As we age it is natural to lose some of our strength and ability. Daily tasks become harder to do and we also may not have as much stamina and endurance as we used to. Sometimes we forget important things, or we may be recovering at home from a fall or an illness and be unable to care for ourselves independently. Home care companies can be a good solution to provide help at times like these.

Home care workers, also called caregivers, will come into the home and help with chores such as cleaning, cooking, laundry and pet care. Caregivers can also provide companionship—playing board games, reading aloud and providing medication reminders. If necessary, they can also help with personal care tasks, such as bathing and dressing.

It can be hard to decide whether you really need help, or if you might need just a little assistance. “We’re there to do as little or as much as they need,” said Sherry Jones of Seniors Helping Seniors. Caregivers can stop by for just a couple of hours or they can stay all day.

Seniors Helping Seniors employs senior adults as their caregivers. According to Jones, “Our caregivers can identify well with the peers they are helping.” They have several well-qualified Heights residents on staff, retired from their jobs working in local hospitals, assisted living, and private duty care.

Homewatch Caregivers, a caregiving agency with clients in the Heights, also matches the personality and background of its caregivers to that of their clients. Ashley Hill, director of marketing, said, “Matching the caregiver skill set and personality to the client can increase the quality of life.”

Caregiver help can also provide tremendous relief for those caring for an ailing family member. Homewatch Caregivers recently provided help to a Cleveland Heights woman who was caring for her husband. Hill recalled, “The help was life-changing for her.  She was able to go back to being a family member instead of a family caregiver.”

Opening your home to someone you don’t know can be intimidating. Reputable home care companies screen their caregivers carefully before hiring them, and then again at regular intervals. Jones said, “We give three interviews, do a criminal background check, and three reference checks. We screen them as well as anyone possibly can.” Reputable companies are also licensed, bonded and insured. Hill said, “Always ask how long the company has been in business and what training they provide to their caregivers.”

If you need medical care, or if the layout of your home makes it hard for you to live there safely, you may need other help in addition to home care. Please talk with your doctor or the social workers at the Cleveland Heights Senior Activity Center to see what resources are available for you.

Seniors Helping Seniors may be reached at 440-759-0319, Homewatch Caregivers may be reached at 216-593-0120, and the Cleveland Heights Senior Activity Center may be reached at 216-691-7377.

Click here to read the full article in the Heights Observer.

The baby boomer generation is changing the way people experience their retirement years With a longer life expectancy, a greater interest in physical fitness, and uncertain economic times, boomers are living their golden years in ways that are different from those of past generations.

Baby boomer is the term used to describe those born between 1946 and 1964, during the post-World War II economic boom. The Huffington Post estimates that approximately 78 million Americans fit this definition, and they are “changing the face of aging.”

Many boomers continue to work past retirement age—some by choice and some by necessity. The U.S. Census Bureau projects average life expectancy by 2020 to be 82 for women and 77 for men. According to The New York Times, many boomers “. . . conclude after a year or two [of retirement] that they are bored and want to start their own business,” or they look for part-time work in the retail or consulting fields. Many are simply continuing to work because their retirement portfolios have not recovered from the recent economic downturn, or because they expect to outlive their retirement savings.

Once popular places to retire, Florida and Arizona are no longer the relocation choices they once were. According to the Urban Land Institute (ULI), boomers are moving to where their children are. North Carolina, Texas and Nevada now have the fastest-growing populations of residents age 65 and older. As ULI’s John McIlwain said, “It’s the pull of the grandkids.”

Boomers are also more active than previous generations. The Huffington Post stated that the boomers “were the first generation where large numbers exercised from their early years onward,” and they continue their active lifestyles. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reports that the rate of people age 55 and older who are joining health clubs is growing at a rate of 34 percent per year, while the 35–55 age group is growing by only 18 percent per year.

In addition, boomers are embracing holistic healing arts in numbers far greater than their predecessors did, turning to such practices as tai chi, yoga and meditation, to reduce stress. According to a study reported in The Huffington Press, these practices help prevent the stress-related loss of brain cells, which can lead to memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

With between 8,000 and 10,000 people turning 65 every day, it is certain that the definition of retirement will continue to change in the near future. “There is no consensus on what retirement is anymore,” said Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, director of the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, “People are saying, ‘I’m not done yet.’”

Click here to read the full article in the Heights Observer.

Most of us know that our physical and mental abilities change as we age, but not many of us know exactly why. The short explanation is that, just like a car, parts naturally wear out over time. The longer explanation is an interesting look at human biology.

Gerontologists at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) study the differences between normal age-related changes and disease-related changes. They have found that normal changes, including hearing loss and a reduction in brain volume, occur even among healthy older people.

Over time, aging affects the cells of every major organ of the body, which is what causes these changes. For example, lung tissue loses elasticity and causes us to get “winded” more easily. Digestive enzymes decrease, affecting our ability to properly absorb nutrients and putting us in danger of malnutrition. Blood vessels in the heart lose flexibility, causing the heart to work harder, often resulting in high blood pressure.

Bones and muscles are also naturally affected by age. According to the Mayo Clinic, bones tend to shrink in size and density, making them more susceptible to fracture and causing us to lose height. Muscles lose strength and flexibility, which causes a decrease in coordination and trouble with balance.

Aging also affects our eyes and ears. We naturally become more sensitive to glare, have trouble adapting to different levels of light and have trouble reading small print. Hearing is also diminished, and we have difficulty hearing high frequencies or following a conversation in a crowded room.

Urinary incontinence is another common complaint in older adults, and can be brought on by menopause in women and an enlarged prostate in men.

Our skin gets thinner and less elastic with age, causing more sores and bruising. Decreased production of natural oils can also make skin drier.

A decrease in taste and smell is also natural with aging, often leading to decreased appetite and poor nutrition. It can also cause a temptation to use excess salt or sugar, which can aggravate high blood pressure and diabetes.

Perhaps of greatest concern to older adults, is a decrease in memory. It can bring with it a fear of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Publications are available from The Alzheimer’s Association (800-272-3900) that compare normal age-related memory symptoms with memory symptoms that may indicate something more serious.

The Mayo Clinic and the NIA both agree that maintaining good health can reduce the severity of age-related changes. They report that physical activity, a healthy diet, stress management, abstinence from smoking and excess alcohol, and staying mentally and socially active can help keep us as healthy as possible as we age.

Click here to read the full article in the Heights Observer.

Recent signs of spring are causing many of us to start thinking about gardening. In-ground gardens can be hard on aging backs and knees, though, because of the stooping and kneeling required to plant and maintain them. Container gardens are a great alternative for those who love gardens but find them hard to keep up.

Containers can be elevated on plant stands, tables, window sills or deck railings to make them easier to reach. They can be placed close to the house or indoors, so that bags of soil don’t need to be carried long distances. Their smaller size means easier weeding, feeding and watering. The myriad sizes and styles available allow for creative design options. They also make it easy to bring annuals inside for the winter.

Virtually anything grown in the ground can also grow in a container. Plants, flowers and herbs, and most vegetables and small trees all do well in containers. It’s important to check the instructions for planting, care and growth zones when buying plants to make sure they are suitable for containers and for the amount of sunlight your garden receives.

Avoid strain on your back by buying lightweight containers. Place the containers where you want them before filling them, and locate them so that watering, weeding, deadheading and harvesting are easy for you to do. You might also want to buy smaller bags of soil, which are easier to carry than larger ones.

Start small with your container garden. It’s easy to become overzealous at the garden center and buy more plants than you can handle. Even if buying a whole flat is less expensive, try to buy only as many as you can plant at one time. If your budget is tight, focus on seeds, cuttings and native plants rather than mature or imported plants.

Choose containers with good drainage holes in the bottom. Put a half-inch layer of small pebbles, broken pottery or wood chips in the bottom of the container. Next, fill it with a mixture of two-thirds good quality soil and one-third peat moss. Peat moss adds lightness, nutrients, and helps retain moisture. Fill your containers to one inch below the rim.

An easy way to create an interesting and visually pleasing container arrangement is to follow the “thriller, filler and spiller” method of planting. The thriller is the focal piece that grabs your attention—usually the tallest and showiest plant in the container. Fillers are medium-height plants that fill the space around the thriller. Spillers are trailers that cascade out of the pot and grow toward the ground, acting as a visual anchor for the arrangement. You can have more than one kind of filler and spiller in a container, but they shouldn’t compete with the thriller for attention.

Proper design and care of your container garden will provide you with a relaxing hobby that will continue to produce pleasing results, year after year. Enjoy!

Click here to read the full article in the Heights Observer.

According to the office of the Ohio State Fire Marshall, a fire occurs in an Ohio residence every 30 minutes. The fire marshall’s office reports that one-third of those who die in Ohio fires are aged 60 and over.

Chief Dave Freeman of the Cleveland Heights Fire Department reports that the most common causes of house fires are overheating cooking oil or forgetting that something is on the stove, letting candles burn down to a flammable surface, falling asleep while smoking, using extension cords on a regular basis and overloading them, and forgetting to have the fireplace flue cleaned, or forgetting to open the damper when using the fireplace.

People of all ages should install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on all floors of the home and in each sleeping room. Batteries should be changed twice a year, when you change your clocks. Changing the batteries requires getting up on a ladder, so ask a family member, neighbor or friend to change the batteries for you. Special detectors are available for those who are hard of hearing.

The state fire marshall’s office recommends having two escape routes from your house in case of fire, and to practice using them on a regular basis. Designate a meeting point outside, so family and friends will know where to find you.

Never stay inside a burning house to call for help. Go to a neighbor’s house or use your cell phone once you are safely outside. Get an inexpensive cell phone to use for emergencies.

If a fire occurs on the second floor and you are unable to get down the stairs, Freeman recommends closing the door to your bedroom, placing a wet towel in the crack under the door, calling the fire department, and then opening or breaking the window and yelling for help. You can also call attention to yourself by blowing a whistle or waving a brightly colored piece of clothing out the window.

Other fire safety recommendations include keeping a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, having your furnace serviced regularly, never smoking in bed or in an easy chair, setting a timer to remind you to check on your cooking, never leaving candles unattended, and keeping flammable items at least three feet away from space heaters. It is also a good idea to keep your eyeglasses, a flashlight, a whistle and your cell phone near your bed.

Make sure that your address is clearly marked on your home in numbers large enough for the fire department to see from the street.

In an emergency, always call 911. To learn more about fire safety, you can contact our local fire departments at the following nonemergency numbers: Cleveland Heights, 216-291-2673; University Heights, 216-932-7800, ext. 208. Those with Internet access can visit the National Fire Protection Association website at www.nfpa.org and click on the Safety Information tab.

Click here to read the full article in the Heights Observer.