Social Seniors Archives - CareBuilders At Home Minneapolis, Minnesota

As seniors age, there are more challenges facing them than ever before. Aging in place may even feel impossible at times. But with the right help in place from family caregivers and senior home care providers, seniors can take some advice that helps them to be as positive and engaged in life as they can be. All of that can help to boost morale and keep seniors feeling their best.

Exercise and Stay as Active as Possible

Exercise is something that benefits seniors physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Moving more helps to release endorphins, which assist with boosting moods. Exercise can also help seniors to sleep better, feel more energetic, and maintain strength. Seniors who are less physically active than they used to be may find that aging becomes more difficult much more quickly.

Eat Healthy Meals Regularly

Part of keeping a senior positive and engaged with their life means ensuring that their body is fueled properly. What a healthy diet entails can feel impossible for some seniors, especially if they’re not up for cooking, meal planning, and shopping for those foods. Elder care providers can take care of a lot of those tasks for seniors, making it much easier for them to eat meals that support their health needs.

Get Quality Sleep

Sleep does a lot for the body and the brain. When someone isn’t getting enough sleep or is getting poor quality sleep, they’re more likely to experience difficulties with health issues. They’re also more likely to have trouble regulating their moods and generally enjoying life. Finding solutions that help to improve sleep quality is essential.

Maintain Connections with Others

Social interaction is another area that seniors might want to pay extra attention to. Even people who are introverted do need a certain amount of interaction with other people in order to remain healthy. Spending time with family members, friends, and even senior home care providers are great ways to continue to socialize.

Embrace Old and New Interests

Older adults who aren’t actively engaging with hobbies and interests can quickly find themselves becoming bored a lot more often. Embracing both old and new interests opens up so many opportunities to learn new things and to find new things that are fascinating and that they can look forward to each day.

Stay on Top of Health Issues

Focusing on health is something else that seniors have to make sure they’re doing. Attending regular check-ups and following their doctors’ recommendations can be the key to feeling better both physically and emotionally. Senior home care providers can help aging adults to remember their appointments and even assist with transportation if necessary.

Aging brings with it a lot of opportunities for some really big changes that seniors might have been anticipating, like retiring and being more available to family and friends. But there can be pitfalls, too, and staying both positive and engaged in life can help to avoid those. Leaning on help from senior home care providers can make all of this a lot easier.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

Some seniors love animals, and pets can be great companions to have when aging in place. But there comes the point when a senior can no longer care for an animal. Even with help from home care assistance, they may not be capable of taking care of a dog or small animal like a bunny. Having responsibilities even in old age is important, but not if it puts animals in danger. If your senior can no longer care for their animals, it’s time to give them up and find different solutions. Home care assistance can be there to support your senior as they deal with no longer owning a pet, as well as take them to get some hands-on time with animals Here are some solutions if your senior doesn’t have a pet and needs an animal fix.

Visit an Animal Shelter

Not only can you visit an animal shelter, but you can also volunteer with animals! If your seniors know they can’t have any more animals, the shelter may allow them to socialize with the animals. This not only helps the animals get used to people, but it allows seniors to be around little furry friends and may give them something to look forward to. If a senior wants to do this, home care assistance can help add it to their weekly schedule and may even provide transportation. Volunteering at an animal shelter can help seniors to stay active, build new relationships, and combat feelings of loneliness. Animal companionship also provides health benefits for seniors, such as reduced stress and improved physical and mental health.

Go To a Petting Zoo

Sometimes animal shelters won’t accept new volunteers or have an intake process that can be too strict for a senior. If that happens, try a petting zoo. This is a place where tons of animals look for human interaction. Petting zoos are great for seniors because they can get close to animals and interact in a safe and controlled environment. In addition, these types of zoos may be spread out and allow a senior to move around and walk around, which can be healthy for them too!

Visit a Friend With Pets

If your senior had to give their pet to a friend, ask their friend if they would let the senior come visit. This is a good way to see their beloved furry friends thrive and make the seniors feel happy with their choice. If your senior didn’t have to give up their pet, find a friend for your senior with pets! Set a friend date so the senior can leave the house, meet the friend, and see the animals.

Find a Low Maintenance Pet

Last but not least, try to find a low-maintenance pet. Your senior loved one may not be able to handle a dog, but they may be able to handle a pet fish or another small pet that requires little care. Evaluate what your senior can do and their energy levels before buying a pet, and always ask home care assistance what they’re comfortable helping with before you make your decisions.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Brooklyn Park, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

February is Library Lovers Month, and if your elderly family member needs help getting to her local library, elder care providers can help. There are also more online options from the library than ever before, so that is something to look into further. Reading has huge benefits for seniors, and doing so regularly can improve your elderly family member’s quality of life in some big ways.

Reducing Stress

Stress is a huge problem for so many people, even seniors. Reading is a great way to relax and to get lost in other worlds and adventures. It turns out that reading is also a fantastic tool for reducing stress levels quickly. Your elderly family member doesn’t have to read anything fancy or complicated. As long as she’s enjoying what she’s reading, that’s the key to getting the results she wants.

Improving Overall Cognitive Function

Reading regularly helps your elderly family member to maintain and even improve her cognitive function, too. This is especially important if your senior is concerned about brain health now and in the future. Talk to her doctor about her risk factors for brain diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to determine what else might help.
Improving Memory

It is also possible that your elderly family member can improve her memory when she reads more often. Much of that possible improvement depends on other factors, such as her current brain health. But the brain makes connections as your senior spends more time reading, and she can find that her memory is at least not getting worse if she’s reading more often.

Helping with Sleep Quality

Reading, especially before bed, can be relaxing enough for your senior that she is able to sleep more easily. She may also find that her sleep quality improves, which can be tremendously helpful in reducing stress, improving cognitive health, and managing chronic health issues. If your elderly family member has lots of trouble with sleep, either getting to sleep or staying asleep, she may want to see if there are underlying medical causes.

Offering a Pleasant Way to Spend Time

Finally, reading is just a fun way to spend some time. That alone can greatly improve your senior’s quality of life. If she feels as if she doesn’t have enough time to read books when she wants to do so, it might be time to have some help from elder care professionals. Elder care providers can help your senior with tasks that are becoming more difficult, giving her time to rest and to do things that improve her life, like spend some time reading.

Not everyone enjoys reading, and some people find reading to be difficult because of eye issues, learning disabilities, and other reasons. Exploring solutions like audiobooks or reading to your loved one could help her to enjoy reading in other ways. She may also want to explore other types of books to find something that truly calls to her. All of these ideas are worth trying out for your senior.

If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Edina, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

Whether it’s his changing health or a recent fall that’s impacted his mobility, your dad is struggling to get outside. He loves going outside in his gardens or for walks around the neighborhood, but he just can’t do it on his own.

A VR headset can make it easy for your dad to get outside and explore a new area. He can do this from the safety of his favorite chair. Here are some of the best tools for helping your dad explore a city or country while feeling he’s actually on his feet and exploring.

Alcove

If your dad is more interested in the activity than the area, Alcove is a good choice. He can go on a stroll through a big city or walk up a mountainside. The VR experiences include hot air balloon rides and hikes along a trail.

Ecosphere

The immersive Ecosphere software brings you on virtual treks in Africa, in the ocean to explore a reef, tour Fiji, or into the rainforest. It was created with the help of the World Wildlife Fund.

Gala360

Gala360’s tours are filmed 360 degrees in 6k quality for some of the best visuals you’ll find in a VR tour. Among the offerings is a walking tour of Kyoto, Japan. The software no longer seems to upload new content, but if your dad is new to it, he’ll have plenty to go through as he catches up.

Homestar VR

Instead of exploring a city or site, your dad can stand in a backyard and explore the night sky. He can find different constellations and have help exploring all of the planets, stars, and galaxies in the sky far above him.

National Geographic Explore VR

National Geographic is known for its amazing photography and documentaries. The magazine also offers a VR Explore program that takes you on virtual journeys exploring a historic site or kayaking in the ocean. Have him scale a wall of ice from the safety of his chair.

Wander

Wander is technically a game where your dad picks an avatar and starts exploring by himself or with others. He can stroll through London’s streets, visit the Taj Mahal, or climb the

A VR headset can lead your dad on amazing journeys, but fresh air is best of all. If he can’t walk on his own, it shouldn’t keep him from getting outside. Companion care at home services pair your dad with a caregiver who can stop by each day and accompany him for a walk.

Talk to your dad about the things he hates doing on his own. Ask him if he has any questions to ask a home care agency. Once you have a list of both his and your questions, talk to a specialist in companion care at home to get the answers you need to book services.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/virtual-reality-and-health

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

The holiday season isn’t always joyous. For seniors who live alone with friends and family far away, or those who have recently lost a spouse, the holidays can be a very lonely time. Seniors already have a high risk of becoming socially isolated. During the holidays, seniors may stop going out, stop calling friends and family members, and retreat into feeing lonely or sad. But there are some things you can do to help your senior feel connected, loved, and not alone during the holiday season. Use these tips to make the holiday season less lonely for a senior loved one:

Bring in Companion Care At Home

Companion care at home is a fantastic option for seniors that don’t have family members close by. When seniors have companion care at home they have daily visits from something that they can talk with, go out to eat with, go shopping with, go to movies with, or share meals with at home. Having regular company to chat with and socially connect with can prevent seniors from becoming isolated, lonely, and depressed. Companion care at home is available everywhere so even senior that don’t live in major cities can access it.

Send Care Packages

When was the last time you sent a good old-fashioned care package? Your senior parent or relative would love to receive a holiday care package on a weekly basis. Packages should contain a mixture of handpicked items that your senior loved one might need or just enjoy. Include things like homemade cookies or treats, warm socks and slippers, good books in large print edition so they are easy to read, craft materials, lots of photos, and any other things that you think they would enjoy. You should make it a mission to send out a big care package to your senior parent or loved one once a week during the holiday season.

Stream Holiday Parties

If your senior loved one can’t come to your holiday parties because they live far away, or if they don’t want to attend parties in person because they are worried about getting sick, you can stream your holiday parties. When you stream a party your senior loved ones can enjoy seeing your home decorated for the holidays and chat with friends and family just like they could if they were actually physically at the party. You can send them snacks and treats in a care package so that they can enjoy some great food while they chat with guests on a webcam or phone video chat.

Daily Phone Check-Ins

You can also schedule a routine five minute check in call with your senior parent everyday. Those quick five minute calls are a fantastic way to help seniors stay connected and let them know you are thinking about them. And they get the chance to hear a friendly voice and have someone ask how they are doing and how their day was. You will feel better knowing your senior loved one is ok and they will feel better knowing someone cares enough to check on them daily.

Look Beyond the Holidays for Support from Companion Care at Home

The holidays are just one of the many times that a senior can begin to feel lonely living alone. Companion care at home can be there to offer your senior companionship, mobility assistance, transportation, meal preparation and more. Once the holidays are over, you can feel confident that your senior parent is cared for and has a friendly face to visit with them on a daily basis. Consider the many benefits of companion care at home for your senior today.

Source
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Eden Prairie, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

If you have been looking at fun activities to do with your senior parent, there are tons of national “days” that celebrate all kinds of things. One day that is coming up soon is National Go Fishing Day, a great idea for something to do with your senior. This day is celebrated on June 18th and celebrating it can highlight how fishing can be beneficial for your senior. Here are a few of the benefits of fishing for your senior, and how home care can play a role:

Health Benefits of Fishing

You may be surprised to find out that fishing does have a few health benefits, which can be even more of a reason to get out on June 18th.

It’s Physical Activity

Staying fit can be incredibly hard as you get older, but fishing can be a good way to get outside and move around. It won’t be draining or physically exhausting, but it will help get a senior moving.

Fishing Helps a Senior Socialize

Fishing with family and friends is a favorite pastime, particularly for the grandkids. A fishing vacation is a great opportunity to spend time with your family, create lasting memories, and have a good time. There are many things to do, from just relaxing in nature to engaging in friendly competitions to see who can catch the largest fish.

It’s Stress Relieving

This is a time for you and your dad to openly talk; it allows you both to get out in nature where you can feel stress-free. Limiting the amount of stress a senior feels is crucial when trying to help them live healthier and longer.

What To Do Instead of Fishing

Not all seniors will like fishing, but maybe your senior mom still wants to celebrate a fun day like this. There are other ways to celebrate this day. You can take your senior mom out on the lake to watch the sunset on a dock or on a boat. You can go fishing and bring back your catch to cook up a nice meal for her. Lastly, you can play go fish, the card game! It’s a way of “fishing” without ever leaving the house.

How Home Care Can Help

Finding ways to keep your senior parents happy while living out the rest of their days can seem impossible. Especially when they have so much free time, and you don’t. If you can’t seem to find the time to help your senior mom or dad throughout the day, it may be time to look into home care providers to help with everyday activities. You may be there for the fun activities once in a while, but your senior parent may need more help than that. It is okay to turn to home care for that additional help that is often needed when an elderly loved one chooses to age in place.

Source
https://nationaltoday.com/national-go-fishing-day/

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in St. Paul, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

How often do you also think about including your brain in daily exercises when you’re working out? Physical activity is also one way to exercise the brain, but there are others.

A study determined that physical activity involving muscle contractions improved attention and memory skills. When mice were put onto treadmills and studied, researchers found that the hippocampus area of the mice’s brains developed new neurons.

Physical activity does help the brain stay healthy, but there are other ways to exercise the brain. Here are some of the best options.

Play Video Games Together

Some video games work on hand-eye coordination. Purchase detective and puzzle games to play with your parents. There are mysteries and puzzles to solve to advance the game’s plot. Games can be set in the past, present, or future.

Some games have you playing as a character, such as the Sherlock Holmes mystery games. You follow the story, look for clues, put the clues together using analytical skills, and solve the crimes or mysteries. There are many games where you must solve puzzles to escape areas or complete a challenge to move to the next level.

Assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle

Purchase jigsaw puzzles to work on together. Challenging puzzles take time, and they require a lot of critical thinking skills as you match colors, patterns within the picture, and shapes of the pieces.

Do a Crossword Together

Print out the daily crossword and complete it with your parents. You may know words they’re struggling to fill in, and they’ll know some you don’t. It works on recollection and vocabulary. Purchase a crossword book if you don’t feel like printing them out.

Take Dance Lessons

Take dance lessons together. Learn by watching videos or enrolling in a class. Dance is a great aerobic workout, but it also requires memorization and counting to get the steps down. You have to remember how to complete the movements in the proper sequence.

Visit Escape Rooms

You’re looking for a fun family outing to go on with your parents. Have you looked into an escape room? Often, you can have a group of up to ten people. The rooms are private, so only family is within the room. Escape rooms are cleaned between groups to prevent the spread of germs.

Work together to solve the puzzles, unlock doors, and work your way to the escape. There are different themes, and escape rooms change regularly. You can visit regularly and try a different room each time.

How Personal Care at Home Can Help

When you aren’t able to be there to help your senior keep their mind busy, personal care at home can step in to help. Personal care at home providers offer more than just medication reminders and ambulatory assistance. Companionship and social engagement are just two of the many other benefits of personal care at home providers.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770965/

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care in Edina, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

People need to connect to others. The desire to be social is ingrained and cannot be ignored. If your mom is feeling lonely or isolated, it impacts her health in many ways. Some of those effects can be incredibly detrimental to her physical health. It also affects her mental health.

What Research Finds Regarding Loneliness and Physical Health

Studies find that loneliness impacts physical health in several ways. Lonely people seem to have higher rates of high blood pressure and obesity, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

It’s also been found that isolated and lonely people seem to have a higher risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. The studies are ongoing, but it’s worth making sure your mom isn’t lonely. If there’s even the slightest chance it can lower her risk, it’s worth it.

Another aspect of loneliness and isolation is that you’re not exposed to as many viruses. The immune system weakens and makes your mom’s body have to fight harder if she comes down with a cold or the flu. Socialization can help the immune system work effectively.

The Impact of Loneliness on Mental Health

In addition to the physical effects, her mental health is impacted by loneliness. She may start experiencing anxiety. Anxiety can spiral out of control and increase your mom’s isolation and loneliness.

When anxiety attacks occur, your mom may feel like she’s having a heart attack. Chest pain, difficulty getting a deep breath, and tingling in the extremities are all signs of an anxiety or panic attack. She might feel lightheaded and about to pass out. That may make her retreat and refuse to leave her home for fear of others seeing her that way.

Depression can impact those who are lonely and isolated. If you notice your mom sleeping less or more, becoming disinterested in things she used to love, or withdrawing from family, she could be experiencing depression.

Steps to Take to Help Your Mom

How do you keep your mom from feeling lonely or isolated? Make sure she volunteers as much as possible. Ensure family members and friends visit as often as possible. Beyond that, arrange companion care at home to make sure she’s never alone.

Caregivers stop by to help your mom complete daily activities. While they’re there helping her cook, clean, and do the laundry, they’re also engaging her socially. Call an expert in companion care at home to learn more.

Sources:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Plymouth, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

October is National Adopt A Shelter Dog month which means it’s a great time to find the perfect canine companion for your senior loved one. Dogs are wonderful pets for seniors. And having a pet can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, lower cholesterol levels, and help seniors manage the symptoms of depression. But it’s important that you choose the right kind of dog for your senior loved one. Use these tips to find a dog that will fit perfectly with your senior loved one:

Match Your Senior’s Energy Level

In order to find the right dog for your senior parent you should consider your senior loved one’s energy level and the dog’s energy level. If your senior loved one has a lot of energy and is always on the go wanting to get out and see new things a high energy dog that likes to be always doing something would be a good fit for them. If your senior parent is less energetic and prefers to nap on the couch then a dog with a more laid back attitude is going to be a better fit. Look for a dog that has the same interest and energy as your parent to make sure they won’t get frustrated with each other.

Don’t Discount Senior Dogs

Sometimes people assume that puppies are the best companions but senior dogs are often a better fit for senior people. Senior dogs enjoy a good nap and don’t need as much walking and activity and interaction as younger dogs. Puppies that need training may be perfect for some seniors but other seniors may prefer a dog that is going to be a more laid back companion. Senior dogs also usually are the last to be adopted so there are always lots of senior dogs that are looking for good homes.

Consider The Dog’s Needs

You can find a wide mix of dog breeds at any pet shelter. When you’re choosing a companion dog for a senior keep in mind that different breeds have very different needs. Some breeds need a lot of walking and exercise daily while others are fine with short walks and don’t require a lot of maintenance. Some breeds are more high-strung than others and wouldn’t do well in high-stress environments. Ask some of the shelter staff what breed would be the best for your senior parent and their particular living situation.

Get Some Help With Daily Care

If you’re worried about your senior loved one’s ability to make sure that the dog gets walked and taken outside regularly a personal care at home provider can help both your senior loved one and the dog. When your senior loved one is getting regular visits from a personal care at home provider they will also be able help move heavy bags of dog food, clean the dog’s dishes, and wash blankets and beds. With the extra support from a personal care at home provider your senior parent can get all the benefits of having a dog and a deserving dog can get a loving forever home.

Source:
https://petsfortheelderly.org/our-work/research.php

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Eagan, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

Senior home care can help a lot when a family is worried about their loved ones. However, the senior is still a part of your family, and you should make an effort to go see them multiple times a month. They will want to see your kids and spend quality time with you. It can be so important for a senior’s mental health to still feel included in their family.

When seniors get lonely, it can impact their mental and physical health more than you might know. Fall is coming up in a few short weeks, and it’s time to get your older loved ones out of the house and enjoy some fall activities with your family.

Ask their senior home care providers for ideas if you are worried about what activities your senior parent or grandparent can’t do. They will tell you how mobile they are and how long of activities they like to do. This year is going to be the best year to enjoy activities outside. Here are some fun fall activities you can take your family and beloved senior to do.

Fun Fall Outdoor Activities

There are so many fun ways to spice up senior living; you just have to get creative. If your parents or grandparents have a senior home care specialist, get them in on the fun. Here are some easy ideas that your senior might love to do with the whole family.

Ghost Tours

Many towns offer tours where you can sit with your senior on a carriage or bus and learn about the haunted places in the town. This is a fun way for you guys to spend a fall evening and it doesn’t involve too much walking! It can be a fun and spooky way to enjoy this fall. Best of all, it gets your senior out of the house.

Pumpkin Patch

Nothing screams outside fall activities like a pumpkin patch. In most towns there will be one or two pumpkin patches to choose from. This is a great option to take seniors to because there are usually short walks that are easy and bathrooms nearby. Some pumpkin patches even have short rides to and from the patches! This makes it an easy activity for the whole family to enjoy.

S’mores!

If you plan on doing a fire in your backyard, invite your parents or grandparent over too. They will love spending time with the family around a warm fire pit or bonfire. You can invite their senior home care specialist to drive them and help them with hotdogs and s’mores. This is a fun fall activity that will bring you and your senior together.

Fall Family Photos

It can be so much fun to take a family photoshoot with the seniors and kids. This allows you to get your kids, parents, or grandparents involved. Not to mention, all of the colors of fall can be captured in a stunning photo. It may also make excellent Christmas cards.

If you are worried about picking up your senior, have the senior home care assistant help out. Part of their job is to ensure your seniors get places they need to go. While you are watching them at the event, the caregiver can go do other household chores for the senior.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Maple Grove, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.