From Generation to Generation

The Greatest Generation lived through significant historic events and change – from the Great Depression and World War II to rapid-fire advances in technology and medical science. Along the way, through times both challenging and prosperous, they collected a plethora of experiences and knowledge. We need to create opportunities for seniors to share their life stories with younger generations, while they are still able to do so.

Over time, many seniors do share their experiences, one by one, with family and friends. That is good, but often they are only spoken and not written down or recorded. And many times they are passed along only to immediate family members and not others who may lack strong family ties of their own, thus missing out on chances to swap stories with older adults. Intergenerational conversations—in a variety of settings—can enrich younger people’s lives while giving seniors precious opportunities to relive their vivid tapestry of experience. As a result, one generation gains new understanding and respect for the other.

Following are a few suggestions for bridging the generation gap and keeping alive the memories of our elders:

• As a part of in-home care – To enhance the quality of life of the seniors in their care, in-home care providers can encourage seniors to reminisce and recall important times in their lives. They can also help them or encourage them to write narratives about these experiences to share with family. This fits nicely with Comfort Keepers®’ unique approach to care called Interactive Caregiving^®, which engages seniors in activities that promote their physical, mental and emotional well-being.
• At your religious institution – More and more, religious institutions are arranging special opportunities for young and old to share with one another. If you do not have something like this planned at your church or synagogue, take the lead. How about a congregation-wide birthday party where members of all generations sit together by birth month, share cake and ice cream, and get to know one another as they compare notes about what it was like to grow up in their respective time periods?
• At schools – Seniors can add an important dimension to history lessons, from elementary school to college classrooms. They can provide first-person accounts and breathe life into the dry pages of history books. Some teachers assign students to interview seniors and write down their impressions and memories or videotape seniors’ recollections.
• At senior centers – Senior centers also plan occasions that bring generations together, for instance, to recognize seniors for their service as veterans or community leaders. Senior centers often host writing classes and programs to teach seniors how to write their life stories to share with family and friends.
• At family gatherings – There may not be time during a reunion, between eating and lawn games, to write your family elders’ life stories. But a family reunion can be a good place to get started, as the storytelling and reminiscing unfold. At this opportune time you could suggest putting these stories in writing. Maybe there is a budding young author or two in the family along with a gifted writer who could coordinate the project. And by the next reunion, they could have a volume of life stories to give everyone.

Life story writing has become a growing enterprise. Many entrepreneurs have launched businesses to help people who want to preserve their or a loved one’s experiences. There also are plenty of Web sites that offer do it yourself advice. Just Google “writing your life story.” The reality is that intergenerational conversations can take place anytime there is a group willing to share their stories and keep the memories going.

Seniors and Driving: How to Steer Through a Difficult Turn

Whether we are going to the grocery store, the doctor’s office, the golf course or to visit a friend, the ability to drive provides us a sense of independence. But as we age, we lose (some of us more gradually than others) physical and mental capabilities essential to safe driving, such as vision, hearing, mental acuity, muscle strength and dexterity.

There likely will come a time when, for safety’s sake, we have to give up driving. Until then there are ways to compensate for some of the changes that come with aging and to continue to drive safely. These include refresher driving courses for seniors, provided by driving schools, through senior citizen centers and healthcare providers. One example is DriveOn, a program of the Rochester (NY) Rehabilitation Center that combines driving skills evaluation with training.

A Car That Fits
Driving a car with senior-friendly features can make a big difference. The American Automobile Association (AAA) and the National Older Driver Research and Training Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville recommend cars that have such features as adjustable pedals, power-operated seats, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, four doors and an accommodating entry height, large or wide-angle mirrors, brake assist, lumbar support, adjustable seatbelts, keyless entry and start, and stability control.

A program called CarFit® provides seniors free 15-minute car “fittings” to determine whether they can be comfortably and safely seated in their car in relation to mirrors, the steering wheel, headrest, pedals and controls. The program was developed by the American Society on Aging in collaboration with AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association. A trial of the program found that 37 percent of participating seniors had at least one critical safety issue. Ten percent did not have proper spacing between the steering wheel and their chest. About 20 percent did not have adequate line of sight over the steering wheel.

Retiring from Driving
Just as we make plans to retire from work—possibly transitioning from full-time to part-time employment before full retirement—it is important to look ahead to retiring from driving. In fact, many seniors choose to limit their driving as they encounter physical and cognitive changes. For instance, they may decide to drive only in daylight when vision impairment makes night-time driving difficult. Or they may decide to drive only in town when high-traffic situations become stressful.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported in a recent study that more seniors are self-limiting their driving and surmises that this could account in part for another finding: Fewer drivers 70 and older died in crashes and fewer were involved in fatal collisions from 1997 through 2006 than in years past, even though this segment of the population grew 10 percent.

It is essential that family and friends of a senior approach with compassion a discussion about driving —being sensitive to the senior’s need to maintain independence. Also approach the subject from a concern for the senior’s and others’ safety.

Easing the Transition
Seniors often fear that when they give up the keys they give up their lifestyle, being able to see friends, go shopping and take part in other activities they enjoy. Family and professional caregivers can help make the transition from driving seem less threatening to independence by offering workable options. This could be as simple as taking a parent on a once-a-week outing for recreation and errands, coordinating other transportation or arranging for delivery of groceries and other needed goods.

In-home care providers like Comfort Keepers^® also provide seniors transportation to activities, doctor’s appointments and shopping, as part of their in-home services.

When it comes to a senior who is reluctant to limit or stop driving, despite obvious danger signs, a second opinion from an authority or the counsel of a respected friend, such as a pastor, may be helpful. A friend who has already given up driving can offer the reassuring voice of experience.

Many motor vehicle bureaus offer assessment services for elderly drivers. The senior’s physician may also provide an evaluation and a prescription to cease driving due to safety concerns.

As a last resort—particularly for those who cannot remember that they are not supposed to drive—taking away the keys and removing the car or disabling it may be the only solution.

The Smallest Room in the House May Be the Most Dangerous for Seniors

We all want the best for the senior loved ones in our lives. For many seniors, living independent lives at home is their main desire. Seniors are able to do so provided they are physically and mentally able to care for themselves. Sometimes, depending on their situations, seniors need help and guidance from friends and relatives, or from even caregivers who can facilitate the potential of seniors living home alone for as long as possible.

The key to seniors maintaining independent lifestyles depends on many factors and most importantly their safety in doing so. With that being said, it should be noted that one of the most common dangers older seniors face is falling. In fact, research shows that injuries and subsequent complications due to falls are the leading causes of death in seniors who are 65 and older. Furthermore, one out of three seniors in this age group fall each year. While not every tumble guarantees an injury, these statistics should prompt you and your senior loved ones to make every effort to prevent falls occurring within their homes.

The first place to evaluate is the bathroom. While this is the smallest room in the house, bathrooms potentially offer the most opportunities for falls to occur. Bathtub edges may be hard to step over for some seniors. Once in the shower or tub, wet surfaces can cause seniors to slip. Some seniors may not be able to stand steadily while bathing. Others may have trouble sitting down on toilets or standing up again after using them. Wet floors after showers or baths and even bath mats can cause seniors to slip and fall.

Comfort Keepers offers these ideas and solutions for safety in the bathroom: 

Bathtubs and Showers
Install grab bars in proper places to aid in safe entry and exit of tubs and showers. Consider replacing a bathtub with a walk-in shower for seniors who have trouble stepping over high bathtub sides. Non-skid mats or decal applications should be applied on the floors of showers and tubs to help prevent slipping while bathing. Seniors who have trouble standing to bathe should use sturdy shower chairs made specifically for this purpose. Make sure soap, shampoos, towels and other bathing necessities are within easy reach.

Toilets and Floors
Seniors who have trouble sitting and standing up can have raised toilet seats installed to make this process easier. Grab bars should be installed for additional support. Make sure the toilet paper dispenser is easily accessible. Use a bathmat for the bathroom floor just outside the shower or tub to prevent slipping on slick floors after bathing. Place a non-skid material between the bathroom floor to prevent the mat from sliding or creasing.

While none of these safety features guarantees a no-fall zone, they certainly add layers of protection and aid for seniors at risk for falling. Your local home improvement store or durable medical equipment company carries safety devices made for specific purposes, and to ensure the safest results these items should be used instead of homemade devices. Another crucial element is installing safety aids properly and also teaching your loved ones how to use them. The discussion may be a bit hard to broach but the end result fosters safe, independent living for seniors in their own homes for as long as possible.

New Year, New You!

New Year Resolutions are common for most Americans. I have been making (and subsequently breaking) my resolutions for nearly 20 years. This year, in an effort to get back in good physical shape, I have started taking Zumba classes. Zumba is a high energy, fast paced dance class that provides cardiovascular exercise and is super fun. A friend of mine likes it so much that he recently certified to teach both Zumba and Zumba Gold. I had never heard of Zumba Gold, so we met to discuss it. He told me that Zumba Gold is a toned down version of Zumba for older participants, as well as those just starting on their physical fitness journey. It is great for people with arthritis, or people who are recovering from injury or surgery (once medically cleared). My pet project for the new year is working on setting up Zumba Gold classes locally for our clients. Look for more information soon!


The following is from the Zumba Website: Zumba Gold targets the largest growing segment of the population: baby boomers. It takes the Zumba formula and modifies the moves and pacing to suit the needs of the active older participant, as well as those just starting their journey to a fit and healthy lifestyle. What stays the same are all the elements the Zumba Fitness-Party is known for: the zesty Latin music, like salsa, merengue, cumbia and reggaeton; the exhilarating, easy-to-follow moves; and the invigorating, party-like atmosphere. Active older adults want camaraderie, excitement and fitness as a regular part of their weekly schedule. Zumba Gold is the perfect fit. It’s a dance-fitness class that feels friendly, and most of all, fun.

Here is some footage from a recent Zumba Gold Demo class that I attended here in Williamsport: