Senior Alternatives

Comprehensive Senior Home Care
and Care Management Services

Main Office: 827 Broadway | Suite 205 | Oakland, CA 94607

Older adults are at an increased risk of dehydration. The reason for this is that as you age your sense of thirst become diminished and you kidneys may become less efficient at conserving water. Many seniors are also dealing with incontinence and therefore try to reduce their fluid intake to prevent accidents.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration can include:

• Thirst
• Dry or sticky mouth
• Lethargy, fatigue
• Low or decreased urine output (urine may be dark yellow)
• Headache, dizziness
• Confusion, irritability
• Coma or organ failure in severe untreated cases

Causes of dehydration can include:

As we age, the risk of falling greatly increases. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one out of three adults age 65 and older fall each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury or death for this age group.  It is imperative to take steps to prevent the risk factors that lead to falls. Here’s what can be done:

Consult with Your Doctor

1. Review current prescriptions and over the counter medications for side effects and interactions that may cause dizziness or drowsiness.
2. Be sure to inform the doctor of any previous falls.

We encourage all of our clients to have discussions with their family and physicians about how they want to be cared for, and what treatments they are willing to accept, as their health changes.

One of the biggest questions our clients and loved ones face is whether they would want to receive CPR if their heart stops beating.  This can be a daunting decision.  Many people may feel that if they don’t accept CPR, they are “giving up” or letting others down. People often make the decision about whether to have CPR based on general ideas of what CPR is and what it can accomplish.  The realities of CPR are often not understood by the general public.

As we age, the number of medications we take is likely to increase.   According to the Center for Disease Control, five out of six persons 65 and older are taking at least one medication and almost half of the elderly population takes three or more. This is because the aging process makes us more susceptible to medical conditions which are often treated with medications.

As Care Managers, we frequently meet older adults who are not taking their medications as prescribed. It is estimated that 30% of hospital admissions of older adults are attributed to medication mismanagement.

It is important to understand the process of transitioning from the hospital to another setting. Whether it be to a rehabilitation center (rehab), back home, or a skilled nursing facility, the more you know about the process, the better prepared you will be to manage the transition successfully.

The transition from a medical setting to another setting is referred to as “discharge planning.” The patient (or client), medical providers, family members, caregivers and care managers can all be involved throughout the planning process. Care managers can play an important role providing supportive patient advocacy. Research has demonstrated that discharge planning is more effective with this type of “team” approach.

In this continuing blog we will explore different heath care terms and definitions and what they mean.

Part 1  - POLST – Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment.

POLST was adopted in California in 2009. This is a voluntary form, which must be signed by you (or your agent) and your physician and indicates the types of life-sustaining treatment you do or do not want if you become seriously ill.  Your physician will be able to provide this form for you.

What does POLST do?

- Defines your preferences for CPR, use of antibiotics, feeding tubes, etc.

One of the unfortunate consequences of aging is often isolation.  Isolation can lead to loneliness and a decrease in mental and physical ability. However, isolation is not inevitable and there are many ways to combat isolation as we age.

What Causes Isolation?

Not only is isolation a common experience, it is an understandable consequence of aging. As we age, our children grow up and leave home, we retire from the work force, and – as our bodies change – we become more vulnerable to developing chronic illnesses. We may also lose our independence because of the need to stop or reduce driving.  While much of this is unpleasant and unwanted, they are all natural consequences to the aging process, and we must accept the realities of aging in order to make a commitment to live life to the fullest.

Despite common assumptions, depression and aging do not always go hand in hand.  Many of us believe that depression is part of the natural aging process as many of our older loved ones experience an increase of grief (loss) and/or overcoming illness. This is not the case. In fact, the majority of older adults do not suffer from depression and it is estimated that only one to five percent of older adults are clinically depressed.

What is depression?

One of the most difficult conversations you may have with an aging parent is confronting their diminishing ability to drive. It can be unsettling for an adult child to realize that your loved ones’ reflexes aren’t as good as they used to be; but unfortunately, having that tough conversation is vital to their safety and the safety of the other drivers on the road.

Here are a few warning signs that your parent or loved one’s driving skills may need to be evaluated:

1. Missing common road signs.
2. An increase in dents and scratches to the car.

Although the holidays are often a time for families to come together and share stories with one another, it’s important to make sure that your elderly relatives feel included in the story telling, and that their legacy is being preserved. Take advantage of this time together to truly understand where your family roots are coming from and how they have grown and branched out to create the family dynamic that you all share.

You can plan your holiday activities around this goal of creating an inter-generational holiday. By making sure that your elderly relatives feel included, encouraged, and represented in the holiday activities, you will teach your children about the importance of legacy, and might even learn some family history in the process.