Who to Know When You Are a Caregiver

When you’re a caregiver, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel as if you’re the only one who can do the care giving work. You may also feel that a doctor is the only one to whom you can direct your questions, but you find yourself having more questions than the doctor has time to answer, or more problems for which he/she has a solution.

Consider these helpful professionals — outside of a doctor’s office — when you need assistance, expertise or guidance along your caregiving way:

Occupational therapists: Occupational therapists are all about routines. According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), OTs “help people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations).”

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90-Year-Olds Today Sharper than Previous Generation

A large Danish study of nonagenarians finds that people born in 1915 not only lived longer than those born a decade earlier, but they also retained a higher level of both their cognitive and physical abilities.

To address the concerns of future care needs for the “Silver Tsunami,” a team of Danish researchers investigated the health status of seniors over the age of 90.  Using the Danish Civil Register System, the team identified all nonagenarians living in Denmark at the time that they were conducting their surveys. 

Two groups of nonagenarians were given cognitive and physical assessments. The first cohort included a total of 2,262 nonagenarians born in 1905. This cohort was assessed in 1998 when they were ages 92 to 93. The second group consisted of 1,584 seniors born in 1915, and were assessed in 2010 when they were ages 94 to 95. 

The 1915 cohort scored notably better on the cognitive test than the 1905 group, with a significantly higher proportion of participants achieving perfect scores (23 percent vs. 13 percent). The researchers also found that the odds of living to age 93 were 28 percent higher in the 1915 cohort than in the 1905 cohort, and the chance of reaching 95 years was 32 percent higher in 1915 cohort. 

The two groups recorded similar results in the physical performance exams, but the 1915 cohort scored significantly higher on tests measuring ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL).

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8 Alternative Foods for Nurses

Nurses, have you tried to lose weight but found yourself craving the food you’re avoiding and sabotaging your diet? It could be that your food choices are largely to blame for your poor nursing wellness.  

Eating certain foods can actually stimulate the appetite. So, which foods can cause cravings and should you avoid when you’re trying to lose weight? The answer is manufactured foods that have been stripped of nutrients and fiber. Look for 100% whole wheat on every flour product you purchase. Try eating foods closer to the earth, not foods that have been totally refined and redefined before coming to you in the store. 

Be assured that your cravings for high-starch foods will diminish over time. It is not uncommon to hear people comment that they don’t crave these foods after as little as two weeks.

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Is an iPad Good for Your Eyes?

In a presentation at the most recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Daniel Roth, an eye specialist and clinical associate professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ, offered new findings on why tablet computers are helping seniors read with increased clarity and speed.

Yes, you read right – technology can make life better for seniors, not worse! Dr. Roth’s test results revealed that participants age 50 and above read about 128 words per minute on an iPad, compared to 114 words per minute with a newspaper. The font size was the same – 10-point.

Dr. Roth suggested that the tablet’s illuminated screen enhances the contrast between the words and the background, easing eyestrain and enhancing readability. Since contrast sensitivity (the visual ability to differentiate between foreground and background information) declines with age, a backlit screen can help seniors see better and read more efficiently.

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Fun Audio Activities for Seniors

In days gone by radio was big. Seniors will remember it well. Now we call it Old Time Radio!

When radio was big, just before TV, families used to gather in the living rooms and sitting rooms where they would grab a comfortable pillow, spot on the floor, some knitting or mending to do, and they would listen to radio shows and performances we now call The Classics of Old Time Radio.

Laurel and Hardy

Amos and Andy

Gunsmoke

Tales of the Texas Rangers

Evening with George Burns

The Danny Kaye Show

Radio City Playhouse

and many, many more!

The choices are numerous and sure to bring back special memories and some new laughs to a lost form of entertainment that the seniors in your care will surely appreciate. It is also a wonderful activity for those with visual impairments or those that are too ill or bed ridden to join in some other activities.

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Pharmacy Technician Course Externship Available At Walgreens

You may not realize it, but We Care Online has a Pharmacy Technician course which is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents. The Pharmacy Technician course has been available and enrolling students for close to two years.  The course is available nationwide.

The Pharmacy Technician course requires a short externship at a pharmacy. Past students have had to find their own externship pharmacy. This summer, We Care Online and Walgreens Pharmacies have come to an agreement allowing our Pharmacy Technician students to perform their externship at Walgreens nationwide!* It's a great opportunity to experience a busy pharmacy.

Pharmacy jobs are growing by leaps and bounds, and entry level salaries and benefits can be quite generous. It's also a stable profession and with continuing education opportunities (usually paid by an employer), you can expect to make a career in the field.

 We Care Online's Pharmacy Technician is an open enrollment course allowing you 90 days to complete the class.  This course gives you the tools to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE.) Candidates that pass the PTCE are permitted to use the Certified Pharmacy Technician credential, "CPht." The PTCB certification program is the only pharmacy technician certification program accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

What are you waiting for? Get started on a pharmacy career today! Click here to get started.

*Individual Walgreen's pharmacies reserve the right to decline an externship at their discretion.

How Reading and Writing Preserve Memory in Older Age

A recent study has found that engaging in mental activities as simple as reading and writing can significantly reduce the rate of cognitive decline in seniors. Older adults who were mentally active throughout their lifetime experienced the lowest rate of memory loss.

Researchers from the Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center gathered 294 older adults to participate in the study. The participants were given a survey to determine how frequently they read books, wrote, or did any other similar activities when they were a child, through adolescence, in middle age, and at their current age.

The seniors were then tested for their memory and other mental abilities every year until they died. Older adults on average, participated in the study for 6 years. The participants also agreed to allow their brain tissue to be examined after they passed.

The researchers found that the rate of cognitive decline among older adults who frequently engaged in mental activity was 32 percent lower than individuals with average mental activity.

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4 Things That Increase Risk for Falls

Younger people can spring back from a fall. But for elders, taking a spill can lead to broken bones and trigger a domino effect of health problems and decline.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), every 18 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall, and more than 95 percent of hip fractures are caused by falls.

Since falls can be a major setback, elders—and caregivers—must stay mindful of the specific risk factors that can lead to a big spill.

Here are four key factors that contribute to falls when you're older, and what you can do to prevent them.

1. Household and environment hazards. "Throw rugs, jutting furniture, and grandkids' toys on floor can create household dangers for older people challenged by sight and balance," says Rebecca S. Boxer, geriatric heart failure specialist and assistant professor of medicine. "Outside the home, getting out of the car, stepping up and down from curbs, and slipping on ice are common reasons older people fall."

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5 Tech Gadgets for Aging in Place

We’re hearing the term “aging in place” more and more. Aging in place is the concept of staying in your living space for as long as possible while maintaining your independence, being comfortable, and safe. While typically this refers to a senior’s home, it can also be applied to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) lifestyle choice.

Recently, a blog post on InsideElderCare.com suggested five technology and gadgets solutions for seniors to age in place.


1. Skype or FaceTime – Many seniors are quickly adapting to tech tools that make their lives easier and more enjoyable. Using Skype’s video chat function helps seniors stay connected with family and friends while in their homes, chatting in real time. Apple has a similar application, FaceTime, that allows users to make video calls from their devices – Macs, iPhones, iPads and the iPod touch.

2. Hearing and vision-enhancing gadgets – Devices that work with phones to amplify sounds or offer magnifying capabilities allow seniors to better compensate for diminished hearing and/or vision.

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Ease Back-to-School Stress for Kids

Change may be good, but it’s not necessarily easy. Switching from the laid-back fun in the sun of summer to rules, homework, and routines can be a big jump for parents and children alike. But with a little preparation and the right attitude, it doesn’t have to be so hard.

It’s normal for a child to have a little flutter of anxiety about going back to school, according to Eileen Kennedy-Moore, a clinical psychologist and coauthor of Smart Parenting for Smart Kids: Nurturing Your Child’s True Potential. After all, they’re getting themselves ready for a lot of newness: a teacher, classmates, tasks, and challenges.

Students may have trouble sleeping at the start of the school year, but that’s nothing to worry about, Kennedy-Moore says. More uncomfortable symptoms might include continued trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, or irritability. Severe cases can involve tears, tantrums, and even refusing to go to school.

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