Seniors Site

Remember those family trees with funny pictures you get to present in class when you were younger? If you happen to stumble upon one of yours or even your grandkid’s family tree project—if they even get to make those nowadays!—up in the attic today, you will know how good it feels just by looking at them and knowing where your roots are and how they have grown through the years.

Tracing your roots is a fun and fulfilling activity. It was even said that knowing where you came from is very essential to complete one’s being. It’s only then you can rest your troubled soul and be comfortable with your own person. Just take the case of an adopted child whose parents he never saw; just imagine the uneasiness his soul must have been going through all these years and I bet it won’t rest until he finds the only connection he has in this world—a connection only his biological parents can provide. Back then, tracing your roots can be a daunting task to take especially for seniors whose feet may be taken to different parts of the world in search of the missing link or a long-lost cousin. All thanks to the advent of technology, particularly that of the internet, genealogy is made easy and quite frankly, it’s amazing how people who are into genealogy help one another to find their roots the soonest possible time.

If this post got you interested with genealogy, you should know that there are about a hundred of genealogy sites in the web community today. This can make it a lot easier for you to start hunting down your relatives from way back when. The best way to start your adventure is to gather up everything you have—and might have—in your possession: pictures of family gatherings, documents, and even heirlooms. These are your clues in what seems to be a treasure hunt of your history. To make it more interesting, find a family member who is dead-set in finding his or her roots too to accompany you in this search. This makes a great bonding time for you and your kids also.

Interviews in forms of chitchats with relatives should also be performed when gathering clues. Your best candidate would be someone who was born several years before you, preferably a minimum of 10 years but when there’s none then anyone who’s nosy enough to know distant relatives unbeknownst to you would do fine. They don’t have to know specific dates or years as it may be a little hard to remember all that but names and locations can definitely help you so much. Jot down notes and go to your friendly neighborhood library where newspaper clippings are free for everyone to view. I hear these collections are now kept in slides for easy browsing. You can also consult your ever-dependable Google and just type in your keywords. Some areas still have a Family History Center, although it can be rare, but if yours happen to have one then you’re in luck!

Try to come up with important documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates, wills and just about anything that has a definite date you can look up to. This way you will have a clear point of reference, time-wise. When faced with a dead-end, it’s ok to feel disappointed but it also helps to bounce back and try other leads once more since this activity should be fun and must yield positive results for you.

A caregiver’s job is no joke and burnouts are never far when you engage in this kind of task. Unfortunately, caregiving is an obligation that usually leaves one with no choice but to do it and try their very best to somehow make it work.

First and foremost, it is important for caregivers to maintain their overall health at all times. Health is what you need in order to cope with everyday demands of the job. Health is what keeps your sanity intact. It is what you and your senior need to be able to make it through hard and trying times.

Although we commonly hear horror stories about caregiving, those who really went through one can say that it was not always horrible. It has its own rewards and friendships are forged. This is one good example of a relationship that is formed by sweat, tears and pure human nature.

As humans, we have our own limitations. Our beings can only do so much and pushing it over the edge is bound to give you undesirable results, one of which is irritability which is not a good trait to have when around seniors since they tend to be sensitive at times. Burnouts happen when, as a caregiver, we are drained and exhausted from all the work yet we wish not to seek help whatsoever from other people around us. It involves physical, emotional and spiritual states of one’s being and can affect the way we handle things tremendously.

Burnouts happen when you give in to that overwhelming feeling that comes when caring for an aging loved-one especially if they are terminally sick. One of telltale signs of a burnout is when you start feeling guilty when you give time for yourself. Another is when your senior’s concerns invade your thoughts 24/7 which leaves nothing for your own.

While taking good care of our senior should be a responsibility that is taken with great seriousness, it should not be our ultimate responsibility in life. we are also responsible for our own health and well-being. Once in while, you need to break free from this responsibility, if only to recharge and renew your senses. Keep frustration at bay by freeing yourself from any undue burden.

The best tool for stressful situations is education. Get yourself educated particularly to the issues concerning your senior like their illnesses and emergency plans. Support groups can provide you with the right information you need. They can also help you cope with the work you are doing right now. Find one within your area so you don’t have to go far when you need support.

Imagine a life without an eyesight, or perhaps one day you’ll wake up and discover a world that is much lesser in color and not as bright as it once was. As we grow older, our vision is expected to undergo some changes. While there are few others who made it to their golden years with as little as few prescription eyeglasses, almost half of the senior population is not as lucky–bound to completely lose their eyesight anytime soon. Unfortunately, this is all because they have failed to take care of their eyes.

According to eye experts, age is not the only contributing factor for failing eyesight. Age, although closely associated to eye problems, is only one of the many factors which results to an eye problem. For one, there is an existing hereditary factor which is present right after a person is conceived. Next is the lifestyle we chose to lead. Bottomline is, when you start to consider your eyes as a separate entity which needs to be taken care of, you increase your chances of delaying–if not preventing altogether–eye problems from happening. Here are some tips on how to minimize your risk early on:

·    Once you reach the age of 40, start visiting an eye doctor for regular checkups. Also, take note of any disease that you may have right now. Diabetes is a disease known to affect one’s eyesight. If you have one, you should take extra care of your eyes once you notice slight abnormalities and even before it.
·    Having a poor eyesight is an accident waiting to happen. A senior with an eye problem is prone to slips and falls increasing their chances of fractures. Failing eyesight cannot be stopped once it transpires, but some safety measures can be applied such as installing brighter lights all throughout the house.
·    Smoking can cause age-related macular degeneration.
·    The sun’s glare is also damaging for your eyes. Never look at it directly for whatever reason and protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses when you go out.
·    Have your daily dose of vitamins A, C and E. They are good for your eyes.  Examples of which are carrots, fruits and spinach.
·    Prevention is always better than cure—the same cannot be said enough for your eyes.
·    Eye injuries can occur anytime. Protect your eyes at all times especially when you come in contact with potential causes like spray cans and cleaning products.
·    Heed its call. When your eyes are tired, it will definitely let you know. Once it does, then its time to give it its much-deserved rest.
·    It is common for seniors to experience eyes that are either extremely dry or annoyingly wet. It happens when your tear glands are not working properly anymore. Eye drops can help you alleviate these symptoms and it must come with a prescription. Talk to your eye doctor about it.

You fall into this generation if you are:  anywhere between 35-55 years of age, caring for at least one aging parent and at the same time, caring for your own children—marriage is never in question just as long as you have these three basic qualifications. Sandwich generation or SandGen for some is when you are torn between your obligations to your aging parent and caring for your own growing kids. The explanation alone will tell you how hard your situation can be—that is, if you are not feeling it yet.

Being in the sandwich generation is hard especially if you are the primary caregiver. This should mean you are personally taking care of things for both generations such as school meetings for the kids and doctors’ appointments for the seniors. Studies show that those who are experiencing this type of arrangement are taking a lot of stress from almost all aspects of his or her being. Unfortunately, the sandwich generation is not strongly supported by the community, much less recognized.

Financially, most SandGens are experiencing a total crunch time just by balancing the household expenses. This situation can be greatly alleviated if a family member is sharing the expenses but it can get doubly worse if the SandGen in question is the sole provider for the whole family. Physically, taking everybody to and fro can take a toll to a person’s body. Some even say that it even feels like living inside their cars for the whole day and disorientation occurs on a regular basis. Not to mention looking after everyone and not having enough time for yourself. Then there’s the question of privacy, being in the SandGen will automatically put you in a situation wherein privacy is considered as a luxury. Here are some coping strategies for the sandwich generation to help ease the stress away:

·    Seek help. It’s never bad to seek help when you need one and it won’t kill you either. Accepting help is not a sign of weakness but it can save you your sanity in the long run. Bear in mind that you are balancing three parties here: your parents, your kids and yourself—that is, if you stay unattached.
·    Being in the SandGen can affect your relationships with other people. If you are married, expect it to undergo some changes, so does your social life. Time is never enough for the SandGen group and most of the time, this can be a potential root cause of a failed relationship. Although it is highly advisable for this generation to maintain healthy relationships, it will also take some more effort from your part.
·    Practice stress management. A good stress management should help you identify your major and minor stressors and try to arrange them in a way that you won’t feel suffocated with one stressor after the other.
·    Stress comes from your own reactions. Gauge your own responses to stress and try to control them before they actually manifest.
·    If you are really determined in taking all the responsibilities then might as well look after your body too. How else would it maintain its peak performance if not for you?

As humans, we certainly do experience many kinds of pain all throughout our lifetimes and as much as God has given us the ability to feel pain, He too provides all the necessary tools for us to overcome it. It seems that pain is allowed to be felt for us to learn and see things from a different perspective. Pain’s never meant to damage our beings, they are just there to remind us that we are humans with feelings and limitations, otherwise, we will all be invincible.

Pain also teaches us life’s lessons. Physically when we feel pain, we remember it for as long as we live since pain usually comes with fear. We avoid it as much as possible upon learning how upsetting it can be. However, unexpected things happen even if we always step out of its way. One way or another, pain is bound to happen. Seniors know this all too well.

If younger adults are more concerned about their physical well-being, seniors on the other hand, guard their emotional beings with their lives since it is the most vulnerable at their age. Seniors are prone to extreme emotions but they are too “experienced”, enabling them to hide it successfully for longer periods of time. What seniors don’t know is, hiding pain is the unhealthiest act of them all and it can affect your overall health. It can cripple you too, making you unproductive and often distracted.

Pain is natural and it will come. What matters is how we handle ourselves amidst pain and our ability to bounce back alive and fairly unscathed. When met with physical pain, just go to a doctor and it will all go away. But with emotional pain, you only have yourself to turn to. Learn to be your own source of happiness and explore what satisfies your spirituality. These are the two things that will help you take emotional pain in stride. It is only normal to sulk and mourn, use this time to unburden yourself of the pain you are feeling right now, not nourishing it even further.

Don’t expect healing to come right after the mourning period. It takes time to heal, as with any other wound. Aside from that, mourning has its own course to run, that’s why you need to be patient and take everything one at a time. It’s a personal journey that nobody else can take but you. The sooner you recognize this, the better are your chances of getting over it soon.

There are things in life that you need to hold on to like hope, but when done for a lost cause, what’s there to hold on to? There are times you need to let go and move on, for your own good. Life will just go on and on, holding back will get you nowhere but where life had left you. Every episode of pain comes with renewal, look forward to one.

If at some point you feel there’s not enough will in you to use for moving on, talk to your healthcare provider and seek other ways to overcome pain. Pain only becomes more painful when it is duly entertained. There are some people who are more than willing to help us get over our loss, you just need to find them.

Contrary to popular notion, seniors do have sex lives too. Nowadays, many seniors are enjoying close, intimate encounters with their partners, never minding their sexual limitations—things that are beyond their control. The good news is, these sexual problems can be discussed with your healthcare providers and they can be helped—even treated—when assisted early on. An active sex life during your senior years can be achieved, especially if you’re all out in pursuing it. In fact, studies show that sexual satisfaction does not diminish with age but is rather hindered by age-related health conditions.

Certain physical changes come with the aging process. Your sexual functions, together with your reproductive system are the firsts to go. No matter how much you want to engage in sexual activities—since desire can still be felt—sometimes, the body may not react the same way as it used to be. Older women may feel their vaginas literally shrinking while men must have been experiencing erectile dysfunction every now and then. Lubrication is also a problem for senior women. Unfortunately, this condition can have a tremendous effect in sexual contacts women may have. Vaginal dryness can bring discomfort and sometimes pain, making it hard for the sufferer to enjoy sex. Sexual problems are mostly caused by age-related conditions such as:

·    Medication
·    Disabilities
·    Illnesses

Heart attack, being a condition that limits the use of excessive emotions, can make a person doubtful during sexual encounters for fear of triggering the condition or making the matter worse. Furthermore, women who underwent surgeries especially those within their genital areas are more careful when it comes to sex—to a point wherein they avoid doing it as much as possible. For one, a woman who recently underwent mastectomy is prone to feeling undesirable and less feminine. If the partner is not sensitive enough of the sufferer’s feelings, it may even leave an emotional dent in the relationship.

Aside from erectile dysfunction, one of the most common culprits that affects a man’s ability to have a healthy sex life is his medication. Some maintenance medications that are taken by older men are known to decrease sexual desire and worsen erectile dysfunction. Common drugs that are known to have this side effect are those prescribed for blood pressure, antidepressants, and even antihistamines.

For seniors who worry about their declining sexual activities, you should know that sex takes two aspects in a person. One aspect is emotional while the other half is physical. If one aspect is not up for it, chances are, it won’t work or in other words, it won’t be as satisfying as it should be. Nurture these two areas while you can and there will be no stopping you from having sex, even at any age.

The internet has become as necessary as food and shelter for mankind and this includes the boomer generation. Gone are the days when seniors were afraid of the advancement in technology. They are more daring and willing to learn now, more than ever.

The embracement of technology came as no surprise for many since the internet has been providing new and efficient ways in making our lives a little easier to live. Certainly if younger generation can make use of these conveniences, why not seniors?.. In reality, it is the younger ones who encourage seniors to use computers as they will benefit from it tremendously.

Without seniors even realizing it, they have been receiving a lot from the advancement in technology. Take for example the ever-evolving medical advancement which extends lives. Without them, an aging body harassed by everyday stress can never last that long. On the other hand, one of the most important benefits the internet can give you is bridging the gap between seniors and their loved-ones who are miles away from them now—a common setup for many families worldwide.

Seniors who have learned to use computers were able to connect with their loved-ones in many ways. In popular social networking sites such as Facebook, seniors are able to get to know their grandkids better through live feeds. This kind of interaction is never possible if they will only rely on telephone conversations and letters. Also, the internet proved to be more cost-effective than any other communication means. There are tools available over the internet which provide the ease of use for elderly users. Some can even be downloaded for free. Others come with the computer itself like onscreen keyboards, magnifier and narrator.

Aside from the communication side of it, the internet can also be utilized for other things such as paying bills or buying stuff online. This alone can be of big help for seniors especially for those with mobility problems. Almost all banks do online transactions making it easier and safer for seniors to manage their bank accounts. Basic online safety measures should be applied when dealing with personal information as such. Read more about online safety here.

Communication as well as range and scope of seniors are not the only ones improved by the internet. Even socializing and potentially meeting a partner can be achieved when you finally get used to using the internet. There are hundreds of online dating sites intended for seniors and they are a surefire way to meet other seniors who are looking for love.

Planning for your retirement should not be all about the financial aspect of it. In fact, retirement is considered as one of life-changing events a man is expected to undergo at some point of their lives. If a senior is lucky and was able to retire earlier than expected, is in great health and not too old to have fun, he or she would be able to adjust and fit well enough to the retired life. Unfortunately, not all seniors are that lucky and like they say, seniors’ habit is the hardest to bend.

One aspect in a senior’s life that needs to be addressed when planning a retirement is the emotional aspect of it especially when living with a partner. Whether or not your partner is also undergoing this transition, it is highly recommended for the couple to sit down and talk about retirement before it actually happens since retired life is sure to affect both parties concerned. As a couple, issues must be discussed such as moving, lifestyle changes, vacations, expectations and such. Basically, it is necessary for retiring couples to consult one another before making a decision and never assume that your partner is totally okay with what you have in mind. Take for example this case:

Mimi is a sculptor. She sculpts not only for passion and fulfillment but for the good money it brings her. She managed to fulfill her duties as a wife and mother for years, at the same time do what she does best, sculpting. She observed her talent at its peak when everyone is out of the house and she’s left alone with her craft. She find silence as her best tool in sculpting. She has her own work room at the back of the house facing the river. Everything’s fine and working well until Rick decided to retire. Aside from having Rick around the house 24/7, he expects Mimi to accompany him on endless road trips now that the kids are all grown up and there’s no work to worry about. This “new” set-up definitely drives Mimi crazy and Rick is clueless why Mimi is acting strange nowadays. Sounds familiar?

The case of Mimi and Rick must be the poster child of “financially stable but emotionally unprepared for it” retirement. In Mimi’s part, she did not expect Rick to be a nuisance and had not seen it coming for if she did, she would have arranged an agreeable set-up for both of them. As you can see, sculpting is Mimi’s life and she’s nowhere near giving it up. From Rick’s point, due to many years of being work-bound, he quickly jumped into retirement plans without even consulting his wife. A major disaster indeed!

Like any other life changing event, retirement should be prepared ahead of time. It should be discussed well if you have a living partner, or any other household member for that matter, to avoid emotional stress when the big day comes. Retirement is meant to be fun, plan ahead so you avoid stress from happening.

Now that the tears have all dried up and you’re quite ready to move on, it’s somewhat normal to find the world overwhelming and a little exhaustive. Isolation can also be an issue to most seniors who find themselves suddenly single after years of being married or living with a partner. Although it may seem hard at first, the sooner a senior makes this crucial first step, the better are his or her chances of moving on with their lives.

Your family and friends are your best allies at the moment. They can guide you better in your attempts to return to the normal world since they know what you’ve been through. Seniors who lost a loved-one must know that they should take small, positive steps to familiarize themselves to their new lifestyle. Expect this to be a hard, frustrating road to take and it will take some time but with the right attitude and good support system, you’ll get there eventually.

One of the most common traps for seniors who find themselves suddenly single is rushing to find love even if they are not quite ready for it yet. Due to this, experts believe that a senior’s ability to good judgment is now impaired and almost always, it leads to impulsive decisions and more heartaches. It is highly recommended for suddenly single seniors to take his or her own sweet time stabilizing their lives first before looking for someone to love again. No matter how tempting it might be, loving someone has its own set of challenges to conquer and one problem can never be answered by another complication. Surround yourself with a good support system and heal your wounds first before setting for yet another challenge.

Find happiness in your single blessedness. Consider this as an opportunity to love yourself and no one else. This is the time to rediscover yourself, your abilities and your limitations as well. This opportunity can never be possible if you stay living with a partner your entire life. Loneliness is only a state of mind, and so is happiness. These two emotions are based on your mindset and mindset is something you can control. Don’t ever let your emotions get the best of you.

Grieving period has its own course to run, allow it and don’t rush things. Instead of looking for love, try to meet new friends and consider doing the things you want to accomplish prior to losing your partner. As much as possible, keep activities as single-minded as can be and avoid doing activities that will require you to have a partner. You don’t need to socialize if you don’t feel like it. Be with people you feel most comfortable with at the moment and wait for the right time to come when socializing feels normal again.

When we get older, one of the most common questions that we may have is how to live longer and healthier. As seniors, we know that it is always proper nutrition and exercise so as soon as we recognize the signs of aging, we quickly jump into the “health wagon”, hoping that it’s not too late for us. What we don’t know is that prevention starts earlier than we ever expected and people who actually grow older than a hundred are living healthy since birth.

Knowing this for a fact should teach us not to expect too much especially if we start treating ourselves right a little too late. On the other hand, it’s better late than never right? Plus, healthy changes in your lifestyle can never hurt you.

According to a study conducted to a group of senior men, age is not the only factor that affects longevity. Among the top 5 affecting factors in one’s health, particularly that of an aging man, are:  smoking, diabetes, weight, blood pressure and exercise. These health factors increase the risk of dying early tremendously. This study also concluded that those who survived are living well despite any diseases they may have right now. This only shows that even if seniors are plagued with illnesses, their healthy lifestyle doesn’t need to stop but it has to be maintained all throughout.

Smoking is one of the best-known killers of all time and it becomes doubly harmful for seniors. Its direct effects are fatal enough but long term use has its own set of side-effects that can seriously impair a man. It can reduce bone density exposing you to fractures. Quitting the smoking habit can be your best choice, so far and quitting it early is definitely a plus. Read more about this study in this post:    5 Easy Steps to Living Long and Well.

It is also recommended by healthcare providers for seniors to maintain an adequate weight by eating healthy and exercising as much as possible. Along with aging comes the tendency of the digestive system to slow down making it harder for the body to remove toxins. To combat this condition, digestion-friendly foods should be introduced. Fiber should be included in a senior’s diet since it aids in healthy digestion and removal of waste. Hydration is also important in maintaining a healthy body.

Overall, keeping all aspects of your life active is your best weapon in maintaining a healthy, longer life. This involves physical, social, emotional and spiritual. Start early so the body can adjust well even before it shows signs of aging.