Friday, December 23, 2016

Best Part-time Job Options for Seniors - Comfort Keepers Silicon Valley




We have been talking about entrepreneurship in senior years a few days back when we cited numerous reports of seniors getting very much successful with entrepreneurship and shattering the age-old concept that seniors can’t do new things or can’t start new ventures after retirement.

However, there may be situations when your senior loved one is not so bent on being a full time dedicated entrepreneur or on starting their own thing. Physics and psychology may not always allow this. Even then, they can easily opt for a suitable part-time job that would keep them engaged and infused in a meaning life.

Here we have sorted out some of the best options for our senior loved to choose as a part-time job.

Tutor
Tutoring is one of the best or possibly the best part-time job option for seniors. With their massive reservoir of experience and skills, they would be the best mentors for the youngsters. So, our senior loved ones can start tutoring young people on the topic they are most experienced, interested and comfortable.

Tour Guide
This can be another great option for our elderly loved ones to engage in as a part-time vocation. If your senior loved one has an interest in history and a knack for storytelling then through being a tour guide they will find an extraordinary opportunity to be social, active and happy. And seniors are the ones who will be most acquainted with the city’s most attractive places after passing so much time around. Just make sure that they are physically capable of walking long distances and climb stairs. Hopefully, you are always there for their physical care.

Bookkeeping or Accountancy
These kinds of jobs are quite accommodating for our elderly loved ones as these require less physical and mental stress. Therefore, if your senior loved one is good at math and finance then look for any company that is looking for part-time bookkeepers or accountants. Another benefit of being involved in such kind of activities in senior years is being able to maintain a sound cognitive health.

Non-profit Professionals
Many nonprofit organizations often hire part-time professionals for various administrative positions. So, look for such organizations in your locality and enquire whether they are hiring for marketing, fundraising or any such positions.

Volunteering
Or in case that your senior loved one is mostly looking for sincere engagement and meaningful activities in their lives without any consideration of monetary compensation than you can anytime choose to volunteer for any worthy cause that calls you most intensely.

There are numerous benefits of engaging in a part-time position in senior years after retirement. Apart from the economic boost, you will get the opportunity of having a more fulfilling, active and meaningful life in declining years. So, if you are considering to do one, start without any further hesitation. For any help and support regarding senior care, health and well-being do not hesitate to contact Comfort Keepers!

Friday, December 16, 2016

Starting the Money Talk with Your Aging Parents - Comfort Keepers Silicon Valley





Money becomes one of the major concerns when a family starts the process of ensuring best possible care for our senior loved ones. It is the time when we should start talking about it with our aging parents as well as all the members of the family.

However, we have often seen that starting this so important money talk becomes somewhat uncomfortable to begin. If you are also encountering problems about this issue and have been pondering about how you should start discussing this issue then do not think that you are alone in this. We have brought to you some guiding ideas in this matter.

Recognize the Importance
Firstly before even starting the conversation you have to realize the importance of the issue yourself. You have to acknowledge that saving for retirement and planning out all the financial issues beforehand is very much necessary. Besides, you have to know that keeping all the financial data like tax information, bank account and insurances information along with keeping all the financial reports in place is necessary. You should also know that creating a well-developed will is also becomes essential at this stage.

Start with General Topics
When attempting to start discussing the financial topics with your aging parents, start with general but related topics like what’s their plan for their retirement or something like that instead of jumping on the topic right away. That way you will get simple cues to take the matter to more serious issues gradually.

Tell Them Your Own Plans
You can start by telling your own financial initiatives and retirement plans to them to set the introduction. Let them know how important it is to have a financial plan ready for your retirement and the declining years.

Don’t Impose
Once you get to know all the details about their plans and overall financial conditions start placing options to them. Look for possible lacks in the plan or possible improvements. Like if they have not created a centralized storage of all the financial data then suggest or offer to do that for them. Or if they have not made a will then offer to arrange a family lawyer to sketch that out for them. But you should never impose any decision upon them, make sure to be as a trusted adviser.

Involve All the Members in the Discourse
Many families struggle to amass all the money that we often need to ensure proper care for our loved ones. Then the discussion becomes even more uncomfortable at times. Then you will not only have to know the financial condition of your parents but also all the siblings responsible for ensuring the best care possible. So, at this stage, you just have to involve all the members in the discourse and discuss a way out of it.

Have a Financial Adviser
After trying all you can, if you fail to reach your goals or fail to make your parents realize all the issues then you may consider having a financial advisor to discuss it with them for you. Besides, an adviser will be able to better guide you all in terms of taxes, insurances, will and other such issues.

For any help and support regarding senior care, health, senior living and well-being do not hesitate to contact Comfort Keepers.

Friday, December 9, 2016

The Destructive Duo: Depression and Dementia - Comfort Keepers Silicon Valley



Depression - the life sucking mental trap - can hamper your day to day life to a great extent. It may even become so severe that one does not want to simply live anymore and attempts to commit suicide. However, a vast number of research and studies also suggest that depression, be it early life or late life, increases the risk of developing dementia significantly.

A Review of the Studies
A research, after thoroughly examining 23 independent studies, has concluded that depression significantly increases the chances of developing dementia. This research found out the link between depression to all types of dementia. However, the risk was more prominently higher in case of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

Another study concentrating on and following up 1764 participants for eight years for depressive tendencies and the possible dementia development have found out that there are surprising amount of evidence and correlation between late-life depression and dementia.

Yet another research conducted a comprehensive review of 16 studies focused on late life depression and five studies on early life depression and have found out that both the groups had two to four times more likelihood of developing dementia than those without depression.

What’s the Link?
To frankly tell the truth the experts do not have any definite answer to this link of depression to dementia. However, what they can confer is that as depression is connected with brain changes so it makes it more likely to cause the damage in the brain cells seen in case of dementia.

What Can We Do?
Now, this is the most practical part as far as our and our loved ones’ well-being is concerned. What can we do to stave away the depressive tendencies seen in us or our loved ones?

First of all, we have to acknowledge the fact that medication really works in case of curbing depression, anxiety and other such mental illnesses. Besides, there are very effective therapies that are proven to get people out of the depressive mental closet. So, whenever you see depressive tendencies in yourself and in your loved ones contact a psychiatrist as soon as possible.

Apart from medication and therapies, there are some other environmental and lifestyle changes that you can make in order to deal with the depressive tendencies.

Lead an active life and encourage your loved ones to do the same. Do regular physical exercises, engage in social and communal activities, do some volunteering for a worthy cause and get yourself involved in artistic or creative activities.

Practice meditation. Meditation can help a lot in case of removing depression and taking you towards a bright and peaceful inner atmosphere.

Find things and activities that make you happy. It can be anything - wearing new and nice dresses, going to the woods, singing songs or listening to them, going to your favorite location in town or any other little thing that makes you feel better.

Another very important thing to remember is that while a person is suffering from depression he or she may not be aware of it or may not be even forthcoming to express their situation. So, it is up to us to keep an eye and discern the symptoms of depression in the people around us.

Whenever you see any such depressive symptoms in your loved ones then start talking with them with care and make them realize that it is an illness for which they are sad. It’s not normal sadness and it is very much curable with medication and other practices.