Listen To My Latest Podcast Episode:
How Does Ageism & Age Discrimination Affect Older Adults' Health
Listen To My Latest Podcast Episode: How Does Ageism & Age Discrimination Affect Older Adults' Health
Imagine you live in DC and your aging parent lives alone in Michigan and needs support and resources. You’ve been to visit your parent a few times to help get them set up with services, but you’re finding it more and more difficult to take the time off work and leave your life in DC every month, not to mention that the cost of travel is weighing you down...
AND, when you get to Michigan you have no idea of where to start looking for the resources your aging parent needs.
On the third trip to see your parent, you think you have everything set up, only to return home to DC to discover that there are countless other needs your parent has. You’re in a bind! You can’t take any more time off of work, you have to manage your own needs in DC, and at the same time, you know that your aging parent needs your help!
This is where a Geriatric Care Manager can come in!
In this Blog/Video I am going to walk you through everything you need to know...
Raise your hand if you’ve heard the term Activities of Daily Living, otherwise known as ADLs!
Now, raise your hand if you’ve heard of term Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, also known as IADLs!
Your hand is probably down. And that’s okay! At the end of this episode you are gonna be raising your hands high!
In today's episode, I’m going to walk you through Activities of Daily Living, which I’ll call ADLs and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, which I’ll call IADLs! And, I’ll also explain why it’s so important that you know what they are!
Because...
ADLs are basic life tasks that we learn when we are children and generally maintain independence with for most of our lives. They include:
Last week, I listed the various types of living environments for older adults, this week, I wanted to share exactly why you should know living options for your aging parents.
Why is knowing the different living options for older adults so important?
Here are are...
Watch it here, read it below, or do both!
1. Helps you to prepare...
What?!!
That's right!
In 2010, only 4.5% of older adults were living in nursing homes. But somehow there's a misperception that most older adults live in nursing homes.
So, if they don't live in Nursing Homes, where do where DO older adults live?
The vast majority of older adults (93.5%) live in.... (drum roll).... the community!
Because there are so many misperceptions about where older adults live, I thought I would take this opportunity to describe the different environments that older adults live in!
Watch it here!
So, why is knowing the different living options for older adults so important?
It’s tough to know how to talk with older parents about difficult topics. Are you gonna say the wrong thing and push your elderly parent away?
In this episode (#005) of THE CARING FOR AGING PARENTS SHOW, I share 7 tips for talking with older parents about their needs and wishes related to caregiving and difficult topics.
Emotions tend to run high around difficult topics like driving, independent living, health decisions, and managing money. Taking the time to prepare for these conversations will set you up for success.
So watch the video now!
Here's an overview of the 7 tips I share for talking with your aging parents about their needs and wishes with caregiving and difficult topics!
Tip 1: Call for a Parent/Family Meeting
Ask to meet with your parents to talk about their wishes in older adulthood. By calling for a family (or one:one) meeting you and your...
Many people wait until there's a crisis before having a conversation with their parents about their future. You know, planning for needs and changes in older adulthood.
And this makes sense! Conversations about what life might look like down the road can be painful for both older adults and the people who love them. It's difficult to face the possibility of sickness, frailty, and loss of independence. And, as a result, we ALL tend to avoid these conversations.
Well, avoid no longer!
In this fourth episode of The Caring for Aging Parents Show, I share tips on starting this conversation!
And BONUS! I share 6 conversation starters!
Watch it now!
Here's an overview of the tips for talking with your aging parents about their future:
1. Don't wait until there is a crisis! Starting these conversations long before your parent has a medical, mental health, or financial crisis is the best approach. Your parents are going to have A LOT of transitions in their lives and some of...
It's normal for an older adult to forget where they put their keys, look all over for their glasses, then realize that they're wearing them, or have trouble remembering someone's name. But, there are times when memory loss can be really scary and concerning.
If you're noticing changes in your parent's memory, or changes in cognitive function (this is a fancy term for the way the brain thinks, remembers, processes information, etc), it is really important that you keep track of specific examples that you notice.
For example, My mom got lost the other day driving home from a store that she's been going to for years. Or, My dad’s been leaving the stove on and burning food. Or, my mom has been rummaging through drawers and can never find what she’s looking for. Or,...
What? No hands? You've heard of a Millennial, you've heard of a Baby Boomer, but you probably haven't heard of the Sandwich Generation.
So here we go...
If you have a parent 65 or older and are raising a child under 18, or, supporting a grown child (here's my shoulder, feel free to cry), you, my friend, are in the Sandwich Generation. And, you're not alone. Nearly half of adults in their 40s and 50s are right along side of you, not to mention millions of people under 40 and over 60.
Now, raise your hand if you are a part of the Sandwich Generation. Hand still down? Not to worry, there's probably a sandwich just for you. Hungry for a Club?
(Tired of reading? Watch the Video!)
As you can imagine, The Club Sandwich Generation is super layered, with 50 or 60 year olds wedged between aging parents, their adult children,...
Older adults have mental health needs just like everyone else. But here’s the thing: Older adults are often left out of the conversation when it comes to mental health and wellness. Together we can change this.
I created the Psychology of Aging Podcast to have conversations about mental health and wellness that include older adults. We talk about common mental health concerns as we age, resources to help older adults live their best lives, and we have fun doing it.
Stay mentally and physically well during the Coronavirus Pandemic with my wellness guide for older adults.
Learn all about dementia in this FREE Dementia 101 Guide!
Worried about your aging loved one's driving? Know the warning signs!
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