Older Adults Catching Up to Social Media World

Q. My 58-year-old sister is the primary family caregiver for our parents. I have been trying to get her interested in social media as a way to stay in touch with the family and get support for herself. She says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Is she right? She desperately needs help and support.

No, she is not correct and here are the statistics to prove it. Social networking use among Internet users ages 50 and older has nearly doubled -- from 22 percent to 42 percent over the past year, according to the PEW Internet & American Life Project.

Although email continues to be the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, many users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications – sharing links, photos, videos, news and status updates with a growing network of contacts.

About half (47 percent) of Internet users ages 50-64 and one in four (26 percent) of users ages 65 and older now use social networking sites. That's up from just 25 percent of online adults ages 50-64 and 13 percent of those ages 65 and older who reported social networking use one year ago in a survey conducted in April 2009.

The use of Twitter and other services to share status updates has also grown among older users -- most notably among those ages 50-64. While just 5 percent of users ages 50-64 had used Twitter or another status-update service in 2009, 11percent now say they use these tools.

By comparison, social networking sites have gained a much larger foothold in the lives of older Americans over time. One-in-five (20 percent) online adults ages 50-64 say they use social networking sites on a typical day, up from 10 percent one year ago. Likewise, 13 percent of online adults ages 65 and older log on to social networking sites, compared with just 4 percent who did so in 2009.

Why not enlist the help of a younger family member to show your sister the ropes? Also, consider recommending to your sister a professional caregiving service, which can provide her with a break from the rigors of caregiving. Home Instead Senior Care CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. Call today to learn more.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. To read the full social media report, log on to http://www.pewinternet.org/.

Recommended Reading: Final Gifts

The joy in caring for seniors often lies in the wisdom and rich life history they impart, or perhaps in the chance to reciprocate the care a loved one once provided to you. The challenge, however, comes with their declining physical or mental health and facing their inevitable end of life.

Despite death’s inevitability, the elderly and their caregivers may never feel fully prepared for the difficult, or simply unknown, circumstances that lead up to that final breath. Final Gifts, a moving and compassionate book written by two seasoned hospice nurses, provides a comforting perspective about approaching the end of life. It discusses how everyone involved can better understand what is happening and what to expect. Hopefully it will similarly set you at ease in dealing with the sometimes trying circumstances involved in end-of-life care.

The authors, Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley, who have had years of experience dealing with terminally ill patients, relay true-life stories of people’s dying process and common themes among them. They wrote the book with the intent of helping family and friends understand the special awareness, needs and communications of the dying.

Final Gifts particularly resonated with the staff here at Home Instead Senior Care who have spent time caring for clients in their final days, or have interacted with the clients’ family members. We highly recommend this book to those looking for comfort, peace and clarity during the emotionally tumultuous circumstances that surround the death of a loved one.

Getting Things in Order, Before and After

Ever wonder what documents you need in place before you die? Or what your family needs to take care of after you die?

Two Frederick-area experts in end-of-life issues will address these important considerations at a dinner seminar on Wednesday September 29, 2010. David Wingate, Elder Law Attorney will discuss wills, durable power of attorney and living wills. Bill Buehrer from Stauffer's Funeral Home will discuss preplanning and topics to be taken care of after death.

The event will take place from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Frederick Senior Center on Taney Avenue. Please RSVP to (301) 600-1605 by September 24. A $2 donation per person is requested to cover the cost of dinner.

Report Shows Americans' Weight Peaks Before Retirement

Q. It’s such a struggle to keep my weight down; it seems that the closer I get to 65 the more my weight creeps up. Is that my imagination or have I just been lax about my eating habits? It’s been much more difficult to eat healthy meals since my wife died.

There’s good news and bad news. The bad news first: obesity is continuing to increase in the U.S., according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that focuses on obesity in each state. There is an interesting curve in this report that indicates Americans tend to peak in weight somewhere in their early 60s, just before they become senior citizens at age 65.

Now the good news: It is then – at about retirement age – that a rather rapid decline in weight occurs as seniors move into old age. About the same percentage of seniors age 70 or older claim to be obese as do the youngest adults – those age 18 to 29, according to the CDC’s Division of Nutrition.

Eating healthy is a daily challenge, as is the temptation to overeat. Here’s a tip from a study conducted earlier this year: Scientists recently reported results of a new clinical trial confirming that just two 8-ounce glasses of water, taken before meals, enables people to shed pounds.

“We found in earlier studies that middle-aged and older people who drank two cups of water right before eating a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories during that meal,” said Brenda Davy, Ph.D., an associate professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech and senior author of the study.

“In this recent study, we found that over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals, three times per day, lost about 5 pounds more than dieters who did not increase their water intake,” she noted

A professional caregiving service also can help. Assistance with meal preparation and mealtime companionship are among the most requested services that Home Instead Senior Care CAREGivers provide. These professional CAREGivers, who are screened, trained, bonded and insured, also can assist with grocery shopping, transportation and errands – all tasks that help facilitate nutritious eating. Contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office today to learn more.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more information about the appetite suppression study, log on to http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2010/08/082310-cals-davy.html and for more information on obesity prevalence, including an animated map, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns or www.cdc.gov/obesity.