However, a new study led by Carnegie Mellon University’s J. David Creswell offers the first evidence that mindful meditation reduces loneliness in older adults. Published in “Brain, Behavior & Immunity,” the researchers also found that mindful meditation — a 2,500-year-old practice dating back to Buddha that focuses on creating an attentive awareness of the present moment — lowered inflammation levels, which is thought to promote the development and progression of many diseases. These findings provide valuable insights into how mindfulness meditation training can be used as a novel approach for reducing loneliness and the risk of disease in older adults.

“We always tell people to quit smoking for health reasons, but rarely do we think about loneliness in the same way,” said Creswell, assistant professor of psychology within CMU’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “We know that loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems and mortality in older adults. This research suggests that mindful meditation training is a promising intervention for improving the health of older adults.”

For the study, the research team recruited 40 healthy adults aged 55-85 who indicated an interest in learning mindful meditation techniques. Each person was assessed at the beginning and end of the study using an established loneliness scale. Blood samples also were collected.

The participants were randomly assigned to receive either the eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program or no treatment. The MBSR program consisted of weekly two-hour meetings in which participants learned body awareness techniques — noticing sensations and working on breathing — and worked their way toward understanding how to mindfully attend to their emotions and daily life practices. They also were asked to practice mindfulness meditation exercises for 30 minutes each day at home and attended a daylong retreat.

The researchers found that eight weeks of the mindfulness meditation training decreased the participants’ loneliness. Using the blood samples collected, they found that the older adult sample had elevated pro-inflammatory gene expression in their immune cells at the beginning of the study, and that the training reduced this pro-inflammatory gene expression, as well as a measure of C-Reactive Protein (CRP). These findings suggest that mindfulness meditation training may reduce older adults’ inflammatory disease risk.

“Reductions in the expression of inflammation-related genes were particularly significant because inflammation contributes to a wide variety of the health threats including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases,” said study collaborator Steven Cole, professor of medicine and psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine.

While the health effects of the observed gene expression changes were not directly measured in the study, Cole noted that “these results provide some of the first indications that immune cell gene expression profiles can be modulated by a psychological intervention.”

Creswell added that while this research suggests a promising new approach for treating loneliness and inflammatory disease risk in older adults, more work needs to be done. “If you’re interested in using mindfulness meditation, find an instructor in your city,” he said. “It’s important to train your mind like you train your biceps in the gym.”

In addition to Creswell and Cole, the research team included UCLA’s Michael R. Irwin, Lisa J. Burklund and Matthew D. Lieberman and the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology’s Jeffrey Ma and Elizabeth Crabb Breen.

For more information, watch this short video of Creswell explaining the research:http://youtu.be/OWpsZvOsZDA.The National Institutes of Health, the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA

The post Mindful Meditation Reduces Loneliness in Older Adults appeared first on Holistic Aging.

As a professional RN Aging Life Care Manager, I have helped over 200 clients with managing aging, including recommendations on the best living environment for individuals. I am certain that baby boomers don’t agree with the current institutionalization model of care in Assisted Livings, Personal Care homes, CCRC and Nursing Homes that is present in the USA.  Being at the tail end of the baby boomer generation I am also wondering what my options will be. There are many “retirement options” and one to consider is cohousing communities.  Let’s take a look at why cohousing communities may be the answer.

For the next 17 years the baby-boomers will be turning 65 at a rate of 10,000 a day! While living alone doesn’t inevitably lead to social isolation, it is certainly a predisposing factor. Here are 5 facts about senior isolation that you may consider when considering the benefits of a co-housing community:

1. Senior isolation increases the risk of mortality.

According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, both social isolation and loneliness correlate with a higher risk of mortality in adults aged 52 and older.

2. Feelings of loneliness can negatively affect both physical and mental health.

Regardless of the facts of a person’s isolation, seniors who feel lonely and isolated are more likely to report also having poor physical and/or mental health, as reported in a study using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project.

3. Perceived loneliness contributes to cognitive decline and risk of dementia.

Dr. John Cacioppo, a neuroscientist and psychologist at the University of Chicago, has been studying social isolation for 30 years. One frightening finding is that loneliness correlates with poor cognitive performance and quicker cognitive decline.

4. Social isolation in seniors is linked to long-term illness.

In the PNAS study mentioned above, illnesses and conditions such as chronic lung disease, arthritis, impaired mobility, and depression were associated with social isolation. Ensuring appropriate care for our loved ones’ illnesses can help prevent this isolation.

Numerous studies over the past decade have shown that loneliness is associated with more depressive symptoms in both middle-aged and older adults.

5. Loneliness causes high blood pressure.

A study in Psychology and Aging indicated a direct relationship between loneliness in older adults and increases in systolic blood pressure over a 4-year period. These increases were independent of race, ethnicity, gender, and other possible contributing factors.

According to the National Council on Aging, socially isolated seniors are more likely to predict their quality of life will get worse over the next 5-10 years. They are also more concerned about needing help from community programs as they get older and more likely to express concerns about aging in place.

Cohousing gaining ground

In 2017, Coho/US created a new Aging in Cohousing initiative to support the creation of age-friendly cohousing communities in the U.S. – both multi-generational and senior only. Their goal is to empower cohousing communities to create physical and social environments that allow people to flourish as they get older.

Age-friendly communities are proactively designed, or retrofitted, to support aging in community and some level of co-care for aging members. The grounds and buildings incorporate universal design and the hard conversations about issues of aging are taking place. An aging in community committee is formed, an outreach/advocacy program is put in place, and the community policies are written or changed to easily adapt to the changing needs and abilities of community members; regardless of their age or circumstance.

Groups in Denmark and the U.S. are choosing to live in intentionally inter-generational communities. These communities emerged to strengthen social ties between aging seniors and their younger counterparts who are balancing work and family. People living in them say the model fosters an interdependent environment and helps everyone feel more comfortable with the process of getting older.

Households have independent incomes and private lives, but neighbors collaboratively plan and manage community activities and shared spaces. The legal structure is typically an HOA, Condo Association, or Housing Cooperative. Community activities feature regularly-scheduled shared meals, meetings, and workdays. Neighbors gather for parties, games, movies, or other events. Cohousing makes it easy to form clubs, organize child and elder care, and carpool.

Click here to learn more.

Why Consider Cohousing Communities as a Retirement Aging Option?

Interest in cohousing has surged in recent years. The trend is driven by baby boomers seeking a downsized, community-oriented and environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Cohousing is also gaining traction among millennials as they search for a better way to raise their children.

• As social scientists confirm, we’re happier, healthier, longer living people with daily social interactions and connections.
• Cohousing allows residents to pool efforts and resources for occasional shared meals and child and elder care. Shared gardens, and environmentally-friendly structures contribute to lower carbon footprints.
• Cohousing offers a feeling of security, both physical and financially. Common values usually encompass living a healthy lifestyle, respect for the environment, lifelong learning, personal growth and positive contributions to society.

The post Cohousing Communities – Baby Boomer Long-term Care appeared first on Holistic Aging.

Transitional care encompasses a variety of services and environments. Proper transitional care promotes the safe transfer of individuals between different levels of health care and across various types of health care settings.  A trip to the hospital, a decision regarding placement into a facility, or bringing your loved one home can each be overwhelming events. You might not be giving much thought to what happens next when you’re at this point.  You are probably focusing on the most immediate medical needs of your loved one. This is typical when you’re also juggling family and work responsibilities. The way this transition is handled; whether the discharge is to home, a rehabilitation facility, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home; is critical to the health and well-being of the individual. Patients, family caregivers, and healthcare providers all play roles in maintaining a patient’s health.

My Experience as a Practicing Life Care Manager

I have experienced first hand the results of advocating and intervening on behalf of client. I have learned the value of my involvement, assisting families and their loved ones when these transitions occur. There is a surprising lack of consistency in the process and quality of discharge planning and treatment across the healthcare system. Many situations require me to be hands on. I work with both clinicians and providers collaboratively to inform the client and family, formulate care recommendations, and offer options for alternative care. Ensuring, through it all, that there are no medical errors taking place and advocating for my client’s best interest.

This type of involvement can significantly impact an individual’s ability to recover. I witness many older adults discharged too early from facilities and services. These individuals do not have any of the proper supports in place. This ultimately leads to re-hospitalization, readmission into services, or another unnecessary move or placement into another facility. Inappropriate placements lead to unfulfilled needs. This happens too often.  An inadequate level of care results in the decline of their health. Many of these older adults do not know their options regarding their care during their inpatient stay. They are usually swept away for testing, given medications, and sent home. Then they deal with scripts, outpatient procedures, and follow up appointments. This process overwhelms clients who are trying to make sense of it all.

Personalized Plan of Care

Several important things are taken into account before and during these transitions. The older adult’s social, emotional, psychological, financial, medical , and spiritual needs are evaluated and included in an ongoing plan of care. That plan is communicated to all providers and family members that are involved.  If a plan of care is not in place, decisions end up being made during emergent situations. This is when an individual is most vulnerable and often pressured to make decisions with no time to think things through. An individual can feel forced into a decision or type of treatment without any time to discern what their true desires and wishes are. It’s necessary to know what current supports and resources are in place and which ones are necessary when creating a plan of care.

Does the individual have unfulfilled needs?  What resources are available to the individual? Are those resources accessible? Are services providing quality care? These are all important questions to answer.

The Value of a Life Care Manager

Clinicians are often glad to know when we become involved and are happy to see us.They know how Life Care Managers can facilitate care and increase communication among providers, family members, and clients. They ensure that quality care is provided and completed in a timely manner because, all to often, they don’t have the time themselves that they wish they had. Life Care Managers effectively improve a patient’s health. They accomplish this by promoting wellness and autonomy through advocacy, education, and identifying resources. This often results in increased quality of care and greater client satisfaction.

Family members, who have so many responsibilities of their own, find it difficult to continue to provide oversight especially if they reside out of town. They often feel relieved when we arrive and rely on us as being experts in our field. We help them find solutions to address all of their concerns and worries, while at the same time keeping them well informed.

A Life Care Manager can help identify and prioritize needs and educate both clients and families on necessary and beneficial services and treatment options.  Older adults typically receive care from many providers and move frequently in and out of  health care settings and facilities. This quickly increasing their chance of receiving fragmented care. It is during this crucial time that a need for a Life Care Manager is greatest. They can ensure that effective, appropriate, and timely care is being provided. When transitional services are inadequate older adults’, caregivers’, and family members’ risk for poor outcomes increases. A Life Care Manager is very beneficial in helping guide families and their loved ones into a holistic environment supporting the entire aging process.

Quality Care

Quality transitional care is especially important for older adults, adults with multiple chronic conditions, complex needs, and the disabled. The older adult can easily become overwhelmed trying to understand and process a significant amount of medical information while also trying to adhere to their plan of care.  To make informed decisions that are truly the best fit requires assistance from a professional. They have the means to provide insight and improve the client’s understanding of their care. Then, clients gain the resources to increase their involvement in their own care.

When dealing with these overwhelming transitions through healthcare, trust in a Life Care Manager.

The post Successful Model for Transitions in Care appeared first on Holistic Aging.

At some point, you come across the concept of Life Care Management. It sounds great but can you really trust what the experts are saying about their own services? If not the ones providing the services, how about the people like you that researched and utilized life care management themselves?

Good news! Earlier this year, the ALCA Florida Chapter published research regarding the effectiveness of Life Care Managers from the perspective of the responsible parties, like you, that seek this help. What pieces of Life Care Management are valuable for clients and their families? The results are not a surprise.

About the ALCA:

The Aging Life Care Association, or ALCA, is a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for older adults with holistic and client center approach. This organization has many chapters with dedicated members that are educated in providing the best service, maintaining and creating the best care and opportunities for the aging adult. These individuals follow strict guidelines and standards to the benefit and comfort of all their clients.

About this Study:

We all know that sometimes things can sound too good to be true. When if comes to researching the best options for your loved ones as they grow old this is especially true. You want to make sure your aging love one gets the proper care and support so they can live a life that is fulfilling for whatever time they have. This is hard to do when trying to manage your own life. Where do you go to find the best answers? Many of us look to our peers that have shared our experience and found the answer.

The ALCA’s Florida chapter realized the vast importance of this insight for their clients and decide to take note. Back around 2014 they started to put together a research project focusing on their clients’ experiences with Life Care Management. Not only would this research help them to strengthen their service but also to help inform potential clients of the benefits they will find within this service. Earlier this year they complete their research and have provide the results for anyone who needs them to see!

Who Participated?

During this project the ACLA reach out to their own Life Care Managers to talk to current clients and responsible parties. They asked them to complete an anonymous survey.  82% of the respondents where family members of the clients. The rest were varying guardians and officers.

What did they find?

• “97% of Responsible Party respondents felt that engaging an Aging Life Care Manager had a positive overall effect on the client.”
• “99% [of Responsible Party respondents] said that engaging Aging Life Care Manager Services had a positive effect on their own lives.“
• “Most respondents reported they engaged the professional because:
• Family did not live near the client so that they needed a local contact for care
  • concerned about changes in the client’s status
  • client was experiencing a crisis at the time the professional services were sought
  • seeking a professional assessment to explore options for the client’s care”
• “Most Common Services Performed by Life Care Managers
  • Assessing, monitoring and updating responsible party on client’s needs
  • Managing crises, safety concerns or conflicts in the client’s life
  • Advocating and coordinating for the client’s medical concerns
  • Providing support and services that preserve the client’s independence
  • Offering activities that enhance the client’s social support and quality of life
  • Providing impaired memory support and services”

For more information about this study’s findings, click here!

All the above quotes and statistics were taken from the above link to the ALCA Florida Chapter’s Research results.

Is Life Care Management for you?

Experience it yourself! Click here for more information on our services or call us at (412) 486-6677.

The post The Value of Life Care Management appeared first on Holistic Aging.

Even Aging Life Care Managers, like myself, that are experts in the field of managing aging, recognize the solution involves putting a team together and using each team member’s strength.  While it can be challenging to coordinate all aspects of care from afar, Holistic Aging can provide resources specific to families attempting to manage their parents care.

Come Together as a Family in Caregiving

Invariably, the demands of caregiving bring out old patterns and unresolved family tensions. Past wounds reopen and childhood rivalries reemerge. Conflicts can arise when adult children have differing opinions on the reality of their parent’s needs or illness. Discourse surfaces when the caregiver duties are unequal among the siblings. One adult child typically bears the burden of care, while the others feel out of touch.

• Have a family meeting, possibly conducted by a third party such as an Aging Life Care Manager, where the entire picture of the caregiving needs is expressed honestly and directly
• Be realistic of your expectations of your siblings. I always tell our clients; “Everyone can contribute what they are able. Past relationships with the parents, along with current life pressures and comfort with direct caregiving roles will play into this”. Family members that cannot provide the direct care may opt to manage finances, review insurance, run errands, or be the person paying for external support such as the Aging Life Care Professional assistance or a caregiver to provide caregiving respite. Express appreciation to all family members for help they are able to provide.
• Try to forgive family members who continue to refuse to help in a loved one’s care. The one thing we have control over in a situation is our reaction. Attempt to work through your negative emotions to take care of yourself and move forward.
• Express your feelings both honestly and directly. All family members should know their help is both wanted and needed. All family members should be kept informed of the parents condition

Recognize and acknowledge the legacy of family dynamics

The demands of caregiving bring out old unresolved tension in the family structure. It is not unusual for adult children attempting to work together in help their parents, find themselves replaying their historical role in the family hierarchy. Ideally, the experience of caregiving is a time for siblings to come together and provide mutual support to one another.

• Strained sibling or other relations can contribute to the difficulties you face. It is challenging to coordinate care, especially with all the adult children living at a distance.
• This makes it hard to agree on the legal and medical decisions required on behalf of your loved one when everyone’s opinion does not have equal weight.
• It is important to resolve these conflicts immediately as ignoring them creates greater challenges and impede a family’s capacity to provide the greatest quality of care for a parent.
• Try to respect other sibling’s perceptions and find opportunities to compromise.
• Recognize and resolve childhood rivalries

Unequal Division of caregiver duties

The problem we see most often is discord surfaces from the unequal division of caregiving duties. In most instances, one sibling takes on the primary role of caring for a loved one. This may be because he or she lives closest to a parent, is perceived as having less work or fewer family obligations, or is considered the “favorite” child. Regardless of the reasons, this situation can lead the overburdened caregiver to feel frustrated and resentful and other siblings to feel uninformed and left out.

• Avoid the “caregiver martyr syndrome”. One family member may commit to care for an older loved one, and the caregiving consumes that person’s life. These caregivers believe they are the only ones who can care properly for their family member. Tunnel-vision takes over and caregiving becomes their identities.
• Family members can gently point out the areas of concern and offer to reduce the caregiver’s load by pitching in where they can
• If family members can’t provide direct care, there are other ways to help. They can offer to pay for respite care or a “Day at the Spa” for this primary caregiver.
• Senior caregiving is a noble undertaking but is not a job for one person. What happens to the patient when their overextended caregivers are hospitalized or even die prematurely? In order to prevent this common scenario, it is critical for caregivers to shake the martyr syndrome.
• Hiring a Life Care Manager can change the dynamics of this martyr syndrome also. Often a caregiver will accept the expert advice of the Aging Life Care Manager more seriously than a family member or friend.

Disagreement of what is the best option for your parent

Mom has been diagnosed with dementia and it is clear that she can no longer live alone. Two of the adult children feel that an assisted living facility is the best care option, but your brother disagrees. Every conversation you have with him seems to lead to confrontation and hurt feelings.

• Some siblings may be in denial over their parent’s condition. Adult children who seem unable to accept the reality of their parent’s illness may be protecting themselves from facing their eventual decline, death and their own loss.
• Use a systematic process for helping you determine the best option in care for your parent(s). Have your brother make a list of why he feels staying in the home is the best interest for your parent and you make a list of why you feel an assisted living is in their best interest. Share your thoughts systematically and nonjudgmentally.
• This is a surmountable decision and it would be wise to navigate this journey with the expert assistance of an Aging Life Care Manager professional who has led many families on this journey.

Providing care for an aging or ill parent can bring out the best and the worst in sibling relationships. Allow each siblings to help in ways they are able and divide tasks according to individual abilities, current life pressures and personal freedoms. If siblings are unable to help with care, seek other assistance to provide a respite for yourself.

If communication is particularly contentious, arrange a family meeting. Make sure to include an outside facilitator or Aging Life Care Professional who can ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.

On an airplane, an oxygen mask descends in front of you. What do you do? As we all know, the first rule is to put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else. Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. Caring for yourself is one of the most important things you can do as a caregiver, often the most frequently forgotten. Meeting your needs will benefit those you care for.

The post Tips For Families Caregiving for Loved Ones appeared first on Holistic Aging.

Roughly half of caregivers in the U.S. are adult children caring for a parent, and approximately one in five are spouses caring for their husband or wife. Most family caregivers must juggle their home lives with working a paid job and meeting the needs of the relatives or friends in their care.  Those who find themselves in a caregiving role often deal with feeling both overwhelmed and isolated. You need to be there for your loved one physical and emotionally, this is why you should let us help you! 

Here at Holistic Aging we assist in helping families with caring options. We help your family and loved elders navigate the healthcare maze. Working closely with families, the professional, licensed experts of Holistic Aging provides answers at a time of uncertainty. Our caretaker experts provide guidance that leads families to actions and decisions that ensure quality care and an optimal life for their loved ones thus reducing worry, stress, and time off of work for family caregivers.

If you do decide that your loved one needs more than you alone can provide please contact Holistic Aging today at https://holisticaging.com/contact/ we are here to help you! 

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