Page 17 - Mid Valley Times 5-6-21 E-edition

By Jim Dueck
We are all in a constant state of change from the day we are born. We grew from infant to child to adolescent to adult. Now, many are seniors and some have reached an age and or health where they have become vulnerable as a result of a change in health, cogni- tion or family dynamics.
When seniors become vulnerable, their family needs to ensure a num-
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adults recognize there are many ways they can protect and sharpen their minds as they age.
• Continue learning. HMS notes that a higher level of education is as- sociated with improved mental functioning in old age. The reasons for that are unknown, but experts theorize that ad- vanced education com- pels people to remain mentally active, which in turn helps them maintain a strong mem- ory. Even aging men and women who are still working in challenging fields can benefit from pursuing a new hobby or learning a new skill.
• Use the tools at your disposal. It may seem counterintuitive to sug- gest that organizational tools like planners, maps and lists can help people maintain their memo- ries. However, HMS notes that expending mental energy on find- ing car keys or trying to
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What to do when seniors become vulnerable?
ber of things have been put in place to protect the senior’s health, safety and finances. All three are important and a good place to start is to make sure all legal documents are in place and current. This includes power of attorney, advanced health care directive, wills, trusts and a POLST (Physi- cian’s Order for Life Sus- taining Treatment). The POLST works together with the advanced health care directive and is for emergency responders.
Responsible family members are most often the ones to be named to manage the affairs of the seniors in their family. Legal professionals can guide families through these documents to en- sure everything is up to date. A trust that was setup years ago may need
remember what to buy at the store makes it harder to learn new and impor- tant things.
• Let all your senses play a role. HMS reports that the more senses a person uses to learn something, the more his or her brain is involved in retaining a memory. HMS cites one study in which adults were shown a series of emo- tionally neutral images that were each presented along with a smell. Par- ticipants were not asked to recall what they saw, but were later shown a set of images and asked to indicate which they had previously seen. The participants had excel- lent recall for the odor- paired images, and re- searchers believe that’s because additional parts of the brain were acti- vated when participants were asked to use more than one sense.
Memory loss is not an inevitable side effect of aging, especially for adults who take steps to maintain their memories as they age.
to be updated as well as those listed as responsible parties.
When a senior cannot be left alone for hours or days, health care plans need to be put into place. This can be done by family or paid pro- viders. Some insurance plans provide for this but most only cover the short term and long-term care is often what is needed. The level of care can vary greatly from one senior to the next. Family often learn that the care needs can exceed what the fam- ily can provide especially when family members are working full or part time.
These are the three things to know when a senior cannot be left alone are: 1. Where will the care be provided. 2. Who will provide the
care and 3. How will care As seniors age and be- be paid for. This is the come vulnerable, it is im- foundation of any care portant to have all legal
ensure the senior is living in a healthy environment where all physical, finan- cial, social and spiritual needs are being met.
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documents in order, put a care plan in place and
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