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Did you know that falls are the leading cause of injury in people 65 and older?

  • Approximately 3 million seniors are treated for injuries caused by a fall
    yearly.
  • About 20 percent of falls lead to head injuries in seniors.
  • Most hip fractures in older people are caused by an accidental tumble.
  • About 30,000 seniors have a fatal fall each year, making falls the leading
    cause of accidental death in seniors.

These statistics are scary, but there are things we can do to help prevent falls from happening. First, talk to your doctor about having a senior falls risk assessment done and ask them for recommendations on protecting you based on the evaluation. If you’re not quite ready for a professional’s opinion, try these helpful tips to keep you on your feet.

  • Physical activity can keep your body strong. Walking, light exercises, and swimming are great ways to strengthen your muscles and help improve your balance.
  • Use a rubber mat in the shower to avoid slips on a wet surface. Always keep a hand or body part on the shower wall to keep you aware of your body placement.
  • When getting up from a lying down position, take it slow. Put your feet on the floor and give yourself a few minutes to get your bearings before getting up to go.
  • Wear nonslip shoes, even inside. If you don’t like wearing shoes inside, consider getting yourself a pair of nonslip socks to avoid any trouble.
  • Take it slow in wet or icy conditions. Short steps can reduce the odds of slipping. Wear solid boots or shoes that have a good grip.
  • Don’t rush. If your phone rings and you’re afraid you won’t be able to answer it in time, allow the machine to answer it and call them back once you reach the phone.
  • Consider removing area rugs. These little carpets add a nice touch to our home, but they are also a major cause of trips and falls in the home environment.
  • Make sure things you use daily are within easy reach. This way, you won’t have to struggle to reach for an item you need.
  • Consider using aids to help you around the house, such as grab bars in the bathroom or a bed rail to keep you snugged up in your bed all night long.

When people retire, their lives aren’t quite as busy as they once were, and they have much more time to do the things they take pride and pleasure in. Whether they live in their own home or in an assisted living facility, there are things we can encourage seniors to do to keep them busy and feel empowered. Helping them find a purpose or giving them an opportunity to help others can make them feel good. It gives them a reason to get up, get dressed and have a good day. Seniors are more likely to stay happy and healthy if they have something to look forward to daily.

One idea to suggest to a loved one is knitting or crocheting scarves, hats, and mittens for children in need. This gives our seniors a reason to pick up a new hobby and give back to the community. Many local churches in most areas would be happy to accept donations for warm winter items to give to kids and adults in need throughout the community. You could also ask the senior in your life to do something realistic within their abilities to help the family or the community and help them feel needed. Many seniors are usually happy to help.

At MLP, we have a seasonal garden that needs tending to. One of our residents always takes time from her weekend to ensure the garden gets watered daily. This helps our activities coordinator and the other residents who reside here who may not have the same capabilities, as they don’t have to worry about the garden drying up. She also loves to harvest the crops when they are ready for picking, keeping her busy with things that need to be completed in those warmer months.

Our bodies get older; it's inevitable, but that doesn't mean you have to stop doing what you love. It's that time of year again when we start thinking about what we want to plant in our gardens. No matter what age you are, gardening can be for anyone! Here are a few tips for seniors or anyone who may have difficulty bending and kneeling. These simple tips can help make gardening easy to start and even easier to tend to throughout the growing season.

  • Use raised garden beds or elevated planters to reduce the need for bending over. You could also grow plants vertically to help avoid bending or kneeling. Vertical planters are also a great option for those with minimal space for gardening. At MLP, we have raised garden beds so our residents can easily access the gardens for planting and harvesting.
  • Avoid using large, heavy bags of soil. Try using lightweight pre-mixed soil to avoid back injuries. If you have a lot of gardening and need a large quantity of soil, consider hiring a local gardener or landscaper to help with the heavy lifting.At MLP, our residents are assisted with the heavy lifting so that gardening can be enjoyable and relaxing.
  • Choose plants that require minimal pruning. If you choose plants that need pruning, wear protective gloves to protect your hands from thorns or prickly branches. At MLP, we provide our residents with gardening gloves and lightweight tools so they can garden with ease.
  • Gerontology is the name for studying aging’s social, cultural, psychological, cognitive, and biological aspects.
  • Cataracts in the eyes (most common in seniors) are among the most common causes of blindness worldwide. This is due to a need for better vision care in our senior communities. Cataracts cause a progressively cloudy spot in the eye, which blocks light from passing through the lens to the retina at the back of the eye. Fortunately, with proper vision care, doctors can find and surgically remove the cataracts before it takes over your vision.
  • Researchers have named these five places: The Italian Island of Sardinia, Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; The Nicoya Peninsula, an isolated part of Costa Rica; and Ikaria, an isolated Greek island, the five “blue zones.” Where people live similar lifestyles and, on average, tend to live longer than the rest of the world. We must note how these five communities have thrived over the years to live such long, healthy lives.
  • The average human life expectancy has almost doubled since the 1800’s. Before scientific medical research evolved our world into what it is today, our life expectancy was sitting at about 45 years of age. Life expectancy began to rise, first with knowing how to use and access clean water, sanitation, and medicine, and now we’ve come so far as to have preventative vaccinations for terminal illnesses that have killed millions. In Canada, our life expectancy is, on average, 82 years old, but some live to be 100 years or more!

Retirement living is like living in a little neighbourhood. Many places, like MLP, provide the comfort of living in the privacy of your own apartment while having most of the essential things you need to keep you happy and healthy within a few steps from your front door. Many senior residences offer a variety of services right within the halls of the building.

At MLP, we have care staff on-site 24 hours a day to provide exceptional care to those who need it. Many places, like MLP, offer laundry and light housekeeping services, too. Our hair salon is open one day a week for the residents to get their hair cut, permed, or styled to keep them feeling their best. Our restaurant-style dining feels like going to breakfast, lunch, and dinner with your friends every day, and there’s always something going on in the recreation area to keep our residents socially happy.

Residents are encouraged to get out and try something new. Our activities include exercises, swimming, church service, bingo and more. We have paint classes, crafts, and monthly day trips where residents can get to know each other and form new friendships. Enjoy a movie with your friends and family on the big screen in our surround sound theatre every weekend. We also have a large game room with a pool table and a shuffleboard table. There are so many great advantages of living in a retirement home. With so many services and activities in the assisted living communities, you will surely thrive!

Memory care is quite an essential aspect for our aging seniors, especially those who have been diagnosed with dementia. Working the memory with sensory activities can help our seniors connect to an emotional place which otherwise may be inaccessible depending on the severity of dementia. Sensory activities typically go with trial and error, but it helps to know what the individual enjoys. There are several activities that we can do with our seniors that can support them in working the memory, but we’ve mentioned just a couple that we like so that you can try with your loved ones below.

  • Music – Music Therapy is a great way to help seniors with their cognitive state. It improves cognitive function, decreases depressive symptoms, and improves the quality of life in our seniors. Ask a family member what type of music brought them joy before dementia set in.
  • Aromatherapy – There are so many different scents that can connect our seniors to a happy emotional state. Using essential oils is a great way to help our seniors improve their sleep quality, reduce stress, manage pain, and improve symptoms of depression. Try experimenting with scents that are familiar and comforting to seniors. Baking and cooking are great ways to bring familiar scents to our seniors, which can be exceptionally comforting for most.

Dental care is a crucial part of everyone’s overall health and well-being. That includes our seniors over the age of 65. We must ensure that our seniors have access to proper dental care and follow a consistent routine morning and evening. Like anyone else, seniors should have regular dental checkups. For seniors on a lower income, there are supports in place in Ontario that can help seniors get the proper dental care they need.

The Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program is a government-funded dental care program for seniors over the age of 65. Coverage includes checkups, including scaling, fluoride and polishing, repairing broken teeth and cavities, x-rays, removing teeth or abnormal tissue (oral surgery), anesthesia, treating infection and pain (endodontic services), and treating gum conditions and diseases (periodontal services).

Bad oral health can lead to pain and infection, which can cause us or our loved ones to seem grumpy or moody when they’re just in a lot of pain. Many people find it embarrassing to admit their teeth are in bad shape and will avoid seeing a dentist due to shame or fear of dental treatments. Be gentle with yourself and your loved ones. Approach your loved ones with understanding and compassion towards their situation.

The low-income program limits specific dental procedures, so you’ll have to talk with your dentist about coverage when booking an appointment. If you’re looking for more information on the program, visit Ontario.ca and search for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program to see if you or your loved one may be eligible.

Dementia is an umbrella term used for multiple conditions involving symptoms affecting the brain’s functioning. It is a chronic condition that worsens over time, and unfortunately, there is no cure for it. There are, however, some treatments that may help ease symptoms for some people and improve their quality of life. Suggest seeing a family physician if you notice a decline in your loved one’s memory, ability to plan, language, and judgement.

You may also notice some physical changes, like loss of coordination and bladder control; they may have weak and stiff muscles, have trouble standing, sitting, or walking, and may have changes in their mood and behaviour. If you’ve ever wondered if you or your elderly parent or grandparent may be showing signs of dementia, make an appointment with your family doctor to discuss your concerns.

It’s very common for our brains to slow down as we age and be more forgetful about things, like where we set the car keys when we got home last night. But did you know that 3% of people who have been diagnosed with dementia are under the age of 65? Early onset dementia symptoms are usually overlooked as simply just getting older. “It just comes with old age,” many people say when they start forgetting things or their physical abilities show signs of declining. Always get a physician’s opinion when your body goes through unusual changes.

If you want more information on dementia and brain health, MLP Residence is hosting a free information seminar on February 28th at 1:30 pm in our Montage Theatre. This session is open to the public for anyone who wants to learn. MLP is working with the Hastings and Prince Edward Alzheimer’s Society’s Public Education Coordinator, Jeneice Renaud, to help bring awareness and educate our community on dementia. They provide great information on how to communicate with someone who has dementia and many other valuable tips about coping with dementia as well. If you’re looking for resources for yourself or a family member, this is the place to be, as they will provide information on dementia-friendly communities in our surrounding areas and helpful resources to make life a bit easier for you and your loved one.

The address for this seminar is 13468 Loyalist Parkway, Picton, Ontario. Please call 613.476.0444, ext.502, to register for the free event. It’s never too early or too late to learn about brain health and how dementia affects the brain. Call us now and get your FREE spot registered.

Our feet are essential. They do all the walking and get us where we need to go each day. We need to ensure that we’re taking good care of our feet. We want to avoid the different conditions you could get by not giving them the proper care they need. Suppose you already have troubles with your feet, like discoloured toenails, calluses, bunions, tingling, numbness, or any pain or swelling. In that case, you should seek a health care professional to look at them as soon as possible.

Just like other parts of the body, our feet age too. They’ve walked a lot in the last 65+ years that we’ve been alive. Here are some tips on how to properly care for your feet when you’re over the age of 65.

  • Cleanse and moisturize feet daily – don’t forget to dry between the toes to prevent moisture build-up. Moisture can lead to fungal infections in the skin and toenails.
  • Trim nails often and correctly – Don’t trim nails too short. Make sure to trim them straight across. You can use a nail file to curve the edges if you want. Many residents at MLP use a mobile foot care clinic every six weeks to care for their feet.
  • Wear proper Footwear – Your shoes should be comfortable! Use wide-toed shoes or orthopedics if needed to have a comfortable walking experience.
  • Circulation – Taking a little walk to get the blood flowing will help with circulation to your feet. Another helpful blood circulator is a foot massage! Next time you visit your loved one, offer them a relaxing foot massage!

Valentines Day is coming up and we’ve put together some sweet ideas that can help you show your
senior loved one just how much you care, even if you can’t do it in person. It can be a challenging task
for families who live far away to make Valentines Day special for their parents or grandparents. Whether
your senior loved ones live at home or in assisted living, there are things that you can do to make them
feel special on this national day of celebrating love.

  • Have flowers delivered to their home – there are many florists who have a delivery option for
    friends and families who want to show their love and appreciation, but live too far away to bring
    flowers themselves.
  • Handcraft your own Valentines Day card and send it in the mail – make sure to write a little
    blurb about one of your favourite memories with them. This is sure to get them right in the feels
    and make them smile.
  • Connect with Video Chat – Just because you can’t make it there in person, doesn’t mean you
    can’t talk with them online. Set a time for a video chat and involve the kids if you can. Create a
    fun little skit to present to them or sing one of their favourite songs. If you’re terrible at singing,
    even better! Its sure to put a smile on their face and make them feel appreciated.
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