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Seniors & Covid

10+ Ways to Connect and Care During COVID

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

As our elders stay inside their homes, their apartments and their residential communities, we search for ways to connect with them as well as to make their lives and their care better. Here are 10+ ways to connect and care for your elders during this unprecedented time.

 

Some are simple, but simple works right now.

Engage with Them:
  • Send a note or card in the mail. Include a photo, a drawing, or news clipping that you want to share. Elders love getting snail mail.
  • Ask them to write you a story that they’ve never told you before.
  • If your elder has FaceTime or their community has a tablet that they are using for family connections, use this means to have some virtual face-to-face time.
  • Set up a daily or weekly chat time. Stick to it.
  • Send them magazines, puzzles, books, craft supplies. You can order online and have them delivered.
  • Some floral companies are doing contact-free deliveries. Order balloons or flowers to brighten your elder’s day. Springtime is great for blooming plants.
  • Send your elder a box of blank cards and a book of stamps. They can use them to write to loved ones and friends. Send addresses or suggestions so they don’t have to search.
  • Offer to do their spring yard work. You can visit from a distance that way.
  • If you live nearby, order a food delivery for them and the same one for you. Then call them while you enjoy the same meal.
Make Sure Your Elders Are Getting Consistently Good Care:
  • Check to see if your elder’s doctor or care provider is offering telehealth visits. Sign your elder up for telehealth instead of their next in-person visit, if appropriate.
  • Set up a Care Conference with your elder’s care providers via video or phone. Ask about physical, cognitive and mental health.
  • If your elder lives in a care community or retirement community, call the Activities Director and ask if you can order or send something for their residents to enjoy. Trivia books to use? Puzzle books? Individual crafts?
  • Now is a great time to set up mail order Rx deliveries for maintenance meds. If your elder is using a retail pharmacy, set up delivery with them (or move to a retail pharmacy that does do delivery).
  • Staff members at retirement and care communities are running ragged right now. Order delivery of meals, snacks or gift cards. Call and ask what they need.
  • Check with your local Area Agency on Aging to see what resources are available at low or no cost to assist your elder right now.

 

More than anything, find ways to stay connected. Isolation is not a good place for anyone, but especially not elders.

Stay well, friends. Know we’ll work our way through this time and find some very special connections along the way.

Author Suzanne Blankenship

 

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Health Products

“JayPad” is the new buzz word for senior engagement

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

There is always light at the end of the tunnel. The coronavirus pandemic has been devastating to everyone, especially to seniors who are subjected to the highest risk medically and mentally. We rely on the scientists and healthcare professionals to tackle the medical part. Unfortunately, the mental part of the pandemic fallout is left on the shoulders of the senior care centers and families.

California software company HealthJay and the National Adult Day Services Association have recently announced their partnership to address this escalating issue of pandemic loneliness. The industry leading organization and the Silicon Valley tech firm look to the JayPad and HealthJay ecosystem to provide some relief to this mounting challenge.

Pandemic loneliness has caused anxiety, depression, sleep, and food disorders which have inflicted an emotional toll on seniors, in addition to the medical damages that they suffer from COVID-19.

“This virus has taken an extraordinary toll on seniors. Not only medically but mentally. JayPad’s virtual programming can help with social isolation, allowing Adult Day Services (ADS) centers to provide virtual care programs with seniors staying at home,” says Donna Hale, Executive Director of NADSA. “This partnership is the first ever effort for a technology to cater for the Adult Day Services industry. With this pandemic, our industry is working outside of the box to re-establish normalcy for our seniors.”

This nationwide Partnership will potentially introduce over a quarter million adult day care seniors to virtual services.

The tablet “JayPad” is designed for seniors, and adults with disabilities with easy / automated access to a full suite of video conferencing features, allowing more human connections. The tablet users can use their voice to tell a Chatbot to place audio or video calls. The center administrator can schedule reminders for members’ daily video classes, therapy, and social activities. Here is the catch – users do not need password nor log-in to participate in any video conference. A pop-up reminder will show up on the JayPad 15 minutes prior to the virtual class. When it starts, the User just taps a “Join Now” button on an Activity Starting popup, and they placed into their virtual group class!

For non tech-savvy seniors, the navigation to place a call in current overcomplicated devices can be frustrating. Well, with the JayPad, users can choose from their pre-configured “avatar” phone book, or use their voice.

“Seniors are craving for more human interaction, but they are often discouraged from the overcomplicated tech out there.” says Rosita Wong, CEO of HealthJay. JayPad takes a simple approach with a Chatbot and “one-tap to join” group video features which makes senior participation in virtual programming doable. “The industry is responding to the lingering impact of the pandemic with long-term tech engagement. This is a paradigm shift for an industry that has not kept up with the tech world that has progressed so rapidly”.

The JayPad offers virtual classes, COVID wellness checks, social group games, and Smart Features such as voice commands, video calls, social chats, and a check-in button. It is supported by an ecosystem including a mobile app for caregivers to monitor senior JayPad users, and an admin portal allowing adult day centers to deliver daily services virtually.

Sean Allen, CTO of HealthJay, points out that many senior centers are incorporating virtual programming into their re-opening strategy. “Senior-friendly tech that works will lead the industry to a new path, opening doors to care programs for many more seniors in remote areas. The JayPad is designed to achieve just that. Our social games, such as group Bingo, aim not only to provide social entertainment, but also to exercise and sharpen cognitive skills.

HealthJay has designed a family of senior care devices and apps, including the JayPad (tablet), the JayWatch (wearable with fall detection), the JayMobile App for families and caregivers, and FlightDeck (admin portal).

Content is provided by HealthJay Inc. (www.healthjay.com)

 

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Face of blonde senior woman wearing mask for protection from corona virus outbreak at the park
Seniors & Covid

Tips to manage stress and anxiety

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

If you’re feeling anxious and stressed over the recent adversity and hard times, I feel you. Thousands of Americans are in the same boat. You are not alone.

Whether you’re worried about the unsettled economy, your job, or the “not so peaceful” protests, each of these are disturbing. If ignored, they can affect your mental and physical health.

Stress can be a physical reaction to feeling confused and frustrated by a situation. It will affect your sleep, eating patterns, and emotional health. Over the years, I’ve discovered a few ways to help myself through troubling times. I’d like to share them in hopes you can find peace and relaxation to ease your mind and emotions.

Tips to Manage Stress

Practice Meditation or Prayer – Sit and breathe deeply for a minute or two. Then visualize white light or a sense of goodness flowing through your body and into each of your cells while continuing the deep breathing. Do this for at least 10 minutes. At the end send your love and peace out to the world.

Exercise – Walk outside for at least 30 minutes a day. Being outside in nature helps me stay healthy and releases negative thoughts and tension. Fresh air is good for the body.

Eat Nutritious Foods – Diet is so important when mitigating stress. Add more vegetables, fruit, legumes and healthy snacks and less sugar and meats. High levels of sugar and carbohydrates can raise your stress level and play havoc on the immune system.

Take a Break from the News – The latest news can throw your stress in a tizzy. So, don’t tune in all day. Go outside and look at greenery and flowers.

Journaling – My favorite way to rid my stress is to record my feelings and to write about my confusion, frustration, and anger. With everything that’s happening, it’s easy to feel anxious or confused. However, there is always something to be grateful for. I end my morning “pages” with gratitude. I write three uplifting things that happened that morning or the day before. This helps change my perspective and reminds me where I need to put my energy.

Talk with a Friend – Just talking to someone about how you feel can be helpful. Talking distracts me from my stressful thoughts and releases built-up tension by discussing it. Having constant tension clouds my judgement and can prevent me from seeing things clearly. Talk things out with a friend, or a trained professional. You will find solutions to cope with stress and put your problems into perspective.

Carol Marak, aging advocate, and editor at Seniorcare.com. She’s earned a Certificate in the Fundamentals of Gerontology from UC Davis, School of Gerontology.

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Midsection of senior woman at home
Aging

Top Reasons Why Seniors Need A Medical Alert System

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Medical alert systems allow seniors to summon help, literally at the press of a button. This means that they are even easier to use than phones and also easier to carry. There are many reasons why seniors benefit from them. Most of these reasons hinge on three key points.

The elderly are at higher risk of medical emergencies

As the body ages, it slows down. Even the fittest seniors do not have the same reflexes as younger people. It becomes more fragile. In particular, bones become easily damaged. The immune system becomes less robust so even minor ailments like colds can become a major issue. Serious ailments, like COVID19, can be deadly.

Having a medical alert system does not replace the need for general healthcare. Seniors will still need routine checkups with medical professionals. It will, however, ensure that, in an emergency, they can get help immediately they need it.

The fact that the medical alert system goes through to a monitoring facility rather than 911 can encourage seniors to use it even if they’re not sure the situation is an emergency. A trained professional can then speak to the senior about the situation and either guide them to resolve the matter themselves or get them the help they need.

Safety has to be balanced with independence

Families want their seniors to be safe and taken good care of. They do, however, need to recognize and respect the fact that those seniors have, literally, spent their lives taking good care of themselves. Many of them will have taken good care of other people as well. They may very much still value their independence and not be at all ready to give it up just yet.

This can create a challenge for families (and the seniors themselves). They need to find the right level of assistance at the right time and, of course, at the right cost. This last point is a senior’s need for care is likely to increase as they age. This means that making astute savings in a person’s early senior years can prove very useful later.

One way to keep costs down is to use technology as much as possible. Medical alert systems are a great example of this. The assistance they offer is available 24/7/365 but it is only accessed when the senior feels in need of it. That way the senior retains their independence and control, along with their privacy, but still has cost-effective support available to them.

Guaranteed assistance no matter what

Families might love to care for their seniors by themselves. The simple truth of the matter, however, is that most families will have other commitments that may get in the way. Even if they don’t, providing 24/7/365 support is a major logistical challenge.

With the best will in the world, the practicalities of life may end up meaning that the senior cannot get the emergency help they need when they really need it. For example, a person may forget to charge their phone or not wake up when it rings. Medical alert systems, however, are always active and always monitored.

About Suddenly Senior

Suddenly Senior is a top-ranked site with over 4,000 pages of humor, nostalgia, senior advocacy and useful information for seniors 50+. Updates weekly!

For more information, check out their guide and checklist to choosing the best medical alert systems.

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What are Guaranteed Issue Rights for Medigap
Aging

This Is Why Aging Alone Is Harder And How We Adapt

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

The lifestyle and concept of aging alone is not new, but in the U.S. more people experience aging at home without the support of family nearby (2010 Census.) In the rural area where I grew up, the older generations never worried about being left alone without help. Families saw to it that older members had a place to live, food on the table, received help with daily living, and a bed. Our elders shared in social activities and never felt left out. Even the local township and churches actively participated in caring for elders when they were alone. It gave us a sense of paying it forward or making a difference, not fulfilling an obligation. But in larger cities, there may have been an epidemic of loneliness and isolation, just not where I grew up. This Is Why Aging Alone Is Harder And How We Adapt

Family dynamics have shifted and altered over the last 50 years. More people have moved from their home towns to prepare for adulthood and headed off to college. That’s what happened in my family. However, when my parents needed me in their elder years, their offspring rallied to help. But not all families are capable or willing.
As for me, I wonder who will care for me later on? I’m in my mid-sixties and have no children or a spouse and since I want to surround myself with like-minded individuals, I started a Facebook group to help mitigate our loneliness, lack of support, and to share knowledge and insights on coping. And sometimes we celebrate the decades of shared memories. Over the past year, some members even meet locally.
Most members in the group accept that problems like loneliness, job dissatisfaction, social isolation, ability to make friends, finding worthwhile free time pursuits, dealing with dysfunctional families or physical limitations may apply just as much to a younger adult, a healthy child or teenager, and even a disabled Millennial, or the married couple next door, but generally speaking, older adults may have a harder time with isolation than the younger individuals, excluding people living with a disability.

The Difficult Aging Concerns and Issues

In our group, we discuss tough issues and many times share resources, words of encouragement, and tips that help us get by during difficult times. I believe if one has a family member nearby, it’s easier (but not less painful or worrisome) to face a challenge, an impending medical treatment, and even a hospital stay. However, having support and the love of another individual goes a long way to relieve anxiety.

Real aging alone worries — and support given

  • “Being in the hospital alone. I’ve gone to the ER due to serious breathing issues. Wrote an email to my only family, a brother 600 miles away of my wishes for my cats, my health directives, cremation and my estate.”
  • “I’ve had serious blood pressure issues recently and was hospitalized too. Hope you are better soon. Wish I was closer to help you out if needed.”
  • “Inspired by a (late) friend, I have made a will and I’m currently seeking some sort of pre-arranged cremation services and have contacted my sisters 3,000 miles away and made them aware of my wishes and cleared it with them. Now, since I am the only one left, I can get on living the remaining chapters.”
  • “I had serious back surgery recently and like you will be pretty much alone. To say that I’m terrified would be an understatement. I just know that I’ve done everything else for my back and this is the last step to see if I get any relief from pain which goes on 24/7. This will be a six-hour surgery so not a walk in the park. I certainly empathize with you and hope you will keep me in your thoughts on Thursday.”
  • “I need to coordinate the legal docs and appoint a guardian, maybe a lawyer, to work with the hospital and funeral director. At the end of the day, it may be a smarter more caring choice than distant family.”
  • “Two weeks ago I had surgery and heard the question we all dread..do you have someone to pick you up?”
  • “For the 1st time…I enlisted friends. It was empowering. But ..they won’t always be there.”
  • “This is where we experience the heart of our and sadness. It also brings up so many past hurts and regrets.”
  • “I have no one to manage my affairs when I die. I’m not worried about my fur baby…….there are at least four people who would take him in a heart beat. He’s such a love! But people don’t want to be involved with handling things when a person dies……….unless they are family and I have none.”

Hopes and wisdom shared

  • “We are not alone! Children are negligent and don’t show up—even adult children see sick parents once a year.”
  • “Husbands of chronically ill women can be negligent and nasty. Many of them have family dysfunction and estrangement.”
  • “As I’m writing this and seeing these oppressed and neglected married women with children..we might take a different approach and congratulate ourselves on being strong survivors of life.”
  • “I was in another country, and I developed a.sac of water around my heart. I didn’t die, but I’m still having a lot of trouble walk-ins, lifting, rolling over in bed, etc. It sucks to have no one to call on. I’m new to the area.”
  • “DRGs are the worse thing for single patients. Please make sure the Social Worker knows that you go home to no one and that you have no one to check up on you. Maybe they can transfer you to assisted living for a week or two.”
  • “Whatever you do, DO NOT LEAVE until 1) you have a diagnosis that makes sense to you, and 2) there is someone to come and get you, and see you safely home.”
  • “I’m thrilled by social experiments all over the world bringing students or teens together with the aging in win/win situations. As we face a changing reality don’t forget all of our positives and benefits. The retired have more free time and a lifetime of experience to share. Consider mentoring a young entrepreneur, teaching scouts how to cook, sew, crochet, train a dog. What did our grands teach us? Pass it on!”
Some individuals may read the article and say, “how depressing,” whereas a member of the group, me, would read and say, “how refreshing, people aging at home alone, have a platform to be heard and supported.” This Is Why Aging Alone Is Harder And How We Adapt
New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone At Home

This Is Why Aging Alone Is Harder And How We Adapt

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Aging

How to Cope with Empty Nest Syndrome

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Well, here you are: The last kiddo has left home and you’re feeling pretty blue. Maybe you’re worrying all the time. You’re probably a little lonesome (or a lot). You may feel like it, but you are not alone.

The Empty Nest Is Actually Full—of Emotions

According to GoodTherapy.org, empty nesters may experience insomnia, anxiety and/or panic—as well as feelings of extreme grief, isolation/loneliness, guilt and purposelessness. They may even lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Psychology Today notes that “…parents often struggle with a profound sense of loss, not just because they miss their child, but because their very identities have been significantly impacted.” In other words, if your parenting role has changed so dramatically, who are you?

In two-parent families, empty nest syndrome is at least a team experience—one partner can offer support and empathy when the other is struggling. For divorced, widowed or single parents, however, there may unfortunately be an even greater sense of isolation and loneliness.

If you are struggling with empty nest syndrome, the good news is you are not alone. Most parents experience at least some of these feelings in varying degrees. Here are five suggestions for coping with empty nest syndrome and finding your groove again.

Five Ways to Cope with Empty Nest Syndrome

1. Participate in Activities That Include Others.

Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, we all need friends. If you’re already involved in a community group, don’t stop now! If you’ve been too busy, go ahead and sign up for those art classes, start a band, look into university extension programs, or join a new class at the gym. The excitement and energy of taking up a new hobby or learning something new is a real balm for feelings of loss, and being around other people can help stave off social isolation.

2. Find New Ways to Feel Valued and Needed.

One of the rewards of parenting is the feeling of being important to another person. While nothing will ever replace the love between a parent and child, you can find some fulfillment in helping others. Look for a volunteer organization that aligns with your values and sign up! Offer to read books at a nearby school, or hold babies in the NICU at your local hospital. Sign up to work at a local food bank or community garden. Or use your skills to help others—knit blankets for hospital patients, teach home repair skills… the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

3. Embrace a New Adventure.

If your time and budget allow it, why not enjoy all that traveling you put off during the busy parenting years? Some empty nesters even decide to sell their homes and travel full-time! While that might not be the right choice for you, having a trip to plan and look forward to (and then enjoy) can be very therapeutic.

4. Embark On an Encore Career.

If you’ve reached retirement age, becoming an empty nester might inspire you to re-enter the working world. Encore careers can take on many forms — a coaching or consultative role in your former industry, professionalizing one of your skills (such as giving art lessons), or even joining the staff at a nonprofit. These “second-act” jobs can be a great way to recharge your spirits, stay engaged and extend your retirement income.

5. Discover the Benefits of Homesharing.

Sometimes an empty nest means you’ve got unused space in your home. Homesharing offers a wonderful way to put that space to work and have some company around the house. In homesharing, your renter (or “housemate” pays rent or does household chores (or a combination of the two) in exchange for living space.

Some homeowners find housemates by asking around among friends and neighbors, or by advertising in the community, online or on social media. Silvernest uses unique roommate-matching technology and other tools to make homesharing simple and worry-free. We’ve helped build happy homesharing agreements between people of similar ages or across generations.

There’s Hope Ahead.

Those “empty nest” feelings are normal and natural. While you’ll always miss having your kids around, the most intense emotions usually ease with time. However, if you find yourself too depressed or anxious to fully participate in your life as you once did, please seek out professional support. A trained therapist or, if need be, psychiatrist can help you work your way through this transition to a brighter future.

Posted by Silvernest Team

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Aging

Biggest Senior Concerns

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

Health and financial security is a prime concern to seniors. In a survey sponsored by the National Council on Aging, found that financial security (71% of seniors) comes ahead of staying involved with family and friends (68%) but women are even more vulnerable than men to financial matters.

The study names other worrisome factors like health care and prescription drug costs. The other two are being a burden to family and losing independence.

Individuals who help a loved one will risk losing their financial security because they quit their job or work part-time to become a caregiver. They forfeit contributing to their retirement fund and saving accounts.

The Caregiving Dilemma

Family caregiving has always been the cornerstone of our healthcare system. But that segment dwindles.

In 2016, nearly 15 percent of women ages 40-44 hadn’t given birth and were childless, up from 10 percent in 1976, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A 2013 report from AARP projects that by 2040, about 21 percent of the older, disabled population will be childless.

The number of childless older people in the UK expects to double by 2030, putting huge pressure on a health and social care system that is already struggling to support the vulnerable, warned Kirsty Woodard, founder of the Ageing Well Without Children.

Older adults strapped with money insecurity now take on another challenge, paying for personal care at home.

If you’re in this situation, have you thought about how you will find help and support in the years ahead? The members in my group talk about it a lot. But it’s not just the child free individuals who worry about it, so do women with children, because many live hundreds of miles apart or have estranged relationships.

It’s a huge issue that we must address. The last thing you want to face is a medical emergency or event without a plan.

In a study conducted in my Facebook group by an academic professor revealed other factors for individuals to think about:

  • To identify a caregiver who would help if you became ill or disabled
  • To find a trusted person to help you cope with life’s challenges like medical and financial decisions
  • To have access to someone in case there’s a crisis
  • To find people to socialize with you to avoid loneliness
  • To mitigate your chances of developing chronic conditions

When you make a plan to tackle these issues, then you’re less confused and uncertain about handling them in the coming years.

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Kitchen Safety Tips for Seniors Receiving In-Home Care
Aging

New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak
The healthcare industry has recently spotted a new segement in the older adult population. It’s the aging singles who are 55 and over. They are the aged, community-dwelling individuals who are socially and physically isolated, without an available known family member or designated surrogate. Some also refer to this group the elder orphans. New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home
They’ve been in plain sight for decades, but since boomers enter the 60 years, the aging single demographic will intensify, due to their status of having the highest divorce rates and childless marriages. And in a matter of a few years, the prevalence of the generation’s chronic diseases will put a heavy burden on the medical care providers, causing an overload on health care and other services.
According to the U.S. Census, 2010, 27 percent of seniors across America age alone. The same survey discovered nearly 19 percent of women aged 40 to 44 years have no children, as compared to about 10 percent in 1980. Furthermore, in 2009, almost one-third of Americans aged 45–63 years are single, a 50 percent increase from 22% in 1980. The trend shows no signs of reversing to the former condition.
However, being a parent or a partner does not guarantee care in old age, but since the bulk of America’s elderly are cared for by spouses and children, who will advocate for the solo agers?

I belong to the group; I am 66, childless, and spouseless. I was one of the three siblings who helped my parents with elder care responsibilities, and it was tough for my sisters and me. Mother lived with congestive heart failure, and my Father had Alzheimer’s disease. From the caregiving experiences, I know firsthand the highly concentrated attention elder care requires.

After my parents had passed, a startling thought occurred — “who will care for me?”
For people in my situation, alone and growing older, we face extraordinary challenges, especially when the medical decisions are made without the feedback of loved ones.
Last year, I started a Facebook group for elder orphans (a medical term for people aging alone) and the count tallies past 4500. The group discusses the challenges, and members offer support and connection in hopes to relieve the stress and worry that many feels.
Through active participation, I’ve learned that we need education, support, and guidance from health care providers to assist us with preparation for the tough road ahead. But more importantly, we need the medical professionals and teams to acknowledge the status, circumstances, and the issues, and then screen for the aging alone dynamics which carries a basket of risks. New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home

Worries of Those Alone

Some of the worrisome concerns discussed in the group and handled by members:
  • Ageism — just because we’re growing older, doesn’t mean we should give up on aging well. We desire recognition for our strengths and given a chance to offer our skills and to give back and be a productive member of society.
  • How to remain healthy without resorting to medication or surgery — we would enjoy learning alternatives to going under the knife or consuming various meds.
  • Find out how others cope with issues and create one’s solutions — we want to hear how others deal with challenges; what worked for them and then decide if it’s a good fit for us. And if the solution is not a fit, what other options might work?
  • Discover useful local and national resources — we’d like to learn about community services, especially the ones that help us age in place. We don’t have advocates or family members who can research for us, so, we depend on others for direction.
  • Navigate health, care issues, and chronic illnesses – we want to thrive and be well even when living with diabetes, dementia, heart diseases, cancer and other diseases.
  • Gain social interaction — our toughest challenge. Most of us want connection and to make new friends but have difficulty leaving our house due to immobility concerns.
  • Select a health care proxy and surrogate – we need help and direction when choosing someone to speak on our behalf if we should become too ill or incapacitated.
These topics are a few of what the group addresses, plus a few more. Most of us are not health care professionals, so the practical tips and advice come through other’s experiences.
However, at the local community-based services and medical teams, the professionals can do so much more. Just recognizing the fact that we’re living alone, and then assess the risks, would help the older person understand what’s needed to remain safe, healthy, and independent even when no one is around to check on us.
In recent medical research about elder orphans, geriatricians found several risks that affect the elderly:

Social support

Low social support affects the physical and psychological health and in some instances, will increase mortality. A decreased social interaction stems from little support which correlates with depressed affect and arousal, reduced cognitive and social skills, and altered mental functioning.
And for some members of the Facebook group, it’s their only source of social interaction and connection. While for others, they make great strides to maintain face to face interconnections and build friendships. But overall, social detachment is a huge concern.

Isolation and loneliness

Isolation is the state of having minimal contact with others. Even though being isolated can cause loneliness, both are not equal, and both are the risk factor for a physical and cognitive decline.
The online activity that some members find on Facebook is their only source of communications and reaching out to other people. It’s not one’s preference to be alone all the time, but the physical immobility is their greatest burden that keeps them in the house.

Childlessness

It is an important risk factor for social isolation. Like the study mentioned earlier, childless adults often do have support networks, usually consisting of relatives, friends, and neighbors. However, these systems are less likely to provide the long-term commitment and comparable high level of support that children give to parents.
Most members of the group do not have children, but for those who do, they’ve lost communication with the family, they live a long distance away, or they’re forgotten.

Services needed

Community-based aging resource centers and senior organizations must have goals that assist with our medical, functional, social, and safety needs.
  • Help prevent hospital admissions and help us understand how to avoid them
  • How to create advanced directives and choose a reliable, and trusted health care surrogate
  • Teach elder abuse education and where to find support and help
  • Show how to create a care plan far in advance of needing acute care
  • Instruct how to build a personal care team of friends we can count on
  • Give us options and ways to build social connections and help us avoid isolation
  • Help us find transportation when needed
It is challenging for clinicians and social services and even the patients who live alone. But when recognized and assessed properly, the aging singles have potential to struggle less with managing health conditions and the complexities involved in care.
More information on aging issues faced by seniors living alone click here. New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home

New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home

New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home New Aging Dilemma: Living Alone at Home

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