Resources For Aging Well

A furry friend to cuddle and play with can sometimes feel like the cure for any illness. A wagging tail greeting you when you walk through the door or the calming purrs of a contented cat on your lap can be just what you need after a long day. The loyalty and companionship of a devoted pet has many benefits for the average adult and even more benefits for the elderly. If pet ownership is not possible for an elderly person for one reason or another, they can certainly consider pet therapy.What is pet therapy for the elderly?Pet therapy, which is sometimes also known as animal-assisted therapy, is a type of therapy that uses pets as a form of companionship and treatment. The animals interact with the seniors in ways that help improve their quality of life. The idea of a dog or cat improving the quality of an elderly persons life may sound a bit difficult to believe, especially if you are not a pet person yourself. But research has actually shown a variety of benefits of pet therapy for the elderly.Benefits of Pet Therapy for SeniorsPet therapy benefits for the elderly are numerous. Many seniors find themselves suffering from loneliness or depression. Perhaps their spouse has passed and they live alone. Perhaps they live in an assisted living facility and their family simply cannot visit very often. A pet can offer companionship and bring a lonely or depressed senior out of their shell. Having something to pet or touch can result in a lower heart rate and reduced stress. Walking a dog, even for a short time, increases mobility and gives a senior a reason to get up and out of the house. Just being near an animal to care for, even if the senior does not own the pet personally, can give them a sense of purpose and make them feel needed. Interacting with a therapy pet can provide mental stimulation as well. The senior may interact with the pet handler.The therapy pet may also remind them of a pet they knew earlier in their life. Several positive impacts have been noticed when using pet therapy for dementia patients. Dementia patients may have a difficult time communicating with others. Often these patients feel more comfortable communicating with a pet. There is no fear of judgment or worry that the pet will not understand. They will simply listen and provide unbiased affection.The benefits of pet therapy for older adults should not be overlooked. You can find pet therapy near you by visiting https://www.therapydogs.com/alliance-therapy-dogs/ or https://www.pawsforpeople.org/. A quick google search can also find local pet therapy organizations, which are growing in number and popularity. Help a senior near you spend some time with a furry friend and reap the benefits. To learn more about our home care services, call Griswold Home Care of Anoka today at 763-325-1950 or visit us at https://www.griswoldhomecare.com/anoka-county

There is just something about being around people you really like and love. Having good friends around who listen and lift you up on a daily basis. And modern science concurs that good company is good for your mental, emotional, and physical health. Its one big reason why socialization for seniors is so important and why senior living communities thrive on it.Socialization for seniors - Together is better!The pandemic has reminded us all that isolation is the bad guy, especially when it comes to seniors. In a study by the National Academy of Sciences, lonely and isolated seniors showed higher rates of poor physical and mental health. They were more likely to suffer from hypertension, coronary heart disease, cardiac failure, depression, anxiety, and dementia.    There are so many benefits of socialization for seniors:Plenty of activities and socialization reduces cognitive decline. The Alzheimers Association reports that remaining socially active may support brain health and possibly delay the onset of dementia. One study found that cognitive abilities in seniors declined about 70 percent slower in individuals who had frequent social connections and socialization   compared to those who had little social contact with others. A quality senior living community offers the perfect environment for making connections, sharing ideas, and creating a purposeful, interactive experience that helps keep you engaged and living your best life. The right recipe for creating socialization for seniors.Lowers stress. Ongoing stress can lead to heart disease, depression, obesity, gastrointestinal problems and other unwanted conditions. Socialization increases a hormone that decreases anxiety levels and makes us feel more confident in our ability to cope with stressors. This same hormone encourages us to seek out others and helps bring us closer together. At New Perspective, someone is always close by for conversation and support. This is especially beneficial when older adults often experience loss and changes in health and mobility.     Keeps you active. Socialization for seniors, especially in a senior living community, can be in the form of opportunities to join others for activities and events. Examples are a walking club. Helping other residents decorate a commons area for the holidays. A Zumba class. Getting together to watch a big game. Learning a new hobby together. Being with others stimulates you to move more physically, which is good for your health and helps protect you from a sedentary lifestyle.  Encourages healthy habits. When youre living at home, its a lot easier to have that second piece of pie or skip walking around the block. Thats why socialization for seniors is so good for youliving in a senior living community, youre around a group of like-minded friends and neighbors who can help keep you on the path to wellness. Youre more inclined to join an exercise class, participate in special events, or focus on good nutrition because youre seeing others do just that.Gives you a sense of purpose. Having a reason to get up each morning does wonders for your energy level and your mood. Your feel-good hormones rise and fight off stress when you know youre going to be greeted by friendly faces and spend quality time with friends. Theres even evidence that having this sense of purpose can help you walk faster and have a firmer grip and greater body balance and controlindicators of how fast you are aging. Improves coping skills. Life has its ups and downs. And, as Bette Davis once said, Getting old isnt for sissies. A few more wrinkles and a bit less hair, some new creaks in the knee joints and other challenges are a whole lot easier to deal withand laugh atwhen you can share them over lunch with a friend. Socialization for seniors, particularly in a senior living community gives you ample opportunities to leave worries behind and make the most of what life has to offer.George SmithThe Right Senior Living Solution(941) 705-0293

How do you start the conversation with your elderly parents about getting some help or whether they should move out of their home and into a retirement community or a Long-Term Care Facility? Its not an easy conversation to have but going about it the right way can help them live more safely and get more out of life. Start with these tips when you need to talk to an aging parent about senior living, senior care, and the way forward for your family. Preparing for the Conversation Do your homework before you initiate the conversation about senior care and prepare yourself by creating a list of concerns and benefits of making this life changing transition. Create a list of your concerns for your aging parent. Are you worried, for example, that their home is no longer a safe environment for them? Are they having some health problems? Are they starting to have trouble with activities of daily living, such as dressing, grooming, bathing or managing their medications? You may want to discuss your concerns with other family members to get their perspective as well. Write down all your observations so that you can share them with your senior living professional/advisors who will use this information to guide you towards the right senior living solution that fits your wants and needs. There is a wide range of types of senior living communities/facilities Educate yourself. As you learn more about retirement communities  and senior care options such as assisted living, youll have a better understanding of what will fit your aging parent best. Admitting just how much help your loved one needs isnt easy, and you may find yourself downplaying just how serious their need for help really is. But be as objective as you can. You and your parents may have concerns about and health issues such as outbreaks of flu or COVID-19. Most community websites have information about their safety protocols, and you can always call and ask. Exploring the options and learning more about successful aging can give you the confidence and credibility you need to begin this conversation. But exploring and learning doesnt mean youre making decisions about moving your elderly parents out of their home without the consent of your parent or aging family member. Instead, youre preparing yourself to be as helpful as possible for the conversation and decisions ahead. Tips for Having a Better and More Productive Conversation About Senior Care Once you have educated yourself and feel that you can confidently explain the options, following these tips can help you have a more easy-going productive conversation: Have the conversation as early as possible.  Rather than waiting for a health crisis to force the issue, tackling this difficult decision early can help all of you reach an educated decision easier so you can start planning with so much less pressure and uncertainty. Talk in person, if possible. If you can be together to have a face-to-face conversation that is great. But if not, set up a video call so you can at least see each other during the discussion. Try to arrange a time when you and your parent/parents are well rested and relaxed. Block out a time and a location where you can talk without interruption. Listen, listen, listen. Your loved one may have anxieties, concerns and objections about moving from their home and into a retirement community. Dont minimize those feelings. Its important to acknowledge them and continue to ask questions so you can better understand their reservations. This will make it clear that you will respect their wishes. Empathy, not sympathy. No older adult wants their adult child to feel sorry for them. But empathy is another matter. Your kind, calm voice and demeanor will show you care and that youre trying to understand the fears and frustrations they may feel. The idea of accepting in-home care or moving to assisted living is tough. You begin to help as soon as you really begin to listen. Dont rush.  Once youre armed with knowledge, you may feel ready to make a decision. But your parents may need more time. Allow them the time they need to find the words to express how theyre feeling. Coming to an unpressured mutual agreement now will continue to pay dividends as you move forward together. Plan to talk again.  And again. As much as you might want to wrap things up in one conversation, the reality is this will likely be a series of talks unless your aging family member is in imminent danger, its a process, not a once-and-done discussion. Contact a Free Senior Living Advisor to help guide you. A good senior living advisors knows the communities in the area of your search and has established relationships within the senior living. You will save valuable time and resources when working with reputable senior living referral company. They will help you select a community that can meet all of your wants needs and desires at a cost that is in line with your budget. They will schedule your community visits/tours that fit within your family schedule and will be by your side to advocate for you. Whether it~s an in-person tour or by virtual, one of the best ways to alleviate most of the worries about making this transition is to show your loved ones what a community is actually like. Visit during mealtimes so you can taste the cuisine and see how the community residents interact and if you can see them as a neighbor.  This will give you an idea of what type of lifestyle, amenities, culture and type of neighbors that you are likely to have.Remember, its their decision.Unless your elderly parents are mentally incapacitated, they get to decide whether to move out of their home and into a care facility of some kind. You have the responsibility of raising your concerns, out of love for them, but the ultimate decision belongs to them. Starting The Conversation As with many difficult topics, beginning the discussion is often the hardest part. These conversation starters may help.How is it living at home alone? Do you still feel safe? (You may want to mention specific safety concerns such as managing medications, falling on stairs, struggles in the bathtub or kitchen. Crime may be another fear they havent shared with you.)Do you have a plan for long-term care? For example, if you fell or got sick and couldnt take care of yourself at home, where would you go? How would you pay for it?Do you feel lonely sometimes? Would you like to spend more time with people your own age?How do you feel about driving? Would you be interested in other options for transportation, so you dont have to worry about getting where you need to go, car maintenance costs, traffic, parking, etc.?Is it ever hard to manage your finances and keep up with paying your bills?Ever wonder about getting a helping hand with housekeeping and laundry?Would you feel less stress if you didnt have to worry about the house? Open-ended questions are the best way to encourage them to talk. Sit back and really listen to their answers. Lastly Avoid Information Overload Finally, beware the flood. Sharing a little basic information upfront can be helpful but overloading the conversation with research and statistics is overwhelming. Whats worse, when people feel overwhelmed, they can get defensive. And defensiveness will end a conversation fast and make it hard to resume later. Take your time and make this a journey of discovery and growth. George Smith The Right senior Living Solution (941) 705-0293 

Happy Thanksgiving from Hope Health Advocacy! We~d like to extend a big thank you to both our new and existing clients for helping us grow and share in the mission of HHA this year.We believe no one should have to face the healthcare system alone. Dealing with multiple healthcare providers and insurance companies can become stressful, especially during a major health event. We are here to help you more easily navigate the healthcare system. We can coordinate care and appointments, assist you in making decisions by providing helpful resources, review and optimize medications, and assist with some insurance issues.If you feel like all of your Googling is getting you nowhere, you~ve come to the right place. Taking care of your or a loved one~s health is stressful enough. Add in communication breakdowns, insurance companies, and complicated medication issues, and you have a fast pass to a meltdown.Wondering if a patient advocate can help? Book a discovery call here today!We wish everyone a great start to the holiday season! Be safe and stay healthy!