Q. I think my 86-year-old dad has dementia or something worse. He is becoming forgetful and I fear he is no longer safe at home. As a result, I am at his house more frequently. This is putting a strain on my own job and family life. My siblings don’t think this is a big deal, though. They just say dad is getting old.
The real social costs of cognitive impairments among older adults are being greatly underestimated without counting care given to older Americans who have not yet reached the diagnostic threshold for dementia, according to a recent study from the University of Michigan.
“We were surprised to learn how much time family members spend caring for loved ones who have some cognitive impairment, but whose impairments are not severe enough to be classified as dementia,” said Gwenith Fisher, a psychologist at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR).
“These caregivers are dealing with many of the burdens of caring for an older, cognitively impaired family member, but they may not be eligible for much of the help available unless the diagnosis is dementia.”
Most of the caregivers in the study were female family members, most often daughters, of the care recipient. Just over 70 percent were caring for a family member diagnosed with dementia, while just under 30 percent were caring for a family member diagnosed as having "cognitive impairment, not dementia" (CIND). The researchers found that dementia caregivers spent approximately nine hours a day providing care, compared with about four hours a day provided by CIND caregivers. Between one-quarter and one-third of those with CIND were receiving some kind of family care.
Please encourage your father to get a physical and a diagnosis from a doctor he trusts. This can help you determine how best to get your dad the resources he needs. Also, consider respite care for you and your dad. Home Instead Senior Care® hires CAREGivers who could come to his home a few hours a week to take some of the time commitment and stress off of you. CAREGivers serve as companions and assist with meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, shopping and errands.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1. To learn more about the survey, visit http://www.healthcanal.com/mental-health-behavior/15507-Study-shows-real-social-costs-caring-for-cognitively-impaired-elders.html.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
More Seniors Surviving Cancer, Study Reveals
Q. I have just survived my second bout with breast cancer and I am thrilled to have beaten this again. Although, at age 82, the treatments took a toll on me and I am very weak and unable to do what I once did. Yet I am encouraged that I am disease free.
You should take heart in your prognosis. Congratulations. You are in good company, according to a recent research study. The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007 and seven million of those were senior citizens, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It appears about one of five seniors is a cancer survivor.
The largest numbers of survivors with female breast cancer were ages 65-84 years (1.2 million) and 40-64 years (just over 1 million), according to the research results. Approximately 1.1 million of the 11.7 million cancer survivors had lived with a diagnosis of cancer for at least 25 years; of those survivors, 75.4 percent were females.
Other highlights of the study:
• Among cancer survivors on January 1, 2007, an estimated 64.8 percent had lived with a diagnosis of cancer for at least five years; of those survivors, 57.2 percent were females.
• Among all cancer survivors, 54.3 percent were female, and 45.7 percent were male.
The authors note that the increase in number of cancer survivors is due to many factors, including a growing aging population, early detection, improved diagnostic methods, more effective treatment, and improved clinical follow-up after treatment.
It may not be unusual for cancer treatments to weaken individuals. Talk to your doctor about whether this is normal for you and ask what you could do about it. Then consider getting more help around your home until you are stronger. Home Instead Senior Care® hires CAREGivers who go into the homes of seniors to assist them with such tasks as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping.
CAREGivers are often called to assist seniors while they are recovering from illness, injury or surgery; they are screened, trained, bonded and insured.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the study, visit http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/2011/survivorshipMMWR2011.
You should take heart in your prognosis. Congratulations. You are in good company, according to a recent research study. The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007 and seven million of those were senior citizens, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It appears about one of five seniors is a cancer survivor.
The largest numbers of survivors with female breast cancer were ages 65-84 years (1.2 million) and 40-64 years (just over 1 million), according to the research results. Approximately 1.1 million of the 11.7 million cancer survivors had lived with a diagnosis of cancer for at least 25 years; of those survivors, 75.4 percent were females.
Other highlights of the study:
• Among cancer survivors on January 1, 2007, an estimated 64.8 percent had lived with a diagnosis of cancer for at least five years; of those survivors, 57.2 percent were females.
• Among all cancer survivors, 54.3 percent were female, and 45.7 percent were male.
The authors note that the increase in number of cancer survivors is due to many factors, including a growing aging population, early detection, improved diagnostic methods, more effective treatment, and improved clinical follow-up after treatment.
It may not be unusual for cancer treatments to weaken individuals. Talk to your doctor about whether this is normal for you and ask what you could do about it. Then consider getting more help around your home until you are stronger. Home Instead Senior Care® hires CAREGivers who go into the homes of seniors to assist them with such tasks as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping.
CAREGivers are often called to assist seniors while they are recovering from illness, injury or surgery; they are screened, trained, bonded and insured.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the study, visit http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/2011/survivorshipMMWR2011.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Prevent Blindness...Eat More Fish, Study Says
Q. My mother suffers from macular degeneration – which has left her nearly blind – and her quality of life has slipped considerably. She can rarely do anything around the house anymore. What can I do to prevent getting this terrible disease and help her?
Macular degeneration is a big problem in the U.S. and is the leading cause of vision loss in senior citizens. An estimated nine million U.S. adults ages 40 years and older show signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to research that appeared in an issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
An additional 7.3 million persons have early age-related macular degeneration, which does increase the risk of progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration. That’s why this new study is particularly important, not just for you and your mother, but millions of others at risk for this disease.
The regular consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish is associated with a significantly reduced risk for women of developing age-related macular degeneration, according to the study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Results for fish intake showed that consumption of one or more servings of fish per week, when compared to less than one per month, was associated with a 42 percent lower risk of age-related macular degeneration. Researchers say the lower risk appeared to be due primarily to consumption of canned tuna fish and dark-meat fish.
Regular eye exams for you and your mother could help you learn how to reduce the risks for this disease and ensure that your mom is getting the proper care for her condition.
Also, please encourage your mother to get assistance around the house. She could be putting her health at risk. Seniors who suffer from eye conditions such as macular degeneration sometimes can’t see their medications or perform the activities that are important to daily life such as meal preparation and housekeeping. She likely would be unable to drive so errands and shopping also could be needs.
These are all functions that a professional caregiver could assist your mother with as well as take some of the load off of you. CAREGivers from Home Instead Senior Care® are screened, trained, bonded and insured. Contact the local office today to learn more.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the study, go to http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org/resources/information.aspx?post=a1ce1651-348c-46e0-92e1-9dfae30cf0a3.
Macular degeneration is a big problem in the U.S. and is the leading cause of vision loss in senior citizens. An estimated nine million U.S. adults ages 40 years and older show signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to research that appeared in an issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
An additional 7.3 million persons have early age-related macular degeneration, which does increase the risk of progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration. That’s why this new study is particularly important, not just for you and your mother, but millions of others at risk for this disease.
The regular consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish is associated with a significantly reduced risk for women of developing age-related macular degeneration, according to the study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Results for fish intake showed that consumption of one or more servings of fish per week, when compared to less than one per month, was associated with a 42 percent lower risk of age-related macular degeneration. Researchers say the lower risk appeared to be due primarily to consumption of canned tuna fish and dark-meat fish.
Regular eye exams for you and your mother could help you learn how to reduce the risks for this disease and ensure that your mom is getting the proper care for her condition.
Also, please encourage your mother to get assistance around the house. She could be putting her health at risk. Seniors who suffer from eye conditions such as macular degeneration sometimes can’t see their medications or perform the activities that are important to daily life such as meal preparation and housekeeping. She likely would be unable to drive so errands and shopping also could be needs.
These are all functions that a professional caregiver could assist your mother with as well as take some of the load off of you. CAREGivers from Home Instead Senior Care® are screened, trained, bonded and insured. Contact the local office today to learn more.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the study, go to http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org/resources/information.aspx?post=a1ce1651-348c-46e0-92e1-9dfae30cf0a3.
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