Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder and Its Impact on Older Adults As the days grow shorter and sunlight becomes scarce, many people experience a change in their mood and energy levels in winter. For some, these changes are more severe and have a greater impact on their everyday life, a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This form of depression, linked to seasonal changes—particularly the change from summer to fall/winter—affects millions of people annually, including a significant number of older adults. Read more
Assessing Travel Readiness for Older Loved Ones During the Holidays The holiday season is a time for family gatherings, shared meals and cherished traditions. When you’re caring for an older loved one, it also includes navigating the logistics of travel. While traveling can offer a wonderful opportunity for connection, it’s important to ensure that your loved one is healthy and prepared for the journey. Before booking tickets or packing bags, consider these steps to assess whether your loved one is ready to travel and how to ensure they have a safe and comfortable trip. Read more
Hygiene Tips for Caregivers: Promoting Dignity and Comfort Caring for an older adult who struggles with personal hygiene can be challenging, both physically and emotionally. Some older adults may have physical limitations that make it hard to keep up with hygiene, while others may not recognize their needs or feel resistant to assistance. In either case, the situation can easily turn difficult for caregivers if not dealt with, and the longer a loved one goes without problem care being taken, the greater likelihood that a complication will arise from an unsanitary environment. Read more
Managing Life After a Diabetes Diagnosis: Key Steps for Your Health Being diagnosed with diabetes can feel overwhelming, but with the right steps, you can manage it effectively and continue to live a healthy, fulfilling life. There are key actions to take, along with other areas of your health to monitor for preventing complications. Read more
Taking Over a Loved One’s Finances: A Step-by-Step Guide for Caregivers Often caregivers find themselves in the position of needing to take over a loved one’s finances, especially following a dementia diagnosis. This can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re coming into the situation without a lot of prior knowledge of your loved one’s assets or the scope of their monthly bills. But, with the right approach and information, your help managing finances can work to secure your loved one’s comfort and stability as they age. Read more
Exploring the Benefits of Senior Centers When you hear the term “senior center,” what comes to mind? For some, it might conjure images of nonstop games of bingo, or quiet afternoons spent knitting. And while knitting and bingo are certainly activities you might encounter—and enjoy participating in—at a senior center, summing up the experience with these stereotypes doesn’t do credit to the depth and breadth of activities available at today’s senior centers. These vibrant community hubs are continually evolving to meet the diverse needs and interests of older adults, offering a wide range of activities, services and opportunities that cater to a modern, active lifestyle. Read more
Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Older Adults Suicide among older adults is an often overlooked, public health concern. While conversations about mental health have become a lot more common and less stigmatized than in the past, the focus is frequently on younger generations, leaving older adults by themselves in the previous mindset of mental struggles being better left unspoken. Understanding the unique challenges faced by older adults is crucial in addressing this silent crisis and ensuring that those at risk receive the support and care they need. Read more
The Importance of Immunizations for Older Adults As we age, the body undergoes numerous changes, many of which impact our immune system. One of the most significant aspects of aging is the gradual weakening of the immune system, a process known as immunosenescence. This decline in immune function increases susceptibility to infections and diseases. Older adults make up about 70 to 85 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths, and are at the highest risk of severe-to-fatal pneumonia than any other age group. Accordingly, while immunizations are important for people of every age, they are of critical importance to older adults. Read more
Balancing Your Caregiving: Prioritizing Self-Care While Supporting Your Loved One Caregiving is an inherently demanding role because it involves caring for two individuals: not only the person you provide care for, but also yourself. This dual responsibility makes the role uniquely challenging, requiring you to balance the needs of your loved one with your own well-being. When you introduce family dynamics into this equation, the... Read more
Supporting LGBTQ+ Older Adults: Tips for Caregivers As our population ages and society continually evolves, awareness of the diverse needs of different communities of older adults has increased. LGBTQ+ rights have undergone some major changes over the past few decades, and while there have been great triumphs, there have been many challenges as well, including some that are particular to older individuals. Caregivers must be aware of these specific challenges and provide holistic, inclusive support to ensure the well-being of their LGBTQ+ older loved ones. Here are key considerations and strategies for caregivers dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ older adults. Read more
