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Much has been said about the senior generation and the lives that they live. Unfortunately, not all of it is based in fact. Join us as we debunk five of the most common myths about aging!
#1 – Dementia Is Inevitable
This one has been scaring people for some time now, and with seniors living longer and longer lives, it’s become increasingly persistent.
Thankfully, it’s just not true!
Dementia is common enough to warrant concern from the medical community and from family members of seniors; however, it is far from inevitable.
Recently, doctors examined the brain of a 115-year-old woman who, when she died, was the world’s oldest person. No evidence of dementia or other disorders was found, and testing throughout her senior years revealed no loss in brain function.
If you’re concerned about dementia, you can be proactive by taking some simple steps that will help you avoid the disease and its symptoms. Staying mentally and physically well during middle age can help people avoid dementia. Additionally, continuing to challenge the brain in one’s later years has been shown to help people stave off Alzheimer’s disease and other debilitating conditions.
#2 – Loneliness Is an Inescapable Part of Senior Life
This may have been truer in the past than it is today, and loneliness has never been completely unavoidable for seniors.
The key is to recognize that isolation, which is common in one’s senior years, can lead directly to loneliness. Thankfully, our world is filled with options for seniors – and others – to stay connected with the rest of the population, whether it involves using digital technology for face-to-face chats or joining a local community center. There’s always a way to escape isolation!
#3 – There’s no Point in Exercising After a Certain Age
This powerful myth has prevented a large number of people from staying active and extending their lives. The truth is that it’s never too late to start exercising, even if exercise has never been an important part of one’s life.
Exercise is a great way for seniors to stay in shape, connect with others and feel youthful, regardless of age.
Remember, though, that any physical-fitness routine should be planned and implemented with common sense and safety in mind. Seniors should start small by taking short walks and performing simple body-weight exercises. Doctors and trainers can help seniors devise workout plans that maximize benefits while minimizing the risk of injury.
#4 – Poverty Is Inevitable
As seniors live longer than ever before, some are finding that they simply didn’t save enough during their working years to sustain their lives during old age. The cost of living keeps getting more and more expensive, as well. However, that doesn’t mean that poverty is a fact of life for seniors.
The fact is that less than 10% of those aged 65 or older fall below the poverty line in the United States. That number, while higher than it ought to be, only represents a fraction of the total senior population.
Seniors are typically better at saving money than those in younger generations, and people in general are becoming more fiscally aware, which will lead to an aging populace that is more financially secure than any other such generation in history.
#5 – Seniors Stop Learning After a Certain Age
The stereotype of the aging individual who is set in his or her ways is a strong one, but it’s just not reflective of reality.
Today’s seniors are more active and curious than ever before, and our world provides them with countless opportunities to explore their intellect and become introduced to new ideas. Research that shows the importance of keeping the brain active and engaged has led to a renewed commitment to learning, regardless of one’s age, and many seniors are proving that it’s never too late to learn a new skill or become an expert in a previously foreign subject.
Senior Living Is What You Make of It
While these myths are not the truth, they contain enough truth to remain persistent. The real truth, though, is that anyone’s life experience – whether they are elderly or a teenager – depends on the approach they take and the support that they have around them. Thankfully, today’s seniors live in a world of limitless possibilities. And with the help of Always Best Care and our amazing team of caregivers, it’s possible to finally put these myths to bed for good!
To learn more about what Always Best Care can do to help you and your family, contact Always Best Care today! Call 1-855-470-2273, or visit AlwaysBestCare.com.
Did you know that nearly one-third of the population has difficulty swallowing pills? Most people dont swallow pills correctly. This often results in gagging, choking, and vomiting, which usually results in people not taking their medications at all, or not taking the recommended dosage, which then results in a need for later additional medical care.If you are caring for a senior who has trouble swallowing their pills, here are some medication tips and some good news. Researchers have found new techniques that make pill-popping easier, even for large pills.German researchers recently tested two methods of swallowing pills and found that 80% of the time these methods worked better than the normal way of taking a pill. The first is the pop-bottle method, and it makes tablets go down with ease. The second is the lean-forward technique, which sends capsules straight down the throat. Both have been rigorously tested by 151 volunteers who swallowed numerous dummy pills for the sake of science. And now they are being shared with the world via their publication in the Annals of Family Medicine.Read about each method so you can try it yourself or have the senior you are caring for try it. Just may make life a little easier for you both.
At least 42 percent of U.S. workers have been caregivers for aging loved ones in the last five years. In fact, most family caregivers work full or part-time while caring for their parent, spouse, aunt, uncle, or other loved one. Juggling Your Job and Caring for a Loved One The majority (68 percent) of family caregivers report making work accommodations because of caregiving duties, including: Arriving late/leaving early or taking time off Cutting back on work hours Changing jobs Stopping work entirely If this is you, you understand the challenge of juggling work and caregiving. Youll want to know that AARP is fighting for workplace flexibility, like family leave or paid or unpaid sick leave, to support family caregivers as they balance work and caregiving responsibilities. AARP is pushing for legislation that would: Let employees use their existing sick time to help care for a family member; or Give employees a few hours of unpaid time each year to help care for their loved ones; or Allow employees unpaid leave to take their loved ones to the doctor, in the same way 15 states allow employees to take unpaid time off to attend parent-teacher conferences and school events.
Many people with dementia lose their social filters and no longer understand what is or is not appropriate to say in public. They do not say embarrassing things intentionally but have indeed lost the lens they used to live with. You may have encountered situations like these: Person with Dementia upon hearing someone speaking a different language: Speak English! or they may use a racial slur to describe them.I have seen and heard many elders using racial references that were, to say the least, disrespectful. It doesnt necessarily mean the people are racist. Many of our elders grew up in much less diverse communities than we have today. They have simply lost whatever inhibitions they may have had. When they see someone of another ethnicity, they blurt out labels that they heard as youths, embarrassing everyone involved.How to respond: One of my clients used to make these remarks frequently. He also had travelled a lot. I would apologize calmly to the person and then begin talking about what language I thought they might be speaking and what country they might be from, asking my client if he had ever been there on his travels. This could lead him into a conversation about travel. If the person, he was making the remark about was on staff at the nursing home Id include them in the conversation.Person with Dementia, generally a man pinches a woman or otherwise acts out sexually: Nice butt!Stay calm and realize that this behavior is caused by the disease. Dementia has stripped your dad of his inhibitions and he really cant help it. Try not to overreact from embarrassment.How to respond: Calmly say, Thats inappropriate, Dad, or something to indicate that the action is not acceptable. It wont help to scold, however. Apologize to the person affected and then if possible, move your dad away. Explain to the person that dad has Alzheimers and his actions are the result of the disease. If you cant defuse the situation by moving him away, just allow the affected person to handle it. If it happens to a professional caregiver, they are trained to handle these situations.When these and other uncomfortable situations occur, we are embarrassed for ourselves and for the person our elder once was. Learning that we arent alone in enduring this public embarrassment helps, Talk with other caregivers, either in person or online, for perspective and the chance to laugh about these situations. When we share our stories with people who understand, our pain and embarrassment doesnt take on a life of its own. Try a caregiver forum, such as the one at AgingCare.com
With Always Best Care, every client receives extraordinary care in an inspiring environment with caring people. Understanding what community is right for you or your loved one can be a daunting task. In order to assist you in your selection of an appropriate assisted living community, Always Best Care has partnered with select communities (our "assisted living partners) to advise you of the communities and services they offer. Because Always Best Care is compensated by our assisted living partners, we are happy to provide our senior housing and assisted living placement services at no charge to you community you choose. We personally escort you to tour select communities based on matching your needs and your budget with communities we have already visited and evaluated.