What Activities Can an Elderly Parent Participate In?

By Roz Jones

Whether you’re living with your parents to provide care or dropping in to provide them with care, you may find that their wellbeing is always at the forefront of your mind. We note, however, that a rise in age comes with the decline of certain aspects of a person’s life. These include a person’s health and their ability to engage in physical and social activities.

Engaging in a variety of activities stimulates your client or loved one’s brain and encourages a healthy lifestyle, which leads to a better quality of life.

Our aging parents, unfortunately, may be hard-pressed to engage in the activities younger people actively enjoy. Still, there are several appropriate activities you can help your parents and loved ones enjoy. Let’s walk through some of these activities.

Activities elderly parents can engage in:

Outdoor walks. Walking is one of the healthiest activities for humans. It requires little effort or equipment, but it still has long-term health advantages.

Our elderly parents, who have a harder time moving, should go for a stroll at least once every two days. It doesn’t have to take long, and it doesn’t have to be far.

Set a date with your parents, take a walk through a park and enjoy the scenery together. This would certainly be an activity your parents would enjoy.

Playing board games. Enjoy classic games of old or learn new ones together.

Board games and card games are not only entertaining, but they can also assist your parents to keep their minds sharp.
Like board games, puzzles of all kinds can work too!

Reading. For parents who may find it difficult to take part in activities that involve higher physical energy, reading is a fun pastime you can do with them.

Reading might help you relax and boost your memory, as well as your parents. Consider going to a park or beach to read together.

You could also try forming a book club for your parents with a few of their acquaintances. This is a good way to keep your parents engaged in vibrant discussions while also socializing as they get older.

Gardening. Gardening is a relaxing and enjoyable activity your older parents might enjoy. It’s simple to enjoy in the sun or shade from the comfort of your parents’ house. You can still plant or re-pot flowers with your elderly parents even if they just have a small balcony or a windowsill.

Gardening is also an activity that may be enjoyed by multiple generations. You, your parents, and any children you have can all take part in planting bulbs or seeds and watching them grow into flowers or food that you can all eat together.

Family bonding. Family activities that allow your elderly parents to interact with their children and grandchildren would surely appeal to them. Spend time with them while preparing meals for the family. Plan family cookouts or picnics.

Take them on vacations with the family. Spending quality time with loved ones is an activity that the elderly, who are more likely to be lonely, would enjoy.

Today’s culture, with its technological advancements, has led to a transfer of most people’s activities and attention to virtual spaces, and it’s easy for our aging parents to feel left out as they can’t keep up.

We can reassure our elderly parents that they are cherished and can still find delight in their later years by participating in these activities.

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Are you a Caregiver taking care of two loved ones? Did you check out Part 1 of last week’s episode? Check out Part 2 to hear more from Caregiver, Christine Psalms and how she takes care of both of her parents!

Christine Psalms continues her story with us in this episode.

As a caregiver for both her parents, Christine shares:

1. How she worked on herself to prepare to be her father’s caregiver
2. How therapy, counseling, and journaling changed her life as a caregiver
3. Navigating relationships with loved ones without resentment.

Listen Now!

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Stay Fit, Trim, and Healthy with Safe Exercises for Seniors

By Roz Jones

Seniors have a lot to gain through regular exercise. Staying active can improve your client or loved one’s physical and mental health and extend their ability to live independently. Below are some tips for developing a beneficial exercise program for your client or loved one and sticking to it.

Designing a Safe and Balanced Exercise Program

Increase endurance. Aerobic exercise like walking or biking is great for your client or loved one’s heart and circulation. Swimming is especially good for seniors because they get a total body workout with low impact and little risk of injuries. Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate activity daily for your client or loved one.
Build strength. Muscle mass declines with age, but resistance training two to three times weekly can help offset that loss. To be safe, start off with easy exercises and progress by increasing weights and repetitions gradually. You may want to take your client or loved one to visit a local gym or take a class at a senior center.

If your client or loved one prefers working out at home, you can buy weights or use household items like bags of rice.

Stay flexible. Stretching will keep your client or loved one limber and help protect them from injury. Have them do it as often as possible – daily is great! Warm-up with some light aerobics and then ease into a stretch gently. Have your client or loved one hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Repeat each movement a few times, gradually extending your client or loved one’s range.

It’s good to feel some slight tension, but if your client or loved one experiences any pain, stop and have them withdraw back to a more comfortable position.

Improve balance. Protect your client or loved one from falls and broken bones by working on their balance. Tai Chi is another low-impact activity ideal for seniors. It promotes balance and strength. Even just having your client or loved one practice standing on one foot can enhance their stability.

Sticking to the Exercise Program

Set realistic goals. A regular workout routine is safer and more beneficial than scattered efforts. Keep your client or loved one motivated by establishing realistic goals. Find activities that they can easily incorporate into their daily schedule such as cutting back on TV viewing to going for a daily swim. When their favorite program is on, they can even exercise during commercials.
Have fun. Think about the pastimes your client or loved one loves and expand upon them. When children visit, go for a long walk through the park. If your client or loved one gets tired of using the treadmill alone every day, sign up for a yoga class with a buddy whose company you enjoy.
Make contingency plans. Life events will sometimes interrupt your client or loved one’s normal schedule. While traveling, look for hotels with fitness centers. If it’s too cold to ride bikes outdoors, browse the public library for exercise videos for seniors.

Other Safety Tips

Talk with their doctor. If your client or loved one has been sedentary for a while, their doctor can advise them on how to get moving safely. No matter what health issues they may experience, there is usually some form of exercise that they can engage in even if there’s a need to modify the standard positions.
Learn to breathe. Proper breathing will help your client or loved one maintain good form. Generally, you exhale when you exert effort and inhale when you relax. So have your client or loved one breathe out when they lift something and breathe in when they lower it.
Drink plenty of water. The body needs water regardless of whether you’re sweating. By the time you’re thirsty, you’ve gone too long without drinking.
Wear the right shoes. Your client or loved one can exercise without spending a fortune on expensive equipment, but good shoes are worth the cost. Get protective footwear that’s designed for their chosen sport, whether it’s golf or tennis. If tying laces is a struggle, Velcro closures will give your client or loved one a secure fit.

Exercise is a great way for older adults to stay healthy and fit. Follow simple safety precautions so your clients or loved ones can remain active and enjoy the pastimes they love.

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ATTENTION: INSTAGRAM UPDATE!!!

Thank you for your patience with me as I attempted to gain access to my Instagram account @rozjonesenterprises! Unfortunately, I have been prompted to create a NEW Instagram account.

Be sure to follow my new Instagram page @rozcaregiverconsulting and check out my latest post on the top business mistakes I’ve made as a Business Owner!

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7 Tips for Restoring Your Self-Worth After Toxic Relationships

By Roz Jones

Well, that didn’t go right.

As Caregivers we tend to walk into relationships with so much enthusiasm. We think what we’ve found is the best thing in the world, which is a heady feeling, while it lasts. Sadly, when a relationship is toxic, we’re frequently the last to know. By the time we decide it’s time to escape, our self-worth has already taken a hefty blow.

So, how do we restore positive feelings about ourselves as Caregivers after toxic relationships?

Release Your Victimhood

The more we focus on what happened, the more we get stuck. So the sooner we can quit revisiting the past and dwelling on perceptions of ill treatment from loved ones and clients, the sooner we can put all of this behind us. This doesn’t mean to say anything was your fault, but obsessing about the ‘shoulds’ and going back over every encounter only hurts us regardless of whether we were in the right or not.

Drop the Blame

Was it your fault? No. The sooner we can let go of any residual guilt or bad feelings about the relationship, the happier we’ll be. This next step should help.

Silence Their Voice

The problem with toxic relationships is we tend to believe what the other person said about us, no matter how outlandish it seemed at the time. Now their voice is there, lurking in our heads to remind us of all of our so-called shortcomings at every opportunity—time to tell them to shut up once and for all!

Embrace the New You

Find joy in the severed relationship. Do the things you would miss doing. Take lessons, build your skill set as you build yourself up. Become your own best friend in a way that doesn’t require validation from any outside source.

Believe Your Friends

You hear the compliments, but they’re going in one ear and out the other. Rather than brushing off the nice things, people around you are saying, start listening. Listen until these words become a part of who you are.

Create Goals You Love

What would you like to do with your life? Too often, our goals reflect the needs and desires of our clients and loved ones. Now is the time to reverse this. Accept you are capable, and your goals are worth fighting for, what do YOU want to do?

Affirmations

Work through the worst offenders of negative self-talk through positive affirmations. Take note of what you’re telling yourself. Rewrite the script and turn these statements around into affirmations that you read to yourself every day.

Remember, this is a process and is likely to take time. By reminding yourself of just how amazing you are, and focusing hard on these steps, eventually, you will start feeling the difference even if you don’t see it yet. Hang in there!

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Are you a Caregiver taking care of two loved ones? Check out my latest podcast to hear from Caregiver, Christine Psalms and how she takes care of both of her parents!

Each of our aging parents is unique.

Some people age so well that they need little help until they are well into their eighties, while others need hands-on care as early as their fifties or sixties.

Adult children are often faced with the task of caring for both parents and this was the case for Christine Psalms.

She shares her story with us in this episode and how she became a caregiver for both her parents.

Listen Now!

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ATTENTION: INSTAGRAM UPDATE!!!

Thank you for your patience with me as I attempted to gain access to my Instagram account @rozjonesenterprises! Unfortunately, I have been prompted to create a NEW Instagram account.

Be sure to follow my new Instagram page @rozcaregiverconsulting and check out my top business mistakes as a Business Owner!

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5 Steps for Caregivers to Shift Limiting Beliefs for Good

By Roz Jones

How are you your own worst enemy? As Caregivers, we limit ourselves so much. We live in our heads and come up with all these ways to keep us from getting anything accomplished. Even though deep down we know we’re good enough, and how much we’re fully capable of getting things done.

The only way to get past these self-sabotaging behaviors is to take active, intentional steps to remedy our thinking. Let’s look at 5 steps that will shift Caregivers limiting beliefs for good.

Stop

Wait a minute; what were you thinking? If a thought feels off about something, it’s time to stop and examine this idea much closer. Is this perhaps a self-limiting belief?

Think About What You’re Saying

Where is the lie in this thought? You’ve already figured out there’s something wrong with it, or you wouldn’t be going through this process. This means something about it is not ringing true. When you understand where the lie is, it becomes easier to know how to counter it.

Look for the Proof

Is there any proof this self-limiting thought is true? Let’s examine the part you feel is a lie. Here’s where you need to take a step back from the situation if you can and look very impartially at what’s going on. Is there any grain of truth in what you’re thinking?

Take Control

If what you were thinking is a lie, it’s relatively easy to counter the false aspects of the statement with the truth. But what if this thought was at least partially true? You start by reminding yourself this isn’t always the case. For example, you might be thinking you are always late. Maybe you are, in fact, late sometimes. To perform this step, you would need to recall various instances when you were on time. By countering the lie, you are taking control of the situation, and not allowing the limiting belief to have any sway over you.

Get Help

Sometimes it can be challenging to remove limiting beliefs by yourself. In these instances, it can be beneficial to talk to a friend, or even a counselor, to help you see the truth. There is nothing wrong with getting help, especially from someone who is in a position to be impartial.

Self-limiting beliefs don’t have to control your life. By examining your thoughts, especially those that seem to hold you back, you will find it much easier to move forward toward your goals. Soon you will realize success!

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ATTENTION: INSTAGRAM UPDATE!!!

Thank you for your patience with me as I attempted to gain access to my Instagram account @rozjonesenterprises! Unfortunately, I have been prompted to create a NEW Instagram account.

Be sure to follow my new Instagram page @rozcaregiverconsulting and check out my latest post on the top business mistakes I’ve made as a Business Owner!

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Heart Disease in Men: Signs, Causes and Other Facts About The Disease

By Roz Jones

Heart disease in men is the number one cause of death in the US, and around the world. Every day, you seem to read or hear about men in the sports area or in other noteworthy professions succumbing to heart disease. One of the major diseases is atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis increases as one’s diet contain large amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat. If you have high levels of cholesterol in your blood; smoke; have high blood pressure or have diabetes; you are a candidate for this disease.

The symptoms accompanying this disease are not noticeable until the damage has already been done. Whether you have cramps in your legs during exercise; had a stroke; kidney failure; angina; or a heart attack – these are clear signs you are in the stages of atherosclerosis. Once it is confirmed that the plaque has formed and your cholesterol is quite high, you will need to consult your physician as to the best form of treatment. For cholesterol, there are many drugs available that can reduce cholesterol by as much as 50%. Crestor is one of them; Lipitor is another. Cholesterol can be inherent in most people whose families also had this condition. Your doctor will most certainly suggest you cut down or stop smoking; begin a proper diet and exercise regimen, and may want to check your blood on a monthly basis.

Other tests your doctor might decide upon, specifically if your condition worsens, is an electrocardiogram or stress test followed by a heart sonogram; or an arteriogram. Today, there are more procedures available to detect heart problems than ever before. However, not all heart conditions require these types of examinations.

Coronary artery disease affects men more than women. Unlike atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease is more treatable and can be prevented. Drugs or surgery, such as an angioplasty or coronary bypass may be indicated. These types of surgical treatments have been very successful among the male population, however, the threat of heart attacks still exists. Prevention is the key; cease smoking; keep cholesterol levels down, and learn as much as possible about the heart and its function. Also key to preventing a heart attack is to know and understand the early symptoms and warning signs.

Here are the signs of a heart attack: pain in the center of your chest; neck; jaw; arms; and upper abdomen. A heart attack can also be accompanied by dizziness; shortness of breath, sweating; chills; nausea; and fainting. Sometimes, and more frequently among older men; it just happens without warning. For some, it could happen while exercising or under stress; for others, it could happen while at rest. Heart attacks do not distinguish between age and ethnicity; however, it does affect men more often than women.

Are you an Overwhelmed Caregiver? Check out my latest podcast where we discuss ‘The Mindset of a Caregiver’!

We all know caregiving is hard. It is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. As caregivers, we are constantly being told we need to find time to take care of ourselves.

We know that taking care of ourselves is essential for being a good caregiver. But most of us have a difficult time experiencing the ‘caregiver’ mindset.

In this episode, Dr. Herbert highlights how vital it is to have a positive mindset as a caregiver.

We talk about;
Self-care for caregivers
Focusing on what you can control
Getting over the guilt
Generational Gaps

Listen Now!