What does it mean to become empowered? NFCA defines empowerment as a sense of confidence in your ability to bring about positive changes in your circumstances and to rise above the day to day challenges you face in your caregiver journey. It’s the optimism we strive for to take a positive approach in an effort to achieve a better quality of life for ourselves and our family. Sometimes it is the tiny changes we make in our lives which can have the most profound impact towards a much healthier and positive outlook.

Four Principles to Live By Include:

Believe in yourself and take charge of your life.
Protect your health
Reach out for help
Speak up for yourself and stand up for your rights

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

Family caregivers as a rule do not always do a good job of taking care of themselves. We are always putting our loved one’s health and well being first. After that there is not much time or energy left for ourselves.

The research is clear! The extreme stress that many family caregivers experience has been shown to affect our immune systems making us more prone to chronic illnesses ourselves. It can cause premature aging and in some cases result in premature death.

If you are run down, tiring more than usual, will you be able to provide good care?
If you have a cold or the flu, will your loved one catch it from you?
If you become depressed will you be able to make good decisions, will life become unbearable?
If you are not well, who will fill your shoes, whether temporarily or permanently?
These are not questions to be taken lightly. Your own good health is the best present you can provide to the person you care for.

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

 As caregivers it is important we recognize and not ignore the physical and emotional symptoms which may impact our own health and well being.  We need to guard against caregiver burnout and avoid becoming overly tired and exhausted which can reduce our own body’s ability to ward off illness. 

It is important to remember to create balance between caring for others and caring for ourselves.  But how?  You begin by believing – truly believing – that protecting your health is an absolutely critical thing to do for yourself and your loved one. You may not be able to do this easily, especially if guilt tends to get in your way; but, it is vital that you try.

• Take a daily vitamin supplement
• Get exercise — make it a priority for both your mental and physical well-being.
• Get regular check-ups and do not ignore possible symptoms of ill health.
• Take a break from caregiving – respite time is crucial.
• Get a Flu shot.

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

Exercising the body helps the brain. That’s the conclusion of a new study that reviewed the effects of exercise on brain functioning in humans and animals.

Based on a wide-ranging review of existing studies, researchers found a significant relationship between physical activity and later cognitive function and decreased occurrence of dementia. Better yet, the evidence suggests that the benefits may last several decades.

Studies of persons over age 65 found that those who exercised for at least 15-30 minutes at a time three times a week were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease, even if they were genetically predisposed to the disease.

The exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous. One study of 62- to 70-year-olds who continued to work and retirees who moderately exercised, showed they had higher sustained levels of cerebral blood flow and superior performance on general measures of cognition as compared to the group of inactive retirees.

The review covered 40 years of research.

The bathroom and the kitchen are not the only places where your family member can get hurt. Most households have other danger zones as well. Controlling access to these areas becomes an issue sooner or later in most caregiving households.

When you care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, accessibility can be a double-edged concern. You may want to make some areas in your home “off-limits”, such as outside doors, stairways, closets and other places where important or potentially harmful materials are stored. On the other hand, you may want to improve access to some areas – making tubs and showers more accessible or making stairways and outside steps easier to use.

As a rule of thumb, try to improve access in areas that encourage the person to do things independently as long as it is safe. Limit access when the family member’s abilities and understanding have diminished to the point that he or she needs supervision to be in an area.

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of four- to eight-year-olds: “What does love mean?”

The answers….

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” — Rebecca, age 8

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” — Billy, age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and boy puts on shaving cologne, and they go out and smell each other.” — Karl, age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” — Chrissy, age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” — Terri, age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him to make sure the taste is OK.” — Danny, age 7

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” — Nikka, age 6

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” — Noelle, age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” — Tommy, age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.” — Cindy, age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” — Clare, age 6

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” — Lauren, age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” — Karen, age 7

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” — Jessica, age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening the presents and listen.” — Bobby, age 7

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

One is the loneliest number…and unhealthy, to boot.

University of Chicago researchers have concluded that loneliness is a major risk factor in increasing blood pressure in older people, and because of this could increase the risk of death by stroke and heart disease.

In a paper titled, “Loneliness is a Unique Predictor of Age-Related Differences in Systolic Blood Pressure,” published in the March issue of the journal Psychology and Aging, researchers Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo found lonely people between the ages of 50 and 68 had blood pressure readings that were as much as 30 points higher than non-lonely people, even when other contributing factors were taken into consideration.

“Loneliness is a complex physiological phenomenon that incorporates feelings of dysphoria (opposite of euphoria) and stress, dissatisfaction with social support and hostility toward others,” according to the paper. It already has been associated with higher incidences of other health issues, including alcoholism, depression and insomnia, and even impaired immune functions.

The findings of the researchers are consistent with Society of Certified Senior Advisors’ approach to training professionals to think more broadly of seniors, not just in terms of health, financial or social factors, but in terms of all of them combined so that Certified Senior Advisors can provide the most benefit to their senior clients.

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

How can families come together in caregiving?  Here are some suggestions:

• Express your feelings honestly and directly. Let your siblings know their help is both wanted and needed.
• Keep family members informed regarding a parent’s condition.
• Be realistic in your expectations. Allow siblings to help in ways they are able and divide tasks according to individual abilities, current life pressures and personal freedoms. Assistance with errands, finances, legal work or other indirect care may be the best option for some family members.
• Express appreciation to your family for help they are able to provide.
• Accept siblings for who they are and expect differences of opinion.
• Try to respect other’s perceptions and find opportunities to compromise.

If communication is particularly contentious, arrange a family meeting that includes an outside facilitator, such as your FCA Family Consultant, social worker, counselor, religious leader or friend. A trusted outside party can ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.

If siblings are unable to help with care, seek other assistance to provide a respite for yourself. Call your local Caregiver Resource Center, Area Agency on Aging, Senior Center or other community resource to locate help.

Try to forgive family members who continue to refuse to get involved in a loved one’s care. The only thing we have control over in a situation is our reaction. Attempt to work through your negative emotions to take care of yourself and move forward.

http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=868

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

Providing care for an aging or ill parent can bring out the best and the worst in sibling relationships. Ideally, the experience of caregiving is a time for siblings to come together and provide mutual support to one another. However, as a stressful transition, the pressure can also lead to strained connections and painful conflict.

One major source of sibling friction is the legacy of family dynamics. Invariably, the demands of caregiving bring out old patterns and unresolved tensions. Past wounds are reopened and childhood rivalries reemerge. It is not unusual for adult children to find themselves replaying their historical roles in the family, recreating old dynamics of competition and resentment as they vie for mom’s attention and affection.

Another conflict can arise when one sibling is in denial over a parent’s condition. Adult children who seem unable to accept the reality of a parent’s illness and refuse involvement may be protecting themselves from facing a parent’s eventual death and their own loss. More active siblings may react with bitterness and anger.

Most often though, discord surfaces from the unequal division of caregiving duties. Generally, one sibling takes on the primary role of caring for a loved one. This may be because he or she lives closest to a parent, is perceived as having less work or fewer family obligations, or is considered the “favorite” child. Regardless of the reasons, this situation can lead the overburdened caregiver to feel frustrated and resentful and other siblings to feel uninformed and left out.

Resolving these conflicts can be challenging. But ignoring the difficulties in a caregiving situation can create greater challenges. Ultimately, strained family relationships can impede a family’s capacity to provide the greatest quality of care to a parent.

Visit us in two days to learn about our tips and family resolutions when dealing with elder care in the Fort Worth area.

Surrounding Arms Home Care - gives tips and information to families with aging relatives. Please call us in Fort Worth, Texas when you need help - 817-496-1600 or email vkeaton@surroundingarmsinhomecare.com.

Muscle-toning, Cardio, and Flexibility for Seniors

Gardening has wonderful benefits for the muscles.  When carrying bags of soil, flats of flowers, or tools, make sure that they’re not too heavy for you.  Lift things in separate shifts if need be, but carrying the right amount of weight at a time is great for bone density and muscle toning.

Keeping up a garden also requires walking, digging, and planting.  All of these actions promote cardiovascular health by slightly elevating the heart rate and deepening the breath.  This improves circulation, lung capacity, and overall health.  Again, only do as much as feels comfortable and invigorating.

Swatting, kneeling, turning and twisting are great for your joints.  When it comes to flexibility, you really need to use it or lose it.  While gardening, focus on the subtle movements, and how the various actions are keeping your muscles and joints alive and well.

Gardening can also be great for you emotional health as well as physical health.  Relax and take deep breaths while gardening.  Admire all the colors and scents, have picnics in your garden, or maybe your first cup of coffee in the morning.  There’s no greater fulfillment than admiring the natural beauty around you that has been nurtured by your own hard work.