The Best Gifts for Your Senior this Holiday Season

As the holiday season rolls around, you’ll want to find a way to make sure that your senior feels loved and appreciated. There are many different gift options that an elderly individual would love to add to their collection. If you’re looking for a way to narrow down the list, keep these suggestions in mind:

• Fitness-focused gifts: Being sedentary is at the root of many major health problems among elderly individuals. Senior care professionals advise family members to invest in a fitness-focused gift that allows an elderly loved one to have fun while getting active. Though the Nintendo Wii is beloved by children, it can also benefit seniors as it presents a fun and manageable way to get moving. The system is affordable and provides a range of games that will fit your elderly loved one’s activity level and interests. Home care professionals explain that this is the perfect way to get your senior bowling or playing tennis, even if they’re not able to leave the house to pursue these activities anymore.
• Gifts that challenge the mind: The senior care professionals of Always Best Care of Asheville, Hendersonville, and Waynesville explain that keeping the mind sharp is another important aspect of helping a senior to age well. Numerous studies have illustrated that a person who regularly challenges their mind is less likely to experience Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. There are many different ways to go about doing this, from playing video games to doing crossword puzzles. If your elderly loved one adores numbers, buy them a book of Sudoku puzzles. If they’ve really embraced technology, invest in one of many different kinds of software that will allow them to enjoy a challenging round of game play on their computer.
• Tools that help a senior to keep safe: There are a number of attractive yet effective gifts for family members who are concerned about the safety of their elderly loved one. For instance, A Very Special Heart is a device that conceals a small USB device inside a beautiful charm. This USB tool holds information about your senior’s medical conditions, allergies, and daily medications. It’s an elegant piece of jewelry that serves a purpose.

Regardless of whether you want something practical or fun, there are plenty of options that will delight your senior as they unwrap their gifts during the holidays.

How to Navigate a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis with Your Senior

Prostate cancer is currently the most common form of cancer among elderly men, and has actually risen to become the second leading form of cancer in the Western world today.1  As seniors are living longer prostate cancer rates are rising, making it important for elderly individuals and their families to understand what this kind of cancer is and how it can be treated.

Eldercare professionals explain that prostate cancer is a slow-growing disease that begins in the prostate, though the cancer can end up spreading to other areas of the body. Unfortunately, in its very early stages, the condition typically does not show itself in easy-to-spot symptoms. Because it typically only displays when it has progressed, prostate cancer becomes especially dangerous. Some common signs of this kind of cancer to be on the lookout for include:

• The frequent urge to urinate
• Trouble stopping or starting when urinating
• The inability to urinate
• Pain during urination
• Blood in the urine

Senior care professionals note that these symptoms can also indicate other issues and may not necessarily be signs of cancer, but still require a visit to a doctor.

Though scientists are still researching the exact causes behind prostate cancer, there are several risk factors that may indicate whether a person is at risk for developing this disease. These risk factors are as follows:

• Family history
• Age (80 percent of cases occur after a person turns 60)
• Race (African Americans and Caucasians are most at risk)
• Obesity
• A high-fat diet
• A sedentary lifestyle

Should your elderly loved one receive a prostate cancer diagnosis, there are several different ways to proceed. A medical professional can offer insight on the most effective way to go about treating the disease. Such options include surgery, radiation, or hormonal therapy. Many people just assume that chemotherapy is the best course of action in order to preserve senior health, when in reality this strategy is typically only used once the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.

Compassion and empathy are necessary if your senior is going through prostate cancer treatment, particularly if they were already in declining health. Your elderly loved one may feel frustrated, and may lack the energy they once enjoyed. Understand that this is often the case, and do your best to provide support and assistance for your senior.

How to Know if Your Senior Qualifies for VA Benefits

If your senior served in the Armed Forces and was released under honorable conditions, then he or she may qualify for VA health care benefits. These benefits provide assistance for veterans and their dependents. They can often be a huge help for those who may otherwise struggle to pay for medical care. Here is some basic information to bear in mind if your elderly loved one served their country and could use assistance.

To be eligible, individuals must have served in the Armed Forces on a basis that meets current requirements. Both past and present members of the Reserves or National Guard who were called up to active duty and served their full term may also be eligible for VA health benefits. The vet must also have served at least one day during wartime in order to be eligible to receive care. These dates include:

For World War II: 12/7/1941 through 12/31/1946
Korean War: 6/27/1950 through 1/31/1955
Vietnam War: 8/5/1964 through 5/7/1975
Gulf War: From 8/2/1990 to a date that has not yet been determined by the government

For elderly veterans and their dependents, there are three different kinds of VA benefits that are available. The necessary level for your senior depends on the type of care that the elderly individual requires. The tiers are:

Basic pension: This provides cash assistance for low-income vets and their dependents. This is useful if your senior is healthy but has a very low amount of money coming in.

Housebound benefit: This tier of benefits allows a senior to get help with day to day activities that they may have trouble completing on a regular basis.

Aid and attendance: This tier refers to home care that is needed every day.

The home care professionals of Always Best Care Asheville remind you that eligibility for these benefits is “means tested,” meaning that only those who genuinely need this assistance will qualify. Benefits are determined based on a combination of income, assets, and needs. However, an elderly individual who may fall right on the border of financial eligibility should apply anyway, as many decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. In order to apply for these benefits, your senior should contact a VA health care facility using the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs as a resource.

Tips for Properly Honoring Veterans on Veterans Day

With Veterans Day quickly approaching, it’s important to take some time to think about how you’ll honor the veteran in your life. For seniors who served in the armed forces, this day is an important and poignant part of the year, and deserves proper recognition. If you’re looking for tips on paying your respects to the veterans in your community and in your home, think about using some of these strategies:

Display an American flag: This simple gesture won’t take much time, but helps to illustrate that your family supports those who have scarified for their country. You may even consider asking your senior who served to help you hang it.

Attend a Veterans Day parade: This is a fun way to celebrate your senior, as well as other veterans in your area.

Do something nice for a veteran: If you spot someone wearing an item that indicates that they have served in the Armed Forces, thank them for their service. A small gesture also has a meaningful impact on this special day. This could be as simple as buying a vet a cup of coffee when they’re in line behind you, or offering to pump their gas at the gas station. If you have more money to spend, consider picking up the tab for a veteran and their family.

Send a letter to troops overseas: Write a letter to a solider oversees thanking them for their service. For information on how to go about doing this, check out the U.S. Department of Defense website. You may also consider sending a care package with small personal items, sources of entertainment, and other items that may provide comfort to someone serving their country.

Visit with wounded veterans at a VA facility: Many veterans just want someone to talk to, so your presence can be extremely comforting, particularly on Veterans Day. Head to your local VA hospital and spend some time chatting with the men and women there.

There are plenty of other effective ways to honor someone who has served, too. You can spend time with the family of a person who’s currently overseas, or can bring flowers to a veterans’ cemetery in order to make it look more beautiful. These gestures may be small, but they’re much appreciated.