Senior Support Services, LLC

11/16/2021

COVID has impacted all aspects and arenas in our society. As a Geriatric Care Manager, I have found that healthcare is certainly no exclusion. With staffing shortages, even great care facilities are struggling to maintain the same quality of care they offered prior to the pandemic. It is more important now, more than ever, to have an advocate for you or a loved one who requires medical care!

06/30/2021

Advances in Alzheimer's Disease research continue. Many of my clients and their families have decided not to pursue diagnostic testing for Alzheimer's Disease due to the complexity of scheduling and participating in scans of the brain. Being able to detect Alzheimer's disease with a blood test will certainly ease the stress associated with getting the answers needed to accurately diagnose and treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.

The researchers identified 19 of the 429 plasma proteins associated with AD to form a biomarker panel representative of an "AD signature" in the blood. Based on this panel, the team has developed a scoring system that distinguishes AD patients from healthy people with more than 96% accuracy.

02/26/2021

Uncomfortable, but very necessary conversations!

Aging Life Care Professionals S*x, Money, & Your Parents: Conversations you never wanted to have

01/12/2021

The pandemic requires that we consider every action and decision carefully. It's difficult to balance the emotional and mental health versus the physical health. This article includes some suggestions to consider when thinking about visiting loved ones who live at a distance.

Should you visit them or manage their care from afar?

09/24/2020

A "professional relative" can help provide care and resources when family members aren’t always available.

08/21/2020

Do you have a sweet tooth? You may want to consider some diet alterations to help you age well.

Did you know that eating sugary foods could give you dementia? The good news is that you can learn how to protect your brain health by changing your diet.

08/05/2020

Your Donations Fuel Our Mission

06/06/2020

Movement with purpose.

Untreated depression can enhance symptoms of memory impairment. I have done these neuroplasticity-based brain exercises with clients during my visits and not only do these exercises provide socialization, but also cognitive stimulation and physical movement during visits. Additionally, they are enjoyable to do.

Many care facilities are beginning to offer outside, distancing visits for their residents. I look forward to start using again the neuroplasticity exercises during visits with my clients.

Depression is often described as a chemical imbalance in the brain and, of course, mental health affects people of all ages. The issue with mental health is that often there is no cure, simply just ways to better manage the symptoms. Geriatric depression is also slightly different from depression in...

04/23/2020

Weighing the costs and benefits of having a loved one in a care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Basically, you have to choose what is best for your loved one, considering the care they require and the cost of getting that care outside of a care facility.

Should you bring your relative home from a nursing home during the COVID-19 pandemic? Consumer Reports explains what you need to know about long-term care during the coronavirus.

04/11/2020

Be careful not to quickly dismiss small changes you notice in your aging loved ones. These small changes could be indicators of a deeper issue, such as dementia.

In the weekly support group meetings I host, one issue comes up more than any other.

03/17/2020

"Social distancing" is what we keep hearing. While these guidelines are extremely important to follow, please find other ways to reach out to those who are older and living alone. Isolation can lead to depression and feelings of loneliness. Try these tips to help combat the feelings associated with being isolated:

1. Send a card of encouragement.
2. Check in regularly by phone just for a chat.
3. Have groceries or other necessary supplies delivered to their house as a surprise.
4. If the older person has a cell phone, send them funny GIFs, texts and pictures.
5. Communicate via FaceTime or Skype, if possible.
6. Confirm on a weekly basis that they have enough food and toilet paper.
7. If you are neighbors, maybe coordinate a time to speak outside, each of you staying in your own yard to allow for at least 6 feet between you.
8. Reassure them that you can be reached at any time if needed.
9. Pray for them!

Remember, wash your hands and distance yourself from others. However, don't forget feelings should not be ignored during this time. Let's support each other and lift each other up daily.

09/20/2019

Hearing loss can also impact memory. The more sounds your ears hear, the more your brain needs to work to process those sounds. Help exercise your brain by having your hearing checked regularly.

Hearing loss often happens gradually and earlier than expected. Getting hearing aids can help stave off side effects like depression and even early death.