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7 Benefits of Multi-Generational Housing | Caring Senior Service

It is becoming more common for families to share homes with relatives — particularly for elderly parents to live with their adult children. Some families are even buying larger lots or bigger homes that can provide independent living space for aging parents. In fact, approximately 20% of Americans live in a household with at least 2 generations. This trend is due, in large part, to the loss of independence and declining health that we all experience as we age. However, there are many other reasons behind multigenerational living. Let’s explore some of the benefits of multigenerational housing.    Types of Multigenerational Households   A multigenerational household can come ...

Senior Care

Preserving Memories: Capturing a Senior’s Legacy

Everyone has a story to tell — and seniors have collected a lot of stories over the years. These stories matter because they are a link to the past. A senior’s stories can connect generations, describe history, and teach life lessons. But our aging loved ones won’t be around forever to tell their tales, which is why it’s important to record these memories now and preserve them for future generations. Let’s explore how you can capture a senior’s legacy.    Questions to Ask Recording memories typically starts with a conversation about the past. And to get that conversation going, here are some questions you can ask your loved ones.  W hat was it like where ...

Senior Care

What to Expect from Cataract Surgery | Caring Senior Service

About 4 million Americans undergo cataract surgery each year. And most of these surgeries are performed on seniors. This surgery helps improve vision by removing cataracts that form in the eye. As you or a loved one prepares for this type of surgery, it’s helpful to know what to expect. What Is a Cataract?   A cataract is clouding within the lens of the eye. In a healthy eye, the lens is clear. However, as we age, the proteins in the eye start to break down and clump together. The body loses its ability to clear these proteins, and they form a cloudy area — or cataract.    Cataracts may not impact your vision at first, but they can significantly impair vision over tim ...

Senior Care

Keeping Senior Eyes Healthy

Vision changes are a normal part of growing older. Some vision changes are easily tackled with small interventions, like eye drops for mildly dry eyes or an increased glasses prescription for eyes that are a bit strained while reading. But there are other, more serious eye changes that can signify eye disease, and seniors and their loved ones should be mindful of any new eye symptoms they experience.  In this post, we’re providing some key information about senior eye health, including preventative and proactive measures to keep eyes in good health, a list of some of the eye conditions that most commonly affect seniors, as well as some suggested aids and interventions for seniors who ar ...

Senior Care

Most Common Shoulder Injuries in Seniors | Caring Senior Service

Shoulder pain in the elderly is fairly common. As we age, our joints can become stiff, inflamed, and painful due to the wear and tear of everyday life. However, there are specific shoulder conditions and injuries can cause severe shoulder pain. These conditions include fractures tendonitis, arthritis, and frozen shoulder. Let’s dive into each of these shoulder conditions.   Anatomy of the Shoulder   Before we begin, let’s briefly review the anatomy of the shoulder. We typically just think about the ball-and-socket joint, but the shoulder complex is much larger. The shoulder is actually made up of 4 joints.   Glenohumeral joint: The ball-and-socket joint that connects our ...

Senior Care

The Benefits of Physical Therapy for Seniors

October is Physical Therapy Month! According to the American Physical Therapy Association, the month of October presents “an annual opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of physical therapy.” At Mavencare, we’re particularly interested in how physical therapy - sometimes also called physiotherapy - benefits seniors and their unique needs.  In this post, we’ll cover what physical therapy is, why and when it’s good for seniors, and the important role physical therapy can play in building a home care plan that will help your senior loved one stay in their own home for the long term. What is physical therapy? According to the University of Toronto Physical Therapy pr ...

Senior Care

9 Natural Ways to Manage Arthritis | Caring Senior Service

Arthritis can strike at any age. While the pain may be bearable early on, symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness can progressively get worse and even interfere with your ability to live life to the fullest. While there are medical treatments available, you may want to explore natural remedies to help you stay active and manage your symptoms. Here are some natural treatments for arthritis pain. 1. Do Tai Chi This senior-friendly exercise program has ancient roots, and it is one of the best low-impact workouts for joints. As seniors slowly bend and move their arms and legs, the muscles and tendons surrounding the joints are gently stretched. This can help relieve arthritis pain an ...

Senior Care

Signs You Need a Joint Replacement | Caring Senior Service

While we all experience aches and pains as we get older, pain or stiffness in joints could signal something more severe. Worn out joints may actually need to be replaced through surgery. Joint replacement surgery involves removing the damaged joint and replacing it with a synthetic one made of metal or ceramic pieces. Joints that are most commonly replaced are hips, knees, and shoulders. However, there are many other joints that could be eligible for a replacement.   As you consider your options to address joint problems, you may want to review these warning signs that it is time for a joint replacement.   Warning Signs of a Joint Replacement   Persistent Pain   One major sign ...

Senior Care

Activities and Advice for Self-Isolating Seniors and Their Families

Many of us are spending a lot more time at home these days in order to keep both ourselves and other members of our communities safe from contracting COVID-19, and to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with patients. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , adults over sixty-five years of age are “at a higher risk for severe illness.” Because of this, public health authorities are asking seniors to stay home to protect themselves.  Those of us who are not in high-risk groups can leave our homes briefly to go for walks, get groceries, and pick up other essential supplies, but these short breaks from the same rooms and walls are not necessarily available to se ...

Senior Care

5 Reasons Respite Care Benefits Seniors

We’ve talked before on the blog about the importance of respite care for family caregivers. But respite isn’t just beneficial for caregivers - it’s good for seniors, too. In this post, you’ll find the top five reasons that respite is great for both seniors and their caregivers.  1. The Best Care Comes From Caregivers Who Are Cared For Seniors receive better care from caregivers who care for themselves, too. Caregiver burnout is serious, and someone who is experiencing symptoms of burnout like intrusive thoughts, mood swings, depression or anxiety, and physical manifestations of stress is unlikely to be able to provide care to the best of their ability.  If you’re experi ...

Senior Care

10 Skincare Tips for Seniors

No matter how old we are, taking care of our skin - our body’s largest organ - can sometimes feel like a sizable job. Just as we leave the season when everyone seems to be worrying about sunscreen application, the air cools down, we turn the heat on, and all of a sudden we’re dealing with dryness, itchiness, and redness. It can be tempting to focus on however our skin is feeling on any given day or in a particular season, but the reality is that skincare is important year-round: we need to wear sunscreen in the winter, we need to moisturize our skin the summer, and we always need to pay attention to any new developments in our skin.  Since our skin changes as we get older, i ...

Senior Care

Health Screenings Schedule for Seniors

As we get older, our health tends to demand more attention and upkeep. One way to keep on top of our health – and the health of our senior loved ones – is to complete health screenings for the various chronic and acute conditions that tend to affect older adults.  Since many of us check in with our health at the outset of a new year, what better time than now to make sure that we’re getting ourselves and our loved ones appropriately screened? Though those in their fifties aren’t seniors, we’ve started the guidelines in this post at age 55, since early screenings are great preventative measures that help keep us healthy into our senior years. We’ve also included information abo ...

Senior Care

Seniors and S.A.D.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression “related to changes in seasons” that most commonly affects those who suffer from it during the winter months, due to a change in sunlight exposure. SAD is differentiated from the “winter blues” experienced by those who live in cold climates with short winter days by the fact that it causes more severe symptoms that impact everyday life, like feelings of hopelessness, low energy, and an inability to focus .  In this post, we’ll outline the symptoms of SAD, so that you can look out for these symptoms in your senior loved ones. We’ll also discuss some risk factors that can make seniors more susceptible to seasonal de ...

Senior Care

Guide to Senior Spring Cleaning | Caring Senior Service

It's that time again! Spring is here, which means it’s time to get the house clean and organized. A clean home can help you feel more comfortable and less stressed. It can also help eliminate safety hazards. However, getting your home cleaned can be a big challenge — especially for seniors who may have health challenges. If you assist an aging loved one or a client with spring cleaning, here are some tips to keep in mind.   Set Realistic Expectations   Before getting started, set realistic expectations. Determine how much time you can devote to the project — either a few full days or parts of some days. This can help you set a cleaning schedule. Then, you can decide how much ...

Senior Care

The Importance of Sexual Health for Seniors | Caring Senior Service

Sexual health and intimacy in seniors is something that we as a society tend to have a difficult time discussing. The reality is, however, that over 40% of people between the ages of 65–80 are sexually active, and failing to have open conversations around this topic leads to a lot of misconceptions, flawed information, and downright myths. Sexual health is a core component of healthcare, and it’s something that older adults should be able to discuss without shame or stigma.   Many Seniors Have Active Sex Lives     Studies show that about two-thirds of seniors are still interested in sex. Furthermore, about 50% of seniors say that sex is an important factor in their qualit ...

Senior Care

The Benefits of Telehealth for Seniors

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many doctors’ offices began offering telehealth services. In the US, Medicare expanded its coverage for telehealth services , so that senior patients can take advantage of ‘virtual’ visits with their doctors. As we continue to practice physical distancing and keep our socialization limited to our ‘bubbles,’ telehealth will remain one of the common ways many of us access healthcare services. Telemedicine is particularly useful for seniors, who are at risk for more severe coronavirus symptoms and are therefore being especially cautious. Using telehealth services may be quite a new experience for seniors, so in this post, you’ll find an ...

Senior Care

INFOGRAPHIC: Preparing to Return Home after In-Patient Rehab

After a major medical event, like a stroke or hip surgery, seniors may be transferred from the hospital to an in-patient rehabilitation facility to continue their recovery. Once they reach certain milestones, they can be discharged home. However, returning home can pose some difficulties regarding safety, logistics, and more. Learn more about preparing to return home after in-patient rehab.  View the text alternative of Preparing to Return Home after In-Patient Rehab. Share this Image On Your Site Preparing to Return Home after In-Patient Rehab Seniors may spend time in an outpatient rehabilitation facility following a surgery or serious medical event, like a stroke. While returnin ...

Senior Care

How to Help Seniors Find a Sense of Purpose | Caring Senior Service

As seniors age, they may begin to lose sight of their purpose or relevance in life. This is due in large part to the fact that life tends to slow down. We retire from our careers, our kids grow up and establish families of their own, we become less interested in or able to do things we once enjoyed. These changes can cause seniors to feel forgotten, worthless, or meaningless. However, a strong sense of purpose in life is directly tied to better health. And every senior has something they can contribute to this world. Let’s explore how seniors can find and maintain a sense of purpose as they age so they can enjoy life to the fullest.    What Is a Sense of Purpose   A sense of purpo ...

Senior Care

Signs Your Senior Loved One May Need a Caregiver

We can't always help our aging loved ones as much as we would like. Whether because we live too far away, because our work or kids take all our time, or because our loved ones need professional care that we can't provide, sometimes we have to look for someone else who can give them the care and attention they deserve. Finding a caregiver for your loved one is sometimes the best decision even if you live nearby and are an active part of your parents’ or grandparents' lives. As much as we want to care for our loved ones ourselves, it's no secret that caregiving can be exhausting and can lead to burnout. If you are trying to manage a career and/or a family at the same time as caring for you ...

Senior Care

2021 Resolutions for Caregivers

Here we are: it’s a brand new year! So many of us are breathing a sigh of relief to see 2020 in the rearview mirror, and to have the fresh start of a new year. It’s a traditional time of the year to set goals and make resolutions, so in our first blog post of 2021, we’re offering up six new year’s resolutions that family caregivers might like to adopt this year.  1. I will take care of myself first. The old adage about “putting your own oxygen mask on first” is a common refrain in caregiving – but that’s because it’s true. It’s easy to forget about the care you need in your efforts to be the best caregiver possible, but it’s very important to resist the temptation ...

Senior Care

New Year's Resolutions for Seniors

As we leave 2021 behind us and look forward to a new year, it’s a popular time to make resolutions to improve our quality of life and the lives of our friends and family. People tend to get more settled in their habits as they get older, but it's never too late for seniors to start making changes that will have a positive impact on their health. With that in mind, here are five suggested New Year's resolutions for your senior loved ones. 1: Healthy eating It's hard cooking for one, and it's easy to lose interest in meal planning if you are following the same recipes week after week. As the seniors in your life get older, their dietary needs change, and it's important to keep an eye on ...

Senior Care

Heart Health in Seniors

Adults over the age of sixty-five have an increased risk of heart-related health problems such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and heart disease. While some risk factors are unavoidable, such as pre-existing conditions like diabetes, there are many other risk factors that can be managed to lower the chance of seniors developing these heart problems. Exercising, maintaining a healthy diet, and lowering stress levels are just some of the ways seniors can keep their hearts strong and healthy as they age. In this post we’ll discuss the warning signs of heart problems, followed by good lifestyle choices to avoid them so your loved ones can keep their hearts healthy we ...

Senior Care

Understanding Outpatient Rehab for Seniors | Caring Senior Service

After a major illness, injury, or surgery, seniors may go through rehabilitation to help them transition back to daily life safely. Rehabilitation can include physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and other forms of treatment. It can be administered in an inpatient or outpatient setting.    Seniors may be referred to inpatient rehabilitation for extensive recovery treatment after a hospital stay. But if a senior only needs rehab a few times a week or less, outpatient rehabilitation could be a great option so a senior can remain at home as they build strength and coordination. Seniors may even be discharged from inpatient rehab to outpatient rehab as they recover. ...

Senior Care

10 Skincare Tips for Seniors

No matter how old we are, taking care of our skin - our body’s largest organ - can sometimes feel like a sizable job. Just as we leave the season when everyone seems to be worrying about sunscreen application, the air cools down, we turn the heat on, and all of a sudden we’re dealing with dryness, itchiness, and redness. It can be tempting to focus on however our skin is feeling on any given day or in a particular season, but the reality is that skincare is important year-round: we need to wear sunscreen in the winter, we need to moisturize our skin the summer, and we always need to pay attention to any new developments in our skin.  Since our skin ch ...

Senior Care

Celebrating Older Americans Month | Caring Senior Service

May is Older Americans Month, a time dedicated to acknowledging the hard work and contributions of seniors in our communities. However, it is often overshadowed by the end of the school year, beginning of summer, and other holidays. This year, don’t take Older Americans Month for granted! Instead, celebrate your aging loved ones and the seniors in your community. Here are some ideas to help you acknowledge and embrace Older Americans Month.   History of Older Americans Month   Older Americans Month started as Senior Citizens Month in 1963 during the administration of President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy met with the National Council of Senior Citizens to discuss the growing nee ...

Senior Care

Heart Attack vs Heart Failure | Caring Senior Service

The heart works hard to provide your body with the oxygen it needs to function. It works while you sleep, eat, talk, run. It’s always working. But if the heart isn’t able to perform properly, then serious health conditions can develop. The most common cause of heart inefficiency is heart disease, which is also the #1 cause of death in the US. But this term refers to a number of different heart conditions, including 2 conditions that many people confuse: heart attack and heart failure. A heart attack is a sudden loss of blood supply to the heart, while heart failure is the heart’s inability to pump efficiently. Let’s take a deeper dive at these conditions. Heart Attack or Heart Failu ...

Senior Care

Benefits of Home Care for Seniors with CHF | Caring Senior Service

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that  affects how the heart pumps blood through the body. Seniors with CHF may experience difficulty breathing or periods of fatigue, which can make it difficult for them to complete routine tasks and participate in activities they once enjoyed. They may require help to remain safe at home and manage their condition properly. That’s where caregivers come in! Home care can help seniors with CHF continue living at home safely and also reduce their risk of hospital admission. Learn more about how seniors with CHF can benefit from home care.  How CHF Affects Daily Living Heart failure is the leading cause of death in the US. Howev ...

Senior Care

Signs Your Senior Loved One May Need a Caregiver

We can't always help our aging loved ones as much as we would like. Whether because we live too far away, because our work or kids take all our time, or because our loved ones need professional care that we can't provide, sometimes we have to look for someone else who can give them the care and attention they deserve. Finding a caregiver for your loved one is sometimes the best decision even if you live nearby and are an active part of your parents’ or grandparents' lives. As much as we want to care for our loved ones ourselves, it's no secret that caregiving can be exhausting and can lead to burnout. If you are trying to manage a career and/or a family at the same time as caring f ...

Senior Care

Reviewing Senior Care Options | Caring Senior Service

When an aging loved one needs professional care, it can be a daunting task to evaluate your options. There are many different types of care available depending on your loved one’s needs and wishes. Senior care falls on a spectrum ranging from minimal assistance to round-the-clock medical attention. And this care can take place at home or in a facility. Let’s explore the different types of care available to help you determine the best fit for your loved one.   Senior Care Options   Facility-Based Care   Some types of senior care require a senior to move into a residential facility to receive care. These facilities house other seniors with similar needs, meaning that a senior ma ...

Senior Care

Seniors and S.A.D.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression “related to changes in seasons” that most commonly affects those who suffer from it during the winter months, due to a change in sunlight exposure. SAD is differentiated from the “winter blues” experienced by those who live in cold climates with short winter days by the fact that it causes more severe symptoms that impact everyday life, like feelings of hopelessness, low energy, and an inability to focus .  In this post, we’ll outline the symptoms of SAD, so that you can look out for these symptoms in your senior loved ones. We’ll also discuss some risk factors that can make seniors more ...

Senior Care

Lifetime Precautions after a Hip Replacement | Caring Senior Service

Surgeons perform over 450,000 hip replacements each year in the United States. These surgeries can help seniors reduce pain and improve mobility by removing damaged portions of the hip joint and replacing them with implants. However, hip replacements can also leave seniors with some lifetime precautions. Seniors who undergo a hip replacement may need to avoid certain activities and take measures to care for their joint implant and help avoid dislocation. Let’s learn more about lifetime precautions after a hip replacement.    Lifetime of a Hip Implant   There are several different types of hip implants available. They can be made of metal, plastic, or ceramic. And the shape of the ...

Senior Care

Let's Celebrate: August 21st is Senior Citizens Day in the U.S.

In the U.S., National Senior Citizens Day is celebrated each year on August 21st. America’s seniors have been recognized on this date since 1988, when Ronald Reagan selected it for the occasion.  On Senior Citizens Day, we acknowledge and appreciate the elderly members of our society and the contributions they’ve made to both our communities at large and our individual lives. In honor of senior citizens across the country, today’s blog post outlines some of the more common issues faced by American seniors today, discusses ways we can all show kindness toward and appreciation for the seniors in our communities, and offers some suggestions around how you might choose to celebrate the ...

Senior Care

How Caregivers Can Help with Physical Therapy Exercises

Physical therapy is designed to help individuals maintain or restore their physical health. It can be used to strengthen muscles, improve range of motion, and reduce pain. Elderly persons who have had an accident, stroke, or surgery may receive physical therapy rehabilitation after being discharged from the hospital.    This treatment is administered by physical therapists in an inpatient or outpatient setting. During outpatient rehab, individuals are prescribed certain exercises to complete regularly between appointments. Caregivers can assist seniors in carrying out their exercises safely at home. And here’s how!   Home Care Physical Therapy    Transportation   Se ...

Senior Care

Tech for Seniors: Robotic Pets & Virtual Reality

Almost all of us engage with technology in our daily lives – seniors included! Technological innovation can benefit, and has benefitted, seniors in many ways. We’ve talked before on the blog about how it can help seniors stay safe in their homes , and about how virtual spaces can provide seniors with both entertainment and opportunities to socialize .  Since technological developments are always moving forward, we thought it was time to revisit the topic and address two forms of technology that are gaining popularity, particularly when it comes to usage by seniors: robotic pets and virtual reality. Potential Benefits Studies have shown that pet ownership is good for our health: it ...

Senior Care

Exercise for Seniors: Starting and Maintaining an Active Lifestyle

At every age, exercise is an essential component of how we care for our bodies. As we grow older, it can feel as though our ability to exercise is shifting, or even declining. This can lead some seniors to believe that they’re “too old” to exercise, but this is a misconception. No one is “too old” to move their body - in fact, a lack of exercise can have negative impacts on seniors’ bodies, like an increased risk of falls, muscle loss, and weight gain in areas that affect heart health, like the midsection. It’s understandable for inactive seniors to feel some hesitation about starting an exercise routine. Reasons for this hesitation might include a fear of falling, feeling ...

Senior Care

What to Know about Shoulder Replacement Surgery

Individuals who suffer from chronic shoulder pain could benefit from shoulder replacement surgery to help relieve pain and improve range of motion. However, total shoulder replacement surgery can be invasive and require you to undergo rehabilitation. There are also different types of shoulder replacement, which can affect recovery. That’s why it’s important to understand what your shoulder replacement surgery would entail. In this post, we will provide a general outline of what to expect from shoulder replacement surgery for seniors.   What is shoulder replacement surgery?   The shoulder is actually made up of 4 different joints, but typically shoulder replacement refers to repla ...

Senior Care

Heart Attack vs Heart Failure | Caring Senior Service

The heart works hard to provide your body with the oxygen it needs to function. It works while you sleep, eat, talk, run. It’s always working. But if the heart isn’t able to perform properly, then serious health conditions can develop. The most common cause of heart inefficiency is heart disease, which is also the #1 cause of death in the US. But this term refers to a number of different heart conditions, including 2 conditions that many people confuse: heart attack and heart failure. A heart attack is a sudden loss of blood supply to the heart, while heart failure is the heart’s inability to pump efficiently. Let’s take a deeper dive at these conditions. Heart Attac ...

Senior Care

Tech for Seniors: Robotic Pets & Virtual Reality

Almost all of us engage with technology in our daily lives – seniors included! Technological innovation can benefit, and has benefitted, seniors in many ways. We’ve talked before on the blog about how it can help seniors stay safe in their homes , and about how virtual spaces can provide seniors with both entertainment and opportunities to socialize .  Since technological developments are always moving forward, we thought it was time to revisit the topic and address two forms of technology that are gaining popularity, particularly when it comes to usage by seniors: robotic pets and virtual reality. Potential Benefits Studies have shown that pet ownership is good for o ...

Senior Care