are nursing homes, which provide more comprehensive medical care for seniors who are unable to live independently. Nursing homes offer a variety of services such as skilled nursing care, rehabilitation services, social activities, and more.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Care Center

When you’re considering the different types of care centers available, it’s important to take into account the factors that are important to your loved one. It’s important to consider the quality of care provided, the cost of care, and the atmosphere of the facility.

The quality of care is an important factor to consider when choosing a care center. It’s important to make sure that the care center is providing quality care, and that the staff is experienced and knowledgeable. It’s also important to make sure that the care center is following best practices and is compliant with state and federal regulations.

The cost of care is also an important factor to consider. Different care centers have different rates, and it’s important to make sure that the care center you’re considering is affordable for you and your loved one. It’s also important to make sure that the care center is covered by your loved one’s insurance, if applicable.

Finally, the atmosphere of the facility is an important factor to consider. It’s important to make sure that the facility is clean, comfortable, and safe for your loved one. It’s also important to make sure that the staff is friendly and welcoming, and that there are activities and social opportunities available for your loved one.

Exploring Your Options

Once you’ve taken the time to understand the different types of care centers and to consider the factors that are important to your loved one, it’s time to start exploring your options. The best way to do this is to visit the care centers in person and to take a tour. This will give you a good idea of what the care center is like and whether or not it is the right fit for your loved one.

When visiting care centers, it’s important to ask questions and to observe the environment. During your visit, it’s important to ask questions about the quality of care provided, the cost of care, and the atmosphere of the facility. It’s also important to ask about the activities and social opportunities available for your loved one. This will give you a better understanding of what the care center has to offer and whether or not it is the right fit for your loved one.

Quality of Care

The quality of care is an important factor to consider when choosing a care center for your loved one. It’s important to make sure that the care center is providing quality care and that the staff is experienced and knowledgeable. It’s also important to make sure that the care center is following best practices and is compliant with state and federal regulations.

When visiting care centers, it’s important to ask questions about the quality of care provided. You should ask questions about the staff’s experience and qualifications, the types of services offered, and the protocols that are in place to ensure quality care. You should also ask about the availability of medical care and the types of treatments offered.

It’s also important to ask for references from the care center and to speak with other families who have used the care center in the past. This will give you a better understanding of the quality of care provided and whether or not it is the right fit for your loved one.

Cost of Care

The cost of care is another important factor to consider when choosing a care center for your loved one. Different care centers have different rates, and it’s important to make sure that the care center you’re considering is affordable for you and your loved one. It’s also important to make sure that the care center is covered by your loved one’s insurance, if applicable.

When visiting care centers, it’s important to ask questions about the cost of care. You should ask about the fees for services, the availability of financial assistance, and the payment plans that are available. You should also ask about any additional fees that may be associated with the care center.

It’s also important to ask about the availability of discounts or special offers for seniors. Many care centers offer discounts for seniors, so it’s important to ask about these before making a decision.

Atmosphere of the Facility

The atmosphere of the facility is another important factor to consider when choosing a care center for your loved one. It’s important to make sure that the facility is clean, comfortable, and safe for your loved one. It’s also important to make sure that the staff is friendly and welcoming, and that there are activities and social opportunities available for your loved one.

When visiting care centers, it’s important to observe the atmosphere of the facility. You should pay attention to the cleanliness of the facility, the friendliness of the staff, and the availability of activities and social opportunities. You should also take note of the overall atmosphere of the facility and whether or not it is a place that your loved one would be comfortable in.

It’s also important to ask about the security of the facility. You should ask about the safety protocols in place to protect your loved one and to ensure their wellbeing.

Questions to Ask During Your Tour

When visiting care centers, there are a few key questions that you should ask during your tour. These include:

• What services are offered? • What is the quality of care provided? • What is the cost of care? • Are there any discounts or special offers for seniors? • What is the atmosphere of the facility like? • What activities and social opportunities are available? • What is the security of the facility like? • What protocols are in place to ensure quality care?

Asking these questions will help you get a better understanding of the care center and whether or not it is the right fit for your loved one.

What to Look for During Your Visit

When visiting care centers, there are a few key things to look for during your tour. These include:

• Cleanliness: It’s important to make sure that the facility is clean and well-maintained. • Staff: It’s important to make sure that the staff is friendly and welcoming. • Activities: It’s important to make sure that there are activities and social opportunities available for your loved one. • Security: It’s important to make sure that the facility is secure and that safety protocols are in place. • Atmosphere: It’s important to make sure that the atmosphere of the facility is comfortable and welcoming.

It’s also important to take note of anything else that stands out during your visit. This will help you get a better understanding of the care center and whether or not it is the right fit for your loved one.

Making an Educated Decision

Once you’ve taken the time to understand the different types of care centers, to research the options, and to visit the care centers in person, it’s time to make an educated decision. It’s important to consider all of the factors that are important to your loved one, such as the quality of care, the cost of care, and the atmosphere of the facility.

Once you’ve taken all of these factors into consideration, it’s important to take the time to make an informed decision. It’s also important to discuss your decision with other family members and to make sure that everyone is in agreement.

Making an educated decision about the care center for your loved one is an important responsibility, and it’s important to take the time to make sure that you’re making the right decision. By taking the time to understand the different types of care centers, researching the options, and considering the factors that are important to your loved one, you can make an informed decision that will ensure your loved one is receiving the best care possible.

Conclusion

Finding the right senior care center for your loved one is a daunting task. With so many different types of care centers available, it’s important to understand the differences between them and to research the options in order to determine which one best fits your loved one’s needs. By taking the time to understand the different types of senior care centers, researching the options, and considering the factors that are important to your loved one, you can make an educated and informed decision that will ensure your loved one is receiving the best care possible.

By Eric Daw

For individuals over the age of 60, the benefits of eating healthy foods includes resistance to disease and illness, higher energy levels, increased mental acuteness, faster recuperation times and higher energy levels. Healthy eating does not have to be all about sacrifice and strict dieting. Think of it as a way to enjoy colorful, fresh foods, eating with friends and more creativity in the kitchen.

The road to healthy eating can be a bit confusing for those who are not accustomed to it. Below are a few tips and tricks to help you start your journey into the world of healthy eating and to promote optimal health.

1.    Limit sodium content

Because many seniors suffer from high blood pressure, they should make sure to consume foods low in sodium. Restaurant food, frozen, and processed foods are usually high in sodium and should be avoid or used in moderation. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium, so try to incorporate several servings of each throughout the day.

2.    Stay hydrated

Although seniors may not get as thirsty as they once did, their bodies still need the same amount of water. One of the main signs of dehydration is dark urine or excessive tiredness. Try to drink at least eight glasses of fresh water throughout the day. Foods that are high in water content, such as cucumbers and watermelon, may be consumed several times per week to aid in hydration.

3.    Eat more fiber

Eating high fiber foods has more benefits than keeping your bowels regular. Fiber can also lower your risk of developing diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. The digestive system slows as you age, meaning it is important to supplement with foods high in dietary fiber in order to maintain regular bowel movements and overall health.

4.    Eat high quality protein

Consuming high-quality protein has been proven to help boost your resistance to stress, anxiety and depression, and can even help you think more clearly. When combined with a strength-training routine, protein has been shown to reduce muscle loss and maintain physical function. Some examples of high quality protein are eggs, milk, and meat, which should be incorporated in your daily nutritional intake.

About the Author: Eric Daw is an active aging specialist and the owner of Omni Fitt. Omni Fitt is dedicated to the wellbeing, health and quality of life of people aged 55 and over. Eric motivates and empowers the older adult population to take responsibility for their independence, health and fitness through motivating and positive coaching experiences.

I had always heard that kidney stones were the closest thing to labor pain and childbirth that a man could experience, but being a woman who had been through labor four times, I didn’t quite believe it or understand the comparison. That is, until the other day…

I was sitting at the computer writing and felt a pain like a muscle cramp in my right side. But, since I couldn’t recall having done anything strenuous the day before, I just figured I had been sitting too long in one spot. Moving around helped for a brief time until the pain returned, more intense and radiating from the right flank around my side and down to my groin. Hmmm….being a nurse I wondered what this could be so I tried the usual techniques as the pain intensified: Tylenol, the massage chair, walking, lying down, sitting up, and having the kids rub my back. Yikes, the pain that can only be described as an unrelenting, constant hurt of the greatest magnitude, a 12 on the pain scale of 1 – 10, which no positioning or over the counter pain medication can touch had me rolling on the floor and telling the kids to call Dad to come home from work now.

Yes, that was just the beginning of my kidney stone experience. In trying to explain the pain to my husband on the phone, he said I sounded so short of breath that he thought I was having a heart attack and called EMS. When they arrived, the pain had subsided and I was left to diagnose myself with a kidney stone, with which the paramedics agreed. But since the pain was completely gone, did I really need to go to the hospital and in an ambulance no less? On their recommendation, the answer was yes.

In the ER, the IV was started and a CAT scan done to confirm our suspicions. Having no history of kidney stones, I was surprised at this painful attack that came on with no warning at all.

The ER doctor came in to see us and said in a thick accent, “Well, you were right. In 5 – 7 days you will have a special delivery!” he laughed.

I glanced at my husband who had turned white and later told me he thought for a second, “you mean she’s having a baby?!” (which at 53 surely would have been some sort of miracle). My first thought was “5 – 7 days of this pain? Are you kidding me?” How will I survive?

Another painful bout came as I lay on the gurney, and four strong IV medications didn’t completely take away the pain. We were told the pain comes from the spasms of the ureter as the stone blocks the flow of urine and irritates the inflamed tissues. Who could imagine that a 2 mm stone the size of a grain of sand could cause so much discomfort? The word intractable pain had new meaning for me now and I wished I had been more sympathetic to people and patients with kidney stones.

They sent us home with a urine strainer and prescriptions for Flomax and a combination of anti-inflammatories and pain medications. Another attack in the car and all I could do was writhe in pain and pray for relief. My husband kept repeating, “I hope I never get one of those”. It is the type of pain that one would do almost anything to stop but that nothing relieves short of passing the stone.

As I took my pain pills, strained my urine, and drank copious amounts of water to help the delivery along, I had time to reflect on the age old debate of kidney stone pain being akin to labor and childbirth. Having some experience in the childbirth area, I still found no way to compare the two in terms of what hurts more, but here were my reflections:

Labor pains were more predictable and increased with intensity as you moved towards the goal of delivery. Kidney stone pain, on the other hand, was unpredictable and had the most intense pain with every bout.

Doctors can predict when the baby will be delivered by closeness of contractions, and examining cervical dilation and effacement. Kidney stone delivery is much less predictable.
If your baby is too big to be delivered vaginally or there are complications, a C-section can be performed. And if your kidney stone is too big to pass, you may have laser treatment to break up the stones or major surgery to retrieve them. Both can mean painful recoveries.

There are medications they can give you for labor and delivery. You can even get an epidural, which I never had, but am told they can make the experience much less painful. But the kidney stone pain didn’t seem to be completely obliterated by anything short of passing it.

In comparing types of pain, I guess I can see where men would say they come close to labor pain with a kidney stone, but 10 hours of back labor was equally as bad, and having your OB doctor turn your baby internally prior to a natural birth still rates as the #1 pain I have ever had (but at least it was over quickly).

And last, but most significantly, with labor and childbirth you expect and usually earn a wonderful, lasting, happy surprise at the end of the process, where you hold your newborn in your arms and experience the glory of motherhood, quickly forgetting the pain that was endured to have your bundle of joy. Whereas, at the end of your kidney stone passing, you collect a little grain of something that goes into a plastic container for the urologist to later analyze and you can’t believe how much that little devil hurt to get out. You may experience relief and joy at the passing, but there are lifestyle modifications to make to try to avoid it ever happening again, and still without the assurance that it can be prevented, so unlike the conception process. Who, having had one kidney stone, would ever make plans to have another?

Fortunately, my stone did not take 7 days to pass and was gleefully collected in a matter of hours.

So, my answer to the question of which is more painful, a kidney stone or labor and delivery, is a simple one: they cannot be compared. It’s like apples and oranges. Different types of pain, but both extremely intense, though the kidney stone is much more unpleasant because the outcome is not a lasting joy for the rest of your life. Since every person experiences pain differently, no one could really answer this question anyway because pain is a subjective experience.

For me, given the choice between labor and a kidney stone, I pick labor. Childbirth is definitely more fun and with rewards that last a lifetime.

Kristen L. Mauk, PhD, DNP, RN, CRRN, GCNS-BC, GNP-BC, ACHPN, FAAN

Instructor Bio:
Dr. Mauk has been a Professor of Nursing for 26 years. Prior to moving to Colorado, she was a Professor of Nursing at a large private university in Indiana for nearly 25 years, and there she held the first Kreft Endowed Chair for the Advancement of Nursing Science, a position dedicated to gerontological nursing. She earned a BSN from Valparaiso University, an MS in Adult Health from Purdue University, a PhD from Wayne State University, a Post-Master’s GNP certification from University of Virginia, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Valparaiso University.

Dr. Mauk has more than 35 years of experience in chronic illness nursing, rehabilitation, and gerontological nursing, and teaches in these specialties at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. She is certified in rehabilitation, as a gerontological nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist, and as an advanced palliative care and hospice nurse. She has authored or edited eight books, including two that were recognized with an AJN Book of the Year Award. She has served on editorial boards for Rehabilitation Nursing and Geriatric Nursing, and has written numerous articles and book chapters. Dr. Mauk is a frequent presenter at conferences at the regional, national, and international levels. She is the Co-Founder and President of Senior Care Central/International Rehabilitation Consultants, providing educational, clinical, and legal nurse consulting in rehabilitation and senior care in the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Mauk is also a recent past president of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) and has served ARN in many roles, most significantly including the Council of Leaders, Editor of the 5th edition of the Core Curriculum, PRN course faculty, and the task force to develop the ARN Professional Rehabilitation Nursing Competency Model, and current Editor in Chief of Rehabilitation Nursing.

Some of Dr. Mauk’s recognitions include: Nominee for the 2016 National Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teachers, three AJN Book of the Year Awards (2017, 2010 & 1999), CASE/Carnegie Indiana Professor of the Year (2007), VU Caterpillar Award for Excellence in Teaching (2007), ARN Educator Role Award (2007), and the ARN Distinguished Service Award (2005). Dr. Mauk has taught nurses and students in China over the past few years. She has a passion for helping other countries to develop rehabilitation nursing into a strong specialty to promote quality care for their aging population and those with disabilities.

Kristen L. Mauk’s Continuing Education Courses – Medbridge Education

 Older adults are at high risk of developing depression. As we age, the brain becomes less active and we often begin to experience mild memory losses. Even though many seniors choose to get treatment as soon as they realize their mental health begins to decline, they don’t want to become pariahs to their families. As a consequence, they refuse to get further help and end up in depression. How can we help our older parents overcome depression when they refuse to accept our assistance?

Depression – a real health concern we shouldn’t leave unattended

Depression is a proven health concern that manifests differently from individual to individual. The symptoms are real, and if they’re not treat in advance, the condition may lead to even greater health issues, including sleep deprivation, lack of interest in performing daily activities, isolation, lack of appetite, and more.

Sadly, too many seniors can’t or won’t want to admit that they feel depressed. They refuse to get help because they don’t want to be a burden to their loved ones. As their parent, you have to be more aware of the signs, so that you can help them get back on their feet. Depression shouldn’t be seen as a sign of weakness. Everyone can become depressed at any age, and regardless of any accomplishments of background.

Have a chat with your parents and talk about their feelings

Stress or bereavement are not the sole cause of depression in older adults. If you’ve noticed that your loved ones are not eating anymore or that they’ve lost interest in performing daily activities that once made them feel good, then they might be depressed. It’s very important to talk to your parents about their feelings.

Have a friendly conversation and ask them if they’re doing ok. Older adults become depressed when their health is in jeopardy; or when they begin losing their friends due to old age. If you can’t afford to hire a specialized caregiver, you can be their caregiver. All you have to do is listen to what they have to say. Be there to comfort them and find a way to lift their spirit by doing activities together.

The link between sadness and depression

There’s a very tight connection between sadness and depression. However many older adults claims they’re not sad, making you believe they’re not depressed. But deep down something’s off. Their depression might kick in and develop in a totally different way. Pay close attention to the signs, and if you notice that mom doesn’t talk as much or doesn’t want to do anything, then she might be depressed.

In older adults, depression can be observed physically. Your parent may suffer from insomnia, acute arthritis, lack of appetite, or lack of energy. Migraines and headaches can also be a predominant symptom. As we age, we begin losing some of the people we care most about. Loss is excruciating, and older seniors don’t know how to cope with it. Many grieve differently, and even though it’s normal, some adults end up depressed.

It’s tough to make the difference between depression and grief because oftentimes the symptoms are very similar. Nonetheless, there are ways to tell them apart. Grief involves a wealth of emotions; some are good, others are not so good. Sometimes, the person grieving a loved one may experience feelings of joy and happiness. When you’re depressed, positive feelings are completely eradicated, and you feel totally empty.

Helping a loved one cope with depression

Beating depression is hard, but not impossible. It demands a lot of hard work and determination. Support matters the most, they key often being to be there for your aging parent and engage in activities that make them feel positive and upbeat. Note that digital communication doesn’t help; talking to your mom every week over the phone is not enough to raise her spirit. You have to do it in person.

Make time to visit every week. Bring the kids over, go out for coffee, and find a way to have a good time and remember the good times. Residential care may not be the first thing that comes to mind when aiming to overcome depression. But it might be a good idea because it allows older adults to make new friendships and build relationships.

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