The Loneliness Factor

Loneliness – it’s one of the most serious obstacles to good nutrition that your senior loved one could face. In the United States, approximately 40 percent of the population age 75 and older – 6.7 million people – lives alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These seniors face significant socialization challenges, particularly when it comes to lack of shared mealtime experiences.

“Who likes to eat alone?  Nobody,” says Sandy Markwood, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) – who served as expert source for the Home Instead Senior Care^® network’s Craving Companionship^SM program. “Meals are not just a matter of sustenance, but a social outlet,” said Markwood, whose members coordinate the popular home-delivered meals program, also known as “Meals On Wheels^®.”

“It’s how we come together as a family or a community. When you’re isolated from that opportunity it’s indicative of bigger challenges that person could be facing.”

The far-reaching impact of loneliness prompted the Home Instead Senior Care network to conduct a first-of-its-kind study* to measure mealtime routines, challenges and preferences of seniors age 75 plus who live by themselves in their own homes or apartments. 

This comprehensive study, which involved 600 interviews, provides evidence that increased opportunities for seniors to share meals with others will promote nutritional and emotional well-being. Key findings include:

·         Two of five seniors who live alone have at least four warning signs of poor nutritional health.

·         One in five seniors says he or she sometimes or most of the time feels lonely when eating alone.

·         Seventy-six percent of these seniors eat alone most of the time.

·         The biggest mealtime challenge for older people who live alone is lack of the shared family experience, including lack of companionship. 

·         Mealtimes last nearly twice as long when seniors who live alone share meals with others compared with when they eat alone.

·         A majority of seniors who live alone say they eat more nutritiously and the food actually tastes better when eating with others.

·         More than three-fourths of seniors say they wish their families shared more meals together.

·         The most common obstacle preventing these seniors from sharing more meals with others is that their family and friends don’t have enough time.  

As a result of this study, the Home Instead Senior Care network launched the Craving Companionship program to encourage extended families to bring back the family meal for the benefit of their seniors, especially those who live alone.

For more information, visit www.mealsandcompanionship.com. The program includes a variety of resources such as recipes and tips to help family caregivers make the most of mealtimes.

*The Home Instead Senior Care network completed 600 telephone interviews with seniors age 75 and older in the U.S. who live alone in their own homes or apartments. The sampling error is +/-4.0% at a 95% confidence level.   

Food Poisoning Can Threaten Seniors' Summertime Fun

Summer picnics are fun for all ages. But older adults should take special precautions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises seniors that it’s important to know that ready-to-eat hot dogs, lunch meats, and cold cuts may not be safe for them or other high-risk groups.

These and certain other foods can be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria, which causes listeriosis, a serious disease that primarily affects older adults, adults with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

In the United States, an estimated 1,600 people become seriously ill with listeriosis each year and 260 die. Older adults are among the groups at higher risk for listeriosis. Listeria is killed by pasteurization and cooking, but some ready-to-eat foods, such as hot dogs and deli meats, can be contaminated after factory processing.

Take the necessary precautions to make sure you and your friends do not get infected. For older adults and others in the high-risk groups, CDC recommends the following tips and precautions when planning events:

·         Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, or other deli meats unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165ºF or until steaming hot.

·         Do not eat refrigerated pâté or meat spreads from a deli or meat counter or from the refrigerated section of a store.

·         Do not eat soft cheese such as feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or panela (queso panela) unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.

·         Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole, or unless it is a canned or shelf-stable product.

For more information or assistance, CAREGivers^SM from the local Home Instead Senior Care^® office can help older adults with various household tasks including food preparation – a service that can help keep seniors safe. Mealtime companionship and assistance is among the organization’s most popular and requested services.

 For more about listeriosis and food safety, visit www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/listeriosis/ or www.foodsafety.gov.

Nutritional Risks: The Warning Signs

Two of five seniors who live alone (44 percent) have at least four warning signs of poor nutritional health such as eating alone, taking multiple medications and illness, according to research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care^® network.

“Nutrition is certainly a key factor to an individual’s overall health and well being,” said Sandy Markwood, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a). “If someone is at risk, their health is impacted. When you see the warning signs, it’s indicative of a larger risk. Combine that with loneliness and you’re looking at increased mental and physical health risks.”

Following, from the Home Instead Senior Care network and Markwood, are warning indicators that a senior who lives alone could be in trouble.

1.      The loneliness. Who wants to eat alone? Not only are seniors at more risk of poor nutrition, loneliness can lead to depression, which could make problems worse. More than three-fourths (76 percent) of seniors who live alone eat alone most of the time, according to Home Instead Senior Care network research. Suggestion: Try to make sure your older loved one has companionship at home or in a congregate meal site.

2.      The multiple meds. Nearly three-fourths (71 percent) of seniors take three or more different medications a day, according to research. Suggestion: Talk to your senior’s health care team about how medications might be impacting your older adult’s appetite and discuss with them what to do about it.

3.      The lack of healthy staples. For a number of reasons, important staples for a good diet are not always found in a senior’s kitchen. Nearly half (46 percent) of seniors who live alone consume few fruits, vegetables or milk products, the survey revealed. Suggestion: In season, why not find an affordable, local farmer’s market. Talk with your older loved one about their favorite recipes – or yours – that incorporate healthy products.

4.      The illness. Many older adults are struggling with health conditions. Some don’t feel like eating as a result. Others – 31 percent in the Home Instead Senior Care research – say that an illness or condition has forced them to change the food they eat. Suggestion: Discovering favorite recipes from the recipe box and making mealtime a social event may help.

5.      The physical problems. A fourth of seniors who live alone – 25 percent – can’t always get to the grocery store any more, nor can they shop or cook for themselves. Suggestion: Your local Area Agency on Aging office has staff to help and your local Home Instead Senior Care office can arrange for a CAREGiver^SM. Try, also, to tap into neighbors and compassionate friends. If you know of older adults who live alone, cook extra at mealtimes and take it to them.

6. That smelly fridge. Check out expiration dates of food in the refrigerator when you’re visiting a loved one. Have you noticed an increase in spoiled food? Remember to check the freezer for outdated frozen items or foods that have not been packaged appropriately. Suggestion: Help a senior by packaging food in small portions and labeling in big letters with the date.
7. The suspicious grocery list. If you go to the store for Mom, and the list is mostly sweets, then she may be headed in the wrong direction with her diet. Suggestion: Help her put together a grocery list, reminding her of all the wonderful foods she used to cook for you. Make it a happy time of memories. Why not buy the ingredients and make that recipe together. 
8. Those important details. When you’re visiting a senior, check out things like skin tone – it should be healthy looking and well-hydrated – as well as any weight fluctuations. A loss or gain of 10 pounds in six months could be a sign of trouble. Suggestion: A visit to the doctor can help ensure your senior is healthy.
9. The empty cupboard. An emergency could trap a loved one home for days. Suggestion: Prepare by stocking back-up food, water and high-nutrition products such as Ensure^® in case a trip to the store isn’t possible.
10. The support. Isolation is one of the biggest threats to an older adult. Suggestion: If you can’t be there, develop a schedule of friends and neighbors who can stop by for lunch or dinner. Or call your local Home Instead Senior Care office to enlist the services of a professional CAREGiver.

For more information about the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, go to www.n4a.org. Learn about the Home Instead Senior Care network’s Craving Companionship^SM program at www.mealsandcompanionship.com.

Heat Taking a Toll on Seniors

Local Senior Care Company Advises Family Caregivers to Keep a Close Eye on Elderly during Heat Wave

Nobody likes extreme and prolonged heat, but such conditions can be deadly for seniors.  On average, more than 1,500 people in the U.S. die each year from excessive heat, according to NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).(http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/heat.php). This number is greater than the 30-year mean annual number of deaths due to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and lightning combined. 

The elderly are often the most vulnerable to severe heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/elderlyheat.asp).  Why? Their bodies do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature, they are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat, and they are often on a prescription medicine that impairs the body's ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibits perspiration.

If you are a senior or caring for an elderly individual, the following tips, from the local Home Instead Senior Care^® office, will help them combat the heat:

• Keep a glass of water in every room to quickly and easily access fluids. Drink plenty of fluids, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Go through the closet and remove all heavy materials, long sleeves and dark colors. Store them until fall.
• Set fashion trends. If you’re in need of new clothes, check out the latest fashion magazines. Look for short sleeves, lightweight rayons or cottons, and light-colored clothing that reflect the heat.
• Stay out of the sun during the hottest times of the day. Fill up your bird feeder in the morning and water the lawn at night. Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation that much more difficult.
• Put down that broom! Save household chores, particularly washing and drying clothes and operating the dishwasher, for evenings, when the weather is cooler.
• Take a nap during high heat times – between 3 and 5 p.m. in the afternoon, for instance – or find a good television program or movie to watch.
• While you’re napping or enjoying a movie, keep shades down and blinds pulled.  Keeping a house tightly closed is more energy efficient.
• Invite your friends over for an iced tea break. Replace coffee breaks with iced tea or lemonade breaks in an air-conditioned spot – not the patio. Staying in an air-conditioned dwelling during hot days is safer.
• Go on a shopping spree. If you don’t have an air conditioner, or if yours is broken, spend the afternoon at the mall. You can shop or just enjoy cool drinks and a good book.
• Put away that meat loaf recipe for the summer and track down new recipes for fruit and vegetable salads. Foods like proteins that increase metabolic heat production also increase water loss.
• If increased use of a central air conditioning system causes higher utility bills that are a problem for your budget, consider purchasing a fan or small window unit that can cool down a home at a lower cost. In fact, window fans provide an effective way to exhaust the day’s hot air during the night.  

For more information about the heat, visit the National Weather Service Web site at http://www.noaa.gov and the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site at www.fema.gov. Or, to learn more about Home Instead Senior Care, log on to www.homeinstead.com

ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE

Founded in 1994 in Omaha, the Home Instead Senior Care^® network is the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care services for seniors, with more than 875 independently owned and operated franchises in 14 countries and 15 markets, spanning four continents. Home Instead Senior Care local offices employ 65,000+ CAREGivers^SM who provide more than 40 million hours of client service each year through activities including companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, errands and shopping. Home Instead Senior Care founders Paul and Lori Hogan pioneered franchising in the non-medical senior care industry and are leading advocates for senior issues in America. At Home Instead Senior Care, it’s relationship before task, while continuing to provide superior quality service that enhances the lives of seniors everywhere.

888-294-6785

Homeinstead.com/nepa

Home Health Costs Flat While Nursing Homes, ALFs Increase

Keeping your parents in their own home could be the best deal, according to a recent Genworth study. The cost of a private room in a nursing home jumped 3.4 percent in the last year to a staggering $77,745 a year, according to Genworth’s 2011 Cost of Care Survey. Not far behind is a 2.4 percent jump in the cost of assisted living facilities, which is $39,135 a year. The bright light was on home health care, which held steady cost-wise.

At $18 per hour for homemaker services and $19 an hour for home health aide services, the national median hourly cost to receive care in the home remained flat over the past 12 months. “Understanding local caregiving expenses is an essential first step for families faced with rising care costs,” said Buck Stinson, president, U.S. Life Insurance Products at Genworth.

For consumers interested in learning more about the cost of care in their local market, Genworth offers an interactive map of long term care costs in 437 regions across all 50 states at www.Genworth.com/CostofCare. The site offers a range of resources:

·         Find specific cost information that matters to your family – by state and type of care setting for 437 cities and regions across the country

·         Compare costs across up to three locations including where your senior lives currently

·         Calculate the cost of care 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years out so you can plan well for your own future

·         Download the full survey report, complete with executive summary, and overviews of long term care services and financing options, or just download a specific state’s data

Industry surveys typically reveal that most seniors prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes. Surveys conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care^® network show the preference at nearly 90 percent.

And with home care costs so affordable, families can now consider that option to be one of the best. For more information, contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office at 570-586-3135 to find out how a CAREGiver^SM could help your senior loved ones.

Survey: Most baby boomers lack a plan to care for parents

A majority of Baby Boomers say they are likely to become caregivers for their parents, but only half can name any medications their parents take, a new survey shows.

 

The survey of 600 adults ages 45 to 65, conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care network, also found:

•31% don't know how many medications their parents take.

•34% don't know whether their parents have a safe deposit box or where the key is.

•36% don't know where their parents' financial information is located.

Nurse practitioner Mimi Mahon recommends putting health care information on 3-by-5-inch notecards and keeping copies in the medicine cabinet and the car, and encouraging aging parents to carry a copy.

"The majority of caregivers we work with have done no advance planning,'' says Jeff Huber, president of Home Instead Senior Care, a company that provides non-medical care services. "It is not important until it's urgent. So much stress and uncertainty down the road can be prevented."

Lack of planning can lead to serious complications when decisions need to be made quickly, says palliative care nurse practitioner Mimi Mahon, an associate professor at George Mason University in Virginia. "It's vitally important to plan ahead and have these conversations with parents, or families can act out of fear and make mistakes when emergencies arise."

Prescription drugs are of particular concern. In the survey, 49% couldn't name a single drug their parents took. Ask parents about their medications and, if necessary, do research, experts say. Find out the dose, what it's for, who prescribed it and why. People 65 and older account for about a third of all medications prescribed in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health, and older patients are more likely to have long-term and multiple prescriptions, which could lead to unintentional misuse.

"It's kind of a never-ending process for caregivers," says Sandy Markwood, head of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. "It gets further complicated when there is more than the family practitioner. A parent might have several specialists. It's a lot for a caretaker to keep up."

Markwood says the Administration on Aging, also under HHS, has been encouraging better record-keeping by seniors and stronger communication between seniors and caretakers since Hurricane Katrina. "Then you had a situation when seniors were evacuated without their medications and no one knew what medications they were on," Markwood says. "Doctors had to start from scratch."

One must-have answer for caretakers: What drugs can parents go without and which ones must be taken on schedule. For instance, blood pressure and anti-depressant medications cannot be missed, Mahon says.

The bottom line, she says, is being a staunch advocate for your parents' health care starts with "having conversations and putting plans in place."

Fat-to-Fit Program Can Help Seniors Lose Weight

Fitness expert and author Carole Carson lost more than 60 pounds at age 60. She now works with AARP, which recently launched the third annual “Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge,” an online program challenging and supporting people to make positive, permanent life changes to improve their health.

Studies show people are more likely to stick to exercise plans when they have support. The Fat-to-Fit program focuses on personal interaction with both Carson and other participants through the Fat-to-Fit online community of more than 18,000 members.

Challengers will be able to access free diet and fitness tips, Carson’s columns and blogs, videos, recipes and more. They are urged to post frequent updates and to exchange ideas, encouragement, recipes and moral support.

And registrants have a chance to win $2,000. Official registration, rules and details are available at www.aarp.org/fat2fit.

“Most of us know what we need to do, but we need help making lifestyle changes,” Carson said. “The Fat-to-Fit community will help you make new friends as you learn how to incorporate exercise into your schedule. You’ll find an exercise that fits your specific needs and cuts calories, leading to a longer, healthier life.”

The challenge runs through July 9, 2011, and visitors to AARP’s Website (www.aarp.org) can register to join throughout the duration of the challenge.

Carson will select weekly small-prize winners and, at the end of the program, she will select three overall winners. Winners will be chosen based on three criteria: serving as a role model for the entire community, facing and overcoming challenges, and demonstrating the principles of the Fat-to-Fit program.