Care in Midstream

Library

Health Benefits of Social Connections for Seniors

If laughter is the best medicine, then talking is the second best. Engaging in daily conversation – whether a simple chat about the weather or a deep and meaningful conversation, can help improve seniors’ mental and physical health. We all know what it feels like to be lonely. It makes our world a little greyer and happy moments duller since we can’t share them with someone. Unfortunately, winter is a time when many people experience loneliness and isolation. Shorter days, longer nights, and fewer outdoor activities lead to spending more time indoors, often alone. Social Connections Help Improve Cognitive Abilities Staying socially connected reduces the effects of ageing on cognitive abilities. Just like doing crossword puzzles, talking to friends is like exercise for your brain. Through storytelling, seniors can identify and understand the themes and goals that have driven their lives. This often improves their self-esteem by granting them the choice and control they had in their youth. Research has also shown that in addition to helping people deal with negative feelings, reminiscing may ignite parts of the brain that would otherwise remain dormant, ultimately boosting overall recall and memory. Social Connections Improve Physical Health No doubt, staying connected socially improves your overall physical health. Regardless of your age, there is a relationship between social isolation and physical health. Having daily conversations is particularly important as one ages.  Improve Mental Health Maybe it goes without saying that spending time with others makes you happier, but your relationships’ profound effect on

Read More »

Early Signs of Dementia: How Much Memory Loss is ‘Normal’?

Some forgetfulness is normal… then there’s mild cognitive impairment. You’ve driven home from the mall along the same route for five years. But lately, you’ve been stopping at the same intersection, struggling to remember whether to turn left or right. Many occasions in everyday life can make us question whether memory lapses are normal, a sign of cognitive decline, or even the beginning of dementia. Our first instinct might be that it’s due to brain deterioration. And it’s true that, like the rest of our body, our brain cells shrink as we age. Unfortunately, they also maintain fewer connections with other neurons and store less of the chemicals needed for sending messages to other neurons. But not all memory lapses are due to age-related changes to our neurons. The influencing factors are often more trivial, including being tired, anxious, or distracted. Some forgetfulness is normal Our memory system is constructed in a way that some degree of forgetting is normal. This is not a flaw but a feature. Maintaining memories is not only a drain on our metabolism; too much unnecessary information can slow down or hamper retrieving specific memories. Unfortunately, it’s not always up to us to decide what’s important and should be remembered. Our brain does that for us. Our brain generally prefers social information – the latest gossip, but easily discards abstract information – such as numbers. Memory loss becomes a problem when it affects your typical day-to-day living. It’s not a huge issue if you can’t remember to turn right or left.

Read More »

Five Ways To Keep Your Memory Sharp At Any Age

As we grow older, we all start noticing changes in our ability to remember things. Maybe you’ve gone into the kitchen and can’t remember why or can’t recall a familiar name during a conversation. You may even miss an appointment because it slipped your mind. Memory lapses can occur at any age, but we tend to get more upset as we get older because we fear they’re a sign of dementia or loss of intellectual function.  Most of the fleeting memory problems we experience with age reflect normal changes in the structure and function of the brain. These changes can slow certain cognitive processes, making it a bit harder to learn new things quickly or screen out distractions that can interfere with memory and learning. These changes can be frustrating and may seem far from benign when we need to learn new skills or juggle responsibilities.  There are various strategies we can use to protect and sharpen our minds: 

Read More »

Five Ways To Get Seniors With No Appetite To Eat

Getting seniors who have no appetite to eat can be a challenge. There are many reasons why some older adults lose their appetite or refuse to eat. Sometimes simple changes can make a big difference. We share five suggestions for encouraging seniors who have lost their appetite to eat. When trying these ideas, be patient, be creative, keep experimenting, and do your best not to get discouraged. First, rule out serious health problems: The first and most important thing to do is rule out serious health conditions, medication side effects, or dental problems as the cause of their loss of appetite. If these issues aren’t causing the loss of appetite, your best bet is to experiment with different ways to encourage eating. Five ways to get seniors with no appetite to eat: Have a regular meal and snack schedule Having a regular daily routine and serving food at roughly the same times every day helps the body be ready to eat at those times. Please don’t rely on the body’s ability to feel hunger, as it declines with age. Serve smaller portions of high-nutrient foods Some people may feel overwhelmed if they see a large amount of food before them. Instead of a big plate, serve smaller portions. Or, try switching to a daily routine from three large meals to five smaller ones. Boost the healthy calories in those smaller servings by adding the following: avocado; finely chopped meat, cheese, and egg; olive oil; peanut or other nut butter; soft cheeses like ricotta or mascarpone. To save

Read More »

Mobility for Seniors

Older adults who lose their mobility are less likely to remain living at home; have higher rates of disease, disability, hospitalization, and death; and have poorer quality of life. Why is mobility important for seniors? It’s not all about the physical benefits of being mobile. When you have more mobility, you feel good from the inside too. And it’s not just your body that feels good, but your mind and self-esteem. When seniors don’t get enough physical activity, they can also experience falls and become weaker. Mobility also helps with balance, coordination, and concentration, which can help increase the quality of life. Improved mental health, heart health, resistance to injury and better confidence. What causes the loss of mobility? As people age, mobility and balance decrease, and the body gets weaker. In addition, factors such as bone structure and muscle atrophy can affect one’s ability to move effectively. The most common causes of mobility impairment in the elderly are: How to improve mobility: As a person ages, the individual may need to reduce some physical activities. However, exercise and mobility are still crucial later in life. Getting older does not mean a person has to give up their favourite activity, but they may need to adjust their routine. Exercise can help maintain or improve balance, joint health, strength, and flexibility. It also helps the brain to stay sharp by enhancing cognitive abilities.To avoid an increase in mobility loss and fall risk, it is critical for older adults to exercise. Depending

Read More »

How To Talk To Someone Who Has Dementia

A frequent challenge faced by loved ones is how do you talk to someone who has Dementia. Communication is often strained or non-existent as we struggle to connect with someone we barely know anymore. These are all questions that enter our minds when we try to talk to someone with Dementia. But, unfortunately, instead of feeling positive and hopeful about a visit or encounter, we feel strained and anxious. One of the most complex parts of caring for and knowing how to talk to someone with Dementia is avoiding further confusion and conflict. We have to learn new ways of communication. So how do we keep confusion and conflict at a minimum when we talk to someone with Dementia?  Always agree, never argue: When we talk to someone with Dementia, it is easy to want to correct them. We hear them mix up memories or even create new ones. The temptation to steer them toward the truth is strong. In their mind, however, they are speaking the truth. There is rarely any malicious intent behind the lies. As we talk to someone with Dementia, we need to work hard to enter their world and remember to agree even with their delusions. Always redirect, never reason: When we talk to someone with Dementia, we sometimes unintentionally and, despite our best efforts, stumble on a subject that causes tension or even argument. In these instances, while we want to reason out of the argument or try toconvince, redirection is our best course

Read More »