Change Your Attitude to Live Longer - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Let's start with telling you the truth! Yes, life is not going to be easy on you! It will even become harder as you age and reach your senior years. Truth!

So, what are you going to do about it? Will you keep complaining, keep getting frustrated and stop giving in at each and every step of your life? Will you keep getting slanted and accept knowing that life is simply like that?

Or will you start tackling the problems with a mindset of winning, learning and getting better with each obstacle life throws at you way?

This definitely is the better option as what will we gain out of being pessimistic and sad at the fact that life will never be easy? What will come out of us if we keep struggling and suffering, whereas we can just embrace our difficulties to grow and enjoy the struggle?

Yes, I may sound strange but I am telling you the truth.

There are some very promising studies conducted that have asserted again and again that simply having a positive attitude towards your life adds years to your life. In other words, your attitude determines how long and how healthy you will live. The most prominent of these studies is the one conducted by the researchers at the Yale and Miami University and they have found out that positive thinking and optimistic attitude can add as much as 7 and a half more years to your life.

So, the choice is upon us! And we from Comfort Keepers are here to help you achieve the positive state of mind and being. Follow these simple tips and contact us to know more.

 Read Motivational Books

There are so many books out there on this topic of positive attitude and how to build and sustain it that you may get lost while finding out which one would be better. So, we have sorted the most suitable ones for you. Have a look at these two titles- “Live Long, Die Short: A Guide to Authentic Health and Successful Aging” by Roger Landry and “Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging” by Dick Van Dyke.

 Watch Inspirational Videos at Ted

There are plenty of great inspirational speakers out there whom you can access on YouTube Ted talks channel. Tune in and listen what they have to say. You will find ample amount of high energy positivity within you.

Unlock Your Untapped Potential

We all have some of our own unique strengths and weaknesses. We may have passed all of our lives without really realizing those. So, try to find out yours, you may never know what awaits to surprise you. On the other hand another approach at getting back at life could very well be overcoming our weaknesses or turning them into strengths. Just take as example Fauja Singh who picked up distance running at the age of 89. Thanks to his positive thinking, we saw him celebrating his 100th birthday by crossing the finish line at the Toronto Marathon.

 Redirect Negative Responses

Simply put, when we feel tired we feel like just lying down and giving up for the day! And the cycle continues. What you can do is to choose not to feel tired by making some lifestyle changes and leading a routine life. Start regular physical exercises and meditate or do yoga! Or even better make a list of all the things that you think you can’t do and move on to accomplish each one of them. And know that you can!

 You Are Never Too Old

The old saying that you are too old to start new things has really become old. In reality, you are never too old to embark on new adventures and start new projects. Keep living your life like it really is- infinite and eternal.

For any kind of help and support regarding senior care and well-being do not hesitate to contact Comfort Keepers. 

Best Part-time Job Options for Seniors - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

We have been talking about entrepreneurship in senior years a few days back when we cited numerous reports of seniors getting very much successful with entrepreneurship and shattering the age-old concept that seniors can’t do new things or can’t start new ventures after retirement.

However, there may be situations when your senior loved one is not so bent on being a full time dedicated entrepreneur or on starting their own thing. Physics and psychology may not always allow this. Even then, they can easily opt for a suitable part-time job that would keep them engaged and infused in a meaning life.

Here we have sorted out some of the best options for our senior loved to choose as a part-time job.

Tutor

Tutoring is one of the best or possibly the best part-time job option for seniors. With their massive reservoir of experience and skills, they would be the best mentors for the youngsters. So, our senior loved ones can start tutoring young people on the topic they are most experienced, interested and comfortable.

Tour Guide

This can be another great option for our elderly loved ones to engage in as a part-time vocation. If your senior loved one has an interest in history and a knack for storytelling then through being a tour guide they will find an extraordinary opportunity to be social, active and happy. And seniors are the ones who will be most acquainted with the city’s most attractive places after passing so much time around. Just make sure that they are physically capable of walking long distances and climb stairs. Hopefully, you are always there for their physical care.

Bookkeeping or Accountancy

These kinds of jobs are quite accommodating for our elderly loved ones as these require less physical and mental stress. Therefore, if your senior loved one is good at math and finance then look for any company that is looking for part-time bookkeepers or accountants. Another benefit of being involved in such kind of activities in senior years is being able to maintain a sound cognitive health.

Non-profit Professionals

Many nonprofit organizations often hire part-time professionals for various administrative positions. So, look for such organizations in your locality and enquire whether they are hiring for marketing, fundraising or any such positions.

Volunteering

Or in case that your senior loved one is mostly looking for sincere engagement and meaningful activities in their lives without any consideration of monetary compensation than you can anytime choose to volunteer for any worthy cause that calls you most intensely.

There are numerous benefits of engaging in a part-time position in senior years after retirement. Apart from the economic boost, you will get the opportunity of having a more fulfilling, active and meaningful life in declining years. So, if you are considering to do one, start without any further hesitation. For any help and support regarding senior care, health and well-being do not hesitate to contact Comfort Keepers!

Starting the Money Talk with Your Aging Parents - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Money becomes one of the major concerns when a family starts the process of ensuring best possible care for our senior loved ones. It is the time when we should start talking about it with our aging parents as well as all the members of the family.

However, we have often seen that starting this so important money talk becomes somewhat uncomfortable to begin. If you are also encountering problems about this issue and have been pondering about how you should start discussing this issue then do not think that you are alone in this. We have brought to you some guiding ideas in this matter.

Recognize the Importance

Firstly before even starting the conversation you have to realize the importance of the issue yourself. You have to acknowledge that saving for retirement and planning out all the financial issues beforehand is very much necessary. Besides, you have to know that keeping all the financial data like tax information, bank account and insurances information along with keeping all the financial reports in place is necessary. You should also know that creating a well-developed will is also becomes essential at this stage.

Start with General Topics

When attempting to start discussing the financial topics with your aging parents, start with general but related topics like what’s their plan for their retirement or something like that instead of jumping on the topic right away. That way you will get simple cues to take the matter to more serious issues gradually.

Tell Them Your Own Plans

You can start by telling your own financial initiatives and retirement plans to them to set the introduction. Let them know how important it is to have a financial plan ready for your retirement and the declining years.

Don’t Impose

Once you get to know all the details about their plans and overall financial conditions start placing options to them. Look for possible lacks in the plan or possible improvements. Like if they have not created a centralized storage of all the financial data then suggest or offer to do that for them. Or if they have not made a will then offer to arrange a family lawyer to sketch that out for them. But you should never impose any decision upon them, make sure to be as a trusted adviser.

Involve All the Members in the Discourse

Many families struggle to amass all the money that we often need to ensure proper care for our loved ones. Then the discussion becomes even more uncomfortable at times. Then you will not only have to know the financial condition of your parents but also all the siblings responsible for ensuring the best care possible. So, at this stage, you just have to involve all the members in the discourse and discuss a way out of it.

Have a Financial Adviser

After trying all you can, if you fail to reach your goals or fail to make your parents realize all the issues then you may consider having a financial advisor to discuss it with them for you. Besides, an adviser will be able to better guide you all in terms of taxes, insurances, will and other such issues.

For any help and support regarding senior care, health, senior living and well-being do not hesitate to contact Comfort Keepers.

The Destructive Duo: Depression and Dementia - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Depression - the life sucking mental trap - can hamper your day to day life to a great extent. It may even become so severe that one does not want to simply live anymore and attempts to commit suicide. However, a vast number of research and studies also suggest that depression, be it early life or late life, increases the risk of developing dementia significantly.

A Review of the Studies

A research, after thoroughly examining 23 independent studies, has concluded that depression significantly increases the chances of developing dementia. This research found out the link between depression to all types of dementia. However, the risk was more prominently higher in case of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

Another study concentrating on and following up 1764 participants for eight years for depressive tendencies and the possible dementia development have found out that there are surprising amount of evidence and correlation between late-life depression and dementia.

Yet another research conducted a comprehensive review of 16 studies focused on late life depression and five studies on early life depression and have found out that both the groups had two to four times more likelihood of developing dementia than those without depression.

What’s the Link?

To frankly tell the truth the experts do not have any definite answer to this link of depression to dementia. However, what they can confer is that as depression is connected with brain changes so it makes it more likely to cause the damage in the brain cells seen in case of dementia.

What Can We Do?

Now, this is the most practical part as far as our and our loved ones’ well-being is concerned. What can we do to stave away the depressive tendencies seen in us or our loved ones?

First of all, we have to acknowledge the fact that medication really works in case of curbing depression, anxiety and other such mental illnesses. Besides, there are very effective therapies that are proven to get people out of the depressive mental closet. So, whenever you see depressive tendencies in yourself and in your loved ones contact a psychiatrist as soon as possible.

Apart from medication and therapies, there are some other environmental and lifestyle changes that you can make in order to deal with the depressive tendencies.

Lead an active life and encourage your loved ones to do the same. Do regular physical exercises, engage in social and communal activities, do some volunteering for a worthy cause and get yourself involved in artistic or creative activities.

Practice meditation. Meditation can help a lot in case of removing depression and taking you towards a bright and peaceful inner atmosphere.

Find things and activities that make you happy. It can be anything - wearing new and nice dresses, going to the woods, singing songs or listening to them, going to your favorite location in town or any other little thing that makes you feel better.

Another very important thing to remember is that while a person is suffering from depression he or she may not be aware of it or may not be even forthcoming to express their situation. So, it is up to us to keep an eye and discern the symptoms of depression in the people around us.

Whenever you see any such depressive symptoms in your loved ones then start talking with them with care and make them realize that it is an illness for which they are sad. It’s not normal sadness and it is very much curable with medication and other practices.   

Brain Health in Senior Years - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

We often observe various misconceptions and wrong ideas related with what aging does to your brain and about the things that you can do to improve your brain muscles in senior years. So, we from Comfort Keepers thought of clearing up some of the major misconceptions and at the same time guide you towards the right way to improve your brain health, memory and overall cognitive faculty.

Simple Exercise

One of the major misconceptions is that most of us think aging of the brain and the consequent decay is inevitable. However, this is not altogether a true statement. Although it is natural that with age the brain is likely to shrink but with just a bit of added measure you can also reverse the brain shrinking quite significantly. A study conducted by the University of Illinois and the University of Pittsburgh combined have found out that just simple exercises like walking or stretching can increase the size of the hippocampus, the main area of the brain responsible for memory, up to 2% in just one year. Besides, the study also suggested that seniors who exercise regularly are likely to have less amount of amyloid, the sticky plaque found in the brain in case of Alzheimer’s disease.

Eat Fish

Another common misconception is that supplements can boost memory and brain power. This cannot be asserted for sure. The evidence and reports on this matter often portray conflicting information on the results of supplements. Although vitamin E has been shown to slow down cognitive decline with age, high doses come with some obvious side effects. However, there’s a natural brain health booster that is unknown to most of us is fish. A UCLA study has found out that among the seniors over the age of 65 who ate at least one meal a week centered on fish items had higher amount of gray matter in their hippocampus than those who had less fish or didn’t have at all. The research concluded that the more you eat fish, up to three servings per week, the lesser the chances of cognitive decline.

Learn New Things

Although many of us tend to believe that playing games like crossword puzzles help to boost our brain power but in reality, it is not exactly the case. Actually what helps is learning anything new. Be it a game like crossword puzzle or a new skill like playing a musical instrument. But, keep playing the same game won’t help. Doing repetitive tasks won't help in creating new neural connection or improving your brain but learning new things will. A recent Swedish study reports that learning a new language increased the size of some brain parts. So, keep learning new things be it small games or huge task like learning a language.

Your Mind Actually Gets Better with Age

Contrary to popular beliefs our brain actually get better with age. This happens because the left and the right hemisphere of the brain sync better due to the richness of neural connection that is achieved with age. That’s why we often see wisdom and emotional balance increasing with age. Due to the same increased left and right connectivity creativity also soars in senior years. Besides, with a huge reservoir of skills, knowledge and experience accumulated throughout the whole lifespan our senior loved ones develop a crystallized form of superior intelligence.

Now, with these ideas in your head we can rightly hope that you will never allow the negative misconceptions about aging take the upper hand on you. For any help and support regarding senior health and well being do not hesitate to contact Comfort Keepers San Mateo!

Caregiving Guidelines for Parkinson’s - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Mayo Clinic defines Parkinson’s disease as a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disease that affects our senior loved ones. It is only second to the Alzheimer’s disease in this context.

As the number of seniors increasing so is the sufferers of Parkinson’s disease. Treatment can reduce the symptoms but there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. So, proper lifestyle management is the only solution to staying safe and continue with daily life. And home health caregivers from Comfort Keepers can render immense help and support to our senior loved ones who are suffering from Parkinson’s.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease develop slowly. They are often unnoticed until it reaches severe stages. So, proper attention is necessary to detect the symptoms.

The symptoms also vary from person to person, however, starts to appear between the ages of 50 and 60. The major symptoms are:

●     Tremor or shaking of hands, legs and arms.

●     Stiff or aching muscles.

●     Slow and limited movement.

●     Muscle weakness, especially throat and face muscles

●     Difficulty while walking and maintaining balance.

●     Difficulty in speaking and writing

So, if you have senior adored one living among you keep be alert and keep an eye on them to discern any such symptoms. If so then take a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible and have a diagnosis.

And if you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease then you already know how important it is to look after them with great caution. As Parkinson's is directly connected with movement so it makes everyday life much difficult and even impossible at times. So, having professional help can make a huge lot of difference.

●     A professional in-home caregiver will not only be able to take care of your senior loved one’s daily essential tasks but they will be able to assist them with all the lifestyle changes and specific practices that are proven to help seniors with Parkinson’s stay more happy and comfortable.

●     With Parkinson’s having a healthy diet and doing daily physical exercise helps a lot in reducing the impact of the symptoms. A caregiver will be able to plan and prepare the dietary plan and the daily food menu for the best interest of the senior loved one. Besides, they will be able to direct, assist and motivate the seniors for having their daily physical exercise.

●     The possibility of sudden falls increases a lot with Parkinson’s. So, it becomes even more important to make you home fall-proof and to keep a cautious eye on your senior loved ones constantly. Both of these tasks can be achieved with a proficient home health senior caregiver.

●     In some severe cases daily essential tasks can become impossible for our senior loved ones to do without assistance. Tasks like bathing, grooming, eating and walking can become very troublesome at times. A caregiver will be able to help and support our senior loved ones with these daily life activities and can lead them to better health conditions.

●     Another thing that is important in this regard that anxiety and stress is one of the forces that increase the effect of symptoms in case of Parkinson’s disease. So, taking necessary steps to keep your senior loved ones relaxed and stress-free is task that you have to do. Even in this case having an expert caregiver who knows how to deal with such situations and knows how to direct the mental energies and movements within the senior minds with targeted activities can make all the difference.  

So, if you have a senior loved one who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease then do not delay in contacting Comfort Keepers San Mateo.

Planning for Your Retirement - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Life in declining years poses unique situations and conditions to our lives. There arise unforeseen dangers and unwarranted mishaps without any prior notice. Moreover, in senior years one very naturally needs help and support from others. For these reasons planning for your declining years after your retirement is of superlative importance.

Most of the time our senior loved ones expect necessary help and support from their friends and family but there are almost a quarter of seniors living in the US who are single, widowed and childless, hence practically living alone without anybody to help. Another significant portion of our senior loved ones are living far away from their families due to various reasons hence they are also having to live alone.

For those seniors who have no one to seek help in their senior years, planning for retirement is even more crucial and has to be done with caution and urgency as long as they are able to make the plans and the necessary actions done or delegated.

So, we from Comfort Keepers have these thoughts, ideas and guidelines to share with our senior loved ones who are still in a position to make plans for themselves and are able to take care of themselves; as soon the days may not remain the same as it is now!

Be Economic

Save money as much as you can for your senior years and for your days after retirement. Although you do not have friends and family to take care of you, you may be able to source help from professional services. According to a 2013 report, an estimated $470 billion dollars worth of senior care are currently rendered by family caregivers. So, for the seniors who are alone, professional help is the only choice.

Organize Your Assets

Make a list of all of your assets, bank accounts and other financial accounts like insurances, mortgages etc. and save it for future. Document your financial details like account names, IDs, passwords etc. Automate your financial distributions like paying bills and other disbursements and save the necessary automation information for future reference.

Prepare Your Financial Documents

Get in contact with a trusted attorney and prepare your will and other financial documents like living trust, health care proxy, or any other document that you may need as per the advice of your financial consultant and accountants.

Choose a Health Care Surrogate

This is especially important for seniors who are looking forward to living alone. You might be able to take actions and plan for your life right now but in future, there may arise some situations when your judgment and cognitive faculty may not work properly and you will need a trusted individual to make crucial health care decisions for you. So, find someone from your acquaintances and make him your health care surrogate.

Be Socially and Communally Active

Staying socially and communally active not only boosts your physical and mental health but also will help to gather support in your senior years. Get involved in various social or religious groups. Join volunteer groups and retirement communities. This way you will have lots of people to get connected with who will be able to help you in various ways after your retirement.

Select Retirement Community and Your Senior Care Provider

It is always a good idea to browse all the options beforehand. Select one that best suits you among the best retirement communities in your region and get connected with them. Or if you want to age in your own home then you should do the same with senior home health care service providers of your choice.

Create a List of Advisors and Keep their Contacts with You

Find all the expert advisors like accountants, financial advisors, legal attorneys and medical emergency professionals and make a list of them along with their contact details. This way you will be able to get help right when you need and in times of emergency.

Preparing Food for Seniors - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

In our declining years, our teeth become weaker or even start to fall forcing us to change our eating habits drastically. However, this does not necessarily mean that one can’t enjoy tasty, delicious and nutritious food items in senior years.

With a bit of knowledge and planning, you can very easily prepare easy to chew foods that are at the same time and healthy and tasty for your senior loved ones. Here we have brought to your some necessary knowledge in this regard from Comfort Keepers. Keep reading to know how you can prepare foods for your senior loved ones easily.

Fruit Preparations

Fruits can be a great source of energy and nutrition in senior years. Cut or slice fruits into small bite size pieces so that it becomes easier for our senior loved ones to consume. Mangoes, bananas, berries, peaches, melons, etc. are soft and easy to chew. You can also prepare mashed or pureed fruit items. Another preparation can be compote made of boiled fruit mix. You can boil the fruits in sugar mixed water.

Vegetable Preparations

Food items cooked with potatoes, squash or pumpkins can be easily made and had as a side dish. You just have to peel, boil and mash these vegetables to prepare nutritious food for your senior loved one. You can do the same with beans or peas. These are great for seniors who has a chewing problem. You just have to boil and steam properly. You may also use some of the crispy vegetables like carrots and broccoli if you cook these for a long time and keep the pieces small.

Meat Preparations

Many of you may think that having meat in senior years is impossible. But no! You can make meat items that you senior loved one will enjoy with bare gums or weak teeth quite easily. Shred boneless, skinless meat from well-roasted pork, chicken or beef. Just make sure to roast it slowly. You can add some minced meat into mashed potato or vegetables. Another option could be to hash shredded precooked meat with boiled potatoes.

Grain Preparations

You can make foods with cereals like oatmeal, rice and wheat cream for your senior loved ones. You just have to make it softer. Soft banana or blueberry muffins can be another option if your remove the top hard crust from it and cut it to bite size pieces. Another option can be a bit of overcooked pasta, barley or rice. Our seniors can very well have some delicious snacks made out of peanut butter sandwiches - just remove the hard crust from the sides of the bread. 

Hopefully, with these ideas, you will never feel at a loss while preparing foods for your senior loved ones who faces difficulty chewing. For any help and support regarding senior care and wellbeing do not hesitate to contact Comfort Keepers!

Getting Started with Caregiving - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Are you thinking of getting professional senior care help for your senior loved ones? Or would you opt for family caregiving for them? No matter what be your choice, transitioning to care-receiving for in senior years can be overwhelming at times for our senior loved ones as well as for the family members. The circumstances are totally new to us and the changes are often difficult to accept.

So, in such situation what can we do to cope up with the changing dynamics and conditions? Comfort Keepers are here with some soothing thoughts and effective guidelines.

Accept the Changes

Change is the law of nature. There's no way to fight it. So, the best way to deal with it is to accept it as it is. Try to realize this fact and make your senior loved ones understand that the changes are for their safety, good health and well-being.

Discuss

Our senior loved ones often feel discontented over receiving care. Various negative thoughts and ideas may force them to think this way. They may think that care receiving is a dependency and lack of autonomy. So, discuss with them and make them realize that care receiving is for their betterment and no one can stay safe and healthy without proper care in declining years.

Make Opinions Heard

Often in  situations like these when family members are engaged in ensuring proper care for their loved ones situations may occur when some may feel blighted thinking that their opinions are getting heard. Even our senior loved ones themselves may at times think that you are forcing your decisions upon them. So make it sure that everybody is having their say in deciding what type of care would be the best.

Make a Routine

Whenever in life we are faced with changing times it is always a good idea to sketch out a plan of actions that would carry out the change with ease. So, sit with your senior loved one and sketch out the plane make a regular routine describing the necessary changes. Besides, having a clearly planned out routine keeps the mind stable in times like this.

Ensure Care for Caregivers Too

Being too much focused on the care of the senior loved ones, it may happen that the family caregiver becoming strained or not being taken care of properly. However, for ensuring the best possible care for the seniors the caregivers also have to be in top shape. Otherwise, they won't be able to be fully in sync with their own life as well as the caregiving process.

Make Your Home Fall-proof

One thing you should be  especially aware while having a senior around is the propensity of having falls in senior years. In senior years the chances of having potentially damaging falls increase significantly for various reasons. So, be mindful and scan your home for any potential fall causing elements. Read the resources that Comfort Keepers have on fall prevention and get the expert fall prevention team to scan your home for you to make it fall proof.

With these guidelines in mind, if you approach this phase of your family life then it can be expected that the changes will be played out with ease and smoothness. And it these difficult times if you need any help regarding senior care and well being then contact Comfort Keepers San Mateo immediately!

Loneliness and Isolation Can Have Severe Effects in Senior Years - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

For various reasons many in our senior years face the difficult times of living alone. According to US census data 2010  about 28% (12.5 million) of no-institutionalized senior loved ones live alone (8.8 million women, 3.8 million men). Almost half of older women (46%) aged above 75 live alone. This is a severe problem almost reaching the stature of an epidemic.

However, we all know that loneliness and isolation can never be good for our mental and physical health. It is often the case that most of us know but do not acknowledge due to family circumstances or other reasons. But it is high time we acknowledged the issue and took necessary steps.

Loneliness and isolation are not only dangerous in senior years but also may prove to be devastating in all the phases of our life. A recent study conducted by the Brigham Young University in Utah found out that isolation and loneliness can have negative effects on health and wellbeing as adverse as obesity.

The researchers observed almost 35 years of studies and have concluded that living alone and isolation can dramatically decrease lifespan.  The study’s lead author Julianne Holt-Lunstad said in a statement, “We need to start taking our social relationships more seriously, the effect of this is comparable to obesity, something that public health takes very seriously.”

After conducting their thorough analysis on data collected from more than 3 million people they reached the conclusion that isolation and loneliness can increase the risk of early death up to 32%.

Another study conducted by the University of Chicago also found out some very disturbing link between physical health conditions and loneliness. The study pointed out that isolation and loneliness can increase the level of your stress hormone cortisol which leads to a significant increase in the chances of heart diseases and strokes. This condition can even multiply in effects in senior years. The effects of loneliness on longevity has been shown as similar to the effects of poverty, in this study. Apart from the physical effects the mental and emotional health of our loved seniors also debilitates a lot due to loneliness and isolation.

So, this is an eye opener. As more and more seniors are being pushed into living alone now a days, due to the changing social dynamics and as the 'graying of America' speeds up, the country may experience an epidemic of isolation in senior years. To deal with this serious situation, we have to implement pro-active senior care programs and services like the one from Comfort Keepers, termed as the Interactive Caregiving approach.

Interactive Caregiving from Comfort Keepers adopts a proactive attitude towards senior engagement in social activities along with involving them in their own care receiving processes. Through these interactive techniques even if the senior loved one is out of sync and connection due to depression or other issues it is possible to get them back on track to engage with people.

However, we need more such facilities made available to our seniors in order to deal with the ever-growing isolation epidemic in senior years.

Entrepreneurship after Retirement - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Today’s seniors are shattering the age old concept that only young people are fit to become entrepreneurs. At present we are seeing many of our loved seniors are starting their own business startups after retirement. They are proving again and again what C.S. Lewis said ‘You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream.’

The Number of Senior Entrepreneurs Are Increasing
Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurship indicates that now the percentage of entrepreneurs aged among 55 to 64 has increased to 24 % whereas it was only 15% in 1997. So, this proves that gradually our senior loved ones are realizing the truth and coming forward with renewed zeal at life. Besides, Richard Sutch, economic historian at the University of California said that the self-employment rates for the male labor force rose with age, from virtually zero at age 16 to over 30 percent by age 70.

Motivation and Inspiration
What Comfort Keepers’ take at it is that, starting anything in life gives tremendous amount of motivational and inspirational boost to one’s life. And in senior years when we often struggle to cope up with the rapid changes both in terms of our physical and mental condition along with the lifestyle changes then doing something new with your life can render a lot of support. It will help to keep you going with as much enthusiasm and meaning as you were in your youth. Moreover, it will also give you some monetary boost.

Seniors Have an Advantage
There’s one special advantage that our senior loved ones get if they start their own business after retirement- the massive amount of experience they have gathered all through their lives along with the huge number of connections that they can summon. Besides, in today’s knowledge based economy our senior loved ones can impart immense support to the overall business sector with their grounded knowledge and experience.

Being Active
Comfort Keepers always encourages senior involvement and engagement in various social and communal activities along with their own care receiving processes through Interactive Caregiving approaches. In this line too entrepreneurship can be another brilliant idea to get engaged and active. The benefits of leading an active and engaged life in senior years are numerous.

Another Attempt at Realizing Lost Dreams
Taking up something new in our declining years gives us a unique opportunity of another attempt at realizing long sought after dreams. Often we have seen people sacrificing their dreams for social and family responsibilities and sticking to their jobs forgetting the dream of making something of their own. So, entrepreneurship in senior years can definitely be your last chance at realizing some lost dreams of life.

Awakening the Creator within You
There’s a creator in each and every one of us who is unique in terms of things they were meant to create. But life and its cares often bars us from that creative force. But after retirement you are free and nothing can bar you anymore. So, pay heed to the one true calling that you have been ignoring all though your life and release your own creative beauty. Entrepreneurship is nothing more than creating and producing newer and more beneficial products and services.

There Are Courses for Senior Entrepreneurs
With the rising practice of starting new businesses in seniors, now there are many reputed colleges that are offering entrepreneurship and financial course to seniors. There are more than 1000 Small Business Development Centers in colleges and state economic development agencies that are offering free low-cost training and business consultancy to our senior loved ones.

So, till now, if you had even a glimmer of such thoughts in your mind of starting something of you own in your senior years then now you know that there is no more time to procrastinate. Start right away! You already know your calling; sketch out a plan, get some courses done and start working on you dream. Contact Comfort Keepers San Mateo for any kind of help and support on the way!

7 Reasons for Family Fight over Senior Care - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Families faced with the difficult time of being bestowed upon the responsibility of taking or ensuring proper care for the senior loved ones encounter some heavy issues. Having family disputes and conflicts among the members is often seen to be one of them. So, we from Comfort Keepers thought of addressing this often neglected issue of family fights over senior care related decisions.

Here we have listed down the 7 most common reasons for which such fights occurs and have tried to direct you towards possible solutions to the problems. As a result you will be aware of these issues beforehand and will be able to avoid such issues before they may take place. Moreover, even if they take place you will be able to solve the issues faster and more easily before any harm is done!

1. Difference in Opinion among Siblings

We have often seen that siblings view the need of senior care for their senior parents differently. The basic argument may revolve around whether they really need professional care yet or not. Or if they do, then what type of care would be most suitable.

To deal with this issue nothing does better than to have a focused discussion with a clear mind. Sit over a cup of tea with your parents and discuss over the present condition.

2. Seniors Resisting Care

Even if all the members of the family agree that the senior loved one really needs care then the seniors themselves may resist care due to various assumptions over expenditure, lost independence etc.

To solve this problem at first find out exactly why they are resisting. Then try and make them realize the essential necessity of the situation through effective exemplification.

3. One Member or Child Doing All the Heavy Work

Often in such situations we have seen that one of the members ends up doing all the hard work and becomes overburdened. This may lead to family fights and unhappiness along with the individual’s mental and physical problems.

To deal with this issue you have to understand that not all of us perceives the situation the same way. As you are doing most of the work you also have to keep in mind that may be others are not realizing that there are works to be done. So, you have to spell out your problems and ask for help clearly and logically.

4. One Member Making All the Decisions

Another issue that often leads to family conflicts is the tendency of one member’s ruling over all others while making any decision. Or may be that one member is not even caring to ask for suggestions from others.

This may become a bit difficult issue to solve. As the member who is doing so must have more significance in the family and talking to him might become a hard task. But no matter what, express your opinions in clear terms, if you think that the decisions they are making are not appropriate. Or just politely place your logical suggestions before finalizing any issue. Because there are conditions when wrong decisions may cause a lot of harm. So, don’t lose you calm and keep pressing what you think is right with dedicated quietude.

5.  Paying for the Care

It is one of the most common scenarios in the families with seniors needing care. Especially after the 2008 financial meltdown when most of the retirees financial account is still struggling to recover. So, in times of arranging the money needed for the care of senior loved ones family members and children may have to look into their own pockets. Thereby, causing dissatisfaction with each other.

Here too focused and considerate discussion along with earnest understanding of each other’s situation is of prime importance. We should all sit together to discuss and find out how much we can contribute. We should acknowledge that we will try our best to ensure the best possible care for our loved seniors.

6. Caregiving while Raising the Family

According to a research conducted by the National Center on Caregiving almost 75% of family caregivers are women. And often it has been observed that these women are also responsible for raising their own children and caring for the whole family. In such situations the condition may often become heated as the member responsible for all these will naturally be stressed and dissatisfied.

To deal with this issue all the other members have to be careful and proactive. They have to chip in to support as much as they can. And the family caregiver also have to ask for help without hesitation and make others understand that their help is very much required. Besides, opting for professional help is always an option.

7. Inheritance

Family members fighting over inheritance is a very sad incident indeed. However, this happens very often. Most of the times such situation occurs when there aren’t any well sketched out and up to date will.

So, in order to avoid such unpleasant family occurrences always keep a well written, clear and up to date will ready! 

Food Safety for Seniors - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

As we age our body undergoes many changes. Both internal and external. Due to this our whole digestive system also undergoes some changes. And the importance of food safety and following a healthy diet and all the rules of food safety becomes increasingly important. Specifically for the seniors above the age 65 has to be treated with utmost care in terms of food safety.

Seniors above the age of 65 are at much higher risks of getting foodborne illnesses than other age groups. Moreover, seniors who are living in nursing homes are ten times more likely to get affected by bacterial gastroenteritis than others. So, getting acquainted with the food safety rules and techniques is a must, if you are a senior or have one senior loved one around you.

Why Seniors Are More Prone to Get Affected by Foodborne Diseases?

●     The gastrointestinal tract holds on to food longer than usual. Hence, there opens up the scope of bacterial growth.

●     Our Liver and kidney gradually becomes less efficient removing foreign toxins and harmful bacteria out of our bodies.

●     The production of acids in the stomach becomes lesser and slower. Proper amount of acid helps to run the digestive process smoothly and reduces the growth of bacteria. So, lesser amount of acid means the scope to bacterial growth in the gastrointestinal tract.

●     Other chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer also increases the risk of getting foodborne diseases.

Signs of Foodborne Diseases

Food borne diseases often regularly known as food poisoning often is accompanied by some common signs and symptoms. These are signs are the following-

●     Upset Stomach

●     Diarrhea

●     Vomiting

●     Fever

●     Abdominal Cramps

●     Dehydration

However, these symptoms can very swiftly increase to create some severe conditions including death.

Tips for Maintaining Food Safety

Our caregivers from Comfort Keepers are very much experienced in food safety issues and have proper understanding of the techniques. So, here we have brought out some tips from them for maintaining food safety in senior years

Clean

●     The childhood rule of washing your hands applies the same all through our lives. Cleanliness is a virtue, we all know that. So, keep everything from your hands to your kitchen and everything related with food.

●     Clean your cooking utensils and countertops with hot water and soap before and after you cook each and every item. Periodically use kitchen sanitizers.

Food Management

●     Always separate raw food like meat and vegetables from ready to eat foods while carrying and storing. 

●     Always chill raw meat, poultry, cooked leftovers and ready to eat foods within 2 hours.

Cooking

●     Always cook up to the right temperature. Cook raw meat and poultry properly.

●     If you rely on delivered meals then take the service from a very reliable source and try be careful to keep them safe

Follow a Healthy Diet

●     Food safety and following a healthy diet go hand in hand! With age following a healthy and custom diet targeted towards wellbeing is of essential importance.

So, here you go, with these easy to digest tips from Comfort Keepers you will definitely be able to keep your digestive system safe and sound. For any type of help and support for ensuring your loved one’s well-being contact Comfort Keepers San Mateo right away!

7 Effective Ways to Avoid Back Pain in Senior Years - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

Back pain becomes an ever concurring phantom as we age. National Institute for Health reports that at least 25% of American adults encounter back pain in every three months. Although it tends to occur after we cross the threshold of 30 it gradually becomes more frequent as we reach our senior years. But do you know with some easy and simple lifestyle changes you can very effectively fend off back pain entirely?

We here from Comfort Keepers thought of sharing with your 7 such tips that you can adopt to avoid back pain as you age.

1. Do Hip Stretching Workout

In case of fending off back pain it is very important that you keep your abdominal muscles stronger to support your back as well as keep your hips muscles strong. For this you have to do some regular hip stretching exercises.

One easy way to do that is lying on your back and pull your knees upwards to your chest and hold it there for up to 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat it for three or four more times. This way you move and stretch both of your abdominal muscles and hip muscles and keep them in perfect condition.

2. Forget about Posture Strengthen Your Hip Muscles Instead 

Many often worry that our sitting or standing posture affects the back pain but it is actually not the situation. If you have strong muscles than no matter in whatever posture you sit and stand it doesn’t matter.

So, you have to solely focus on staying fit and keeping your hip and abdominal muscles stronger. Follow the exercise described above along with some other such muscle strengthening exercises.

3. Take Frequent Breaks from Your Chair

Sitting for too long at a stretch on the chair is bad for your hip muscles. It makes it too relaxed. So, take a break after every 30 minutes to one hour and do some light stretching or have a walk. This way your muscles will be much healthier and stronger.

4. Lift Heavy Objects Carefully

It has been observed that lifting heavy objects in inappropriate way can cause damage to your back muscles. So, whenever you are lifting anything heavy, such as your grand kids, be careful and follow standard procedure.

Bend your back and knees carefully keeping one foot slightly ahead of the other and straighten up your legs before your back. So, that the primary pressure remains on your legs instead of your back.

5. Have a Daily Walk around the Park

Nothing can be better for your back health along with your overall health than having a walk daily. As you walk you release the pressure on your spine and strengthen your back muscle.

One more thing about walking and back pain is that if you are having back pain like right now, start walking! Then you will notice that the pain will gradually decrease. So, even if you can manage to walk for only 10-15 minutes, do that and gradually try to increase the amount of time you walk as much as up to one hour.

6. Work Carefully

Whenever you are engaged with physical labor like shoveling snow or some heavy tasks like that you have to be extra cautious. Tasks that involve you to bend frequently and handle heavy things must be done with extra care for the safety of your back muscles. One rule of thumb can be to have a bit of warming up before starting, working with as little load as possible with frequent intervals.

7. Release Stress

Stress is an arch enemy to your peace. It has been proven in many research that stress increases your susceptibility to pain and aches. Besides, worrying about any specific type of pain will increase the likelihood and the intensity of it significantly.

So, follow de-stressing activities like relaxation exercises, yoga, meditation, aerobics etc. There are often some personal de-stressors for every individual; try to find out yours and carry out whenever you are stressed.

So, with these lifestyle incorporations you will be able to deal with back pain forever. Follow these and stay happy and healthy as you age. And for any kind of support regarding elder care contact Comfort Keepers.  

Seniors and Osteoporosis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Prevention - Comfort Keepers San Mateo

 1 in every 5 men and 3 women above the age of 50 suffer bone fracture due to osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis means weak or brittle bones. Our bones undergo a gradual renewal process over the years. When we are young this decay and regeneration process goes faster and the lost amount of bone gets cover up faster than the breaking down process through new bone buildup. So, at the age of 30 our bone mass density remains at the peak. But gradually the speed of regeneration slows down but the bone mass loss continues hence gradually the bones become weak and brittle. In this line if the bone mass density becomes too low then it is medically termed as osteoporosis. In this condition our bones can get fractured very easily along with causing other physical problems.

Symptoms                                     

The visible symptoms of osteoporosis aren’t many. Our loved seniors even may not realize that they have osteoporosis until they get fractured and then tested. However, early signs can be noticed in the form of back pain and changes in the posture. Another symptom of osteoporosis that occurs much later in the development is decreased height.

Causes

Declining age is the main cause of osteoporosis. In the senior years the speed of bone breakdown far exceeds the speed of new bone buildup. This is the reason for which the bone mass density decreases significantly and causes osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is more prevalent in women than in men. It is often considered as a ‘women's disease’. This is because the bone density of women are lesser than men and after menopause the bone loss occurs much faster in women. That’s why around 80% of people suffering from osteoporosis in America are women.

Risk factors

There are some risk factors for osteoporosis that you can control and there are some that you can’t. Among the risk factors that you can’t control are age, sex, ethnicity and heredity. Another such uncontrollable risk factor is having a small bodily frame. Whites and Asians are seen to get osteoporosis more than the seniors of other racial descent. Apart from these some other health condition like type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and some hormonal disorders can also be risk factors for developing osteoporosis.

And the risk factors that you can control mostly belongs to the way you lead your life. Smoking, leading an inactive life, following an irregular diet containing low amount of calcium and vitamin D, excessive drinking all these can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis through increasing the amount of bone loss as you age.

Treatment

There are multiple treatment options available in case your senior loved ones are diagnosed with osteoporosis. First option is to prescribe bone boosting drugs containing bisphosphonate. This will help decrease the bone loss and build new bone mass. Bisphosphonates can be taken either by mouth or through injections but comes with some significant kinds of side effects.

Other treatment options include hormone therapy and antibody injection. But all these alternatives have their own share of unavoidable side effects.

So, in such condition the best possible option would be to remain aware of it from the very early childhood so that you can maintain the healthy amount of calcium and vitamin D from the very beginning up to the age of 30. This way your bone bank will be full and the gradual bone loss will never reach the point where it can be diagnosed as osteoporosis.  

Bone Building Foods

Foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D are the bone building foods. Milk is the first priority. Then you can have fish like salmon, tuna, herring etc. You have to add some leafy green vegetables into your diet. Vegetables also provide magnesium that improves the bone quality. Another such calcium fortified foods are cereals and orange juice. Whereas, it is always a good idea to avoid foods that decrease the absorption of calcium in the body.

Exercise

The importance of exercise in case of osteoporosis management, treatment and prevention is essential. Exercise keeps the bones in good condition and helps the treatment process of building new and strong bones.

Exercises that involves bearing your whole body weight are the most favorable. Exercises like walking, jogging, running, playing tennis etc. Using small weights while exercising the various body parts also help in this regard. Research have found that women who walk one mile every day have four to seven years of added bone reserve.

Yoga, tai-chi can be a great way to improve balance but some postures involving too much bend or stretch should be carefully avoided in such situations.

Fall Prevention

While living with osteoporosis even a bit of pressure on the bones can cause fracture. In severe cases there are records of getting fractured just by coughing. So, whenever your loved one is diagnosed with osteoporosis the first thing that you should do is to make the surroundings totally fall proof. Contact Comfort Keepers San Mateo we have proven techniques and methods for fall prevention.

Always remember that it is never too late to care for your bones. No matter at whatever age you are right now, start right away!

Start having the right amount of healthy diet, have regular physical exercise- as much as you can- even if you can just walk with the help of a walker then do that, and avoid the negative habits that are active risk factors for osteoporosis. This way you can very well live a healthy, happy and independent life in your senior years with osteoporosis.