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Guest Blog: Four Easy Winter Safety Tips for Seniors

For many people, winter is a magical time. They get to play in the snow, celebrate holidays with family and friends, and cuddle up by the fire. But, for some, including seniors, winter can be a difficult and even potentially dangerous time.

Between the risks of slipping and falling and arthritis pain made worse by the cold weather, many seniors find themselves dreading the winter months. If you’re in this group, there’s no need to fear the cold and snow.

Read on to learn about four winter safety tips that every senior should keep in mind as the weather cools down.

1. Avoid Slips and Falls
Your chances of slipping and falling increase dramatically in the winter.

To avoid falls and potentially serious injuries, be sure to only walk on sidewalks and walkways that have been cleared and salted. If you’re not sure, err on the side of caution and take another route.

It’s also important to wear proper winter boots with non-skid soles. Replace the rubber tip on your cane, if you use one, too.

2. Drive Safely
You also need to take extra precautions when you drive during the winter months. Have your car checked during the fall or early winter to make sure everything is operating properly. Be sure to keep your cell phone with you whenever you drive, too.

Avoid driving on icy roads whenever you can, and stick to well-plowed, bigger roads when snow hits. They’re usually cleared more quickly than backroads.

3. Minimize Joint Pain
If you suffer from arthritis or joint pain, you mind find that it gets worse during the winter. Some things you can do to relieve your pain and stay comfortable include:

Dress warmly
Find ways to exercise indoors
Eat a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet
Use balms or creams to relieve knee pain
Soak in a warm bath or hot tub to loosen up your joints

4. Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder
Finally, keep in mind that Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD or winter depression, is also common among seniors, especially seniors who live alone and don’t socialize as much during the winter.

If you find yourself feeling depressed or isolated when the weather cools down, seek out new ways to connect with loved ones. Schedule daily or weekly phone calls, or arrange for family members and friends to come and visit you.

By Jim|2024-10-02T12:21:51-05:00October 14th, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: 5 Helpful Tips to Get Better Sleep at Night for Older People

A good night’s sleep is a cure for many physical and emotional ailments for everyone. It is vital for older people also to get deep sleep for 7-8 hours every night. They fell asleep early but wake up early too. As you get older, you generally start suffering from some illness, side effects of medicines, pain, or insomnia. These factors contribute to sleeplessness at night and waking up early. Lack of sleep can cause serious issues like depression, irritation, concentration loss, and memory loss.

Canadian Sleep Society surveyed senior citizens – they found out that 70% of older people face insomnia. Looking at the magnitude of this problem, we bring you 5 helpful tips to sleep better at night.

Create an Environment for Sleep

It’s all about how you create the right sleeping environment. There are a few things that will make your bedroom more cosy and comforting. Switch off maximum lights. Keep the room temperature to a lower level. Keep your surroundings as quiet as possible. Sound, bright light, and warm temperature hampers sleep quality.

Don’t try to stay awake because you want to watch a game or party. These habits can prove to be costly. Don’t rely on sleeping pills for sleeping. And no scrolling or checking notifications on the phone before an hour of bedtime.

Let’s Talk About Fabric

The fabric you surround yourself with while sleeping plays a vital role in your sleep quality. Wear loose nightclothes. Use fabric like cotton and other skin-friendly fabrics. You should feel comfortable while sleeping. The fabric of bed sheets and pillows should also be of natural materials that don’t irritate you.

Some of the wise choices are copper bed sheets and pillowcases. They are soft and contain antimicrobial properties. They are hygienic and safe as they are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-odour, etc. One more advantage of using copper-bedding and pillows is that they come with a self-cleaning feature.

The Golden Health Rule: Diet & Exercise

A diet high in sugar and carbs will hamper your sleep, mostly if you eat them for dinner. White bread, rice, and pasta should ideally not be on your plate. Caffeine is also not a sleep-friendly drink. Avoid caffeinated beverages in the evening times.

Exercise regularly! It produces chemicals and hormones in your body, which induces sleep. But make sure you exercise at least 3-4 hours before your bedtime. Otherwise rise in your body temperature will make it difficult to sleep.

Follow One Schedules

Going to bed at the same time and in the same place helps to fall asleep quickly. Changing sleep timing frequently sends confusing signals to your body. Making some good habits as your pre-sleep routine will enhance your sleep quality.

Reading and listening to music are examples of relaxing things to do before going to sleep. On the other hand, watching TV, drinking alcohol, and heated arguments before bedtime will mess up your ability to fall asleep.

Preserve Your Peace of Mind

It is naturally challenging to fall asleep if you are stressed or feeling anxious. Thus it would help if you learned to manage your emotions well. Worrying about sleep will only keep you awake at night. Develop the ability to keep all your disturbing thoughts aside before bedtime. Try breathing exercises and meditation.

Conclusion

The tips mentioned above are proven for improving sleep quality. Try implementing them if you are facing a problem falling asleep. If you can’t see improvement, consult your trusted physician. They can help you if you have insomnia or any other health condition.

Author Bio:

Rory is the R&D Director and passionate entrepreneur, fascinated by the workings of the human body and natural solutions for common health problems. He’s single-minded in his aim to make Copper Defence a brand that’s recognized across the globe, by partnering with global brands to make these high-tech materials easily accessible for everyone. If you’d like to get in touch, email Rory at Rory@copperclothing.com or visit copperclothing.com for copper-infused clothing, pet accessories and more.

By Jim|2024-08-28T17:34:29-05:00September 21st, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: How Seniors Can Reduce Financial Stress

Anxiety and worrying about financial problems is a common issue that seniors often face. Obviously, finding a reliable stream of income after retirement is not easy.

Well, one way to reduce mental stress is to visit retirement locations. Another method to alleviate financial problems is to invest in gold bullions at a young age by getting them from Gold Bullion Australia.

Let’s discuss some other techniques to cope with financial stress and live with a mind free from any worries.

Think Positive
Positivity is the key to bringing a healthy change in your life. If you are surrounded with negativity, either in the shape of people or in the form of thoughts, you cannot work on anything without stressing out.

Although it can be difficult to ignore or put your financial problems aside, you can adopt an optimistic approach every time you think about your economic condition.

Define a Budget
Emphasizing on a budget might look like adding more worries to your list, but it is an effective way to get a control on your financial stress. Defining a fixed amount will help you to decide how and when to spend cash.

A budget maintains a balance between savings and spending. When the amount you spend significantly limits the amount you save, you can cut down your budget.

Initially, it will be difficult to make a budget plan because it is not easy to determine how much to save and how much to spend. Once you get a grip of your financial plan, you can easily allocate your budget.

Start by saving on a small scale, and then each month cut down your spending. When you find a right balance, define a budget plan and follow that every month.

An Emergency Fund Can Come in Handy
The money that you set aside for emergency situations and unexpected accidents or incidents is an emergency fund. Allocate a fixed amount to put in the emergency fund box and don’t open that box to take out money until you really have a financial emergency.

This is an effective method to cope with financial stress since you know that you have some spare cash for an unexpected moment.

Although it is not easy to set money aside for an emergency fund, you should really adopt this technique to get out of any trouble in future without asking for monetary help for others or taking bank loans.

Getting Financial Help from Others
In case you are not able to handle your financial problems in spite of having an emergency fund, you might need help from others.

A bank loan or borrowing some money from your friends and family can work in this situation. Keep in mind that a bank loan has to be paid back with interest, while you might not need to pay extra money to your loved ones. So, choose wisely to avoid any financial stress in future.

By Jim|2024-06-10T09:56:36-05:00July 13th, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Financial Management For Seniors: Prepping for a New Stage of Life

Approaching the discussion of financial management with the seniors in your life can be a sensitive topic. If you’re hoping to help an elderly family member or friend get a better handle on their monetary commitments, there are several important items to consider. Whether you’re helping a senior straighten out their finances as they transition into assisted living, or you’re simply noticing the elders in your life need to do some fiscal housekeeping, you should always have a plan of action in place.

Organize
With age, staying on top of payments can be made even more difficult if the senior(s) in your family tend to be more disorganized. From putting a filing system in place to creating an excel spreadsheet, organization is key when it comes to helping seniors manage their finances. If you’re planning on assisting the elders in your life with their finances, start small by offering to help your loved one give their financial system some structure. Dedicate a time to go through financial documents and bills together, and once you’ve tackled the paperwork, discuss budgeting as well. If an assisted-living arrangement is being considered for the future, it’s important to be financially prepared for this kind of transition.

Discuss Timing
Timing is perhaps the most sensitive aspect of financial planning with seniors. Explain to your loved ones why they should be prepared for the unexpected, and take the time to discuss their future living situation along with what lies ahead for their expenses. While most seniors have savings set aside for significant transitions, it’s never a bad idea to reevaluate these funds. It might be beneficial to set up a more long term money management plan, and to start assessing areas in which the seniors in your life can save more. Look closely at monthly expenses, and track how much they might need to save over the next few years in order to transition into assisted living, or even to hire a long-term care professional. Now could be a good time to consider helping them refinance their mortgage if they are hoping to put some extra money away in order to prep for unexpected new stages of life.

Automate Payments
Though it’s no secret that most seniors are not the most technically savvy, moving towards automated payments might actually be a better option long term. If you’re finding that an elderly family member or friend appears to have multiple overdue or missed payments, or that they’re overpaying for fear of missing a payment, suggest helping them set up auto-pay. Having their bills paid electronically is one less thing for the them to worry about, and one less thing on their list to have to remember each month. Setting up automatic payments will no doubt help your loved one feel even more prepared for any transitions that might lie ahead.

By Jim|2024-06-10T09:55:32-05:00July 3rd, 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

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