There’s never enough hours in the day, and today’s seniors are just as busy as the younger generations with their activities, appointments, hobbies and other events that take place. With so much to do, it’s easy to miss opportunity to make the most of every day, but with a few strategies, it’s possible to make 24 hours feel like 36.

1. Sleeping for productivity

2. Eating your way to a 36 hour day

3. Learning to multi-task effectively

4. Organizing your way to success

5. Learning how to get it done faster

6. Learning while multi-tasking in your free time

7. Using technology to increase productivity

8. Turning off

9. Asking for help

Over the next few weeks, we will help seniors, their caregivers and anyone else looking to take control over their lives and their time by discussing the above strategies, to help make sure that no goal goes unaccomplished!

Via: Gaia.com

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Money might not be the most important thing in the world, but it does seem to control it. We’d like to hear your experiences with taking control of your finances, especially if you’re a boomer woman who has overcome obstacles, or who has had to take over financial management for the first time in her life after the loss of a spouse due to death or divorce. Tell us your thoughts, and in the meantime here are a few tips for those of you who need a little push in the right direction when it comes to money matters:

1. Let go of the idea that it’s too late – you might feel that as you approach your senior years, it’s too late to get yourself out of any financial mess you’ve made or learn new methods when it comes to managing your finances. When it comes to financial planning, it’s never too late to start!

2. Learn about money – this may sound obvious, but start doing your homework and research about all things finance. Learn about investment options, about financing available, about interest rates, and about anything that’s likely to apply to your situation before you even make your next move. Books and the internet are both great resources

3. Talk to a financial planner – you can hire a personal money adviser or speak to one that’s already available to you at your Indianapolis bank (although someone independent might be more impartial) in order to keep you informed and help you make financial decisions

4. Support yourself – if you don’t have the means to save, invest or pay off debts, you might need to get a job. Find something you love, but ensure you have a set goal for earnings that will help you reach your financial goals

5. Pay off debts – don’t put it off, find a way to start paying off credit cards and loans right away

6. Save and invest – put money away every month without fail, every little bit will help you reach your financial goals and bring financial security

Via: Let Life In

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

It’s supposed to be exciting when you’re planning a vacation, especially when it’s one that you’ve been waiting for retirement to make. But there’s a lot that goes into planning a trip and it can be extremely stressful; to help you enjoy the planning process there are a number of websites that can take away some of the stress:

1. Kayak – in order to find the lowest price fare available for their destination of choice, seniors can browse flights at this website. This is also a way for seniors to read about the various destinations and traveller reviews to make a decision about their trip. This saves the hassle of having to check fares and flight times at multiple airlines, and seniors can book directly with this travel site or use it simply as a resource

2. Away –if you’re travelling at a destination you’ve never been to, it’s hard to know what there is to do there, and leaving it until your arrival can require you to be perhaps more impulsive than you’d like. Seniors can login to Away and browse the destination they’re travelling to in order to find activities. This resource can also be used before a destination is settled on to help determine where to go!

3. Hotwire – when seniors are planning a trip ahead of time, they can setup to receive email alerts when there are sales on trips to a destination they’re considering, and prices are available for flights, accommodations and all aspects of travel

4. Orbitz – seniors who are thinking about taking a cruise or a different kid of trip, can look at Orbitz before booking to compare prices and also receive travel insurance

Via: Associated Content

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Q – I am writing on behalf of my mother. She reads your site diligently for information about aging, and I’m hoping you can help me make her realize just how important it is that she receives breast cancer screening. She’s in her 60’s and has never had a mammogram; I believe it’s a combination of apprehension about the process, and fear that something might be found. Could you help us by outlining what can be expected when getting a mammogram?

A – Unfortunately your mother is like many American women who put off breast cancer screening. Since October is breast cancer awareness month, your question couldn’t come at a better time. Here is an outline of what can be expected when getting a mammogram:

1. When dressing the day of the mammogram, avoid applying deodorant, talcum powder, or any other heavily scented items that can be irritating to others, or that could affect the imaging. Also wear a 2 piece outfit.

2. When arriving at the imaging office, you will be asked for copies of previous mammograms, if they do not have them already, and will also ask you to fill out a form with your medical records

3. Upon going into have the mammogram done, you will be asked to remove jewellery and clothing that can interfere with the procedure, including your shirt and bra, and any other clothing you have on above the waist

4. To prepare for the mammogram itself, one breast at a time will be placed on an imaging cassette and will be compressed with a paddle so that the maximum amount of breast tissue is visible on the image

5. The image will be taken and then the process will be repeated with the other breast

6. The images will be examined, not for results but to ensure they are effective. Typically, you will be allowed to get dressed and wait to find out if you are able to leave, or if more images are needed

7. The images and results will be returned for your doctor for review

Sources:

1. About.com 

2. Imaginis 

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

With fall in the air and Halloween approaching, there’s no better time than now to try a new tasty snack that will promote the health of your kidneys in older adulthood and prevent the development of kidney stones. If eating pumpkin seeds doesn’t sound too appetizing to you, try these methods in order to get the best of the health benefits, while enjoying a healthy new snack that also tastes good:

1. Try them raw – the greatest benefit comes from raw pumpkin seeds when they are ripe in the fall, so take advantage of this season and grab a snack!

2. Avoid the salt – the added sodium won’t do you any favors so avoid the salt when preparing your pumpkin seeds

3. Save the seeds from Halloween art – when carving your pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, save the seeds and rinse them thoroughly in cold water and then dry them out in the oven

4. Turn pumpkin seeds into a powder – if you don’t enjoy the taste of the pumpkin seeds, grind them in a blender or coffee grinder until they turn to a powder and mix them into water, juice or other drinks

5. Make sure you get the recommended dosage – 5 to 10 grams of pumpkin seeds will improve kidney function, so take a hand full for your mid-morning or afternoon snack as a way to benefit your health and curb your appetite!

Via:  Associated Content 

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

It might sound stereotypical, but in many families that belong to the boomer generation, women are left out of the financial loop while men manage the money matters. As this generation is approaching their senior years, it’s time for women to take control over their finances so they can avoid these common mistakes that might compromise their retirement:

1. Some boomer women expect they’ll receive an inheritance – women who are fortunate enough to still have parents alive, might expect that at the time of their passing, they will receive a large enough inheritance to carry them through retirement. There are no guarantees if boomers will receive an inheritance at all, and if they do, they may not know if it will be enough to finance their senior years

2. Reliance on a spouse – many women allow their spouse to control all aspects of finances and also assume that their loved one is effectively planning for their retirement. Both partners should be involved in financial management, or at least have an awareness

3. No planning for women on their own – boomer women might assume that their spouse will be with them forever. But death or divorce can change this, and women need to make sure they have their financial ducks in a row so they can survive on their own

4. Expecting a man to save the day – some women on their own have the “prince charming” attitude and are waiting for a man to sweep them off their feet and fill up their bank account

Via: Let Life In

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

October is breast cancer awareness month, and that means it’s time to get out your pink and show your support for breast cancer research and all of those whose lives have been touched by the disease. Your gesture can be as big or as small as you’re able to make it, but make sure that you do your part in spreading breast cancer awareness!

1. Wear or hand out pink ribbons – show your support by breast cancer by wearing a pink ribbon. You’ll find them for sale at establishments around Indianapolis, available if you make any donation to the cause. Or you can make your own pink ribbons to wear and hand out to friends and family

2. Wear pink – even if you can’t afford to make a big donation to a breast cancer cause, simply wearing pink clothing items, along with a pink ribbon will help you show your support and honor those who have successfully fought the disease or lost their battle

3. Fundraise – holding an event with a pink theme, where the proceeds will go towards breast cancer is a great way to bonds with others over a common cause and give something back to breast cancer research. Hold a bake sale, or get creative and think up another event

4. Try a run/walk for breast cancer – while many took place over the summer, runs and walks for breast cancer are still ongoing in October

5. Shop for breast cancer awareness – breast cancer awareness merchandise is available where a portion or all of the proceeds of a sale go to breast cancer. This way you donate, and show your support with your merchandise

6. Donate – make a donation online, by phone or in person to breast cancer research

Via: Associated Content

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Q - My mom has been an avid gardener for most of her life, and now that she’s retired she has more time than ever to pursue her hobby. However, she recently moved from her 2-story home to an apartment and doesn’t really have space for a traditional garden. Is there any way she can still garden?

A – Seniors living in an apartment don’t need to give up their love of gardening just because they’re living somewhere else. Suggest these 5 tips for container gardening to your mom, and even help her get started!

1. Get the right sized container – purchase containers or consider saving things from your recycling. All you need to do is punch a few holes in the bottom of the container to make it suitable for planting. Most vegetables require larger containers, although you might be able to use a recycled container the size of a large yogurt container for herbs, leaf lettuce, spinach and radishes

2. Use a good quality soil – purchase a high-quality potting soil or top soil in order to keep your container garden free of weeds.

3. Following planting instructions – if you’re planting vegetable plants or others which are already grown, place a little bit of soil at the bottom of the pot, remove the plant from its existing container and fill in any remaining space with the potting soil. When planting seeds, fill the pot completely with soil and follow directions for spacing

4. Care for as directed – put your pots in an area that will be the right temperature and have exposure to sunlight as directed. Water according to instructions.

Via: AFB Senior Site

Image: myaimistrue.com

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Few doctors will admit to prescribing medications without first looking at an elderly patient’s medical history and the drugs that they’re currently taking; but it can happen in a variety of scenarios, and with multiple prescriptions being taken at a time, polypharmacy can result in dangerous drug interactions. Here are some tips on how to prevent drug interaction in polypharmacy:

1. Keep medications documented – carrying a list of all prescription and non-prescription medications taken (including vitamins and supplements) can help ensure none are forgotten about when speaking with doctors and pharmacists. The list should also include why they’re taken, the dosage and frequency

2. Mention even over-the-counter medications to medical professionals –you might not think they’re important, but even over-the-counter medications, vitamins and supplements can interact

3. Don’t assume – don’t assume that your doctor remembers what they’ve prescribed you in the past. Doctors are often busy and frazzled. When they prescribe a new medication, don’t hesitate to ask them about potential interactions as a reminder

4. Make sure all doctors are aware of your prescriptions – if you’re a senor who sees multiple doctors or specialists, don’t automatically expect that information regarding your prescriptions has been shared. This is where having a complete list can come in handy and avoid issues with polypharmacy

5. Check out new drugs – sticking with one pharmacy will allow your pharmacist to verify that there will be no drug interactions; they might catch something your doctor hasn’t. Otherwise, take the initiative to research any new drugs for interactions yourself

6. Be cautious of side effects – don’t assume any side effects are just that, talk to your doctor to ensure they aren’t the result of drug interactions

Via: CSA Connections

Image: blogs.kdfc.com

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.