Month: October 2023

Socialization is fun, and many reports state that remaining active and social as older adults can keep us healthy and help us to live longer. But what happens when it’s no longer just as simple as hopping in the car and going?

Isolation is a genuine and even dangerous reality to the aging community. Without proactive solutions, many people could easily find themselves in this position. Adopting a pet can help you give back to your community and has the added benefits of keeping you company!

Are there benefits to getting a pet after retirement?

For those of us who want to gallivant around the world, adopting a dog or cat may not be the best option – unless you have someone who can watch them while you are away.

However, for those of us who don’t travel as often or who have a family that’s too far away, adopting a pet can have several benefits to our health and well-being. Moreover, it can provide us with a great excuse to go out and help others!

I don’t think it matters what age you are, being around a friendly pet animal warms the hearts of all of us. Whether you are a self-proclaimed “dog person,” “cat person,” or something in between, there is undoubtedly a friendly pet out there waiting for you.

Volunteering

Finding methods to give back to the community is a wonderful way we can spend our time in retirement. Adopting a pet to take to the local senior center, or even to an older neighbor you know could use some company, is a loving way you can give back to your community.

Adopting a Senior Pet

Senior pets are the least likely to be taken and will often spend their later years alone in shelters. It’s easy to understand why.

We quickly bond and become close to our pets, and the thought of losing them so soon after we’ve adopted them is hard to cope. However, we have an incredible opportunity to make their last few years the best of their lives, feeling loved and part of our home.

Senior dogs also have a gentle and calm temperament that makes them great therapy dogs when visiting your local senior center.

Caregiving

Humans are natural caregivers, and when we no longer have our children to care for at home, many of us continue to look for other ways to provide care. Caregiving brings us fulfillment and makes us feel good about our contribution to society. What better way to find purpose and to give care than to adopt a pet that needs your love?

A Good Excuse to Exercise

Adopting a dog is a great excuse and way to ensure you are remaining active. It’s too easy to let a few days go by without getting any exercise, but with a new pup, you’ll have a great reason to get outside for a walk. Nowadays, it’s not all that uncommon to take a cat out for a walk either.

Enhance Communication and Companionship for Empty Nesters

With children out of the house, many empty nesters report the need to get to know their partner again. Adopting a pet together is a great way to bridge this communication through coordination of care. It also creates a fun way to get outside and go for walks with one another.

The Process of Adopting a Pet

The adoption process can be quite lengthy, so be prepared to fill out paperwork and even come into the shelter for an interview. Animal shelters want to make sure that the adoption is the right fit on both sides, so not to risk you having to return the pet to the shelter.

The result, however, is worth the wait, and the new addition to your family and life opens many new opportunities that you may not have experienced otherwise.

The benefits are endless, and who can deny the affection of an animal that is so willing to receive your love and care? Of course, a pet is not the best option for everyone, and the decision to adopt (not shop!) shouldn’t be made without a bit of deliberation.

A great way to start is by visiting your local animal shelter and asking them some general questions you may have about the process. They can even help you determine the best type of breed and temperament of the pet that would help the transition into your home and family a bit easier.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you considered adopting a pet? Do you think it would be a welcomed responsibility in retirement? Or are there reasons why you wouldn’t want to adopt a pet? How do you plan on staying socially active in retirement? Please join the conversation below!

Caring for an aging parent or another loved one – near or from afar – can be tricky, especially when a loved one’s needs change more unexpectedly. This can often happen with a sudden injury or illness, cognitive decline, or be the natural result of aging that has gone unnoticed until a recent visit or event.

The holiday season, and more time with loved ones typically planned, presents a unique opportunity for those in a caregiver role to take special notice of early warning signs that a loved could need added support and take those important next steps needed for all involved.

While there are many things to keep in mind, here are a few common signs to be on the lookout for.

Home Environment

Neglected household chores like a sink full of dirty dishes, laundry piling up, expired food lurking in the fridge and pantry, or even unpaid bills and mail piling up are all indicators that living alone and without assistance may no longer be the best option for a person.

Physical Appearance

Sudden weight loss or gain, reduced mobility, even a lapse with personal hygiene are great signs to be on the lookout for. You may also check the medicine cabinet for prescriptions and ensure they are in order, not expired, and that the right amount is being taken based on the fill date.

Another early important sign to look for is your loved one wearing the same outfit every time you interact with him/her. This could be a sign of forgetfulness, or a physical sign of having difficulty completing daily tasks such as dressing and undressing.

Mental and Emotional Health

If your parent or loved one is staying home more, skipping get-togethers with friends or family, or not going to community events they once loved, take note and see if you can explore the reasons why. You may also notice if someone seems less engaged or lacking their typical energy levels. An important indicator of a change in emotional health could be increased sleep levels paired with change in eating habits.

And More

Take note and seek help if anything feels off and out of character. And if you have a family member that is very private about their current health concerns or cognitive changes, you may want to reach out to friends and neighbors to help observe changes to make thoughtful and informed decisions.

It Seems Extra Help Is Needed. Now What?

There are many ways to support a loved one who may need additional help such as in-home care, engaging more family members, or even taking the next step to move into senior housing or assisted living.

As you’re navigating it all, there is an often-overlooked option for respite care. A respite – or temporary – stay is commonly used after a recent hospital visit or surgery but can also be an option for families in transition. Often offered at an assisted living or memory care community, the resident is welcomed in and able to enjoy all care and amenities for their stay and evaluate if they could call the community home in the future.

Respite stays can also be helpful if you decide to move a loved one home with you and need a short break or if you decide to have your loved one remain in their home, but you aren’t able to be a primary caregiver during certain times of the year. While you may be met with some resistance at first, most people find the company, added care, dining options and activities are a breath of fresh air and give them something to look forward to each day.

No matter the case, there is no one size fits all for any family. Take the time with your loved one and for yourself to determine what support they ideally need and consult their healthcare provider to ensure your bases are all covered. Support exists, and it’s never too early (or too late) to get what you need.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you noticed any changes when visiting your aging loved one recently? Are you aware of your options for care? Have you discussed plans with your loved one? Do you have a good understanding of what they most want? Do you have your own support system and list of resources to guide you?

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Video games can help dementia patients to combat boredom and stay mentally active. It is important for seniors with dementia to engage in activities that help ease the feelings of anxiety and provide social and mental stimulation.

A research review by NIH reports many improvements in senior dementia patients after playing video games. The games therapy improved reaction memory, problem-solving, logical reasoning, hand-eye coordination, and observation among other cognitive abilities.

Older adults love the iPad because of its portability and ease of use. There are plenty of free iPad games for seniors but this article focuses on the best iPad games that are specifically popular among dementia patients.

7 Free iPad Games for Dementia Patients

1. Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles is one of the most downloaded puzzle games of all time. This game helps seniors to exercise short-term memory and concentration. The key features of Jigsaw Puzzles include:

• Tons of free HD pictures from a variety of categories such as colors, flowers, nature, and animals.
• A new puzzle every day.
• You get coins by completing puzzles to spend them and get exclusive puzzles.
• Daily updated gallery so you never run out of puzzles.
• Custom backgrounds and mystery puzzles.

Have fun putting some jigsaw puzzles together on your iPad.

2. Hangman – Guess Words

Seniors can now enjoy the classic hangman game of guessing words on their iPads for free. This game is best for older adults who want to practice language skills and vocabulary. You have to guess the hidden word, and you can win the game by guessing the word before the figure of stick man is completed.

The key features of Hangman include:

• Ideal for seniors and the elderly
• Hundreds of free levels
• Attractive and colorful design yet simple and fun to play
• Option to enable or disable the sound

The game is available in different languages for players around the world. 

3. 4 Pics 1 Word

The best brainteaser game with millions of users worldwide. The game provides endless fun and is one of the most suitable iPad games for dementia patients. The game is simple, you have four pictures that have one word in common and you have to guess the word.

The best thing is no registration or complicated rules to play and new puzzles are added continuously. Play to find out why everyone loves the game.

4. Crossword – World’s Biggest

Crossword puzzles have many benefits for dementia patients and encourage problem-solving attitudes among Alzheimer’s patients. This game provides you with a new crossword challenge every day with a collection of hundreds of puzzles. You have a huge collection of unique clues as well as quests to complete and trophies to collect.

You have eight game modes to choose from and can earn the title of Crossword Superstar by completing the required challenges.

5. Word Search: Brain Training

The next entry in the free iPad games for seniors with dementia list is Word Search, a classical Scrabble game. Give your brain a workout by searching and finding the hidden words in the grid. Slide the letter up, down, left, right, or diagonally in any of the eight directions to find the words. The key features of Word Search include:

• 3 modes and 30+ categories of puzzles
• Multiple colorful themes
• Daily word challenge and infinite play with auto-generated grids

Train your brain and improve your vocabulary with Word Search.

6. Logo Quiz – Guess The Brand!

Find out how many company logos can you recognize by taking part in the Log Quiz. The main features of the game are:

• 2500 logos of different brands with 52 exciting levels
• You can learn more about brands after guessing the logo
• You have 5 hints to guess each logo
• Frequent updates

Get this popular free game and start guessing the logos.

7. Pictoword

Most popular word game featured in 30 countries. Fun game for seniors to test their brain and word guessing skills. You see a series of pictures that combine to create a word. This game provides great help to seniors who struggle to learn. The key features are:

• Word-guessing games with different levels of difficulty
• Trivia categories to test your knowledge of landmarks, objects, and TV
• Brain teasers and puzzles
• Offline play without WiFi

This game is great for seniors’ brain workouts. Puzzles are updated regularly so it never gets boring.

Video games are one of the favorite iPad activities for older adults. Share these free games with senior iPad users and they will love them.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you ever wondered which iPad games might be suitable for dementia patients? Have you tried any of the games on our list? What about other games that are not listed but you think would be great for people with dementia?