There is a movement that began in Boston in 2001 that helps keep older Americans in their homes instead of relying on a retirement home. An AFP story first run on December 20, 2011 described one of these villages, Capitol Hill Village, which has been operating in the nation’s capital since 2007.  This non-profit neighborhood group works together with volunteers that help seniors with transportation and shopping but no medical care.

The village has 360 members and there is a twenty four hour telephone answering service available to seniors that may need help with transportation or filling out forms. The major focus of the village is to help seniors with minor tasks. Larger issues like medical assistance

Alcohol use can be cause for some concern to seniors. The older adults that drink alcohol on a regular basis may not have a drinking problem but the use of alcohol can cause more problems for the senior population than for younger adults. An aging body can be more susceptible to alcohol’s effects. There are also a number of medications that a senior may be taking that might not react well with alcohol.

An older person takes longer to metabolize alcohol so it stays in their body longer. This, along with the fact that older people usually have less water in their body, can contribute to their blood alcohol content being higher than a younger person who drinks the same amount.

Aging also lowers the senior’s tolerance to alcohol.  This fact combined with the higher blood alcohol level may lead to symptoms like slurred speech and balance problems. A visitor may even miss these symptoms as related to alcohol and instead believe the senior is showing signs of a stroke or another malady.

A person offering in home assistance to a senior family member should be aware of the possible problems caused by alcohol intake.  A senior care specialist can highlight the potential dangers of mixing alcohol with certain medications and evaluate your loved one’s health to determine other possible risks of consuming alcohol.

A recent survey conducted by the Genworth Corporation details the changes in cost of different types of senior care. According to the report nursing homes stays showed the largest increase with the cost of both private and semi-private rooms coming in 5% higher than the year before. The cost of at home care, whether hands on or hands off care, stayed right at the same level compared to the previous year.

There were no numbers available on this particular report on how many people could have used assisted living or nursing home care but couldn’t afford it.

Every physician asks for a detailed medical history prior to or during the initial visit. Providing answers to these questions can get more difficult as we age so it’s a good idea to keep track of past ailments and treatments for future reference.

It’s also good to keep track of ailments suffered by blood relatives as well if possible. Remembering what diseases and conditions your parents and siblings have had can be a way for your doctor to get an idea of what problems you may be predisposed to contracting also.

If you are offering in home assistance

As we age our cholesterol levels tend to increase but there are ways you can control the cholesterol that your body manufactures. You can reduce your LDL cholesterol by improving your diet and getting enough physical exercise.  Avoiding foods that contain saturated and Trans fats can also be a big help in controlling cholesterol.

Unfortunately, there are some factors that are impossible to control when it comes to cholesterol. Things like heredity, age and sex can all be contributing factors to high cholesterol.

Seniors may be more apt to reduce

The aging of the baby boomer generation has led to more people caring for family members. There have been many attempts to make the population more aware of the risk of “caregiver burnout” that can plague those who care for aging parents and other relatives.
Those who provide in home assistance do have some forms of relief available to them. The technology boom continues to offer devices that can be used to a caregiver’s advantage.

Medical alert devices have been available for years and can be easily arranged for the senior in your care.  With computer connected cameras a caregiver can keep a close eye on a senior even when they aren’t in close proximity. These cameras can be linked to cell phones, tablets and computers and may relieve some of the time pressures and anxiety that occurs when caregivers are not at the home of their loved one.

The National Influenza Vaccination Week will begin December 4th and run through the 10^th. Unlike years past there is no shortage of vaccine to cause panic and, according to the figures reported to date, a few more people are getting vaccinated this year than last.

The vaccine is recommended for anyone over the age of six months and has always been recommended to seniors as a very important preventive measure. Complications from flu can be very dangerous for seniors, especially those suffering from asthma or those who had heart problems prior to the infection.

A new report from the CDC highlights the problem of medicine management that many seniors face. According to the report there were four main types of medication responsible for hospitalizations due to accidental overdoses among seniors. The four medications most over used were warfarin (blood thinners Coumadin and Jantoven), insulin, blood clot preventatives and oral diabetes medications.

The CDC found that about forty percent of seniors aged sixty-five and over take five to nine medications a day. Forty-eight percent of the reported cases of accidental overdose involved seniors aged 80 or over. Cognitive impairment and regular instances of forgetfulness common to seniors can dramatically increase the chances for over medication.

A person offering assistance to a senior

The CDC issued a report on their website that shows that many seniors are not receiving preventive care necessary to increase their life span and improve quality of life. The report showed that the majority of seniors are not taking advantage of services like flu vaccinations and screenings for bladder, colorectal and breast cancer.

The report used data taken from state and federal records and it indicates that the need for these services must be better communicated to all seniors. The CDC recommends that the medical infrastructure that provides these services be improved and that awareness for the necessity of these services must be promoted.

A senior who receives in home assistance from a family member or home health aide can be in a better position to have these services provided. A home health aide can be a

A study of internet use in Canada shows that seniors are using the internet in larger numbers than had been reported in the past. A survey in 2004 showed only 38% of seniors surveyed went online at least once a week. The new study that was reported in the Senior Journal found that 58% of those surveyed were online every day. These users were seen as believing more in themselves and their abilities.

The internet has been a great tool for all ages and increasing a senior’s confidence in using the computer can be a way to help promote a feeling of wellbeing and independence.