I’ve seen a recent study that places the number of the Baby Boom Generation near 78 million. As we approach retirement, fortunately most of us are looking forward to many healthy and active years to come.
Another study by a healthcare group states that 44 million in the United States are currently performing care giver services of some degree. Common sense makes it likely that the majority of these care givers consists of us who are over the age of 50 ourselves. Those of us who still have surviving parents are finding they need at least some minor assistance from time to time. For most, these needs will continue to increase as they get older.
I have been involved with care giver duties for 10 years now and I try to look out for ideas that make getting old easier. If you are caring for someone or simply planning ahead for yourself, I hope something here will be helpful.
We all worry about needing help and not being able to let someone know. Cellphones have been a great help but many elderly people can’t operate them or read the small buttons or text screen. There is a company called Jitterbug that tries to solve this problem. It offers phones designed for the elderly with large buttons and large print text screens. They also have one phone with just 3 large buttons for emergency calls. Their service plans are also tailored for different needs and you can learn more at jitterbug.com.
If you need some help with homecare, you may want to try contacting groups in your area that might be able to give you good advice or even physical help. For instance most areas have alzheimers support groups and some hospice agencies are able to offer home help in various circumstances. You may be suprised to find out how much help you can find if you look.
Another trend that seems to be getting popular are housing communities for those over the age of 55. These provide an alternative to nursing homes or assisted living to those who are still able to be on their own but need to eliminate stairs and other obstacles. Residents still have their own home and independence plus neighbors tend to look out for each other.
I will try to expand on this post in the future but hopefully these points will be useful.
