Wednesday, December 3, 2014

4 Easy Ways to Make Christmas Merry for Grandma

http://seniorcare2share.com/2013/11/10-holiday-requests-that-wont-make-seniors-gift-lists/

Christmas is a wonderful season; rich with experiences and opportunities. While there are many chances to delight your children with glitter and gold in December, Christmas also offers a fantastic opportunity to bring the older members of your family into the merriment.  Like anything else, a merry Christmas for all does require some planning. What follows is an easy list of ways to make Christmas merry for Grandma.

1. Christmas is a Season of Memories-

Even at my age, Christmas brings a flood of memories. I can vividly remember moments of unbridled joy when I received a basketball hoop. I can remember spending each holiday with my grandparents, helping serve meals to the less fortunate in Oklahoma. I can remember the smell of my grandmother's perfume when I would run up the front sidewalk to hug her upon pulling up to her house for the holiday. Even writing these lines, I start to drift away in a sea of happy thoughts of days gone by. For older adults, memories are a vital part of life. Especially for seniors who have begun to deal with short term memory loss, being able to recall and recount events from the past not only provides a sense of confidence and great pleasure. Reminiscing also provides what is known as "life review," an important part of the aging process. Plan to spend an evening in December with the older adult in your life looking through an old photo album or watching old home movies. Let them bring the ghost of Christmas past back to life.

2. Quality not Quantity-

It is easy to create Christmas overload with the best intentions. It is only December 3rd and my personal holiday docket is already jam packed with parties, gatherings and events. For seniors, it is particularly important to consider the dangers of doing too much. For many older adults, having an established routine is crucial. Throwing a couple extra things on the calendar is fine but don't attempt to drag your aging parent to every shindig and ugly sweater party available. Less is more. Plan on having them accompany you to no more than a few events and have an early exit strategy. People who struggle with hearing loss can become very agitated among big crowds and in noisy environments. Take this into consideration as you do your planning.

3. Connect

Isolation is a danger for seniors throughout the year but is especially painful at Christmas. If possible, try to connect your aging parent with peers or relatives that they might not get to visit often. For instance, plan to take your mother on a trip to Aunt Thelma's house to deliver one of your mom's world famous lemon pound cakes. It will be a great opportunity to share the Christmas spirit with both your mom and your Aunt. Who do you know who will be alone this Christmas and might appreciate a visit?

4. Watch the Booze-

Everyone has heard the cautionary tales of a coworker who had one too many glasses of eggnog at the holiday party and ended up xeroxing her own derriere by the night's end. Many of the medications that seniors take may make them especially susceptible to alcohol. No one likes to be babysat and that is certainly not what I am suggesting. However, knowing the effects that too much alcohol might have and planning (there's that word again) an early exit strategy might not be the worst idea ever.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Make a plan to enjoy it.

And to all ages a good night!

Monday, December 1, 2014

The Importance of Mother's Health


For the record, I am not a woman.

I have never been a woman.

To my credit, I have been involved in an extremely in-depth case study of a woman for the last 13 years known as marriage.

One of the things that I have noticed over the last decade is that my wife is consistently placing her own health on the back burner. If one of my children has a fever, she coordinates a trip to the pediatrician. Her calendar is the one which tracks the annual physicals and immunizations for everyone in the home under the age of 18. She arranges dental cleanings each year.

But if you were to ask her about her own health, you would hear a quick laugh followed by the popular internet refrain: "Ain't nobody got time for that."

Many women fall into the same pit, particularly during childbearing years when pregnancy necessitates frequent visits to the OBG. Unfortunately, proper health practices are habits which are formed and followed over years and have ramifications which unquestionably affect women as they age.

The Easy Mistake-
It is easy to think about OBG's as doctors. They are. But it is more accurate to think about them as surgeons. That is what they are.

An Obstetrician-gynecologist is a surgeon in the truest sense of the word. They are required to go through a four year surgical residency which contains curriculum entirely surgical in nature. It is natural to assume that, over time, OBG's will become competent in areas of outpatient medicine. However, it is important to remember that their knowledge base, skill set and entire training is limited to the female reproductive system.

There is more to women than just lady parts.

The mistake many women make is feeling that an examination as invasive as the one they receive at their OBG visit would surely catch anything major going on. That simply isn't the case.

Why It Matters-
For all of the reasons that men go to the doctor, women should go to the doctor. Things like hypertension, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, and diabetes are just a few of the first things that come to mind that OBG's do not (and aren't trained to) diagnose and treat. Additionally, screenings to detect things such as cervical and breast cancer are female specific health concerns which must be monitored on a regular basis. They are not concerns which are typically addressed during routine pregnancy visits.

Making It A Priority-
The reality is that no mother has time to attend to their own health. In no world does a mother wake up to birds chirping outside their window, the beginning of Rossini's "The William Tell Overture" playing in the background, and wistfully wonder what she will do with all of the extra time she has that day. The reality of a mother's day is far more chaotic and is unimaginable to anyone who hasn't walked a mile in those shoes. The finale of "The William Tell Overture," known by most as the theme song to the Lone Ranger, is a far more appropriate soundtrack for most. How would one find the time to tend to their own needs in the midst of the daily onslaught known as motherhood? Perhaps a good place to start would be to replace a word in the previous sentence. No one will ever "find" the time. One must "make" the time. Like Nike used to say- Just Do It!


Many of the seniors we serve are currently dealing with the reality of having ignored their own health needs earlier in life. Whether it is borderline hypertension eventually leading to a stroke, poor diet eventually leading to diabetes, high cholesterol eventually leading to a heart attack, or lack of sleep eventually leading to dementia; daily we are confronted with the repercussions of decisions made and habits formed much earlier in life. It is easy to ignore the piper when you won't likely have to pay him for another 40 years. The seniors who are enjoying long life and greater independence than their peers are not doing so by accident. Their success is a byproduct of careful planning and persistent attention to the little foxes which can so often spell disaster down the line.

Mothers, make time to take care of yourself; not just for yourself but for all the people who rely on you and care about you.

Fathers, make your wife's health your priority. The Bible tells us to love our wives as we love ourselves. If that means that once a year you need to take a day off of work so that she can go to the doctor then make it happen.

Friday, November 21, 2014

4 Easy Ways to Live Longer


Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to go today. Here are four easy ways to increase your longevity by almost 20 years.

1. A Salad a Day
 Italian researchers have pinpointed an easy habit you can adopt which will yield two additional years to your life span. A new study suggests that the simple practice of eating a salad a day is enough to make your life longer. The antioxidants found in vegetables such as broccoli, dark leafy greens, bell peppers and tomatoes have been shown in studies to ward off everything from major diseases to the common cold.

+2 years

2. Oh Nuts!
The crack team at Loma Linda University noticed something funny about Seventh Day Adventists in California; they were living longer than everyone else. Seventh Day Adventists are known for their healthy lifestyles and the avoidance of things such as caffeine, alcohol and pork. Scientists were able to pinpoint their practice of eating nuts as being particularly beneficial. After compiling all of the data, the research team asserted that snacking on nuts at least five times a week can add almost three extra years to your life.

+3 years

3. You Get By With a Little Help From Your Friends
In Australia, researchers found that the individuals with the largest networks of friends lived the longest. Whether just having someone to check in on you from time to time does the trick or perhaps it is the physiological benefits of companionship, having a good solid gang of buddies tacks on an additional seven years.

+7 years

4. You Gotta Ac-cen-tuate The Positive
Yale University researchers help us understand that not everything regarding longevity can be quantified as easily as a bowl of leafy greens. Older adults who enter the golden years of retirement with a general sense of doom and gloom are not likely to last very long. The mind is a powerful thing and can create health realities either positively or negatively. Individuals who approach the next chapter of their lives with a sense of optimism and purpose have been shown to live more than seven years longer. Programs like our Salute to Senior Service promote and recognize the contributions that older adults make for just that reason.

+7 years

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Three Simple Steps to Beat the Winter Blues


My wife and I were lying in bed this morning wondering why on earth our children were running all over the house at such an early hour. After shouting various things in an attempt to curtail the Crack-o-dawn shenanigans, I angrily tossed back the covers and began the heavy footed march of doom with the intent of politely informing them in a loving fashion that if they ever woke me up at an ungodly hour such as this again I would be forced to search for new homes for at least three of them. To make sure I had the facts to illustrate my point, I glanced at the clock on my way across the room to find two things. First, my still-too-noisy-for-this-time-of-the-morning children were not as guilty as I had thought them to be. Second, it was already 7:00am and I was going to be late to work.

The change of seasons is hard to deal with for many reasons. The shorter days, the chilly weather, the dark mornings all combine to wreak havoc on the schedules our bodies have grown accustomed to during the long, hot summers. Aptly acronymed Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), affects some of us more prominently than others. "People affected by seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD, may feel overly tired, lack motivation and even have trouble getting out of bed," says Dr. Angelos Halaris, a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Loyola University Chicago Stitch School of Medicine.

For seniors struggling with dementia and Alzheimer's, the affects of SAD compound what are already a challenging collection of symptoms.

Here some simple steps you can take to battle the SAD-ness:

1. Get Outside- 
Despite the shorter days, we are still blessed to have relatively warm weather and beautiful fall foliage in North Carolina. Getting outside to enjoy the sunlight is one of the best things you can do to avoid SAD. Exposing your skin to sunshine is helpful as well. If weather permits, expose your arms to the sunlight and avoid wearing sunglasses if possible.
2. Let the Sunshine In-
Open the curtains and drapes to let in as much of the outside light as possible. Consider leaving the blinds in your bedroom open when you go to sleep in order to allow the sunlight to stream in as soon as it comes up in the morning. For homes with poor lighting, light therapy boxes are available that are designed to mimic the effects of sun exposure. Always consult your physician before engaging in light therapy.
3. Exercise-
There is nothing that sabotages my exercise regiment more than the foods of fall. Squash, root vegetables, pot roast, and all of their fatty friends make me want to lie on the couch catch up on past episodes of Downton Abbey. Make yourself exercise. The endorphins released by even 30 minutes of daily activity can have a profound affect on your energy levels.


None of these are revolutionary concepts. None of these things are hard to do. These are all of the things that your great grandmother would have encouraged you to do long before we made up a fancy name for how we feel starting in October. Unfortunately, what is easy to do is also easy not to do.

For more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder click here


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

The Meaning of Life


As I sit down to write this post, I am not really sure how to begin. I am not really sure what content will fill this space. I don't really know how I will bring it to a close.

I know that I want to say something that will affect people positively. I want to make a difference.

I suppose I could move on if things become difficult; if the words to fill the page elude me. But I feel that I have something to contribute and I don't think I can or should move on until I have finished the task at hand.

At Home Instead Senior Care, we believe in a culture of life. We believe in living life on your own terms and aging according to your wishes. We believe in making the most out of each and every day which has been given. That belief is what drives us to serve families the way we do. That belief brings patience and understanding to us in the midst of sometimes difficult circumstances and family dynamics. We want to make the world a better place. We believe that we have something to contribute.

Despite our commitment to life, we are never far removed from death. The conclusion of life is something we face often. In those moments, we take great comfort in the work that we did. We console each other in the knowledge that, for however brief a time we were a part of their story, we made that person's world a better place. Still, it isn't easy. Loss never is.

Throughout the many journeys we have been a part of, we have stood by as the people and families we cared for endured tragic things. We have watched people battle painful chronic conditions. We have seen people become prisoners in their own bodies due to ALS or Parkinson's. We have watched as a person stricken with Alzheimer's slowly fades until the moment they no longer recognize their own reflection in the mirror. Friends have been taken from us far too early and without any warning. In each case there is requisite separation. 'Just part of the business we're in,' we tell ourselves. But that truth is a lie. If it weren't, we wouldn't be any good at what we do.The reality is that losing people hurts. Watching people suffer hurts. Saying goodbye hurts. Death hurts.

Over the last several weeks, the media has been highlighting the story of woman in Oregon who has chosen to end her own life on November 1st rather than fight an aggressive type of brain cancer. Many have hailed her decision as brave. At first glance, I guess I can see that. After all, we believe in living life on your own terms. Shouldn't that include dictating the terms of its end?

But the more I reflect on her decision, the sadder I become. How sad that because of the suffering set before her, she believes that the best decision is to avoid the pain completely. That is and should be her right- both legally and ethically. Still I can't help but think about the innumerable ways in which my life has been blessed by those around me who have endured unimaginable difficulty. In moments of personal trial, I find myself bolstered by reflecting on their courage and bravery in facing those challenges. Those are my heroes.

There is a pervasive myth in our society that beating a disease is the same as winning. The reality is that some diseases, some conditions are still and perhaps always will be incurable. Life itself is the ultimate terminal condition. Facing death, despair is understandable. Choosing to avoid that struggle is pragmatic. Bravery, however, is rarely the reasonable choice.

Each day brings with it an opportunity to create, to share, to laugh, to love, to serve. While we may not know exactly which words will fill the page, we still choose to write because we believe that we have something to give. We are here for a reason. We have a purpose.

Sometimes we fight to win. Other times we win simply because we fight. In both instances, we affect the world around us. We make a difference.

I do not know how my individual story will end but I choose to put words on the page because I believe I have something to contribute. I am grateful for all those around me who have chosen to fight and in so doing made the world a better place.

"This is my quest, to follow that star.
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far.
To fight for the right, without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause.
And the world will be better for this, that one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star."
The Impossible Dream- Man of La Mancha





Wednesday, October 15, 2014

"I Bake Bread" - Minnesota 114yr old Shares the Secret to Longevity

http://z3.invisionfree.com/The_110_Club/ar/t10309.htm

Anna Stroehr has seen a lot of changes in her life. Born in 1900, today marks her 114th birthday. An infant when President McKinley was assassinated, she cites the addition of electricity as the most significant change she has seen take place during more than a century of years on this planet. But don't let that rather predictable observation fool you into thinking that Anna isn't a modern lady.

Anna was trending at number one this morning on Twitter once news of her birthday and her fondness for social media began to hit the news outlets. Like so many teenagers one hundred years her younger, Anna had to lie in order to set up her Facebook account. Apparently, Mr.Zuckerberg didn't account for Supercentenarians wanting to participate. His setup protocol only allows you to go as far back as 100 yrs., a fact which forced Anna to lie about her age when she set her account up several years ago with the help of her 85 yr old son.

A few years back, Anna did an interview and was asked the typical range of obligatory questions. She described the secret to her long life in a two fold manner. "I bake bread," was her first explanation. Second she says "I know it was the good Lord's doing. I sure didn't do anything to deserve it."

My favorite part of the interview was when she was asked about exercise. "I never understood people walking for exercise," she said. "If a person does what they're supposed to be doing, there doesn't seem to be any need for that." Geriatric specialists at the Mayo Clinic attached big, fancy words to her recipe for long life. They say that strength training, cardio activity and being part of an active social community are the things that have helped Anna become the seventh oldest living American. Those words are as foreign to Anna as the concept of Facebook undoubtedly is to many of her 100 year old peers.

Long before the sedentary, screen-engrossed, overweight, disconnected-yet-always-connected plague swept through this nation Anna held the secret to a long and happy life. Her recipe didn't call for fancy words or expensive studies. Her holistic approach didn't even require the aid of modern medicine. Anna's secret in those days was just called "living."

After having to fake her age to get on Facebook, Anna sent a one sentence message composed on a typewriter to Mark Zuckerberg. It read simply: "I'm still here."

Happy Birthday Anna.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Overcoming The Parent/Child Dynamic


I can remember a Sunday School teacher once chiding me for being disruptive. "Stephen, God gave you two ears and only one mouth for a reason. He wanted you to listen twice as much as you speak." At the time, those words fell on deaf ears, both of 'em. However, I have found myself returning to those pearls of wisdom on many occasions throughout my life.

Many adult children approach their parents as a collection of problems to be solved. Mom needs help at home. Dad is not safe behind the wheel. Mom and Dad's finances need to be managed more carefully. The real problem is that many times we attempt to solve problems we know nothing about.

Problem: Since Dad passed away Mom lives by herself.
Solution: Mom should move in with us and live in our spare bedroom. She could spend more time with her grandkids and save some extra money.

New Problem: Mom doesn't want to move in with you. She is afraid that she will be viewed as a permanent on-site babysitter. She already raised her kids and, as much as she loves yours, doesn't want to be a mom again. She is 75 and saving money is not on the top of her list. Your dad did a great job of making sure that she would be well provided for. What would she be saving money for other than your inheritance?

Problem: Dad's eyesight isn't what it used to be and I don't feel he is safe behind the wheel.
Solution: We should take away his car keys.

New Problem: Dad's vision is fine except that he doesn't see well at night. He is terrified every time he drives but even more terrified that if he tells you then you will want to take his keys away. Rather than risk admitting his weaknesses and fears, he refuses to address what he knows is going on and becomes increasingly defensive.

Home Instead's own Mary Maxwell once quipped: "Be patient with me as I age. This is the first time I have ever been old." Aging is a new experience for everyone. There are no practice rounds. There are no take backs. The only person who knows less about aging than the person enduring it is the aging child watching it take place in the life of their loved one. Yet it is not uncommon for an adult child to jump into solving a collection of issues they know nothing about.

The 40-70 Rule is a program put together by Home Instead Senior Care to help families navigate some of these tricky conversations. The program includes a downloadable "Action Plan For Successful Aging" which covers a variety of topics important to discuss with an aging parent. Each topic is broken down using an 'Assess, Consider, Talk (ACT)' model which encourages every member of the situation to consider the aging process from a variety of different angles BEFORE talking about potential solutions.

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."   Mark Twain

For more information about the 40-70 Rule Program and to obtain your free Action Plan For Successful Aging visit www.4070talk.com



Tuesday, August 26, 2014

It's a Process Not An Event


Many families are willing to admit that they haven't had "the talk." Statistically, most families won't.
According to senior care professionals, 70% of family conversations about aging are prompted by an event such as a health crisis or other emergency.

I think the idea of "the talk" might be some of what keeps many families from engaging in critically important dialogue with their aging parents. "The talk" is not a single event as the term suggests but rather a series of conversations which bridge the gap between adult children and their aging parents. My parents and I have had "the talk" on a number of different occasions; each time we gain a greater understanding of each other as well as greater confidence moving forward into increasingly sensitive topics.

Home Instead Senior Care's 40-70 Rule Program is a great resource for structuring those conversations. We have suggested that when an adult child is 40 and their aging parent is 70, it is great time to begin a simple dialogue about a number of different issues. The idea of having "the talk" insinuates some sort of huge moment of discourse which can understandably be intimidating for some. What if I do it wrong? What if I mess up "the talk?"

Like so many conversations between children and their parents, the notion that we can simply breeze into each other's lives and suddenly have extremely meaningful talks about sensitive topics that we have never addressed before and then breeze back out just as quickly is asinine.

Many people ask us how to go about addressing these issues if they don't currently have a relationship with their parents. I would suggest that the resources Home Instead has made available can be a useful road map towards not only answering some important questions as your parents age but also towards naturally cultivating a meaningful relationship where one previously did not exist.

Have "the talk."

Then have it again.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care and some of the ways we are serving families CLICK HERE.





Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Build Trust, Take The Lead, Share Your Heart


Recently, I had a conversation with a friend about Home Instead Senior Care. In retrospect, I realize that he was probably just making small talk. However, I found myself holding court for almost twenty minutes about exactly what I was looking for in a caregiver.

Truly great caregivers are diamonds in the rough. They are rare, precious gems which must be mined and polished to shine at their fullest potential. Finding those beautiful people is the single most challenging aspect of what we do at Home Instead Senior Care.

Generally, I find that caregivers fall into two categories. There are those who have figured out how to make what they consider an easy buck by babysitting an old person. They will show up. They will do what is absolutely insisted upon and nothing more. They will move on whenever a situation displeases them or they get a more lucrative offer. Caregivers in this category are a dime a dozen.

And then there are the people who view the work of caregiving as a ministry. These are people who intrinsically understand the tremendous opportunity that we have at Home Instead Senior Care to touch people's lives. Perhaps because they were caregivers for a family member or maybe even needed a caregiver at one point themselves, these servant-hearted angels look at each day as an chance to make a difference.

The unfortunate reality is that there are far too many of the first group and far too few of the latter. The age wave has brought about unprecedented need for services like ours and encouraged many organizations to lower their standards in order to keep up with the increasing demand. While I am proud to say that Home Instead has in no way compromised the qualities we insist upon in our caregivers, we have had to change our strategy somewhat. The task must no longer be to find the best and disregard the rest. Our new challenge is not simply finding the best caregiver but in some instances figuring out how to create the best caregiver.

Many of the applicants who walk through our doors have great hearts and noble intentions. Yet many of them have never had the benefit of a employer who is willing to teach them the requisite skills. As the costs of employing people continue to skyrocket, many businesses expect new associates to arrive ready to work on day one. Hiring someone who must be cultivated and taught is an expense that fewer and fewer enterprises are willing to undertake.

My Home Instead Senior Care franchise works tirelessly to live out our mission of "making Home Instead a great place to be." I believe this is a goal which applies to both client and caregiver. The culture I have worked to create is one which values each individual and is willing to invest in each caregiver with whom we are blessed. It is my heartfelt desire that each of them will look back on their time as a part of our family as one of the more significant experiences of their lives; an experience which afforded them the opportunity to build trust, take the lead and share their heart.

For more information about becoming a Home Instead Senior Care caregiver CLICK HERE.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

We Are Family


As the father of a pre-teen son, I am growing accustomed to the almost daily hormone-fueled rants that accompany life at his age. I remember rants of my own during those years. I remember trying to articulate my jumbled emotions to my bewildered parents. During the tougher seasons, I can recall the seductive thought of leaving for college. On that day, I thought, I will finally be free of these fools and can live life on my own terms. But two truths became quickly evident after I moved out of my childhood home. First, I realized that my parents weren't the fools I may have thought them to be. Second, I realized didn't want to be free of them after all.

The desire for rebellion and independence is not singular to teenage sons. It is a common theme which has driven people of all ages and genders throughout recorded history. From Adam and Eve to Lewis and Clark, we don't want someone else calling the shots. However, despite our best effort to loose the shackles of dependence and forge a path of our own we are a people designed to live in community. There is a deeper drive within us to exist in relationship to others. Nowhere is this more evident than in the bond between parent and child.

As foolish as the child seeking total separation from his parents is the notion that an aging parent and the challenges they face are insulated from affecting their adult children. While a parent and child may enjoy different stages of a relationship throughout their lives, the reality that a relationship continually exists should not be lost on either party. The issues that either go through touch the lives of the other.

As a service to the community, Home Instead Senior Care is presenting a public education campaign called "The 40-70 Rule" over the next several months. This program pinpoints the ages of 40 and 70 as being the perfect starting point for an adult child and their aging parent to begin having important discussions regarding their desires for the years to come. After having reviewed the program materials and having seen the devastation which is wrought by avoiding these sometimes difficult topics, I am excited to share these resources free of charge.

But before we get to the 'How-to's" of having tackling these issues, I think it is important to remember that none of us exist in a vacuum. There is a natural tendency for both parties to recoil from probing questions about our desires. "That's none of your business," we may be tempted to say.
Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

If my parents wish to live out their lives in the comfort of their home, that is very much my business as I will be the one ultimately coordinating the resources and assistance to make that dream a reality. As they prepare to set sail into the sunset of their lives, I must prepare to fulfill my eventual responsibilities as captain of that ship. It is therefore not only reasonable but critical that we have these conversations before the ship leaves its proverbial port.

So let us begin this journey with that one clarification.

We are in this together.

If we work together we can make both of our dreams a reality.

For more information on "The 40-70 Rule" visit www.4070talk.com

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Warning: Dangerous Children



As a parent of many sons (6 as of the writing of this blog), my life is wild adventureland of dirt and noise. The idea of a quiet home is a fantasy construct that my wife and I harbor no hope of ever enjoying. And we love it.

Having once been a rambunctious boy, I am amazed to have survived my own childhood. The very act of being a child: to challenge, to push to the limits, to see how far you can go until something (or someone) pushes back seems to bring with it the threat of almost certain death. My summer days were spent racing a red metal wagon with a box duck-taped to the top down the steepest street in the neighborhood. Eventually, a car, a speedbump, or a pothole would cause the wagon to swerve, tip over, and disintegrate on impact. The rider would then extricate himself from the wreckage, wipe the blood off of his appendages and along with his posse begin the process of looking for a new box to strap to the top of his wagon of doom in preparation of making another run. If no further boxes could be found, we would head off into the woods on our bikes in search of snakes and drainage creeks with enough water in them for a swim. It is amazing that any of us survived.

To parents of this age, the situation I just described is a nightmare of biblical proportions; children, unsupervised, careening down streets, below the eye level of any car, on wagons not constructed out of high impact-resistant plastic resin, with no visibility, risking the almost certain loss of at least a finger with every crash in what is essentially a coffin of recyclables and duck tape. Oh the humanity. Oh the sweet sweet humanity. When your pulse returns to normal and you are no longer at risk of having a stroke, I will tell you what we did during Texas Hill Country thunderstorms. Awesomeness.

We are children of a bygone era; relics of a better time.

Today's children would never be permitted to flirt with the type of disaster we courted on a daily basis. Today's child is well supervised and kept at a distance from anything that could potentially harm it. As for endangered species, we have created faux worlds in which our children may exist. These environments and play areas perfectly mirror the real things only without any of the dangerous aspects. Predictably, when an endangered species is released into the wild after being raised in captivity it is savagely devoured by the animals who have grown up in the actual jungle. Increasingly, our society is finding itself facing similar challenges. Our perfectly sheltered and safe children are released into the wilderness of the real world neutered of every instinct and ability which would have helped them survive.

In her upcoming film "The Land," director Erin Davis documents a Welsh play space which challenges the traditional American instinct to shelter and protect our young. "The Land" offers children a chance to experience the world around them; a world filled with wonderfully dangerous opportunities. Open fires, hammers, saws, old tires, mud, ropes, rusty metal shipping containers, and trees which beg for a climber all populate the space aptly described as an adventure playground. Missing from the canvas are instructions and rules, protective rubber playmatting, overzealous nannies and anything else which would prevent young humans from creating, appreciating, and learning about the themselves and the world by which they are surrounded.



Even as I type these words, there wells up within me an instinct to reject notions like this. As a parent, I must protect my sons from dangers like these. The poisonous culture shift has infected even a staunch independent like myself. What if they are hurt? What if they cut off a finger? What if they slip and fall and experience pain? As of these fears are legitimate possibilities. These things might actually happen. They are worthy of consideration.

But consider also those things which are not mere possibilities but rather the probable outcome of raising a child in the manner our society has now deemed most advisable. What happens to them when they grow up unable to contend with the challenges the real world throws at them? What happens when noone is around to hand them a participation trophy for the job they didn't get? How will their fragile egos cope? What happens when they confront actual violence which threatens more than just their avatar on some video game? Who will the men of the next generation turn to to protect their families? What happens when they graduate with their advanced degrees and certifications, perfectly programmed to obediently follow the rules yet completely unable to compose an original and creative thought? Who will find a cure for Cancer? Alzheimer's? Write the next great symphony?

What will the world look like if we continue to keep our children from becoming the wonderfully dangerous individuals they are hardwired to be?

Watch the trailer for the upcoming film "The Land" below.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Helpful or Intrusive? Keeping An Eye On Your Aging Parent


Over the last several years, the increase in the aging population has brought about the invention of a slew of gadgets and gizmos which purportedly help seniors live independently. While many of these devices have great intentions, they walk a fine line between 'my daughter likes to keep in touch' and 'my daughter is trying to run my life.'

One of the more recent innovations to surface is something called "Lively." In short, Lively is a series of sensors placed discreetly around an aging parent's home to accumulate data. The sensors then use that data to establish patterns of behavior and alert authorized family members whenever a significant deviation from the norm takes place. In their online video, the makers of Lively are very quick to point out that this is "not like big brother monitoring with anything like video cameras pointed at you." In actuality, that is exactly what it is like- minus the video cameras.

So where should the line be drawn?

Most of the independent seniors that we work would emphatically reject having sensors placed throughout their lives so that an adult child could monitor them. Still others may be more amenable to the idea if for no other reason than to pacify a daughter who is prone to worry.

Whether a family places a low-tech nanny cam or a state-of-the-art sensor network in their aging parent's home, they are subtly inserting themselves into a senior's life. Seems like a I remember hearing a phrase about putting lipstick on a pig.

While most seniors fiercely reject the notion of needing any help even up to the point when the need for help is undeniable, aging in place is not something that can be done alone. In my experience through Home Instead Senior Care, living independently is not as much a matter of allowing other people access to your habits and routines as it is deciding for yourself what those habits and routines will be.

Have a conversation with the aging parent in your life. Allow them the opportunity to tell you what they want the next 10-15-20-25 years to look like and then work together to create that reality. Lively provides a fun new tool to help families to that end. But without an open dialogue, it will be received as just another example of you meddling in your dad's affairs.

For great information about how to have these initial conversations visit www.4070talk.com.


Watch the promo video below for more information about Lively.




Thursday, June 26, 2014

The Things That Are Easy


http://www.seniorsforliving.com/blog/2011/09/08/senior-living-offers-antidote-to-isolation-loneliness-depression/ 

This morning I was speaking with one of my neighbors. She assists an elderly man once a week through a ministry at her church and is having a difficult time getting him to engage in activities of any kind. She has tried to get him to participate in various groups and activities but to no avail. He lives a solitary life with little to no interaction with anyone save the once a week visits from the nice church lady. That is who he is and that is likely who he will remain.

My neighbor remarked how grateful she was to know him on several levels. She is obviously grateful for his friendship but she is additionally grateful for the lesson that his isolation has taught her. Perspective is a powerful thing and seeing the manifestation of his choices has helped inform hers.

Getting involved in the world around you is not a difficult task. There are a thousand things from small to huge which beg for each of us to play a part. At this neighbor's church, a group of seniors gets together every Saturday afternoon to put together the bulletins for Sunday; not an incredibly difficult task but one which provides both purpose and community.

Jim Rohn, one of the world's most reknowned personal development coaches, famously quipped: "The things that are easy to do are also easy not to do."

Stuffing church bulletins is easy. Answering phones twice a week for a few hours at the local senior center is easy. Helping to keep a local food bank organized is easy. Visiting church shut-ins is easy. All of these things are easy. Unfortunately, all of these things are also easy NOT to do.

This elderly gentleman is reaping the harvest that he has sown by his own inaction. It would have been easy to stuff bulletins with the group from church. It would have created community and purpose for him in his later years. But it was also easy NOT to stuff bulletins with the group from church. Now, he faces solitary days. The ordeal of trying to join a new group or begin to participate in a new activity is far more daunting now than it had previously been.

I am grateful for the good examples in my life. My grandfather did not neglect to do what was easy. He visited seniors in the hospital, was active in his church community, and delivered meals to shut-ins. None of these things were inherently difficult. They were easy things to do and he did not neglect to do them. I am equally grateful for the seniors I encounter who have neglected to do the easy things. While sometimes sad to observe, their lives offer a cautionary glimpse at the repercussions of inaction.

Wisdom of the day:

Do not neglect to do what is easy.

Click here for more information about how Home Instead Senior Care can assist the senior in your life.


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Brick House

http://www.break.com/pictures/bad-situation-step-on-a-lego-2402100


Late last night I was roused from my slumber by the prod of my wife's elbow in the small of my back. Convinced that there was an intruder downstairs, she insisted that I investigate. With the appropriate home protection device in hand, I ambled through my bedroom door and made my way down the dimly lit hallway to rescue my family from the villainous ice-maker which I was convinced had made all of the ruckus to start with. Just a few feet from the top of the stairs, I had not yet found any signs of an intrusion. Cautiously, I took one final step to the look down from the top of the stairway and immediately doubled over on the floor, writhing in agony. Having awakened everyone in my home and neighborhood with what was undoubtedly not my finest verbal exposition on the subject of human suffering, I turned on the light in the hallway and began the process of removing the small red Lego brick from my right forefoot.

Every parent of small children has shared the wondrous joy of the Lego-foot. It is an expected pain which always happens unexpectedly. From the moment my children open up their overpriced plastic bricks on Christmas morning, I know that at least one of the 4,337 pieces will take me down.

http://www.rentittoday.com/rental-blog/15261/building-up-a-new-rental-business-brick-by-brick



In each home there are similar dangers lurking in dark corners. For some of us, the evil Dutch blocks are the antagonists. For others, household dangers could take the shape of throw rugs or extension cords. Regardless of the shape the cause may take, the risks associated with taking an unexpected tumble grow larger the older we become.

To help make home a safer place to be, Home Instead Senior Care has recently launched a fantastic collection of free resources aimed at reducing some of the dangerous pitfalls which plague seniors who have chosen to age in their own homes. In our experience, the vast majority of seniors would prefer to age in place but many of them are denied that opportunity due to an accident of some type.  Most of what we see as potential dangers are simple matters of organization and order; the frayed edge of a throw rug, a stack of old newspapers or magazines next to a favorite chair, the cord to a lamp which sticks out from behind an end table just enough to catch a passing foot. Thanks to the increasing number of American seniors making the choice to age in place, the cost and trouble of making other minor safety modifications to a home has dropped dramatically in recent years. Once something left in the hands of licensed contractors, things like grab bars around the tub are now available at every home improvement store across the fruited plain and easy enough for anyone to safely install.

Household dangers are real and completely avoidable. Whether you choose to download the safety assessment and check out your aging parent's home yourself or would rather have a member of our staff walk through their home with you and point out some of what we have seen as potential problem areas, there are great resources available at your fingertips. The stakes are too high to do nothing.

Click here to find out more about our Making Home Safe For Seniors Program.


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Grandpa's Poppin' Pills



While watching TV with my wife the other night, a commercial came on for a new drug that promised to relieve the suffering associated with RLS.

RLS?

What on earth is RLS?

The commercial explained the symptoms of RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) in great detail and told 60 seconds worth of heartbreaking stories; individuals who's lives had been reborn thanks to this new drug. As I sat there, I couldn't help but notice a slight twinge in my right leg. Could I be suffering from RLS? All these years, living with the agony of condition I never knew or noticed? As suggested, I made a mental note to ask my doctor if this new treatment could be right for me. I would additionally be calling my pediatrician, as I am sure that at least four of my children have an extreme case of RLS as well.

In all seriousness, the growth of conditions and drugs to treat them in this country over the last generation has been spectacular. Sending my oldest child off to Boy Scout camp this week took the coordination of nurses, doctors, camp medical staff, and a troop appointed medication supervisor. All for an allergy pill and his inhaler. #overkill

Even anecdotal evidence suggests that we are doping up our children at an historic rate. However, the number of seniors who find themselves dependent on an endless barrage of drugs is equally alarming.

As a result of their advancing age, no other group uses more drugs than seniors. The aches, pains and maladies of getting older are nothing to be scoffed at and do require serious medical attention. But the cure is sometimes worse than the disease as we are now beginning to see.

According to SAMHSA (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration- I had to look it up too), one out of every four adults over the age of 50 is now using psychoactive medications- mostly opioid pain relievers and benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium. The only thing more staggering than that number is the rate at which that number has grown.  The number of prescriptions written for seniors to obtain drugs in those categories has grown by twenty percent over the last five years. That is nearly double the growth rate of the senior population. Double.

The obvious concern with narcotics is misuse. While there are staggering statistics regarding the number of seniors who are misusing or addicted to drugs, I suspect that many of the victims of this epidemic are never counted. They suffer in isolation; continuing to attempt to chase away pain and anxiety with the contents of  a little plastic bottle. They often meet their demise with little fanfare. Perhaps a heart attack or stroke which was brought about by the massive amount of narcotics that noone knew or will ever know they were ingesting.

But if you prefer a Dragnet approach, here are "just the facts."

-Annual emergency room visits by patients 65 and over for misuse of pharmaceuticals climbed by more than 50% between 2007-2011. That is a 50% increase in four years.

-The rate of overdose deaths among people 55 and older, regardless of drug type, nearly tripled from 1999-2010.

-The CDC states that of those deaths in 2010, 75% involved a senior using narcotic painkillers and a full third of those seniors were also on a benzodiazepine.

In any other segment of the population, tripling the death rate would be cause for alarm. To truly appreciate the complete lack of any discernible outrage regarding this issue, perhaps it is best to look at the current event which elicits a passionate response from persons on both sides of the issue.

Prescription Drug Deaths vs School Shooting Deaths

In 2008, there were 20,044 deaths officially recorded by the CDC as a result of the misuse of prescription drugs.

In 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 so far there have been 122 fatalities as a result of school shootings.

That is roughly a 164:1 ratio of deaths by prescription drugs in a single year to school shootings over a 6 and a half year period.

Are we sending postcards to physicians who have become known as "pill-mills" saying 'Not One More?'

Are we demanding that dangerous drugs be outlawed?

Are we insisting that more extensive background checks into a person's medical record be made before allowing them to take home lethal narcotics?

Not even close.

Rather, we sit back and watch television at night, instructed by another commercial to ask our doctor whether some new wonder-drug could be the pill-shaped solution to the problem we didn't even know we had.



For more information on what Home Instead Senior Care can do to help the senior in your life click here.






Friday, May 23, 2014

'Smart-Spoon' Makes Miracles Happen For Parkinson's Sufferers


Perhaps the most commonly recognizable symptoms for people with Parkinson's disease are tremors. These frustratingly sporadic movements make life's most simple tasks difficult. I have memories of the way my grandmother's hand used to shake when she attempted to lift a coffee cup to her mouth during breakfast.

For many, these tremors are more than just embarrassing. The tasks of personal grooming and feeding oneself can become virtually impossible in some of the more severe cases.

Enter Liftlabs.

Liftlabs is a San Fransisco based company which has developed a remarkable new device to assist people with Parkinson's or any other tremor inducing conditions. While the concept may not be new, the application is revolutionary. Consider that most newer digital cameras are equipped with motion cancelling technology; microprocessors which detect and counter any movements by the picture taker in order to capture a clear image. Liftware is similar device which applies the same idea to a more commonly used daily apparatus- a spoon. When using a Liftware spoon, patients who would normally toss their food all over the plate and table are now able to bring the food successfully to their mouths.



http://www.voanews.com/media/video/1830213.html

To read the entire story click here.

To learn about how Home Instead Senior Care is able to assist the senior in your life click here.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

http://aprillindnerwrites.blogspot.com/2013/09/golden-retrievals-dog-hospice-and-poem.html


"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to their graves with the song still in them."
-Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Other Essays

For most, there is still an opportunity to live a life of purpose. It is no small task to be continually intentional regarding who you are and what you were created to do with your life. Life has a not-so-funny way of throwing distractions into your field of vision which, while they may be good and worthwhile things, may nudge you slightly off course at critical moments. 

I often think of the movie Far and Away. The main character, a poor Irish tenant farmer, comes to America with dreams of owning his own plot of land. Like so many of us, along the way he loses track of the dream that drove him to the land of opportunity in the first place. While riding a train back east, he spots a caravan of settlers heading west. As if awakened from a sleep, he grabs his belongings and leaps from the train to join them. His fellows on the train call after him- "Mick! Mick! Where are you going?!" "I was on the wrong road," he answers back.

Unfortunately, many will reach the end of their journey with heavy regrets that they no longer have the time to correct. It is helpful to hear some of them as a cautionary tale. On my final day, I hope to be able to echo the words of the Apostle Paul who declared:" I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith."(2 Tim4:7)

Here are the top five regrets of the dying as recorded by Bonnie Ware in her new book, The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing.

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

How many of us have fallen into this trap? It is easy to conform to the expectations of those who care the most about us but ultimately, it is not their life to live. Make it your own.

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

This regret was shared by an overwhelming number of male patients during their final moments. Go home and through the ball with your kids.


3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Bottling up emotions is not a new art form. The results of hiding your thoughts and feelings are well documented on every possible level: physical, mental, and emotional. In the words of Elsa, let it go.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Creating true community is a VERY intentional task. As lives get busier, carving out time for the people in your life that matter is not automatic. How many of us have people on our list that 'we just lost touch with somehow?'

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Perhaps the most surprising of the top five, this is not an easy fix. Happiness and joy are choices that we make throughout our lives despite our circumstances. It is far easier to become mired in whatever difficulty we are currently facing than to celebrate all of the remarkable aspects of the life we have been given along the way.
So....


For more information about the way Home Instead Senior Care can help your loved one live the life of their dreams visit www.homeinstead.com/106.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

"Franken-mouse" Experiment May Hold Keys To The Fountain of Youth



I really wonder where some of these studies start.

Recently, scientists have discovered that injecting old mice with blood from young mice reverses some of the effects of the aging process.

"Old mice who were injected with the protein or who received a blood transfusion navigated mazes faster and ran longer on treadmills. They easily outperformed their control peers, who were given only saline."

The other side of that coin was the polar opposite scenario. Young mice injected with the blood of old mice showed signs of premature aging.

Beyond the obvious hopes and implications of these discoveries is the bizarre genesis of this experiment. Scientists first conjoined an older mouse with a younger mouse to study the effects of sharing a blood supply. Let me put that another way. Scientists stitched two mice together to see what would happen. Bueller? Bueller?

The Stanford scientists who conducted the "Franken-mouse" experiment said that the young mice used were the human equivalent of people in their 20's. I suppose they were able to make that assumption by observing the mice's poor taste in music, regrettable dating choices, and seemingly fearless approach to dangerous situations...like being stitched to another mouse.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/frankenmouse-marita-mcveigh.html
I digress.

There are a multitude of systems within the human body which breakdown as a result of the aging process. Cognitive ability, organ function, stem-cell activity and the ability to fend off diseases are just a few of the questions to which scientists are hoping to find an answer during the human trial portion of this study; a trial which they hope will begin immediately.

To read the entire article regarding this study, click here.

For more information on what Home Instead Senior Care is doing to change the face of aging in Chapel Hill, click here.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

An Inspiration To All People


There are about a zillion and a half live TV talent competitions. Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol, The Next Food Network Star, Design Star, Project Runway, Chopped, America's Next Top Model, X Factor, The Singing Bee, The Voice, America's Got Talent, Britain's Got Talent, Poland's Got Talent, Arab's Got Talent, Holland's Got Talent, Got Talent France, and Russia's Got Talent (although the legitimacy of their voting results is often questioned).

With so many different opportunities for people to show their "gifts" to the world, I am not often taken by surprise.

The video below took me by surprise.



After her performance,  one of the judges remarked that she was "an inspiration to old people." I disagree. She is an inspiration to ALL people.

It is never too late to live your dreams and THAT is what Home Instead Senior Care is all about.

For more information on Home Instead Senior Care in Chapel Hill and the way in which we support seniors and their dreams click here.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

The Driving Dilemma


It is an issue with which we are very familiar. It is a question which has driven a wedge between families. It is a fear which resonates with almost every senior.

Many adult children believe that their elderly parents shouldn't be behind the wheel any longer.

Just yesterday, I was sitting at a stop light when a seemingly driverless car crept across the intersection. After rubbing my eyes, I spotted a tuft of silvery white hair behind the steering wheel. Given the length of the hood on her 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic and the easily-apparent-from-across-the-street thickness of her glasses, it is beyond comprehension to expect that she was able to see what she needed to operate a vehicle of that magnitude; or a vehicle of any magnitude.

I did what most of us have probably done in that situation. I said a quick prayer, switched my blinker from left to right, and turned the other way.

The independence that driving represents is something woven deeply within the fabric of each of our beings. It is a topic which we are reticent to broach with those we care the most about because we know that driving is the 'Ark of the Covenant' of senior independence.

To be fair, I find myself more frequently infuriated by teenagers and college students who are entranced by their smartphones while driving than I find myself concerned for senior drivers. Maybe we should start by taking THEIR licenses away and THEN worry about the grey headed road warriors.

The decision to take away a senior's license or even to begin to have conversations to that effect is a difficult one to make. It is important to remember the emotional impact which will be felt by the aging parent.

If you are struggling with how to have "the talk" with your aging parents, check out our website for some great, free resources.

http://www.homeinstead.com/106/RESOURCES/Pages/SeniorCareResources.aspx

This brief video is an accurate picture of the way many seniors feel when their well meaning children take away their independence.

"I was heartbroken. It made me feel old. It made me feel useless."





Thursday, April 3, 2014

Short Naps Boost Productivity and Lower Risk of Heart Attack


In a house with small children, naptime is war. One side of the battle is firmly entrenched and unwilling to concede. They shout and yell and have even resulted in kicking and stomping their feet on occasion. And that's just the parents. The all too obvious irony in this ubiquitous battle for the sanity of our afternoons is that the people being forced to take naps would avoid them like the plague if given the chance while the nap enforcers (a.k.a. Mom and Dad) would cut off all of their fingers and potentially even an entire arm for the opportunity to sleep during the day.

In stark contrast, everyday I hear the commercials for "5 Hour Energy Drink." The attractive sounding voice on the radio encourages us all to fight back against that dreaded '2:30 feeling' by drinking their product. It is apparently packed with B-vitamins to give us all the energy we need to power through the day. Right. And Frosted Flakes are the cornerstone of a healthy breakfast. Tell me another one.

The idea of an afternoon nap is not a new concept. Even as far back as the middle ages, Roman Emperor Charlemagne is recorded by Einhard to have enjoyed an afternoon nap."In summer, after his midday meal, he would eat some fruit and take another drink; then he would remove his shoes and undress completely, just as he did at night, and rest for two or three hours." When in Rome...

European cultures have kept alive this beautiful tradition in a concept known most commonly as "siesta." During the heat of the day, people in certain countries enjoy a long lunch hour which provides them enough time to take a brief nap if they so desire. Our American-ness may urge us to look down our highly productive and driven noses at those self absorbed Europeans who waste time napping during the day but that there are significant health benefits to this ancient ritual.

Studies have shown that a 10-20 minute power nap can give you just what the doctor ordered to 'power through your afternoon.' A nap of that length can increase mental alertness and clarity with minimal grogginess. Buyer beware: sleeping past the 20 minute mark will leave you wanting more and will frequently place you in an even groggier state. One suggestion is not to fully recline while enjoying your afternoon nap. This will help prevent you from falling into a much deeper sleep.

Companies such as Google and Apple have recognized this and are some of the more high profile outfits to allow employee naps as part of their work day philosophy.


Increased mental alertness and clarity can potentially be a tough sell to your slave-driver of a boss. So try this one on for size.

Studies have additionally shown that napping decreases your risk of dying of heart disease. In a huge study of 23,000 Greek adults, it was found that people who regularly took midday naps were more than 30% less likely to die from heart disease.

So the next time your boss catches you snoozing at your desk, tell him that you are working to increase your alertness and clarity. If he still isn't buying it, then tell him you might die if you don't nap and send him the link to this blog.



Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Study Shows That Being Bilingual Delays The Onset of Dementia


http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/news/speaking-two-languages-may-delay-dementia-onset

In one of the largest studies of its kind, scientists have concluded that being bilingual can delay the onset of several different types of dementia by an average of four and a half years.

The benefits of speaking two languages is not a new concept. The collective benefits of bilingualism are described as "an improved executive function." Broken down, those functions include: memory, focus, planning, and problem solving. The study shows that the benefits apply to many types of dementia including Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, was conducted in Hyderabad, India and included 648 patients from a local hospital memory clinic. Many feel that conducting the study in Hyderabad lends tremendous credibility to the results. That particular region of India is a cultural melting pot where many different languages are spoken. All of the subjects of the study would have been surrounded by different languages their entire lives with some choosing to work towards fluency. It was the fluency that made the difference.

The authors of the study explain that "the constant need of a bilingual person to selectively activate one language and suppress the other is thought to lead to a better development of executive functions and attentional tasks." In short, having to choose between two languages makes our brains stronger.

But before you run out and buy the Rosetta Stone programs for every language from Aari to Zyphe, the study does suggest that there is no apparent benefit to speaking more than two languages. So pick two and stick with 'em!

For more on this study:

http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/11/06/01.wnl.0000436620.33155.a4

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Emotional Touch. There's Not Yet An App For That.

Gimme a hug. Give us a sqwunch. Get in here. Hug it out. Slap me five. Slip me some skin. Up high. Down low. Too slow.



Over the last several years, major technological advances have been made in the field of senior care. Families who are separated by thousands of miles are now able to monitor virtually all facets of their aging loved one's lives via the internet. Whether it is a daily medication reminder software or a computer enabled shoe to measure the stability of a senior's gait, sons and daughters rest more easily feeling that they know what is going on with mom and dad.

Many in the senior industry feel that the combination of innovative tools now available and the general reticence of seniors to transition into a facility environment is causing a paradigm shift in the way America approaches aging. It would seem that the justification for living out one's golden years in a nursing home has been rescinded; an intended casualty of the ability to address the physical needs and safety concerns of an aging parent from a distance with minimal cost.

But there exists within the physical world gaps which cannot be filled by the miracle of modern science.

In the 1940's, a Hungarian psychiatrist named Rene Spitz conducted research on the effects of emotional deprivation in infants. Spitz observed children who, for various reasons, had been separated from or denied a loving family and raised instead in an institutional environment. His research noted that while the observed babies' physical needs were being met, the emotional toll of not having any sort of familial affection or compassionate physical touch were catastrophic. By the conclusion of the study, more than one third of the babies had died. After 40 years, 21 of the emotionally neglected children were still living in institutions and most were physically, mentally and socially retarded.

The affect of this sort of cruel deprivation during formulative years is unquestionably debilitating. However, I would suggest that the isolation many seniors face on a daily basis is equally tragic.


Imagine that you are a senior. No longer able to drive, you are fully reliant on paid caregivers for your only live human contact each week. A caregiver comes in on Tuesdays and Fridays with a laundry list of things they have been told by your kids are top priorities; dishes, vacuum, groceries, trash, bathrooms, dusting, prepare a few meals to be easily reheated later and of course...laundry. With a friendly but quick greeting, the caregiver arrives and immediate begins to tackle the mission at hand. Rather than disturb her work, you retreat to your worn beige recliner where you doze off during "The Pioneer Woman," daydreaming about what life must be like on the ranch with Ree and the kids. She leaves as quickly as she arrived, having satisfactorily completed the requisite tasks and reported to your children that all was well with their parent today.

Now imagine an alternative scenario. Your caregiver arrives a couple minutes early with a decaf Chai latte, your favorite Starbucks treat, in hand. Before she even glances at the list of absolute musts, the two of you sit down in the sunroom and talk. You just talk. Maybe you talk about the crazy weather. Maybe you talk about nothing at all. Still, you talk and sip your latte. At one point, the caregiver puts down her cup, gently wraps her warm hands around one of yours and tells you how much she enjoys getting to spend time with you each week. The rest of your time together is a blur. You hate it when it's time for her to leave for the day. During every task she accomplished, you were by her side; helping, instructing, living. There is no need for her to report in to your adult children after today's shift. Instead, you pick up the phone. You can't wait to reach out to the people in your life and tell them all about the day you just enjoyed.

The ability to emotionally connect with people is a God-given gift. Without a certain amount of innate sensitivity, I do not believe it can be successfully taught. I am proud to say that many of the individuals who possess this remarkable gift are a part of our Home Instead family. Some work in nursing homes and facilities. Still others float in and out of our lives disguised as postal employees, baristas, pastors, tellers and grocery store clerks. Despite all of our modern advancements, there is not yet an app for that.









Thursday, March 20, 2014

Veteran Made Famous in 'Band of Brothers' Dies at 90


I will forever be grateful to the friend who first encouraged me to watch the HBO miniseries, "Band of Brothers." Over the last several years, I have watched the miniseries in its entirety at least four times. My wife, not usually a fan of war movies, found herself similarly drawn in within the first couple episodes. So it was with a heavy heart, I read this morning that one of the members of Easy Company, the outfit famously portrayed in the film, had died.

William "Will Bill" Guarnere was a hero in the truest sense of the word. He lost his leg while trying to rescue a fellow wounded soldier during the Battle of the Bulge. Yet even an injury as serious as that couldn't keep Guarnere down. Upon his return from the battlefields of WWII, he moved back to the South Philly neighborhood which was his home for more than 60 yrs.

In 2007, Guarnere partnered with his fellow 'Brother', Edward "Babe" Heffron, to write a best selling memoir called "Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends." He and Heffron met during the war and remained lifelong friends until Heffron's death in December.

In addition to his heroic exploits on the battlefield, which earned him the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart, Guarnere worked tirelessly to make sure that his WWII Brothers received the recognition they deserved.

I feel that the video below gives a funny glimpse into the heart of the inimitable Bill Guarnere.


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Coffee Reduces Risks For Parkinson's, May Lead To New Treatments.


I would like a Grande Iced Starbuck's Doubleshot with classic syrup, 2% and a floater of heavy cream. Each of us probably identifies with a similar version of this refrain. Perhaps it is a Cinnamon Dolce Latte or just a Venti Pike with no room and two Splendas; in any event, much of this nation's morning productivity is undoubtedly fueled by that magical white cup with the green logo.

Beyond the warm fingers wrapped around a cardboard sleeve, beyond the liquid happiness cascading throughout every fiber of our not-fully-awake-yet souls, researchers are finding that the keys to effective treatments for Parkinson's disease may be percolating beneath the surface of that hot cup of joe.

Scientists have found that caffeine, the most widely used drug on the planet, has been linked to improvements in memory and appears to protect against the destruction of brain cells. Several prominent studies have found that people who drank two or more cups of coffee per day were up to 40% less likely to develop Parkinson's. Make mine a Venti!

The well known cognitive benefits of caffeine have prompted researchers to begin looking at the way the brain responds to the chemical and even to produce medications which would, in theory, replicate the benefits. One such drug has already undergone testing in Japan and has now begun US trials.

The challenge is producing the same effect that caffeine has on the brain but on a much larger scale and without the ill effects that overconsumption can sometimes bring. Caffeine is quickly absorbed into the blood stream and releases the proverbial brakes in our minds. The result is an increased sense of clarity which has helped to make coffee one of the world's most popular beverages. For patients with Parkinson's, drugs like caffeine target regions deep in the brain to help control tremors and stiffness. The unfortunate other results can be headaches, rapid heart rate, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties and irritability. Researchers hope to get more of the former without the latte-r.