“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson
I am very grateful to be surround by awesome team members- personally and professionally. But it doesn’t happen without effort. Make sure you learn from your all stars, compensate for injured players, and work to strengthen your new players. You will only be as strong as your weakest link and sometimes realize that link may be you.
“Just because people don’t work traditional hours; Doesn’t mean they don’t work hard hours.” — Amy Schmidt
Sometimes our work schedules are dictated to us by the type of work, coordination with co-workers, or customer needs. Today’s workplace is different than 20 years ago before smartphones when television went off the air at midnight, and most stores were closed by 8pm. We live in a 24/7 world. With 4 generations in the workplace today, be mindful of the changing times- If the job is getting done well and on deadline- then good job. Thank your team!
“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
Happy Independence Day. Let us all remember those who fought to provide and protect our independence. Let us honor them by becoming great stewards of their efforts with benevolence to others. We can be great, while still being kind.
“If I am weird around you, it’s because I am comfortable.”
-Anonymous
In the past 2 months, after the death of a friend and team member, I have struggled at times to “act the person that I am expected to be”. Am I too stable, too soon? Am I sad, too long? Am I too focused on the wrong things? So now- I am working to just feel what I feel and be present and authentic. Sometimes it may not hit the nerves of others as I intended, but I am just as likely to hit a different nerve by not being true.
“Grief is the price we pay for love.” – Queen Elizabeth II
Grief can come in waves, sometimes the things that you believe should affect you are more manageable than expected, and other times a simple happening can start a wave of emotions. I am learning that being sad and crying is not a sign of weakness, but it means that I care and it means that someone I cared for mattered greatly.
Today, 50% of Oregonians die on hospice, but of those, over 40% do not die at home. Without willing and capable family or friends to provide end-of-life support, dying at home on hospice care may not be an option. Photo from Steve Buissinne via pixabay.com
Residential hospice care helps ease the burden of 24-hour in-home caregiving while providing a respectful, comfortable care setting for your loved-one’s last days. It is an option that is often under-considered for many Oregonians and can be especially helpful for those without friends or family to provide end-of-life care.
In the 1980’s when the hospice Medicare benefit was created, the plan was for free family caregivers to do the majority of the day-to day care. Visits from hospice nurses, social workers, chaplains, home health aides and volunteers made it possible for hospice patients to spend their last days at home. They often relied on the able-bodied loved-ones, adult children, and grandchildren to provide daily care 23 out of 24 hours.
Today, 50% of Oregonians die on hospice, but of those, over 40% do not die at home. Providing care for a loved one dying at home is difficult and exhausting. Many don’t realize that though medicare-covered hospice nurses, social workers, and chaplains may visit a few times a week, they often delegate the majority of caregiving to the spouse, child, parent, or paid caregiver at great expense. For those dying without willing and capable family or friends to provide end-of-life support, dying at home on hospice care is not an option.
A hospice residential care facility is the next best thing to dying at home.
A residential hospice specializes in end-of-life care, unlike hospitals that are focused on finding and curing disease, nursing homes which are designed for rehabilitation and long-term assistance, or foster homes that provide long-term residential support. The cost of a hospice residential care facility, or RCF, is often a more affordable alternative and much less expensive than paying for 24/7 private duty nursing care that you bring into the home.
A dedicated hospice residence provides patients and families with a peaceful home-like environment to spend their final days.
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Approximately seven million individuals over the age of 65 experience symptoms of depression, recent studies revealed that social activity for seniors can reduce depression and dementia. Photo from Micheal Gaida via pixabay.com
Maintaining healthy relationships is crucial for individuals at every age, but especially for seniors. Isolation can be an extremely common problem among seniors who are living alone. While seniors may enjoy their independence living in their own home, they can still experience loneliness. Many seniors have spent a considerable portion of their lives in the company of others – be it in the workplace or raising children. Upon reaching retirement age, and with children leaving the house, the opportunities for remaining socially active often decrease, especially if the senior has to rely on others for transportation. It is important for seniors to stay engaged and connected, which is why moving to a senior living community can be extremely beneficial.
The relationship between physical activity and vitality is well-documented, but multiple recent studies have revealed an increasingly stronger link between social interaction and a senior’s mental and physical well-being. Research has indicated that an active social lifestyle is more important than ever in helping seniors maintain a sharp mind, remain connected to the world around them, increase their own feelings of happiness, and to develop a sense of belonging. Various studies have shown that social activity for seniors has the following effects:
Improved mental health
Symptoms of depression and memory problems affect many seniors. Approximately seven million individuals over the age of 65 experience symptoms of depression, and it is estimated that dementia touches 1 in 7 Americans over the age of 71. Recent studies revealed that consistent human contact and interaction can reduce depression and dementia.
Improved nutrition
The need for proper nutrition is crucial for seniors, but healthy habits can be difficult to maintain when living alone. Many elderly people suffer from malnutrition. Studies show that seniors who have more social interactions were not only more friendly and lively, but that they also had more food intake.
Many seniors have family members or other caregivers who occasionally interact with them, but that is not always enough to keep them happy and engaged. While it is comforting for seniors to know their needs are met, they should also be consistently engaging with others, primarily with peers.
There a variety of different social activities for seniors to help them stay engaged. These include:
When it comes to socializing, the more the merrier! Seniors in large groups are more likely to encourage healthy habits among each other, including exercise.
Seniors may resist change and may need additional gentle encouragement to get more socially involved, but the benefits of an active social lifestyle reach well into the future.
Search Retirement Connection listings for Medford Social Groups
Caregivers are most effective when they are well-informed, practicing consistent self-care and aware of their own limitations. If you are a family caregiver, here are some tips to help you remain happy, healthy, and wise about your role.
Caregivers are most effective when they are well-informed, practicing consistent self-care, and aware of their own limitations.
Self-Care Isn’t Selfish!
Ask yourself,“what good will I be if I become sick?” You can’t help others if you become sick, chronically ill or overwhelmed.
Set Relationship Boundaries
Caring for a family member makes sense for many reasons – familiarity, instincts to help/protect, and financial constraints. However, one of the main stressors is blurred relationship lines/ boundaries.
Define your roles and have a conversation with everyone involved to understand when you have to make decisions as a caregiver vs. child.
Know the Signs of Burnout
We all have moments of feeling overwhelmed, over-burdened, and stressed out; watch for caregiver burnout. If you consistently exhibit these behaviors, it’s time for a break:
Caregiving is an important role. But remember you matter. Your needs are important too. Not only are you ensuring that you’re doing what’s in the best of interest of the person you’re caring for – you’re taking care of you! No one is expected to do it all by themselves.
Ensuring seniors do not dismiss small vision changes and continue to get regular eye exams is important for their continued health and wellness. Small vision changes like floaters or specs that move across your field of vision are a common complaint in middle-aged and elderly people that can be indicative of other problems like Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD).
The spots that we tend to refer to as floaters or specks, occur in the vitreous humor, the clear, jelly-like substance in the main chamber of your eye located between your lens and your retina. When you’re young, the vitreous is clear. As you age, the collagen fibers of the vitreous degenerate, forming clumps which cast shadows on the retina, causing the floaters you see. As the vitreous continues to degenerate, it can pull away from the back wall of the eye, creating a Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD). A PVD is often associated with new floaters and flashes of light around the periphery of your vision. A PVD can sometimes cause tears in the retina which can lead to a retinal detachment, so you should have a dilated eye exam if you are experiencing these symptoms. Once your eye doctor has ruled out a retinal tear, the floaters, if annoying, can be addressed.
Historically, the only remedy for floaters was a vitrectomy, or removal of the vitreous in the operating room. The FDA recently approved the Ellex Ultra Q Reflex YAG laser for noninvasive treatment of floaters in the office setting. Unlike other YAG lasers, the Ellex Laser is optimized for this procedure, which is called Vitreolysis. Nanosecond pulses of laser light are applied to vaporize the vitreous opacities. The floater’s collagen and hyaluronin molecules are converted into a gas. In the end result, the floater is removed or reduced to a size that no longer impedes vision.
In preparation for the painless, office-based procedure, a mild topical anesthetic drop will be placed on your eye. Then a contact lens will be placed on your eye to better focus the laser directly onto the floaters. During the treatment, you will likely observe bright lights and small dark shadows as the floaters are being vaporized into small gas bubbles. These gas bubbles quickly dissolve. Each treatment session typically takes 15-30 minutes. More than one treatment may be necessary to obtain satisfactory results. Following treatment, you may observe small black floaters in the lower part of your field of vision from the gas bubbles produced during the procedure. These dissolve quickly. Rare side effects include cataract and an increase in intraocular pressure.
If the symptoms of floaters are bothering you and affecting your quality of vision, we recommend scheduling an appointment for an evaluation to see if Vitreolysis may help you.
Article Provided By:
Adam AufderHeide, MD, PhD Retina Care Center
541-842-2020
www.RetinaCareCenter.org
Senior Move Managers have the resources and knowledge to save money, find creative results for problems, and greatly reduce stress during an extremely stressful time in your life – Not to mention getting a lot done in a short amount of time, as they do this for a living! Here are the main six tasks of a Move Manager and why you might want to consider hiring one before embarking on your moving adventure.
Decluttering and Downsizing
If you’re moving to a smaller home (and odds are you are), you’re going to have to get rid of some of your belongings. Give it to family, sell it, dispose of it, donate it, put it in storage… probably a combination of all five! A Move Manager works with you to identify what goes where, and they do this with compassion knowing these aren’t just belongings, but rather a lifetime of memories.
Space Planning
When trying to decide which of your belongings will fit in your new home, it helps to have a Move Manager doing space planning. Measuring rooms and furniture and customized floor plans are all part of the process, and knowing what will fit in your new home prior to the move is key.
Planning and Coordination
A lot must be considered when planning a move; between getting everything packed, waste removal, estate sales, moving company quotes, and hiring cleaners (just to name a few), it’s a lot to get the timing right! A Move Manager can get all of this lined up and in the right order.
Packing
Where to start? Which room?What types of boxes are best for which items? It’s overwhelming for sure, and it helps to have a third party working with you who does this for a living. In fact, as a Move Manager is an experienced packer, your belongings are likely safer during your move.
Unpacking
What’s even more overwhelming than figuring out where to start packing?? Where to start unpacking!Again, it’s what a Move Manager does; ideally, you can just step into your new home and turn the lights on. 6. Organization – A Move Manager gets everything put away in its place, from stocking pantries to shopping for organization options. Being able to walk into a home ready to live in is priceless.
From start to finish, a Senior Move Manager has you covered!
Article Provided by:
Team Senior Move Managers
541-295-8230
www.TeamSeniorMoving.com
