Blog

Aging 360; Preparing for Hurricane Season, Fighting Dementia with Music, and More…

June 4, 2020

What’s New this Hurricane Season?

June 1st officially started hurricane season. The problem is twofold, the first is getting through the storm, the second is getting through the aftermath, including losing power.

Every year we collect our water, medications, flashlights, and more as we prepare for the worst and hope for the best. This year we will add yet another obstacle to our planning, Covid-19. In the past, we have arranged for respite at Assisted Living Communities or Skilled Nursing Facilities, even hotel rooms were used as options. This year, these options are limited.

Here are some helpful tips to stay safe:

Consider installing an outside generator.
For those living alone, connect with a friend to weather the storm.
Arrange for a caregiver to be with your loved one
Have a few battery operated radios, phones, and fans so those isolated can stay connected and cool.
Have an emergency contact if you can’t get in touch with your loved one.
For a full comprehensive list of supplies click here.

Through our years of experience, we know nothing beats a well prepared plan.

Warm Regards,

Shari Markowitz Geller, MSW, CMC

President, Senior Options Inc.

A Note that Lasts

Judith Simon, The Alzheimer’s Project

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month – and what better way to celebrate those living with Alzheimer’s than through the language of Music! Music is a potent means to boost mood, manage stress, recall memories and facilitate positive social interactions for everyone.

When the music is played – notice the individual and you will see a visual concentration- music allows for emotional and physical closeness at a time when those with Dementia otherwise have a hard time connecting. Through music we give and receive hugs and a kind touch, creating a sense of belonging and security.

Community is More Than a Place

Jennie Nadler, Director of Sales, Stratford Court of Boca Pointe

As we age making connections becomes more difficult because we not only lose people close to us, but we face increased physical challenges. Isolation is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome for seniors, but there are solutions to keep our loved ones engaged and social. More than the weekly phone calls with family and outings to the park, community living offers immeasurable opportunities to form bonds with peers and participate in daily senior specific brain and body exercises. While offering 24/7 care, well balanced diets, comfortable home like settings and more to loved ones; for families, communities offer peace of mind.

A Lasting Impression

Deena S. Borzak,

South Florida Jewish Cemetery

Environmental stewardship is important to so many of us and we certainly don’t want our legacy to be, “My last act on earth was to poison it.”

Forget about death, It’s hard to think about the process of dealing with a dead body, especially if it’s a loved one. So let’s lighten the mood and talk about food. If you had expired food and you wanted to deal with it in the most environmentally conscious way, what would you do? Would you build a concrete structure and put it inside? Would you start a fire and burn it? Or would you compost it and allow it to give nutrients back to the earth? Let’s say you had a very sacred organic vessel. Sacred because it was the corporeal home of the soul of a loved one, and organic because, well, it is. If you wanted to deal with it in the most environmentally conscious way, what would you do? Would you build a concrete structure (Mausoleum) and put it inside? Would you start a fire and burn it (cremation)? Or would you compost it (burial) and allow it to give nutrients back to the earth?

Verified green burial cemeteries are listed by the Green Burial Council.

Categories: Aging, Aging 360, Dementia Care