6 Tips to Improve Communications With Your Doctor

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Viki Kind, clinical bioethicist, educator and hospice volunteer, shares tips to help improve communication with your healthcare provider. Click here to learn more!

1. Use the Explain Back/Teach Back method. After the doctor tells you about your disease, explain back to the doctor what was you think he or she said. This will allow you to check to see if you understood the information correctly and for the doctor to clarify anything you got wrong.

2. When the doctor or nurse gives you instructions to follow when you go home, repeat back or explain back what he or she just said. Again, this way you will be able to make sure you got it right.

3. Ask the doctor or nurse to write the information down for you or you can write it down yourself. Have the person check to make sure you wrote everything down correctly.

4. Bring a tape recorder or use your cell phone to record the instructions and information about your disease.

5. Bring a helpful loved one with you. A second set of ears can help you remember the details that were discussed. If your support person can’t be there in person, he or she can call in and listen through a speaker phone in the office or hospital. By using a speaker phone, the support person can also provide additional information and can ask any other questions that might be important.

6. If you have questions when you get home, call and have the person explain it to you again or make a follow up appointment to talk it through again.

Are there any tips you find useful when communicating with your doctor, not mentioned above? We’d love your feedback! 

Have a kind and respectful day.

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A Small Miracle From the Tornado

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Good news can come from devastation, as one senior resident of Moore, Okla., found out after she lost her home and presumably her dog after the May 20th tornado. Click here to read more.

The good news came as a TV reporter interviewed an elderly woman who lost her home to the May 20th Oklahoma tornado.

Behind Barbara Garcia lay the devastation that was once her house. She told the CBS reporter that she was sitting on a stool holding her little dog when the tornado hit, but afterward couldn’t find him. It would be hard to imagine locating anything in the rubble, but as she spoke, a member of the camera crew spotted a dog’s head poking out of the twisted remains of her home. “Well I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be OK, but he answered both of them,” she said, before a bystander led her away from the ruins with her dog.

You can watch the video of the interview.

The tornado that had the highest rating of E-5 killed 24 people, injured 237, completely damaged some 1,200 homes and affected 12,000 residents of Moore, Okla. If you want to help people like Garcia and others get back on their feet, you can make a contribution to the Red Cross.

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Age is No Barrier to These Adults

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Ruth Frith, left, at age 103, is perhaps the world’s oldest track and field athlete still in competition. Read about her and three others who will compete in the 2013 World Masters Games in August. Click here to view article.

Like the Olympics, the World Masters Games are contested every four years, attract athletes from around the world and award winners with coveted gold medals. Unlike the Olympics, the athletes at the Masters Games range in age from 25 to over 100 and compete in their age groups. This year, the games will be held in August in Turin, Italy. The last games, held in 2009 in Sydney, Australia, attracted more than 28,000 athletes who competed in 30 different sports. Here are a few of the standout older athletes from the Sydney Games:

Ruth Frith, Australia

Now 103, Ruth Frith is perhaps the world’s oldest track and field athlete still in competition. Inspired by her daughter, two-time Olympian Helen Searle, Ruth took up track and field at the age of 74. By the time she was 85, she held age-group records in the 100-meter dash, long jump, triple jump and all of the throwing events. Ruth continues to participate in throwing events such as the shot put and hammer throw.

Olga Kotelko, Canada

Olga Kotelko, 94, says that Ruth Frith is her inspiration. Like Ruth, Olga took up track and field later in life, at age 77. At international competitions, Olga often competes in as many as 10 events and usually wins gold medals in all of them. Olga has been the subject of a study at McGill University in Montreal on the effects of exercise in slowing down the aging process. Whether because of genetics or exercise or a combination of the two, tissue samples taken from Olga’s muscles show little age-related decline.

John Deininger, United States

John Deininger, 74, has been a champion diver since his high school years. In early adulthood, he became a professional diver and entertained in aquatic shows, sometimes diving from heights of 130 feet. John used his savings from aquatic shows to become an architect while still maintaining his love of diving. In 1974, he helped found the U.S. Masters Diving Association. John has been the recipient of more than 200 medals in national and international masters diving competitions.

Margo Bates, Australia

Margo Bates, 102, has mobility problems on land but not in water. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, she is likely the oldest competitive swimmer in the world. Partially blind, she uses the black lines on pool bottoms to guide her. Margo competed in her first swimming competition at age 87 and since that time has won nearly 200 medals in regional, national and international competitions. At the Sydney World Masters Games, she said to never mention the world “old” to her “unless you put a ‘g’ in front of it.”

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Hoarding Can Be a Serious Issue

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Seniors are more likely than others to collect and keep possessions, and are at higher risk for hoarding-related safety issues. The reasons for hoarding are many, including fear of loss and anxiety. Click here to view article.

Hoarding has become a serious enough problem that it is the topic of TV shows and news stories. Although prevalent across society, the act of collecting and keeping more possessions than you can use appears to be more common among seniors than other age groups. In a way, it makes sense; by the time you’ve reached your sixth decade, you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff.

Yet hoarding goes beyond not being able to let go of your old 78 or 45 records (even though you don’t have a record player anymore) or your notes from that college history class. People who are serious hoarders have a hard time controlling their behavior and can be a danger to themselves. For example, accumulated trash can impede movement and block doorways, lead to fires and attract insects or vermin. Further, important documents and bills can become lost in the clutter, which can lead to financial problems. On the whole, letting your possessions overtake your dwelling and life can lead to a poorer quality of life.

Warning Signs

Here are some indications of hoarding:

• Accumulated piles of mail and unpaid bills
• Difficulty throwing things away
• Picking up free, unneeded or worthless items
• Extreme levels of disorganization and clutter, which intensifies over time with powerful emotional attachments to stuffDifficulty walking safely through your home
• Frustration trying to organize
• Difficulty managing activities of daily living
• Expired food in the refrigerator
• Jammed closets and drawers
• Compulsive shopping
• Difficulty deciding whether to discard items
• Expired medications in medicine cabinets
• Using the bathtub for storage
• Keeping papers and magazines on and under beds
• Storing magazines and shoes on steps

Reasons for Hoarding

Experts say that seniors are prone to cluttering for various reasons, including anxiety, depression, fear of loss, not knowing how to get rid of possessions or wanting to hold onto memories. For many hoarders, specific items that no longer hold any intrinsic value, such as a beloved prom dress, still carry strong memories. Hoarders may fear that memories or the past will be lost without that tangible evidence. Seniors often fear what will happen if they give up trivial possessions. Some older adults have been known to save three generations of bank statements because they think they might need them someday.

Many hoarders feel like they are “rescuing” unwanted objects and animals, which gives them a sense of importance, purpose and responsibility. They convince themselves that no one else can take care of the animals, for example, as well as they can.

For a senior hoarder who has lost friends and family, possessions can become a companion, and thus, the more the better. Loneliness can lead to depression, which makes it difficult for seniors to get organized, and a hoarder can start believing that the host of a TV shopping show is a friend. Buying a lot of goods may give the hoarder a momentary high of getting a good deal, an action he or she has to repeat to continue that good feeling. At the same time, with cable TV, Internet and other technological avenues, it’s easier than ever to buy things. And many older adults still carry a Depression-era mindset of wanting to save items for a rainy day.

Serious hoarding is linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). People with OCD use rituals (such as hand washing for those obsessed with dirt) to control anxiety produced by persistent, upsetting thoughts. OCD is typically an anxiety disorder, but when an elderly person suffers from it, the condition could be related to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. People who tend to hoard frequently identify their possessions as central to their identities, so losing or having to get rid of a possession may produce extreme anxiety or a sense of loss and grief.

Seniors who have suffered a brain trauma or stroke, who are wheelchair bound or who are experiencing dementia may no longer be able to manage household duties, which could contribute to clutter. Sometimes, forms of dementia and frontal lobe impairment can bring on Diogenes syndrome. This disorder is characterized by extreme self-neglect, domestic squalor, social withdrawal, apathy, compulsive hoarding of rubbish and lack of shame, according to the American Geriatrics Society. The following circumstances can act as a catalyst for the syndrome: living alone for long periods without appropriate social interaction, a lack of cognitive stimulation, a traumatic event, or a genetic predisposition to the condition.

Treatment for Hoarding

While professionals know much about hoarding’s symptoms and potential reasons, research about treatment is in its infancy. Experts say that hoarding is one of the most difficult mental illnesses to treat, particularly because most hoarders deny they need help.

Trained mental health professionals often treat hoarding with medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two. Experts recommend antidepressants, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Paxil, to treat anxiety disorders in older adults. Medication can help alleviate the symptoms of conditions that may exacerbate hoarding, such as depression. However, medication alone does not appear to help reduce the symptoms of compulsive hoarding.

The correct intervention depends on the type of hoarding behavior. Although research hasn’t yet confirmed it, there appear to be two subtypes of people with hoarding behaviors, according to Science of Caring.

One group has difficulty with executive functioning—that is, decision-making, planning and following through with plans. For these individuals, cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful (see sidebar). This psychotherapy helps people change the thought patterns that support their fears, as well as the way they react to anxiety-provoking situations.

For the other subtype—those with impulse control problems and addiction-like behavior—what appears to be effective is a group of peers who provide a nonjudgmental and safe environment of support and encouragement.

In addition, the Institute for Challenging Disorganization provides education and resources to professionals and individuals, including access to professional organizers who offer services to help people with hoarding issues get better control of their environment.

Sources:

Caregiverstress.com, “Senior Hoarding Issues”

Home Instead Senior Care Louisville East and Oldham County, “Understanding Excessive Hoarding by Senior Adults”

A Place for Mom, “Elderly Hoarding: Tips on How to Deal With Diogenes Syndrome”

Mayo Clinic, “Treatments and Drugs”

Science of Caring, “Recognizing and Addressing Hoarding as a Significant Senior Health Concern”

How Cognitive Behavior Therapy Works

Cognitive behavior therapy is the most common form of psychotherapy used to treat hoarding. As part of cognitive behavior therapy, you may:

• Explore why you feel compelled to hoard
• Learn to organize and categorize possessions to help you decide which ones to discard
• Improve your decision-making skills
• Declutter your home during in-home visits by a therapist or professional organizer
• Learn and practice relaxation skills
• Attend family or group therapy
• Be encouraged to consider psychiatric hospitalization if your hoarding is severe
• Have periodic visits or ongoing treatment to help you keep up healthy habits

Source: Mayo Clinic

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The World Beckons Senior Travelers

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Older adults with flexible travel dates can find good deals. In addition, you can take advantage of senior discounts for museums, tours and other attractions. Click here to view article.

The World Beckons Senior Travelers

As the weather gets warmer, many of us start to think about exploring the world outside of our home turf. Although the high prices of gas, airfare and lodging can be daunting, even those with limited budgets can find deals and inexpensive travel options.

Flexibility is key. Last-minute deals offer reduced fares and tours. Even switching flight dates and times, sometimes by a few hours, can lead to significant savings. Also, many hotels and resorts reward travelers who are willing to extend their trips by a day or two.

Benefits of Being a Senior

Older travelers have several advantages over younger ones, especially those with families. Retirees can explore during the off-season, whether it’s visiting Hawaii in summer or Europe in winter. Not only is lodging cheaper, sometimes half the price, but airfares are generally less (although watch out for popular travel times like spring break).

For example, because most people want to visit Europe when it’s warm, airfares from October to March can be a real bargain. Although you likely can’t visit gardens, restaurants, museums and other cultural attractions are less crowded. You might even be able to get into the Coliseum or up to the top of the Eiffel Tower without waiting in long lines, or snag the best table at your favorite Bavarian café.

Another benefit is travel discounts. Especially at slow times of the year, hotels, tours and cultural attractions target seniors with special offers. When booking a reservation, inquire about senior rates and other sales promotions. Many airlines have dropped discounts for seniors, but if you plan ahead, airfares are often the most inexpensive six months ahead of time. Also, airlines often offer cheap fares at the last minute, if planes are less full than expected.

Museums, too, have lower rates for seniors, and if you’re visiting a city with good public transportation, a discounted senior pass is often available. Amtrak travelers 62 years of age and older can receive a 15 percent discount on the lowest available rail fare on most Amtrak trains. Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada jointly operate cross-border services that offer a 10 percent senior discount to travelers aged 60 and over.

AARP, ARA (Alliance for Retired Americans) and AAA offer travel discounts with membership. Another tip is to find bargains online; sometimes a travel website will offer 5 to 10 percent savings.

Saving Money on Cruises

The cheapest times for cruises are the slow and shoulder seasons, although there are trade-offs for traveling during these less-popular dates. In Alaska, for example, the high season is June through August, and therefore the most expensive and the most congested. Alaska’s shoulder months are May and September, but while you’ll encounter fewer crowds and cheaper prices, the weather could be colder, and some excursions might be canceled because of low demand.

In the Caribbean, the shoulder season is also short because, unlike Alaska, the weather is good all year long. The shoulder and low season are only in the fall and late spring. However, this time frame corresponds with hurricane season (June–November) and can pose a threat for autumn trips. Even if your ship circumvents the hurricane area, rain and rough seas could still be unpleasant.

Not only are cruises more expensive in the high season, but winter flights to the tropics are costly and more likely to experience delays or cancellations because of bad local weather. To avoid this issue, book a cruise that has homeports within driving distance.

Adventure Travel

For those who prefer more exotic travel, which is often more expensive, you can still find good deals with tour agencies that offer last-minute deals when trips fail to fill up close to departure date. ElderTreks discounts its tours by as much as $1,000 if you’re flexible enough to pack your suitcase a few weeks before taking off for the Himalayas or Andes. This adventure travel company is designed for people 50 and over and offers “active, off-the-beaten-path, small-group adventures by both land and sea in over 100 countries.”

The Road Scholar offers 5,500 educational tours in the United States and 150 countries, combining instruction with touring. Although not specifically aimed at seniors, the organization was previously known as ElderHostel and attracts older adults who want to learn about the places they are visiting. Road Scholar offers savings on certain programs. Recently, the organization reduced the price of round-trip airfare for trips to Morocco (“Authentic Morocco: Ancient Medinas to Modern Identity”) and Russia (Treasures of Russian Arts and Literature”), offered free flights to “Mountain Kingdoms: Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan” and early enrollment savings for “Brittany and Normandy.”

Another route to an inexpensive travel vacation is exchanging homes with someone who lives in your desired vacation spot. Although an online search will turn up many brokers, only one company is aimed at those over 50, perhaps trading on the idea that you may trust someone your own age more than a younger person. The Seniors Vacation and Home Exchange allows a straight vacation exchange of your home, or hospitality vacations, in which you stay with homeowners in your desired location, and, in return, they visit you.

U.S. Destinations

Some U.S. cities have reputations for being inexpensive. About.com listed the “Top US Budget Destinations for Seniors” that are both affordable and senior-friendly. While Las Vegas has great hotel rates and bargain meals, Branson, Mo., has a wide variety of activities that are conveniently located, plus its famous entertainment. Washington, D.C., offers museums, free access to the monuments and memorials, easy-to-use public transportation and affordable places to eat. Nearby, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor offers museums, historic ships, shops, restaurants and professional sports within walking (or water taxi) distance.

If you’d rather see the great outdoors, the best deal for those over age 62 is the Senior Pass from the National Park Service. For 10 bucks, you get a lifetime pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, including national parks and national wildlife refuges. The pass covers entrance and standard amenity fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person).

Rather than paying for lodging in towns near national parks, you can rent an RV. Pay attention to gas costs in one of these fuel-guzzling vehicles; it may turn out that a motel is cheaper. Of course, there’s always camping, and fortunately technology has created easy-to-use camping gear, bigger tents that will accommodate cots, and air mattresses that inflate with a battery-operated pump.

An open-road vacation can be the most inexpensive trip, especially if you follow tips for getting good gas mileage (see sidebar).

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Tips for Saving Money on Gas

Although gas prices are high (those days of $1 per gallon gas some of us may remember are gone), you can save money on fuel by following these tips.

• Plan a vacation close to home. You don’t have to travel a thousand miles to get away from it all. Find a resort, mountain getaway or fun city within a reasonable drive; then, look for deals on restaurants and lodging.
• Maintain your car. Regularly change your oil, inflate your tires to the proper pressure and change your filters.
• Pack light. Your car will thank you with better gas mileage – and you’ll thank yourself when it’s time to haul your bags to your hotel room or cottage.
• Use smartphone apps and websites to find the cheapest gas. Smartphone apps, such as GasBuddy, Fuel Finder and I Gas Up, track gas prices in locations around North America. If you don’t have a smartphone, use websites such as MapQuest, GasBuddy.com andAAA Fuel Price Finder instead.
• Drive at the speed limit and use cruise control. Cruise control results in consistent speed, which increases fuel efficiency.
• Travel at off-peak times. Driving in heavy stop-and-start traffic reduces fuel efficiency and wastes time. Plan your long drives for weekend days or non-rush-hour times.
• Use alternate transportation. Even if you drive to your destination (especially a big city), once there, you can use public transportation or even bike sharing. Washington, D.C., Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul have bike-share programs, and many cities, towns and resorts offer bike rentals.

Source: About.com, “Senior Travel”

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