WellNest Articles
Though most seniors are in good mental health, many are at risk of developing neurological and mental health disorders, especially dementia and depression. The good news is that regardless of your age, there are proactive steps you can take to keep your brain healthy and reduce your risk of developing dementia, depression, or other mental conditions. Read more…
Hip replacement recovery and rehabilitation is just as important as the surgery itself. If you fail to follow recovery protocols, you may compromise your ultimate result. Hip replacement recovery takes about six weeks for most patients. Read more…
On average, a burglary happens once every 26 seconds. According to the FBI, a burglar strikes every 25.7 seconds in the US. That adds up to more than two burglaries every minute and over 3,300 burglaries per day. That could be why 62% of the respondents to our State of Safety survey named a break-in as their top property crime worry. Read more…
We all experience stress at times. But, as we age, coping with stress isn’t as easy. “We have less resilience to stress, and older adults often find that stress affects them differently now,” says Dr. Michelle Dossett, an internal and integrative medicine specialist. “Our cells are aging. Heart fitness and lung capacity decline, especially if you’re sedentary,” says Dr. Dossett. Read more…
You’ve heard that it’s important to get enough fiber, especially as you grow older. Numerous studies have proven that fibrous foods help seniors age healthier because they lead to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar levels, normalize bowel movements, and help manage a healthy weight. Fiber is found in a lot of foods, so it’s easy to add to daily meals. Read more…
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) people over the age of 65 have a 2.5 times greater risk of dying in a kitchen fire than the general population. Cooking is one of the leading causes of fire in the home, FEMA says, accounting for thousands of injuries and deaths each year. Read more…
Caring for senior parents is not easy, and dementia care can be daunting, especially when they are stubborn. Resisting care and digging in their heels are two hallmarks of dementia. But it may not be as challenging as you would expect. Whether you care for a parent or senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, the right attitude is crucial to success. Read more…
According to an AARP survey, roughly 90% of American seniors wish to live at home for as long as possible. Seniors vastly prefer aging in place to facility care, even in cases where physical or cognitive decline makes it difficult to live independently. It can also be very difficult to choose between aging in place and senior living facilities. This decision is easier for many families when they’re aware of how living at home benefits seniors. Read more…
Criminological research indicates that it is not vulnerability but lifestyle and amount of time spent out of the home which are pre-disposing factors to offenses against seniors. However, there is a disproportionately high personal impact. Ways of reducing exposure and impact include: hardening targets, creating protective environments, encouraging self-help, awareness of crime and prevention techniques, and Risk avoidance. Read more…
Elder financial abuse is defined in the Older Americans Act of 2006 as:
“The fraudulent or otherwise illegal, unauthorized, or improper act or process of an individual, including a caregiver or fiduciary, that uses the resources of an older individual for monetary or personal benefit, profit or gain, or that results in depriving an older individual of rightful access to, or use of, benefits, resources, belongings, or assets.” Read more..
Chair yoga benefits seniors, those with limited mobility, disability, or acute injuries. Wheelchair yoga and gentle chair yoga strengthen body and mind, with research-backed benefits. A 2017 study published in The Journal of Geriatrics found that chair yoga participants with osteoarthritis experienced a statistically significant reduction in pain with daily activities and improvement in walking speed. Read more…
Medication management is an important preventive measure to avoid potentially serious health hazards. Simple mistakes can become dangerous and even fatal. 87% of seniors take one prescription drug and 36% take 5 or more. If you or your loved one need extra help staying organized, there are plenty of tools and devices to keep you on track. Read more…
According to a 2011 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 200,000 Americans are treated in emergency departments for bathroom-related injuries annually. Read more…
To meet the demands for energy conservation, we have built our homes to keep fresh air out. As we increase our homeʼs efficiency, we also become more efficient at trapping contaminants. That means the air inside our homes — the air we breathe every day — is likely to be more polluted than the air outdoors. Up to 50 times more. Read more…
Bathroom falls are some of the leading causes of injuries and deaths among elderly people. The CDC records that over 230,000 non-fatal bathroom injuries occur each year in the U.S. alone. For this reason, safety features like a shower chair are essential. The moment water is turned on, there is a risk of falling due to the wet floor. A shower chair provides support when feeling unable to stand safely or alone in the shower or bathtub setting. Read more…
Handrails can save your independence. Remember, a fall to an elderly person can mean much more than an injury. A broken hip or shoulder can mean months of recuperation and rehab, and it may mean the end of their independence. If your senior parent is already prone to falling, it’s a good idea to talk to them about measures to ensure their safety. It’s better to err on the side of caution than to have to rush to the emergency room with an injured senior. Read more…
Senior Transportation Services provide the opportunity to maintain connection with friends, family, church and community. Safe and reliable transportation gives peace of mind that you or your loved one will get to the destinations they need reach so they may do the things they love and require to maintain health and happiness. Read more…
For many, the early warning signs of dehydration can be difficult to detect in seniors. For one, elderly adults don’t feel thirst as strongly as other adults, and thirst is a common early warning sign for mild dehydration. Read more…
Reaching aids are simple tools that are designed to provide an assistive device as an aid for the elderly and those with a disability. This allows the ability to enjoy independent living in their own home. Read more…
