We all want to protect our loved ones from danger, but it’s impossible to be with them every moment of the day. And unfortunate as it is, scam artists see your aging Mom or Dad as an easy target, knowing full well that elderly individuals are more likely to fall for their scams.
It is an understatement to say that taking care of a loved one who is stricken with Alzheimer’s Disease, also known as ‘AD’, is a tough job. (AD is an illness which results in the progressive loss of brain nerve cells, leading to a gradual decline of mental functions and is the most common cause of dementia).
November is American Diabetes Month, a time to recognize the deadly disease that nearly 24 million children and adults live with today. Another 57 million people have pre-diabetes or are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes has become an epidemic; in fact, if current trends continue, one in three children born today will face a future with diabetes.
You know how frustrating and heartbreaking dementia symptoms are from the point of view of a caregiver. You know the pain of slowly seeing a loved one slip away. But what is it like for her? What is it like for a person to slowly — or sometimes quickly — forget almost everything she ever knew?
A recent study of caregivers by a research team at Ohio State University has proven the off-repeated adage “stress can kill you” is true. The focus of the investigation was the effect the stress of caregiving had on caregivers. The team, led by Dr. Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, reports on a 6-year study of elderly people caring for spouses with Alzheimer’s Disease. The study not only found a significant deterioration in the health of caregivers when compared to a similar group of non-caregivers but also found the caregivers had a 63% higher death rate than the control group.
There are now more than five million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease, which is a 10 percent increase from the previous nationwide estimate. With Alzheimer’s disease moving up to the seventh leading cause of death in the country and the fifth leading cause of death for those over 65, more and more Americans are providing care for a loved one suffering from the disease.
An important benefit program for veterans is the Veterans Non-Service Connected Improved Pension Benefit Program. It is sometimes called the Aid and Attendance Program. Established to assist qualified veterans, and/or their surviving spouses, this program provides financial support that enables veterans to live independently at home. In particular, funds are available for aging veterans who need assistance with medical and non-medical care in the home.
Comfort Keepers, a local in-home care provider, is organizing a “Supplies for Seniors Drive” during October.
Comfort Keepers will collect donations of items for senior citizens throughout the week and distribute them to needy seniors through arrangements with senior services, social services and other community organizations.
In cooperation with the Fifth Annual Aging in Place Week, Comfort Keepers of south central Wisconsin will present an “Aging in Place Seminar” to be held at the Candlewood Suites, beginning at 1PM on Wednesday, October 14th.
Caregiving is an emotional subject which is likely the reason so many myths surround it. This article focuses on dispelling some of these caregiving myths. It’s a must-read for anyone currently involved in caregiving including those who are considering hiring or perhaps even becoming a caregiver.
