Elderly Loved Ones May Feel Isolated During Holiday Gatherings Due To Possible Hearing Loss

Don't let unrecognized hearing loss isolate our elderly loved ones, who created so many beloved family holiday traditions!

Care Wagon Medical Transport and The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is urging families across America to encourage loved ones with hearing loss to get their hearing checked and to have any hearing loss properly treated. 

By visiting www.hearingcheck.org, family members can use a simple, interactive screening tool to check their hearing in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Families can also check their hearing together during holiday gatherings as a way to offer support to loved ones.

"The holiday season is meant to be a time of thanks, celebration, and joy," says Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Better Hearing Institute. "But for many people, it is a time of year when unaddressed hearing loss can cause them to feel particularly isolated and depressed. Even when surrounded by loved ones, a family member's impaired ability to hear and  actively participate in conversation cuts them off. Oftentimes, they are left with a sense of sadness, inadequacy, and emotional isolation. This is especially true when the hearing loss is either unrecognized or is being 'hidden' by the family member with hearing loss."
Hearing loss is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today, and affects more than 31.5 million Americans. When left untreated, hearing loss can lead to isolation and depression—a health issue that is already prevalent during the holiday season and may likely be more widespread this year, given the added financial worries that many Americans are currently facing.
So this year, be especially vigilant if you see that Uncle Fred is quiet at Thanksgiving or other holiday dinners. Maybe he can't hear you and needs your help in bringing him close to the family again.
Signs and symptoms of hearing loss include not being able to hear well in a crowded room or restaurant, having trouble hearing children and women, keeping the television or radio turned up to a high volume, needing to ask family and friends to repeat what they're saying, or experiencing ringing in the ears.
"When a family member experiences unaddressed hearing loss, it silently erodes the loved one's quality of life—undermining family relationships, interfering with short-term memory, and creeping into virtually every aspect of daily living," says Kochkin. "The good news is there are solutions to help loved ones with hearing loss regain the gift of sound so they don't need to draw back in silence. Hearing loss can be easily diagnosed, and there are modern-day solutions that can help people hear better."

If someone you love is experiencing hearing loss, try these tips to help them feel included in your upcoming holiday celebrations:

• Keep the volume on the music and television down. Background noise makes it difficult for people with even mild—and sometimes undetected—hearing loss to follow the conversation.
• Try to talk to your loved one from the side on which he or she hears best.
• Speak clearly and not too fast. Don't talk loudly or shout.
• Face the person as you speak, and keep your hands away from your face.
• Write a sincere, loving letter before a big holiday family dinner or get-together, or suggest that your loved one write one, to remind folks about the need to speak clearly, one at a time, and to use effective communication strategies, such as repeating then rephrasing when your loved one doesn't understand them.
• If you plan to host a holiday dinner or party, consider leaving the dishes and silverware in the china closet. Instead, use holiday-themed paper plates and plastic cutlery. This will cut down dramatically on the noise from cutlery clattering on plates.

"Most important, if someone you love appears to have a hearing loss, encourage them to get a hearing screening," Kochkin urges. "Many people decide to get their hearing checked because someone they love suggested it and provided support. And now, with the interactive tool available at www.hearingcheck.org, family members can more easily take that first, critical step in reclaiming their hearing, quality of life, and relationships."

What better gift can you give 

this holiday season?

 Happy Holidays! 

from Care Wagon Medical Transport

Care Wagon Medical Transport LLC

We Get You There With Care!

Remember Our Senior Citizens this August 21st!

National Senior Citizens Day is August 21st!

If you have a senior relative, friend or neighbor, please take a little time to let them know that they are special, appreciated and loved this Senior Citizens Day!

Here are a few unique but simple ideas to do just that.

* Write them a letter or make them a little card telling them how much they mean to you.
* Just dropping by to say hello can make them feel very special.
* Work on a jigsaw puzzle together. Large format puzzles make it easier to see and handle the pieces.
* Check around the house for things that might have become difficult for your senior citizen to do, like changing high light bulbs or smoke detector batteries for their safety.
* Create a collage of new pictures of friends, family, and particularly grand and great grandchildren. Add a nice frame and put it on a table where it can be viewed or attach it to the wall.
* If your elderly citizen has a pet, bring along a special pet treat or maybe a new pet throw blanket for its bed.
* Take your senior citizen for a nice outing - perhaps a museum, a movie or even a short visit to a local park might be enough to bring some enjoyment to their day. !!! If your senior is disabled, you can still take them for a nice outing!!!! Wheelchair accessible transportation to personal interest destinations can be easily arranged with a local medical transportation company. Gift Certificates for non-emergency transportation may also be available to purchase for a future destination such as a trip to a salon/barber, worship service or other personal interest destination.
* And if your senior citizen prefers to stay home, bring a nice lunch or dinner to share and bring a movie along.
* If all of these suggestions are not possible because of physical location, just a short "Hello" Phone Call can also be a wonderful way to make them feel special and not forgotten!

Have a little fun!!

****If you are a senior citizen, check for special discounts and promotions that may be offered at stores and restaurants in your area! Don't forget that Care Wagon Medical Transport is available to assist with wheelchair accessible transportation your Senior Citizens Day Activities! Visit our Care Wagon Website for more information about our services.

Your Senior may even enjoy a "Tea Party"

with their great-grandchildren!

Happy National Senior Citizens Day to all

from Care Wagon Medical Transport! 

#SeniorCitizensDay

Your parents may need your help

7 Signs Your Aging Parents Need Extra Help

They may be afraid to tell you they are having trouble

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• By Joanna Nesbit

October 22, 2015

Photo Credit: Care Wagon Medical Transport 

While their 84-year-old father recovered at a rehabilitation facility after landing in the hospital with symptoms of a mini-stroke, the Jones (not their real name) siblings took the opportunity to do some cleaning at his house.
Opening the fridge, they were shocked to find layers of mold, hardened food and multiple jars of the same item in varying states of decomposition. They knew solo living had become challenging for their dad, but they didn’t realize the extent of the decline.
“The two biggest reasons for geriatric decline are depression and dementia,” says Amy Fuchs, elder care consultant and licensed clinical social worker in Saddle River, N.J. Depression can set in when older people feel isolated and lonely, and often may be grieving the recent death of a friend.

“Their friends are dying around them, and they’re also fully aware they can’t do what they used to do,” Fuchs says. Early dementia may be subtle and tricky to spot if you don’t live nearby and see your parents regularly. It might look like bouts of confusion, as the Jones siblings thought.

Pay Attention

Often, it takes a medical crisis to spearhead conversations about new needs. But you’ll likely notice signs indicating your parents aren’t as independent as they once were. Elders who want to remain in their home may not admit they need help for fear of being encouraged into an assisted living situation. But letting things go too far can precipitate a crisis situation.

Regular house tasks and tidying up gets harder as aging parents lose mobility and vision.

Here are seven common signs to watch for:
Piles of unpaid bills. Fuchs says bill-paying is one of the first tasks aging parents lose track of, and their adult children may not realize bills aren’t being paid. Letting unpaid bills pile up can be a sign of dementia setting in, but can also be a sign of disorganization and life getting in the way. It’s important to determine what’s going on.
The house looks grimy. You may notice grime and clutter because regular house tasks and tidying up gets harder as people lose mobility and vision. Your parents may not be able to see the dirt. Additionally, if “they can’t bend down anymore, they just leave things that fall, so things pile up,” Fuchs says. Depression-era people often don’t want to spend money to hire a house cleaner (and may not want you to spend yours either), but a cluttered house is a tripping hazard.
A lack of fresh, healthy food. You may notice spoiled food in the refrigerator, as the Jones siblings did, or you might realize the fridge lacks fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables and meats, says Chris Bowker, executive manager of the home care division of Aging Care, a Naples, Fla.-based organization that provides information for caregivers. If your parents have begun subsisting on boxed and canned food, that can be a sign that taking care of themselves is getting harder, he says. Also, watch for unexplained signs of weight loss.
A distinct smell. Personal hygiene becomes a lower priority for a variety of reasons — mobility, dementia or keeping up with laundry. Some older people may not be bathing for fear of falling. They also commonly have problems with undiagnosed urinary tract infections (UTI). “Between not bathing or UTI issues, usually there’s a distinct odor of urine from incontinence issues that drives the realization seniors need help,” Bowker says.
Missed medications. You’ll need to check more closely for this one, but Fuchs says it’s another common sign she looks for, right behind bill-paying. Take a look at your parent’s pill box to see if a dose or two has been skipped. “That’s a sign they’re forgetting to take their meds,” she says. Missing doses or taking too many at one time can be dangerous.
Unexplained bruising. If you see a bruise on your mother’s arm or leg, it could mean she’s fallen and isn’t telling you. “Seniors tend to bruise more easily, so the signs show up more,” Fuchs says. She recommends checking your parent’s arms and legs if possible. Experts also recommend watching for elders holding onto walls or furniture as they walk through the house. This can be sign they’re unsteady on their feet and would benefit from a cane or walker.
The car has new dings and dents. As we age, our reaction time slows, and turning your head while driving to monitor blind spots gets harder. Dementia can also be the culprit behind fender benders or sideswipes in a parking lot. If you spot some troubles on the exterior of your parent’s car, it may be time for a conversation about driving.
Non-emergency Medical Transportation companies in your area can help with transportation to desired destinations when public transportation may not be the right choice for your situation. Care Wagon Medical Transport LLC  serves several cities in the San Bernardino County, CA area with non emergency transportation and some related services as well.

Extending Time at Home

When aging parents want to stay in their own home and worry that their grown kids don’t want the same for them, they may not initiate conversations about waning independence skills. But extra help from a family member, volunteer or a paid caregiver can extend independence and aging at home with less risk.
Older adults might simply need help with meals, personal care, transportation or light housecleaning. Have a kind, but candid, discussion without controlling the conversation, recommends AgingCare’s editor-in-chief, Ashley Huntsberry-Lett. Find out which tasks feel more difficult these days. Ask how you can help.
While older adults are still capable of independence — they’re alert, oriented and able to make decisions — it’s important to let them make those decisions, even if you don’t agree with them, Fuchs says. Choose what’s not negotiable. For example, it might be OK to live with some mess but not to neglect the bills every month.
To learn about resources in your parents’ community, start with Eldercare Locater, a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging. The nonprofit Family Caregiver Alliance also helps families locate local services with a state-by-state navigator. AgingCare provides a wealth of information for caregivers, helping them find answers and share information as well as connecting them to community-specific resources.