Hi there! Welcome to Aging Together! This blog page is dedicated to exploring the challenges and opportunities of caring for aging loved ones. This is a product of Caregiver Consulting & Healthy Solutions, a private consulting practice dedicated to helping you navigate the aging process. This is the first post.
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About the Author
I’m your writer, Pooja, live from the Windy City – Chicago. As an occupational therapist by trade, I specialized in dementia care and fall prevention. I have 5+ years of experience in inpatient, acute, geriatric care servicing dementia, falls, readmissions, and chronic disease management.
I have had the privilege of working with older adults and their families for many years, and I have seen first-hand the unique challenges that aging can bring. Additionally, I have had the life experience of being raised by both sets of grandparents in our home, allowing me the gift of elder wisdom and insight into the true day-to-day.
About the Company
From navigating physical changes and managing chronic conditions, to addressing social isolation and planning for the future, aging can be a complex and oftentimes an overwhelming process. However, it doesn’t have to be. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
My passion for preventative care began after years of working within a reactive system. At Caregiver Consulting & Healthy Solutions, we believe that with the right information and support, aging can be a fulfilling and enriching experience. Through this medium, I will be sharing expert insights, practical tips, and inspiring stories to help you and your loved one age with grace and dignity.
About the Blog + Podcast
This blog page will delve into a wide range of topics including senior health and wellness, senior care planning, caregiving, and more. In each post, we will discuss a specific topic area with practical calls to action. Some posts may feature guest speakers sharing information from their lived experiences or a professional area of expertise.
To start, let’s take a 360-view of three major topics surfacing today’s geriatric community: caregiving, dementia, and falls.
Caregiving
In the United States, The number of Americans ages 65+ will more than double over the next 40 years, reaching 80 million in 2040. The number of adults ages 85+, the group most needing help with basic personal care, will nearly quadruple by 2040. It is anticipated that nearly 20% of seniors will require long-term care in some capacity, but most do not have plans in place. The impact? 1 in 5 Americans (>40 million) have become unpaid caregivers of relatives, most often an aging parent.
Caregiving can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be physically and emotionally demanding. By understanding the challenges of caregiving and implementing strategies to address them, we can help caregivers maintain their well-being and provide the best possible care for their loved ones.
Dementia
Now let’s talk about dementia. Dementia is a general term for a decline in cognitive function severe enough to interfere with daily life. Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, but the condition can also cause problems with thinking, problem-solving, language, and judgment. There are many different types of dementia, and the specific symptoms a person experiences can depend on the type they have. Almost 14% of elderly over 71 years experience some form of dementia. While there are many types of dementias, Alzheimer’s disease makes up ~70% of all dementias.
Early detection of dementia is incredibly important because it can allow for earlier intervention and treatment. This can lead to better management of symptoms, a better quality of life for the person experiencing dementia, and decreased caregiver stress or burden on the family. Early detection also allows for earlier planning and preparation for the future, including financial and legal planning, as well as making arrangements for care.
Falls
Finally, falls. ~30 million falls are reported among older adults each year, resulting in >32,000 preventable deaths per year. More astonishing is that 60% of these falls occur inside the home! Today, ~90% of adults >65 want to remain in their own homes as they get older, yet only ~34% can say with confidence that their home has the necessary features that will allow them to age in place and remain safe while doing so.
As we take a deep dive into these issues, we will cover other related topics to help you learn some of the ins and outs of aging safely. Thanks for reading!
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This blog page is for everyone: whether you are an older adult looking to age in place, a caregiver seeking support and guidance, a young or middle-aged adult planning for the future, or simply someone interested in learning more about the aging process. I hope you’ll join me on this journey. Let’s navigate aging together.