Autumn temperatures have fallen in Florida just enough to rekindle a new interest in taking on bike paths, jogging trails and swimming. You can sit on a park bench, close your eyes, and hear the unmistakable sidewalk pounding. As temperatures fall just five more degrees, you hear hurried footsteps, the swishing of jogging strollers, and the out-of-breath runners trying to get back what they left behind. Who doesn’t want 80° F instead of 100° F while walking through the trail at Wekiwa Springs or jogging past the scrubs of Shadow Bay Park in Orlando? There is now more reason than ever to get out and exercise, and it is not just because of the weather.

The more we read about recent studies showing how lifestyle changes can contribute to both brain-health and cardiovascular health the more families may want to encourage senior loved ones and caregivers to join the bandwagon of lifestyle changes. Two recent studies give high marks for including exercise as part of daily wellness plans....

Autumn is here! Summer’s blasts of hot air are finally simmering down. There are wonderful autumn activities that can help older adults get out of the hot doldrums and inspire them to enjoy the outdoors once again.

When we think of fall and autumn we think of harvesting, bulb planting and family outdoor activities. Some of these fall activities may help change seniors from being mere spectators into active participants. Participating in brain-healthy and stimulating activities are indeed the most productive.

Hands on activities are easier to remember. Imagine learning how to crochet by just watching someone crocheting, but never experiencing the process with their hands? Or learning how to plant an herb, but never really doing the planting?

The Alzheimer’s Association stresses the importance of maintaining an active mind as we age, and states the following, “… research has found that keeping the brain active seems to increase its vitality and may build its reserves of brain cells and...

Orlando In-Home Care Agency:

Adaptive Clothing Makes Life Easier for Seniors, Part I

For most people, the task of pulling a T-shirt over their heads is as simple as brushing their teeth. However, dressing is not a simple task for those who have been diagnosed with ALS, advanced Parkinson’s, or are convalescing from major hip or back surgery. For patients who are bed-bound, the task of dressing is both difficult and risky for caregivers and patients alike. Adaptive clothes are beneficial when dressing patients and seniors because it reduces stress and the risk of injury.

For some seniors, the inability to hold on to a small button with their index and thumb is just as stressful and difficult as lifting an arm and sliding it into a shirt’s sleeve.

Adaptive clothing often incorporates the following benefits:

-            Adaptive and modified clothing adapts to the needs and limitations of the patient

-            Ease of wear is a benefit for those who need to be changed frequently...

Orlando In-Home Care Agency:

Where to Find Adaptive Clothing and Footwear, Part II

With a growing senior and aging population, adaptive clothing products are surely to make a dent in a current demanding market. The demand for adaptive clothing is expected to grow in the next decade. The benefits of adaptive clothing extend beyond the patient’s needs. Adaptive or modified clothing and footwear provides both the patient and caregiver with ease of use and lower risk for injury.

Adaptive apparel often incorporates the following:

-            Some adaptive clothing is designed and constructed with closures placed in areas that will not cause pressure points and tissue damage, which often happens in patients who spend long hours in bed or seated in a wheelchair.

-            Ease of access into and out of clothing is another benefit provided to accommodate a patient’s needs.

-             Clothing an Alzheimer’s patient, with modified clothes, may help diminish anxiety and agitation for...

Music Benefits Seniors in More Ways Than One

Recent news about the benefits of music has reached us via film, research and news articles. “Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory” is one of the finest examples of how music can be used as therapy for dementia patients. The film “Alive Inside” received the Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award. How could it not? An article written by Susan King and published in the Los Angeles Times was appropriately titled, “‘Alive Inside’ illustrates music's joyous power for dementia patients.”  In this touching documentary film, a social worker finds a distinctive way to bring music to seniors with dementia; music re-awakens many and brings out raw emotions, expressions and memories.

Music is beneficial because it allows individuals to reminisce and go back and relate to emotions and experiences. In fact, music opens up a world of memories for those struggling with dementia. In some instances, music can soothe those who are anxious or agitated. As...

Bathroom Fall Prevention

You have been living in your home for over 15 years, and you know the path to your bathroom even with your eyes covered. As older adults, we often become so overly confident about our living environment that we often cut safety out of our daily living equation. On one late evening, you may even take a trip to the bathroom, without even turning on the lights. In one of those instances, not realizing the floor may be wet from a recent shower, you lose your footing. You try holding on to the thin handlebar of the old tub glass enclosure. Unfortunately, this is not a safety bar, and it cannot hold your weight; you fall. You end up banging your elbow on the tile floor, and bruising your hip and thigh. You can stand up; you are lucky.

The Division of Hazard Analysis of the Consumer Product Safety Commission published a breakdown of types of injuries sustained by seniors in their October 2013 report analysis. The report was titled, Hazard Screening Report, Consumer...