For Seniors and Family Caregivers: Three Great Wellness Resolutions for 2017

This is the time of year when we take stock of the previous year, and make note of changes we’d like to make in our lives. Maybe your list of resolutions includes ways to improve your financial health, such as saving more and spending less. Maybe you’d like to improve yourself in other ways—volunteering more, learning a new skill or taking a yoga class.

Need a few more great ideas? If you’re an older adult or a family caregiver—or, more likely these days, both—here are three research-based resolutions that can improve your health and well-being.

Resolution #1: Make time for exercise.

Each year, research confirms that physical activity is the top factor for healthy aging. 2016 was no exception! Of particular note is that even people who are active can be harmed if they spend most of the day sitting. Spending most of the day sitting harms the heart and brain—even for people who exercise regularly. Resolve to be more active, even in small ways. Exercise doesn’t have to be in one solid block; fifteen minutes here and there can be just as beneficial.

For seniors: Geriatrics researchers tell us that even frail seniors can benefit from increased activity. Talk to your healthcare provider about an exercise program that is appropriate for your health condition. Look into senior fitness classes, or perhaps a set of home exercises that includes aerobic, flexibility and strengthening activities.

For family caregivers:  Busy family caregivers find that exercise drops to the bottom of their to-do list—or off the list entirely. But these people who do so much for their loved ones should remember that inactivity raises the risk of heart disease, cancer and even Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise is a top way to overcome stress and improve overall health. If you are having trouble scheduling a workout, it might be time to ask other family members and friends to help.

Resolution #2: Expand your social circle.

We used to think of socializing as just a way to pass the time, but research over the past few years has overwhelmingly demonstrated that spending time with others protects the brain, heart, our emotional well-being, even our immune system.

For seniors: Older adults can be at greater risk of isolation and loneliness. Leading expert Dr. John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago even says, “Chronic loneliness belongs among other health risks, such as smoking, obesity or lack of exercise.” Sensory and mobility impairment, giving up the car keys and losing friends who have passed away or moved all make socializing more of a challenge—but it’s worth the effort to find opportunities to be around other people. Several studies also show that while spending time with family is good, seniors also need to spend time with people they consider to be peers. Even social networking sites, such as Facebook, can offer solid socialization benefits. These sites are not as good as “in real life” friends, but for many, they offer company and stimulation.

For caregivers:  Many caregivers, too, experience loneliness. Even as they are spending a lot of time in the company of their loved one, they miss socializing with friends. Their busy schedule, fatigue, and in some cases, fair-weather friends who stop calling, can leave them feeling isolated and depressed. This year, resolve to make a lunch date with old friends … and in addition, make some new friends. Have you tried a support group? Sharing your thoughts and suggestions with others is a great stress-buster and many long-lasting friendships have begun in this context.

Resolution #3:  Take a good, hard look at your alcohol use.

Do you sometimes have a bit too much champagne on New Year’s Eve and wake up on January 1 with headache and other symptoms of a hangover? If so, you are not alone. If this was a one-time indulgence, remember to cut back on those toasts next year. But if you drink more than you should on a regular basis, consider that the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has named alcohol abuse by people over 65 as one of the fastest-growing health problems in the U.S.!

For seniors: While there may be some health benefits from consuming a small or moderate amount of alcohol, drinking too much negates those benefits and worsens many health conditions. It damages the liver and can lead to malnutrition and fall injuries. It damages the brain, and affects our sleep quality. And when seniors mix alcohol with prescription drugs, the combination can be deadly. If you are worried about a loved one’s drinking, encourage him or her to talk to their healthcare provider about counseling or a support group that is geared toward the needs of older adults.

For caregivers: If you’re worried about your own drinking, all the above suggestions are for you, too. But remember that caring for a person with a substance abuse problem also can quickly become your problem. You can’t force another person to deal with a drinking problem. Your loved one may be defensive or in denial and may try to conceal the problem. If the conversation isn’t going well, talk to a counselor or specialist. Join a support group for families of people with alcohol dependency. And take care of yourself.

Kaiser Health News Reports on Plight of Family Caregivers

Elderly Americans’ well-being is at risk unless the U.S. does much more to help millions of family caregivers who sacrifice their own health, finances and personal lives to look out for loved ones, reported a study released in September.

Nearly 18 million people care for a relative older than 65 who needs help, yet “the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the most significant challenges” facing the nation’s swelling elderly population, their families and society, according to the report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Describing family caregiving as “a critical issue of public policy,” a committee of experts in health care and aging said the next presidential administration in 2017 should direct a national strategy to develop ways to support caregivers, including economically.

According to the report, people who help elderly family members with three or more personal tasks a day devote 253 hours a month to caregiving — almost the equivalent of two full-time jobs.

Five years is the median duration that family members care for older adults with high needs, the report said.

For some Americans who accept that responsibility, that can mean taking a less demanding job, foregoing promotions or dropping out of the workforce.

Lost wages and benefits average $303,880 over the lifetimes of people 50 and older who stop working to care for a parent, according to a study cited in the report. That’s not all: A lower earnings history also means reduced Social Security payments for caregivers when they become eligible.

A possible fix for that problem, proposed by researchers in 2009, is to provide caregivers with a Social Security credit for a defined level of deemed wages during a specified time period, the report said.

Leave programs do exist for some workers shouldering caregiving duties, but many lack such job protections.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act doesn’t cover 40 percent of the workforce. It allows eligible employees to take 12 weeks of unpaid time off to care for certain family members, but the law only applies to those who work for federal, state and local governments and private companies with more than 50 employees. But ineligible family relationships for leave include sons- and daughters-in-law, stepchildren, grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews. Many workers can’t afford to give up their incomes for 12 weeks.

In 2011, 17 percent of caregivers didn’t take leave because they feared losing their jobs, according to a national survey cited in the report.

The report recommends that family caregivers receive status as a protected class under existing job discrimination laws and that employers get guidance and training on ways to support workers caring for family members.

Beyond the economic costs of caregiving, the report notes that the social and physical toll of caregiving should get more attention than it does.

“If their needs are not recognized and addressed, family caregivers risk burnout from the prolonged distress and physical demands of caregiving, and the nation will bear the costs,” the report said.

Instead of delivering “patient-centered” care, health care providers should adopt “family-centered” models that include checking with caregivers to ensure they are healthy and capable of filling the role. The report also recommended wellness visits, counseling sessions and better training for caregivers who must understand increasingly complicated medical instructions.

Dealing with feeding and drainage tubes, catheters and other complicated medical devices causes stress, and the study’s authors noted that caregivers report “learning by trial and error and fearing that they will make a life-threatening mistake.”

The study was funded by 13 private foundations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and an anonymous donor that requested the National Academies undertake the research in 2014.

‘Tis the Season … to Practice Decorating Safety!

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that each year during the holiday season, 15,000 people rush to the emergency department due to injuries involving decorating. Falling from a ladder or stepping on broken ornaments may be funny in holiday movies, but in real life, these and similar mishaps result in visits to the emergency room, or calls to fire departments, for thousands of consumers each year.

“There are about 250 injuries a day during the holiday season. Adding safety to your checklist can keep a holiday tradition from becoming a holiday tragedy,” said CPSC Commissioner Robert S. Adler. “Keep Christmas trees watered well, don’t leave candles unattended, and use caution whenever you are on a ladder.”

The most frequently reported holiday decorating incidents seen in emergency departments involved falls (34 percent), lacerations (11 percent) and back strains (10 percent). And fire departments nationwide respond to hundreds of fires each year in which candles or the Christmas tree are the first items ignited, resulting in death, injuries and millions of dollars in property loss.

To prevent fires, discard holiday light sets with evidence of damage such as broken sockets and bare wires, water Christmas trees frequently, and always extinguish candles before leaving a room.

Consumers can use the following safety tips as a guide to help prevent decorating disasters this holiday season:

Ladders

1. Heed the warning labels on ladders. (For more information, read CPSC’s OnSafety blog, “Ladder Safety 101,” for tips to prevent ladder falls this season.)

Trees and Decorations

1. Buying a live tree? Check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, its needles are hard to pull from branches, and the needles do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
2. Setting up a tree at home? Place it away from heat sources, such as fireplaces, vents, and radiators. Because heated rooms rapidly dry out live trees, be sure to monitor water levels daily, and keep the tree stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of foot traffic, and do not block doorways with the tree.
3. Buying an artificial tree? Look for the label: “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean that the tree will not catch fire, the label does indicate that the tree is more resistant to catching fire.
4. Decorating a tree in a home with small children? Take special care to avoid sharp, weighted, or breakable decorations. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children, who could swallow or inhale small pieces. Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that might tempt a child to reach for and swallow them.

Candles

1. Keep burning candles within sight. Extinguish all candles before you go to bed, leave the room, or leave the house.
2. Keep candles on a stable, heat-resistant surface. Place candles where kids and pets cannot reach them or knock them over. Lighted candles should be placed away from items that can catch fire, such as trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.

Lights

1. Use lights that have been tested. Select lights tested for safety by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Intertek (ETL) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Lights for both indoor and outdoor use must meet strict requirements that testing laboratories are able to verify. On decorative lights available in stores, UL’s red holographic label signifies that the product meets safety requirements for indoor and outdoor use. UL’s green holographic label signifies that the product meets requirements for indoor use only.
2. Check each set of lights. Examine new and old lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets, and do not use electric lights on a metallic tree.
3. Check each extension cord. Make sure each extension cord is rated for the intended use and is in good condition. Do not use cords with cuts or signs of fraying.
4. Check outdoor lights for labels. Look for labels indicating that the lights have been certified for outdoor use, and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)-protected receptacle or a portable GFCI.

Fireplaces

1. Use care with “fire salts.” Fire salts produce colored flames when thrown onto wood fires. Fire salts contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting, if swallowed. Keep fire salts away from children.
2. Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result from burning wrapping papers because wrappings can ignite suddenly and burn intensely.