Today, 14 million people identify themselves as Jewish, with approximately 40% of these individuals residing in the United States. As with all different cultures and religions, the rapidly changing demographics of the aging population with the added challenges of chronic illnesses, spiritual needs, and understanding of their culture are of great importance. Today’s Jewish elders, their families, and caregivers are searching for meaning, purpose, and community within their Jewish traditions.
iPhones and iPads were probably just a fantasy that only the Jetsons could have imaged in their futuristic utopia of elaborate robotic contraptions in the early 1960s. Yet here we are in 2013 with all the latest technology providing every conceivable convenience imaginable by a mere touch of our fingertips. What does this mean for the very much hands-on caregiver? Ever wonder what it would have been like for George Jetson in his make-believe world to care for his aging mother-in-law? Perhaps that could have provided us with some interesting concepts of caregiving.
Julia sat with her mom during their weekly visit. With the diminished capacity of dementia, her mother would soon forget she had ever been there. In a moment of profound sadness and exasperation Julia said quietly to herself:
“I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much.”
-- Mother Teresa
By: Joey Rosenberg, a content writer for Drugwatch.com.
With medical science advancing in leaps and bounds, the average human lifespan continues to grow at an equally astonishing rate. But with more and more individuals enjoying a high quality of life well into their 80s and 90s, the number of elderly people at risk for stroke is rapidly growing as well.
Age is by far the most important risk factor for stroke. For every decade a person lives after the age of 55, the rate of stroke more than doubles. This goes for both men and women alike. The good news is studies have shown that up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented by working with a health care professional to reduce your risk.
The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from stroke is to understand its risk factors and the steps you can take to manage them.
Controllable Risk Factors
While risk factors like age, gender, race and family history are beyond your control, you can work with your doctor to manage other medical conditions and lessen your chances of suffering a stroke.
Controllable risk factors for stroke include:
There is a line in the poem Mending Wall by Robert Frost that reads, “Good fences make good neighbors.” Now the poet may not have had caregivers in mind, but this analogy certainly gives plenty of food for thought when it comes to the caregiver and the care receiver.
