Seniors Site

It’s quite heartbreaking to see Haiti in the news nowadays, despite the fact that weeks had passed since the destructive earthquake and help from global communities just keep on pouring in. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing, volunteers from all over the world keep on arriving everyday but still those who lost a loved-one are not yet allowed to mourn as they need to keep the spirit alive for those who are lucky enough to survive. If there’s one good thing that the disaster brought the country of Haiti, it is the awareness of how bad we have been treating our environment and sadly, we are the same species to ultimately suffer.
I would say that if this is something that can be remedied in a week, most likely it would be forgotten by now. But, the magnitude of destruction the country of Haiti had experienced would require long-term planning and solution as the country is literally in shreds and yes, any form of help is most welcomed at this point and hopefully when Haiti is finally restored, it will be better than before.
Which got us all thinking, in times like these, we only have ourselves to rely on. We do damage, we suffer the consequences, we try to restore. For those who were miles away from Haiti or even those in its safer neighboring cities when the disaster struck, we cannot help but thank God we’re safe. But it doesn’t have to end there, we should also think of ways to extend our help for our fellow Haitians. It really doesn’t matter what kind of help, just as long as you exerted enough effort to help those in need. Seniors are no exception!
A retirement home in Canada started collecting milk bags which residents there started weaving to create plastic mats for rescue operations in Haiti. It may not be much but the doctors there thank these elderly volunteers for spending time to do such things as these mats prove to be very useful in maintaining a certain amount of cleanliness when they operate on a rescued person.  Raffles sponsored by senior groups and organizations started to circulate to help raise funds for Haiti. Indeed, anybody, no matter what your status in life seems to be can help in your own ways. There are also several websites accepting monetary donations for those who are unable to actively participate in rescue efforts in Haiti. Here are some websites you can try:
http://www.hopeforhaiti.com/
http://www.redcross.org/
http://www.unicef.org/index.php
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

The Art of Mindfulness was introduced as one of the many concepts of early Buddhism that’s still put in practice today due to its effectivity to calm the mind. In this concept, one is taught how to be conscious and aware of what the body is currently doing. It involves sensations, feelings, emotions and functions. Mindfulness techniques can teach you how to stay focused on the “now” and simplify life as it is. In western psychology, these techniques are also applied to alleviate most mental and physical conditions.

The idea behind Mindfulness is being consciously present on what is happening to your body right now and be able to disconnect yourself from all bothering thoughts of the past, future and other tidbits hidden deep within your subconscious mind. These negative thoughts are considered as stress factors and should be eliminated when practicing mindfulness. It was believed that a clear, conscious mind can help you achieve goals better than having your stressors push you everytime. Also, mindfulness yields better results since a person is deemed productive when he is mindful. However, there are some techniques in mindfulness that contradict other productivity principles.

Before adapting mindfulness into your life, you must remember that it is a kind of meditation practiced by Buddhists for centuries now. It is meant to relax your mind and free yourself of stress. It is most recommended for seniors who cannot afford anymore stress in their lives and subjecting themselves into one can even be harmful for their health. Here are some basic mindfulness techniques you can do today:

·    Avoid automatic reactions. When we do everyday tasks, our bodies immediately recognize the task hence turns on an automatic reaction to finish the task. It involves every muscle fiber in our body directly following orders from an “auto-piloted” mind. Notice how you absent-mindedly do household chores and finish it without even thinking about it or do them while your mind is wandering off to the next task. Being mindful is focusing your mind on what you do now.
·    Avoid multi-tasking at all costs. It is impossible to be mindful if there’s a barrage of whatnots going through your head. Multi-tasking is never encouraged in mindfulness. It will only confuse the mind resulting to undesirable results.
·    Worrying about the future will do you no good. If you have prepared well for it, there’s no need to worry about what the future holds. Surrender everything to the higher beings and enjoy the present moment because if it passes, it won’t ever come back.
·    Your aging body has had enough of living the fast-paced life and slowing down will certainly make your soul happy. Don’t rush through tasks in attempt to do it all at once. Give your body a chance to relax and do things at its own comfortable pace.
·    Spend time with loved-ones. I mean, REALLY spend time with them by being consciously there, absorbing every minute of it. You’ll soon realize that there’s more fun in bonding with them and appreciating the beauty of it.
·    Give yourself a quiet, 5-minute “me” time. This way, you’ll be able to rest your whole being and just relax. In a way, you’re also preparing for the next task ahead.

We say unconventional if it’s out of the ordinary, or what the society perceives as unnatural for some reason or another. Sadly, when it comes to romantic relationships, it should be within the same generation, no more no less, for it to be socially acceptable. But we all know that it’s not always the case in senior relationships. Some seniors may find themselves falling for someone half their age and the only thing that’s keeping them from taking the plunge is their doubts.

Falling inlove is a great feeling we, as humans, beg to experience even for once in our lives. When we love, it’s our hearts that rule us and it doesn’t always conform with our minds. Love certainly knows no boundaries, much less age. In addition, loving someone is not a game with certain rules to follow but it is indeed doted with challenges, more if it’s unconventional. This is what you expect in a May-December romance.

Aside from the issue of social acceptance, seniors who wish to engage in a relationship with apparent age-gap face many challenges ahead. Unlike any other regular couple out there, a relationship like this involves serious consideration and hard thinking. It is important that the senior knows exactly what he or she is embarking into and determining one’s true feelings for the other half must be realized first. Assessment is the key. The sooner you realize why you are attracted to this person, the better are your chances of a successful relationship. Ask yourself if you are willing to spend the rest of your life with this person come high or low. Are you willing to accept this person come what may? Consider the fact that you may only be experiencing empty-nest syndrome and undergoing emotional turmoil right at this very moment.

One of the hardest things to contend with in an age-gap relationship is the generation gap itself. Your generation is clearly different from the generation your partner grew up in and it is normal to find huge differences between the two. A May-December relationship requires both individuals to adjust their lifestyles depending on what’s comfortable for both of them. You need to establish that common ground for your relationship to work. It needs understanding and willingness to grow alongside each other. Don’t be afraid of changes and try other things even if it’s unusual for you.

One of the dangers an age-gap relationship may have is its ability to change a person. I put emphasis on the word danger since it is not healthy for a person to alter his life just to meet his partner’s needs. You went ahead with the relationship as a couple bearing different personalities and backgrounds. While your relationship requires certain changes, it need not change you as a person. Self-identity is the only thing you can safely take with you if and when the affair dissolves. Guard it as much as possible.

As with any other relationship, maintaining a healthy communication line is essential. It is important that you keep an open line at all times since you’ll be tackling a lot of issues especially within the first few years of the relationship.

Layoffs are cruel, they come at the most unexpected time and place even if you feel confident about your job right now as well as the status of your company. They can hit a workplace at any moment without warnings and it can be very difficult for affected parties. Unfortunately, it cannot be avoided even if the management prefers not to cut back on resources due to the global economic status. Layoffs are meant to be irrational and sometimes, unfair but apparently, that’s how it really goes.

Years back, the most vulnerable workers for layoffs are the inexperienced and senior citizens. Nowadays, the ax is not as picky as it once was anymore. It will hit when the need be, anytime and most certainly anywhere, be it in the lowly janitors’ closet or inside the high-powered executive’s office.

Like stated earlier, layoffs are inevitable and the work climate now is very unstable therefore it is most recommended for seniors to prepare for layoffs especially if they feel the “doomsday” is coming nearer each day. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a layoff, and hopefully you won’t have to use it ever:

·    First off, you need to take a good look into your nest egg to know what your options are. This is the only way to determine where to go when a layoff strikes. If you feel you already reached an adequate amount then you don’t have to worry about layoffs anymore, instead take it in stride by exploring other venues for your own personal growth.
·    If your nest egg is not good enough and acquiring a new job is the only option available for you then it’s time to start setting aside for an emergency fund you can use after the layoff. Your emergency fund should be able to cover you in 6 jobless-months time.
·    Before you try to save anything for rainy days, clear off any existing debts first because if you don’t, it will only eat a portion of your saved money—and more. Debts accumulate interests and these, you have to pay too on top of the principal amount owed.
·    For existing credit card debts, examine closely which card gives lower interest rates and use this as your “only” card to use for all existing debts. Credit card debts are transferable—they even call your home number just to encourage you to do so.
·    Apply money-saving strategies in your lifestyle today. Create a reasonable daily budget that uses only the basics.
·    You’ll be amazed how part-time and freelancing jobs can sustain your needs especially if you’re able to come up with regular clients and steady demand for work.
·    Know your strengths and weaknesses. There is a high demand for skilled workers nowadays and knowing where your strength lies will help you focus on it more. Improve it in any way you can and don’t let age hinder your growth as a person.
·    Being employed has its own benefits and so does layoffs. Know if you are entitled to severance pay and other benefits that come with the amount of time you served the office.

Cohabitation is when a couple chooses to live together without getting married prior to moving in. It is a mutually-agreed decision made by both parties involved and they are socially acceptable nowadays. In fact, it is considered as the best alternative for marriage since it is free of any legal bonds that come with getting married. Cohabitation is also great for “trial period” prior to getting hitched hence its nickname “trial marriage”.

For younger adults, cohabitation is great especially if things got too fast and they would rather take time to know each other more as husband-and-wife. This will also help them determine if they would be able to stay married to one another thus eliminating the legal entanglement if the relationship won’t work. In other words, cohabitation is supposedly a testing ground for the relationship’s staying power. If it hasn’t any, then you call it quits and move on.

On the other hand, cohabitation for seniors is much more than testing relationships and taking time. For seniors, cohabitation takes a whole new different meaning and sometimes, it can be heartbreaking to hear. Usually, it is not about doubting his or her partner but it’s a matter of having no choice but to stay unattached to their respective partners. Remember that these seniors belong to a generation which firmly believes in marriage and it can be doubly hard for them to defy their beliefs. Aside from that, they face criticism from their loved-ones, particularly their kids, and friends. Sadly, more and more seniors are forced to face these consequences in the name of love due to many age-related factors as evident to recent surveys. Some of which are:

·    Financial reasons. It seems that the biggest, most contributing factor for seniors to cohabitate is their finances. Some seniors see marriage as impractical or not an option for their relationship hence they prefer staying unmarried living under one roof. Then there’s the question of taxes and senior benefits that are bound to change if and when a senior decided to get married. In other cases, it is done to separate debt incurred prior to the relationship to protect the other person involved.
·    Assets. If there are assets involved, sometimes their families would step-in and interfere with the supposed marriage. To avoid this embarrassing situation, some seniors prefer to live together peacefully but without marriage than get married and have a crazy life.
·    Personal choice. It may be a bad marriage in the past that has left a bitter pill in the mouth.
·    Their own children. Older adults’ descendants play a big part on the choices they make for their own life especially if their children’s welfare is at stake.

This is probably the most horrible news one could ever receive but unfortunately, senior abuse is not at all uncommon and they really do happen—a lot. No matter where you choose to leave your senior, there will always be a chance of them getting abused without you knowing it. What’s most painful is that the trust that was once there is now broken. Not to mention the trauma your senior must have acquired during the whole ordeal. Indeed, an experience like this striking any family is something we all have to avoid at all cost.

But how would you know? In rare occasions, a senior may report these cases themselves to proper authorities but again, this is not always the case. Usually by the time an abuse case concerning a senior reaches the police, it’s way too late. Reasons for not reporting vary widely from one senior to another, the most common of which are the inability of the senior to do things on his own and poor judgment to matters concerning their own welfare. Some of them admitted to authorities that they were either ashamed or too frightened to call for help even if they already did recognize danger. Most reported cases of senior abuse came from concerned neighbors and close friends who are quick to identify these warning signs.

Regular contact with your senior is the most effective way to prevent abuse from happening. If other people are aware that you have been checking regularly, they will think twice before doing something bad. It will also be for your senior’s best to check up on their affairs once in a while especially their finances which apparently is the most vulnerable—and very targetable—area of their life right now. Here are some of the most common warning signs that you should be looking for when you suspect senior abuse:

·    Discrepancies in their financial affairs and assets. Unscrupulous people will try to “milk it” as long as they stay undetected. They will apply tactics and other methods of persuasion just to get their hands on the senior’s money.
·    Signs of malnutrition. When you notice they are dropping weight like crazy then it’s time to intervene. When a person loses weight, there’s always something wrong with the picture, either he is not getting enough food to nourish his body or he is not receiving proper medical care while the body takes in all the blow.
·    Physical injuries or telltale signs of physical abuse. Take note of bruises, cuts, welts and broken bones. While it is normal to acquire these things when doing everyday chores, they should be explainable.
·    If your senior is living with someone who abuses them, your senior is bound to exhibit a different kind of attitude whenever that person is around. Also, signs of emotional withdrawal is noted when a senior is subjected to abuse.

Imagine driving almost your entire lifetime, dodging every traffic ticket there is, knowing the road even if you drive blindfolded and virtually conducting your everyday tasks and jobs inside your car. As an evidence, one look inside your old, trusty car and one would know what kind of business you’re running nowadays. Above all these, the connection between you and your car have grown through the years and come to think of it, your relationship with your car even surpassed that of your first spouse! If you feel this way, then you’re certainly not alone for there are thousands of senior drivers unable to will themselves away from their cars and would rather drive even if the situation has become more dangerous for them to do so.

There have been several posts in this blog about safe driving for seniors but nothing beats a refresher course conducted by the experts. Due to many road incidents concerning senior drivers, and also the great concern expressed by their family and friends, organizations who look after the welfare of older adults are now moving to make the road a safer place for seniors nowadays. We all know how age-related physical changes can affect one’s driving skill, no matter the amount of years-experience they acquired. Not only are these seniors putting themselves in a very dangerous situation but also they pose a great threat to pedestrians, other drivers and the road in general. This is how important a refresher course is to driving seniors.

Various organizations such as AAA, and AARP offer materials, seminars and short courses to assist driving seniors and hopefully make them “fit for the road” once again. There are also online courses for those who are unable to physically make it to classes and workshops and it was said to be as helpful and accurate as the ones taught in classes. However, class instructors encourage seniors to participate in real classes since it provides interaction between the instructor and the student. Included in these classes are age-appropriate and defensive driving tips that are perfectly suitable for seniors. Also, instructors encourage seniors to accept their limitations early on to avoid difficult situations from happening.

Driving schools are now offering refresher courses that actually put seniors behind the wheel to show them how to properly drive and work with their limitations such as changing lanes or staying in appropriate speed lanes. Some programs go as far as evaluating the driver medically for easy-spotting of problems. Most organizations offer them for free while others can go as high as $20.

In some cases such as accidents and medical emergencies, it becomes easier to determine when and how to intervene with your beloved senior’s life but unfortunately, there are times when your efforts are met with resistance and things steer into a much harder road of second guessing and lifestyle changes. Sometimes, decreased capacity to lead life normally in seniors is not that obvious and worst, if the senior don’t acknowledge this fact in the first place.

It was always said that the key to a successful intervention is good communication-relationship between the senior and the supposed negotiator or the caregiver himself since more often than not, seniors tend to be weary and untrusting to intruders—sadly, that’s you in this situation. If the senior could somehow feel sincerity in there, he or she will allow you to help them albeit reluctantly. But the question still remains, how would you know when it’s time?

Sending the senior to a long term care facility is way off the mark especially if there is no apparent reason for doing so. In fact, these facilities should be your last resort preferably in phases when the senior can no longer move on his own and he needs medical attention too. As much as possible, allow seniors to have a little breathing room because they still need their privacy as an individual. If your senior can still function normally, like caring for himself but having some trouble keeping the house up and running, then the most you need is a cleaning lady to keep an eye on the house and the senior too. This way you are meeting with the senior halfway.

Actually, the first thing to give way is the appearance of the senior if there is an existing problem with his mental and physical capabilities. It helps if you are good in observing their behavior but be careful not to point out everything you are noticing. Instead, try a different approach such as offering help with their daily tasks. When offering help, give reasons other than what it’s intentionally for such as doing their laundry just because you have nothing better to do this weekend or doing their grocery because you’re also getting yours. With this approach, seniors will give in easily thinking that they are not a burden on your side and you are willing to help with their odds and ends.

There will be times that the senior may mention some minor health problems, these are the times that you should be paying attention and reading between the lines. If your mom or dad is living with someone younger than them then ask this person what he or she thinks. As soon as you notice signs of deteriorating health, it is best to increase number of visits just to see if the situation progresses and how fast it goes. Be on the look out for safety risks that your parent may have left behind unconsciously such as burnt pots, open doors, and slippery floors. Moreover, a senior who is suffering depression needs assistance too and almost always, it is the hardest illness to detect so it pays to take note of that as well.

Good news for working seniors, effective last Friday, July 24, 2009, the third installment of minimum wage increase came through. Although the increase is not a life-changing one, this proves to be very helpful for most seniors struggling with daily expenses, and not to mention their medical needs and bills. This is the third and final federal wage increase which preceded the first two ones in 2007 and 2008. However, if as an employee you are qualified for both state and federal wages, the higher of two shall apply.

The wage increase states that there should be a 70-centavos raise to the $6.55 making it at about $7.25 per hour. This means that there will be a $28 more every week for employed seniors if you are working under the federal minimum wage. On the other hand, seniors who are working under the disability program, please be reminded that you are entitled to receive special minimum wage for workers with disability. Furthermore, seniors who are working through the Senior Citizen Employment Program are also eligible for the increase. State wage is expected to follow lead after the federal wage increase has taken effect.

Working seniors are now looking forward to their next paycheck knowing that there will be a big difference as compared to their last one. Most of them are thankful for the increase since it will help them tremendously with their daily living expenses—something that keeps these seniors working even if it’s way beyond their retirement years. It seems that everyone in the workforce had been looking forward for this raise for some time now considering the fact that the economic crisis has been affecting us still.

Prior to this very good news, there had been debates on whether to push through with the wage increase or postpone it for next year. Economic analysts argued against it since they fear that it will only aggravate the situation further. What they fear the most is that small businesses might see the need to cut back on hiring employees or shorten their working hours to ease the stress of wage increase to their businesses. Also, big companies who are hiring employees on a regular basis would be compelled to seek people who are better experienced for the job at hand, eliminating the possibility for entry level jobs which help those first time workers with no experience under their belts. Nonetheless, this situation doesn’t pose any risk for seniors but is proving to be an advantage since most seniors are well-experienced and don’t need further training.

Have you noticed a slight difference with how your longtime pet responds to your calls lately, particularly how long it takes for him to finally recognize the call? Or have you been noticing this already in the past and has been bothered to see that it keeps getting worse everyday?

If you have been living with your pet for a long time now and you are certain he’s already way pass his expected doggie lifespan then it’s time for his visit to the vet for a round of consultation. Due to the “life extension” that most vets give to our ailing pets, it was proven that pets are now living longer than what’s expected of them. This, to the delight of pet owners since we love our pets so much, we wanted to keep them for life but unfortunately, longer lifespan exposes them to a disease similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome or CCDS is also referred to as doggie Alzheimer’s. This condition manifests as our pets age. CDS is also found out to be a brain disease, as what Alzheimer’s disease is to humans. It also makes our beloved pets to have erratic sleeping patterns, confusion and disorientation at times and losing control of their housetraining pattern. The latter being the number one problem for pet owners since they have to put up with messy pees and poops.

According to statistics made for canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, dogs—and even cats—are more exposed to the disease when they reach the age of 8 and above but goes into full force at about age 13 and accelerates as the years progress. The common symptoms of CDS are:

·    Confusion and disorientation. This includes wandering aimlessly around the house and walking in circles. The pet owner would also notice the lapses in reaction time such as greeting a friend or when the owner calls him. Sometimes, you would notice that he’s fast becoming distant and won’t come when called.
·    Erratic sleeping pattern. A pet owner is most likely to notice unpredictability in his pet’s sleeping pattern which includes sleeping all day and wandering aimlessly at night when he should have been sleeping. As the disease progressed, there will be more sleep and less waking up. Sometimes, pet owners refer to this symptom as fatigue.
·    Limited interactivity. Your pet no longer greets you at the door, oftentimes, ignoring you. Most of all, he would bark at friends and families like he sees danger when he used to love them.

When you see these signs, it is best to seek help from your vet to advise you on how to handle these things and also to rule out other age related illnesses that can affect your beloved pets such as hearing loss and other internal disorders.