Friday, December 20, 2013
WWW.BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM | WWW.CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
Page A5
Helping older parents stay happy and healthy If you’re fortunate enough to have one or both parents still living, you may have noticed a role reversal taking place in your relationship. Remember the days when mom shuttled you to the doctor whenever you were sick? Now, it may be you who’s driving her to her medical appointments. Perhaps you’ve become even more involved in managing her healthcare needs, serving as her healthcare proxy, moving her into your home to care for her, or even having to select a long-term care facility for her to live in. Whatever the case, it’s natural to feel challenged — and, yes, intimidated — in the role you’ve undertaken.
But if you stay positive and proactive, you’ll be in a great position to advocate for your parents’ optimal care. And, really, what better way is there to say “Thank You” for all they’ve done for you over the years? The following recommendations will help you understand what may be happening to your parents as they age. Stay vigilant to sudden changes. Typically, sudden changes arise from sudden problems. Your elderly father who becomes confused one week but was alert and oriented the week before, or becomes unsteady walking and starts falling, is likely experiencing an acute problem — an infection,
DOG HOUSE
hold the bike, keep Baer’s ears and hair out of the way so that the fourth person could slip the bolt
CONTINUED FROM A4
head in olive oil hoping that I could slide the chain over his head. That did not work either. Finally, after half an hour of exhausting all of our options as well as dealing with a nearly hysterical 12-year-old boy who was scared for his dog, I broke down and called for the Bremerton Fire Department to be dispatched. Having also grown up in that firefighter family, I knew that they would have the bolt cutters we needed to snap that chain. Two very nice firefighters rolled up to the house less than 10 minutes later. It took three of us to
conditions can cause gradual decline. However, before jumping to the conclusion that Alzheimer’s disease is the culprit, recognize that your parent may be experiencing an altogether different problem: a vitamin B12 deficiency, an under-active thyroid, Parkinson’s disease or depression, to name a few. Recently, I was told of an elderly woman living in a nursing home whose family, assuming she had dementia, had moved her there after she had gradually stopped speaking. After a doctor’s examination, and performing a brief procedure on her, she was back to her former lively and communicative self.
Senior Life 101
Carl R. Johnson Community Relations Director Kitsap Alliance of Resources for Elders medication side effect, or perhaps, a heart attack or stroke. Investigate the source of gradual decline. A host of life interesting — sometimes in ways that you don’t expect and really hope will never happen again. Thanks again to
the Bremerton Fire Department for helping us out. A 12-year-old boy is very grateful that you saved his dog.
Bee local... Buy local! Gift Packs of Raw Honey and Much More.... Candles~Collectables Complete Line Of Bee Supplies!
Colleen Smidt photo
Nick Smidt and Baer cutter in and make the cut. The dog was freed and he was sheepishly OK. Pets certainly do make
El Balcon Salvadorean Restaurant
Authentic Food Made With The Heart of Central America! Thank You for all of your continuous support.
Merry Christmas
360-813-1617 • 326 Pacific Avenue Bremerton With His Hands We Are Able To Serve You!
Stedman Bee Supplies 360-692-9453 • 3763 NW Anderson Hill Rd., Silverdale
Be a Wise Shopper Buy our special Holiday Gift Certificate Box for a loved one and book your next 1 hour massage for
only $5950!!
Add-ons are ALWAYS FREE with your massages!
Centering Massage
3100 Bucklin Hill Road, Suite 122, Silverdale 360-692-7800 • centeringmassage.com
A miracle? Not exactly. The doctor had simply removed bullet-sized pieces of wax from her ears. She’d stopped speaking because her ears were too plugged to hear. Know your parent’s medicine cabinet. Familiarize yourself with the medications your parent takes: what each one is for and how often they take them. Make sure you notify each doctor your parent visits of all the medicine they take, including over-the-counter products. Ask what side effects you might observe from each medication. Discourage ageist attitudes. Simply put, ageism is prejudice against the elderly. It exists in many forms, but can be particularly damaging to an older person’s self-esteem when it assumes that all of their woes are
age-related. Address not just symptoms, but emotions, too. There is disease and then there is a lack of ease, security or well-being. which can manifest itself in a myriad of emotions in an elderly person: fear, grief, boredom, embarrassment and sadness among them. The fact is, these emotions can be every bit as debilitating as disease. Strive to maximize your parent’s quality of life. No matter our age, we all want to enjoy life to the fullest and have the capability to do the things we want to. Improving the enjoyment of life and functional ability are the cardinal goals of geriatric care. Sometimes, it’s the small gestures that have the most profound impact.
If you don’t make your final arrangements, who will? Surely, it’s not a responsibility you want to leave to your children. Talk to one of our counselors or funeral directors to find out why planning in advance is one of the most economical and loving things you can do for your family. It lessens the financial and emotional burden from them during a difficult time and spares them from making the painful decisions. You will provide your family a sense of relief and a true gift: peace of mind.
Miller-WoodlaWn Funeral HoMe 5505 Kitsap Way | Bremerton, WA 98312 | 360-377-7648 www.miller-woodlawn.com
Miller-WoodlaWn MeMorial Park 5505 Kitsap Way | Bremerton, WA 98312 | 360-377-7648 www.miller-woodlawnmemorialpark.com
Receive a FREE Personal Planning Guide This valuable resource will help you with necessary end of life decisions and information.
Name ___________________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________ State ______ Zip __________ Phone ________________________ Email _____________________________
Do you have prearrangements? Yes ❑ No ❑ I’m interested in: ❑ Funeral prearrangements ❑ Information on cremation options ❑ Cemetery prearrangements ❑ Information on memorials or ❑ Free Personal Planning Guide monuments ❑ Free cost estimate ❑ Exchanging property from another cemetery