Tag Archives: Senior Citizens

Older Americans Month

May 24, 2021 Mike Smith

(Columbus) — May is Older Americans Month. The 2021 theme for Older Americans Month, established by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, is “Communities of Strength.”

Communities of Strength

Ohio has more than 2.8 million residents age 60 or older, who account for nearly one quarter (24.3%) of our total population. Older Ohioans are a key source of our state’s strength, drawing on lifetimes of experiences, successes, difficulties, and resilience. Ohio is rich in this respect.

In tough times, communities find strength in their people and people find strength in their communities. Over the past year, we have seen friends, neighbors, and businesses come together in unprecedented and often unexpected ways to support one another.

Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life shared with one another. When people of different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and talents share experiences—through action, story, or service—we help build strong communities.

To go along with celebrating our senior population, the state of Ohio urges safety in the home-place as most Ohioans prefer to stay in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. However, as we age, our physical and social needs can change, and our homes that have kept us safe for so long may no longer be appropriate for our current situation. Sometimes, only minor changes are needed to make your home safe again.

Home maintenance, repair and modification services help older Ohioans preserve existing property values and make structural modifications or repairs necessary to help them live safely.

Home maintenance includes a variety of critical routine services, such as inspecting furnaces and water heaters, fixing or replacing torn window screens or broken panes, or replacing electrical fuses.
Home repairs include repair or installation of heating and air conditioning equipment; minor plumbing or electrical repair; repair or replacement of gutters, shingles, flashing or other roofing; and repairs to eliminate holes or other hazards in flooring or stairs.
Home modification makes the physical environment more functional and accessible, enabling people with disabilities to perform daily activities with greater independence. Examples include building ramps, widening doorways, installing grab bars and other assistive devices.

Funding for these services comes from a combination of public and private funding and local resources. Work is provided by licensed contractors and others.

Contact your area agency on aging to learn about Older Americans Month activities in your community as well as safety tips for their homes.

#StoriesOfStrength

Ohio is fostering communities of strength by creating opportunities to share stories, learn from each other, and celebrate connections and resilience. There are many things we all can do to nurture ourselves, reinforce our strength, and continue to thrive. We want to hear your story!

Submit your #StoriesOfStrength

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Taking Medications Safely

March 28, 2021 Mike Smith

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

According to researchers, about three out of every five older adults take their prescriptions improperly. Approximately 140,000 older Americans die each year as a result of taking medications improperly. Listen closely when your health care professional prescribes a medication for you, and always follow your doctor’s directions when taking your medicine.

The Ohio Department of Aging has the following information:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about directions you aren’t sure about, such as “take with food,” “on an empty stomach,” “once/twice/three times/four times daily,” and “as needed.”
When you receive your prescription medications, check the label to make sure that the drug name, dosage, and directions are the same as what your doctor told you.
Do not take prescription medications that were not prescribed for you by one of your health care providers.
Do not share your prescription medicines or take someone else’s medications. Different people can react differently to the same drug. In some cases, sharing your medication may also be against the law.
If you think you are experiencing side effects from a medication (particularly after starting the medicine or increasing the dose), talk to your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Don’t stop taking your prescription medication, skip doses, or otherwise change the amount of the medicine you take without talking to your health care provider (even if you feel better or think the medication isn’t working).
If you cannot afford your prescribed medications, ask your health care provider or pharmacist if there is a less expensive alternative.
If you cannot read your medication label or have trouble opening the container it is in, ask your pharmacist about alternative labels and packaging.
Read the information that your pharmacist includes with your medicine. If you don’t understand something, ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain.
If you have trouble sticking to your medication schedule, ask your doctor or pharmacist about ideas and products to help, such as linking medicines with daily routines, using a pill organizer, computer or smart phone reminders, and more.

The Ohio Department of Aging reminds is to always take medication as prescribed or according to manufacturer’s instructions. Consult with your doctor, pharmacist or other health care provider before changing your medication habits.

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Older Driver Safety

March 27, 2021 Mike Smith

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

Talking with an older person about their driving is often difficult. Most of us delay that talk until the person’s driving has become what we believe to be dangerous. At that point, conversations can be tense and awkward for everyone involved. But there are things you can say and do to make those conversations more productive and less tense.

Learning How to Understand and Influence Older Drivers will help you support an older driver’s needs, as well as find community resources that can help put your older-driver plan into action. If you have decided to initiate a conversation with an older loved one about driving safely, take these three steps:

Collect information;
Develop a plan of action; and
Follow through on the plan.

You might also want to consider learning how to adapt a motor vehicle to accommodate the unique needs of an older driver and discussing it with your loved one.

For more tips on how to handle the delicate subject of driving safety with much older loved ones who are still driving, go to our link to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration website on the following link.

CLICK HERE:

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State Aging Officials Offer Tips To Prevent Falls

March 17, 2021 Mike Smith

Presented By McDonald’s, I’m Lovin’ It!

(Columbus) — Falls are an epidemic among older Ohioans. The following facts compiled by the Ohio Department of Health shed light on the importance of fall prevention in Ohio.

Data from the Ohio Department of Health:

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among Ohioans age 65 and older.
While residents age 65 and older make up 18% of our population, they account for more than 87% of fatal falls.
In 2019, on average, four adults age 65 and older died each day as the result of a fall.
From 2010 to 2019, the annual number of fall-related deaths among older adults increased by 55%.
In 2019, the rate of fall-related deaths among Ohioans age 65 and older was 75.7 falls per 100,000 residents.
In 2019, women made up 55% of fall-related deaths, compared to 45% for men. However, men had a higher rate of fall-related deaths than women (87.4 deaths per 100,000 men vs. 67.4 deaths per 100,000 women).
The risk of falling increases with age. From 2010 to 2019, Ohioans age 85 and older had the highest rate of fall-related deaths each year.
In 2019, 57% of fall-related deaths among older Ohioans occurred in the home and 29% occurred in a residential institution, such as a nursing home or assisted living facility.

The causes of falls vary. Risk factors include: