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About the time my mother developed dementia, my son entered high school. For service hours, he chose to volunteer at a senior living community near his school. Twice a week, he and his classmates walked to the facility, played cards or music with the residents, and ate ice cream together.
I often suspected his choice was motivated by watching his grandmother slowly recede into the past. Later, when my mother moved closer and progressed further in her disease, my son would have the opportunity to put his new caregiving skills into practice.
Young family members are uniquely qualified to interact with aging adults. They do not have the preconceived notions, nor past regrets, which interfere with kindnesses they are capable of offering.
Tips to Involve Teens in Caregiving
Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. It has surpassed many of us, including me, whose degree is in computer science, but not the younger generation. They can locate information on a palm-sized computer which we cannot even read due to declining eyesight. They also have the patience in sharing their expertise (they like to gloat about it too). Many apps for iPads and iPhones exist to entertain aging adults or keep their brains engaged. Sometimes electronics are seen as a divide between young and old. In this case, tech toys and apps are bridges teens can cross to interact with older adults while also keeping themselves amused.
Cleaning is always a sticky subject in our household. My son, as was typical of most teenaged boys, did not exist in the neatest of bedrooms. His athleticism, which he liked to brag about, was put to good use in cleaning his bedroom or mowing the lawn while I busied myself caring for my mother. When finished with doctors’ visits or time with my loved one, I was free to drive him to basketball or a sleepover party. Most kids are not inclined toward chores unless the result involves something for them.
After he returned home from college during holidays, he joined me on many visits to see Mom. My mother’s face lit up at his presence. They had a unique bond when he was a baby, living somewhat far away from her. She and my father became his caregiver for a time while I took care of my first husband. Now, the tables had turned. He walked with her outside, played a few Dean Martin tunes on his iPhone for her to listen to, and made sure she was loaded down with cookies, the same way she did with him.
In my mother’s care home, there lived a woman whose grandson brought her Burger King once a week. He was about twenty years old, fresh-faced, and tall. Whenever my mother spotted him, she pointed and called out, “Hey, you!” She wasn’t after his burgers and fries. Okay, maybe she was. She was after his youthfulness—how he probably reminded her of her grandson. How the bounce in his step briefly for one moment, translated into a bounce in her heart.
Hidden Dangers of Teen Caregiving
While it’s important to teach our children responsibilities and respect for aging adults, it is equally important for our societal systems to recognize when a family needs more help or resources, especially if they are relying on teenaged children.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), in a report titled, According to Young Caregivers in the U.S., over 49% of those aged 8-18 reported spending “a lot of time” caregiving. Thirty percent of those in the report helping with medications. Seventeen percent help loved ones communicate with professional caregivers. Studies also showed many of these caregivers were in single-parent, low income, minority household. In most cases, they were children and caregivers.
Studies also showed child caregivers tended to “exhibit more anxious or depressive behavior than non-caregivers, as reported by parents.” They were more likely to have trouble getting along in school, with teachers or other students.
Parenting is hard, especially when we are also “parenting our parents” or working outside the structures of caregiving to provide for our family. We want our children to have more balance in their life, while we struggle to maintain that in ours. Our children gain in compassion when they are exposed to aging adults. It should not set limits their education or well-being.
Annette Januzzi Wick is a writer, speaker, and author of I’ll Have Some of Yours, a journey of cookies and caregiving. (Three Arch Press). A frequent contributor to Cincinnati.com, her work has appeared in Cincinnati Magazine, nextavenue.com, Still Point Arts, 3rd Act Magazine, Ovunque Siamo, Belt Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and Italian Americana (forthcoming).
There are two main types. Type I (Juvenile) and Type II Type 2 diabetes is much more common and is typically caused by lifestyle choices. Unlike type I, the pancreas can make insulin, but not enough. This leads to the sugar being left in the blood stream instead of being pushed into the cell for an energy source.Some risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes:weightinactivityfamily historyhigh LDL cholesterol levelsAge over 45prediabetesComplications of type 2 diabetes:blood vessel disease nerve damage impaired healing heart disease stroke kidney disease eye damage dementiaPeople with type 2 diabetes, on average, have a shortened life expectancy by about 10 years.You can prevent type 2 diabetes by: eating properly exercise losing weightBalancing your nutrition with the proper amounts of proteins, carbs and fat not only helps you look better, have more energy and confidence but it also prevents chronic disease. Over 80% of chronic disease is preventable through lifestyle modification!
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common condition medical professionals call the silent killer. Silent because having elevated blood pressure often goes undetected for years or decades as it slowly causes fatal changes throughout the body, leading to death. Common comorbidities of prolonged hypertension include: kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, angina, dementia, vision loss, blindness, sexual dysfunction, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, fatigue, artery damage, blood clots, and much more. Unfortunately, many individuals do not know or treat hypertension until the damage has already taken place. But it's not too late. There are many methods and options available to treat and eliminate this life threatening condition. The traditional method of treating hypertension consists of a doctor's visit, finding of hypertension, a series of cardiac studies, and then being prescribed medication.Often this is accompanied by a diagnosis of genetic hypertension, familial hypertension, secondary hypertension or idiopathic hypertension (unknown cause). Regardless of the diagnosis, the underlying cause can go unnoticed and untreated. Frankly, because there is not enough time and individuality to this approach. The band aid approach. So what's a normal blood pressure? Ideally 120/60.When does blood pressure become dangerous? When your systolic pressure (the first number) rises above and sustains above 150 you should be concerned.Long term effects of elevated blood pressure leads to interior vessel damage and therefore creates even more of a risk to you such as narrowing of the blood vessel, clotting and arteriosclerosis. So what generally leads to hypertension?Some causes for hypertension include obesity, hypernatremia or high sodium, lack of exercise, elevated homocysteine, sleep deprivation, substance use, smoking, stress, hypercholesterol or high fats in the blood, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, lung disease, diet and age.Getting to the core issue and addressing the primary cause or causes of hypertension is the ideal treatment. Unfortunately this is often challenging and time consuming for individuals to navigate themselves. They find there is no direct guidance from medical professionals. Instead the medication seems to be the end all be all approach. Most providers are unfortunately taught this method in school and are not programmed to use a holistic approach.Depending on the cause of hypertension, there are methods and scientifically proven lifestyle changes that can eliminate the silent killer in your life, without having to take medication with harmful side effects. Here are some general non-specific ways to treat hypertension:1. Sodium. Water follows salt. The more salt you digest, the more water that attaches to it. This fills up the veins and arteries, and the pressure makes the heart have to work harder to pump. By reducing sodium intake, we reduce the amount of fluid in our vascular space and lessen the workload of the heart. 2. Quit smoking. Smoking causes damage to the inside of our vessels, contributes to blood clotting, and damages your lungs. The damage in your lungs causes a backup of blood flow.3. Exercise. Your heart is its own muscle and requires exercise. When we exercise, we require the heart to improve endurance. Therefore when we are at rest, it has an easier time pumping blood.4. Diet. Eating a well balanced diet can reduce excess cholesterol. Bad cholesterol component that accumulates inside your vessels. When this happens, the opening becomes smaller making the heart have to pump harder to push through.5. Weight loss. Losing excess weight means the body needs less blood to feed extra tissue. When we lose weight, we reduce the need for the heart to pump harder to feed the excess mass. The extra pumping causes the heart muscle to become large then sets into other diseases, such as heart failure.6. Stress reduction. Stress induces a response in our body, causing inflammation, increasing our heart rate and narrowing our vessels. This again causes the heart to have to pump harder and thus increases our blood pressure.Utilizing an experienced certified nurse and wellness coach can bridge the gap between lifestyle modification and optimal health. By utilizing this approach, you can obtain a personal and individualized plan and treatment for hypertension and other ailments concurrently. To learn more about a specific plan designed for you or to schedule a free consultation, click below. I would be happy to see if we are a good fit to work together and begin living the life you were designed for and the care you deserve.
Physical activity helps your brain, but did you know even some sedentary activities can ward off cognitive decline? Creative crafts, reading, and puzzles such as Sudoku or Scrabble keep your brain mentally stimulated. Try word and number games rather than TV or gaming. So, when you rest your body, make sure you're still engaging your brain. Summary: New research highlights that some sedentary activities, like reading or crafting, are better for brain health than others, such as watching TV or gaming. A study of 397 older adults found that mentally stimulating and socially engaging activities support memory and thinking abilities, while passive screen time is linked to cognitive decline.This insight is crucial, as 45% of dementia cases are linked to modifiable lifestyle factors. Researchers suggest swapping passive activities for more engaging ones to protect brain health, even during indulgent holiday marathons.Key FactsCognitive Benefits: Reading and social engagement improve brain function, unlike passive screen time.Preventable Risk: 45% of dementia cases could be reduced through lifestyle changes.Healthy Swaps: Small activity changes, like breaking up TV time with reading or movement, benefit the brain.Source: University of South AustraliaIts that time of the year when most of us get the chance to sit back and enjoy some well-deserved down time. But whether you reach for the TV controller, or a favourite book, your choice could have implications for your long-term brain health, say researchers at the University of South Australia.Assessing the 24-hour activity patterns of 397 older adults (aged 60+), researchers found that the context or type of activity that you engage in, matters when it comes to brain health. And specifically, that some sedentary (or sitting) behaviours are better for cognitive function than others.When looking at different sedentary behaviours, they found that social or mentally stimulating activities such as reading, listening to music, praying, crafting, playing a musical instrument, or chatting with others are beneficial for memory and thinking abilities. Yet watching TV or playing video games are detrimental.Researchers believe that there is likely a hierarchy of how sedentary behaviours relate to cognitive function, in that some have positive effects while others have negative effects.Its a valuable insight that could help reduce risks of cognitive impairment, particularly when at least 45% of dementia cases could be prevented through modifiable lifestyle factors.In Australia, about 411,100 people (or one in every 1000 people) are living with dementia. Nearly two-thirds are women. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that more than 55 million people have dementia with nearly 10 million new cases each year.UniSA researcher Dr Maddison Mellow says that not all sedentary behaviours are equal when it comes to memory and thinking ability.In this research, we found that the context of an activity alters how it relates to cognitive function, with different activities providing varying levels of cognitive stimulation and social engagement, Dr Mellow says.We already know that physical activity is a strong protector against dementia risk, and this should certainly be prioritised if you are trying to improve your brain health. But until now, we hadnt directly explored whether we can benefit our brain health by swapping one sedentary behaviour for another.We found that sedentary behaviours which promote mental stimulation or social engagement such as reading or talking with friends are beneficial for cognitive function, whereas others like watching TV or gaming have a negative effect. So, the type of activity is important.And, while the move more, sit less message certainly holds true for cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviours and cognitive function.Now, as the Christmas holidays roll around, what advice do researchers have for those who really want to indulge in a myriad of Christmas movies or a marathon of Modern Family?To achieve the best brain health and physical health benefits, you should prioritise movement thats enjoyable and gets the heart rate up, as this has benefits for all aspects of health, Dr Mellow says.But even small five-minute time swaps can have benefits. So, if youre dead set on having a Christmas movie marathon, try to break up that time with some physical activity or a more cognitively engaged seated activity, like reading, at some point. That way you can slowly build up healthier habits.This research was conducted by a team of UniSA researchers including: Dr Maddison Mellow, Prof Dot Dumuid, Dr Alexandra Wade, Prof Tim Olds, Dr Ty Stanford, Prof Hannah Keage, and Assoc Prof Ashleigh Smith; with researchers from the University of Leicester, and the University of Newcastle.Author: Annabel MansfieldSource: University of South AustraliaContact: Annabel Mansfield University of South AustraliaImage: The image is credited to Neuroscience NewsOriginal Research: Open access.Should We Work Smarter or Harder for Our Health? A Comparison of Intensity and Domain-Based Time-Use Compositions and Their Associations With Cognitive and Cardiometabolic Health by Maddison Mellow et al. Journals of Gerontology Series A
Arden Courts provides a safe and pleasing home for individuals with memory loss, including enclosed courtyards and a backyard with walking paths. We are a residential living alternative designed for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and other types of memory impairments. We offer the services traditionally associated with an assisted living residence, while taking into account the special needs of individuals with memory loss including safety, building layout, activities and dietary needs.