A Confident Approach to Caregiving

By Lee Nyberg, 10:42 pm on June 1, 2012

We need a confident approach to caregiving. Why? Many of us are likely to become caregivers. Already, 1 in 3 people in the U.S. is caring for someone over the age of 18 years. This proportion is likely to increase over the next 20 years, as the number of people being cared for will nearly double, from 41 mm in 2010 to 72 mm in 2030. Who’s likely to become a caregiver? Omaha In-Home Care states that the average caregiver is a 49-year-old woman and in addition to holding a full-time job and having teenagers at home, she’ll likely be caring for a parent. Many other family caregivers are in their mid 60’s and caring for a spouse. If you get the call to become a caregiver or manage someone’s…

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Can Video Games Be Good For… Seniors?

By Lee Nyberg, 10:00 pm on June 1, 2012

How’s this for new ideas on “Changing the Way the World Ages?” If you think grandmas and video games are a strange combination, you are not alone. Here’s another strange concept: we actually get a mental workout from playing video games at any age. As a parent of two teenagers who want to play video games all day long, this fact is killing me. In a recent North Carolina State University study, researchers tested cognitive function changes in older adults, aged 60-77, when they played video games. What they found was quite a surprise to Omaha Elder Care. “People who played ‘World of Warcraft,’ versus those who did not play, experienced an increase in cognitive ability, particularly older adults who performed very poorly in our first testing session,” the study’s…

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When A Loved One with Alzheimer’s is Hospitalized, You’re Needed STAT!

By Lee Nyberg, 9:28 pm on June 1, 2012

By Lee Nyberg A person with Alzheimer’s or dementia needs extra vigilance from family members and caregivers when in the hospital. Since patients with middle and late stage Alzheimer’s may not be able to communicate clearly, their health can be greatly improved when family and/or familiar, professional caregivers become part of the care team. Additional monitoring is necessary because the unfamiliar hospital personnel and environment could lead to agitation, anxiety, and wandering behaviors, all posing greater risks to the senior’s health and safety. At Omaha In-Home Care our experience has given us these useful tips: 1. Gather pertinent legal documents and discuss with the care team . This includes Advanced Medical Directives and a durable power of attorney (DPOA) designation for health care. The first informs family and physicians of…

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A Confident Approach to Caregiving