Caring for a Senior/Elder (02)

The Importance of Nutrition and the Elderly
Proper nutrition has been a growing problem in families for years--particularly with senior citizens--for a myriad of reasons ranging from lack of readily available educational resources to the inability to shop independently for necessities regularly. In an effort to bridge that educational gap, this site provides an article containing a wide range of information covering basic nutritional guidelines from the food pyramid, information about vitamin absorption, serving suggestions (how many servings and how much each should contain) and information covering healthy caloric intake. Links to other health-related topics, nutritional topics and vitamins and herbs are also available.

Choosing Assisted Living
Many senior citizens do not want to leave their familiar surroundings when they need long-term care. That’s why assisted living is so popular. Developed in the mid-1980s, the concept of assisted living in this MetLife handout is defined as residential care alternative to a nursing home that allows people to age in place while receiving services to help them retain their dignity and preserve and enhance their autonomy. This has some information on how to make a decision about moving into an assisted living facility, which is very useful for children taking care of aging parents.

Senior Housing Options
Nursing homes aren’t the only option anymore for seniors who want help when they need it, but want to remain independent. Information on independent living, assisted living centers, continuing care facilities, nursing homes and Alzheimer’s care facilities are include here. The site includes a glossary of senior housing-related terms, a tool to help you evaluate which care is best for yourself or a loved one, and checklists are included to help you make sure you handle everything thoroughly. A section on health and wellness includes tips on staying healthy, dealing with high blood pressure, aging and other long-term care issues.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: Diagnosis and Care
This site defines Alzheimer's disease as the most common cause of dementia accounting for approximately 55 percent of all cases. Alzheimer’s usually begins with lapses in memory, mood swings and difficulty in finding the right words. As the disease progresses the patient  suffers from permanent memory loss and impaired ability to learn, talk and cope with everyday activities, according to this site from the Research Institute for the Care of the Elderly. It includes information about diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and information for caregivers of those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.