Growing older does not have to mean withering away at home. No longer do the retired members of society have to live out their lives in quiet and mundane ways. Senior citizens of today live very active lifestyles, full of activities and opportunities. Technology has also opened up a new world of retired living to senior citizens.

Whether you need information on housing, activities, technology or another area of senior living, there are many available resources. The following blogs provide much-needed advice and information on being a senior citizen in modern society and the choices and opportunities available.

1. Senior Living Information Blog – Information and resources for the Chicago area about assisted living.
2. Senior Lifestyle Concierge – Helpful blog about senior living and the changes that seniors face.
3. Seniors for Living – Helpful blog for seniors containing various resources and information.
4. Optimum Life Blog – Blog provided by the Brookdale Senior Living communities, with information, resources and q/a board for readers to ask a doctor questions.
5. Silver Census Blog – Information and resources about senior living and other related issues.
6. Real Life After 55 – Information and resources for senior citizens about various senior citizen issues.
7. Younger Next Year – Information, advice and stories about things seniors can do to keep themselves young.
8. Primrose Senior Living – Blog about senior living, including resources, wellness programs and assisted living information.
9. Everyone is Aging! – Positive blog about being a senior and life as a senior.
10. Lifestyles – Helpful information for seniors, including health tips for better living.
11. Financial News – Discussion of life after retirement and the financial planning seniors need to do.
12. Lifestyle Lounge – Information for seniors, including exercises that can be incorporated into everyday life.
13. Abandon the Unwanted, Etch Golden Thoughts – Information about enhancing memory capabilities with age.
14. Senior Citizens Bureau – Information and resources for senior citizens and their caregivers.
15. Seniors Aloud – Blog dedicated to senior citizens, offering advice and tips on senior living and allowing readers to share their experiences.
16. Online Relationship Guru – Information about senior citizen dating.
17. Online Degree Talk – Information about senior citizens furthering their education using the internet.
18. My Life, My Thoughts – Useful information about how senior citizens are using the internet to educate themselves, keep in touch with family and other ways.
19. MindTalk – Discussion about how senior citizens can fulfill their dreams.
20. Disabled World – Information about ways to improve the quality of life for senior citizens, with an in-depth discussion of changes in the American health plan.
21. Cell Phone Plans – Helpful information about senior citizens using cell phones and how to pick a plan and phone for a senior citizen.
22. What You’ve Heard – Information about senior citizen cruise ship vacations.
23. Caring Space – Information about healthy eating, exercising and a lifestyle guide for senior citizens.
24. Swank Pets – Information about the benefits of a small dog for senior citizens.
25. Life Means Health – Useful information about ways for senior citizens to preserve their mental health.
26. Pets for Older People – Importance of pets for senior citizens.
27. SelfGrowth – Information about the rising use of the internet by seniors and useful sites for senior citizens.
28. UforPrez – Discussion of the importance of senior citizens bringing on change in politics.
29. Seniors and Credit cards – Discussion of the problem of credit card debt for seniors in today’s society and ways seniors can manage their debt.
30. Senior Citizens Consortium Blog – A blog for seniors to discuss their thoughts about politics and the effect on their lives.
31. Margaret and Helen – Personal blog of two aging seniors that are best friends and their active lifestyles.
32. American Retired Seniors – Upbeat blog about life as a senior citizen, along with tips, advice and resources.
33. Wend Blog – Information about senior citizens and camping.
34. Corporate Eye – Discussion of social networking for senior citizens.
35. Jibber Jobber – Discussion of employment issues facing senior citizens.
36. All Voices – Discussion of being a senior citizen in modern society.
37. Think Progress – Discussion of senior citizens and the AARP.
38. Senior Ark – Useful information for senior citizens, including hobbies, crafts and activities.
39. Miss Cellania – Discussion about senior citizens and continuing their romantic relationships after retirement.
40. Future of Aging – Inspirational blog about aging in modern society, including tips and advice for senior citizens on improving their lives.
41. Animal Shelter Tips – Information on the importance of pets for senior citizens and how to help seniors keep their pets.
42. Crimscout’s Blog – Personal thoughts on becoming a senior citizen.
43. Gordon Mac – Discussion on why seniors should have a wonderful lifestyle and how to achieve this goal.
44. The Senior Exercise Blog – Useful information for seniors about keeping fit, even with age.
45. Carlton Senior Living – Suggestions for senior citizen activities to help them live a healthy and happy life.
46. Senior Health and Lifestyle Blog – Tips and advice for keeping fit and healthy as a senior citizen.
47. CareBuzz – Helpful blog with resources and information for aging citizens, including activities and avoiding fraud.
48. Brain Health Blog – Focusing on the brain health of senior citizens, with tips and advice on keeping a brain healthy and focused during the aging process.
49. The Smirking Chimp Senior Citizen’s Blog – Informative blog about issues that senior citizens face and what they can expect as time passes.
50. Geezer Guff – Lighthearted blog for senior citizens on a variety of subjects, including travel and health, all with a positive spin.

Finding a good in-home health care provider can be one of the most important decisions a senior citizen can make. Wherever possible, all family members should be involved in the process. This is the best way to ensure that fear, uncertainty, or other emotions do not color your decision. Not all in-home health care providers are made alike. Here, we’ll discuss several factors to consider in selecting a home-health service that’s right for you.

Since state law varies for home-health and hospice providers, it’s important to consider what local providers can do for you based on where you live. For instance, some home-health providers offer massage therapy to their patients, which is permitted in certain states. This isn’t universally the case, however. Your local hospice and home-health provider can discuss care options with you that may be specific to where you live. This also applies to medicare coverage.

1. Know the difference between home-health and hospice. Hospice care is palliative care for the terminally ill and those at the end of their lives. This kind of care, like in-home health care, involves home visits, but the purpose is not curative. Hospice care is designed to make the terminal patient more comfortable and ease some of the burdens on caregivers. In-home health care services allow seniors to receive the health care they need if they are unwilling or unable to leave their homes for doctor visits.

Remember that, while some businesses provide both hospice and in-home health care, and many of the services provided are the same, they aren’t synonymous.

2. In-home health care services are businesses, providing services on a free-market basis just like a medical center or hospital. They have every incentive to earn your business, even if your services are paid for by Medicare or some third party. Don’t take it for granted, then, that all in-home health care providers are made alike. Keep this in mind as you comparison-shop.

3. The World-Wide Web can be your best friend when it comes to consumer information. There are several resources for seniors looking for reliably good services and facilities. One such site is www.seniorsapprove.com, the web site of Senior Approved Services. Services and facilities that can boast being Certified Senior Approved have received a 90% or greater approval rating from actual customers.

There are many other such consumer information sites, but these can go a long way in taking some of the guess work out of choosing a provider. Remember that not all providers are included in the surveys, so don’t, necessarily, take the absence of a certification as a bad sign.

Dealing with the natural changes that come along as life goes on can be difficult, and having to look for an in-home health care provider is no different. Following a few smart tips, however, and doing your research will help you feel confident you are making a good decision.

When a senior citizen moves into a nursing home or any private care facility, it is very important that the family and care-givers help them to preserve their memories. Adding familiar things to their room at their new home can make the transition much easier and can help them to keep their past memories alive. Leaving the comfort of their home is not easy for them, but there are ways to make it easier for them to adjust.

Hang up Family Photos

Family members should make copies of their most cherishes family photos and frame them for the care-giver to hang on their walls. Seeing the familiar faces of their loved ones can bring them great comfort and help them to remember how much they are loved.

Take Their Own Bedding

Make it easier for them to adjust to their new bedroom by taking their own bedding. Many elderly people have certain blankets, pillows and/or comforters that they like to sleep with.

A Favorite Chair

Elderly people often have a favorite chair that they spend a lot of time in each day. Moving this chair into his/her room at the nursing home can be very soothing for them and bring contentment to them.

Visiting and Talking with Them

It is a best to visit them on a scheduled basis, therefore they know what day and time they will be receiving visitors. This gives them something to look forward to and tends to make them stay up with what day it is. Talk to them about past memories of family and friends, for this well help them to keep these memories alive.

Good memories and comfort go hand in hand. It is possible to make a loved one’s transition to a Senior Citizen’s home a bit easier by bringing along some of their most treasured memories and by surrounding them in their own familiar comfort.

The benefits of adult daycare are many and are a real blessing for not only the person who needs the care but also for the caregiver who either has to work to pay the family’s bills or else needs a respite from the constant care that many such adults require. There are approximately 4,000 adult daycare centers in the USA according to the National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA). There has been a tremendous increase as the elder population has rapidly escalated, especially in the realm of those who are still basically healthy and do not require the care of an assisting living facility or nursing home.

The adult may be hesitant to leave home and be part of unfamiliar surroundings, and the caregiver may feel somewhat guilty about allowing strangers to care for the loved one. If they both see how interesting the socializing is and how much less boring life will be for the center participant, it will hopefully put a different light on the subject.

A visit to the selected adult daycare center along with the caregiver is definitely number one on the agenda. That is, however, after the caregiver has gone to several centers, has done the preliminary investigations of what is offered and the licensing and reputation of the centers and their staff certifications, and made a basic choice as to which one seems to be the best. Ask for references to talk to about the care given to their loved ones.

How does one find the best center to meet the needs of their family member? Recommendations can come from a doctor, social services, the health department, Yellow Pages, or by calling the Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-677-1116.

Although most centers operate during daytime hours of the five weekdays, it is necessary to find one that fits in with the working hours of the caregiver. Sometimes the working hours vary or are unusual, and the whole point of adult daycare is to relieve the caregiver of responsibility during working times.

Make sure that the center is safe and cheerful and that the employees are friendly and caring of older people.

Are there easy regular exercises that are joined into by everyone? Is there assistance with walking or eating if needed?

See what type of meals and snacks are being served and if they are nutritious. Also, some people need special diets, so see if the center provides that when required.

Check out the types of activities and arts and crafts that are offered and if there are groups of singers and/or musicians who come in on occasion to entertain. Are there regular games such as bingo or card or board games? Are movies rented to show to the people? Are there discussion groups about books or movies or current events?

Do they celebrate birthdays with some type of fanfare?

The cost of such adult daycare can be totally or partially paid for by Medicaid for those with a low income and few assets, perhaps on a sliding scale by the center itself depending on income, or by some private medical insurance policies or long-term care insurance. Check into these sources for whatever financial aid they can provide.

One of the most important decisions that you can make is which care center for your loved one. Making the choice to put your loved one in a care center is one that will require lots of time and consideration, and you need to spend a similar amount of time figuring out exactly which one to go with. What things should you consider when making that choice? It all comes down to comfort and figuring out exactly what your loved one needs the most. If you can identify those things, you can choose a place that will provide a high level of service.

Get a feel for the level of service
The most important thing is for your loved one to have his or her medical needs met. Whether that means getting the right medicine or having the right treatment, it’s important that the care center is able to provide on this level. All of the extras and the comfort in the world won’t mean a lot if the level of medical service is not top notch. Get information on what the center has to offer in terms of medical provision. In addition to just getting information, spend some time talking to families around the center. That will give you a good idea of what to expect.

A caring environment
When you are choosing the best care center, you need to find a nurturing environment. The fact of the matter is that some facilities are better than others at this. Some of them will provide a place where your loved one will be the center of attention. Other centers will be impersonal and they will not make your loved one feel welcome. This matters in a big way, because a nurturing environment will help to keep your loved one healthy and happy. Studies have shown that a happy, supportive environment can help individuals who are fighting off diseases, so keep this in mind when making the choice.

Gauging the activities
You should choose a place where your loved one is going to have an opportunity to get out and about. Nursing homes and care centers can be depressing places if there are no activities going on. What you need to look for is a place where your loved ones can develop relationships and be active in their own community. Whether this means getting outside and participating or attending any sort of organized event that is going on, it’s important that an effort is made. Some care centers will go the extra mile and plan lots of things every day that people can choose to take advantage of. Though your loved one probably won’t want to do things every day, they should at least have that option at their disposal.

Understanding your own access
It is important that you are able to have access to your loved one whenever you feel like it. Depending upon the type of care center, this might not be possible. If you look around hard enough, you can find a place where there is a lot of freedom in this regard. It can be difficult making that choice to send your love one to a dedicated center, but being able to freely come and visit will make it much easier on everyone. You will be amazed at how much it will lift your own spirits and the attitude of your loved one when you come in for a visit. Find a center that not only allows this, but encourages it.

In all, there are some excellent centers out there where your loved one can be taken care of and where they can be happy. Finding one requires an element of due diligence on your part, however.

It just isn’t good to be alone. Not only Seniors, but anyone living without human interaction gets lonely. A Senior living alone can be too much with their thoughts and memories. This could lead to a bit of confusion here and there, or even develop into depression. Meals and medications can be forgotten, and that only makes things worse.

Even if a Senior lives with their child’s family, where they are surrounded by loved ones during the evening, the daytime hours can hang heavily; it seems that everyone is busy living their lives except them.

Today’s seniors have lived through some exciting history. Now that time has slowed for them, they can begin to feel abandoned and unappreciated. They can find themselves either crying or angry without knowing quite why. They can find themselves unable to sleep, or sleeping too much.

It just isn’t right that they should feel this way, but what is the alternative? No one wants to see their Seniors go into some kind of care facility until it’s time. Even hiring in-home care for a few hours a day can turn out to not help the Senior, if they don’t like or trust the caregiver. Is there any alternative?

The good news is, yes, there is an alternative, and it’s called Adult Daycare. A Senior might not like the sound of that, but once they have heard and seen what it’s all about, they may change their minds.

Adult Daycare is a place where a Senior can find friends, activities, and fun. The Daycare can be run privately, or may work with community centers, senior centers, hospital districts, churches or synagogues. There will be a nutritious lunch and a snack to eat.

There will be activities and things to do that the Senior might have forgotten how much they enjoyed. They can watch the good old movies, reminisce; they can read the paper and discuss current events if they like. Some folks like to bring their pets to visit. Petting a cat or dog does good things for a Senior’s outlook. There will be friends to play cards or boardgames, and put puzzles together. Seniors used to do that a lot, before TV.

There will be fun activities to get the Seniors out of their chairs. Gentle stretching and easy exercising will benefit the body and the mind. Some Daycares even play games like softball or horseshoes. There can be dancing of all kinds. Singing the good old songs with others who love the songs as well can be a great pick-me-up.

The Seniors will get some sun and air. Some Daycares have garden plots where seniors can grow flowers and vegetables. Imagine how proud a Senior would be to contribute a fat, red tomato to the family’s dinner salad. These are the kind of things that take a Senior out of themselves. Fresh air, a little exercise, and some fun never hurt anyone!

Some Daycares take the Seniors on field trips. Art galleries, flower gardens, and elementary schools could be some of the destinations. The Seniors do pretty important work at the schools, because they can tell the kids about what it was like living a long time ago. This gives the kids a sense of history, and the Senior a sense of contributing; a good deal all around.

Look around and see which center fits the Senior. Talk to the administrators about costs and financial assistance if needed; it is available at some centers. A happier, healthier Senior can only be weeks away. The Senior will make congenial friends and begin to enjoy life once more.

Over the last several decades, the medical industry has created a sub-field dedicated to providing professional care and services for senior citizens. Currently, there are over thousands of senior caregiver agencies that offer their care and expertise throughout the nation. Establishing a career as a senior caregiver will bring you much more satisfaction than just a means to make a living because by helping senior citizens maintain their independence in their own homes, you will enjoy providing them with a positive, better quality of life.

Positions in the Senior Caregiver Field

There are many different positions available for those interested in entering the senior caregiver field besides becoming an in-home caregiver, such as a human resources manager, field supervisor, scheduler, and after hours supervisor.

Skills and Duties

Although certain levels of education are a must, in order to be a great senior caregiver, you should exude caring and dependability. As a caregiver, you will be expected to take care of light household chores, wash laundry, prepare meals, assist with personal hygiene tasks, oversee medications, and help with physical exercises. If your patient is coping with memory loss or dementia, you may need to help them during social activities.

Expected Working Hours

If you decide becoming a senior caregiver is the right decision for your career, you will find this field to be flexible in its hours. A part-time caregiver will work with their patients several hours almost every day or a full eight hours a few days during the week while a full-time caregiver will help their patients at least eight hours a day, five days a week. And of course, there is the option of becoming a live-in caregiver, requiring you to spend several, concurrent days and nights in the patient’s home.

Expected Pay

As with any other career opportunity, the pay rate for a senior caregiver can vary depending on the region where they work as well as other factors–level of education, experience, size of the caregiver agency, and area demand. However, you can expect to earn anywhere from $8.00-$12.00 per hour for part-time and full-time positions and $90.00-$130.00 each day for live-in positions.

Pay Benefits

Many times senior caregiver agencies will give their employees certain benefits–yearly bonuses and periodic, performance based pay raises. A few agencies will even offer their caregivers attendance or on-the-job rewards.

Preparing for Your Interview

The US Department of Statistics has projected a 69.5% job growth increase in the home health care services industry over the next several years, meaning you will need to put yourself above other applicants if you want a chance to enter into this in-demand career.

The best way to start is by coming to your interview well prepared with necessary documents such as personal and professional references, resume, proof of relevant education, past employment information, record of immunizations, state issued identification or birth certificate, purchased background checks, and available work schedule.

If you are willing to go the extra mile, volunteering your time at nursing homes or senior day care facilities is not only a great way to boost your resume, but also help you develop useful, job-related skills.

One of the hardest things in life is to tell a parent that they are no longer capable of being independent. It is even more difficult to suggest that they go to live in an assisted care facility.

It is important to handle this conversation with extreme care. Your mom or dad may not look young, nor be in good -or even decent- health. Somewhere, however, in that frail body, there is still that young kid. He is the young kid that is still in all of us. He is the strong, independent kid; able to leap buildings in a single bound. He is the young kid who never gives in without a good fight.

You need to understand that this is not a process that will happen overnight, unless you plan to take your parent kicking and screaming to the door of the nearest home. This is not ONE conversation. Rather, it is the culmination of several conversations that take place over time. The process can take months, and sometimes even years, to execute.

If your parent is in denial of how dependent they’ve become, keep a journal. In this journal, be sure to note each time you notice your parent requiring the help of others. For example:
Do they need rides to doctor’s appointments?
Can they grocery shop on their own?
Are they capable of getting out, or having people into their home for socialization?
Can they cook?
Can they shower?
Is their house multi-level? If so, can they climb stairs?

In this journal, also write down any health concerns they have, and the medications they take. Over the course of noting these “moments”, ask your parent questions, such as:
Is it hard for you to climb the stairs?
Is it difficult to find rides to your appointments?
Do you like to cook?

Asking them open-ended questions will force them to look at themselves. It will show them, hopefully, how dependent they have become. When you have these conversations with your parent, note them in your journal as well. This will serve as a point of reference for you. They will become building blocks which will assist you in convincing your parent that an assisted care facility is the best option.

Be careful not to act like your parent’s parent. Our identities are pressed into our minds. Our body may become weak, but our mind stays strong (most of the time). If you try and switch places with your mom or dad now, you may just be asking for trouble.

Remind them of all of the good times that you’ve shared in your home. Cite a few funny stories, and start the conversation lightly. Tell them what you notice lately. These should be the instances that you’ve journaled about. Express concern for their well-being.

Prepare information on a few facilities that you’ve visited. I wouldn’t necessarily go into the actual discussion of which place is best here. You should simply leave the information with your parent. Tell them that you’d like them to decide where they’d like to go and look. Perhaps they like to visit a few facilities to compare them.
Follow-up with your parent when you feel the time is right.

Let’s face it; none of us like to get a project thrown on our desk at work out of the blue. And then, it only gets ten times worse when our boss asks us for a progress report every hour.

Be patient to the process. Independence is hard to give up. Be kind and supportive, without being overbearing and condescending. Over time, your parent will come to see that you have their best interest at heart.

Growing old together is the dream of most married couples. When spouses begin to need the support and additional care as they age, this dream is still paramount. In cases where one spouse’s health begins to decline, the extra care-taking responsibilities land on the shoulders of the other. It’s not an ideal situation for health, safety or just as importantly, enjoying life.

Many nursing homes, senior condo and assisted living communities are geared to address the needs so husbands and wives can continue to live their married lives together. In these senior living communities, couples account for almost 25 percent of the resident population.

The goal of many of these communities is to embrace and support couples as they age. Couples are encouraged to bring personal belongings, furniture and memorabilia to their new residences in order to create a new home together. Daily activities which couples enjoyed over the course of their marriages can continue be nurtured in the senior living setting. Dining, watching TV, worshiping, playing cards and visiting with friends and family can still be done together. Since medical care and other services are provided, plenty of time is left to explore new activities, individually or as a couple — tai chi, dance classes, art instruction or book clubs. Activities directors often organize events on and off campus especially for couples. Sweetheart dinner dances, romantic forays to local plays and trivia games geared to test how well you really know your partner are popular events that inspire laughter and bring back sweet memories of all the times the two of you have enjoyed together.

As we age, the reality may mean that one member of the couple will need hospitalization or rehabilitation. In some cases, these facilities are on the same campus. If a spouse needs rehabilitation following a health issue, for example, the other spouse can remain in their condo, apartment, or assisted living suite. This makes visiting easy so they can still see each other daily and maintain their loving commitments. If these facilities are not on the same campus, appropriate transportation can also be arranged to make daily visits worry-free.

Marriage is a commitment that inherently brings comfort and joy to seniors. It only makes sense to provide opportunities for accommodating marriage at senior living communities. It leads to a longer, livelier, happier retirement.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease flings every member of the family into a difficult and often chaotic situation. Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient is a full-time undertaking. As Alzheimer’s progresses, everyone; spouse, children and perhaps grandchildren may be asked to provide care.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is devastating. The disease appears gradually, gaining momentum as it progresses. Alzheimer’s disease robs memory and destroys the ability to learn. Recalling methods of performing ordinary activities is difficult at the onset and spirals constantly downward as the disease progresses. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s.

Flexibility, patience and compassion are the key strategies to caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Establish and follow routines. Eat meals at the same times every day. Schedule bathroom breaks every two hours. Be creative in finding new solutions if a tactic stops working.

Eating problems tend to appear in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Your loved one may simply forget to eat. A simple reminder may be all that’s needed. The individual may not recall how to prepare food. Supplying ready-to-eat dishes will help. Some have an opposite symptom and want to eat all the time. Having consistent meal times will help control overeating. Limit the number of items served, but vary the consistency, color and taste of healthy foods.

Look for the underlying reasons for a dull appetite. Ill fitting dentures may be making it difficult or painful to eat. Medications for Alzheimer’s or other chronic conditions sometimes inhibit appetite. If you suspect medication is an issue, talk to your doctor. Finding and treating the underlying condition may bring improvement.

Another common symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is agitation and distraction. The patient may not be able to sit still long enough to eat. Turn off the radio or television, cell phones, and the land line phone ringer. Use plain bowls and plates. Clear the table of anything that might distract from eating, like decorations or extra table settings.

As communication skills are lost, you will need to find new ways to connect with your loved one. Reasoning and judgment skills are in continuous decline. You will be more successful if you keep things simple. Use plain words and keep sentences short. Break tasks or requests down into steps. Use visual aids. Don’t try to hurry a response. It may take several minutes to process the information. When you are talking make eye contact and stay physically close. Help the patient understand that you are paying attention to what he is trying to tell you. Be respectful. Don’t argue. It will just frustrate and anger both of you.

Sleep disturbances are common with Alzheimer’s and can wear down the caregiver and the patient. As with eating problems it is important to treat any underlying conditions. Many people have sleep apnea and Alzheimer’s patients are no exception. Try limiting daytime naps or make earlier wake-up calls. Take a walk around the block or the backyard. Be wary of caffeine in food and drink.

Alcoholic beverages may add to anxiety and confusion. A soft drink served a martini glass or a beer mug may satisfy the request for a drink or a beer.

Anger, violence and aggressive actions are often part of this illness. Keep in mind that the patient is not personally attacking you. The behavior may be caused by frustration, an inability to understand or be understood, or fear. Remain calm in the face of anger. Don’t show fear or alarm as you guide the person toward a new interest. If violence increases seek medical intervention.

Don’t overlook the health and wellbeing of the caregiver.