All Home Care Matters

Today on All Home Care Matters, we are going to be talking about how hospice helps families. If you want to learn more about hospice, you can watch or listen to our previous episodes, What is Hospice, or What is Palliative Care. You can find them on our website, wherever you get your podcasts, or on our YouTube channel. Today we’re going to go over what hospice is, how it began, and how it is helping families today. Now let’s move on to the rest of the show.

The American Cancer Society describes hospice care as a special kind of care that focuses on the quality of life for people and their caregivers who are experiencing an advanced, life-limiting illness. Hospice care provides compassionate care for people in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible. Hospice’s goal isn’t to treat the disease but to treat the symptoms and make the end-of-life as comfortable and fulfilling for the patient as possible.

The founder of the first modern hospice, Dame Cicely Saunders, said that “You matter because of who you are. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully but also to live until you die.”

Dame Cicely Saunders established the first modern hospice in West London in 1967. She did not invent hospice, as it had been around for some time, but she did make it what it is today. Before her, those that were dying and in pain had to wait until their painkillers wore off before they could be given their next dose. People feared addiction for those that were suffering, which seems odd today, but before 1967 was commonplace. Dame Cicely Saunders saw that her dying patients were being forced to suffer through their pain until their inevitable deaths and worked to change how end-of-life care was managed. She created an approach that emphasized pain management, emotional and spiritual support and family counseling. She insisted that dying people needed dignity, compassion, and respect, as well as rigorous scientific methodology in the testing of treatments, and abolished the philosophy that the patient must be cured, and if they were unable to, they must be lied to about their prognosis.

One of Dame Saunders patients transferred from another hospital to her hospice care facility said that “[the previous hospital] used to see how long I could go without an injection. I used to be pouring with sweat because of the pain. I couldn’t speak to anyone and I was having crying fits. I think I’ve only cried once since I’ve been here . . . The biggest difference is feeling so calm. I don’t get worked up or upset."

Dame Saunders’ Hospice made such a difference in the end-of-life care of patients, and it has only improved since then. Today, hospice’s philosophy revolves around palliative and not curative care. It focuses on the care and comfort of the patient by managing the symptoms and not the disease. Its goal is to improve and uphold the patient’s quality of life instead of the amount of time the patient has left and neither postpones nor hastens death. Hospice also aims to educate and support the patient, the family, and other caregivers throughout end-of-life care.

When thinking about hospice care for your loved one, first you must determine their eligibility. A social worker will likely come and assess your loved one to see if they are ready for end-of-life care, but there are a few things you can check on your own. If their doctor has anticipated six months or less for the remainder of your loved one’s life, assuming the illness takes its projected course and if your loved one chooses to forego life-prolonging, aggressive treatments for the terminal illness  and related diagnoses, they most likely qualify for hospice.

Once your loved one has been accepted into hospice care, they will receive care wherever they are, in their own home, in the hospital, in a facility, or any other place they may be. They will be given a primary caregiver, along with hospice staff, and will have the option to have 24/7 care. They will also be monitored by an interdisciplinary team and have an end-of-life plan tailored to fit their needs.

Hospice supports not only the patient but everyone involved. They will help you through the end-of-life process, so you don’t have to go through it alone. They can give you resources and suggestions that can help you make the most of the time you have left with your loved one.

As the older population in the United States grows, more and more families are going to be considering end-of-life care. In 2015, 1.43 million Americans received hospice care and that number is steadily climbing each year. Hospice care requires 24/7 caregivers and a caregiving team involving a somewhat large amount of people. It can be quite expensive, and that financial burden may be weighing heavy on you right now but try not to worry about the money too much. There are a few ways your loved one can get free care or help covering the costs of hospice care. If your loved one is on Medicare, they can be provided hospice care at no cost to them. Medicare will cover 100% of the costs. Medicaid and private insurances will cover the costs, but you will have to talk to your insurance agent and doctor to see what they will cover. Some hospice care groups offer discounted rates or even free care, so be sure to check with the hospices in your area to see what their rates are and how they can work with you. Some organizations and non-profits will help you cover the costs. You can check with your local senior center or united way for more information on programs or resources they offer.

There are non-profit and for-profit hospices. They both run on the same philosophies and carry out treatments the same way, but they differ on the financial side. The Medicare Hospice Benefit established in 1983 provides Medicare beneficiaries with access to high-quality, end-of-life care services. This benefit is what allows Medicare to completely cover the costs of hospice care, but it also recognized hospice care as a viable concept and form of healthcare service for terminally ill patients in the United States.

Hospice took a while to gain traction in the United States, possibly because of its philosophy to only treat the symptoms and not treat the disease, but by 1983, it was widely accepted in the country. With this benefit passed, millions of Americans were finally given access to quality end-of-life care, something many would have been unable to afford otherwise.

According to Crossroads Hospice, the biggest difference between for-profit and non-profit hospices is that non-profit hospices are not required to pay taxes to state or federal governments on the funds they receive from Medicare. Tax exemption is a standard of all non-profits and is not exclusive to hospice care. For-profit hospices are also prohibited from using donations to directly pay for patient care. Non-profit hospices mainly run on donations, holding fundraisers and soliciting donations from the community to pay for patients' care.

Since for-profit hospices are not allowed to use donations to pay for patient care, many for-profit hospices create a non-profit foundation that is separate from the hospice to collect donations. The for-profit hospice foundations must each have a specialized mission, like securing supplies to help patients with special needs or providing hospice education to area healthcare providers.

Regardless of whether the hospice is for-profit or not, you want to make sure you are selecting the right program for your loved one. Each hospice is different and has its own structure for care teams, programs, and even philosophies. When searching for a hospice provider, you should contact and interview several in your area before you decide on one. Your loved one’s doctor may also help you make this important decision by helping you figure out what the most important parts of care are for your loved one. For some, it could be having a nurse on hand at all hours, but others may only need a nurse at certain times of the day, if ever.

It is also important to note that hospice care may lapse if your loved one’s illness improves or your loved one outlives their prognosis with no changes. Especially now, hospice care providers are hard to come by. The Covid-19 pandemic has many hospice providers, as well as most other healthcare providers, severely understaffed and they are struggling to provide care to all the patients they already have, let alone prospective patients.

So please be patient during this process. Hospice care providers and other caregivers are trying their best to make sure your loved one has the best quality of life, but they are also doing the same for numerous other families.

Hospice cares for patients with serious illnesses and diseases at the end of life, but what does that really mean? A 2017 study by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization found that 27% of patients had been diagnosed with cancer, while 18.7% had cardiac and circulatory, another 18% had dementia, 11% had respiratory issues or diseases, 9.5% were stroke patients, and 15.6

On this episode of All Home Care Matters, we are going to be discussing how to talk with your loved one with Dementia. If you are new to the show we have multiple episodes and resources on Dementia and Alzheimer’s. If there is a specific topic or situation that you are looking for you can find them on our website, wherever you get your podcasts, or on our YouTube channel, where we have an entire playlist dedicated to Dementia.

If this is your first time joining us, first we want to thank you for listening, but we will also be briefly going over what dementia is to begin the episode. Then we will dive right into some communication strategies that may help you talk to your loved one. Now let’s move on to the rest of the show.

First, what is Dementia? According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia is an umbrella term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s. Traumatic brain injuries, diseases like Parkinson’s or Huntington’s, and protein build-up in the brain are a few other causes of dementia.

These types of dementia are not reversible, but there are a few types that are. Brain tumors, thyroid issues, infections, and immune disorders, and even some medications, can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms. Treating the initial cause of these health issues can reverse dementia and dementia-like symptoms.

Dementia usually starts slow and progressively worsens. Some signs to look for in your loved one are problems with short-term memory, issues keeping track of their purse or wallet, having trouble paying bills on time, struggling with planning and preparing meals, not being able to remember appointments, issues with traveling, or wandering through their neighborhood.

The Mayo Clinic states that there is no sure way to prevent dementia, but there are steps you can take that might help. More research is needed, but it might be beneficial to do the following: keep your mind active, be physically and socially active, quit smoking, get enough vitamins, particularly vitamin D, manage cardiovascular risk factors, treat health conditions, maintain a healthy diet, and get quality sleep.

Brenda Gurung, an Alzheimer’s Association certified dementia practitioner says that “Alzheimer’s and other dementias are difficult disease journeys, but there is so much opportunity for connection and success together. When you understand even a bit of what’s happening in the brain — and when you embrace some simple techniques — you’ll have more delightful visits with your loved one, deeper connections, and a smoother journey.”

Once we know how dementia can affect communication, we can then figure out the best ways to create a communication strategy that is tailored to our loved ones. Dementia affects a person’s communication and cognition, memory and focus, language skills, visual perception, and problem-solving skills, which are all needed in social situations.

In a blog post for A Place for Mom, the largest senior living referral service in the U.S. and Canada, Merritt Whitley offers some tools that you may find helpful when having a conversation with your loved one with dementia. You should limit potential distractions and be as present with them as you can. Turn off the TV and any other distracting electronics. The quieter and calmer you can make the space, the better.

If you are not home and not able to find a quiet space, try to find a more secluded area and a space to sit down. For example, if you are at a café, find a seat away from the counter and the door to limit the number of people that walk by. If simple distractions, like the television or someone walking by you, take your attention away from a conversation, imagine what your loved one must feel like. Simple distractions can make any social situation too overwhelming for your loved one with dementia, so try to limit them as much as possible.

When talking to your loved one, try your best to speak naturally and use gestures. Don’t raise your voice when talking to them. Raising your voice raises the pitch of your voice, as well, and makes it harder for your loved one to hear and understand. Talk in clear, calm, and simple sentences. You can try using gestures or small body movements while you talk, but don’t use overly exaggerated movements. You don’t want to embarrass your loved one or make them feel like they are incompetent in your eyes and using exaggerated gestures will likely make them think that.

Your loved one may need more time to respond than you might think. If they don’t respond right away, don’t try to answer for them, or repeat the question, unless they ask you to. Your loved one just needs more time to process what you said and then to process what they want to say. Wait for them to respond. If they are having trouble thinking of the correct word, don’t jump in and tell them. Let them come to it on their own. It may take time, but if you answer for them or tell them what to say, they may become defensive and no longer want to participate in the conversation.

You will also want to stick to one topic while talking to your loved one. They may be unable to follow a conversation if you are jumping from topic to topic quickly. Your loved one will take longer to processes information, and if you change topics, they will likely become confused. Ask them open-ended and observational questions. Don’t ask them if they remember a certain item or day, as it can be confusing for them and make them upset.

While conversing with your loved one, don’t refer to yourself or others by their relationship. For example, don’t mention your brother, use his name, instead. Using names in place of relationships can be especially helpful if your loved one believes they are in an earlier time in their life. Trying to bring them back to reality with titles and relationships may end up confusing them more and make them lash out.

Figures of speech and slang words can be difficult for your loved one to understand, so try not to use them. Esther Heerema, a social worker for Very Well Health, says that using phrases like, “it’s no use crying over spilled milk” are confusing for your loved one and they may try to find where the milk has been spilled. Using the proverb interpretation test, where the test taker is asked to interpret abstract ideas such as “it’s no use crying over spilled milk” is one way that doctors screen for symptoms of dementia.

Some open-ended questions can confuse your loved one and make conversation more difficult for them. Asking your loved one what they want to wear for the day or where they want to go can be overwhelming for them, but if you give them a few choices, it can make the decision easier, and still give them a sense of independence. You can try putting out two outfits and asking your loved one which one they would like to choose, and you can do the same with where they would like to go for the day.

When holding a conversation is difficult, there are other things you can do to let your loved one know you are there for them. You can maintain eye contact, smile, hold their hand, or even just sit quietly and be present with them. During the later stages of dementia, it may be difficult for your loved one to communicate verbally, but there are still things you can do together and experience. Utilizing all of their senses is a useful tool when communicating with a loved one with dementia. You can look at old albums, play music you know they enjoy, and cook their favorite foods for them to smell.

Remember that there will be good days and bad and try not to become disheartened with the bad days. While taking care of a loved one, it is important to take care of yourself, as well. If you are interested in learning more about caring for yourself while providing care, check out our quick tips episode on managing caregiver stress, or check out one of the full-length episodes on how to help the caregiver.

If your loved one is being aggressive or volatile, do not interact with that behavior. If they shout at you that they do not want to take a bath, don’t give them a bath. It’s important to respect the communication that they are able to give you at that time. And you don’t just completely abandon the task. Try to come back to it in a few hours if your loved one is in a better headspace.

The Alzheimer’s Society recommends preparing for your conversation with your loved one ahead of time. Imagine yourself in their shoes and think about how you would feel if you were struggling to communicate. While caring for your loved one daily, it is easy to forget how they are feeling is singular to that moment, especially when dealing with cognitive issues.

Before starting a conversation, make sure you have enough time to spend with your loved one. You don’t want to make them feel rushed, as it can give them more stress and make them not want to participate with you. Look back on previous conversations and think

On today’s episode, we are going to be talking about how to help seniors with allergies. We will start off with what allergies are and what causes them. Since seniors with allergies are also prone to hay fever, we will also cover what hay fever is, how to prevent it, and what to do if your loved one is experiencing it. We will also be talking about how to help your loved ones suffering from allergies, and we’ll be discussing ways to spot when your loved one may be experiencing allergy symptoms, how to prevent their symptoms, and other ways to help them through allergy season.

Now let’s get started.

Allergies affect more than 50 million Americans each year and are especially a nuisance for seniors. Seasonal allergies usually develop early, but they can develop later in life. According to Dr. Christopher Randolph of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergies have a larger impact on the lives and health of the elderly. If you notice allergy symptoms in your loved one, let their doctor know. It can be hard for their doctor to diagnose allergies during a short visit, especially when they are monitoring other serious health issues or attempting to diagnose any new complications that you or your loved one presents them with.

You should also talk to their doctor before giving them over-the-counter allergy medicine. First-generation antihistamines, like Benadryl or the now discontinued Chlor-Trimeton, can have some pretty serious and even dangerous side effects. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology lists anxiety, confusion, sedation, drowsiness, urine retention, dry mouth and eyes, and dizziness as some of the potential side-effects.

Many of these side-effects can end up causing your loved one to fall and injure themselves or develop a painful urinary tract infection. Not only do these side effects have the potential to cause an injury to your loved one, but they make everyday life harder and more uncomfortable than it should be for older adults.

If your loved one chooses to take over-the-counter allergy medicine, you should speak to their doctor or pharmacist about second or third-generation antihistamines, like Zyrtec, Claritin, or Allegra. These options are still antihistamines and can still cause your loved one to experience many of the side effects that first-generation antihistamines cause, but they are less likely to do so.

It is also important to inform your loved one’s doctor of any medications you give them, as they can potentially cause changes in mood or behavior in the elderly and may lead to dangerous interactions with other commonly prescribed medications. Keeping their doctor up to date on any medications your loved one is taking, including both prescription and over the counter, is an important task to remember.

Your loved one may be suffering from a stuffy nose, and you might just assume that it is just allergies or a slight cold, but there are a number of medications that offer this side-effect in the right conditions and their doctor won’t be able to tell if their prescribed medications are being interfered with if they are not up to date on what your loved one is currently taking.

For seniors that have been dealing with seasonal allergies their whole lives, you most likely won’t have to come up with a new treatment plan. They, like many Americans, probably have found a routine that works best for them, which might include a favorite antihistamine or nasal steroid. You may have to adjust their allergy treatment plan, though. What once worked for them may no longer be enough to combat their symptoms.

If they take antihistamines daily, but their usual choice of medicine isn’t working, try switching brands and see if that helps. There are several second and third-generation antihistamines that can be found at your local pharmacy or grocery store. You can ask a pharmacist for help if you are unsure of which medicine you should try.

If your loved one has Alzheimer’s or Dementia, they may not be able to let you know they are experiencing allergy symptoms or tell you what works best for them. You will have to be on the lookout for symptoms during peak allergy season. Do you already know they get seasonal allergies? You may be able to start giving them their allergy medicine if you notice the pollen count rising in your area. You can always talk to their doctor if you are unsure what to do in this situation.

If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s or Dementia, check out some of the episodes we’ve done covering these topics or visit our website for more information. You can also view our playlist on Alzheimer’s and Dementia on our YouTube channel.

For those that have developed seasonal allergies later in life, those that are finding themselves needing a new way to manage their allergies, or those that want to manage their allergy symptoms without taking a daily antihistamine or other medication, there are a few ways to manage allergy symptoms without the use of medications.

Now, none of these will completely make your allergies disappear, but they may help alleviate some of the symptoms. And, paired with a daily antihistamine or other medication, can help your loved one feel more like themselves during peak allergy season.

First, you will want to make sure that your loved one has a high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filter for their air conditioner and make sure it is routinely serviced. A HEPA filter removes allergens from the air and helps prevent them from circulating around the house. You should also refrain from leaving the windows or doors open when the pollen count is high. Check your local weather report to see what the pollen count is and try to limit outdoor exposure when it is too high. If you need to be outdoors, wear sunglasses to help prevent eye irritation and sun damage and wash your hands when you come back inside.

If possible, change clothes and take a shower, as well so you can limit the number of allergens in the home. Keeping a normal cleaning schedule that includes dusting and vacuuming the home can also help remove allergens inside. Having a clean space can also help improve your loved one’s overall mood and if their allergies are making it difficult to enjoy time outside, having a clean house is one less thing they will have to worry about.

Eating foods that help lower inflammation, like apples, flaxseed, ginger, leafy greens, walnuts, and anything high in Vitamin C, may help decrease some of the symptoms your loved one might be experiencing, as well. Allergens cause irritation and inflammation in the body and foods that reduce inflammation, like those we just listed, may help your loved one manage their allergy symptoms. You should also dry their clothes, and your own, in a dryer and not hung up outside to prevent allergens attaching to the clothes before they are brought back inside.

For most Americans, allergies are a nuisance, but for seniors, they can present a real danger. Seniors with other health issues, like COPD or high blood pressure, can be severely affected during allergy season. The most common allergy symptoms, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, chest congestion, and difficulty breathing, can cause other reactions in seniors with respiratory illnesses or diseases.

If your loved one uses an inhaler to help manage their allergies, make sure to always have it on hand. Even if you are only leaving the house to run to the post office, make sure you bring their inhaler with you. You never know when your loved one may need it and it is better to always carry it with you. You can also talk to their doctor and ask them if they can prescribe your loved one backup inhalers, that way you can always have one at home and another to carry one with you. This is also a good practice to keep if you have asthma. And if your loved one does have asthma, allergies can definitely trigger an attack, so you will also want to make sure your loved one or you are always carrying an inhaler during allergy season in case they need it.

Seasonal allergies and their symptoms are not life-threatening, but they can be if your loved one takes any medications that their doctor is unaware of. Unless you are a doctor or a pharmacist, you probably don’t know how a certain medication will interact with another, so it really is important to tell your loved one’s doctors any and all medications they are taking.

If your loved one has allergies, they may have gotten hay fever at some point in their life or they may have it while you are providing care for them. You may be wondering, what exactly hay fever is. Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, affects somewhere between forty and 60 million Americans a year. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergic rhinitis develops when the body’s immune system recognizes and overreacts to something in the environment that typically causes no problems in most people. The name hay fever is a bit of a m

We all try our hardest to provide the best quality of care for our aging loved ones, but there may come a time when we alone are no longer enough, especially when we have full-time jobs and commitments outside of the home, which the majority of people today do. When seniors need continuous care, there a few different types of care to consider. Putting our loved ones in a nursing home is an option, but finding the right fit is difficult, and a lot of the time, nursing homes are not an option we want to take, for one reason or another.

According to a 2017 fact sheet by AARP, 52 percent of adults turning 65 will need some kind of long-term care during the remainder of their lives and that number goes up each year. Choosing a type of long-term care is something more and more families are being faced with. Something most families and seniors are comfortable with and prefer is continuous in-home care. This allows the senior to remain in their home, in an environment they are familiar with.

There are two types of continuous in-home care services that can be provided. The first is live-in care, where a caregiver lives in the home for days at a time. The second is 24-hour care. With 24-hour care, a few caregivers operate on a rotational shift schedule instead of one caregiver providing all the care.

Today on All Home Care Matters, we will be discussing the pros and cons of live-in care versus 24-hour care. It is important that you know all the details before choosing a type of care for your loved one and we hope that today’s episode will be able to help families currently researching the types of continuous care find the right fit for them.

Before we get into the two types of care, we are going to explore some of the things that may determine if your loved one needs continuous care. In an article written for Home Care Assistance, author Amber Lambert offers some reasons you may be in need of 24-hour or live-in care. If your loved one has dementia or difficulty doing day-to-day tasks due to memory issues, a full-time caregiver can watch over them for their own safety and help when needed. Seniors with dementia may need help managing sundowner’s syndrome.

If you’re interested in learning more about sundowner’s syndrome and what it means for your loved one, we recently covered this topic on a recent episode. Listen to the What is Sundowner’s Syndrome? episode and visit our website for more information.

Your loved one may get to a point where they cannot safely bathe themselves or perform other daily tasks on their own, such as cooking or taking care of their pets or even get to their appointments or pick-up their prescriptions. A caregiver can assist the senior while they complete these tasks or do them for the senior if necessary. A caregiver also provides companionship, which is just as important as any of the other assistance they provide. A friendly face to talk to can improve a senior’s mood and overall quality of life.

Now, on to the pros and cons of live-in care. Live-in caregivers live in the house during their shifts.

They have to have their own space with their own bed, which can be difficult for seniors and their families to provide if they don’t have a lot of extra room. Caregivers also get a four-hour break during the day and an eight-hour sleeping break. During their four-hour break, another caregiver or a family member may be needed to provide care while they’re away. If the caregiver is needed during their sleeping break, they are usually paid more money on top of their base pay. Live-in care is not available in every state. If it is not an option in your area, 24-hour care is available in every state.

With live-in care, there is more consistency for the senior. Typically, one caregiver is in the home Monday through Thursday and a second caregiver is in the home Thursday through Sunday. With 24-hour care, the caregivers switch off shifts every twelve hours and have to brief each other on any necessary information for the upcoming shift. This potentially allows room between shifts for something to be forgotten or left out. With live-in care, one caregiver provides care for three or four days at a time, leaving less room for error between shift changes.

Having fewer caregivers in and out of the home also helps the senior better build a relationship with the caregiver. A caregiver providing live-in care sees the senior more than 24-hour caregivers do, as they can be in the home up to 5 days in a row. This schedule allows them to not only provide companionship to the senior they are caring for but also friendship. Having the same person looking after the senior is something a lot of families like about live-in care. They build trust over time and worry about their loved one less when they are unable to provide care for them themselves.

We know what live-in caregivers provide and how often they work, but how much will a live-in caregiver cost for the family or senior? Live-in caregivers are paid at a flat-rate, and not hourly. There may be additional costs, like if they have to provide care during their eight-hour break or if the family needs additional coverage during their four-hour break, but overall, there is one cost per day that is usually an average of 250 dollars a day depending on your state and local area. Unfortunately, Medicare will not cover any of the costs of live-in care, but long-term care insurance, Medicaid, and veteran’s aid may help cover some of the costs.

Now let’s move on to the pros and cons of 24-hour care. Two or three separate caregivers provide care through separate eight- or twelve-hour shifts, depending on the agency you go through and your personal preference. With 24-hour care, the caregiver is always awake and alert, ready to provide care and assistance whenever needed. They don’t require a sleeping space, and knowing that a professional caregiver is alert at all times gives peace of mind to many families.

Unlike with live-in care, 24-hour caregivers are paid at an hourly rate, which when broken down can cost more than live-in care – (but remember with 24 hour care the staff is awake and alert at all times without a 4 hour break during the day and a 8 hour sleep or rest period where they are not on duty), especially since Medicare doesn’t cover any of the costs. Just like with live-in care, long-term care insurance, Medicaid, and veteran’s aid may help cover the costs of 24-hour care.

If cost is a big determining factor of which type of care you will be choosing, it might help to know the average time your loved one might need care. Women needing long-term care, on average, need two and a half years of care. Men, on the other hand, tend to need one and a half years. These numbers are only averages and don’t necessarily reflect on your own situation, as everyone is different. An AARP study also found that only 14 percent of individuals needing long-term care needed care for five or more years.

When deciding between live-in care and 24-hour care, make sure to discuss the options with your doctor. They will help you decide the amount of care necessary for your loved one and advise you on the best course of action to take for caring for your loved one. Another tip when researching care is to ask if there are any contracts that would make you and your loved one responsible or committed to the care option you choose for a specific amount of time.

We always advise families that if they are unsure on the amount of care or the type of care that will best serve their needs that they can start with one option and then always change it if they find it is too much or not enough. We do not use contracts at our company, rather, we tell families we want this to be a good fit for not only them, but also their loved one and not obligate them with a contract.

However, we understand that a lof of companies require families to sign a contract for a certain amount of time that they will then be committed to. Just remember, whether it is for 24-hour care, live-in care, or respite care to ask these questions and to do your research before choosing the company that will be caring for your loved one.

We want to say thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone is who could benefit from this episode and please make sure to share it with them.

Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. Join us next time on All Home Care Matters where we will be discussing How to Help Senior’s with Allergies.

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We've recently discussed stress in the caregiver and how you should care for yourself while caring for others in order to prevent caregiver burnout. On today’s Quick Tip episode, we'll be taking a look at the warning signs of stress in seniors. After going through the signs and symptoms, risks, and common causes of stress in seniors, we can then begin identifying how family, caregivers, and friends can help to minimize stress in their aging loved ones.

Stress affects all age groups, but it specifically impacts seniors more than any other age group. In older adults, the immune system isn't able to work as well as it once was. It takes longer to fight off common ailments, such as the cold. Stress affects older adults in a similar way.

When we're young, we recover from illnesses quickly because our immune system is working at top speed all the time. We're able to manage stress better when our immune systems are not compromised. But as we age, our immune system gets run down and is easily overwhelmed. When our bodies are busy fighting illnesses and diseases, stress can be extremely hard to manage.

Stress can appear in numerous ways. As a caregiver, you might be the first person to notice the signs of stress in your loved one. According to the Institute of Aging, the most common signs of stress to look for are:

• Changes in eating habits, changes in mood, including greater irritability, anxiety, sadness, indifference, or even unusual elation or overactivity
• Difficulties with short-term memory
• Difficulties with concentration
• Unusual patterns of judgment
• Withdrawal and isolation
• Less attention to personal hygiene, grooming, and self-care
• Tension headaches
• More aches and pains in general
• Frequent sickness
• Weight gain or weight loss
• Difficulties sleeping
• Low energy and fatigue

This is by no means an exhaustive list of signs. Stress affects everyone in different ways. If you think your loved one may be showing signs of stress, make sure to talk to their doctor. Signs of stress can just as easily be symptoms of other undiagnosed illnesses or diseases.

Stress happens. Everyone gets stressed and shows some of the symptoms we listed earlier. Chronic stress, however, is long-lasting and can be very dangerous for older adults. According to Yale Medicine, chronic stress is a consistent sense of feeling pressured and overwhelmed over a long period of time. The American Psychological Association says chronic stress can be the cause of issues like anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. If not properly taken care of, chronic stress can also lead to heart disease, depression, obesity, and other major illnesses.

There are many things that cause stress in older adults. Existing health issues are a major contributor to chronic stress. It may seem like an endless cycle at times, as stress may make the illness worse, and the illness also causes them to stress more. Losing friends and loved ones and worrying about losing friends and loved ones in the future causes most everyone, not just older adults, stress.

Financial responsibilities, everyday tasks and chores, adjusting to needing a caregiver, the loss of something constant, like a career, that has recently ended are some of the main sources of stress that many older adults are facing today.

For older adults with caregivers, the caregivers, family, and friends are going to be the first to notice the signs of stress in a senior.

They could be having problems with their short-term memory. You may ask them what show they watched the day before and they can't recall, even if it's something they watch regularly. You might notice they aren't eating as much as normal, or they're eating more than they usually do. Whatever signs they may be showing of stress, it's the people they're around the most that will likely notice first.

Now that you've recognized the signs of chronic stress in your loved one, the next step is to talk to the senior about their stress levels. Oftentimes, they know that they are stressed, but they don't know how to manage it on their own. Sometimes, talking about whatever is causing them stress is enough. They may be grieving the loss of a partner and being able to talk about it with either yourself, a friend, or even a counselor, will help their stress subside.

Exercise and diet is a great way to manage stress. If the senior is able to walk around safely, going on a nature walk, or even a walk around the house, can greatly help the situation. Yoga and other forms of meditation are also great for combating stress.

It's also important to find ways to manage your own stress as a caregiver. Chronic stress can have lasting negative effects on your health. Learning to reduce and manage stress when we are young can result in fewer health problems when we're older.

Helping an older adult identify their stressors is another important step to helping them reduce and manage their stress. Just being able to identify what is triggering their stress may help solve most of their issues. Once they understand what their stressors are, you can work on a plan together to reduce their overall stress.

If you are unsure how to help your loved one with their chronic stress, that's okay. Consult a physician or mental health professional. They can help determine what is causing your loved one's stress and the best course of action to take. They will also be able to help you make a long-term stress management plan specifically tailored to the older adult.

Minimizing stress in older adults can potentially minimize other health problems. If you notice your loved one exhibiting any of the signs or symptoms we have mentioned, discuss it with the older adult, and if necessary, their doctor. Stress has many harmful symptoms that can make life difficult and uncomfortable for your loved one. Managing their stress quickly will result in a better quality of life, for them and for you.

We want to wish everyone a safe and Happy 4th of July and say thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone is who could benefit from this episode and please make sure to share it with them.

Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. Join us next time on All Home Care Matters where we will be asking the question What is the Difference Between Live-In Care and 24-Hour Care. This is an issue that comes up quite often when families are exploring options of care for their loved ones – and surprisingly they are not the same thing.

Sources:

https://blog.ioaging.org/medical-concerns/signs-stress-seniors-recognize-stress-early-generate-resiliency/

https://www.stress.org/how-stress-affects-seniors-and-how-to-manage-it

https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/stress-disorder#:~:text=%E2%80%A2A%20consistent%20sense%20of,changes%2C%20medications%2C%20setting%20realistic%20goals

https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/chronic

https://www.health.harvard.edu/stress/stress-relief-tips-for-older-adults

We are honored to have had the privilege to welcome Barbara Tien the Co-Founder of PONGA to All Home Care Matters.

Ponga is a fast, easy, and fun way to organize your pictures and explore the stories. Your stories come to life with words, voice, video, and other media. Your stories are personal, engaging, and accessible. With Ponga, you circulate them privately—free of the prying eyes of social media!

Barbara also helped to establish a Family Council (one of the first of its kind in her community) for families who have loved ones in facilities to help create accountability and to create a voice for the residents/patients and their families.

Today, we have the distinct honor and privilege to welcome Dr. Lisa Taylor and Dr. Kristen Dillon. If you are familiar with their other name, The Golden GeroPsych Girls then you are in for a very informative and in-depth interview and discussion on the field of Geropsychology and how it is helping seniors and their families.

We are including both the bios of the doctors and how to connect with them on Instagram for more information.

Kristen Dillon, PsyD, ABPP, is a staff geropsychologist in Hospice & Palliative Care and on one of the Community Living Centers. Her research and clinical interests include anticipatory grief, ambiguous loss, caregiving, bereavement, existential concerns, and older adults with serious mental illness. She is also interested in the impact of death and dying on Veterans and families, including family dynamics and PTSD. She was trained in Meaning Centered Psychotherapy through Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and utilizes this intervention regularly with Veterans and families. She is board certified in Geropsychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology.  In her spare time, Dr. Dillon enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, singing, playing the guitar and being around people who make her laugh. She also enjoys hiking and is currently attempting to hike NH’s 48 mountains over 4000 feet. 

Lisa Taylor, PsyD is a clinical psychologist in Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC), and the Community Living Centers (CLC) which includes three Dementia Care Units (DCU) and a Geriatric Psychiatric Unit (GPU). Her clinical interests include Geropsychology, behavioral health, working on interdisciplinary teams, and utilizing evidence-based treatments including STAR-VA. In her free time, Dr. Taylor enjoys spending time with her husband, her adorable rescue dog, Emma, and visiting the beach, and local eateries.

We want to thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters and again say thank you to our guests the Golden GeroPsych Girls for taking time from their busy schedules to speak with us today about the benefits of Geropsychology. All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone is who could benefit from this episode and please make sure to share it with them.

Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. Join us next time on All Home Care Matters where we will be welcoming Barbara Tien the Co-Founder of Ponga.  

To Connect with Dr. Taylor and Dr. Dillon on Instagram:

@goldengeropsychgirls

As dementia progresses, the care required becomes more complex and demanding. As a dementia caregiver, you might find yourself in more and more difficult situations, which you don’t necessarily feel ready or equipped to handle. These can be anything from hallucinations to mood swings to struggling to help your loved one to eat or move around.

Caring for a dementia patient certainly comes with its own unique set of challenges. Because dementia is a progressive disease, the type of care needed progresses with it, making for many unpredictable days and consistent learning and re-learning. Strategies of care that might have been affective in the early stages can stop working altogether. You’ll find yourself getting more creative, and possibly more desperate, as time goes on.

We understand that the middle and late stages of dementia require a lot from a caregiver – and that you might feel stuck in a never-ending learning curve. This care is intensive and around-the-clock. It demands a lot from us, and you might not always be sure that you’re handling everything right or might be at a loss of how to handle some situations altogether.

First of all, I want you to appreciate yourself for all that you’re already doing. No one goes into dementia caregiving with a step-by-step pamphlet to help them through every situation. You learn as you go, and this requires a ton of trial and error, infinite patience, and perseverance.

As long as you are acting in love and doing your best, you are not doing anything wrong (even when it feels like you might be). Still, I know that a little guidance and wisdom can help you to feel more supported, confident, and prepared. It never hurts to get some help, right?

On today’s episode of All Home Care Matters, we’re going to discuss ways to handle the most difficult situations with a dementia patient. These strategies can help to make tough situations a little bit easier, and to calm things down faster and more efficiently when necessary. These are proven strategies that have helped caregivers to better understand what their loved one is going through – so they can know how to handle it.

If your loved one is in the middle stages of dementia, you’ll notice drastic shifts in their behavior and function. Your loved one might be struggling more than ever to communicate or gather their thoughts. They might struggle to eat, dress, or do other activities of daily living.

Remember that while this is a huge transition for you, it’s an even bigger transition for your loved one. Life as they knew it no longer makes sense. They can no longer perform tasks that they used to do with ease. Even thinking has become a struggle.

Because of this, you’ll notice that your loved one’s mood and behaviors have changed. They might become more irritable, frustrated, or downright angry. They could refuse to eat, bathe, or get dressed. They could refuse any help whatsoever. They are trying to make sense of a warped reality and accept losing their independence – this is far from easy and is bound to lead to mood changes.

Of course, these mood changes do not make life easier for the caregiver. Your responsibility is increasing and at the same time, your loved one is making it harder for you to do your job. You may find yourself losing patience pretty easily, and possibly even snapping or crying in the middle of the day.

As the disease progresses, it’s more important than ever to find time for yourself, also. Listen to our episode on Caring for the Caregiver to learn more about destressing and self-care advice.

Now, when your loved one is struggling to communicate, you might struggle to know how to handle it. Maybe they aren’t responding to you anymore, so you don’t know how they feel about a certain situation, or maybe they try to speak to you, and you have trouble following their train of thought. What should you do?

You can assist with communication by speaking in a direct, gentle tone, and making eye contact. Use body language to further emphasize what you are saying. This can help your loved one to understand what you are saying, at least on some level.

At the same time, make sure to give your loved one time to respond – even if it’s a long time. It might take your loved one quite a while to put her thoughts together, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t trying. Don’t interrupt her when she does begin to speak and listen patiently while she gets the words out.

Make sure that when you communicate, it’s in a place with minimal background noise or distraction. Offer reassurance when your loved one is struggling – this can encourage them to keep going.

Don’t overdo the questions. Only ask one question at a time, and make sure the questions are yes or no. For example, instead of saying “do you want to wear the green shirt or the blue shirt?” ask, “do you want to wear the blue shirt?”

One of the biggest communications struggles a person might have at this time comes with your loved one’s lack of a filter. You might notice that as time goes on and the dementia progresses, your loved one is becoming increasingly brash with their words. They might say hurtful or embarrassing things, in public or in private.

The general rule is to let it be. If your loved one says something that you disagree with, don’t argue with them. Just move on to something else. I know this is easier said than done, but when you argue, you risk exacerbating the situation. This might lead to a full-on meltdown that is far more difficult to manage.

If your loved one says something inappropriate or offensive in public, deter from the situation. Bring your loved one’s attention to something else as quickly – and as calmly – as possible. For instance, if you’re at a coffee shop, you can have your loved one pick from the pastry situation.

If you’re at the grocery store, you can ask them if they would like a certain type of produce. It doesn’t matter what you say, just quickly and calmly change the subject. The best thing you can do in these situations is turn your loved one’s attention onto another subject matter.

If your loved one is experiencing a hallucination, you want to approach this in much the same way. You may feel tempted to shut down the hallucination, but this can actually lead to increased confusion and a worsened mood – and the hallucination can become more severe.

Instead of shutting it down, validate it, make it positive, then change the subject. For example, if your loved one says that there’s a stranger in the home, tell them “yes, that’s a nice stranger. He’s a friend. Do you want spaghetti for dinner?”

Again, bringing their attention somewhere else is usually enough to end the hallucination altogether. The last thing you want to do during a hallucination is deny it or make a huge deal out of it, because this can lead to a severe mood swing that can be almost impossible to manage or calm.

In general in any mood-heavy situation with a dementia patient, you don’t want to be rational or logical. While it might be tempting to calmly explain a reality to a person who is hallucinating or speaking out of term, this will not be affective with a dementia patient.

You see, dementia patients cannot think rationally at all. They don’t understand that what they’re saying is inappropriate, and they don’t understand that what they’re hallucinating is not real. If you try to change the way they perceive the world and themselves, they will only get sad and frustrated. That’s why validation, followed by distraction, is really the best method for these types of situations.

Along similar lines, if your loved one forgets that their parent is deceased, or that they’re divorced, or any other major life event – there is no need to remind them. Reminding them of their loss or heartbreak will recreate unnecessary pain and heartache. If your loved one is happily carrying on about visiting with their deceased mother later, instead of shutting this down, ask questions. Have your loved one describe the person they lost. This can calm them down.

Now, some families struggle with knowing what to do when their loved one asks to go home, if they are living in a nursing home or other facility. Rather than telling them that they won’t be returning home, redirect the conversation. Ask your loved one to tell you what they remember about home, or to describe home. This distracts from the situation while helping your loved one to engage in happy memories.

If your loved one wanders away or gets themselves in a dangerous situation, refrain from telling them never to do it again. This simply will not be affective. People in the mid and late stages of the d

If you have an elderly loved one, chances are you’ve spent a lot of energy worrying about falls and their safety. And you should be. According to the National Council on Aging, one out of four Americans over the age of 65 experiences a fall every single year. Not only that, but falls are a leading cause of death among the elderly in America.

As our loved one’s age, there is so much for us to keep track of: medications, diets, health care. Falls should be high on this list as well. Falls can result in devastating consequences for many seniors and their families. Common fall-related injuries include broken bones, fractures, and head injuries. We need to do what we can to help prevent our loved ones from falling.

In today’s quick tip episode of All Home Care Matters, we’ll go over all you need to know about falls. We’ll talk about the most common causes of falls, how to prevent falls, and how to know if your loved one has fallen and is hiding it from you. We hope that by the end of this episode, you will feel confident in protecting the senior in your life from experiencing a fall.

There are many reasons that seniors experience falls at a higher rate than other parts of the population. A senior might fall due to problems with vision, or a decline in physical strength, or even a chronic disease, among other causes.

Seniors are more likely to have impaired vision, which can make it difficult to notice hazards, even if they’re in great health otherwise. If a senior cannot see well, they might not notice a wet floor, a stair, or a crack in the sidewalk. This can lead to an increased chance of falling down.

As seniors age, many face declines in their physical strength. It becomes more straining to exercise or engage in physical activity, so many older adults choose not to (or to exercise far less frequently). This results in weakening muscle strength, loss of balance, and reduced coordination. Simply put, it’s easier to fall down when your body is much weaker than it used to be.

Chronic diseases like arthritis, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease can also increase the likelihood of falling. Seniors will have a harder time keeping their balance, gripping onto railings or canes, and they will be all-around weaker. Further, it will be more difficult for a person with a chronic disease to respond to a fall or recover from one.

Believe it or not, medications are another common cause for falling in seniors. Common medication side-effects are dizziness, low blood pressure, and drowsiness – all of which can increase the likelihood of falling.

Other common causes are surgical procedures that leave a person’s body weaker or less mobile than they were before, environmental hazards like loose carpet or wet shower floors, and behavioral hazards like lifting heavy items or hiking on rough terrain.

These are just some of the causes of falling – but in reality, any of these and more can cause a person to suffer a fall. That’s why it’s so important to take the necessary steps to prevent a fall before it happens.

The best thing you can do to help prevent falls is to make your loved one’s home a safe place for them to be. Remove any tripping hazards like loose rugs, exposed wires, or loose floorboards.

Remove furniture that might be blocking a walkway, to ensure that there’s plenty of space to move around. You can also clean up clutter that is blocking pathways or making it harder to be mobile. This might include stacked newspapers, laundry piles, or even loose shoes. Be sure that walkways and staircases are free of clutter.

Make sure to install grab bars and handrails around the house – especially by the stairs and in the bathroom. A grab bar by the toilet can help a person sit up and down without falling down. A handrail in the shower and tub can do the same. Have a handyman install the bars to ensure that they are assembled safely.

Similarly, you can add nonslip mats to the kitchen and bathroom floors, as well as to the porches outside. This will protect your loved one from slipping and falling on wet ground.

Believe it or not, the way your loved one dresses can also help to prevent falls. Have your loved one wear shoes, even in the house, for extra traction. Make sure that they never walk on wood or tile floors in only socks. Have them avoid wearing any loose or too-long clothing that they might trip over.

In addition to environmental prevention, you can also prevent falls through physical prevention. If your loved one’s vision is impaired, make sure that they wear glasses so they can see better. Even if their vision is fine, make sure that they get it tested at least twice a year to make sure. If they are struggling with a chronic illness like Parkinson’s disease, a wheelchair might be safer than relying on their two feet to carry them around.

You can also make sure that your loved one is getting plenty of sleep and exercise. The stronger and more alert they are, the less likely they are to take a fall.

In addition, you can have them limit alcohol and drink more water to prevent feelings of dizziness or light-headedness. Alcohol can actually affect a person’s balance and reflexes, so it should be avoided altogether.

It’s important to note that many seniors do not tell anyone after they’ve experienced a fall. This means that a senior could live with an injury for a while without anyone even knowing – and that injury can get much worse.

There are many reasons a senior won’t share this information. They might be embarrassed, or afraid that they will lose some of their independence. Many seniors worry that they will be forced to move to a facility or won’t get to live on their own anymore. If a senior has dementia or a cognitive issue, they might have forgotten the fall altogether.

Regardless of the reason, it’s important to understand that you won’t always be told if a fall occurs. That’s why you need to be able to identify the signs of a fall – so you can step in and make sure your loved one gets the care they need.

When you see your loved one, always check for a sign of a fall. It might not be extremely obvious, so it’s important to be vigilant in your examination (without letting your loved one know that you are on the lookout).

Look for bruises and swelling – particularly on the hands or arms. Your loved one may have tried to brace themselves for the fall and bruised or injured their hands and arms. Similarly, if your loved one has a black eye or a bump on their head, this is a sign of a fall.

If your loved one is experiencing sudden cognitive difficulties – like a lack of awareness, taking longer to do things, or a struggle with comprehension – this could be a sign of a brain injury from a fall. Take your loved one to the hospital immediately.

There are also less obvious signs. If you notice that something is missing from the house, like a lamp or another object, this might mean your loved one has fallen. It’s possible that they tried to grab onto a lamp on the way down and broken it in the process.

If you notice any changes in your loved one and think they may have taken a fall, don’t wait to take them to the doctor. Injuries like sprains, concussions, or even brain bleeds can be subtle at first and lead to devastating consequences.

When we put in the steps to prevent falls, we can have a little more peace of mind that our loved one is safe and secure. Of course, there’s no 100% guaranteed way to prevent a fall, which is why it’s critical to understand the signs and symptoms of a fall-related injury. The more prepared you are, the better equipped you’ll be to help your loved one when necessary.

We want to thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone is who could benefit from this episode and please make sure to share it with them.

Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. Join us next time on All Home Care Matters where we will discussing Dealing with Difficult Behaviors in Dementia.

The month of June is cataract awareness month, so this week on All Home Care Matters, we will be discussing all things cataracts. First, we're going to talk a little about what cataracts are and how you get them, and then we'll move on to what you can do to prevent them. Then, we'll see how to help your loved one manage their cataracts and protect their vision. Now you know what we'll be discussing this episode, let's jump right in.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision and is mostly related to age. According to an article published by the Cleveland Clinic, for your eye to see, light passes through a clear lens behind the colored part of your eye, or the iris. The lens focuses the light so that your brain and eye can work together to process information into a picture. When a cataract clouds over the lens, your eye is unable to focus light in the same way.

By the age of 80, more than 50 percent of all Americans have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. According to Icon Eyecare, to make sure cataracts don't affect your vision, it's important to get regular eye exams - especially if you're over the age of 55.

Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss worldwide. In a report by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, researchers predicted that from 2014 to 2032, the number of cataract cases will increase by 50 percent. Within the next decade, the United States will be faced with one of the biggest healthcare crisis’s it has ever had to deal with, and no one seems to be talking about it yet.

The aging population in the United States will reach an all-time high in 2030, when the Baby Boomer Generation will all be 65 or older. With old age, cataracts and other vision problems worsen. Age is the biggest factor in cataracts, but it isn't the only thing that can cause them. There are four other types of cataracts, secondary cataracts, traumatic cataracts, congenital cataracts, and radiation cataracts. Secondary cataracts can form after an eye surgery or develop due to other health problems, like diabetes.

Traumatic cataracts happen after an eye injury. They can happen immediately or even years after the initial injury. Congenital cataracts appear at birth or in childhood and tend to be so small that they do not affect vision. Radiation cataracts can develop after some forms of radiation. All of these types of cataracts can hinder vision and make day-to-day activities difficult. Older adults, as well as everyone else, should see their eye doctor regularly to keep their vision working properly.

The National Eye Institute lists some of the noticeable symptoms of cataracts as: having cloudy or blurry vision, colors looking faded, you are unable to see well at night, lamps, sunlight, or headlights all appear to be too bright, you see a halo around lights, you have to change your glasses prescription often, or you are seeing double of things. Seeing double sometimes goes away as the cataract gets bigger.

Now, this list is somewhat lengthy, but it is in no way exhaustive, and these are not exclusive symptoms of cataracts. All of these symptoms can also indicate a number of other eye problems or diseases. Schedule an appointment with your loved one’s eye doctor if they are experiencing any of the above symptoms. Early treatment of any eye disease may just end up saving your loved one’s vision.

Cataracts are a common occurrence, and it is very likely that either you or someone you know has a cataract right now. If you think you might be experiencing cataract symptoms or are just wondering what it’s actually like living with cataracts, Jim Mathie a former fire chief in Deerfield Beach Florida, speaks about life with cataracts and the difference he noticed as soon as he got them removed at Rand Eye Institute.

“Wow, what a big difference,” Mathie says about his cataract surgery. He goes on to say that the difference is like night and day and he just hadn’t realized how bad his vision had been before. He had his surgery on a Thursday and it was so easy he doesn’t even remember it. The next day, he went back for an exam and he could see everything. He had so much clarity and was suddenly noticing how vivid all the colors were. He had been getting his yearly eye exams and knew that he had a cataract in one eye. At first, it was manageable, but after five years, he knew it was time to do something about it. He was avoiding driving at night because he assumed it would be an issue. But, what really made him decide to get the surgery was that he was no longer able to enjoy his favorite hobby, diving.

Mathie dove three to four times a week and had started to notice that he was unable distinguish things like fish and lobsters in murkier waters when they were right in front of him. Before his cataract, he had no issues seeing in murky water. He knew it was time to fix his vision, and today he is enjoying his passion, scuba diving, and loving his cataract free life. If you, like Jim Mathie, have noticed your vision deteriorating, or noticed your loved one’s vision deteriorating, talk to your eye doctor and see if cataract surgery will work for you.

There are some things we can do while we are younger to prevent cataracts, but cataracts due to aging are not preventable. Cataracts due to age can be fixed or at the very least, the symptoms can be managed, with the help of your doctor. Cataracts caused by other health issues may be prevented by using protection from the sun, such as hats and sunglasses, and eating leafy greens and other fruits and vegetables. Eating a healthy diet will help with many health problems, and not just with cataracts, but I'm sure you already knew that.

If you smoke, quitting smoking will also significantly reduce your chances of getting cataracts. If you are ready to quit smoking, you can call the American Lung Association's Help Line at 1-800-LUNG-USA, that's 1-800 586-4872 today for free help with quitting. You should also talk to your doctor about quitting. They can help you create a plan and track your progress. They can also prescribe medication to help if you need it.

Getting your eyes dilated can also help prevent cataracts. Adults 60 and older should get their eyes dilated at least once every two years. Eye doctors can check for cataracts and monitor existing cataracts while dilating your eyes.

According to aging care dot com, age-related cataracts affect older adults' vision in a few different ways. Clumps of protein build-up reduce the sharpness of the image reaching the retina. The clumps of protein can also cloud the lens and reduce the light that reaches the retina. Over time, the protein can tint the clear lens, turning it a yellow or brownish color, adding a brownish tint to their vision.

Approximately one in five older adults have cataracts. Cataracts are not contagious. If you have a cataract in one eye, you may not develop a cataract in your other eye and you cannot spread them to other people, either.

Depending on the severity of the cataracts, seniors may only need new glasses or a magnifying lens to see better or use brighter lighter at home. Anti-glare sunglasses can help seniors see better while outside or in the car. If none of these options help, surgery is a safe and effective treatment for cataracts.

According to Comfort Keepers, cataract surgery is widely regarded as one of the safest medical procedures. It has a success rate between 95 and 98 percent. For this procedure, the patient usually only needs minimal sedation, which is safer for older adults. Seniors with other health issues are often unable to receive surgeries due to their health conditions but are still able to receive cataract surgeries because of how safe and fast they are. While the risk of complications is low for cataract surgery, it is still important to talk to your doctor about the risks involved.

Cataracts are removed one eye at a time. The senior will have to have the surgery performed on one eye and then wait three to four weeks for the other eye. During this waiting period between surgeries and during the four weeks following the second surgery, senior should try not to rub their eyes or lift heavy objects. They should also continue wearing sunglasses and hats to protect their eyes from the sun.

Once a cataract has been removed, it will not come back. A secondary cataract can form in the same eye, but it is not the original cataract coming back. The secondary cataract can be corrected with a Y A G laser capsulotomy, which is quick and painless.

It is very likely that your loved one has cataracts. They may not even notice any symptoms. If they are experiencing any vision discomfort or other problems, schedule an eye appointment to see if they have any undiagnosed eye conditions. Their doctor can help you make the best course of action for their vision.

Cataracts can make daily activities difficult at first, especially when you are first adjusti