When Assisted Living for the Elderly Might Be the Best Choice

 Many adults with aging parents worry about when they might need to help their loved ones move to an Assisted Living community. It can be a difficult decision.  Assisted Living is not the same as a skilled nursing facility.  The person moving to Assisted Living probably does not need a nurse checking on them every few minutes, but they would still benefit from a little help in order to have the best quality of life in their later years. How can you know when your elderly relatives are ready to move to Assisted Living?

This week's guest post is from Jim McKinley who has addressed this topic in a thoughtful way.  Readers may find it very helpful in determining when it is time for them to take their family member to visit various Assisted Living communities and choose the one which will work best for them.  Jim McKinley's guest post is below:

Signs It May Be Time for Your Elderly Loved One to Consider Assisted Living

If you have an elderly parent or grandparent living on their own, they may benefit from moving to an assisted living community. This will alleviate the burden of daily tasks like housekeeping, cooking, and yard work. It can also provide a valuable social network. As The Elder Care Alliance explains, socialization can help reduce stress and ward off depression and anxiety in older individuals. 

Discover the signs your loved one is ready to transition to a community in this article presented by Baby Boomer Retirement. This guide also provides guidance on how to bring up the topic with your loved one and explains how to choose a fitting facility — and pay for it. 

Signs it is time for an elderly parent or grandparent to transition to senior living 

A lack of home maintenance is one sign it's time for an older person to consider moving to an assisted living facility. Age-related decline in physical ability makes home and yard maintenance tough. This can be seen in piles of laundry, undone dishes, and general messiness. 

Some seniors may also start to lose weight because they are unable to do the shopping and cooking required for healthy eating. If your loved one needs more frequent medical care, they can also benefit from a skilled nursing facility, where they have constant support from staff. 

More frequent accidents are another indicator that it's time to make a change. The University of Rochester reveals that a lack of flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination can increase the risk of falls in elderly individuals. Unfortunately, even a short fall can pose a possibly serious health threat. 

How to discuss the option of assisted living with your elderly loved one 

If you believe that your loved one is ready for assisted living, broaching the topic can be difficult. Experts recommend recruiting siblings to help and emphasizing the positive points of the transition. For example, your parents or grandparents will have to do less housework and have more time for socializing. 

Further, come prepared with information when you open the discussion. Have some pamphlets or information from local facilities that might interest them. You can also schedule tours together to visit institutions in person. The point is to give your loved one as much personal agency over the process as possible. 

How to find the right community for your loved one 

As you check out assisted living options with your loved one, consider their needs. For example, do they require active nursing care? Location is also a consideration. Some seniors prefer to move closer to family, for example. This offers various benefits, such as being able to participate actively in grandchildren's lives. Websites like SeniorCare can help you and your loved one select a well-reviewed facility in the Dallas area that’s close to your family. 

Also, check out each facility's meal options, social agenda, and physical activity program. For instance, many facilities offer group exercise courses covering everything from Tai Chi to water aerobics. Regular exercise helps seniors remain independent. 

Finally, consider the cost. According to SeniorLiving.org, the average cost of assisted living is $4,000 monthly. Your loved one can sell their home to help cover expenses. While in-person viewings can be tricky during COVID-19, you can go ahead with virtual viewings. Redfin details options like 3D walkthroughs, virtual open houses, and video chat tours. 

Making the move to assisted living can be daunting at first. However, your loved one will benefit from this transition. The above tips can help you guide them through the process.

Once your loved one moves to assisted living, you may be interested in ordering them gifts (Ad) to help with the transition. You can find anything from large print crossword puzzle books, to special adaptive silverware, and many other types of gifts to make their life easier.  

You can find gifts for retirees and others at my Etsy Store, DeborahDianGifts:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DeborahDianGifts

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.  You will receive a weekly email with the most current post. 

If you are interested in learning more about saving money, financial planning, Social Security, Medicare, where to retire, common medical issues as you age, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credits:  Pexels.com

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Viruses - What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

 After spending the past two years dealing with a worldwide pandemic, viruses of all kinds are in the forefront of our minds.  What do we really know about them?  What are they?  How do they spread? What are the best ways to protect ourselves?

Recently, I ran across an article on viruses, originally published on THEHEALTHY.com, and thought the readers of Baby-Boomer-Retirement would like to know a few general facts from that article, as well as others I read. I was surprised by what I learned. One of the most serious things I discovered is that viruses can be invisible killers and what we don't know about them can be very dangerous.  Below are a few facts which may interest you.

Facts About Viruses

1.  Viruses are not technically alive, since they do not have cells and cannot survive on their own. Instead, they need to infect a host (like a human) and use that host in order to replicate.  They do this by taking over the host's cells, which can cause those cells to burst and die.  That is why viruses make us sick.  (Pretty disgusting to realize that a virus could be making our own cells burst!)

2.   There are many ways we make ourselves more vulnerable to picking up a virus, including biting our nails, touching contaminated surfaces, smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke, engaging in sex with an infected person, or doing something as natural and innocent as inhaling the virus from the cough, breath or sneezes of infected people.  That is why we do not want to "share the air" with strangers, if we can avoid it. 

3.  There are a wide variety of viruses.  Some diseases you may not have known are caused by viruses include rabies, herpes, warts, influenza, the common cold, chicken pox, measles, mumps, polio, smallpox, rubella, roseola, shingles, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), norovirus, yellow fever, dengue fever, meningitis, encephalitis, hepatitis, Ebola, and Zika. Since 2020, we can  now add Covid-19, including a variety of mutations such as Delta and Omicron, to the list.  There are also a number of lesser known viruses, which can be serious if they infect you. 

4. Many viruses remain in our body for decades after we think we have recovered from the illness they caused, and those old viruses can come back and cause new health problems later in life.  For example, polio can re-immerge years or decades later and cripple someone; chicken pox can return as shingles; some research has shown that the common herpes simplex virus may contribute to Alzheimer's disease; Covid-19 can cause later neurological symptoms or other problems, and we have no idea what could happen 20 years after recovering from an infection; and mononucleosis may make you more likely to develop seven serious diseases in later life including lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and Type 1 Diabetes.    (From: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/news/release/2018/mono-virus)

Sometimes, the secondary infections can be more dangerous than the original infection. One example of that is the childhood illness chicken pox.  Although most children recover from it without a problem, later in life they could develop shingles, and shingles increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.   

It has also been discovered that people can get repeat cases of Covid-19 (about once every 16 months), and sometimes, the later cases are more serious than the first case. For example, a previous infection with the Delta variant does NOT protect you from getting the Omicron variation, even just a few months later.  In addition, people who get Covid, including a mild case of it, often experience some brain shrinkage afterwards.  No one knows how long that brain shrinkage will last, or if it could make you more prone to developing dementia in later life.  Everyone should try to avoid Covid if at all possible. 

Another serious future consequence of a virus is herpes simplex, which causes cold sores, and has also been linked to an increased risk of  developing Alzheimer's disease! The good news is that people who have taken an anti-viral medication to treat their herpes were able to cut this increased dementia risk by 90 percent.  That is something to consider if you think you will just "wait out" that cold sore.

5.  Although there are treatments for viruses, there is no actual cure for the flu and most other viruses.  Antiviral medications like Tamiflu may help you recover faster, but they are not considered a cure.

6.  Prevention is the best way to avoid catching a virus.

    Wear a facemask in crowds, not just to prevent Covid-19, but a host of other air-bourn viruses

    Get vaccinated against viruses, when a vaccine is available. Vaccines cannot prevent you from being exposed, but they could protect you from becoming seriously ill.

    Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. They make you more vulnerable to air-bourn viruses

    Wash your hands with soap and water regularly.  Avoid touching your face, especially your mouth and nose, so you do not infect yourself after touching a surface with a virus on it.  If you cannot wash your hands, use hand sanitizer. However, soap and water is the preferred cleansing method.

    Clean surfaces with soap and water, hydrogen peroxide, or ammonia, not antibacterial wipes, to protect against surface viruses.

7. Lifestyle changes can help build your immune system and make it more difficult for a virus to take hold.  Among the changes which could help prevent some viruses include making sure you get regular sleep, eating a nutritious diet, getting exercise (but don't overdo it), getting enough Vitamin D, drinking green tea, and avoiding animal bites which could cause rabies.  In fact, avoid handling dead animals, including bats, if there is any possibility they died from rabies.  It is possible to become infected from dead animals, including a bat you might find lying around your property.  In 2021, three people in the U.S. died of rabies after handling a dead bat.  None of them thought to mention the incident to their doctors, until it was too late.

8.  You can treat warts with duct tape.  Covering a wart with a small piece of duct tape may be more effective than cryotherapy!  This was certainly an interesting piece of virus information.

The bottom line is that we need to treat viruses with respect.  Although everyone gets infected by a virus from time to time, many people do not realize how dangerous they can be.  Viruses are highly infectious, invisible serial killers!

You can find gifts for retirees and others at my Etsy Store, DeborahDianGifts:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DeborahDianGifts

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.  You will receive one weekly email containing the most current post. 

If you are interested in learning more about common medical issues, Social Security, Medicare, where to retire, financial planning, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

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Aura Digital Frames are Ideal Gifts for Seniors and Others

Every 15 seconds, the picture in the Aura frame on my side table changes to a new photo of someone in our family.  It does so completely silently, and with no effort on my part.  Each of the several hundred photos which pop up on my frame has been easily uploaded by my husband, our daughters, or me from our smartphones.  The process is surprisingly simple.  We do not have to be at home or near the frame in order to upload a photo.

Our frame contains photos of all four of our daughters and their families, including our eight grandchildren.  It also includes photos of family weddings, trips to Disneyland, vacations, and even old photos of family members who passed away decades ago.  This has been one of the best gifts our daughters have ever given us!

Is Someone You Know Hard to Buy Gifts For?

After telling our daughters several times to stop sending us "challenging" technology gifts, which often involved complex set-up, one of our daughters called last summer and told us that she and her sisters wanted to buy my husband an Aura digital frame (Ad) for Father's Day.  I was unsure about it, but she convinced me that he would love it.  We both do!

Aura Frames Make it Easy to View Our Photos

Our daughter helped each of us download the Aura app to our phones.  When we click on "Add Photos" on our Aura app, it opens up a window on our phone showing us all the photos we have ever taken and stored on our phones.  We simply choose the ones we want to add to our frame and, within a few hours, they begin to randomly show up on our frame, mixed in with the photos which are already there.

Here is the best part.  Our daughters can also add photos to our frame from wherever they are, even thousands of miles away, and our frame will hold an unlimited number of photos!  If one of our daughters takes her children to Disneyland or on a hike, photos will begin to show up on our frame for us to enjoy.  If one of them discovers an old photo in an album, she simply has to take a picture of the photo with her phone, and then add it to our frame.  They can even download pictures from the internet, save them on their phones, and add them to our frame.  It is so easy, my husband and I have enjoyed adding photos of our parents, grandparents and other ancestors who have been deceased for many years.  You can add any photo you would like to see pop up on the frame.

Aura Frames are Like a Private Facebook Page in Your Living Room

Personally, I think of the frame as a private Facebook page that no one knows about, except members of our family.  We see our favorite family photos, as well as the favorites of our daughters, and we can share them with each other privately.

There Are a Variety of Frame Designs to Choose From

You can choose the Aura frame color, size and design (Ad) you prefer. You can scroll through the different options and choose the one which will fit the best with your home décor.  

You Have Control of Your Frame

In settings, you can set the time when your frame turns on in the morning, and turns off in the evening.  You can also control how long each photo is visible, before being replaced by the next one.  We have them change every 15 seconds, but we could also let each photo stay in place for 30 seconds, a full minute or even longer. You can also move your hand over the top to scroll through them a little faster, or back up to one you just missed.  

You also control who gets invited to add photos to your Aura frame.

No Smartphone?  There is an Aura Frame for That, Too!

If you don't have a smartphone or don't want to use an app, you can still get an Aura frame and add photos to it, using a "photo backup stick to get from phone or computer to frame, with no WiFi."  They have thought of everything!

Personally, now that we have lived with our frame for a few months, I cannot imagine a better gift for someone special in your family.  Our daughters shared in the cost of our Aura digital frame (Ad), and it is now one of our favorite gifts from them.

You can find gifts for retirees and others at my Etsy Store, DeborahDianGifts:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DeborahDianGifts

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.  You will receive a weekly email with the most current post. 

If you are interested in learning more about saving money, financial planning, Social Security, Medicare, where to retire, common medical issues as you age, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

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Gifts Retirees Will Appreciate - Finding the Right Gift for a Senior

 Buying gifts for retirees and the older relatives in your family can be very difficult and frustrating.  Whether it is for a birthday, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas or another holiday, you may find it extremely difficult to come up with an idea, especially if it seems they already own so many things they are currently trying to give away!  

How can you find the perfect gift for a senior citizen in your family?  What do you think they will want or need?  What can you buy an older relative that will not end up being re-gifted or given away?  Here are some basic ideas to get you started, including links to some of the items to make it quick and easy for you to purchase them.  However, not all the gifts need to be purchased online.  Many of the gifts listed here are things you can purchase locally.

Art and Craft Supplies

Does your family member enjoy painting or making crafts?  Paints, canvasses and other art materials (Ad) can be very expensive. Some people actually give up their hobby because they cannot afford to keep purchasing the necessary materials.  If you know their favorite shop, you may want to purchase a gift certificate to it, especially if it is small, locally owned business.  In this way, you not only help your loved one, but also a small business.  If you know exactly what they want however, you can save them a trip to the store by purchasing it for them and having it delivered directly to their home.

Many seniors also enjoy paint-by-number kits, or adult coloring books, (Ad) as a way to enjoy creating works of art, even if they do not feel they are especially talented.  I have even seen some lovely paint-by-number works of art for sale at the art shows they hold in my retirement community.  Often they are spectacular when they are finished. A final thought in this category is to take one of their favorite finished paintings and have it framed for them, so they can hang it in their home and display it with pride. 

A Shopping Trip for their Favorite Clothing Items

My father only likes to wear long-sleeve Polo style shirts with a pocket on the chest.  Although he owns them in a variety of colors, over the course of a year they begin to wear out.  Replacing them regularly with new ones is a nice way to enable him to continue to wear his favorite clothing item.  Almost everyone has a certain type of clothing which they wear frequently, and needs replacing often.  Do they need new walking shoes, a jacket, a sun hat, gardening gloves, or similar useful items?  Many seniors go without because they do not have a lot of disposable income, or they do not know where to buy these things.  If possible, take them shopping, so they can pick out something they actually would enjoy wearing, and you know will fit them.  This also gives you some special time with them ... a gift they may appreciate as much or more than the actual gift itself.

Sports Equipment

Many retirees are still active and involved in sports for decades after they stop working.  You may need to quiz them a little, but find out if they need a new golf putter, a new tennis racquet, a paddle for the paddleball court, a badminton racquet or some other item they need to pursue their favorite sport.  Even grandchildren can buy grandpa a box of golf balls or a tube of tennis balls.  (Ad)  

Photo Gifts

One of our daughters purchased us an Aura digital picture frame, (Ad) which allows all of our daughters to upload photos directly to it, no matter where they are.  Now, we have a constant display of new and old photos appearing on the frame in our living room.  Our frame includes photos taken over 80 years ago of long deceased ancestors, as well as photos which were taken just a few days ago of our grandchildren.  We could watch the pictures glide by for hours!  We have it set so a new photo shows up every 15 seconds, but you can have your photos stay much longer before switching to a new one.

Other photo gifts a retiree might enjoy is a Polaroid camera (yes, they have begun making a new, improved version again) (Ad), or a photo album, especially if you give it to them already preloaded with a few pages of favorite family photos.  You can even send companies like Shutterfly a photo of a beloved family member or pet, and they can turn it into a special photo gift which they will cherish! 

Check out some of the photo gifts from my Etsy store, and see if one of them would be a good gift for someone in your family.  Here is a tote bag designed with a photo of the Canadian Rocky Mountains from Banff National Forest in Alberta, Canada.  

This is just one of the many gifts available for retirees and others on my Etsy store. You can find it here:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DeborahDianGifts  

Books and Magazines

Does your family member enjoying reading?  You could always purchase them the latest book (Ad) from their favorite author.  

However, has reading become more difficult for them because of vision problems?  Why not purchase them a membership to Audible? (Ad) For about $15 a month, they can download one book a month to their cell phone, laptop, tablet or similar device and listen to the books!  Many of the women in my book club use Audible and enjoy hearing their favorite books read by professional actors and actresses.  No one needs to give up reading, anymore, even if they have vision problems! Our daughter even listens to Audible books during her long commute. It is a terrific way to pass the time.

Consumable Items

Everyone has items which they love to use, but need to replace periodically.  This can include perfumes, after shave, make-up, face creams, favorite candy, wine, bourbon, and similar items.  Some of these items can be expensive to replace, so receiving them as a gift can be very meaningful to a retiree.  You might ask them, first, the brands of their favorite products, so you purchase them something they will actually enjoy. 

If they live in an Assisted Living community where their meals are provided, they still might want to keep a few favorite snack items in their private room.  Put together a care package of their favorite treats, including small boxes of cereal, bags of chips, fun size candy bars, and similar items.  They will love having something to snack on between meals!

Gift Cards

Gift cards to a favorite business can be a greatly appreciated gift.  Is going to Starbucks or some other coffee shop a special treat they often skip because they cannot afford it?  A gift card may be something which makes it easier for them to socialize with their friends.  Many senior citizens enjoy meeting friends at Starbucks, and other coffee shops like Coffee Bean, to get out of the house and chat.

Amazon cards (Ad) not only allow them to purchase whatever they want for themselves, but it also enables them to buy groceries in many parts of the country, by using Amazon Fresh or one of the other services they offer.  For a person who is skimping just to get by, this can be a greatly appreciated gift which enables them to buy their favorite foods.  If they are nervous about shopping for groceries at Amazon Fresh, help them get started.  It took me a couple of attempts to feel comfortable shopping for food online, but now I realize how much easier it has made my life!

Gifts to Avoid

Unless specifically requested, it is best to avoid things which most seniors do not need.  This would include decorative items for their home, such as new vases, dishes, picture frames, candles, collectibles, and any other items they have not specifically requested.  

In addition, do not give a gift of anything living which an elderly person may find challenging to take care of, unless they ask for it.  This means do not give them a plant, puppy, kitten or parakeet, unless they requested one and are involved in selecting it.  

Other things to avoid would be items which could involve using unfamiliar technology they are unprepared or unable to learn how to use.  A new cell phone, tablet, digital camera, computer game, or similar item might seem like a great idea to a young adult, but can end up being left in a closet or re-gifted to someone else by a senior who feels that using it will be too challenging.  

Technology Gifts Which Might Be Helpful

If you do purchase a technology gift, make sure it is something the recipient wants and will be able to use, with a minimum of assistance.  There are some "senior friendly" phones and other types of technology which can be a good choice.  

It took us a while to become accustomed to talking to our "Alexa" devices, (Ad) but now "she" turns on some of our lamps, reminds us when to take food out of the oven, and answers questions about the weather and other things.  Many seniors would enjoy having one, but be prepared to help them learn to use it. 

If you know someone who loves to garden, they might appreciate this lovely t-shirt with a photo I took of hydrangeas and the words "Happiness Blooms in my Garden."  There is also a matching coffee mug.  

You can find more gifts for retirees and others at my Etsy Store, DeborahDianGifts:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DeborahDianGifts

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.  You will receive one weekly email containing the most current post. 

If you are interested in learning more about financial planning, Social Security, Medicare, where to retire, common medical issues as you age, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credits:  Morguefile