How To Treat Loss Of Appetite

June 7, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

As people age, a loss of appetite can be concerning to family caregivers. When you notice their strength diminishing, and worry about the nutrients they’re getting, it can be difficult, almost argumentative trying to convince them to take one more bite.

The best way to get your loved one to eat might not be the way you think. Pressure isn’t the answer. Try one of these tactics instead.

Support your loved one and stop pushing

A loss of appetite might be a symptom of many things your loved one could be facing. They might be facing gastrointestinal problems. Or have problems chewing and swallowing. Noticing the problem may give them even more issue with the process. Instead of focusing on consumption, create the opportunity to socialize instead. Even if eating is difficult, invite your loved one to be a part of the mealtime process. Give them a place at the dinner table. Invite friends and family in to share a meal. The heightened sense of normality might give them a reason to take a bite or two.

Serve favorite foods

Depending on the severity of loss of appetite, focus more on getting food into your loved one than the calories or quality of the food. If they want a bowl of ice cream at every meal, let them eat it. People are more likely to eat things that bring back warm memories, or things they’ve enjoyed since they were kids. You can also look for foods that are easy to consume – mashed potatoes and rice pudding are great choices. You can even look for easy ways to add different ingredients together – why not mix fruit in with oatmeal? Remember happy face pancakes when you were a kid? Give it a try with your loved one now.

Think smaller and more frequent

Who says eating three times a day is the best way to eat? When your loved one has trouble eating, serving smaller portions every two or three hours can make the process easier. People struggling with appetite loss often dread upcoming meal times, knowing they will be focused on once again. Snacking can take the pressure off that process. Try combining it with other activities, when appropriate. How about a snack while you watch a movie or listen to an audiobook?

Provide nutritional supplements

While liquid dietary supplements are growing in the marketplace, they still aren’t designed to take the place of well-balanced meals. That said, they can be added to a diet when your loved one has trouble eating. Be sure to read your labels – many of them contain loads of sugar that can amplify certain health problems. Check with your doctor before adding to your loved one’s diet. Also, visit your local health food store and ask for suggestions. With thousands of products available to you, you’re sure to find a few new items to bring home and try.

Try natural remedies

Instead of focusing on prescriptions or other ways to force eating, try natural remedies first. Throughout history, people have been using natural herbs and teas to stimulate appetite. Try adding these to your foods or teas:

Cardamom
Cloves
Fennel
Garlic
Ginger
Ginseng

Just remember that some naturopathic remedies can sometimes interact with prescription medications, so talk with your doctor first before giving these a try.

Get Ready For Winter With These Life-Saving Safety Tips

September 20, 2018 by admin Leave a Comment

One day the temperatures are rising high enough to use the air conditioner all day, the next they’re plummeting low enough to use the heater full-blast. That’s autumn here across the Rocky Mountain region. It’s unpredictable, but we’re used to it.

If you’ve lived here long enough, you know how to adjust to the changes. You wear layers in the morning. You keep your windows closed even if you’re only leaving the house for a short period. You may have even automated your home, making your home’s temperature controls available on your mobile device. Whether you need to cool things down or warm things up, it’s only one push of a button away.

That works for you. But that can be difficult for older adults, especially if they are vulnerable. According to the Center for Disease Control, winter weather takes its toll on this part of the population, increasing their risk of dying from weather-related events. Elderly have thinning skin and often have less body fat, making them vulnerable to frostbite. They are less likely to sense the cold, meaning they are more susceptible to cold related injury.

Whether you just check in on your parents every once in a while, or are their 24 hour of the day caregiver, there are a few things you should do to get ready for the winter.

Dress In Layers

We all develop a sense of style along life’s way. Your loved one might still prefer dresses when she goes out, or even inappropriate shoes for winter conditions. While you might not be able to talk her out of all of it, you can offer more appropriate selections. Make a day of it; go shopping and out to lunch. If she has to have a dress, add a sweater to go with it. Have her try on boots as well as shoes. Invest in warm slippers with a non-slip sole. And if you can’t go out, order in. Many places online make ordering and returning easy.

Stock Up

If your loved one has a pattern such as going to the store every day, consider stocking up on the things they use most. If they like to run up to the coffee shop, consider buying an easy-to-use coffee pot and gourmet coffee for them to use in emergencies. If they run out to pick up pet supplies often, create a stash of supplies they can draw from in emergencies – canned food, cat litter, or absorbent pads can all be stored indefinitely.

Have A Plan

Sometimes the power goes out and doesn’t come back on for hours. This can put your loved one at risk. If you can’t get there, who can? It’s good to have people as your backup plan. While neighbors are a good resource, ensure you have someone outside the neighborhood in the event of widespread power outages. While a neighbor is a good choice to ensure they stay warm and won’t fall if they go out, it’s important to always have someone available who can jump in and help in an emergency.

Check The House and Car

If you observe both the inside and outside of your loved one’s home in the autumn, you’ll find potential hazards before they become more. Are pipes exposed? Take action to avoid burst pipes. Who will keep the sidewalks shoveled? Hire a neighbor to get it done before your loved one rises. If they do drive, ensure they have a good set of tires.

Check Medications

Do you know how often they receive their prescriptions and from where? If they can’t get out of the house for a week, do they always have enough on hand? Are they stored correctly if the temperatures in the house dip low? Consider setting up prescriptions to be mailed to their home. Be sure they always have at least a week supply to ensure they never run out in an emergency.

What other winter tips do you have to ensure your loved one stays safe all winter long?

6 Ways To Deal With Long Distance Caregiver Guilt

April 19, 2018 by admin Leave a Comment

Caregiving is difficult. But when you add in trying to perform the duties required from hundreds of miles away, the struggle is amplified. You start to question everything.

Am I visiting enough?
Am I doing enough?

Even your parents can contribute to these feelings, sometimes unknowingly, by complaining or sounding pitiful on the phone. “Oh, you know me, I’ll be just fine.”

Even in the best of circumstances, caregiving is accompanied by a sense of guilt. But when you’re not present for all that is required on a daily basis, these feelings quickly escalate. However, it is important to understand that it’s okay to have these feelings. It’s how you address them that impacts your experience as a caregiver. [Read more…]

8 Ways To Create Simple Joys In Your Life

March 2, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Caregiving can be a mind-numbing experience. Every day brings more of the same, until you’re sure you’re going to crack under the pressure.

While routine may be a good thing for the person you are caring for, it doesn’t mean that you should accept more of the same every day. Small changes can do wondrous things for your attitude. Simple joys can give you a new lease on life.

Turn off the news, television, and computer

Television has become a full time babysitter, especially for those that stay close to home. But how many more cooking shows can you truly watch? Why not put what you’ve learned into practice instead? Pick up a cookbook and give a new recipe a try. Experiment with different recipes to find the best in a category – the best eggplant parmesan recipe, for example. Give the person you are caring for a chore or two. Whether it’s mixing and chopping, or simply enjoying the food, you’ll both enjoy a few hours doing something new.

Take a class

Everyone has a hobby or something they are interested in. When was the last time you picked up your knitting needles? Or tried your hand at scrapbooking? Now is the time to actually do it. Take the plunge and take a class. In some cases, you won’t even have to leave home. A quick search can bring up a wealth of information on any subject you can imagine. You can also search sites like Udemy to learn a new skill online.

Have lunch with an old friend

The Internet has made it easier than ever to get in touch with people from your past. This includes the person you are caring for. Is there someone you would both enjoy visiting and having lunch with? Even if you live far away, try having lunch through technology – Skype, Facetime or Google makes it easy to chat from anywhere in the world. [Read more…]

Surviving Caregiver Syndrome

September 27, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

We’ve all heard the stories before.

A couple enters a caregiving situation. Eventually, the person receiving care stabilizes. But the caregiver’s health begins to worsen and decline. Rapidly, both enter a situation where they are in need of care. And in some cases, the care recipient outlives the caregiver.

Most people don’t enter a caregiving role thinking they will be putting their own health in harm’s way. Yet for most people, entering the world of caregiving puts them into a lifestyle with chronic high stress, a high risk for illness, and an ever-growing reduction in self-care leaves them vulnerable in many ways.

Caregivers tend to be big hearted. They are highly motived, extremely involved, responsible and well-intentioned. They give everything they have to the task at hand, and when something gives (and it always does) it’s usually their own health that is first in line.

If you’re used to putting the needs of everyone else ahead of your own, how can you shift?

First, understand the connection. [Read more…]

The Caregivers Balancing Act

September 20, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

For many caregivers, they are of similar age to the person they are caring for. It’s especially true when a husband or wife suddenly finds themselves in the caregiving role.

While on some levels we expect to be there and provide all our loved one needs, what we don’t anticipate is how suddenly we can feel overwhelmed by the life in front of us.

As a spouse or partner, you are probably of similar age. You may have arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, or another chronic condition that brings about its own challenges. And before you know it, caregiving and self-care suddenly begin competing for your time.

And we all know which one usually wins.

How can you balance your own needs with the growing demands of your spouse?

In many ways, it’s no different than how you lived in the past. It’s a matter of simply making the time for the two of you. Ensuring each of your needs are met, given the time and priority they deserve. [Read more…]

Creating A Care Plan As A Family Caregiver

July 12, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Caregiving. It’s a natural part of aging, with most of us needing some level of care at some point in our lives.

But for most, we fall into the caregiving role almost by accident. And even once we get there, we do it on an as-needed basis. With close to 35 million unpaid caregivers currently in the US, an overwhelming majority of them (76 percent) state their caregiving plans could be improved, according to AgingCare.com’s 2015 Care Plan Survey.

It also shows that more than half (51 percent) of caregivers report having no plan to manage their responsibilities. And of those with a plan, 41 percent have no support from family or professional help.

Being an effective family caregiver means laying out your future plans to give you an inventory list of things to do. Especially as time goes on, the more planning you do, the less stress you will feel about both daily activities and long term care issues.

What should your plan include? [Read more…]

Dealing With Emergencies – A Caregivers Checklist

December 30, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

The day to day life of being a caregiver is hard. As a caregiver, you know that emergencies can arise in the blink of an eye. One minute you’re planning a casual lunch for two, the next you’re in the emergency room dealing with complications.

Emergencies can come about in many forms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three seniors suffers from a fall each year, leading to both nonfatal and fatal risks. Add in other ailments such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and your caregiving skills can quickly escalate to overwhelm at a moments notice.

While nothing will take away the emotional trauma you’ll face in an emergency situation, you can be prepared. Being prepared means any situation you face will run as smooth as possible.

Have All Your Facts

The most important thing you can have at hand is information. In any type of emergency situation, facts can save precious time. No matter if you are at home, or are traveling far from home, always have easy access to vital information for the person you are caring for, including:

Date of birth
Social Security Number
Insurance information
All medicines and dosage
Doctors and specialists
Results of tests
Dates of recent visits
Medical conditions
Brief medical history
Living wills and health care proxies

With todays technology, its easier than ever to be prepared wherever you go with an app. Try Prime. It helps families coordinate all health care information in one easy place. [Read more…]

Holiday Safety Tips As A Caregiver

December 15, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Christmas carols. Holiday lights. Festivities abound.

Many love this time of year for all it brings. It’s a time to bring families together and share; from parties, to get togethers, to overnight celebrations.

It’s also the perfect time of the year for potential problems.

As a caregiver, your jobs are many. But at this time of the year, you’ll have to work a little harder and think a little differently in order to keep your loved one and those around him or her safe in the process.

Snow Shoveling

Snow shoveling brings a variety of potential problems. First and foremost, if you are providing care for a loved one on a part time basis, they may try and help out when they can. Many seniors head outside to shovel snow and clear off ice, especially to the areas they use most. Like to the garage for access to the car, or to the mailbox to pick up mail. Snow shoveling can cause a injuries to the knees, arms and back if you lift incorrectly. It also puts a person more at risk for slips and falls. If at all possible, clear walkways as quickly as possible, or hire it out to a service or a neighbor or friend.

After the walkways have been cleared, it’s also important to keep them clear of ice and snow. Even a small amount of ice can be deadly if someone slips and falls. Use ice melt to reduce ice potential and eliminate hazards as quickly as possible. [Read more…]

The Daily Discipline Of Being A Caregiver

December 8, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Think about all you do during the day, from the moment you rise until you crawl back into bed. What things come to mind?

Did you think things like:

Getting my loved one up and ready for the day
Getting my loved one to doctors appointments
Getting meals prepared that my loved one will eat

In other words, did all of your daily tasks revolve around caring for your loved one?

For many caregivers, it’s true. From the moment they rise, their mind drifts from one moment to the next, always thinking about the next thing they must accomplish to keep the person they are caring for safe, comfortable and secure.

Yet they are missing one crucial element to making it all work. Themselves.

The daily discipline of being a caregiver doesn’t just involve the needs of the person you are caring for, it also encompasses your needs. And if your plans aren’t as high priority as the needs of the one you are caring for, you are setting yourself up for difficulty. [Read more…]