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Having transportation help is an excellent benefit and can be necessary when needing to get to one place or another. Transportation is also good when it comes to visiting the ones we love. However, the older we get, the more difficult it becomes to operate a vehicle. Some functions that begin to deteriorate include memory, vision, and response time. When these decline, the task of driving a car becomes more of a challenge.

For these reasons, it is a good idea to have transportation help readily available and why seniors will benefit.

Seniors Can Remain Physically Active

When transportation help is readily available, a senior can remain physically active. These include walks to and from the bus stop, which encourages them to be active a lot more than they were before they stopped driving. Remaining active will also ensure that they stay healthy.

Remain Independent With Transportation Help

Having independence is great, and as a senior, it is even more critical. As soon as a senior no longer drives, they could quickly feel disheartened by becoming more reliant upon their kids and other family members to take care of things they would typically do. This is why having transportation available will be able to assist in keeping them independent. Besides that, the waiting time will be cut in half by not waiting for family or friends to come for them, and this will lead to empowerment and the ability to still do things on their own.

Improved Standard of Living

Most importantly, having transportation for seniors permits them to have an improved standard of living. This is due to their ability to remain active and go where ever they please. They can enjoy themselves more and without giving up on enjoying their life just because they no longer drive. They will feel as though they are still capable of living the life they desire and not having any restrictions based on their ability to drive or not. Plus, whether you can drive or not should not determine the type of life you live. When you have quality transportation services, you have an excellent transport system that will always get you to where you are going. You can live a normal life and well into your senior years.

As summer changes to fall, there’s a fun activity for everyone. It can be a little hard for seniors to join in the fun. However, you can easily include them with these easy fall activities for seniors.

Volunteer for Local Charities

There are numerous volunteer activities, which could be enjoyed. Here is one great idea. Seniors could make baked goods for first responders. During the coronavirus pandemic, these workers would appreciate the kind gesture.

Attend a Football Game

Who says you have to be young to enjoy sports? When it’s fall, it’s also football season. In most communities, there should be at least one weekly game. Even if there isn’t a collegiate or professional team, seniors can enjoy watching high school football.

Host a Chili Cookoff

See who has the best chili recipe. Gather family and friends of all ages and ready your tastebuds. You also could invite local community leaders and first responders to be your guests and let them handle the judging, too.

Create Art for Fall Activities

Art can be therapeutic for seniors. Check with local community centers, libraries, and museums. In some cities, there are businesses, which host paint parties. You also could book local artists to lead instruction. Let the falling leaves inspire some great fall activities!

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

No matter your age, a trip to a pumpkin farm is one of the top fall activities out there. Grab your soon-to-be jack-o’-lanterns. Maybe grab some ingredients for pumpkin pie, too. And if you want to mix things up, put on some Halloween costumes and spook the kids. Who says that only kids can’t dress up and trick or treat?

Enjoy Fall Activities Today

Go ahead and bookmark this page. In the future, you will have an easier time accessing this information. And feel free to share this list with seniors or with those who make plans for them. If you, yourself, are a senior, have fun with these suggestions.

Taking care of aging parents and grandparents is a difficult job. The right caregiving tips can help you ensure that your loved ones are getting the help they need.

At some point, our parents and grandparents will find that they can no longer take care of all their daily needs without help. Caregiving or home care services often fall on children or grandchildren to provide. These caregiving tips can help you manage your expectations and ensure that your parents are well taken care of for the rest of their lives.

Assess Needs

It would help if you talked with your parents to figure out what they need help with and what they can do independently. Do they need help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating? Are they able to cook and clean for themselves? Can they take care of home repairs and pay the bills? Do they need someone to spend time with them and provide companionship? Are they at risk for falls and other injuries? Additionally, do they need short-term or long-term care?

These simple questions will help you decide what kind of in-home care is best for your loved one.

Assess Your Abilities

The next step is to figure out what you can help your loved one with. Take a good look at your skills, time, and responsibilities to figure out what level of care you can provide. Can you help cook meals, provide physical assistance, and take care of your home? Are you only able to provide companionship? Or can you help occasionally but have other duties and responsibilities or live too far away to provide regular care?

Look For Resources

Many organizations can help you find resources to care for your elderly loved ones. These resources may provide financial help or support in the form of a live-in caregiver. You can search for caregiver services in your area, such as Bluedot Cares to help you find the right help.

Financial Help

Many seniors need financial help to take advantage of these services. This may be covered by health insurance, including medicare and medicare. The caregiving service may also be able to provide financial help.

Hopefully, these simple caregiving tips will help put you at ease and realize that you are not alone in shouldering the burden of caring for aging loved ones.

The Hearing Loss Association of America suggests that older adults should have their hearing checked every three years. Hearing loss in both ears can happen at a younger age, but having only one ear affected is more common. You can lose hearing from exposure to loud noises begins in the high frequencies and usually occurs later in life after noise exposure.

Hearing loss from aging gradually starts in the low frequencies and affects both ears equally, making it difficult for older adults to hear higher-pitched sounds. Any amount of ear damage has adverse effects for seniors because it limits their ability to communicate. This can increase depression, social isolation, and even lead to more risky behaviors. Hearing aids are one form of treatment for older adults with deafness, but there are other options to help improve their ability to hear better.

What Causes Hearing Loss?

The most common way people start to lose their hearing is through exposure to loud noises. This can be from concerts, listening to headphones too loud, or explosions can damage your ears. You can also lose hearing from wax buildup, infections, ruptures in the eardrum, and even simple aging can lead to deafness.

People with the following factors are considered at higher risk:

• Older age
• Occupational exposure to loud noises
• Genetics
• Illnesses
• Side effects of medication
• Exposure to loud noises

Treating Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can cause depression or social isolation, especially in seniors. It’s also been linked to cognitive decline. However, treating deafness can reverse those harmful effects. Studies suggest that treating hearing loss can significantly help memory.

There are many ways to treat hearing loss, but as a caregiver, the best thing you can do is provide companionship. You’ll have to be patient, speak loudly and clearly, and maybe develop new ways of communicating.

BlueDot Cares provides light housekeeping, laundry services, meal preparation, medication reminders, and so much more to help the elderly stay independent while still getting the care they need. BlueDot Cares allows seniors with disabilities to live in their homes safely for longer.

Check Out Companionship Today

Companionship services like what BlueDot Cares provides are beneficial to seniors by providing emotional support and companionship. BlueDot Cares provides non-medical assistance that allows senior citizens to live independently in their homes for longer. BlueDot cares can give peace of mind knowing that the seniors in your life have help when needed. If you have hearing loss, BlueDot Cares is a great alternative to nursing homes or assisted living facilities. We offer an experienced staff, 24/7 availability, satisfaction guarantee, and home safety professionals.

Seniors in their golden years may need assistance with their activities of daily living and often require care from their adult children. However, as we all know, they may have other obligations such as a full-time job. If you are the adult caregiver for your mom, dad, or grandparents, you may need some help. Home healthcare services may be just what you are looking for.

What is Home Healthcare?

Home healthcare aides provide companionship to seniors who can’t or shouldn’t be left alone. They offer some much-needed relief for caregivers who need a break. What types of services do they offer?

Housecleaning

 Keeping the house clean and free from clutter is a healthcare need that people often forget about. Having a neat home gives seniors the feeling that all is right with their world. It helps to lift their mood, keeps their home organized, and provides an overall healthy atmosphere. It also removes tripping hazards.

Bathing, Cooking, and Healthcare Errands

Seniors can struggle to bathe independently, and it can even turn treacherous. A home healthcare aide will lovingly help with bathing.

A home healthcare aide can provide transportation to medical facilities, grocery stores, and other errands when adult children have to be at work.

Often seniors have trouble sleeping at night. This can be from lengthy naps during the day, too much caffeine, or eating just before bedtime. Limit after-dinner food and drinks, darken the room, play some soothing music, or read to them after helping them get ready for bed.

Another service home healthcare aids provide to seniors is cooking. To ensure seniors get the healthy meals they need, a home healthcare aide often cooks their meals and helps with the clean-up afterward

Get Healthcare Help for Seniors Today

The routine activities of day-to-day living are many, and because each person is different, they may ask you to help with a variety of tasks. Seniors have hobbies they may need help with, such as gardening, fishing, or going to the library. They may ask for help with sewing or knitting and crocheting. These are activities that home health care assistants will love to help with.

Check out our website for more information about home healthcare services.

Self-care for caregivers is beneficial for all healthcare workers regardless of age, gender, or social status. Studies have shown that people who take care of themselves are more satisfied with their lives and handle stress better.

Despite that, caregivers are less likely to take care of themselves than non-caregivers. Caregivers are more likely to experience sleep deprivation, visit the doctor less, take less time for themselves, and spend less time resting when they’re sick.

Providing care for a senior loved one can be highly stressful. It can also come with guilt since many people feel like they shouldn’t have any negative feelings when caring for a relative.

However, people experience these feelings all the time, and self-care is integral to making it through the tough times. Here are our self-care tips.

Self-Care Starts With Boundaries

It’s important to set boundaries for yourself. How can you take care of others if you’re struggling to cope?

You need to be able to step away and recollect yourself when stress is piling up. If you can, have another family member or friend take over for a while. If no one is available, contact a senior care facility to provide some at-home care. If money is tight, there are financial resources out there that can help.

Self-care With Exercise

Even if it’s 15 minutes a day, moving your body can be a great way to release built-up stress. Going on a walk, dancing, yoga, or riding a bike are great, low-stress exercises that most everyone can do.

Exercise is great because you can do it alone or with a friend. If you’re feeling social, take a lap or two around your neighborhood with a pal. If you’d rather be alone, grab some headphones and jam out while you get your body moving.

Talk to Someone

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you should find someone you trust to talk to. This can be friends, family members, fellow caregivers, or a therapist. Sometimes, all you really need is to unload what’s worrying or stressing you.

When you’re especially stressed out, self-care should become a priority. There’s always professional help available and you should never feel guilty if that’s the step you need to take that’s best for you.

It’s an unfortunate part of life – we all need sleep help from time to time. This, of course, includes seniors. There are many reasons a senior could have difficulty sleeping, and this usually isn’t a problem. The simple process of aging changes the way we sleep, after all.

However, when a senior has consistent problems falling asleep, it’s a good idea to step in and help them get back on track. If you’re worried about your senior loved one’s sleeping habits, here are some tips to help them get a good night’s sleep.

Reduce Caffeine

A simple way to resolve sleep problems is limiting or eliminating caffeine consumption, especially once the afternoon starts. Seniors can be sensitive to caffeine in the first place, so it’s not a bad habit to get rid of anyways.

Help your senior loved one figure out what to remove from their diet. The most prominent item is coffee, but there are many other things out there with high amounts of caffeine. Tea, soda, even chocolate has caffeine. If a senior is sensitive to caffeine, there are plenty of food items that could upset them.

Sleep Help By Avoiding Electronics Before Bed

Another thing that gives a senior sleep help is to avoid electronics before bed. The blue light from screens tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime, which in turn makes your brain think it’s time to be awake.

If a senior gives themselves at least an hour before bed without electronics, they’ll up their chance of getting a good night’s rest.

Talk to a Doctor About Sleep Help

If everything you try just isn’t working for your senior, it’s never a bad idea to seek help. Sometimes, sleep problems can come from an underlying problem. If a few days have passed and your senior’s sleep problems haven’t resolved, speak to their regular doctor.

Get Sleep Help Today

Get your senior the help they need by following these easy tips. Sleep problems can be a nightmare, but with your help, they can get back to sweet dreams.

Grandparents have a special connection with their grandkids, and that relationship should be nourished. This Grandparent’s Day, celebrate with the seniors in your life by taking a little extra time to be with them.

If you don’t know what to do to celebrate this special day, read our tips, then get creative!

Write a Letter for Grandparent’s Day

Most seniors don’t need a fancy present – they usually have what they need. What’s truly special is sentiment.

Write a letter to your own grandparents, or have your kids write to your parents. Tell them what you love about them or remind them of a special memory that means something to you. They’ll be touched that you thought of them, and they’re sure to enjoy a stroll down memory lane.

Spend Grandparent’s Day With Them

As we mentioned before, most seniors don’t really need anything. Instead, dedicate the day to them (or at least a lunch!). Gather the kids around and ask about their lives. Take them for a walk or watch their favorite movie.

If you’re worried about Covid, try a digital meeting instead! Either video call or set up a Zoom meeting. The important thing is to spend time with them.

Make a Photo Craft

Most seniors love being reminded of happy memories, and they adore having pictures of their loved ones. Find some good pictures of you, your kids, your parents or grandparents, and make a photobook for them.

Alternatively, you can order premade gifts online that you can customize with a photo. This can be anything from a keychain to a coffee mug to a blanket. Pick what you think they’d like!

Grandparent’s Day only comes once a year and it’s a great time to make your grandparents or parents feel special. While you’re at it, you should consider giving yourself the gift of senior care. A little bit of professional help can make any holiday that much more special!

While summer has a lot of fun to offer, it can also be a hard time to get through. The warmer weather is great for getting outside and offers way more things to do. However, the heat can get to be too much. The risk of heat stroke or sunburn can put a damper on summer fun quickly. If you want to enjoy your fun in the sun, you need to devise ways to beat the heat. This is easy enough for young people – they just need to find something like a squirt gun or a hose to play in. It can be a problem for seniors who want to join in on the summer fun, especially for those with mobility issues.

Even though senior citizens still want to be a part of their children and grandchildren’s lives during the summer, it can be difficult for them to stay cool. Oftentimes, this can present a challenge for caregivers trying to balance fun and safety. There are several ways that caregivers can both help senior citizens in their lives beat the heat and spend time with their loved ones.

Designated Outdoor Times

Even though senior citizens have more difficulty with activities in the sun, it is important for all of us to get time outside. It can be arranged for you to take your senior outside for a few hours a day. Depending on their mobility level, you can either help them with outside chores or set them outside in the shade. Listen to them when they tell you they are ready to go inside. The best time of day to get outside and stay cool? Mornings before 10 and evenings after 4.

Stay Cool With Specialized Clothing

It is easier for senior citizens to stay cool if they have the appropriate clothing. Hats with large brims are good to use as well as light fabrics. They should be wearing clothes that expose as little skin as possible if they intend to stay out for long periods of time. Sunscreen is a summer essential, as well!

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Before and after you and your elderly person spend time outside, you should both drink plenty of water. You can also eat lots of fruits and vegetables to stay cool and hydrated. This will make it easier for you to beat the heat and live a good life outdoors. It is also advisable to keep a bottle of water near you at all times in case anyone gets thirsty. Remember, once you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated, so keep up on your water intake.

Stay Cool With Seniors

With the right preparation, everyone including seniors can enjoy summer fun. Make sure to use these tips we’ve given you and stay cool this summer!

A positive attitude can make challenging moments in life easier to deal with in any situation. Realistically, however, the most even-tempered person can have times when anxiety, stress, and frustration contribute to a loss of patience. This is especially true when acting as a family caregiver for an older loved one. Fortunately, the techniques mentioned below can help keep your cool while providing care.

Be Mindful of Your Own Health

If you’re not at your best, it often becomes more difficult to stay patient while caring for a senior. Make an effort to keep your own health in mind by:

• Keeping up with recommended medical appointments and checkups
• Talking to your doctor about any health concerns you have
• Finding ways to get regular exercise – which has both physical and mental health benefits

Empathize for Patience

Put yourself in the place of your loved one. If mom or dad has dementia, for instance, think about what it’s like to become confused or alarmed easily. This will give a different perspective as you provide care and help you keep your patience

Briefly Walk Away

If possible to do safely, walk away from a situation that’s testing your patience. Try going for a short walk or taking a few minutes in a different room. Do whatever you have to do to regain your focus.

Use Relaxation Techniques to Restore Patience

For times when you’re able to walk away, use that moment to default to a relaxation technique to regain your composure. Deep breathing and mindful meditation, for example, are relaxing methods most people can easily do pretty much anywhere.

Consider Professional Senior Care

In some cases, it may be possible to get a helping hand from other family members when you’re struggling to be patient. Another way to get some help for mom or dad is to consider professional senior care options. By having access to an extra set of hands for certain tasks, you’ll be in a better position mentally to handle more demanding aspects of care. In-home care options can also play a role in helping you be more patient by:

• Giving you a worry-free way to take longer breaks with respite care
• Allowing your loved one to get help with bathing, cooking, transportation, and other needs so you don’t have to attempt to juggle too many tasks at once
• Giving your loved one another trusted source of care to rely on so they’re not as anxious or stressed either

With caregiving, it’s often possible to find a healthy balance between the care you provide for mom or dad and professional assistance provided in your loved one’s home. By easing your stress in this way, you may also find yourself in a better position to stay patient when interacting with your loved one.