Senior Health by Mediaplanet_USA

A Mediaplanet Guide to Senior Wellness & End-of-Life Care

JUNE 2022 | FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM

Supporting Our Seniors & Caregivers

Joan Lunden The journalist and TV host discusses caring for her elderly mother while raising a family

How Mom’s Meals is improving senior health with customizable home meal delivery

Tovala’s smart oven is making home-cooked meals easy and safe for seniors

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Adult Incontinence Doesn’t Have to Be a Dirty Word The unique technology offered by Always Discreet products helps caregivers and loved ones focus on the more important things in life as they age.

t’s important to family caregivers and the loved ones they care for to be able to age with dignity and focus their energy on the most important things in life — without occasional incontinence getting in the way. Though adult incontinence is incredibly common — the AARP’s Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 Research Report indicates that bladder leakage impacts 1 in 4 adult women and increases with age — it can be uncomfortable to talk about and to manage. Always Discreet makes liners, pads, and underwear that helps caregivers and seniors manage this issue. Senior scientist in research and development, Rebecca Stoebe-Latham and senior @MEDIAPLANETUSA

communications manager, Angie Mcauliffe for Always Discreet say that in consumer interviews, caregivers say the most important thing to them is quality of life. “We hear these really heartfelt stories about people really wanting to provide the best for their loved one as they age,” Stoebe-Latham says. “And it’s heartbreaking to hear that and we try to work at Always Discreet to make products that can help solve that.” Always Discreet Underwear are designed to be form fitting and incredibly thin so that you feel like you are wearing nothing at all.They keep the wearer dry and fresh for up to 12 hours, with leak protection around the edges and a special drying technique that turns liquids to gel. @FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH

“Always Discreet has a unique technology that allows the product to stay incredibly thin and comfortable even at really high absorbency,” says Stoebe-Latham. “The other piece of that is Always Discreet has a unique odor lock protection, which neutralizes the odors instantly and continuously. And that is also unique to the brand.” Urinary incontinence is a common problem among all adult women, but studies indicate that it is especially prevalent in older women. One way to support older adults struggling with bladder incontinence is to talk more openly about it and try to combat some of the stigma. “Even the language

around incontinence has such a heavy connotation,” says Stoebe-Latham. “But lots of people have bladder leaks and it’s all on a spectrum. People that are caring for others and that are cared for have very particular needs. But truly bladder leaks are something that many, many people have and therefore we probably should talk about it.” Mcauliffe adds that Always Discreet’s products are designed to address the large variety of needs. “We try to offer a wide range of products with a wide range of absorbencies to meet all of those needs as well, because someone might just have a little bit of a bladder leak and other ones, it’s a whole bladder full.”

Studies indicate that an estimated 47.9 million American adults are caregivers to someone over the age of 18, and 25% of those caregivers are now caring for two or more people at the same time. Based on trends, these numbers look likely to increase in the coming years. With more and more people providing care to loved ones as they age, any additional resources and support can make a huge difference in the lives of millions of families. n Lynne Daggett

Learn more by visiting alwaysdiscreet.com

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Publisher David Wagner Business Developer Katie Konf ino Managing Director Jordan Hernandez Lead Designer Kayla Mendez Designer Daniel Vega Lead Editor Jon Adams Copy Editor Taylor Rice Director of Content and Production Jordan Hernandez Cover Photo Daphne Youree All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.

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“Now this is the kind of bladder protection my curves have been waiting for.”

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The Game-Changing Senior-Friendly Smart Oven and Meal Delivery Service Tovala set out with the mission to reinvent home cooking to save customers time. However, they quickly realized they had become a unique solution for a large community of seniors and senior caretakers in need of simple and nutritious alternatives to the traditional home-cooked meal. Tovala’s easy-to-assemble meals and smart oven — which perfectly cooks each meal in 20 minutes or less using the simple scan of a QR code — have helped these individuals overcome difficulties with cooking at home, whether that’s preparing ingredients, using an oven, or handling dangerous preparation utensils. “I am a senior with a disability and have trouble standing for regular meal prep,” says Tovala customer Cherly D. “This Tovala oven and prepared meals are a total relief for us! Healthy meals with minimal prep — perfect!” Tovala is giving seniors everywhere an accessible ecosystem that allows them to eat healthy, chef-crafted meals without the stress associated with home cooking. With five cooking functions (steam, bake, broil, toast, and reheat) and the ability to scan-to-cook nearly 1,000 brand-name grocery items, there is a reason why Tovala was named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2021.

This article has been paid for by Tovala Tovala

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The Solution to a Common Problem for People With Hearing Loss

People with hearing loss often struggle to watch TV and understand what they hear. “The natural response is to turn up the volume,” says George Dennis, whose father has hearing loss, “but with modern TVs, that actually makes it harder to hear because the words get even more distorted.” While a person with hearing loss still struggles to correctly hear the TV, others in the household and neighbors may complain it’s too loud. Traditional hearing aids don’t solve this problem.

That’s why Dennis set out to create an affordable “hearing aid” for his father to use while watching TV. Over 20 years ago, he founded TV•Ears®, an easyto-use wireless headset that is classified as assistive listening devices for hearing-impaired individuals. “The secret to the headset is I took a hearing aid circuit and put it in the headset,” he says, noting it’s a doctor-approved solution. “Designed to amplify hard-to-hear speech frequencies, it amplifies and clarifies words so they’re easy to hear, even accents and whispers.”

Here’s how it works: the user wears the headset while watching TV. The TV audio can be on or even muted. If muted, others in the room won’t hear the TV. The device comes with a transmitter/ charger and a stethoscope-style headset. The battery is designed to last four to eight hours. Finding relief and a solution for his father resulted in a product that’s now helped over 2 million people. Dennis uses them too: “I wear TV•Ears® all the time.” n

This article has been paid for by TV•Ears® Kristen Castillo

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Aging In Place and Its Unique Challenges for Veterans Aging in place is defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.”

What is “aging in place”? For whom does this option make the most sense? Almost 90% of Americans want to age in their own homes. However, the possibility for needing assistance with activities of daily living due to disabilities increases for Americans over age 65, and it’s even more significant for those over age 85. U.S. adults aged 85 or older are approximately three times as likely to need assistance with activities of daily living as adults aged 75 to 84, and they’re six times as likely to require help as those aged 65 to 74. 20.7% of adults aged 85 or older need help with tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing, or walking, whereas 7% of those aged 75 to 84 and 3.4% of those aged 65 to 74 do. When seniors have been asked what aging in place meant to them, the results were that older people want choices about where and how they age in place. Aging in place is an advantage in terms of a sense of attachment or connection and feelings of security and familiarity in

relation to both homes and communities. Aging in place relates to a sense of identity both through independence and autonomy and through caring relationships and roles in the places people live. What are the challenges of aging in place? What are the advantages? The most common barriers for seniors to age in place are the increasing levels of assistance needed to maintain activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, as well as transportation and affordable housing. Because Americans are living longer, they develop increasing numbers of comorbid disease and, in turn, have increasing numbers of limitations and disabilities which lead to significant higher healthcare consumption. The IoM recommends a three-pronged approach to improve the ability of the healthcare workforce to care for older Americans: • Enhance the competence of

all individuals in the delivery of geriatric care • Increase the recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and caregivers • Redesign models of care and broaden provider and patient roles to achieve greater flexibility What challenges can veterans expect to face? What resources are available for veterans who opt for these options? It has been shown that elderly veterans are more likely to have a limitation in activities of daily living and an increase level of dependence over time. Over 50% of elderly veterans report difficulty in functioning and rate their health status as fair or poor. Additionally, elderly African American and Hispanic veterans report worse health than non-Hispanic white veterans across most health indicators. It is necessary that programs serving older veterans be adept at the ongoing medical management of chronic disease and the provision of long-term care services.

What tools, products, or services are recommended for older Americans, especially veterans, looking to age in place? The Department of Veterans Affairs has a large portfolio of home and community-based services (HCBS) to assist veterans and their caregivers when they have significant issues with meeting their activities of daily living needs. The Department of Veterans Affairs has implemented multiple initiatives to assist veterans with aging in place, and this includes but is not limited to a multi-year plan for the VA to become the largest integrated health system to implement Institute for Healthcare Improvement age-friendly health systems processes and a multi-year national expansion of home-based primary care, medical foster home, and veteran directed care programs. The VA is also looking at new models of care to include the “Redefining Elder Care in America Project” pilot underway at two VA healthcare centers. It combines predictive analytics to help identify vet-

erans at high risk for nursing home placement, then we have a care coordinator proactively work with primary care and the veteran to see if they would have an aging in place benefit from adding home and community-based services. To gain understanding of and access to possibly needed home and community-based services, enrolled veterans or their caregivers should contact their assigned Primary Care Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) social worker. It is important that the veteran’s primary care team is aware of their needs and work together to gain the needed services. The VA Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) website also provides information, education, and videos to help older American veterans learn about the different geriatric and extended care services they may be eligible for. It also includes information for caregivers, dementia patients, and even advanced care planning, intended to educate and help the veteran start a conversation with their PACT team. n U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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The Tough Conversation Every Family Caregiver Needs to Have Every family, at some point, will need to have some challenging conversations about finances and planning for caregiving.

Communication Is Key When Assuming the Role of Caregiver

Most of us don’t like to think about how our lives will end, so we put off legal paperwork like powers of attorney and a will. Yet knowing what your loved ones want, and having the right legal documents in place, is vital for family caregivers and their loved ones. Check if your family has certain key legal documents prepared:

Will Having a will in place ensures that your loved one’s requests are followed after they pass away. It can also help avoid fights or hurt feelings among surviving family members about how any assets are divided. In addition to finding or creating these legal documents, family caregivers should locate and organize key documents like birth, marriage, and death certificates, insurance policies, pension benefits, and house deeds. It’s tough to have conversations about a loved one’s finances and how they want to be cared for at the end of their life, but it’s worth it to have that difficult talk. Making a plan before you need it will save your family an enormous amount of stress, uncertainty, and even financial costs. Bob Stephen, Vice President of Caregiving, AARP

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What advice do you have for those who struggle to care for a loved one? We all need to know where those important papers are — mortgages and titles, wills, and insurance policies. The day a trauma happens is not the day you want to figure this out. According to recent surveys, more than 138 million Americans believe they will need to provide care to someone in the future; however, the majority say they have not taken adequate steps to prepare for that possibility.

Power of attorney A power of attorney names someone to act on your family member’s behalf on financial, legal, and sometimes medical issues. It’s a key tool for family caregivers, as it allows them to pay their loved one’s bills and manage their legal affairs. Advance directive An advance directive, also known as a healthcare proxy or living will, can lay out your relative’s wishes for medical treatment that they do or don’t want to receive. In some cases, this form also designates someone to make healthcare decisions for them if they are not able to do so.

her favorite perfume, a fresh new nightgown, or a framed family photo.

What should a person focus on to remain a loving caregiver? TV journalist, author, and senior care advocate Joan Lunden offers advice to adults faced with helping their aging parents while juggling families of their own. Could you share some thoughts regarding your experience as a sandwich generation caregiver? I took over the care of my mother at a young age. When I became responsible for her total care at 50, I’d just remarried and was raising two sets of twins. There I was, changing diapers while also buying cars for my teenage girls and a

wheelchair for my mom. There are millions of people who are at some stage of parenting while simultaneously caring for aging parents. How can caregivers deal with challenging times in a productive way? When my brother died, my mom was 88 and was overcome with grief at losing her son. Her dementia had become worse, and she couldn’t live by herself. If only I’d talked to them about their health, their insurance, their banking, their business affairs, and their end-of-life wishes when they were

healthy enough to be able to provide me the information. Most of us are not preparing for the inevitable, and this chapter of our lives is often one of the most trying times we ever face. Were there times you managed to find joy, despite the circumstances? I found joy and happiness in being able to make my mom happy. I loved taking her to lunch at all her favorite restaurants, even though she wouldn’t remember in 20 minutes. I loved surprising her with gifts. It might just be a magazine she’d always loved,

One of the beautiful things about our parents growing older is that they can share with us what they learned about life and about the aging process. Often, these can be powerful nuggets of wisdom, hope, and, in the case of my mom, humor. Of all the lessons I’ve learned through my years of caregiving, the most important one is to keep the love connection going, no matter whether you’re providing day-today care or overseeing care from afar. Even if they don’t seem to recognize you, just keep telling them you love them, again and again. You will never say it too much. n

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Finding Confidence in Home Care

A Beginner’s Guide to Social Security Knowing the longterm impact of the most fundamental decision you’ll make is a key to getting the most out of Social Security.

Do you feel you must take on caring for an aging family member yourself? When our caregivers help, the positive effects are felt by all. When faced with caring for a loved one at home, most people’s natural response is to bear the responsibility alone. They often don’t feel comfortable asking for help, whether they’re the one who provides care or the one who needs it. But there are remarkable benefits to be had when trained, professional caregivers step in. At SYNERGY HomeCare, we call it the SYNERGY Effect. Synergy happens when you bring people together to create more than they are individually, and that’s exactly what we do. At SYNERGY HomeCare, we create synergy between people — clients and caregivers alike. These unique care connections and personalized, shared experiences create confidence, comfort, and joy in people’s lives. Whether you need memory care, personal care, or companion care, the SYNERGY Effect makes people feel, see, and experience more. Visit SYNERGYHomeCare.com/ effect to learn more. SYNERGY HomeCare

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For many folks, retirement is a destination. Thoughts of someday kicking back and reflecting on a career well executed, or a history of meeting the challenges of supporting a family, serve to propel us through our working years toward a target: that next life phase. But dreaming about it is one thing; planning for it is quite another. It’s no secret to anyone in today’s workforce that the landscape is changing. Conventional retirement benefits like defined-benefit pension plans, now estimated to be available to only 15% of the workforce, are disappearing in favor of defined-contribution plans, leaving retirees on their own to ensure adequate finances to cover those golden years. Personal savings also emerges as a key component of retirement financial planning, as does the decision on when to exit the workforce. In short, retirement has gone from being a destination to being

a journey, requiring careful preparation at all stages of life. Fortunately, one component of retirement income — Social Security — remains consistent in its role of replacing a substantial portion of a family’s pre-retirement income. For well over eight decades, Social Security has steadfastly delivered on its pledge to help seniors avoid poverty in their later years, and it remains as a solid piece of the “threelegged stool” on which retirement rests. This clichéd “threelegged stool” analogy raises a crucial point in retirement planning: Social Security was never intended to completely fund one’s post-career financial need. In fact, the program today replaces just 37% of an average worker’s pre-retirement earnings. As a result, the decision of when to file for Social Security benefits takes on considerable strategic importance for those aging into eligibility, particularly those who will be relying heavily on that benefit. When to file for benefits Age 62 is the earliest point at which an eligible worker can begin

to draw benefits and, even today, that is by far the most popular age to file. What needs to be clearly understood, though, is that filing for benefits at that age will result in a severely discounted monthly benefit — 30%, in fact, for those born in 1960 or later. Waiting to full retirement age ensures monthly benefits will be 100% of one’s earned benefit, while waiting beyond full retirement age will increase that benefit by about 8% per year up to age 70. Here’s a quick, straightforward mathematical view: A monthly benefit at full retirement age of $2,000 will be reduced to $1,400 if claimed at age 62 or increased to $2,480 if deferred to age 70. But the impact of early filing for Social Security goes beyond the basic calculation of monthly benefit amounts. For example, in the event of a claimant’s death, a surviving spouse will receive 100% of the claimant’s benefit at time of death. An early claim of benefits would result in the surviving spouse receiving less than the benefit that would be available had the claimant deferred until full retirement age or later.

Will Social Security be enough? That’s a question relating directly to the point that retirement is a journey. Any journey logically starts with a plan, or a map designed to take one to their destination. That plan, then, should focus on everything needed to ensure that the destination is reached with a financial buffer that will allow for a comfortable retirement, with adequate savings and deferred financial resources to draw on in those later years. If done well, the future retiree will be able to live comfortably, but, if not done well, the issue of when to file for Social Security benefits takes on added significance. The larger issue here is the long-term future of Social Security and its ability to continue to pay promised benefits in the future. Given the potential for reduced benefits resulting from the much-discussed solvency problem, it becomes even more critical that new Social Security participants take steps to ensure their benefits are maximized for the long haul. n Gerry Hafer, Executive Director, AMAC Foundation

What Patients and Caregivers Need to Know About Death and Dying

Keeping Your Loved One Safe From Falls Falls are the leading cause of injury for people over 65. The CDC reports that 1 out of every 5 falls causes serious injury, and the majority of those falls happen at home. Fortunately, they can be prevented. Start with a walk-through of your home to look for any possible hazards. Remove throw rugs, or use double-sided tape or non-stick backing so the rugs won’t slip. Make sure there is a clear path to walk through a room. Get rid of any clutter. Check to see that handrails are not loose and that there is a handrail on both sides of the stairs. Place a lamp or other light source near the bed, and have a nightlight in case your loved one needs to use the bathroom during the night. The most dangerous room in the house for falls is the bathroom. Consider installing grab bars in the bathtub and by the toilet. Place non-skid strips or a non-slip mat on the floor of the bathtub or shower, and have a non-skid rug or mat on the floor to prevent falls.

In addition to modifications around the house, exercising helps maintain muscle strength and improves balance. Vision problems make people more than twice as likely to fall as those without visual impairment, so make sure your loved one has their vision checked regularly. If your loved one wears glasses, make sure their prescription is current. Keeping your loved one safe As a caregiver, managing your loved one’s medication is crucial. People with chronic diseases or disabilities take more medications, so it’s important to keep an up-todate medication list. A medication list should include the name of the drug, dosage, start and stop dates, what the medication looks like, any record of side effects, and what the drug is treating. If your loved one has Alzheimer’s or dementia, make sure that hazardous materials like cleaning supplies, knives and scissors, medication, and any toiletries that could be harmful if ingested are locked away. To prevent burns, fire, or smoke inhalation, remove the knobs on the stove and place

Don’t be afraid of death and dying. That’s the message from end-oflife expert Barbara Karnes. Karnes, a hospice pioneer and author, has spent most of her career helping dying patients and their caregivers. Below, she shares her insights into end-of-life care and offers guidance on understanding and accepting the natural process of death. You wrote this new book, “By Your Side: A Guide for Caring for the Dying at Home,” because people don’t have the instruction that they really need during caregiving. What are your tips for caregivers?

them in a drawer, or try safety knob covers. Take care of yourself, too As a family caregiver, you need to take care of your health so you can be strong enough to care for your loved one. Being a family caregiver is stressful. It affects you physically and emotionally. It can have an impact on your finances, career, and other relationships. Caregiver burnout is a real thing, bringing symptoms such as depression, frustration, anxiety, and fatigue. Caregiver Action Network has tips and tools that can help caregivers avoid burnout, stay healthy, and maintain some sense of balance in your life while caregiving. Check out our 10 Tips for Family Caregivers, or contact our free Caregiver Help Desk, staffed by caregiving experts, to help you get the support you need. We all want to keep our loved ones safe and living the best life possible. By taking care of yourself, you’ll be able to be a better caregiver for them and keep yourself safe and healthy as well. n John Schall, CEO, Caregiver Action Network

Being a caregiver is a humongous, horrific, hard job — and you’re doing it out of love and compassion. You need help, support, and community help. You need family help, and you need instructions. A caregiver will benefit from guidance on how to provide care in the home, how to provide nutrition in the home, how to track medications, and how to write everything down. What are the signs of gradual death? Two to four months before death from disease, a couple things start happening. First, a person is going to change their eating habits. They stop eating meat, then fruits and vegetables, then soft foods and ice cream. They also sleep more. They start with more afternoon naps. Then, pretty soon, they’re taking a morning and an afternoon nap, and they’re asleep all evening. Then, one day they don’t get out of bed. There are additional changes that you should look for in the weeks before death. The person is sleeping with their eyes partially open. They start and stop breathing. There are random hand movements, a restlessness, picking at the air or their clothes. Their blood pressure drops; they’re basically nonresponsive. Their hands, feet, and knees are purple or dark blue. Their breathing gets slower and slower until it stops. Tell me about comfort care. .Comfort care means we’re not going to do any aggressive treatments. We’ve recognized that we just want to keep a person comfortable for as long as they’re alive. That means that we’re going to work with and support the caregiver.

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