Today, GrandCare welcomes guest blogger and elder advocate Richard Wright. Thanks for sharing these tips with us, Richard.
For seniors, getting more sleep might just help reduce chronic pain associated with some ailments, including back aches and headaches. According to a study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, getting extra sleep regularly sleep provided relief for patients compared to those who didn’t get as much.
That’s not to say you should be sleeping your entire day away. Dr. Thomas Roth, senior scientist of the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at the hospital is quoted as saying, “If you are already sleeping eight hours a night, you probably don’t need more sleep. If you spend six hours in bed each night, spend eight – preferably nine.”
Below are some tips for seniors to help them get more sleep at night.
1. Adjust Your Position
With specific regard to back pain, adjusting the position in which you sleep can make all the difference in the world. It’s best to consult a doctor about this and how it relates to the specific issue you have, but some find sleeping on their side with their knees pulled up a bit can help. Sleeping on your stomach should be avoided if possible. If sleeping on your back, it can help to place a pillow under your lower back and another under your knees.
2. Avoid Screens Before Bedtime
To sleep better at night, it’s a good idea to turn off any screens at least an hour before going to sleep. That includes televisions, smartphones, tablets, and backlit e-readers. E-readers and tablets are popular gifts for seniors who like to read, but as convenient as they can be for pre-bedtime reading, you’re better off with a good, old-fashioned paper book or magazine in those late hours, or at least an e-reader that requires a separate light source for use.
3. Limit Naps
It’s a good idea to skip naps entirely for a good night’s sleep, but we’re only human. Sometimes a nice chair-nap comes on whether we want it to or not, especially as we get older. If you can, it’s best to limit naps to no longer than twenty or thirty minutes. If a nap is needed, the earlier in the day the better. A late-afternoon or evening nap is bound to keep you up come bedtime.
4. Diet For Sleep
If you’re not getting enough sleep, chances are there are some major dietary adjustments you should make. Foods that can help you sleep include:
There are also foods you’ll want to avoid, especially close to bedtime. Foods to skip include:
Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages
Foods and drinks high in sugar
Foods and drinks that can produce heartburn and acid reflux, such as tomato sauce and orange juice
5. Adjust Your Bedroom
There are several ways in which you can turn your bedroom into a better environment for good sleep:
Get rid of the TV so you’re not tempted to watch it ahead of bedtime.
Put your alarm clock where it’s not visible to you in bed. The glow can keep you awake.
Make sure the room is dark and cool.
Choose the right colors for your walls. Blue, yellow, green, silver, and orange seem to work the best for helping people maximize their sleep, according to at least one study.
When most people think about easing pain, they tend to think of medication, but some simple changes to your lifestyle to help you sleep better may be a good place to start.
GrandCare Systems is a caregiving tool designed to reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes by enabling designated family members, caregivers and healthcare professionals to remotely care for an individual in a residence, regardless of geographic location. The heart of GrandCare is a large touchscreen in the residence, which provides the individual with social communications, instructions, reminders and medication prompts.
Wireless activity sensors monitor daily activities without impeding on a resident’s independence or privacy. These sensors can help you know whether the resident is getting the valuable sleep he needs. You can also see graphs that help you see important information, such as whether sleep patterns have changed, if the resident has stayed in bed in bed longer than usual, or whether he has had a restless or restful night.
Richard Wright is an advocate for the ever-growing elderly population in the US. He helped create ElderCorps.org in an effort to help provide the aging population and their loved ones with resources to help them live safe, healthy, and happy lives. In his free time, Richard enjoys fishing and playing golf.
https://www.grandcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/sleeping-tips-for-seniors.jpeg8581140info@lmcllc.ushttps://www.grandcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grandcare-logo-300x138.pnginfo@lmcllc.us2020-06-16 01:39:252020-06-16 01:39:255 Sleep Tips for Seniors To Help Ease Chronic Pain
“Technology can help families monitor the health and safety of older people kept from their families by the coronavirus,” according to the New York Times. In a story by Susan B. Garland, GrandCare was highlighted as a tool that helps seniors stay “fiercely independent” while providing their adult children with peace of mind.
In the story, titled “Did Mom Take Her Medicine? Keeping Eyes on Elders in Quarantine,” GrandCare customer Norman Potter explained why he purchased a GrandCare for his mother. According to the story:
“In mid-March, as the coronavirus was spreading, Mr. Potter installed a platform made by GrandCare Systems in his mother’s house that she enjoys using to video chat with her grandchildren — but of equal interest to her son are its motion sensor and two vital-sign devices.”
“Because of his mother’s respiratory issues, Mr. Potter said he and his sister were not comfortable visiting unless they were first tested for the coronavirus, although two people who live nearby check on her. ‘The monitoring allows me a sense of peace that she is up and starting her day,’ he said.”
GrandCare integrates with telehealth devices, such as blood pressure monitors, weight scales, pulse oximeters, and glucometers, and wirelessly transmit the readings from the device to the GrandCare. The story explains:
“Mr. Potter can log into a portal to view the results, which are delivered via a wireless connection in his mother’s house. If either level is out of whack, Mr. Potter, who owns a home health agency, receives a text. When his mother’s oxygen levels dropped one day, Mr. Potter called to remind her to insert the nasal tube that connects to her oxygen supply device. He also is notified if a motion sensor in the hallway that leads from her bedroom to the kitchen does not detect movement after 10 a.m., her usual waking time.”
“I feel comforted knowing that they are watching over me.” – Esther McKee
Another GrandCare client, Esther McKee, has used and enjoyed her GrandCare for eight years. She especially enjoys the ease of video chatting with her children and grandchildren.
Before the pandemic, Esther McKee, 79, went to church, volunteered and visited with friends and two daughters who live nearby. Now, she said, she “would not have my sanity” without the video-chat feature on the GrandCare system she has had for eight years.
By pressing a name on the touch screen, Ms. McKee, who lives alone in a two-bedroom apartment in a 55-plus community in West Bend, Wis., can see any of her three daughters, six grandchildren and many nieces. Nearly every weekday at noon, she and a daughter who lives in Florida eat lunch together by their screens.
McKee also enjoys the peace of mind in knowing that her loved ones will know if she needs help. Her system includes motion sensors in several rooms, and door sensors on her front door and refrigerator.
“I feel comforted knowing that they are watching over me,” she said.
https://www.grandcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NYT-article.jpg553882info@lmcllc.ushttps://www.grandcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grandcare-logo-300x138.pnginfo@lmcllc.us2020-06-10 18:31:242020-06-10 18:31:24GrandCare featured in New York Times story on Technologies to Help Seniors during Quarantine
Arguably the segment of our society that has most strongly felt the impact of COVID-19 is in the aging services industry. Almost overnight, senior housing communities and in-home care providers realized they had an urgent need for virtual technologies, telehealth, virtual caregiving, and video conferencing, to help their residents remain sheltered in place. To help organizations understand, plan, and make the best decisions, GrandCare announced the launch of a new webinar series this June titled, “Technology-Powered Caregiving.”
This informational 3-part webinar series will help you discover the latest and greatest products available to help you and your clients with social engagement, telehealth, remote activity monitoring, cognitive assist and family coordination technologies, with a specific focus on the disabled and older adult population. The series will cover issues such as how to choose technology platforms, the groundwork and infrastructure, if any, needed to get started, and best practices for successful integration into your existing workflow procedures.
Registration is required for these free webinar sessions, which include:
June 18th: Technology-Empowered Living for People with Developmental Disabilities (12pm CT) Register
June 26: Connected Residents & Telehealth Programming for Senior Housing and Long-Term Care Communities (11am CT) Register
July 1: Virtual Caregiving & Telehealth In Professional In-Home Care. How, Why and ROI. (1pm CT) Register
“In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything, particularly how we perceive aging, healthcare and caregiving services,” said GrandCare CEO Laura Mitchell. “This webinar series will explore the various technology options from video chat to remote patient monitoring to telehealth visits. We will discuss how to implement, and we will have organizations speak about their own successful practices. We think you’ll find it invaluable.”
https://www.grandcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/tech-powered-care-webinar-series-blog.jpg10801809info@lmcllc.ushttps://www.grandcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grandcare-logo-300x138.pnginfo@lmcllc.us2020-06-09 19:47:452020-06-09 19:47:45GrandCare Systems hosts free webinar series on successful technology integration in care models
5 Sleep Tips for Seniors To Help Ease Chronic Pain
Today, GrandCare welcomes guest blogger and elder advocate Richard Wright. Thanks for sharing these tips with us, Richard.
For seniors, getting more sleep might just help reduce chronic pain associated with some ailments, including back aches and headaches. According to a study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, getting extra sleep regularly sleep provided relief for patients compared to those who didn’t get as much.
That’s not to say you should be sleeping your entire day away. Dr. Thomas Roth, senior scientist of the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at the hospital is quoted as saying, “If you are already sleeping eight hours a night, you probably don’t need more sleep. If you spend six hours in bed each night, spend eight – preferably nine.”
Below are some tips for seniors to help them get more sleep at night.
1. Adjust Your Position
With specific regard to back pain, adjusting the position in which you sleep can make all the difference in the world. It’s best to consult a doctor about this and how it relates to the specific issue you have, but some find sleeping on their side with their knees pulled up a bit can help. Sleeping on your stomach should be avoided if possible. If sleeping on your back, it can help to place a pillow under your lower back and another under your knees.
2. Avoid Screens Before Bedtime
To sleep better at night, it’s a good idea to turn off any screens at least an hour before going to sleep. That includes televisions, smartphones, tablets, and backlit e-readers. E-readers and tablets are popular gifts for seniors who like to read, but as convenient as they can be for pre-bedtime reading, you’re better off with a good, old-fashioned paper book or magazine in those late hours, or at least an e-reader that requires a separate light source for use.
3. Limit Naps
It’s a good idea to skip naps entirely for a good night’s sleep, but we’re only human. Sometimes a nice chair-nap comes on whether we want it to or not, especially as we get older. If you can, it’s best to limit naps to no longer than twenty or thirty minutes. If a nap is needed, the earlier in the day the better. A late-afternoon or evening nap is bound to keep you up come bedtime.
4. Diet For Sleep
If you’re not getting enough sleep, chances are there are some major dietary adjustments you should make. Foods that can help you sleep include:
There are also foods you’ll want to avoid, especially close to bedtime. Foods to skip include:
5. Adjust Your Bedroom
There are several ways in which you can turn your bedroom into a better environment for good sleep:
When most people think about easing pain, they tend to think of medication, but some simple changes to your lifestyle to help you sleep better may be a good place to start.
GrandCare Systems is a caregiving tool designed to reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes by enabling designated family members, caregivers and healthcare professionals to remotely care for an individual in a residence, regardless of geographic location. The heart of GrandCare is a large touchscreen in the residence, which provides the individual with social communications, instructions, reminders and medication prompts.
Wireless activity sensors monitor daily activities without impeding on a resident’s independence or privacy. These sensors can help you know whether the resident is getting the valuable sleep he needs. You can also see graphs that help you see important information, such as whether sleep patterns have changed, if the resident has stayed in bed in bed longer than usual, or whether he has had a restless or restful night.
Richard Wright is an advocate for the ever-growing elderly population in the US. He helped create ElderCorps.org in an effort to help provide the aging population and their loved ones with resources to help them live safe, healthy, and happy lives. In his free time, Richard enjoys fishing and playing golf.
GrandCare featured in New York Times story on Technologies to Help Seniors during Quarantine
“Technology can help families monitor the health and safety of older people kept from their families by the coronavirus,” according to the New York Times. In a story by Susan B. Garland, GrandCare was highlighted as a tool that helps seniors stay “fiercely independent” while providing their adult children with peace of mind.
In the story, titled “Did Mom Take Her Medicine? Keeping Eyes on Elders in Quarantine,” GrandCare customer Norman Potter explained why he purchased a GrandCare for his mother. According to the story:
“In mid-March, as the coronavirus was spreading, Mr. Potter installed a platform made by GrandCare Systems in his mother’s house that she enjoys using to video chat with her grandchildren — but of equal interest to her son are its motion sensor and two vital-sign devices.”
“Because of his mother’s respiratory issues, Mr. Potter said he and his sister were not comfortable visiting unless they were first tested for the coronavirus, although two people who live nearby check on her. ‘The monitoring allows me a sense of peace that she is up and starting her day,’ he said.”
GrandCare integrates with telehealth devices, such as blood pressure monitors, weight scales, pulse oximeters, and glucometers, and wirelessly transmit the readings from the device to the GrandCare. The story explains:
“Mr. Potter can log into a portal to view the results, which are delivered via a wireless connection in his mother’s house. If either level is out of whack, Mr. Potter, who owns a home health agency, receives a text. When his mother’s oxygen levels dropped one day, Mr. Potter called to remind her to insert the nasal tube that connects to her oxygen supply device. He also is notified if a motion sensor in the hallway that leads from her bedroom to the kitchen does not detect movement after 10 a.m., her usual waking time.”
Another GrandCare client, Esther McKee, has used and enjoyed her GrandCare for eight years. She especially enjoys the ease of video chatting with her children and grandchildren.
Before the pandemic, Esther McKee, 79, went to church, volunteered and visited with friends and two daughters who live nearby. Now, she said, she “would not have my sanity” without the video-chat feature on the GrandCare system she has had for eight years.
By pressing a name on the touch screen, Ms. McKee, who lives alone in a two-bedroom apartment in a 55-plus community in West Bend, Wis., can see any of her three daughters, six grandchildren and many nieces. Nearly every weekday at noon, she and a daughter who lives in Florida eat lunch together by their screens.
McKee also enjoys the peace of mind in knowing that her loved ones will know if she needs help. Her system includes motion sensors in several rooms, and door sensors on her front door and refrigerator.
“I feel comforted knowing that they are watching over me,” she said.
Read the full story.
GrandCare Systems hosts free webinar series on successful technology integration in care models
Arguably the segment of our society that has most strongly felt the impact of COVID-19 is in the aging services industry. Almost overnight, senior housing communities and in-home care providers realized they had an urgent need for virtual technologies, telehealth, virtual caregiving, and video conferencing, to help their residents remain sheltered in place. To help organizations understand, plan, and make the best decisions, GrandCare announced the launch of a new webinar series this June titled, “Technology-Powered Caregiving.”
This informational 3-part webinar series will help you discover the latest and greatest products available to help you and your clients with social engagement, telehealth, remote activity monitoring, cognitive assist and family coordination technologies, with a specific focus on the disabled and older adult population. The series will cover issues such as how to choose technology platforms, the groundwork and infrastructure, if any, needed to get started, and best practices for successful integration into your existing workflow procedures.
Registration is required for these free webinar sessions, which include:
“In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything, particularly how we perceive aging, healthcare and caregiving services,” said GrandCare CEO Laura Mitchell. “This webinar series will explore the various technology options from video chat to remote patient monitoring to telehealth visits. We will discuss how to implement, and we will have organizations speak about their own successful practices. We think you’ll find it invaluable.”
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For more information about GrandCare, visit: www.grandcare.com, call 262-338-6147, or send an email to: info@grandcare.com.