Seniors Site

Generally, when a person reaches the age of 55, things start to change. Unfortunately, the first ones to fail are those important when driving such as your visual and hearing capabilities. This proves to be a hurdle to an older adult’s driving life even if they already spent years behind wheels. Common aging issues usually separate a senior driver from his car, whether they like it or not.

But, seniors are hard to convince and it would be doubly hard if you are hitting the wrong strings. They will defy especially when they are given orders; in fact, resistance is a very common thing when it comes to senior driving. Although we know that it can be dangerous for seniors to still drive around especially if they are already experiencing difficulties with minor chores, and most probably they are aware of that too, you will have to let them decide for themselves.

The quickest way to let them know if they are still safe to drive is by assessing their driving skills. This way, you and the senior in question would be able to establish his or her capability in driving. If he doesn’t make it, he’ll accept your point but if he meets all the requirements then be ready to accept the fact that he can still drive.

The great way to do this is challenge the driver for a little trip around town to assess the senior’s driving skills. If he falters, then something is wrong and he knows it. But assuming that he’ll go for the ride, here are some points you must consider:

·    Notice if he is having some difficulties in switching pedals. Normally, a driver will not lift the whole leg when switching pedals.
·    Vision impairment such as blurring and reduced vision is apparent when the driver couldn’t merge with passing traffic. This means he can no longer gauge the speed of approaching automobiles.
·    Even younger drivers have problems when driving at night, more for seniors with failing eyesight.
·    Notice the driver’s reaction time. This includes sirens, lights, and beeping cars.
·    The driver should be able to stay within his driving lane.
·    Take note of the speed of the car. It should not fall within the recommended speed for the street you are currently in.
·    If the driver often finds himself involved in near-collisions these past few months, then it’s time to hand-over the keys to more capable hands.

Safety when driving should be the number one concern of this assessment, not proving anybody’s point. For the caregiver, understand that it is not easy to give up something that gives a senior the freedom to go places without asking for anyone’s permission. For the senior driver, you should know that it is not only you that your driving puts in danger; the lives of other people who happen to cross your path during your unfortunate driving accident will also be affected.

In our never ending quest for the best exercise for aging bodies like us, we’ve stumbled upon Pilates. Actually, Pilates and Yoga are two of the most recommended exercises for seniors because they provide health benefits for the mind and the body.

Pilates being a low-impact exercise makes it perfect for seniors; aside from the fact that Pilates can even take away those chronic back pains and joint aches that are very common to older adults. Best of all, Pilates routines are adjustable to suit every person’s needs so no matter what fitness level you are in when you start doing Pilates, there’s always room for you in this exercise method. As you improve overtime and so does your fitness level, your Pilates routines will be appropriately adjusted as well.

Pilates promotes and improves balance, body alignment and proper posture. It stretches and elongates those superficial muscles that most of the time, are quite hard to reach with simple exercise routines such as walking and weight training. It can also improve your stamina and gain strength when you do the routines on a regular basis. Marked improvements in flexibility and muscle tone are noticeable. Pilates also helps calm the mind, making you adapt a happy, healthy disposition.

Pilates has been gaining popularity among seniors because of its ability to naturally take away back pains—a common problem for seniors and unfortunately, with no cure as of the moment, other than alternative methods like this. Joseph Pilates, the founder of Pilates exercise method, developed it and was used in rehabilitative purposes for war soldiers during his time. The reason why Pilates has been very effective in treating body aches and pains is that it is based on the anatomical composition of the body. Joseph Pilates believed that our body should follow certain alignment and due to our lifestyle, somehow the proper alignment of the body goes bad. Without strong spine support, that’s when back pains develop. As we age and with no strong core, back pains also worsen. Pilates, being a targeted exercise method, strengthens the core or torso first namely: the back, chest and pelvic.

Pilates can be done at home. When doing it at home, you will need instructional materials like books and videos; however, it is not recommended to start your Pilates routine alone because you will still need a live Pilates instructor to explain the basic principles of Pilates and to guide you with proper positioning of your body when performing a Pilates routine.

Classes are also conducted in studios and gyms. These settings are much better because they have Pilates equipments you can use while doing routines plus there’s an instructor to guide you with proper training. Most of all, it is a great way for seniors to gain new friends when doing Pilates in groups.

Gardening is a common activity for seniors. Apparently, this activity has many benefits for aging bodies, primarily for health and wellness. Gardening helps seniors stay active and alive. Emotionally, it helps seniors feel proud and boosts their self-esteem. These are just some of the reasons why gardening is so popular for seniors. Now that father’s day is just around the corner, it is but normal for wives, children and grandkids to start looking for the best gardening gift for granddads—something that they will surely love and cherish. Here are some of great gardening gifts you can give to granddads across the globe:

·    Elegant bonsai plants are the best choice for fathers who love gardening so much. This may even introduce granddads to a new type of gardening, if he is not yet engaged in bonsai gardening. This type of gardening is very meticulous and detailed—it will surely engage any gardening aficionados.
·    Compost bins are very helpful to seasoned gardeners such as your grandfather. Some even consider them a pot of gold because they hold nature’s greatest gift—natural fertilizer that is free and proven to improve the soil.
·    If your granddad is interested in rose gardening, try giving him a rose plant that his garden still doesn’t have. There are some exotic kinds of rose plants that you can add to his extensive collection.
·    Hammocks are also a great garden gift for dads. You can give him either the regular rope hammock or the chair types—both of them will do just fine.
·    Of course, who would forget about the gnomes? You could make one for your granddad or purchase them in a nearby home and garden shops.
·    Gardening books are great for gardening enthusiasts/bookworms because it will keep them updated with their field of expertise.
·    Paying for a year’s-worth of gardening magazine subscription is also a welcome gift for granddads. This will cut time going to and fro the magazine stand everytime a new release comes out.
·    Top of the line gardening tools are great especially if you have money to spend. Most of the time, the gardener dad buys them himself so make sure you don’t give him something that he already has. Also, never settle for cheap ones; if you cannot afford them, just look for another gift to give your granddaddy.
·    Men in general like anything that is multifunctional; the more ways it can serve its master, the better. Look for gardening equipments that has many functions under its sleeves. For example, a gardening stool that doubles up as tool carrier.

Aside from many gardening gifts flooding the market today, you can search online gardening stores and purchase it there as well. Some online stores offer free delivery services if your purchase is big enough to cover the expenses. Just make sure you apply the necessary safety precautions when purchasing online.

The most important thing between a senior and his or her caregiver is their communication. With the demands and stress that come with the relationship, sometimes it becomes hard to establish connection–or for some situations, reestablish one–for both caregiver and the receiver.

Demands for great communication skills on the caregiver’s part are not only for his or her ward, it is also needed when talking with the patient’s doctors, health care providers, elder care providers, lawyers and even to their pharmacists. Caregiving will not only take up your time, energy and physical effort but it will definitely take a piece of you as a person. When giving care to someone, you build relationships—whether you intend to or not. Caring for seniors is different from caring for babies; although it has its own rewards, most of the time, it’s quite heart breaking for the caregivers.

A successful caregiving practice will depend on how well you connect with your care receiver. You will never know what your care receiver desires if you don’t know him that well. You, as the caregiver, should be able to understand your ward even before he opens his mouth. This is the same reason why longtime, loving spouses are the best caregivers because they can read their partners’ mind and know exactly what will calm him down or make them happy. For all others, especially those who are not trained for the job, you should always remember that seniors have their own mature minds and they know what they want—there’s no point in treating them like kids or else your relationship is in danger!

As living, breathing humans, it is not uncommon for us to feel frustrated and sometimes, rejected by our wards. Let’s just put it this way, seniors have their own issues and most of the time, what they do is not personally attacking their caregivers but working out their personal issues. Trust, for one, is also an issue for some seniors and they can be quite defensive and weary in front of strangers. However, we can avoid these problems if we know how to calm ourselves, if and when the need arises.

When faced in a difficult situation like this, avoid confrontation as much as possible, especially if you are still at the height of your emotions. Take time out, and breathe. You don’t need to lash out or attack the senior in front of you; if it’s his fault, he knows it. If he is resisting, try listening with both ears and try not to be too judgmental about it; if what you are saying is true, he knows it too. By tactfully explaining things to him and backing off after, you are giving him time to think about it and decide for himself. Bear in mind that you are just assisting this person, not taking over his life. Bonding with your ward is the best thing you can do to establish relationship that will make him feel safe and secure in your company. Get to know the person you are taking care of and you are sure to have a lasting relationship that is quite comfortable for both of you.

Nowadays, seniors retire not because they are compelled to do it for health reasons or they need to slow down; in fact, it was found out that seniors are healthier than ever! They do it because they want to try other things especially now that they are free from family obligations. Seniors are free to do whatever they want, whenever they want; this is the time when everything you do is solely for yourself and anything you give is purely optional. Retirement is, in some way, liberating. It’s all up to you how you would spend your “retired days” as fulfilling as it can possibly be.

Unfortunately, retirement comes with growing medical bills and sometimes we find ourselves a little bit short on funds. This is not uncommon to a senior’s life and it can be very frustrating to seniors ready to take on life’s challenges without “9 to 5” job interference. Retirement is supposed to be turning over a new leaf and not something that will hold us back. Somehow, we must make it work—on our own terms!

If for whatever reason you find yourself anywhere near 50 and looking for work, it’s good to know that there are some companies that hire seniors. This means, we should no longer worry about age limitations and such. These reputable companies also offer trainings, full-time and part-time jobs, and even seasonal jobs for seniors. This also includes benefits, just like any other hired employee—young and old. Local and global organizations team-up with companies to collaborate particularly for senior citizen employment opportunities. These organizations also do job placement services for their members that will match your capabilities and expertise according to job orders they received from member companies. This way, you don’t have to go through the tedious steps of looking for work and you can even choose the position you desire. Of course, through these seniors organizations, it is easier to get hired especially if you have met all the companies’ requirements. Some of the companies that hire seniors are Home Depot, Border’s Group Inc., CVS Caremark, and Staples.

The best thing with these companies is that they will make employment policies that will work for seniors such as job sharing, and flexible work schedule. This will allow seniors adequate free time to do other things aside from working. It need not a “9-5” job; some older adults who just cannot stop working usually find 2 more part time jobs just to fill in the time. This way, their work loads are more manageable than a fulltime job they’re used to. If you are interested in working after retirement and seeking employment opportunities, check local companies and organizations for job openings.

What exactly is senior volunteer program? Senior volunteer programs are for seniors 55 years of age and above. Through this program, seniors are allowed to do volunteer works and given assignments to work on based on their capacities and limitations. Usually the organization you currently belong to—assuming you already did—will match you to other programs or projects that are directly in line of your expertise. These organizations also provide proper training and guidance for new members while old timers are given high regards and recognition by their fellow volunteers. And because this is a volunteer work, seniors are not forced to work although they are highly encouraged to finish their assignments once they are given. Assignments are determined according to their availability, interest, and expertise.

Some of the most common assignments in senior volunteer programs are seniors helping children with special needs, seniors helping other seniors and seniors doing community service such as dental missions and feeding programs. Again, assignments are matched depending on the volunteer senior’s capacity.

These programs are made and specifically designed for all seniors. Organizers firmly believe that seniors can contribute immensely to the society and help build a strong foundation for generations to come. Senior volunteers are usually assigned to lend a helping hand to nonprofit agencies, governmental projects and health care missions especially if they can contribute to the vision of the project itself. These programs include tutorial sessions to children and adults alike; they can also be of assistance to nursing homes and deliver meals for disabled, homebound fellow seniors in the area. Surely, there is a place for everyone in a senior volunteer program.

Of course, volunteer works are not without benefits to participants. By a joining program like this, seniors are given the opportunity to continue rendering their services to others that need help. They are able to use their expertise and partake in activities that will uplift their self-esteem and self-worth. Seniors don’t need to bore themselves by staying home most of the time since volunteer work will provide you the opportunity of doing something everyday. Seniors participating in such activities are duly recognized and valued around his or her community.

Sometimes, when age sets in, self doubts regarding our own personal capabilities come with it and we often forego our past achievements to settle as “just another older adult” with no intentions of getting in someone’s way or slow down someone else’s life. What we don’t know is that we can still make a difference and our years of accumulated knowledge and expertise are needed by generations to come, locally and globally. This is a great way to contribute and give something back to our society while staying fit and active. If you enjoy traveling, you can check out Peace Corps as they are looking for seniors 50 years and above. Some of the volunteer works included are:  teaching English to non-English speaking children across the globe, disease awareness campaigns and environmental conservation issues.

This blog post is part-science and part-urban legend which makes it very interesting for seniors especially now that they are probably hearing about these things more and more. First of all, memory cells are different from cellular memory even though they share the same concept—that is, cells are remembering organisms. For us to understand the difference between the two, we must introduce cells first. Cells form a human body; in fact, cells are the structural unit of all living things therefore your body’s building blocks. Cells are also considered as the smallest living unit ever. The only difference is that memory cells are defined by science and its principle is used for developing vaccines and booster shots to defeat potentially fatal viruses early on while cellular memory has no scientific basis to it and is purely hypothetical.

It is quite common for seniors to hear about cellular memory especially if they are nearing an organ transplant. This is a myth—more of an urban legend which may or may not be true but still gains some followers for reasons still unknown. Cellular memory is a belief that every cell in the body remembers everything that has been introduced to it such as habits and lifestyle. It was even said that cellular memory includes personality and traits of a person that when it is transferred to another person, it will still continue on doing what it was trained to do. Take for example if you are undergoing a heart transplant and the heart came from an alcoholic person, you as the recipient will experience alcohol cravings even if you are a non-alcoholic individual prior to the operation. That is how the supposed cellular memory goes and there are a couple of organ recipients that swear by it. Apparently, this belief existed way before us; evidences showed that warriors ate their brave opponent’s heart so that the trait will be passed to their system by way of cellular memory. Today, this principle is practiced when eating different kinds of animal organ while believing that these animal traits will be passed to us such as longevity and brain power. Again, there was no scientific basis to it although one that dispels it is non-existent as well.

On the other hand, seniors may have encountered the term memory cells once or twice their lifetime and actually, they really exist. Memory cells are naturally occurring phenomena inside our bodies and it has two types, the memory B cells and the memory T cells. Memory cells usually deal with strengthening our immune system. One type recognizes a foreign organism when it enters the body and will then launch a full scale war to defeat the foreign enemy which is, most of the time, marked by flu-like symptoms. First encounters usually take longer than it should be but when attacked by the same virus the second time, memory cells act quicker since they already know what to do with it. The other type makes duplicate copies of cells that have been recently infected; these cloned copies now bear immunity from the infection that attacked the original cell—sort of a mutated cell and it can survive for a long, long time. These are the principles applied and used for vaccines and boosters that are recommended for seniors to prevent communicable diseases from affecting us.

Believe it or not, there’s a new craze in town and it involves horses—miniature horses, that is. Seniors with fond memories of spending their childhood with their pet horses only to leave them behind as they go through life’s cycle and adult responsibilities, now is your chance to rekindle that fire once again and reestablish your connection with your first true love!

Daunting as it may seem, miniature horses are not too hard to keep. In reality, this is by far, the best option for visually impaired individuals with dog phobia or other dog related problems that will prevent them from using dogs as their guides. But not all miniature horses can be a guide horse; for one to be allowed as such, your horse should first undergo training with a certified, professional horse trainer but unlike dogs, only a couple of these horses get to the next level since a lot of them are disqualified at once. There are foundations for guide horses that offer these trainings; check your local listings if you are interested. Some of the existing organizations also provide the miniature horses themselves for free, if you are qualified or have met their requirements.

Miniature horses also make a great pet for seniors but it is not advisable that you ride them as you would a full sized horse. Although they are quite strong for their size, it won’t guarantee the rider safety for both species. Ideally, miniature horses as guides are used in place of guide dogs—leather harness and all.

With the booming industry of exotic farms and animals, many are quite intrigued with what these exotic animals could contribute to the way we conduct our daily lives. Guide horses for one, was an experimental program which succeeded and later on, recognized by visually impaired groups who were having problems with guide dogs as an excellent alternative. Guide horses are the perfect choice for seniors who love horses, are allergic to dogs, and are seeking stronger, more able pet. Some also find miniature horses more convenient to keep because they are self-reliant and they don’t mind sleeping outside of the house when off-duty.

Miniature horses also have longer life spans than traditional guide animals and they are relatively cost-effective as pets. They are very calm when faced in stressful situation and when properly trained, they are able to remember what to do and what not to do to prevent the person they are guiding from accidents. The best news of all is that they don’t get fleas so seniors don’t have to worry about that too!

The connection between a grandparent and his or her grandchild can never be explained; in fact, it was even said that the love which transpires between these individuals are much stronger than the love occurring in a parent-child relationship. Maybe because grandparents are better listeners than the kid’s parents and grandkids are more affectionate than your own kids. The generation gap certainly exists between these people but it can be easily overlooked especially if both are having a great bonding time with each other.

The best support their parents could get when it comes to child rearing is the one coming from you—the grandparent. Although sometimes, parenting methods differ greatly and most likely to get in the way, close relationship between you and your grandchild is highly encouraged.

Grandparents keep their grandkids grounded and provide some sense of family history. This is something that will keep them tied up to their roots. Sometimes, having someone with character provides your grandkids a secured feeling of belongingness and comfort. Seniors also help mold this generation and support them to a healthier development– emotionally and mentally.

Unfortunately, most seniors are not given this chance to bond with their precious grandchildren. Due to the lifestyle we are currently leading, it’s quite impossible to catch up and have a little time to reestablish connection with our loved-ones, much less our active, growing grandkids. However, there are ways to encourage healthy bonding time with your grandchild such as frequent visits and including them in annual out-of-town trips to interesting places. If your grandchild is living close to your place, join classes that you can attend together such as yoga classes or pottery classes—anything that you and your grandchild can do together. Not only are these classes fun but they can be beneficial to your health as well. One great idea to consider is inviting them to spend one night in your house and create memories by making a family tree. This will amuse kids seeing you and their parents growing up and going through stages of life. Holidays are the best times to invite your grandkids over.

Technology today presents excellent solution to get in-touch with faraway loved-ones. You can send them emails or talk to them using a video phone. Once the connection is established, it should not just stop there. This is one relationship that needs to be nurtured time and again which is not too hard to do especially if you are enjoying each other’s company.

Wrinkles come with the natural aging process; unfortunately aging is inevitable hence it will come eventually. In fact, the state of your skin is a dead giveaway of your age and this is something that you cannot hide from everyone. Sagging, creases, wrinkles and discolorations are among the most visible signs of aging and since they don’t look good, we try to delay them as much as possible, if not prevent them all together.

In order for our body to respond favorably, we should maintain it at its peak health and try to protect our skin while we age. Two of the most contributing factors of premature aging are the sun and cigarette smoking—even secondhand smoke can affect your skin. Too much sun exposure causes photoaging. But it is quite impossible to live without a ray of sunlight touching your skin right? Due to this fact, people MUST wear sunscreen every time they go out to protect their skin from UVA and UVB radiation. These harmful radiation breaks down the skin’s collagen—your skin’s natural building blocks.

On the other hand, smoking gives the body free radicals which attacks healthy cells and alter your body’s chemical composition. The same goes for secondhand smoke you get from hanging around with people who just can’t stop smoking. It constricts blood vessel hence poor blood circulation. This means your skin won’t probably get adequate amounts of oxygen for it to plump out and look healthy.

Adapting a healthy lifestyle helps you prevent premature aging. Studies showed that beginning the age of 20, a person should exert a conscious effort of protecting his or her skin from damaging effects of daily living such as harsh environment and stress. A healthy lifestyle consists of regular exercise, proper diet and clean living. Exercising can help you get rid of harmful toxins inside your body which, almost always, contribute to skin aging. Clean living involves quitting your existing vices such as excessive alcohol intake and cigarette smoking. It signifies going back to basics and do without the things that your body doesn’t need. Proper diet is avoiding food that will affect your health and eating those that will actually help your body perform well.

There are some foods that can help you delay aging. These foods are rich in antioxidants which combat free radicals from harming healthy cells; one example of which is broccoli. Green leafy vegetables have fiber, antioxidants and Lutein. Tomato and berries are also rich in vitamins and antioxidant that help the body heal faster.