Today we visit with Joel Denney at CareBuilders At Home. He shares with us what sets them apart from others, including their focus on their caregivers and in-home technology. We also hear about success stories and how they go above and beyond for families. For further information or assistance, please reach out.
Tuesdays with Ted – CareBuilders At Home from first impreSSions on Vimeo.
It’s a fact that seniors who are overweight have a higher risk of developing some serious health conditions. Overweight seniors can develop diabetes or increase the chances of having a stroke or a heart attack. They also may struggle with mobility issues or painful joints as a result of the extra weight. Doctors often recommend that seniors who are overweight try diets and exercise to get down to a healthy weight. But is a calorie deficit for weight loss harmful for seniors? Unless recommended by a doctor and carried about under a doctor’s supervision, a calorie deficit could be an unhealthy choice for seniors.
In order to lose weight a senior needs to burn more calories than they eat. So theoretically eating fewer calories while not changing anything about their lifestyle should help a senior lose weight without having to increase the amount of exercise that they’re doing. A calorie deficit is a specific reduction in calories used to lose weight. However, it’s not as simple or as effective as it sounds.
One of the biggest flaws in the calorie deficit plan to lose weight is that a calorie deficit doesn’t regard one type of food as more benefit as the other. The only thing that matters is the amount of calories eaten. But food isn’t eaten just for calories. Foods contain the vitamins and minerals that people need to fuel their bodies and brains. Some foods that are higher in calories, like meat, also have larger amounts of essential vitamins and minerals. Calories aren’t all that matter when it comes to choosing foods.
According to the latest data the number of seniors who are malnourished could be over 50%. That means that 1 in 2 seniors aren’t getting enough calories or enough of the vitamins and minerals they need. A calorie deficit could be very harmful for seniors who are already not getting the nutrition they need. Seniors should be making smart food choices, but cutting out calories isn’t a smart food choice unless a doctor has prescribed it for your senior loved one. If your senior parent is on a calorie deficit prescribed by a doctor a home care provider can help your senior loved one choose foods that fit the eating plan recommended by the doctor and help prepare them. But seniors should never start a calorie deficit unless their doctor tells them to.
Meals and nutrition can be complicated for seniors, especially for seniors who take medications that might make them gain weight but also take away their appetite. The best way for seniors to lose weight if they are overweight is to have their doctor prescribe a way of eating that will provide the nutrition they need while also cutting enough calories to lose weight. But fad diets can be very dangerous for seniors. So seniors and their families should always get medical advice before starting any kind of weight loss journey.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calorie-deficit
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-to-know-about-malnutrition-in-older-adults
One of the marks of an experienced caregiver is being able to provide exceptional end-of-life care. Ali does just that; he has begun caring for a client who recently came home from the hospital on hospice. This client—a 93-year-old retired local official—was not expected to live more than a week or two since returning home. Amazingly, the client has shown great improvement since his time with Ali.
Thanks to Ali’s help, the client is up and walking, eating a healthy diet, and enjoying life’s pleasures again such as holding hands with his wife. Ali and the client even pray together every morning to start the day off right.
The client’s son stated that Ali texts each of the children on a daily basis. The updates, which include photos and videos of their time together, are a comforting reminder that their dad is in great care. One of the videos included Ali and the client singing and tapping their feet to music, and another showed them eating dessert together in front of the fireplace.
“Ali has also shared his own meal with my dad without expecting compensation,” he said. As a caregiver, Ali has demonstrated an awareness for when to give the client and his family privacy, and when to interact with the client, often seasoning the conversation with some lighthearted humor.
“He is very attentive and goes out of his way to provide excellent care,” said Vicki, director of nursing at CareBuilders.
The little things that Ali does, such as having his client eat at the dining room table again, make Ali’s care so exceptional. Thanks, Ali for all that you do!
Many of the monthly celebrations are fairly specific with how you observe the holiday in question. Bath safety month is clear cut, for instance. But others, like International Creativity Month in January might feel like a head scratcher at first. That’s the beauty of creativity, though. You can apply it in so many ways.
Explore Hobby Ideas with Your Senior
Has your elderly family member been feeling a little bored or cooped up lately? Exploring different hobby options is a great way to liven things up. There are so many different options for hobbies ranging from arts and crafts to knitting, dancing, and more. Your elderly family member might even make a hobby out of exploring hobby ideas.
Find Volunteer Opportunities in the Community
Volunteering in the community might not seem like something creative at first, but it really is. First, there’s creativity involved in choosing a way to help the community and to meet a need. Your senior might volunteer with schools or with the local library or a number of other places. She’ll also meet new people, which is a way to see how other people are being creative.
See if There are Ways to Apply Creativity to Your Senior’s Daily Life
Daily life can become rote for your senior very quickly. Routines are great, but they can also become stifling for some people. How could your senior’s daily life get a boost? Applying creative answers to that question can do a lot to make life a lot more interesting and fun for your senior family member.
Look at How You Can Creatively Solve Problems for Your Senior
You may need to use some creativity, too. Aging brings with it some situations that often need to be handled as creatively as possible. Are you running into difficulties getting everything done? Maybe it’s time to get some help, but no one can step in with you. Home care services are a creative solution that often get overlooked. See how they can help you to improve your senior’s quality of life.
Creativity is a big part of daily life for everyone, and it’s an important aspect to nurture. By actively looking for ways to celebrate creativity now and all year around, you and your senior may find that it’s a lot easier for you to meet her needs on a consistent basis. She’ll also have a lot more fun in general.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
