Columbia Aged Care

Lifting and transferring your loved ones can often be a difficult task for many caregivers. If the wrong techniques are implemented then caregivers are at risk of injuring themselves or their loved one. That is why it’s so important for caregivers to learn safe lifting techniques.

Aged Carer has provided some tips on how to safely lift and transfer your loved one without injuring them or yourself.

1. Encourage your loved one to participate
If your loved one is able to, ask them to move to the edge of the chair and push up from the seat. This will help exercise their mobility and muscle strength as well as reduce the risk of injury.

2. Use transfer devices and lifting equipment
Always try to avoid lifting your loved one by yourself. Use equipment such as slide sheets, hoists, lifters, slings and powered lift chairs.

3. Use proper body mechanics
Never lift your loved one by bending your back. Always ensure that your knees are bent and your back is kept straight.

4. Don’t lift under the arms!
Avoid lifting your loved one from under their arms as you may become unbalanced or risk injuring yourself. Your loved ones can often experience discomfort or shoulder injuries when pulled up by the arms. You should support your loved one by placing one hand on their shoulder and the other on their lower back.

Caregivers can seek additional advice on the best lifting equipment and techniques from an occupational therapist or physiotherapist.

Read the full article here.

By giving your loved one a mobile, you are giving them a small, portable and light emergency link to you, reducing the stress and worry carers feel when separated. A mobile is something they can carry around with them when they go anywhere, whether it be from room to room or when they go on trips out of town.

However, mobiles have so much functionality it may prove difficult to stop your loved one from feeling intimidated and deflecting the suggestion that they need a mobile phone.

Boomers With Elderly Parents have written some great tips about how to look at, and talk about, using mobile phones without intimidating your loved one.

• Functionality: keep it simple, try to find an end of cycle or starter model that doesn’t have all the technological bells and whistles younger generations love.
• Cost: find a service provider that offers simple plans that can be customised for local use only or have a fixed price per month.
• Ease of use: take the time to teach your loved one how to use the device and limit the amount functions they have to accomplish to stay in contact.
• Speed-dialling: this function is especially useful for when caring for a loved one whose memory is becoming affected.

To read the full article, click here

Gardening is an enjoyable pastime and it can benefit seniors in many ways. It is a therapeutic activity that promotes good health, wellbeing and relaxation. Gardening is also an excellent form of exercise for mobility, flexibility, strength and endurance. This type of activity helps prevent medical conditions such as osteoporosis and reduces stress levels.

 Disabled-World.com has provided some great words of advice for seniors who garden or want to start gardening.

• Warm up: this will help reduce muscle soreness felt later on.
• Keep hydrated: drink plenty of liquids and avoid alcohol.
• Be sun safe: always be sure your loved one is wearing sun protective gear such as a hat, long sleeved shirt and sunscreen and that they garden in the morning or afternoon to avoid the hottest parts of the day.
• Be careful with power tools: even small ones can burden worn or weary hands.
• Use adaptive tools: garden tools can be modified to suit the needs of seniors.
• Memory: If your loved one’s memory is becoming affected, securing gates and fences can help keep them safe while still allowing them to care for their garden.

It is important to know your loved ones limitations and make sure they don’t push themselves.

For more tips, read the full article here

It is no secret that as you grow older, health becomes a major aspect of life. However, growing older should not be synonymous with bad health. Improving on your health as much as you can will ensure the best quality of life.
 
One of the most important parts of leading a healthy lifestyle is to stay physically active. Without regular exercise, people over the age of forty are at risk of suffering from a range of health problems. Making even the smallest of changes to your physical lifestyle can benefit you and your body. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day (or most days) is extremely beneficial. However, if you are finding it hard to get active, here are some tips from Aged Care Australia:

• Choose activities you enjoy and find interesting. You more likely to keep up with an exercise routine if it’s fun, rather than a chore.
• Make a plan – start off slowly, and aim for small improvements. Keep track of your progress in a training diary for added motivation.
• Exercise with friends. They can help you keep to your plan, remain motivated and be a social occasion.
• Choose appropriate clothing, for example loose clothes and supportive shoes.
• Don't let yourself dehydrate – drink plenty of water before, during and after your activity.
• Don't exercise in hot weather or immediately after meals.

Read the full article HERE.

If your loved one has trouble hearing, there are ways you can improve communication. This will reduce the frustration and anger that can come with hearing loss.

Even if your loved one wears a hearing aid, they may still have trouble hearing effectively, especially in social gatherings. Aged Carer has offered the following tips to make communication easier:

• Before speaking, make sure you have your loved one’s attention and are not standing too far away.
• When possible, have conversations in a quiet environment and avoid background noise such as music, television, radio and traffic noise.
• You should speak a little louder than usual, but don’t shout. Ensure that your lip movements, facial expressions and gestures are can be seen. These make your meaning clearer.
• Use simple language and get to the point.
• Repeat or rephrase key messages to make sure that your loved one doesn’t get lost in the conversation. This will help in situations like seeing a doctor.

Hearing loss doesn’t mean an end to communicating – you just need to be aware of how to make conversation easier for your loved one.

Read the full article HERE.

When cooking for an elderly person, you should take into account their dietary and physical requirements. It’s easy to overlook simple yet important factors such as serving food that your loved one will be able to eat if they have dentures.

eHow have provided some hints for cooking for an elderly person. Some of their top tips are:

• Serve a smaller portion. People need fewer calories as they grow older and shouldn’t eat as much as younger adults.
• Check whether there are any dietary restrictions that accompany your loved one’s medications.
• Serve foods with a low sugar content if your loved one is diabetic or at risk of becoming diabetic. You may like to consult a diabetic recipe book.
• If your loved one wears dentures, avoid serving chewy or sticky foods that may be difficult to eat.

Whether you cook regularly for your loved one, or only occasionally, take into account their differing needs. Your loved one will feel much more comfortable when you follow these few simple tips.

Read the full article HERE.

Falls are all too common among elderly people, but you can reduce the chance of your loved one falling by taking steps to identify potential risks and removing them.

Healthline have provided some useful tips to help your loved one stay safe.

• Be proactive. Some health conditions and medications cause dizziness or loss of balance and can make your loved one more likely to have a fall. A doctor may be able to assist with choosing medications that will reduce this.
• Make your home fall safe. Map out problematic areas of the home like stairs, and install hand rails or take alternative measures to make these areas safer. Keep the floor clear of shoes and anything that might be a tripping risk. Keep a wide walking path around tables and chairs.
• Stay physically active. Exercises such as walking, gentle stretching or yoga will improve balance and coordination, making your loved one less likely to have a fall.
• Be shoe smart. Choose shoes with ankle support and rubber soles. Don’t wear shoes that are too big or are loosely fitting as they present a tripping hazard.

If your loved one has had a fall in the past, use the experience as a lesson to prevent another one. If possible, make a change so that the same problem doesn’t cause another fall.

Read the full article HERE.

As your loved one grows older it is important that they maintain contact with friends or make new ones to avoid them becoming lonely. Group activities can be a way to see and learn new things, laugh with people and stay happy and healthy.

Your loved one can easily join in with an existing group activity, or organise their own. Group activities can ease loneliness and depression, bringing physical and psychological benefits. Old Age Health Tips have provided some great ideas:

• Meeting friends. Your loved one will feel cheerful after even a short chat with a friend. Maintain old friendships by meeting regularly for a cup of tea or a walk.
• Explore the world – or just the city. Join an organised tour with a friend or by yourself. Your loved one might find pleasure in exploring a new country, or even just a nearby town or garden.
• Senior dancing. Your loved one may like to learn a few dance steps – and they will be sure to share many more laughs.
• Clubs. Encourage your loved one to join a hobby group that matches their interest. There are endless types, like golf, church, singing, exercise, craft and book clubs.

Group activities will help your loved one surround themself with old friends and new ones, and maybe even find a new interest or skill.

Read the full article HERE.

It can be hard to find activities that are not too physically demanding, yet are entertaining and engaging for the elderly. Consider art and craft activities for your loved one, which come in a range of skill levels to suit all ages and abilities.

Love To Know have provided a great selection of creative activities for the elderly, but don’t stop here – the possibilities are endless!

• Scrapbooking is a great way to enjoy photographs and stimulate memories. With common equipment like scissors, glue, art paper, stickers, and  items like photographs and letters, your loved one will be on their way to creating a masterpiece. Scrapbooks make thoughtful gifts for friends or family members, as a memento of a holiday or special occasion.
• Beading. Craft stores stock a large range of beautiful beads with which your loved one can create necklaces, bracelets or earrings that make unique gifts. They may even like to take a jewellery-making class.
• Photography is an activity that can be carried out anywhere, because there are so many potential subjects. It can be as simple or professional as your loved one is capable of. Some interesting subjects might be people, plants, animals or buildings.

Creative activities are continually engaging because as your loved one refines their skills, they will learn new techniques that provide new challenges. If none of the above activities are possible, try to think of other activities – maybe painting or card making. There’s sure to be something that your loved one will enjoy.

Read the full article HERE.

As our parents age, it can be difficult to maintain a close relationship with them. Their emotional needs and behaviour change, and things that you once had in common with your parents may not remain.

The article ‘How to better understand our aging parents’, on eHow, provides some tips on how you can have a strong relationship with your parents as they age.

• Free yourself of guilt. As people grow older, they may lose friends or their spouse, and their bodies will change along with their activities. This is a natural part of aging and once you accept that you cannot stop the aging process, you can help them cope with the changes.
• When communicating with your parents, take into account your differing perspectives. Think about the times in which they grew up and the values that they have. They may not like to show weakness or tell you about pain simply because they are your parent.
• Be attentive and talk to them. Remember that they have a right to their opinions, and if you don’t agree with them, don’t argue. Instead, try to understand how their opinions may have been formed.
• Show them that they are important by spending time with them. Ask them out for coffee, have dinner with them or watch their favourite television show with them. Don’t underestimate the power of the physical contact of a hug or a touch of the hand.

Patience, empathy and time shared together will help you maintain a close, positive relationship with your parents as they grow older. By helping them to feel loved and appreciated, you will help them adapt to the changes that come with aging.

Read the full article HERE.