Senior/Elder Pet Care Ideas
darenka
14 years ago
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mazer415
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agodarenka
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Activities for home bound seniors...give me your ideas!
Comments (35)I replied in an earlier thread, but after hearing all your replies I was able to relate because not only did I experience firsthand your problems, but also caregivers constantly visited my senior center office looking for advice and services. So here we go: 1. The most difficult time in your life is the transition from being a child to becoming the parent. It's very difficult and heartbreaking. 2. As people get older they become less interested in activities they once enjoyed because they're just plain tired. As memory fades, they'll talk about the past. Don't fight it. My brother had Alzheimer's, and every time we visited he told us he had just come back from cutting firewood in the woods. Rather than correct him, we continued his conversation about this and he was quite pleased. Get a recorder, as mentioned above, and get as much family history as you can while the person still recalls more vividly past events. Be more accepting of their declining limits. If they just want to sit there and watch TV, let them. Try some simple chair exercises. One that helps keep legs strong is quite simple. Just sit in a chair and lift each leg. This builds the upper front thigh muscle and is one of the first exercises they have you do in physical therapy after a lengthy bedridden stay in a hospital. Also, most senior centers office similar programs just to keep people moving. Be nice to yourself. Take a break. Hire an older person who could more easily relate and also "babysit" for you so you can go out and have a few hours to yourself. If you don't, you will come to resent your caregiving. Also, there are people who would be willing to stay overnight to give you an entire weekend of freedom. Do it! And lastly, don't feel guilty if you're nice to yourself or occasionally lose patience. You're only human. Consider a day or two per week in an Adult Day Care program. Simply being among their peers can do wonders. I've seem an amazing difference in seniors who have participated in this. However, you may have to bring the person screaming and hollering at first, but very quickly they will begin to enjoy themselves. My last suggestion comes from a study I read years ago. Nursing home residents were asked what they would like to do. While activities directors thought they wanted loads of activities, when asked, the residents replied they really wanted to get out of the home for a few hours and take a short ride. We once had a program at our senior center where a local restaurant that offered a soup and sandwich type of lunch donated a number of gift certificates. We would choose an elder along with a volunteer, and they would go out to lunch. Most people really enjoyed this. However, you must keep the outing to no more than a few hours due to fatigue. Hope some of this helps, for I've been there, done that; and I have a special spot in my heart for the caregivers who look after others. It isn't easy....See Moreideas on pets after retirement
Comments (29)I also live in Ontario (Toronto) and understand exactly what you mean. My husband will be retiring next year (and not with a government pension) and I do not have a pension. Our dog (we are now down to one from dogs and cats (with health issues) is very expensive. Pet care in Canada costs a lot more than in the U.S. Our dog's dental in March cost $1,500 - fortunately on his breed specific forum when someone questioned paying $600 and I reported what we had paid for same, other Cdns. jumped in and saved me from the flames - and this was not his first dental. We always have the blood work done - wouldn't even think of not having it done since it will reveal things that you didn't know were wrong - actually this scares me more than a procedure. Our dog is 10 but could easily live to be 19. The cost of heartworm, required vaccines, food - it all adds up. So we are looking at this being our last dog. We take very good care of him. My biggest fear is that he should outlive us and am always afraid what would happen if we died together. Then there is the thought of me dying first and my husband marrying someone 17 years younger who wouldn't want to keep our dog. He says that that would never happen - well it has to people I know. Ours is a guy who really could not be rehomed - well, unless with us. All dogs and cats love me - actually some who have homes on the street are trying to move in. We do not have family who could take our dog. And if our dog should live to be 19 that would put us in our early 70s. I can't imagine not having a dog (well, okay, during this past winter I did ask our dog if he could turn into a cat for a bit) but we do have to face reality. When we adopted him he was a 13 week old puppy - we had intended on adopting a dog about 5 years old - but this guy needed a home so here he is. White, double-coated and my clothes used to be black! I did try fostering - failed (there is a reason why we had so many pets) - then there was the volunteering at the HS - again - another pet. The only way we could have another pet would be to take in a senior and I don't mean a senior like our dog who is 10 with the blood work of a 2 year old - and who looks maybe 3 - but a true senior just to let him live his/her life in comfort without heroics. Maybe if you spoke with your vet he/she might have some ideas for you. We also took dogs/cats from our vet.......See Moreany ideas for building a home with pets in mind?
Comments (20)Cindy putting the tile on the wall makes sense...my dog is always pushing doors open with her face...wonder how tile on the door would look :-) I don't plan on having doggie doors...can't because I live in Florida and my breed of choice is the english bulldog. My dogs have all been sun bunnies and then can hardly breathe...I have to keep them inside almost all summer. I know we will always have dogs and always have our breed, it just makes sense to design with them in mind. For instance, we have decided on a one story, because the dogs are not great with steps, especially when they get older. The bedrooms will be carpeted so they have an easier time jumping onto the bed. I think we will go with some sort of textured tile throughout the rest of the house. We will never have a nice picture perfect house with nice white floors and pretty furniture thats always spotless. Our dogs drool and slobber...its inevitable that there will be spots on the floor and hair on the carpet and couches. But I would not have it any other way....See MoreI now live across the street from a senior assisted living facility...
Comments (53)I met with the coordinator today and had a tour of the facility. It's lovely. It's warm and cozy and has a real home-like feel about it. There are approximately 40 residents, and I met quite a few of them. One of the ladies asked the coordinator, "Where'd you find this pretty girl?" and that was so cute, as it's been ages since anyone's called me pretty or a girl! ;-) From the minute I walked in the door, folks were friendly. As I sat in the lobby and waited for the coordinator to meet me, a couple of ladies (residents) were sitting out there and they immediately started chatting with me. Just so very friendly, and obviously eager for someone NEW to talk to. There are numerous activities throughout each day, and I may be able to pop in some evenings but mostly my involvement will be on the weekends. Playing games with the residents, reading stories to them, or just taking them out into the beautiful garden courtyard on nice days so that they can get some fresh air. And talking. I'm sure there will be PLENTY of talking. The facility has a photo wall where they post pictures of residents fulfilling their "bucket list." Several of the ladies had always wanted to go to the theater, so there are photos of them dressed up at a production. One gentleman wanted to go fishing, and there's a photo of him kissing the fish he'd caught. One sweet little lady wanted to ride a motorcycle, but was too scared to get on the back of one, so they found one with a sidecar and she rode in that. As you can imagine, her photo was just beyond precious. This is a Level B facility, which was explained to me to be a facility in which the residents require SOME assistance but are generally mobile and able to feed themselves. One of the women who lives there has a little dog, and two of the men have cats. One is actually a kitten, and the receptionist told me how lonely he had been until he got this little cat, which now sleeps on his shoulders. I'm so looking forward to going back and getting involved. I felt I did pretty well today in stepping outside my own comfort zone and engaging with the residents, trying not to be self-conscious or shy. I'm pretty sure I even detected a streak of mischief in some of the women. This may be interesting! Certainly it will be a blessing to me, to be able to share some time with my new neighbors across the street....See Moretrinigemini
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