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!