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Mindfulness meditation: What it is, and how it can help the elderly

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Have you ever considered meditation as a way to improve aspects of your health?

There are many reasons why older adults in Bellingham, Lynden or throughout Whatcom County might want to start practicing meditation. Meditation can enhance memory, slow cognitive decline, improve digestion, boost circulation, reduce stress, lower disease risk and even decrease loneliness.

At its core, meditation is a way to calm the mind and body. There are various styles of meditation, but most involve either concentration, mindfulness or both. Concentration meditation is that classic example in which we focus our minds on a single, specific thing — a sound (perhaps the ringing of a bell), an image (perhaps a flickering candle flame), an action (perhaps the repetition of a specific word) or some other focal point.

Mindfulness meditation, on the other hand, is the practice of being mindful of thoughts as they occur. Essentially, it is attentive awareness of the moment. To practice this form of meditation, we simply sit, relax and pay attention to the thoughts we have, trying not to react to them but just to observe. For a brief explanation of mindfulness meditation and how it can integrate with everyday life, watch this short video from the Western Washington University Counseling Center in Bellingham.

Let’s take a look in more detail at some of the ways that mindfulness meditation can improve the lives of older adults here in Whatcom County:

  • Less stress and worry: According to Bob Linscott from the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, meditation can help older adults tamp down worries associated with growing older. “Meditation is like a pause button that breaks the cycle of worry,” he said in an article in NextAvenue. “It can help older adults better accept their changing bodies or chronic pain. It puts them more in control of their lives.”
  • Cognitive improvements: According to research published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, “meditation may be able to offset normal age‐related cognitive decline or even enhance cognitive function in older adults.” The research noted preliminary improvements in attention, memory, executive function, processing speed and general cognition as a result of meditation practices.
  • Digestion enhancements: The calm, deep breathing associated with meditation boosts circulation and increases the oxygen content of the blood, both of which are important factors for digestion. What’s more, meditation can have the long-term effect of improving our mindsets, limiting the likelihood that we will overeat.
  • Decreased loneliness: A study from Carnegie Mellon University that tested older adults over an eight-week period showed that participants reported lower levels of loneliness after just 30 minutes of mindfulness meditation each day, in addition to a daylong retreat and weekly two-hour meetings. “We know that loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems and mortality in older adults,” said one of the researchers involved in the study. “This research suggests that mindfulness meditation training is a promising intervention for improving the health of older adults.”

If you’re interested in getting started with mindfulness meditation in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale or elsewhere in Whatcom County, there are several professional services in the area that offer courses and training in meditation, including Mindfulness Northwest, Bellingham Insight and Red Cedar Zen Community.

Important documents to set up with an elderly loved one

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As our loved ones advance in age or dementia, it becomes increasingly important to establish procedures that will make dealing with health or medical issues much easier in the future.

A person in a blue Oxford shirt signs a document.
There are four types of documents to consider creating for aging parents, grandparents and other loved ones: advance directives, physician orders for life-sustaining treatment, standard wills and living trusts.

In particular, there are four types of documents to consider creating for aging parents, grandparents and other loved ones: advance directives, physician orders for life-sustaining treatment, standard wills and living trusts.

Advance Directive: An advance directive is a legal document that provides guidance about what types of treatments your loved one may want to receive in the event of a medical emergency, and who they would like to make decisions on their behalf regarding medical treatment. This person is called a surrogate.

NOTE: Depending on where your loved one lives, an advance directive might instead be called a living will, health care power of attorney or something else.

Every adult should have an advance directive in place so that if something happens, the surrogate can ensure that the patient’s wishes are respected and carried out.

In Washington state, care providers like Take My Hand At-Home Care are required to ask whether patients have an advance directive.

NOTE: As with the rest of the documents on this list, it’s important to put an advance directive in a place where it can easily be found. Make sure your surrogate knows where it is, and have it added to your medical record, if possible.

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment: This is another document we’re required to ask about at Take My Hand At-Home Care. Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) forms are specific to each individual. In the event that your loved one has a medical emergency, this form describes the specific medical treatments he or she would like to receive. While all adults should have an advance directive, a POLST form only becomes necessary upon diagnosis of a serious illness or when health begins to deteriorate near the end of life.

NOTE: While an advance directive is a legal document, a POLST is a medical order. Only an advance directive can legally designate a surrogate to make healthcare decisions on behalf of a loved one.

A will sets out instructions for how assets should be distributed in the event of death.

Standard will: A will sets out instructions for how your parents or grandparents would like their assets distributed in the event of death. The will also designates the person who will be in charge of that. It’s a good idea to establish a will as soon as possible and then to review it once a year to ensure that it’s an accurate reflection of your loved one’s wishes. When a person dies with a will in place, the person’s estate goes through probate court to, among other things, determine the will’s validity, total up the assets and distribute those assets according to the will’s instructions. Without a will in place, that process gets a lot more complicated.

Living trust: A living trust places a person’s assets into a separate entity that allows for the avoidance of probate court. It explains who will manage that entity upon your loved one’s death and who will distribute its assets — and to whom and how much. A living trust can be more expensive to prepare than a standard will, but it can save the costs associated with probate court.

If you have any questions about what documents might be necessary in your family’s case, consult an attorney who specializes in elder law. There are a number of options in Bellingham, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County for lawyers who specialize in situations regarding the elderly.

How to prevent those with memory loss from wandering off

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Wandering is a not-uncommon feature of memory loss and dementia. When our loved ones get confused or disoriented, when they fail to recognize where they are, or when they forget what they’re doing, they might start to wander in search of something they do recognize or remember.

Stats show that six in 10 people with dementia are prone to wandering.

The good news is that it’s a well-known phenomenon, and there are strategies that we can employ to keep our loved ones as safe as possible. Here are some ideas:

Maintain routine. An established routine of certain activities at certain times — especially during those times your loved one is most prone to wander, such as in the evenings — can go a long way toward preventing spontaneous exits.

Discourage exit. Wandering isn’t a well-planned activity, and thus placing a few cognitive barriers can reduce the likelihood of wandering. For example, locks on exterior doors should be placed out of sight. Car keys, too, should be kept somewhere safe, not on the kitchen counter where a loved one might spot them and leave during a moment of confusion. The Alzheimer’s Association maintains a helpful home-safety checklist full of great advice.

Use technology. Devices are available that can help to track your loved ones if they leave the house. The local Alzheimer Society of Washington, for example, has a program called Project Lifesaver through which it hands out free bracelets that can be worn by wanderers. The bracelets use radio frequency to keep tabs on a person’s location. The bracelets are free, but there’s a $15 monthly fee for the batteries and changing. Other tech options also are available, and some combination of various ideas might be best for you.

Rely on others. Wandering can be especially dangerous at night, when the rest of the house is asleep. That’s one reason why Take My Hand At-Home Care offers overnight and even 24-hour shifts, so loved ones can sleep while our caregiver companions watch the home and ensure everyone is kept as safe, healthy and happy as possible. We’re a locally owned and operated eldercare provider seeking to help the people of Whatcom County live their best lives.

Remember that wandering can be common among loved ones with dementia, but with planning and support from those around you, it’s manageable. For additional guidance and support, feel free to contact Take My Hand At-Home Care.

 

Caring for a loved one with dementia

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“Please remember the real me when I cannot remember you.”

This quote, sometimes referred to as the dementia creed, speaks to the pain experienced by those on both sides of a relationship with dementia. As memories fade from the minds of the elderly, they experience the loss of those they’ve loved. Meanwhile, their family caregivers do their best to look beyond the disease to the person they’ve known and loved for decades.

Nearly 16 million people in the United States are caring for a family member with dementia, according to figures from the Alzheimer’s Association. It often can seem like a lonely and overwhelming job, but help is always available.

Here are a few tips for coping with daily life as an adult family caregiver of an individual with Alzheimer’s or some other form of memory loss:

Start by learning as much as you can about dementia. Knowing about the details of the disease can help you make sense of the changes that are happening to your loved one. One great way to educate yourself is by attending the Alzheimer Society of Washington’s fall conference on Oct. 13, 2017. This year, the theme is “the changing brain.”

Be realistic about what you can and can’t do. If you’ve had children, try to remember what it was like for those first few years (well, all of them, really). Try as you did, you weren’t a perfect parent, and nor were your kids little angels. When dealing with dementia, know that there will be bad days and good days. Don’t beat yourself up if either of you struggles.

Communicate simply, clearly and positively. Starting with a smile and positive disposition can change the entire tenor of a conversation. Speak simply, with short sentences, and don’t ask complex or open-ended questions.

Love who your loved one is. Yearning for the return of the good old days can lead to dissatisfaction and depression. Instead of wishing that your loved one was like he or she was several decades ago, mourn the loss and meet your loved one in the present. Many caregivers avoid this step because it seems like such a loss. It’s true; it is a loss, and recognizing that can help you move on.

Use technology to your advantage. A number of recent tech innovations have made it easier to know that your loved one can be located should he or she wander off. The Alzheimer Society of Washington uses Project Lifesaver, which outfits those who are prone to wander with a bracelet that emits a special radio frequency, allowing them to be located by first responders in an emergency. The bracelets are free, but the service costs $15 per month for batteries and changing. Other options:

  • Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return, which partners with MedicAlert to provide a 24-hour, nationwide emergency response service.
  • MindMe is a GPS personal alarm that also comes with 24-hour emergency service.
  • Instead of being worn like a watch or pendant, the GPS SmartSole fits into a shoe; like other GPS devices for wanderers, it allows the wearer to be tracked from a computer or smartphone.

Seek assistance when needed. Call on family members to provide companionship and other help whenever possible. Join a caregiver support group to seek the advice and solace of others in your shoes. Hire a part-time caregiver to give you regular (even overnight) respite. Take My Hand At-Home Care is a locally owned and operated eldercare provider with years of experience caring for older adults with dementia in Whatcom County.

How to communicate with a person who has memory loss

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photo-1475465947535-d2f39785dddcIf someone in your life has begun to show signs of memory loss, you know how incredibly difficult it can be to communicate. Those with memory loss often seem off in their own world, remembering decades-old events like they were yesterday, and forgetting everything about today.

Imagine how hard life is for that person, when everything that’s true to them is being argued against, or when people they don’t think they know are constantly asking, “But don’t you remember me?”

Caring for a loved one with dementia or memory loss can be difficult, but a few simple tips can make these occasions less frustrating and more enjoyable for all.

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Mindfulness meditation: What it is, and how it can help the elderly

Have you ever considered meditation as a way to improve aspects of your health? There are many reasons why older adults in Bellingham, Lynden or throughout Whatcom County might want to start practicing meditation. Meditation can enhance memory, slow cognitive decline, improve digestion, boost circulation, reduce stress, lower disease risk and even decrease loneliness. At its core, meditation … [Read More...]

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Sue Sorensen became involved with Whatcom County eldercare and aging-in-place services in 2009. She launched Take My Hand At-Home Care in January 2012 … Read More...

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Phone: 360-543-5777
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