Caregivers
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September 18th - 24th, 2022
Join the National Council on Aging in observing Falls Prevention Awareness Week, September 18-24, 2022. The week is a national health campaign observed on the first day of fall to increase awareness around falls health and injury prevention. The NCOA has created Falls Free Check-Up, an online screening tool that can serve as a first step for older adults to learn more about falls risk and steps to prevent falls and accidents. To take the Check-Up, click the button below.
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- Oregon.gov
Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog (oregonsmoke.org). Remember that cloth, dust and surgical masks do NOT protect from the harmful particles in smoke. N95 or P100 respirators approved by NIOSH may offer protection, but they must be properly fitted and worn. They won’t work for everyone, especially children. Here's how you can protect yourself and your family when smoke levels are high:
- Oregon.gov
For many people in Oregon, dealing with the wildfires has been especially difficult.
For those directly affected by the fires and evacuations, these traumatic events can bring feelings of stress, anxiety, grief, worry and anger. Even those who were not directly affected by fires and evacuations this year but have experienced them in the past may feel these emotions again. Seeing news reports or images of current fires or hearing about fires affecting loved ones can drive feelings like anxiety and stress. Click the number below to be connected with the Safe + Strong Helpline; someone to talk to or find mental health resources. You do not need a pricey gym membership or fancy equipment to get regular exercise. With a little creativity, you can find many ways to exercise for little or no money.
If you have heart disease or diabetes, be sure you check with your health care provider before starting to exercise. Get the specifics here... Being a primary caregiver, particularly for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or other health conditions, isn’t an easy job. For many, the role can be emotionally, physically and financially taxing, which can lead to caregiver fatigue or burnout.
Knowing how demanding caregiver roles can be, a recent study published in the scientific journal Nature highlights the importance of why caregivers need respite care, or a short-term break from their duties, which can be arranged for several days or weeks. Read the full synopsis by Alyssa Hui, a freelance journalist and a former TV reporter and radio host, by clicking the button below.
A new film promises to open the conversation about family caregiving in America by focusing on a topic traditionally spoken of in whispers: mental health.
In the documentary "Hidden Wounds," writer and director Richard Lui introduces viewers to three families, including his own, to reveal the tightrope family caregivers walk, balancing their daily lives with caregiving duties. Rachel Nagler, 39, has worked part time since she was 22, but she will never be financially independent, according to her father. She is legally blind with a seizure disorder and mild cognitive impairment, the result of birth trauma.
For her parents, Sam and Debra Nagler of Concord, Mass., planning for retirement required them to focus on Rachel's future as well as their own. Caring for an older family member often requires teamwork. A primary caregiver — especially a parent — may be hesitant to ask for help or a break. A few ways you can help are:
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time. Common symptoms include:
While the exact cause of the disease remains unknown, many researchers believe that Parkinson’s results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. There is no cure for Parkinson’s, but there are medicines, surgical treatments, and other therapies that can relieve some of the symptoms associated with the disease. To learn more about Parkinson's disease, click the button below. Some people perform incredible feats of strength and endurance well into their retirement years. The great news is: You don’t have to bench press 300 pounds or run a marathon to benefit from strength training.
NIA-funded researchers have been studying the effects of strength training for more than 40 years and have identified multiple ways it can benefit older adults, including maintaining muscle mass, improving mobility, and increasing the healthy years of life. Click below to learn more about the findings, along with tips for maintaining strength or becoming stronger as you age. The room transformed as an older woman danced around the skilled nursing care unit to rock ’n’ roll hits from her youth. Her husband later took her hands and joined her in a two-step tour of the space. First-year Penn State College of Medicine medical student John Bufalini watched in awe as the couple’s joy filled the room at the assisted living facility.
Between 2015 and 2020, the number of unpaid caregivers in the United States increased from 43.5 million to 53 million, and one in five of those care for family members. According to a Pew Research Center study, the most significant percentage, 44%, provides care for aging parents. Of that percentage, there’s little information regarding siblings that share the responsibility of caring for parents.
I didn’t volunteer to become a caregiver to my elderly parents. Instead, I was slowly initiated into the role. It started by doing little things to help. Even though they were in their mid-eighties, they insisted on staying in Pensacola, Fla., their home of 50 years. Since I lived in Virginia, I called twice a week to check on them and shopped for them online. With each visit, I tried to notice things that would tell me if they were doing all right.
Your skin changes as you age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did. Your veins and bones can be seen more easily, and scratches, cuts, or bumps can take longer to heal. A few things you can do to keep your skin healthy and protected this summer are:
As a caregiver, you may worry about the health of older family members or other loved ones as they age. The good news is that adopting and maintaining a few key behaviors can help older adults live longer, healthier lives — and it’s never too late to start! Consider these tips to boost healthy habits:
Oslo neurosurgeon Christer Mjåset, vice president of the Norwegian Medical Association, suggests 4 questions that we should pose to our doctors the next time they recommend a medication, procedure, test, treatment or surgery.
Respite care provides short-term relief for primary caregivers. It can be arranged for just an afternoon or for several days or weeks. Care can be provided at home, in a healthcare facility, or at an adult day center.
Caring for an older family member often requires teamwork. While one sibling might be local and take on most of the everyday caregiving responsibilities, a long-distance caregiver can also have an important role.
As a long-distance caregiver, you can provide important respite to the primary caregiver and support to the aging family member. It’s important to understand what is and isn’t a normal part of aging. Many people make assumptions about what it’s like to grow “old” and how older age will affect them. Research has shown that you can help preserve your health and mobility as you age by adopting or continuing healthy habits and lifestyle choices. A few common myths about aging are:
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Caregiver
Whether in a medical professional setting or personal homes, Caregivers are caring and caring takes energy, wisdom and compassion. This Caregiver Blog is here to give you insight, encouragement and tools, not just to give care but to survive and thrive while doing it. Archives
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