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!

Unique Gift Idea For The Disabled Someone On Your List

Finding that perfect gift for your physically disabled someone can be extremely challenging. 

The perfect unique gift idea is available!

Holidays may be a little depressing for some disabled family members that have become unable to attend special family gatherings due to their physical disabilities and their transportation options. 

Our Care Wagon Medical Transport Team is excited to provide wheelchair accessible transportation for our disabled neighbors to attend holiday gatherings or nearby worship services, shopping trips, or even future hair dresser/barber appointments! Call us now to discuss your great destination ideas.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

We Get You There With Care!

Care Wagon Medical Transport will be 

FULLY OPERATIONAL Christmas Eve & Christmas Day!

Making it possible for "Special Disabled Guests" to attend 

Family Holiday Gatherings is our joy!

Spring Forward To Daylight Saving Time ~ Sunday, March 12, 2017

Care Wagon Medical Transport would like to remind everyone to Turn Those Clocks Forward and To Check Your Smoke Alarms 

Please also think of your elderly and disabled relatives, friends and neighbors that may need help completing these tasks!

We are asking every household to check their smoke alarms and practice fire drills at home.

This MARCH WEEKEND we all loose an hour as we turn the clocks ahead one hour to mark the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. Care Wagon Medical Transport and the American Red Cross also recommend changing your smoke alarm batteries and testing the alarms at the same time.

LIFE-SAVING CAMPAIGN The Red Cross has launched a nationwide campaign to reduce the number of people killed or injured in home fires by 25 percent over the next five years. Teaming up with local fire departments and community groups, the Red Cross is installing smoke alarms and teaching people how to prevent fires in places where a high number of fires have occurred.

The Red Cross is also asking every household in America to take two simple steps that can save lives: check their existing smoke alarms and practice fire drills at home.

Smoke alarms save lives. You should:

·  Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.

·  Check monthly that smoke alarms are working properly by pushing the test button.

·  Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year.

·  Replace smoke alarms every ten years.

PRACTICE HOME FIRE DRILLS Make sure all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home, and set up a meeting place outside in case of fire. Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Teach household members to stop, drop and roll if their clothing should catch on fire.

Other steps you can take to get prepared include:

·  Updating the emergency contact information in your family communications plan. Choose an out-of-area emergency contact that each person in your family can call if he/she becomes separated during a disaster situation.

·  Making sure your emergency preparedness kit still includes at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food items and water (one gallon per person per day), a flashlight, a battery-powered or crank radio, can opener, first aid kit, copies of important documents, and special items such as medications, diapers, and infant formula.

·  Checking your emergency preparedness kit for expired food items; refresh staples such as water, food and batteries. If there have been changes in prescriptions or dietary needs, add new foods and medications as needed.

Taking simple actions like these can help you be better prepared for a disaster or emergency situation. So, when you turn back the clock this weekend, take a few extra minutes to ensure that you and your family are better prepared for the unexpected.

HAPPY NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZENS DAY!

August 21st is National Senior Citizens Day!

If you have a senior relative, friend or neighbor, please take a little time to make their Senior Citizens Day special. 

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 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.

Have fun!!

Put a Jigsaw Puzzle together with a Senior Citizen!

Happy National Senior Citizens Day to all 

from Care Wagon Medical Transport! 

The importance of hydration for seniors

Lets help our seniors to remember to keep hydrated.

Senior Care Hydration

SR.COUNSEL, Inc

The importance of hydration for seniors

Proper nutrition and regular physical activity are two extremely crucial approaches seniors can take to ensure healthy and stable aging. In addition to this - proper HYDRATION plays a key role in a healthy lifestyle for seniors. A loss of hydration is one of the biggest factors that impacts how seniors look and feel. It is vital to remember that as we age, our thirst sensation decreases as does our overall body water. Therefore, dehydration occurs more frequently and much more quickly in the elderly. Fluid loss can be very serious affecting the heart, kidneys, brain, and in some severe cases can be life threatening. Dehydration occurs when more fluid is lost from the body than is taken in.

This develops an imbalance of minerals, sodium, and potassium, which are all needed for proper muscle and nerve function. Many things cause dehydration but the most common are: vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and of course failure to replenish liquids by not drinking enough water. There are also certain foods and beverages that contribute to water loss such as: coffee, tea, and soft sugared beverages. Dehydration can have a significant negative effect on brain function in the elderly and may debilitate cognitive states leading to confusion and agitation. Not only can dehydration lead to detrimental physical and cardiovascular effects, but detrimental cognitive effect as well.

Injuries are more likely to happen when hydration is not properly practiced. People who are denied proper fluid intake perform worse in activities because those activities are harder to accomplish. When someone becomes dehydrated, they lose electrolytes that are essential for the nervous and cardiovascular systems. A good rule of thumb: Always try to drink more fluids than you need!! You can also do frequent intervals of smaller quantities as long as you keep it consistent!! And remember that foods like oranges, watermelon, tomatoes, and strawberries can also increase your water intake. So mix things up a bit!! Keep your mind and body healthy and strong… stay hydrated!! 

Our disabled seniors may also need to find their local COOL CENTERS during our hot summer days. Local Medical Transportation Companies can help assist our disabled seniors with wheelchair accessible transportation to nearby cool places. Care Wagon Medical Transport  serves the Fontana, Rialto, Ontario, Colton and Upland, CA areas.

Tax Time Again ... Already???

Are you ready to get your taxes done but need wheelchair accessible transportation to get there?

Care Wagon Medical Transport is here to help!  

Wheelchair Accessible Transportation for your Tax Preparation Appointment

We have Day, Night, and Weekend Appointments available for transportation to your local tax service professional in Rialto, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Loma Linda, Redlands, Colton, and Upland. 

Call now for a quote and to check appointment time availability.  

(909) 428-CARE (2273)

 

We Get You There With Care!