What is Eldercare Locator?

Eldercare is a national public service in the US that helps both those in need of care and caregivers to find local services to aid them in their later life. Eldercare locator connects people with state and local agencies, and community services and organizations that assist those aging as well as caregivers. Various types of support are offered and directed to by Eldercare locator, including meals, transportation, and home care for those aging and training and educational services for caregivers. Eldercare locator provides recommendations for these services and many others. 

Eldercare Locator is available over the phone or through email or their website. 

The phone number is 1-800-677-1116 and information specialists are available Monday through Friday 9am-8pm ET. 

The email address for Eldercare Locator is eldercarelocator@n4a.org or they can be contacted here: Eldercare Locator Chat

through this link you are able to talk with them through the website chat platform. 

For those who don’t want to contact Eldercare Locator and would rather explore their options independently there is an online database available through Eldercare Locator. Through this database you can refine by area using the zip code where you are looking for services. From there it refines into types of service including legal services, health insurance counseling and area agencies on aging among others. Each of the services listed has a breakdown with their website, contact information, hours and the services they offer. The services listed range from local to state levels, they consist of state and area agencies, Title VI Native American aging programs, aging and disability resource centers, and aging information referral programs. The list of services are compiled by The Administration on Aging in collaboration with state and area agencies on aging and Native American organizations. 

Services are also listed through the main page of the Eldercare Locator site, when you scroll down there are six links to learn more that redirect to lists of services. These six topics are support services, housing, elder rights, insurance and benefits, health, and transportation. Each link directs you to a list of different types of resources.

Eldercare Locator is a great service that is easy to use and a great starting place for both those who are aging and their caregivers. Take a look at their website here: Eldercare Locator

Protecting Your Finances

Protecting Your Finances

Finances can always be a point of contention for anyone but it’s important to have meaningful and honest conversations about money, especially when one is older. In a time when financial scams and ulterior motives prevail and prey upon the elderly there are several points to keep in mind to ensure that their livelihoods and their money are safe for the years to come. 

1. Finances can be exploited by family, friends and strangers. 

To keep yourself safe, make sure to keep thorough inventory of your finances on a regular basis. Take notes of any transactions that you might not recall or that raise a red flag. It is prudent to be vigilant and know that while most people are not out to exploit your finances, you should know that not only con-artists are capable of doing so. 

2. One doesn’t need to have Alzheimer’s or a neurodegenerative disorder to have difficulty managing their finances in older age. 

While we all age in different ways, at some point it will become more difficult to manage your money. This is tied into Cognitive Aging which can best be described as the normal wear and tear one can expect from the use of our minds as our daily drivers. Research has suggested that the peak of financial management occurs in ones mid-50s. 

3. Finances and their decline can be the first symptoms of dementia and other related changes. 

Due to the mental coordination needed to carry out financial decisions, it can become more difficult to process or properly asses ones finances as well risk assessments. If one is beginning to experience difficulties in carrying out the assessment of risks and other financial matters, that can be an early sign of mild impairment and possibly dementia. 

4. If you notice signs of financial impairment, you should start looking for other concerning signs pointing to dementia. 

While not all difficulties and impairments with finances signal an imminent slip into dementia it is still important for ones well-being to analyze other behaviors for any possible signals. This is especially prudent if dementia, Alzheimer’s or other impairments have a history of occurrence in the family. Taking the necessary steps to gauge ones overall behaviors could lead to far less health and life surprises in the future. 

5. If you’re worried about finances, work on keeping yourself healthy. 

One very overlooked method that ties into keeping you and your finances in order is to care for yourself. Being active, working out, and eating right all have a positive effect in your overall health as well as that of your finances. Another key point to keep in mind the use of certain medications and how they can interfere with thinking. Many sedatives and anticholinergic medications can interfere with normal brain functions. 

Thanks in part to this site and these five points of wisdom, you can now look forward to more knowledge and freedom from the worries and preoccupations with finances. 

For more information, please visit:
https://betterhealthwhileaging.net/5-things-to-know-aging-financial-decline/ 

Addressing Emotional Needs and Ways to Help!

When it comes to staying in your home longer addressing any emotional needs will help you. Finding someone that can keep you company or visit you whenever you need it, finding someone that can give you companionship will help you stay at home longer. Being able to have someone to communicate with about issues you might be having or just letting your emotions out will make it easier for you and your emotional needs.

Family will be the main factor to help express emotions that come up, having get togethers monthly can make it easier to communicate when you need to. Keeping up with your kids and their individual families is also something that will help. For families the gestures of being included to the next sporting event or even just talking on the phone for a long time will help.Friends can also help with this by planning get togethers such as dinners or even going to a club to play tennis. Keeping in touch with the people around you will help you emotional and will help you keep a healthy mental state.

Keeping in contact with the people around you will help address anything you need help with emotionally needs that you come across while you go through the months. Families and friends are always going to be there when you need them the most. Keeping this in mind, in general we should always help each other when it comes to our emotions and letting them out in a proper way will always help.

We all have family that we want to live their best lives and we should continue that into the later stages of life as well. If you see a member of your family struggling, try reaching out to them and seeing if they need anything. It will make their day better and it will create stronger connections as life goes on.

Learn More by Checking out these links!
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/geeta-nayyar-md/caregiving-5-ways-to-help-elderly-age-independently_b_2878966.html

https://www.livestrong.com/article/19018-care-emotional-needs-elderly/

Survey

Solving the Problem of Transportation - Ride Sharing for Seniors

In a 2016 Pew survey, 61 percent of older adults said they would prefer to age in their own home. While aging in place can ease the stress of relocating to a new environment, it’s accompanied by some limitations and challenges. In-home care is required, from medical services to cleaning and meal preparation. While there are many companies that provide these services, some seniors can feel isolated and over-dependent when everything is brought to their home. This is one reason that easy transportation is vital for our aging population. Whether to visit family or get out in nature, having dependable means of transportation can help the elderly maintain their independence and stay connected with their community.

In recent years, ride-sharing services have quickly become one of the most convenient forms of transportation, particularly in urban areas. Ride-sharing services are not only affordable but can pick you up at nearly any location. However, only eight percent of people age 50-64 and four percent of people age 65 or older have used a ride-sharing service according to a study from Pew Research Center.

Why is this the case?

Firstly, many elderly lack the technical knowledge to use the smartphone apps that ride-sharing services depend on. While younger generations have embraced the use of smartphones in their everyday lives, many people are accustomed to hailing taxis on the street or scheduling a ride with a phone call. GoGoGrandparent is seeking to fix this problem. A service that lets you call one phone number to schedule an Uber or Lyft, GoGoGrandparent eliminates the need to setup an account or navigate the interface of a smartphone.

Read more about GoGoGrandparent at https://gogograndparent.com/

One of the other challenges a senior may face when trying to find transportation is the lack of accommodations for mobility aids such as wheelchairs or walkers. Not only do these devices require adequate storage space in the vehicle, but the person using them often needs assistance getting in and out of the vehicle. One company that seeks to help by providing special accommodations is Uber. Uber’s “uberASSIST” service provides vehicles that can fit wheelchairs, walkers and collapsible scooters. Furthermore, their drivers are trained on how to assist those with mobility challenges.

Read more about uberASSIST at https://www.uber.com/info/assistau/

While those who chose to age at home will likely face mobility and transportation challenges, it doesn’t have to stop them from getting around.

Northwest Primary Care - Specialized in Senior Services

     As people age into the later half of their lives, we know that particular challenges arise that require a variety of special services to overcome.  Unfortunately, not all Healthcare facilities provide such niche services and access is a large component of the barriers that keep people from receiving the care they need.  For senior patients, these barriers can become significantly taller and widespread.  

Here in Portland Oregon, Northwest Primary Care functions as clinic devoted to family practice and internal medicine however, their senior care services check all the boxes that an elderly man or woman would be looking for.  They offer specialized programs for Alzheimer's and Dementia, Diabetes, Chronic Disease Management, Cardiac Services, Geriatric, Minor Surgery, Nutrition, Sleep Health, Travel Medicine, Physical Therapy, Audiology, and Acupuncture.  Here is a link to access details for each individual senior program.  Not only does NW Primary care offer a variety of senior care services, they operate from 8 different clinic locations covering West Portland, East Portland, Milwaukie,  Clackamas, and Oregon City.  



     We know that the elderly population here in the US is estimated at 22% or about 43 million people over 65 years old. Many however likely didn't know that Oregon's 65-and-older population growth rate is faster than the nation's as a whole. The median age in Oregon is 39.3 years, compared to 38 for the U.S. and as people reach 75 and older, we know that disabilities, illness, and physical limitations become a part of everyday life.  Northwest Primary Care clinics are riddled through out Portland and provide those services needed to attend to our growing elderly population. For specialized senior care services, Northwest Primary Care is here.

Exercise when Elderly? Yes!

Being of a certain age should never be a deterrent when it comes to maintaining ones health and well-being. Sure over time we can lose stamina and perhaps not reach the benchmarks we once measured ourselves by. That is normal and not a reason for discouragement. In fact weather it’s been years since you’ve picked up a weight or only just yesterday that you swam, consider this: exercise is key to not only living longer, but also living healthier. Consider these options that you can start today. 

Stretching is often overlooked but by far one of the most important things you can do for your body. Range of motion as well as ones flexibility will continue to benefit from engaging in stretching. This also has a positive effect on the circulation of your blood throughout the body. Simple daily stretches or yoga are recommended. 

Walking is a daily routine for everyone but engaging in it requires nothing but shoes and a simple outfit. Walking benefits the body in many ways such as gaining Vitamin D, increasing ones muscle strength, raising metabolism and clears ones mind by engaging with the world around them. Also it’s free! 

Swimming delivers a full body workout without increasing unnecessary strain. This unique full body effect is especially beneficial for cardiovascular health as it increases circulation and aids in preventing damaging clots. Muscles also benefit as they  are evenly and consistently being worked. 

Finally we have Strength Training. While lifting, pushing and/or pulling weights might seem like daunting or difficult task, it is not. Even a small amount of weight training can be extremely beneficial for ones body, particularly in increasing bone density which declines much in older age. Weights also have the added benefit of lifting ones mood in a positive way as it works with neurotransmitters in the brain. 

The next time you walk, swim or stretch and the results you see from doing so, remember that you read it here!


For more information about exercise and other topics related to it please visit https://assistedlivingtoday.com/blog/what-sort-of-exercises-are-suitable-for-the-elderly/