Elder law focuses on the needs of older adults from a variety of angles. This specialty emerged because legal requirements in the later part of life and after death are numerous and complex. This blog explains some of the major areas covered in elder law.
Many consider spinning, a version of indoor stationary bicycling, to be an excellent activity for older adults. Physical activity is essential at any age, and spinning provides an exercise that is safe, low-impact, and easy on the joints. It improves movement, heart health, and helps prevent fall-related injuries. So, is a spin class right for you? Here are several reasons you should consider trying it out:
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been reading about advanced directives in the news. So what are they, and do you need them? An advanced directive is a document that will tell medical staff and family members your wishes for what YOU want in the event you have a medical emergency.
Adequate and consistent lighting is important to keep aging adults safe. The sharpness of vision can deteriorate as we get older. Therefore, it is essential to invest in high-quality and intentional lighting. Taking these lighting safety measures will reduce fall risks and enhance in-home experiences for loved ones in the home.
1. Utilize "Smart" Lighting
If older adults have impaired mobility, it can be a challenge for them to get up to turn the lights on and off. Smart lighting is a wonderful solution to this problem, especially for those with limited mobility or visual impairments.
Do you often wake up feeling stiff or aching? Do you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning because of your sore and stiff muscles? This is very common and often referred to as morning stiffness. Even though it is common, many people don't understand the causes of morning stiffness or how to avoid it. Many people think it solely has to do with getting older and the aging of the body. While this can certainly be a reason and a normal occurrence, aging is, more often than not, unlikely to be the reason for morning stiffness.
The most common cause of morning stiffness is tight muscles or worn and tired joints. Muscle tightness can often be mistaken for joint pain. These symptoms can also be an indication of arthritis or inflammation, but that is not always the case.
The fact is that joints do not always age at the same rate as the rest of the body. They can age faster due to wear and tear, or they can age more slowly if they are taken care of properly. Typically, overweight people are more subject to having worn joints and feeling stiff in the morning. Cartilage works as the cushioning of your joints. As your joints age, cartilage dries out and stiffens. As cartilage dries out, your joints also lose necessary lubrication, which also contributes to morning stiffness. This leads to tightness in the morning, stiff tendons, and weakened muscles. It is very difficult to reverse the symptoms of aging joints. Still, there are different things that you can do to reduce morning stiffness and the aging of your joints.
In our last blog, Talking to Your Aging Parents About Money – Part 1, we explored ways adult children could start the conversation about money with their parents. Once the ice is broken, an opportunity to deepen the conversation presents itself.
The "money" subject is the first of several layers of important issues aging adults need to address. The following are major ones adult children need to discuss with their parents.
Most adults with aging parents rarely look forward to raising the subject of their elders' money. It's a scary topic because it involves a role reversal. Parents are supposed to teach their young children about money, not the other way around. Years later, adult children and their parents sometimes find it challenging to break out of this family dynamic. Yet, there comes a time when children need to talk to aging parents about plans for their money and other end-of-life planning topics.
Ideally, the time to talk to parents should happen before any crisis. Injury or illness can happen fast. If plans are not in place, decisions may be made quickly without sufficient information. This risk of causing irreversible mistakes is high. Even if plans have been made, failure to share them with adult children may put an effective plan at risk. Talking when parents can physically and mentally hold their own in the conversation provides a better foundation for good planning. In other words, the sooner, the better.
Telehealth, the delivery of healthcare services virtually, is an increasingly popular practice that many people are looking at to replace typical in-person delivery. Telehealth can include video conference medical appointments, health apps, and remote patient monitoring. Throughout the last year, people have been forced to schedule telehealth medical appointments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As many have experienced, this can be a viable option for many, especially seniors, looking forward.
People often confuse telehealth and telemedicine, but they are two different things. While telehealth is a virtual communication mode between doctors and patients, telemedicine uses technology to deliver care to patients virtually. Therefore, telemedicine is less broad than telehealth because it only refers to remote clinical services.
Nearly half of Americans 65 or older will eventually require some form of long-term care, according to a 2016 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
| Length of Time in Long-Term Care Age 65 or Older | ||
| Men | Women | |
| None | 58.0% | 52.1% |
| <1 Year | 22.2% | 23.1% |
| 1.00-1.99 Years | 8.5% | 9.5% |
| 2.00-4.99 Years | 8.0% | 11.2% |
| >5 Years | 3.4% | 8.3% |
Of those needing long-term care, roughly half need it for less than a year. However, women are more likely to stay longer one year or longer.
Over the years of extended use, nearly 80% of seniors develop foot problems. Common foot problems in seniors include arthritis, ingrown toenails, flat foot, diabetic foot ulcers, gout, bunions, hammertoes, stress fractures, fungal infections, and more. Some of these problems arise from everyday activity and health problems such as arthritis and diabetes. Still, the issue for many is inappropriate footwear.
As foot problems develop with age, people often do not realize that improper shoes can cause or worsen these problems. Aging causes poor foot circulation, loss of fat and cushion in the feet, and foot skin and nails to dry out. This means seniors should not wear the same shoes worn for most of their lives when their feet were healthy.