SEVERE WEATHER PROMPTS LOCAL COMPANY TO ISSUE DISASTER SAFETY PREP CHECKLIST FOR SENIORS

Home Instead Senior Care has issued a disaster safety preparation checklist to help prepare seniors for the possibility of natural disasters.

“We know that a disaster can be deadly for some seniors because of physical and other limitations,” said  Bob Vielee, owner of the Home Instead Office serving Northeast Pennsylvania and the Greater Pocono Region.  “That’s why the sooner the better for families to talk with their senior loved ones and begin preparing in advance for any kind of emergency that could threaten their health or safety. Consider this checklist as you help your older adult get ready."

Home Instead Senior Care's Disaster Prep Checklist For Seniors:

 

____Tune in.  Contact the local emergency management office to learn about the most likely natural disasters to strike your area.  Stay abreast of what’s going on through your local radio or television. 

____Take stock.  Decide what your senior can or can’t do in the event of a natural disaster.  Make a list of what would be needed if a disaster occurred.  For example, if your loved one is wheelchair-bound, determine an evacuation strategy ahead of time. Prepare for whatever disaster could hit the area.

____ To go or to stay?  When deciding to evacuate, older adults should go sooner rather than later.  By waiting too long, they may be unable to leave if they require assistance.

  

____ Make a plan.  Schedule a family meeting to develop a plan of action.  Include in your plan key people – such as neighbors, friends, relatives and professional caregivers – who could help. 

____More than one way out.  Seniors should develop at least two escape routes: one to evacuate their home and one to evacuate their community.  The local emergency management office can tell you escape routes out of the community.

____Meet up.  Designate a place to meet relatives or key support network people outside the house, as well as a second location outside the neighborhood, such as a school or church.  Practice the plan twice a year. 

____Get up and “Go Kit.”  Have an easy-to-carry backpack including three days non-perishable food and water with an additional four days of food and water readily accessible at home.  Have at least one gallon of bottled water per person per day.  Refresh and replace your supplies at least twice a year.  And don’t forget the blanket and paper products such as toilet paper.

____Pack extras and copies.  Have at least a one-month supply of medication on hand at all times.  Make ready other important documents in a waterproof protector including copies of prescriptions, car title registration and driver’s license, insurance documents and bank account numbers, and spare checkbook.  Also take extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.  Label every piece of important equipment or personal item in case they are lost.

____Your contact list.  Compile a contact list and include people on a senior’s support network as well as doctors and other important health-care professionals.

____If you can’t be there.  If you’re not living close by to help your loved one, enlist the help of family or friends, or contact a professional caregiving company. 

For more information about disaster preparedness for seniors, contact Home Instead Senior Care 570-586-3135 or visit homeinstead.com/nepa

Home Instead Senior Care network joins effort to detect Alzheimer’s early

The Home Instead Senior Care network has joined the Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA), a group of corporations, nonprofits and government entities determined to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Under the leadership of the Alzheimer’s Association, this alliance will work to educate people nationwide about the warning signs of Alzheimer's disease and the importance of early detection.

Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and no method to prevent its onset. Early detection is our only management tool, allowing those living with the disease – and their families – time to plan for the future. This may include building the correct medical team, enrolling in clinical studies or investing in safety measures.

Many people struggle to determine if a behavior is a typical age-related change or the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. To help, the Alzheimer’s Association has created this list of warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Every individual may experience one or more of these in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood and personality

To learn more about the 10 signs, please contact the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/10signs or 877-IS IT ALZ (877.474.8259). As a member of the AEDA, the Home Instead Senior Care network will work to provide reliable information about Alzheimer’s disease and early detection during the upcoming months.

If you or a loved one is affected by Alzheimer’s disease, turn to the Alzheimer’s Association for support and services. Information is available online at www.alz.org or by calling the Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 1.800.272.3900.

Research: Exercise Slows Age-Related Mental Decline

Inactivity after the death of a spouse is not unusual. Why not suggest that your mother see her doctor to make sure her health conditions haven’t changed or that she’s not suffering from depression. Ask the doctor about her ability to exercise, because it could help.

Home Instead CAREGivers can encourage
 and assist seniors with their physical activity

A study published as “Online First” by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, clearly points to new hope in a method of slowing age-related mental decline in women who had vascular or coronary risks.

Previous research has suggested that physical activity is associated with reduced rates of cognitive impairment in older adults. However, much of this research has apparently been conducted among individuals who are generally in good health.

Further, many of these studies rely on self-reports of physical activity, which are not always accurate; and focus on moderate or vigorous exercise, instead of low-intensity physical activity.

In the recent article, researchers from the Foundation of Public Health, Mutuelle Generale de l'Education Nationale, Paris, examined data from the Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study, which included women who had either prevalent vascular disease or three or more coronary risk factors.

As participants’ energy expenditure increased, the rate of cognitive decline decreased. The amount of exercise equivalent to a brisk, 30-minute walk every day was associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment. So you can tell your mom that even a 30-minute walk a day would help her maintain good “brain” health.

 It sounds as though Mom could benefit from a little companionship. Why not try to interest her in activities she used to enjoy with your father or pastimes she liked at one time herself. Recommend she join a walking club, or take up gardening with a friend when the weather is nice.   

If she isn’t interested in doing anything with her friends, suggest a paid caregiving service. CAREGivers^SM from the local Home Instead Senior Care^® office often join older adults in activities, serving as companions as well as motivators.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care, contact <<Insert Franchise Owner’s Full Name>> at <<Insert Telephone Number>> or go to homeinstead.com/nepa. For more about the study, visit http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/171/14/1244.

Reliable Resources for Seniors and Caregivers

• Caregiverstress.com - while family caregiving is often a very rewarding and bonding experience, it can also be stressful and cause tension within families. Caregiverstress.com is an educational program designed to help family caregivers take care of themselves while taking care of their senior loved one. For more information, visit caregiverstress.com
• Too Close For Comfort? - a resource that helps adult children and their aging loved one answer the question, "Should we or shouldn't we live together?" This program includes information on the emotional, safety and financial aspect of intergenerational living. Visit makewayformom.com for more information.
• The 40-70 Rule - helps adult children begin positive conversations with their aging parents before a crisis or emergency occurs. The program and emotional support services are offered to develop open discussions between families relating to providing care to parents and other topics. Visit 4070talk.com for more information.
• Cooking Under Pressure - healthy eating is essential for people of all ages, but for many seniors, a well-balanced diet is the key to feeling their best. A variety of issues, from medications and illnesses to memory problems and physical constraints, can jeopardize a senior's ability to maintain a balanced diet. This program is arming seniors and family caregivers with nutrition resources for healthy aging. For more information, visit foodsforseniors.com
• Stages of Senior Care - to help children of seniors adapt to their parents' changing lives, Home Instead Senior Care founders wrote a special book - Stages of Senior Care: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Best Decisions. It can help adult children make the best-informed, most confident plans and decisions when it comes to caring for senior parents, family members or any older adults in their lives. For more information, visit, stagesofseniorcare.com
• Get Mom Moving - lack of activity can lead to a downward spiral of poor health resulting in frailty, a condition that threatens the mind, body and social life of older adults. Information designed to keep seniors engaged and fit can be found at getmommoving.com
• Caring for Your Parents: Education for the Family Caregiver- a support series for caregivers that addresses senior resistance to care, featuring a variety of topics such as choosing an in-home care provider, the signs of aging, long distance caregiving and communicating with aging parents. Materials and videos can be found on caregiverstress.com
• Breaking Point - experts say even seniors who simply don't know how to part with their possessions are vulnerable. The risks are many from slipping on loose papers to the threat of fire to mold and mildew. Clutter can also interfere with family relationships. And that may leave adult children wondering if the only inheritance awaiting them is a big mess. More information can be found on homeinstead.com
• The 50-50 Rule- provides practical support services to develop open discussions between adult siblings in an effort to help them improve communication skills, develop teamwork, make decisions together and divide the workload in caring for aging parents. Visit solvingfamilyconflict.com for more information.
• Answering the Call - a senior emergency can help ensure that family caregivers have fast and easy access to important information about loved ones in case of an emergency call. For more information, visit senioremergencykit.com