mental health Archives - Page 2 of 4

Sadly, many people in hospitals or nursing homes receive care that aligns not with their wishes. Aging adults need to voice their end-of-life requests to their families and caretakers. One of the biggest requests by aging adults is the desire to die at home surrounded by loved ones and not in a hospital room. If they express their wishes, the provider may see if palliative care or hospice care can be brought in for at-home treatment.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care exists for patients living with severe illnesses such as heart failure or cancer. It is usually a step before Hospice care. The palliative care team focuses on treatment to provide the medication needed and maintain maximum comfort for the patient. The goals are to enhance the patient’s life by focusing on their quality of life and help release some pressure from caretakers or family. The organized services supplied by this type of care can be helpful to an aging adult.

A patient can receive palliative care along with curative care and may start at the time of diagnosis. Yet, over time if the doctor or palliative team believes ongoing treatment is no longer helping, they can either continue with comfort care or agree to call in hospice care.

What is Hospice?

The website seniorsafetyadvice.com provides an excellent definition of hospice.

Hospice is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient. They manage the pain and symptoms and attend to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by reducing pain and suffering. Hospice care provides an alternative to therapies focused on life-prolonging measures that may be arduous, likely to cause more symptoms, or are not aligned with a person’s goals.

Many people think hospice signals the end, but that is not always the case. Hospice services exist to help within the palliative care space as well. Although palliative care predominately exists for terminally ill individuals, it also treats illness. Even if your doctor says your loved one has a 20% chance of living, your loved one can qualify for palliative care.

Hospice care is beneficial for your loved one and helps the caretakers as well. Once the hospice nurse arrives, you can expect them to help make sure your loved one has all the equipment and medication needed and will then connect you with the appropriate person for the following services. Most hospice nurses, however, perform the following tasks:

Nursing care
Grief counseling
Social Work Services
Clergy visitations
Homemaking assistance
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Speech-language therapy
Pain management

At Next Day Access, we are here to help you as you go through these challenging days with your loved one or patient. We offer many different devices that help to ensure your loved one is safe and comfortable. We also offer a complimentary consultation to help you determine if you need additional accessibility devices at your home. Contact us when you are ready, and we will help.

As we age, we develop normal age-related memory loss, and sometimes our memory loss could relate to lack of sleep or stress. However, sometimes your frequent memory loss could be a sign of premature Alzheimer’s.

Studies show if Alzheimer’s disease is caught early, it can be treated with anti-dementia medication, which slows the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, however, many doctors attribute the signs of Alzheimer’s to getting older and not the disease. Here are some of the differences between normal forgetfulness and Alzheimer’s:

Retrieving Memories

You might have issues remembering things from long ago with normal age-related memory loss. Still, you usually remember something you might have forgotten with aids such as context clues. However, for people battling Alzheimer’s, even recent memories cannot be retrieved.

For example, when diagnosing a patient with Alzheimer’s, the doctor might give them three words. One of the words is “apple.” However, when the doctor asks the patient to repeat the three words, and they cannot repeat them, it could be a sign of Alzheimer’s.

Here is a portion of a summary from the website verywellhealth.com that shares the differences between forgetfulness caused by normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

Normal Aging

Memory improves with context clues.
Vocabulary and relationship understanding remains intact.
Able to remember the order of things and who said what.
Aware a memory problem exists.
Functioning remains good despite forgetfulness.

Early Signs of Alzheimer’s

Recent memory is poor, and cueing clues or contexts does not help.
Unaware memory problems exist.
They are frequently demonstrating poor judgment and decision-making.
Often disoriented to time and place
Difficulty with familiar chores
Repetitiveness becomes obvious
Memory intrusions occur

When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, we at Next Day Access understand the heartbreak and frustration associated with the diagnosis. We are here for you. We offer numerous products that help people battling Alzheimer’s remain safe in their homes. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Cognitive decline, memory problems, and isolation issues are all problems that make aging adults vulnerable to mental health issues. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a study of mental health in older adults ages 55 and older showed an estimated 20% of aging adults experience a form of mental health concern. The most common mental impairments include mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder, anxiety, or severe cognitive decline.

The CDC reports these conditions can cause impairments in physical health as well as mental health which can complicate the treatment of other disorders. It is usual for older adults to see mental health decline as they age, yet depression and anxiety are not regular parts of aging.

In addition to the possible clinical intervention in the form of prescribed medications or therapy, several resources and activities are available to help older adults feel engaged and in good mental health and spirits. Here are three tips to help aging adults boost their mental health.

Tip 1: Stay connected and engaged.

When you stay connected and maintain meaningful, strong social connections with family and friends, it helps tremendously with mental health. There are many church groups for aging adults or other community events you can attend. The CDC says social support is associated with reduced risk of mental illness, physical illness, and even mortality.

Tip 2: Play mind games.

The brain needs stimulation to stay sharp, just as the body needs physical activity to stay healthy. Keeping a sharp mind helps avoid cognitive decline as you age. An article in Harvard Health Publishing says, “Brain games can help sharpen certain thinking skills such as processing speed, planning skills, reaction time, decision-making, and short-term memory.” Some of the most accessible and common activities for aging adults include:

Writing and reading
Learning a new language
Working a puzzle
Playing Crossword or Sudoku brain games
Learning to play an instrument
Participating in trivia-style games- This could also be an outlet for making friends. Many restaurants now have trivia games, usually, once a week, where different trivia leagues compete against each other. You could join a league and make new friends while improving your cognitive health.

Tip 3: Exercise

Many forms of exercise could boost your confidence while strengthening your mental and physical health. You could choose to go on daily walks, do low-impact yoga, swim, or even take up ballroom dancing. Joining a gym or your local YMCA would be an excellent opportunity for you to check out the classes they offer and meet new people.

Not only does exercise have many physical benefits, but exercise also helps with managing stress, depression, and anxiety for aging adults.

At Next Day Access, we care about aging adults. Our mission is to make you feel safe, independent, and comfortable at home or on the go. We do this by offering several different products like wheelchair ramps, vehicle lifts, scooters, grab bars, and so much more. Contact us today and let us help improve your life.

Every April 7^th, the world celebrates World Health Day. It is a day each year to draw attention to a specific health topic of concern worldwide. This year’s theme is “Our planet, our health.”

Our planet, our health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), they chose this year’s topic based on the belief, “In the midst of a pandemic, it is time to focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focus(ed) on well-being.”

The Background

Unfortunately, 90% of people in the world breathe unhealthy air due to the burning of fossil fuels. Detrimental weather events, land degradation, and water scarcity are displacing people and causing sicknesses. Systems that produce highly processed foods and beverages are causing an increase in obesity, thus increasing heart disease and cancer.

The pandemic taught us about the weaknesses in our society and encouraged the urgency of re-establishing our pre-pandemic lifestyles. It reminded us we need to choose to eat healthier and exercise more. Rather than opt for convenience food, we should get back to cooking nutritious meals and planting sustainable gardens. The ultimate goal for this year’s World Health Day is to let individuals know they are supported and incentivize them to make healthier choices.

How We Help

At Next Day Access, your health is important to us, and we hope World Health Day reminds you to make healthy living a lifestyle. Helping you feel your best is also important to us. We know home modifications that create a space for living independently foster a sense of confidence. Helping our customers become more independent is our specialty. Every day, we supply people with mobility difficulties with the equipment needed to lead a more independent lifestyle. We offer everything from wheelchair ramps and motorized scooters to vehicle lifts and so much more. Contact us today for a complimentary in-home consultation.

Just because the people you love are getting older does not mean you cannot still have good times and lots of fun together. We happen to think that some fun activities with aging adults are actually beneficial to both parties.

You may not be playing tag or hopscotch, but you are keeping your aging family members emotionally happy and physically young by spending time with them. Here are a few suggestions for enjoying time with your aging loved ones:

5 Activities With Aging Adults

Exercise

If your loved one is mobile, walk with them around the block. If they need the aid of a wheelchair, they can stroll with you and push themselves. You can also try chair yoga with them or regular yoga if they are able. When your loved ones exercise, they improve cardiovascular health, prevent diseases like diabetes and arthritis, and help maintain bone mass.

Play Games

Have you been to the store and sat and stared at the board game aisle lately? There are many new and fun games for all ages. Some of the fun ones to play with your loved ones include:

Scategories
Yahtzee
Dominos
Checkers or Chess
Backgammon
Card games like Hearts, Bridge, Go Fish, War, or Spades

Do a Puzzle

The best thing about puzzles is they both relax you and stimulate the brain. A study from Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that you can lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s by doing puzzles. Another study from Princeton found that doing puzzles, including crossword puzzles, can increase dexterity. Doing a puzzle will greatly benefit you, too!

Gardening

Creating something together is a lovely activity to do with your loved ones. If you do not have the space for a personal garden, you can also sign up for a community garden. Once you choose the plants or seeds, you would like to bury start planning where to plant them.

You will oversee the heavy digging while your loved one directs you where to go. Once your plants grow a little, you both can work on pruning and watering. Then soon, voila, your team effort will have produced a beautiful garden.

Read Together

You could maybe even join a book club! there are books on countless topics, so there’s bound to be something you will both like. If your loved one can still see without eye strain, you can take turns reading, or if they prefer, you can read the book to them.

We hope you have enjoyed our suggestions on spending a wonderful time with your loved one. At Next Day Access, we proudly specialize in selling products to help your aging loved ones live more comfortably, safely, and independently. Schedule a free estimate and see how we can help you.

Are you preparing your home so you can safely age in place? Here is a checklist to help ensure every area of your home is accessible and safe. At Next Day Access, we offer an assortment of mobility and accessibility products available. Check out how to improve the comfort and safety of your home.

Entry to Home

You will need to invest in a wheelchair ramp or a vertical platform installed at the front door. We also offer thresholds which allow mobility devices to maneuver over a front entry step. This can help an aging adult enter the home with more ease. Lastly, make sure there is plenty of lighting in your entryway.

Throughout the Home

Doorways need to have a 36-inch width to allow wheelchairs and walker devices room to maneuver.
Area rugs are trip hazards. It is best to put away all area rugs.
If the home is a 2-story, consider installing a stairlift or elevator to help you access your bedroom.
If you are in a wheelchair, to turn comfortably, you need a 60-inch open radius. Therefore, make sure furniture is arranged so you can move easily.

In the Kitchen

Arthritis or developing weakness can make turning knobs difficult. Instead, consider a touchless or lever handle faucet.
Move everyday items to accessible places and consider hide-away or pull-out cabinets for easier use.

In the Bathroom

The bathroom needs to be at least 5 feet by 8 feet to fit a wheelchair comfortably.
Floors can become slippery. Installing non-slip flooring or non-slip mats can prevent falls. You can also include the non-slip mats in the bathtub.
A shower chair and a hand-held shower needs to be installed in the shower.
Grab bars need to be placed strategically throughout the bathroom.
A walk-in-tub should be considered sooner than later. Stepping over a bathtub is a leading cause of severe falls for older adults.

Lastly, a ceiling lift for safe transfer is a fantastic solution to help if you or your loved one have limited mobility. A caregiver can assist with transfer from bed to chair or from room to room.

If you or your loved one needs help deciding which mobility and accessibility, contact us at Next Day Access. During the consultation, we will come to your home to help show the many areas that might need a solution.

Getting in and out of your car can be quite difficult when faced with limited mobility. At Next Day Access, we provide solutions for older adults, people with limited mobility, or disabilities, wanting to remain independent and continue living at home. Part of being independent is accessing your vehicle when you need to go for a drive. We offer a variety of products to assist you to safely get in and out of your car. The equipment on this list is perfect for people needing help with automotive mobility.

Swivel Seat Cushion

The swivel seat cushion aids users with getting out of their vehicles. The design is simple. It is a round cushion you sit on when you get into the car. When you are ready to leave the vehicle, the cushion rotates towards the door. It helps pivot hips and rotate legs out of a car. The cushion works best on leather seats but can also be used on cloth. A bonus of the Swivel Seat Cushion is that it is made of memory foam, which makes it not only safe but comfortable.

HandyBar

An ultimate automotive safety tool. The HandyBar helps the user sit or stand safely and comfortably while entering or exiting the vehicle. The bar is designed with a non-slip grip to provide stability and balance. It is lightweight and stores easily in your glove box, door compartment, or purse. The unique product also duals as a seat belt cutter and a window breaker in the case of emergencies.

Car Caddie

The Car Caddie provides ease when getting in and out of the vehicle. The support handle is compatible with any vehicle that has a frame around the entire window. It is a durable and strong nylon strap that can support up to 250 pounds.

All of these products can help support you or your loved one. With limited mobility, entering and exiting the car can become troublesome. However, these solutions can help you continue an independent and active lifestyle. If you are struggling to figure out what accessibility and mobility solutions you need, our accessibility experts can help. Next Day Access offers free in-home safety consultations to evaluate homes. Contact us to learn more about how we can make your home safer and more comfortable.

Source: https://stander.com/

One of the biggest priorities of caregivers and family members is keeping our loved ones safe and healthy. When it comes to caregiving aids, Next Day Access understands even the simplest product has a difference in comfort, safety, and independence. Transfer poles are only one of many solutions designed to make life easier for both individuals.

What are transfer poles?

A transfer pole is a floor-to-ceiling grab bar. They provide safe and secure support for sitting, standing, or transferring a loved one to their mobility device. It can reduce slipping or falling in the bathroom, bedroom, or even the living room.

Types of transfer poles

If you have trouble deciding which transfer pole will best accommodate your loved one or patient, our accessibility experts can help you choose. Here are some of the options we offer:

Stander Security Pole and Curve Grab Bar

The Stander Security Pole and Curve Grab Bar is a 2-in-1 safety solution combined with a transfer pole and a rotating grab bar. The grab bar has a 360 degrees rotation with a lock feature in eight different spots every 45 degrees. And no worrying about drilling holes in your ceiling because it is tension mounted. It secures in place by tightening the pole between the floor and ceiling.

HealthCraft SuperPole

We also offer the Healthcraft SuperPole. Designed like the security pole, it helps with standing, transferring, or moving in bed. However, the installation is different. The bottom of the pole has a jackscrew, which turns to create pressure between the ceiling and floor.

HealthCraft SuperPole with SuperBar

HealthCraft also offers the SuperPole with SuperBar. It is the same as the SuperPole but with an attached horizontal bar. It provides more stability and support for those who need more assistance anywhere in the home. Both the pole and bar have foam grips to make it more comfortable and prevent slippages on the hands.

Whichever pole you decide, it will make a difference in your and your patient’s life. The transfer pole creates a safer and more independent lifestyle for both of you. Let Next Day Access help you guide your decision. Contact us for a free in-home safety consultation.

Disability Day is on December 3rd by the International Day of People with Disabilities, dedicated to bringing awareness and compassion for the challenges faced by people with disabilities. The theme for this year is leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable post-COVID- 19 world. With this goal, they hope to recognize the challenges, barriers, and opportunities for people with a disability.

Since March 2020, when COVID-19 began, many people were affected by drastic changes, such as working and primarily staying at home, being away from our loved ones, and masks. However, those with disabilities had several negative repercussions from COVID-19. Their social isolation was more pronounced, and there was a lack of emergency equipment to help individuals with specific needs.

Why Do We Celebrate Disability Day?

According to the United Nations, the first annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons began in 1992. Since then, the day is celebrated to help create change and bring awareness for people with disabilities.

Themes from Previous Years:

Since 1992, there have been several different celebrated themes. Some include:

2014: Sustainable development – the promise of technology
2012: Removing Barriers, open doors for an inclusive society and development for all
2007: Decent work for people with disabilities.
2002: Independent living and sustainable livelihoods
1998: Arts, culture, and independent living

As seen above, some of the themes are about independent living. And at Next Day Access, we offer products and solutions to help aging loved ones and people with disabilities live independently at home for as long as possible. We offer accessibility and mobility solutions to keep your home safe. Contact us to schedule a free in-home consultation.

Source: https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities

At Next Day Access, we work with many families to provide accessibility and mobility equipment to help take care of aging or disabled loved ones at home. We understand how difficult the role of a family caregivers can be. This November, we are honored to celebrate family caregivers.

Why Do We Celebrate Family Caregivers Month?

It’s important to celebrate and recognize the dedication and hard work of family caregivers. By acknowledging November as National Family Caregivers Month, it increases caregiver support, raises awareness of mental health, and respects the lives of caregivers who help ensure safety and happiness of loved ones.

The celebration is ordained and originated by the Caregiver Action Network (CAN). The Caregiver Action Network group is a nonprofit that helps to educate caregivers, supply resources, and support. This year’s theme, “#CaregiverAnd,” encourages family caregivers to celebrate the identities and passions that enrich their lives. Way too often, the role of caregiver can overshadow their identity.

Understanding Family Caregiving Responsibility

Many family members take on caregivers roles when parents become older or disabled. They choose to keep the caregiving responsibilities in the family to ensure their loved one gets the best care. While most would never consider their loved ones a burden, the extra responsibility can become overwhelming. Studies show that about one in five U.S. adults are caregivers and spend an average of 24 hours a week caring for a loved one on top of their other jobs. Because of that, the caregiving role can cause emotional, physical, and financial stress. To learn more about how you can better support a caregiver, click here.

At Next Day Access, we consider our company a support system for caregivers. Our goal is to provide caregivers with the information and equipment they need to help make their lives easier and keep loved ones safe and comfortable. If you are a caregiver, we urge you to contact us to schedule a free in-home consultation. Let us give you the support you need as you support others in need.

Source: https://mhanational.org/national-family-caregivers-month