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Identity theft is nothing to joke around about and with seniors being one of the most vulnerable demographics, it’s important to know which services are best for monitoring suspicious activity Continue Reading →
Archive | Women’s Health
Fall Prevention for Seniors
Fall Prevention
Falling among aging adults is the leading cause of injury and death. Falling can be something that can be prevented and less detrimental if precautionary steps are taken. First, here are some frightening statistics about falling : Continue Reading →
Senses and Brain Stimulation
Sensory exercises for the brain are essential for the aging self. Especially when a person suffers from memory loss, continuing sensory and brain activities to stimulate parts of the brain that need the attention is essential. Moreover, sitting and watching a movie will not suffice in exercising the senses enough. Five types of simulations stem from Continue Reading →
WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?!
What Makes Your Happy?
What makes you happy?
To some, this is a simple question, but to others, it may be one of the most difficult questions to provide an answer to. Why is this? Why is it that we see others laughing and having a wonderful time, but Continue Reading →
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
What is it?
As defined by the National Osteoporosis Foundation: It is a disease of the bones that happens when you lose too much bone, make too little bone, or both. Osteoporosis means “porous bone” so the more porous one’s bones are Continue Reading →
An Important Rule for Aging Positively is to Have An Annual Physical
If you are over 65 and trying to stay healthy, you need to make sure you have an annual physical with your healthcare provider. This way you can have a record of all of your medical and lab results and start a baseline for future years. If you have not seen a doctor in several years there are certain things you should know about when looking for a new health care provider. Here are some things to think about:
When learning about a doctor, consider asking questions like:
- Do you have many older patients?
- How do you feel about involving my family in care decisions?
- Can I call or email you or your staff when I have questions? Do you charge for telephone or email time?
- What are your thoughts about complementary or alternative treatments?
When making a decision about which doctor to choose, you might want to ask yourself questions like:
- Did the doctor give me a chance to ask questions?
- Was the doctor really listening to me?
- Could I understand what the doctor was saying? Was I comfortable asking him or her to say it again?
Now that you have things outlined you should start your search for a new provider. You can contact the local Medical Society to find our what physicians are taking new patients. Get recommendations from your family and friends. And remember, if you find that the person you pick is not a good match for you, you have the right to change.
Elder Abuse – A Rising Problem
With the growing numbers of seniors in our society today comes a serious concern/problem that often time goes unreported – that of Elder Abuse. According to the World Health Organization Elder Abuse “is a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.”
Senior abuse finds its roots in the family violence dilemma and is often reinforced by society. The majority of victims experiencing senior abuse are elder women. The ratio of women to men is 6:1.
There are several types of elder abuse, including; physical (21%), sexual (1%), emotional or psychological (23%), neglect (28%), abandonment (2%), and financial or material exploitation (25%). Elder abuse is the most recent aspect of family violence to receive public awareness. The individuals affected are 1 out of 5 persons over the age of 65.
Economically, the overt costs to American life have not yet been estimated. The social cost for family violence, which senior abuse is a part of, is estimated in the billions of dollars. Unfortunately, only 10% of abuse to seniors goes reported. Many experts believe much of senior abuse goes unreported and that the 10% is just a minimum amount.
A study by the National Center for Elder Abuse found that 62% of senior abuse was to women. 12% of the abuse involved financial or material exploitation, 62% of the perpetrators were family members, 35% of substantiated cases an adult child was responsible, 13.4% were the spouse, and 13.6% were another relative.
As Americans we all need to be aware of this rising social issue, and the responsibility each and every one of us has to address the issue when we encounter an older vulnerable adult who potentially is being abused.
Abuse can happen to anyone-no matter the person’s age, sex, race, religion, or ethnic or cultural background.
Learn more by visiting:
National Institute on Aging: Elder Abuse
To learn more about how we can help with senior home care in Florence or the surrounding area, contact us at 541-997-8115 in Florence, 541-687-8851 in Eugene, 541-752-9059 in Corvallis, or 503-400-3000 in Salem.
