For many seniors, “home, sweet home” can be a dangerous place.  A third of seniors experience one or more falls each year, and their risk of dying in a house fire is 2-3 times the national average. In addition, a quarter of seniors make mistakes in how they store and consume medications.

Bay Alarm Medical’s mascot isn’t called “Grumpy Grandpa” for nothing: the home can be a dangerous place for seniors – but it doesn’t have to be.  What do you do if your relative’s home environment contains hazards? Make it safer!

Use this “Senior Safety Tips” infographic to learn about the causes of senior accidents and get tips to help prevent them.

Help Prevent Senior Medication Errors

As people age, most develop multiple health problems that require them to manage different prescriptions and medication schedules.  Keeping track of what pill to take and when can be confusing for people of any age, but seniors also often deal with vision, hearing or cognitive problems as well; which make the process even more difficult.

In addition, the mere fact of aging changes how the body responds to medication. So it’s no wonder that 26% of seniors make potentially serious medication errors each year.  Help your senior relative reduce the danger of medication errors:

• Communicate with doctors and pharmacists: A 2006 California study found that senior patients “experience a drug error rate seven times greater than those under 65.” Often, the problem is lack of communication between doctors and other providers. Patients should keep a list of every drug and dosage taken and share it with every doctor and pharmacist they visit. This can help avoid potentially harmful drug interactions.
• Be alert for food and alcohol interactions: Drugs can also interact with food and drink that is consumed. Note whether a drug should be taken with food or on an empty stomach: that affect how quickly and/or thoroughly the drug is absorbed into the system. Alcohol can enhance drowsiness, affect balance, and slow reaction time, so indulge sparingly – if at all.
• Check the expiration date: The effectiveness of some drugs – like insulin – degrades as the drug ages. Seniors may not notice the expiration date has passed or may be trying to save money on medications by using every single bit.
• Store it in a cool, dry place: Ironically, the medicine cabinet is one of the worst places to store medications because the relatively high temperature and humidity in a bathroom can affect the chemical composition of medicines. Avoid storing medications in the bathroom or kitchen and pay attention to instructions about refrigeration.
• Keep a “Vial of Life” in the home: The kit contains your important medical information that can assist emergency personnel in administering the proper medical treatment. First responders will have your medical history at their fingertips.  The Vial of Life tells a patient’s story even if she isn’t able to.

Preventing Senior Falls

Almost a third of seniors will experience one or more falls this year and 57% who have fallen will fall again within the next year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, falls are the leading cause of injury death for senior adults. An active lifestyle can reduce the likelihood of falls, but doesn’t completely eliminate the danger. Here are other ways to help seniors avoid falls:

• Get regular eye exams: Bifocal lens can distort depth perception, particularly when the wearer is going down stairs or downhill.  Seniors should have their eyes checked at least once a year and consider getting single vision lens for wear during outside activities.
• Maintain steps & install ramps and railings: Home hazards include stairs, poor lighting, slippery surfaces, and uneven floors.  Check for all these problems inside the home and at entrances.
• Review prescription medications: Some medications affect balance and alertness. Ask doctors and pharmacists about drug side effects and interactions.
• Wear a medical alert button:  In 2012, US mail carrier Mario Serrano rescued an 87-year-old woman who had fallen in her bathroom and spent two days wedged between her bathtub and toilet. If a fall does happen, a medical alert button allows your relative to call for help immediately.

Seniors and Fire Safety

For seniors 65 and older, the risk of dying in a fire is twice the national average – and seniors 75 and older are at three times the risk. Just a few simple precautions help make a home safer from fires:

• Working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are one of the most important fire safety devices for the home, but seniors may need more than a basic alarm.  Newer alarms use a combination of visual cues (such as flashing lights) and audio to alert seniors to danger.
• Never smoke in bed. Between 2006 and 2010, only 7% of reported home fires started in a bedroom, but these accounted for 25% of deaths. Of course, quitting is the best option, but alternatively, encourage your relative to either smoke outside the house or smoke only when wide-awake and outside the bedroom.
• Be careful with space heaters.  Keep space heaters and other heat sources away from flammable objects and furniture.

As we age, it’s important to stay healthy.  It’s just as important to stay safe.  For many seniors, these simple precautions and modifications will help them stay safe and independent in their homes.

About Bay Alarm Medical

For over 60 years, Bay Alarm Medical Alert Systems singular mission has been to protect the most important things in life – family, health and independence. We pride ourselves in providing the highest level of safety and medical alert services. All of our clients are fully protected with industry-leading medical alert alarm systems and backed by one of the nation’s most reliable 24 hour medical alert emergency call centers.

We welcome your comments below.

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• Top 5 Ways to Reduce Falls in Senior Living Communities
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• Food and Drug Interactions

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It’s true; those slobbery, wagging and furry creatures can be the best of companions. Popular culture shows us that people of all ages benefit from pets with movies such as Old Yeller, Beethoven, Turner & Hooch and more. But the truth is that pets are sometimes the only companions for seniors. They provide a comfort system and actually produce  a chemical chain reaction in the brain that helps to lower levels of of the stress-inducing hormone, cortisol, and increase the production of the feel-good hormone, serotonin. In fact, pets have been shown to reduce heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels in humans and can actually help lower cholesterol, fight depression and help protect against heart conditions. All great reasons for seniors to have a pet!

Huffington Post features A Place for Mom in an article released today. The article brings up that “caring for an animal stimulates physical activity and gives many people a feeling of purpose.” This is especially important for seniors as exercise and purpose promote healthy living. The article further discusses that the relationship is not one-sided; the benefits are reciprocal to both pet pet and owner. Learn more about  pet therapy and the benefits of pets in senior living.

Senior Living Communities Offer Pet Programs

Catering care to both senior and pet can be the challenge. Brandi Eskesen, Veterinarian at Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Hospital, notes: “Seniors do benefit from having pets in their lives. One of the problems we see frequently as veterinarians is unintentional neglect, in which seniors may forget to medicate or feed their pets. It can be very frustrating. It would be ideal if the senior living communities would help seniors care for their pets by having someone who can focus on medicating them and making sure they get proper care.”

Well many senior living communities actually have Pet Coordinators to help care for the pets to assure pets are getting proper food, activity, medication and love. And many of the pet-friendly communities are thriving as pets have become community mascots and give residents reasons for social calls; all great for seniors’ stimulation and entertainment.

In addition to being pet friendly, many communities also offer pet therapy programs in which gentle animals make healing guest appearances. In fact, The Humane Society of Dallas has a volunteer who visits local nursing homes: “One of our volunteers has worked with a pet therapy program, through which a local shelter sends kittens and puppies to visit an area nursing home. The joy the residents’ exhibit when they get to cuddle a little furry friend clearly confirms the therapeutic impact a pet can have on anyone!”

And we recently discovered that one of our communities, Spring Hills Singing Woods, an assisted living and memory care residence, offers bunny therapy. In fact the cuddling “immediately produces positive responses from residents, ranging from squeals of delight to calm relaxation,” according to the community’s Executive Director, Dierdre Middlestetter.

Finding the Right Pet Friendly Community

It’s important to do your research when choosing a pet friendly community as some communities offer dog grooming and dog walking services for many sizes and breeds, while others only allow small pets with a weight restriction (usually under 20 pounds)—limiting the pets to small dogs, birds, fish, rabbits or cats. Some communities only allow pets on a case-by-case basis. So make sure to contact your communities of choice and ask about their particular pet policy.

Here are some things to consider to find the right community for your loved one:

• Does the community offer pet services?
• Are there pet size and weight restrictions?
• Are there breed restrictions?
• Is there a standard policy or are pets considered on a case-by-case basis?

Enter Our Pet Photo Contest

To celebrate National Pet Month and to highlight our pets’ therapeutic benefits, A Place for Mom is holding a contest for the best photos of you and your pet. Submit a picture of you and your pet in one or all of the following categories:

• Funniest
• Cutest
• Ugliest
• Owner/Pet Lookalike

A winner will be selected for each category, with a prize of a $25.00 gift card to Petsmart for all the winners! Contest runs through May 31st, 2013 – Have fun!

More Articles:

• Bunny Therapy: Senior Care Can’t Get Much More Warm and Fuzzy
• How Pet Therapy Has Changed Assisted Living
• Best Pet Friendly Assisted Living in Madison and Milwaukee
• Dallas Pet Friendly Assisted Living
• “Fur-st” Class LA Pet Friendly Assisted Living
• Pet-Friendly Assisted Living in West Palm Beach, Florida

By guest blogger: Glenn R. Kantor, Esq.
Kantor & Kantor, LLP

Many families across the country are facing, or will soon be facing, paying for long term care for a loved one. As lawyers who work with insurance companies over denied long term care benefits, we understand how difficult this life stage can sometimes be.

The first step in getting your Long Term Care (LTC) Claim paid is recognizing that not all policies are the same. Oftentimes, older policies have more restrictive coverage – providing either “Nursing Home” benefits (which pay for room and board) or “Home Health Care” benefits (which pay for a qualified Home Health Care Provider). Newer policies, however, tend to provide benefits for both types of care. You will need to take a close look at your policy to determine the type of benefits provided. You can (and if you don’t have it, should) request a copy of your policy from your insurance company or employer (for group policies).

What determines eligibility for LTC benefits?

While the language of older policies typically focuses on “medical necessity,” more current policies are centered around an inability to perform two or more activities of daily living (ADL) without “hands on” or “stand by” (within an arm’s length) assistance. For instance, if you cannot perform ADL’s like eating, bathing, and dressing without assistance, you will likely meet your policy’s criteria for LTC benefits. However, meeting criteria for your LTC benefits is not sufficient on its own. You must have a physician confirm your inability to perform these ADL’s, or the presence of a cognitive impairment, and then recommend care to an appropriate licensed or eligible care provider.

Now that you understand the terms of your policy, and a physician has determined that you are in need of your LTC benefits, it is time to begin the claims process. Be sure that your physician established “Plan of Care” is consistent with the type of care that is covered under your policy.

What should I submit with my claim?

It is important that you do not let the claim forms limit you in conveying your restrictions. Include as much evidence as possible, and feel free to go beyond what the claim form allows. After carefully reviewing the claim forms, include certification by your physician stating that the treatment being requested is necessary. Once your claim has been submitted, we recommend that all of your communication with the insurance company be done in writing; however we understand that this is not always possible. If you must communicate with the insurance company orally, remember to obtain the name of the person to whom you are speaking and confirm the conversation with follow up correspondence. It is always a good idea to send correspondence by both regular mail, and certified mail that can be tracked.

What should I expect once my claim has been submitted?

After submitting your LTC claim, the insurer might conduct an assessment, either in person or telephonic, to verify your need for care. Be sure that you have a family member or knowledgeable caregiver present during this assessment to ensure that accurate information is being obtained! Note that policies issued after 2000 mandate that benefits cannot be denied without giving the insured an in person assessment by an independent licensed health care provider.

The facility that will provide your care also plays an important role in the claims process. The facility will need to provide forms proving that they qualify as an eligible provider under your policy, and include an assessment of you which determines your specific needs.

Insurance companies acting in good faith usually pay claims on a timely basis. However, many insurance companies are notorious for stalling the claim, in hopes that you will give up.  Because most LTC insureds are elderly, infirm, or cognitively impaired, they are vulnerable. We have seen insurance companies that do not hesitate to take advantage of these vulnerabilities. Be aware that many insurance companies will:

• Interpret the language of your policy to their own best interest
• Deny receiving necessary documents from you
• Utilize biased doctors and nurses to justify a denial of your claim
• Ignore, or fail to advise you about the benefits to which you are entitled

Although battling an insurance company can be a difficult and frustrating endeavor, it is a fight that must be fought for those in need of long term care. If you find that your insurer unfairly denies your claim for LTC benefits, it may be beneficial to seek out advice from a reputable and experienced attorney in this field of law.

About the Author: Kantor & Kantor is one of the most experienced and highly respected law firms dealing with the prosecution of claims against insurance companies. We represent clients whose insurance companies have failed or refused to pay claims arising out of Disability, Health, Life, Long Term Care and other liability insurance claims.

At Kantor & Kantor, we understand that an insurance denial is not the final word. If your long term care insurance claim has been unfairly denied, feel free to contact us at (800) 446-7529 or visit KantorLaw.net.

Have you or a loved one had trouble getting your long term care insurance claims paid? Feel free to share your stories and lessons learned in the comments section below.

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Leisure Care’s brand of resort style retirement communities focus on expanding freedom, choice and independence for seniors.  Seniors have more time to explore the things they truly enjoy in life, including spending quality time with family and friends. As often happens, this socialization revolves around meals and dining.

According to Jason Childers, Senior Vice President of Leisure Care, providing a gourmet dining experience for residents is just one of the ways Leisure Care communities stand out in the crowd. “When a senior is shopping for a community or families are looking for a senior living community for their mom or dad, healthy—yet tasty food—is high on the priority list,” says Childers. “When you choose a community, you are basically choosing the restaurant that you will go to two to three times a day, every day. You better enjoy that restaurant.”

Collaborating with Childers to deliver on this promise is Chris Tolstoy, Food and Beverage Manager and Michael Sturm, Operations Director who leads the Health and Wellness initiatives for Leisure Care.  As manager of Leisure Care’s food and beverage program, Tolstoy strives to be both proactive and innovative when it comes to dining.

“Our goal is to produce meals that combine freshness, quality and taste that works,” shares Tolstoy. “Our Food and Beverage Program provides plenty of options for our residents and we adapt as needed across the board or from community to community.” These adaptations can be driven by a variety of things, such as what’s fresh and local, to regional and cultural preferences, to the changing palettes and tastes of residents. Examples of this include tasteful, southern-style barbecue in the south, or Louisiana Cajun style cooking at Leisure Care’s Atlanta community.  Pacific Northwest community menus are infused with seafood choices. Tolstoy notes, “We always focus on bringing in fresh, local organic produce into our communities wherever we can.”

Leisure Care Caters to Senior Lifestyles and Palettes

When families are looking for a senior living community for their loved ones, a combination of nutritious and tasty food is high on the priority list. Meal time is part of socialization and enjoyment at every age, but is especially important for seniors as meal time provides stimulation and mingling—both necessary for quality golden years. Leisure Care takes this into consideration and strives to be both proactive and innovative when it comes to meals.

Here are just a few ways LeisureCare delivers on their promise of a rich dining experience focused on delicious, well-balanced food:

• A true restaurant experience. Residents are seated, provided with menus and place their orders with a server. Leisure Care restaurants are set up like 5-star fine dining establishments with linen table clothes, linen napkins, servers in button-up dress shirts. Fresh flowers are often set for resident enjoyment.
• A variety of menu options. Each community has a planned menu, which includes daily specials along with the “stand by favorites” that are always available. Everything is cooked fresh and from scratch by top-notch chefs.
• Heart-healthy choices. Every menu includes a minimum of five “heart-healthy” items, which are designated with a little heart.
• Gluten-free options. As needed, communities offer gluten-free specials to accommodate physician- prescribed diets.
• Sugar-free desserts. With or without sugar, the dessert collection provides something for everyone.

Leisure Care offers exhibition-style cooking for residents, where the residents can watch and interact while the chefs are creating meals. They also cater meals for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, sport events, as well as holiday celebrations. Any time residents want a special dining experience, all they have to do is contact their chef to make it happen. Most communities have a private dining room, but if the resident wants to open up the community dining room, this is also possible.

Resident feedback is also important. The Leisure Care chefs do a great job of socializing with residents during the dinner hour, and many communities have actually set up a “Resident Food Council”— a forum for residents to give ongoing feedback. Residents can provide input on menus, ingredients, recipes and special events.

Combining Nutrition and Fitness for Optimized Senior Health

Leisure Care makes it a point to proactively adapt their health and wellness programs. They believe that the things they do today withstand what the residents need tomorrow, and they feel fortunate that they have Michael Sturm to create a balance of wellness programs to go along with healthy eating options. For example, on-staff personal trainers help residents pair a fitness program with their meal program. And, according to Childers, more and more residents are taking advantage of the gym. When the trainer is enthusiastic, it’s easy to get residents excited about working out.

It’s all about balancing quality of life and interesting activities with healthy options. Satisfying both senior and family—finding the balance—is what is important. Childers comments that one of the residents told him, “I feel like I’m still 18. I want to do the things I did when I was young.”

And why shouldn’t Leisure Care residents feel rejuvenated? They’re retired, socializing and eating healthy, chef-prepared meals. In fact, many residents ask, “Am I retired or am I on vacation?” when they enjoy their meals at Leisure Care’s resort-style communities.

What do you think is important in senior living dining? Nutrition, socialization or are your loved ones dietary needs being met? Maybe just overall enjoyment of the meal is your top priority for your loved one. We’d love to get your comments below.

And here is a tasty senior-catered recipe, courtesy of Leisure Care…

Toasted Quinoa and Cherry Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked 
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped (substitute 1 cup fresh cherries when available)
• 1/2 cup italian parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons honey

*Optional: Salt and pepper to taste          

Cooking Method:

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in an non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Toast the quinoa until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add water; cover, reduce heat to low and let steam for 15 minutes.  Place the toasted, steamed quinoa in a large bowl to cool.  When cool, add the almonds, green onions, dried cherries, and chopped parsley; mix well.  Whisk the orange juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, buttermilk, and honey together.  Pour over the quinoa mixture and combine well.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Serves: 6

Enjoy!

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What do you think the Best Gift for Mother’s Day is? From flowers, chocolates, homemade gifts and more, finding that truly special gift for mom can be challenging. After all, moms fulfill many roles as the CEO of the household; from teacher, chef, nurse and friend—moms truly have the most difficult job—and it’s important to let them know how special they are with the right gift.

A Place for Mom’s poll showed that a meal out with the family is the best gift for mom, followed by a weekend away, and a framed family photograph. But when we specifically asked the Facebook audience, the overwhelming response was “to just spend another day with her” and to, simply, “spend time with her.”  Obviously those who recently lost their moms or those with aging moms just treasure the time spent with her, or the time they have left. Here are a few of those poignant responses:

• “If Heaven wasn’t so far away… I’d pack up myself and go for the day.”
• “I would give anything to feel my mom’s hugs one more time…”
• “Lots of love and respect are the necessary ingredient in this mother’s thoughts.”
• “Mother’s Day should be every day. I miss my Mom and a day will come when my children will miss me too. I do not want gifts. All I want love and peace at this winter of my life.”
• “Time with my family… The gift of time!!!”
• ” Peace and love from my family…of course, pulling some weeds for me wouldn’t hurt either.”

And here are the rest of the poll results:

Question: What is the best Mother’s Day Gift?

1. A meal out with the family 33%
2. A weekend away! Mom needs a break! 21%
3. A framed family photograph 10%
4. Spa day 9%
5. A handmade gift 7%
6. A card 6%
7. Flowers 6%
8. Smartphone or tablet 3%
9. Breakfast in bed 2%
10. Jewelry 2%
11. Chocolates 1%

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2013 ALFA Hero Awards

This week senior executives from around the world are gathering at the ALFA 2013 Conference & Expo in Charlotte, NC.  The conference is a four day event featuring educational workshops and networking events for industry professionals.  This year’s theme is: Inspire Passion. Lead Change. Create the Future.

Every year during the conference a special lunch is held honoring the winners of the ALFA Hero Awards who are distinguished representatives of the hundreds of thousands of people serving in senior living communities. This year, former First Lady Laura Bush presented the awards and spoke about the important role that caregivers provide to seniors in America.

Join us in congratulating these distinguished representatives by adding your comments below.

Alexis Parks

Alexis Parks is a Care Associate from Brookdale Senior Living at Holley Court Terrace in Oak Park Illinois. Send your well wishes and congratulations to Alexis here.

Deborah Martin

Deborah Martin is the Business Office Director at The Seasons in Lewisburg West Virginia. Send your well wishes and congratulations to Deborah here.

Fern Marshall

Fern Marshall is a volunteer at Emeritus in Colorado Springs, an Emeritus Senior Living community in Colorado. Send your well wishes and congratulations to Fern here.

Sarah Snavely

Sarah Snavely is the Activities Assistant from IntegraCare at The Woods at Cedar Run in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Send your well wishes and congratulations to Sarah here.

Leo Aguilar

Leo Aguilar is the Director of Culinary Services from Silverado Senior Living San Juan Capistrano in California. Send your well wishes and congratulations to Leo here.

Jane Bongiovanni

Jane Bongiovanni is the Program Director from Benchmark Senior Living at Plymouth Crossings in Plymouth Massachusetts. Send your well wishes and congratulations to Jane here.

Comments, well wishes and stories will be compiled into a book by A Place for Mom and presented to the winners as a keepsake to remember the lives their hearts have touched.

Liz Matt is a longtime feature reporter and former television host in Philadelphia. Liz’s beat has included coverage of the performing and visual arts, lifestyles, travelogues, celebrity spotlights and family profiles.

Pet therapy isn’t exactly news in senior care… at least, the dog and cat variety. BUNNY therapy, however, is bringing some unique advantages to a senior community in North Dayton, Ohio, through the kindness of an exceptional neighbor who called and offered her warm and fuzzy services free of charge.

Bunny Therapy’s Advantages in Senior Care

An award-winning Dayton-based bunny breeder, 19-year old Cassie Tuttle brings half a dozen or more of her adorable Mini-Rex rabbits, including the state of Ohio’s “4-H Grand Champion” Max, for frequent therapeutic pet cuddling sessions with senior residents at Spring Hills Singing Woods, an assisted living and memory care residence a short distance from her home. Her arrival for each session is itself a sight to behold, as she totes her creatures in an array of individual pocketbooks, each bunny wiggling and peeking out with anticipation. As each pet is placed in the lap of a resident, the cuddling immediately produces positive responses, ranging from squeals of delight to calm relaxation.

Deirdre Middlestetter Exec Dir, Resident Peggy Still and Breeder Cassie Tuttle each holding a bunny

“In many ways, handling a rabbit has a lot of advantages for seniors compared with petting a dog,” Cassie Tuttle explains. “They’re light and huggable like a teddy bear, so you can hold them on your lap or cuddle them up high and bury your face in their fur.  Bunnies don’t jump around and they really don’t drool, which some dogs do. And they really do feel good to everybody.”

As is widely established in eldercare, the stroking of a docile animal can be beneficial in stress reduction and promoting general feelings of well-being. Even in communities that welcome personal pet ownership, which includes all of the residences in the Spring Hills Senior Communities group, many seniors do not feel confident caring for a dependent animal and yet miss the special relationship they once enjoyed with a family companion animal.

What Was The Catalyst To Start Bunny Therapy?

Cassie Tuttle began working with rabbits as a 4-H’er when she was seven years old. When she was ten, she had her initial experiences as a 4-H volunteer bringing bunnies to visit senior communities. Now a young adult and a successful rabbit breeder caring for forty rabbits, Tuttle says that — at least where her personal animals are involved — the beneficial touch of bunny therapy is comforting both ways, as it brings happiness to the humans and to her pets. “Since my rabbits have been hand-raised and handled daily since infancy, they actually crave attention,” Tuttle added. “Now that we have returned many times, some of my rabbits seem to have favorite people they look forward to seeing.”

Bunny snuggles with resident, Peggy Still

Cassie Tuttle is often assisted in these visits by her mother Suzanne Tuttle, a disabled veteran. Suzanne Tuttle introduced her daughter to raising and breeding rabbits as a small child because Cassie Tuttle is an individual with Asperger’s, a syndrome associated with communication challenges and difficulties with social interaction. Raising and presenting show-quality bunnies has offered a calming avenue of socialization for Cassie, as she matured. Taking the initiative to bring the rabbits to the Spring Hills seniors and her leading role as their handler has increased Cassie Tuttle’s personal confidence, as well. During March of 2013, her generous work attracted the spotlight when every major television station in Dayton showed up to watch one of Cassie’s cuddle-sessions at Spring Hills Singing Woods five days before Easter. A recent graduate of home-schooling, Cassie Tuttle has now determined that she will soon go on to study therapeutic touch in a formal way and make that her career.

Bunny Therapy Is “A Special Experience For All”

Regular interaction between residents and neighbors is a key value at each of the Spring Hills Senior Communities, which span from northern New Jersey to central Florida. Deirdre Middlestetter, the Executive Director of Spring Hills Singing Woods in Dayton, Ohio feels very fortunate that this generous young volunteer from their neighborhood has brought so much joy into their residence. “Whenever the bunnies arrive,” Middlestetter said with a big smile, “the staff all gathers around because they love handling these animals too. It’s a special experience for all of us. We love it when Cassie and her bunnies come around.”

Do you have experience with pet therapy? What animals have worked for you? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

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It’s no secret that people are concerned about Alzheimer’s disease as the United States is approaching the Silver Tsunami of aging baby boomers reaching 65+ in record numbers. In fact, President Obama has made it a mission to cure Alzheimer’s by 2025 and new research is constantly being uncovered about these mysterious ‘plaques’ that lead to the brain’s deterioration. But readers have voiced just how concerned they are about how we’re not prepared for such a large aging population. There’s truly not enough funding, despite good intentions. One poll commenter had good insight:

“Today, reaching one’s seventies is quite normal; living well into one’s eighties is becoming very common. But there is an aggressor that lies in wait for many of the elderly: Alzheimer’s Disease. Most everyone can say they know at least one person with this loathsome illness. With so much of the population living longer and no cure in sight, the numbers developing Alzheimer’s are growing steadily. What’s truly frightening is, there’s no definitive cause. Some elderly get it and some don’t. The only medications merely slow down the disease, and then, only when it’s still in an early stage.”

So, yes, we at A Place for Mom agree that a cure for Alzheimer’s disease is an important mission. While, Cancer (#2 spot), Diabetes (#3 spot) and Heart Disease (#4 spot) are all important—as well as the other epidemics on the list; Alzheimer’s disease definitely poses a huge risk for the United States in the next 15+ years with the aging population.

Here are the rest of the poll results:

Question: What Healthcare Research Should Be Our Government’s Top Funding Priority?

1. Alzheimer’s Disease 53%
2. Cancer 26%%
3. Diabetes 10%
4. Heart Disease 7%
5. HIV/AIDS 2%
6. Influenza 2%
7. Tuberculosis 1%

Thank you for your participation! Feel free to have your say in the comments below, and please take part in our next poll. 

More Articles

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Every mom has her own charm. That unique imprint she makes on her children, whether they like it or not. In many instances, it’s not until kids are grown and out of the house, with families of their own, that a true appreciation of mom and all she has done is realized.

There’s obviously not one character from TV that encapsulates your mom. But from the selection below—and we tried to make it versatile—choose which mom is most like yours. Is it Claire Huxtable or Marie Barone? Maybe the creators of Marge Simpson captured some of your mom’s personality in this beloved cartoon favorite. Enter the contest for your chance to win a spa day, on us!

Favorite TV Moms Contest

Vote for your favorite TV mom for your chance to win a $100 SPA GIFT CARD. Vote now to enter the sweepstakes and we will announce the winner on Mother’s Day, May 12th.  And if there’s another TV mom who is not included below, please feel free to add her in the comments field with a description of why she is like your own mom. Have fun!

And here’s the link, if you’re having trouble viewing the form: https://apps.facebook.com/besttvmoms/pages/fedfe40f7874151b

With age comes normal aches and pain. This is just plain common sense: our bodies start to wear out as we get older. And when lifestyles changes occur—such as retirement, injuries, loss of a spouse, etc— daily activities and stimulation can be affected. This is when atrophy can take place. Stress can be a catalyst for sickness, as well. Any time a person’s sound mind and body are interrupted, which is common with normal aging and life changes, these types of negative influencers can affect someone’s health.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure and heart disease are the three most common chronic conditions in assisted living communities. In fact, a new government study shows that 82% of residents have at least one of these deadly disease. And we all know that when someone starts medications regularly, side effects can occur. It’s the whole double-edged sword of Western medicine. Read on to find out more about why these diseases overlap and what we can learn from the latest research.

The Big Picture: Studying How Diseases Overlap

Dr. Cynthia Boyd, a professor of geriatric medicine at Johns Hopkins makes a good point: “Much of the way we practice medicine is looking at disease by disease. We aren’t doing enough thinking about how to add them together and really integrate care.” But many medical professionals point out that treating certain conditions is what causes other problems to occur. For example, diuretics to treat high blood pressure often increases the need to urinate; but the problem is that many patients with dementia are already incontinent.  Also, treatments used to lower cholesterol and prevent heart attacks may also have cognitive side effects, which then creates an increased risk for dementia patients. These types of treatment issues often interfere with researching possible interconnections between diseases quite simply because doctors don’t want to put patients at increased risk for new problems.

How Are These Geriatric Diseases Connected?

According to the study, 42% of assisted living residents have dementia and more than half of the assisted living residents in the U.S. are 85 and older. About 9% have high blood pressure, dementia and some form of heart disease. So what does this mean? The diseases are believed to be linked. For example, the proteins in the brain that are linked to Alzheimer’s may also affect vascular disease. And, of course, the risk for these geriatric diseases increases with age. Those who are 65 are less at risk than those at 80 or 85.

Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, a psychiatry professor at Duke, argues that treating dementia and vascular problems may go hand-in-hand. “It’s time for the best minds in vascular research to unite with the best minds in amyloid and tau protein research,” Dr. Doraiswamy wrote last year, referring to the proteins tied to Alzheimer’s disease. “Why don’t we start today?”

Do you think Alzheimer’s and vascular disease are connected? Let us know your thoughts on this article in the comment section below.

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