Winter Holidays Means Increase in Service to Seniors in Phoenix, Scottsdale and NE Valley, Arizona

It is this time, the beginning of the winter holidays, that Senior In Home Care services are in the biggest demand. Family and Friends visit their senior loved ones and detect reasons they may need a friendly, compassionate, trusted, reliable CareGiver.

 

It may be that the trash seems to be piling up, medications are not being taken as prescribed, moldy food in the fridge, depression, poor hygiene, loss of weight, memory issues, failing mobility or some other clue that it is time to bring in a caregiver from an agency such as Right at Home to assist with companionship or personal care tasks.

 

These are just some of the reasons we receive a “Can you help me with my _______________. YES WE CAN!

 

Please check out our web site at http://www.rah-phx.com or give us a call at 602-569-7240 in Phoenix, Scottsdale and the Northeast Valley in Arizona. We are here for you and your Eldercare needs during this holiday season and all year long.

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In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Elderly drivers in Arizona…a difficult discussion

Elderly Drivers: Stop or Go?

By Phyllis Staff, Ph.D.

Without so much as a tap on the brakes, my aunt whizzed through another stop sign.

“What are you doing?” I shrieked. “That was a stop sign.”

“Oh,” she replied rather offhandedly, “they just put those there so you’ll look before you go into an intersection.”

That was the day I stopped riding with my aunt but not the day she stopped driving. From then on, I had visions of an enormous pink Chevy leading a parade of cascading accidents. And I wasn’t far from wrong.

She drove with what she knew to be the utmost caution. . . .never exceeding 30 miles per hour, even on I35! She expected, even demanded that traffic would give way to her like the seas parted for Moses. Sometimes, it did. But mostly, driving with her was a harrowing experience with no end in sight.

So, when do the elderly become a menace on the roads? And, what can you do when they refuse to give up the keys? Here are a few suggestions I’ve found.

Causes for Concern

Poor Vision – Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can reduce visual acuity and limit visual fields, so a yearly eye exam is imperative for the elderly driver. Ask the doctor about driving, and don’t take the word of the elderly driver on the results of her exam.

Poor Hearing – Something as simple as a clogged ear passage can create a hearing loss. A doctor can identify the problem and offer solutions, so have elderly hearing checked yearly.

Poor Flexibility and Limited Range of Motion – Good drivers rely on looking out rear and side windows as well as checking rearview mirrors. When a driver lacks the ability to turn his head and shoulders to look outside, he may not see oncoming vehicles or obstacles traveling in the car’s blindspot.

Reduced Reaction Time – As we age, we slow down, and reaction times diminish. Keeping extra space between the driver’s and other cars can help reduce the likelihood of accidents, but there comes a time when reactions are too slow for road safety. Click here for a reaction time test that will show you graphically how far you travel after you see a red light!

How to Get (and Keep) the Keys

A few states, , require road tests for persons over 65 when their licenses are renewed. An additional sss states require vision tests with license renewals. Consider yourself fortunate if you live in one of these states because it may be that the state will refuse to renew the elder’s license. If you live elsewhere, here are a few tricks to try.

Talk with your Elder about the Convenience of Mass Transit – Many mass transit authorities have special services and special fares for the elderly and disabled. Check with your local transit authority. And talk with your elder about how nice it is to be able to enjoy the scenery while someone else does the driving.

Give Your Elder a Refresher Course – Not only will a refresher course improve road awareness, it may help your elder earn a discount on his car insurance. Courses and informative pamphlets are available from the AARP, AAA, and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. You’ll find links to these sites at the end of this article.

Report unsafe driving to your local Department of Public Safety. They may have additional help to offer you.

“Break” the Car – My teenagers unplugged a few vital wires when my father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, refused to relinquish the keys. We knew his cognitive ability was far too impaired for him to recognize the problem, and he was always comforted when we said we’d have the car repaired “soon.”

Remove the Keys – Distract your elder from finding “lost” keys by offering an immediate alternative way to go somewhere. While this may be the most unpleasant way to stop your elder from driving, remember that you are not only protecting him but all the rest of us as well.

And what happened to my aunt? She got a ticket from a wonderful traffic officer whom we all blessed on a daily basis! Fearing the loss of her auto insurance, she voluntarily gave up driving.

Web Resources

Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully is a free booklet you can read online.

AARP offers a refresher course for elderly drivers as well as a number of other helpful resources. See their site at http://www.aarp.org/55alive/.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has a terrific new site, http://www.SeniorDrivers.org, that you shouldn’t miss if you’re a senior driver or have a senior driver in your family. Exercises, examples of perceptual loss due to aging, emergency tips, and much, much more – all free. Please don’t miss it!

For more in depth information on elderly drivers, see the OLR research report.

Article Source: http://myeldercarearticles.com

In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

5 Things You Need to Know About Senior Living in Arizona

(borrowed with appreciation from our friends at Livestrong)

1. Keep the Glass Half Full

“Don’t worry, be happy,” or so the song goes. Optimistic people of all ages are happier and healthier. This is especially true for senior citizens who have challenges they often must face alone. If you see the glass as half full, your positive thoughts help motivate you to a healthier lifestyle. Positive thinking makes you confident in yourself; you’re less likely to question decisions you’ve made or live in the past. Optimistic seniors have a fuller social life that also keeps them happy and active.

2. Declare Your Independence

Death is not nearly as scary to a senior as a nursing home or losing independence. Staying independent as you age is a matter of planning for future circumstances. Even the most serious of illnesses can be treated from your own home if you have caregivers in place or make arrangements for them. Many seniors are using reverse mortgages or private insurance to finance home health workers. Many community organizations will help with meals, transportation and respite care during periods of illness. Skilled nurses, aides, physical therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians and social workers are all part of the home health care team.

3. To Your Health

A healthy lifestyle is the key to good health for senior citizens. Eating healthy food and exercising is one aspect of a healthy lifestyle. Chronic disease can be maintained with regular doctor visits, managing medication and following medical advice. Socializing with friends or family, joining a club or organization or going online keeps you socializing and active.

4. Live in Locomotion

It’s OK to be a couch potato when you’re sick. But if you continue to sit on the couch, you’ll take root and be unable to move. You have to move to stay in good shape. Movement increases circulation to your extremities and increases oxygen to your brain. Movement keeps you flexible and aids in good balance. You don’t have to join a gym to get moving. Go dancing or swimming, go for a long walk, check out the mall or a flea market to get moving. Learn how to belly dance or take karate lessons to move in different ways.

5. Train Your Brain

Aside from good nutrition and exercise, your brain needs stimulation to remain healthy. Learn something entirely new to really force your brain to think; learn a language or a new musical instrument to train your brain. Crossword puzzles and word games also enhance brain power. Go online and learn something new every day to keep your brain active. A healthy brain that continues to learn is the best gift you can give yourself as a senior citizen.

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In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Great Web Resources for Seniors in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Maricopa County, Arizona

Here’s a great list of Web Resources for our Senior friends in Arizona and beyond:

• Area Agency on Aging  http://www.aaaphx.org/
• Arizona Physicians Directory http://arizona.uscity.net/Physicians/
• Arizona Association of Community Health Centers www.aachc.org/
• Consumer Protection and Advocacy Section
• Elder Abuse http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Health/Abuse.shtml
• Office of the Attorney General  www.azag.gov
• Senior Citizens’ Resources from USA.gov  http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml
• Senior health from usa.gov http://www.usa.gov
• AZ Links is Arizona’s Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), created to help Arizona Seniors, People with Disabilities, Caregivers and Family Members locate resources and services that meet their needs.  https://egov.azdes.gov/cmsinternet/main.aspx?menu=8&id=46
• Meals on Wheels  http://www.mealcall.org/meals-on-wheels/az/index.htm
• Medicare and Medicaid info http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Health/Medicare.shtml
• Right at Home In Home Care http://www.rah-phx.com
• Social Security Administration http://www.ssa.gov/
• State Agency Directory http://az.gov/app/contactaz/a-b.xhtml

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In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

Taking Care of Diabetes

Taking Care of Diabetes

via Taking Care of Diabetes in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

Test – please disregard

http://rahphx.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/funny-ways-to-handle-senior-moments-from-right-at-home-senior-in-home-care-in-scottsdale-phoenix-ft-hills-arizona-az/

Is Dementia Hereditary in Patients in Arizona?

Is Disorder That Causes Dementia Hereditary?

New research shows that a rare brain disorder that causes early dementia is highly hereditary. The study is published in the November 3, 2009, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The brain disorder, called frontotemporal dementia, is formerly known as Pick’s disease and destroys parts of the brain, leading to dementia, including problems with language or changes in behavior and personality. The disease often affects people under the age of 65.

“Knowing your family’s health history may be one way for people to better predict their risk of developing dementia,” said study author Jonathan Rohrer, MRCP Clinical Research Fellow at the Dementia Research Center at the University College London in the United Kingdom.

For the study, blood was drawn from 225 people who were diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The people were asked about family history of dementia and given a score of one through four. A score of one represents a person who had at least three relatives with dementia and an autosomal dominant inheritance, meaning that an affected person has one mutant gene and one normal gene and has a 50-percent chance of passing the mutant gene and therefore the disorder on to their offspring. A score of four represents a person with no family history of dementia.

The study found that nearly 42 percent of participants scored between a one and a 3.5, meaning they had some family history of dementia. However, only 10 percent had an autosomal dominant gene history.

The people in the study also had their DNA tested for five gene mutations thought to cause frontotemporal dementia. Mutations were found in two of the five genes.

“Many people were still found to have a strong family history of dementia even without having any of the five known gene mutations, suggesting that there are still unknown genes that cause frontotemporal dementia,” said Rohrer.

“Discovering new genes and gene mutations could provide another key to unlocking the doors to new treatments and prevention strategies for dementia.”

The study also found that behavioral problems associated with frontotemporal dementia were the most likely to be hereditary, while language problems were the least likely to be hereditary.

The study is supported by the United Kingdom Department of Health’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centers, the Medical Research Council UK and the Alzheimer’s Research Trust in the United Kingdom.

November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine,Huntington’s disease and dementia.

Source: American Academy of Neurology (AAN), borrowed from medicalnewstoday.com

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In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

 

Getting Old Is Better Than Expected for Seniors in Phoenix / Scottsdale, Arizona (AZ)

<<Borrowed from livescience.com for the friends and clients of Right at Home Phoenix http://rah-phx.com

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When do we get old? People age 18 to 29 say “old age” starts at about 60. But those in middle-age figure it starts at 70. And those 65 and older put the threshold at 74.

So it goes with other perceptions about aging in a new survey from the Pew Research Center. The disparities between what younger people expect will happen as they age, and what really happens, are stark.

Good memory, good health, good sex. It’s enough to make the grandkids cringe!

Adults age 18 to 64 were asked what they expect will happen when they get old. Those 65 and older were asked what actually has happened to them. The results (18-64 / 65 and older):

• Suffer memory loss (57 percent think they’ll suffer it / 25 percent do)
• Not be able to drive: 45 percent / 14 percent
• Suffer a serious illness: 42 percent / 21 percent
• Not be sexually active: 34 percent / 21 percent

That means 79 percent of seniors are having sex, contrary to what they probably expected would be the case when they were younger. A separate study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 found that more than half of 75- to 85-year-olds reported having sex at least twice a month.

And the vast majority of them can drive home afterward, if necessary.

If you think all this has got to make older people happy, you’re probably right.

The survey fits with other studies that have shown Americans grow happier as they age. Beingmale or Republican doesn’t hurt, other research finds.

Previous research has shown that happiness in old age depends not just on health and reality, but on attitude. One study found that people age 60 to 98 who had dealt with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions or a range of other problems were surprisingly happy.

Things indeed get worse for those who live beyond age 80, the new Pew Center survey found. About 41 percent of respondents age 85 and older say they’ve experiences some memory loss and 30 percent are often sad or depressed.

Still, even really old age doesn’t sound as bad, on average, as younger folks expect. A mere 1 percent of those 85 and older said their lives have turned out worse than they expected.

The survey, released today and available here, involved 2,969 U.S. adults.

 

In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

How Old Are You Really? A Quiz from Right at Home Senior In Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, AZ

Quiz: How Old Are You Really?

From the following list of 25 items, count all the ones that you remember — not the ones you were told about! How to score yourself is at the end.

1. Blackjack chewing gum
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar-water
3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda-pop machines that dispensed bottles
5. Coffee shops with tableside jukeboxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines
8. Newsreels before the movie
9. P. F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (e.g., Olive – 6933)
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14. 45-RPM records … and 78-RPM records
15. S&H Green Stamps
16. Hi-fi systems
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Rollerskate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-in theaters
24. Studebakers
25. Washtub wringers

If you remembered!
0 – 5 = You’re still young
6 – 10 = You are getting older
11 – 15 = Don’t tell your age
16 – 25 = You’re older than you think!

Call us at Right at Home and tell us how you did and how we can assist you or your loved ones with In Home Care that permits you to maintain your independence!

In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240

7 Habits That Make Skin Age Faster – For our Home Care Clients in Phoenix, Arizona

Aging Skin – 7 Habits That Make Skin Age Faster

Many of the external causes of aging skin are determined by the health and lifestyle decisions you make every day. Making unhealthy choices can cause prematurely aging skin, and this makes you look older, faster.

An important part of any anti-aging skin care program is to know what you may be doing that is harming your skin and speeding up your skin’s aging process.

Here are 7 habits that contribute to aging skin, making you look older than your years:

 

1. Cigarette smoke: Whether you smoke, or you spend time with a smoker, cigarette smoke is damaging — and aging — to your skin. Research has shown that exposure to cigarette smoke significantly increases skin wrinkles and dryness. This is partly due to the behavior of smoking, and also because cigarette smoke depletes your body of Vitamin C, which is a key ingredient for keeping skin plump and moist.Some researchers believe that exposure to cigarette smoke (whether you smoke or not) is as damaging to aging skin as exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

 

2. Sun exposure: Sun exposure is very aging to skin. Unprotected skin that is exposed to the sun becomes more mottled in appearance. Freckles can turn into brown sun spots, the skin takes on a dry, leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase. The risk of skin cancer is significantly increased by sun exposure.The good news is that sun damage is avoidable, and if you start now, you can improve the condition of sun damaged skin.
   • See your health care provider to assess the amount of sun damage you may have, and to rule out possible skin cancers. He or she may be able to prescribe medication that can help to reduce existing sun damage.

    

   • If you want to avoid aging skin but don’t want to avoid the sun, make sure you use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Choose sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher, and use it all year-round, even on cloudy days. Clouds do not protect you from ultraviolet ray exposure.

 

 

3. Lack of exercise: Living a sedentary life contributes to aging skin, because exercise helps to tone your muscles and get your blood flowing. Exercise should be an important part of every anti-aging skin care program. Researchers have also discovered that sedentary older adults are at higher risk for dementia .In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, the benefits of a regular exercise program will show on your face. Having a bright smile and lots of energy will help youlook and feel younger, at any age.

 

4. Exposure to cold weather: Cold winds and low temperatures contribute to aging skin by making skin dry, so if you venture out in the cold be sure to use a good moisturizer.It’s important to use moisturizer indoors too, as heated rooms can be very drying to skin. Consider using a humidifier to help keep your skin more comfortable and reduce the aging skin effects of heated rooms.

 

5. Alcohol use: Alcohol contributes to aging skin by dilating small blood vessels in the skin and increasing blood flow near the skin’s surface. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, creating a flushed appearance and broken vessels on the skin’s surface.

 

6. Stress: Maybe you’ve heard this expression: “Don’t frown, your face could stay that way.” Stress and worry cause frowning, and over time the muscles in the face actually conform to that movement.To help reduce aging skin due to stress, be aware of your stress level and try to vary your facial expressions during the day. A good anti-aging skin care program should include meditation, yoga, gentle exercise or other relaxation techniques. Keeping stress in check — and frown lines and aging skin wrinkles to a minimum — will help you look and feel younger.

 

7. Lack of sleep: Too little sleep makes you look and feel tired. One of the first places lack up sleep shows up is on the face, with dark circles and bags under the eyes, and sagging skin. Lack of sleep is also a major factor in memory loss and symptoms of depression that include low interest in daily activities and negative thinking.Research has shown that most adults function best with 8-9 hours of sleep each night. Reduce caffeine during the day (with none in the evening), avoid eating at least 2 hours before bedtime, and maintain a sleep routine that includes going to bed at the same time each night. For more sleeping tips, see How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep.

   If you are having trouble sleeping, for any reason, it’s important to see your health care provider.

While some signs of aging skin are inevitable, there’s a lot you can do to look your best at any age. Taking good care of yourself is the most important step in your anti-aging skin care program.  (from http://seniorliving.about.com)

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In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs.  Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.

For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call 602-569-7240