Recently my wife and I sold our house of 25 years in order to build a new house and “downsize” into something more manageable. Although we did end up with a few hundred less square feet, and landscaping that requires very little maintenance, the hardest part was sorting through years of accumulations and deciding what goes and what stays.
In a recent article by Sally Allen, the owner of A Place for Everything, Ms. Allen acknowledges that … “as individuals live longer and families are often geographically dispersed, more elderly adults are faced with the trauma of relocating, often from a place they’ve called home for decades. Every nook and cranny holds special memories. The thought of leaving them behind can be overwhelming.”
The good news is that you don’t have to leave your memories behind. But you will need to make choices about what physically goes with you and what mentally stays with you.
It is much easier to start the downsizing process while you are still able to make your own decisions. Downsizing doesn’t get better, or easier, with age. You might want to consider beginning now rather than during a crisis when others will have to make choices for you.
Benefits of proactively downsizing
- You make decisions about where to relocate and the type of housing that suits you best.
- Your family won’t have to act on your behalf in a crisis mode.
- There’s time for thoughtful decisions about what to hand down to family members and what to keep.
- Instead of uncertainty, you will have peace of mind knowing that you’re settled in a place of your own choosing.
- Even if you delay a move to smaller quarters, you can get a head start on the touch task of deciding what goes and what stays.
It’s not too early to start the process
Communicate with the family. Let your family know that you’re ready to start the process. Consult with them and create a plan for family involvement.
Sorting. Identify special “treasures” you want to take with you and those you’re willing to pass along to family members, give to friends, recycle or donate. Some questions to ask:
- Does it make sense to store or move the item? What is the cost?
- What is the worst thing that will happen if I let go of this?
- Does anyone else care about this item?
- Can I find this information elsewhere if and when I need it?
- Did I even know that I had this item? (This can help determine its importance)
- Can I take a photo of this item instead of keeping it?
- Is there someone else who could use this more than I? (Perhaps a family member or a favorite charity)
Keep in mind that you needn’t have a new home picked out to begin the process of paring down household treasures. The greatest legacy you can leave your family is to have your house in order.
Prioritize:
Downsizing can seem daunting. It helps to break the process into manageable tasks. For example:
- Select a room (master bedroom)
- Select an item (bureau)
- Select part of the item (one or two drawers at a time)
Remove everything from the bureau drawer. Ask yourself the questions above about “sorting,” then take appropriate action. Organize all items you’re keeping and put them back in the drawer. Create a realistic schedule. Remember that this will get done slowly, but surely. Then continue the process until the master bedroom has been “redefined.”
Remember that whether or not you call on professionals to help you downsize, the job will be easier if done before a crisis. You’ll be able to keep the things that really matter when settling into your new surroundings – and know that some of your treasures are cherished by others. You might even think about the process as “rightsizing.”
Tags: deciding what to keep, How do I downsize?, Moving to a smaller home, too much stuff
By Melissa Howell
12:20 a.m. The clock was blurry as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes to answer the phone.
“Hello”, I said.
A weak and frightened voice on the other end pleaded, “Melissa? Is Bryan there? I can’t get out of my chair. Could you or Bryan come over?”
I sighed as I handed the phone to my husband and heard him say, “I’ll be right over, Dad.”
When Bryan left, I pondered on my father-in-law, John, and his situation. John had just come out of the hospital after a serious illness and although the doctor had assured us he would be fine, we quickly learned that he was not able to care for himself. He lived alone in a small apartment and had in-home health care assistance through his Medicare plan. They came once a day to help him with a shower and to aid him with incontinence. Bryan and I came over three times a day to help him with changing his clothes and to make his meals. In addition, we helped him with his bills and took him to his frequent doctor appointments. Tonight was the first time he had called to ask for help in the middle of the night. We needed to do something different. We were both exhausted between working our jobs and caring for our four young children and constantly running out to take care of John’s needs. It was becoming more than we could handle. We realized we really needed to get him into assisted living.
John lived comfortably on an income consisting of social security and a retirement pension, but as we visited different assisted living homes in our immediate area, we quickly realized that this income was not enough. Assisted living was really expensive!
John had served in the Navy during the Korean conflict and we had heard through a friend that veterans could receive assistance through the Department of Veteran’s affairs for health care. The catch was doing it correctly. Our friend referred us to a Veteran’s Consultant from the National Care Planning Council to provide information for the challenging task of filling out the paperwork to receive this benefit. A Veteran’s Consultant can provide general information on how a claim is filed. Our consultant told us about all of the necessary supporting documents we would need to make sure it was approved.
The paper work was pretty daunting, but we worked through each form thoroughly to be sure that we were providing all the information Veterans Affairs (VA) would need in order to expedite John’s payments.
First, I obtained a medical report from John’s doctor — the most crucial step in the process. This form would prove that John needed aid and attendance. In our case, the doctor described his medical condition and then noted specifically his need for help with incontinence and showers, his lack of motivation to make meals for himself and his inability to leave the house alone. It was, however; important to us that the doctor wrote that John was mentally capable of making his own decisions, because we did not want to go through a delaying process of having VA assign somebody who would need to pay his bills for him (VA calls this person a fiduciary).
Another key thing was that John had to show evidence to VA that his care costs were close to or exceeded his income. Fortunately, John had a small amount of savings and he was able to pay in full for the first month’s payment to his assisted living home. This was important, because the statement showing this payment was important evidence needed to present to VA. Since his assisted living cost exceeded his income by $1,000 per month, we arranged with the director, to pay what John could afford until the benefit from VA came in and then the director agreed to pay the remaining debt balance on the account at that time.
An important form was John’s original DD-214, which was the official record showing that he had been honorably discharged from the military. I quickly found a certificate of honorable discharge (DD-256) but this was not the correct form. We searched through all of his files and boxes and couldn’t find the DD-214. So I got on the Internet and found a website for the National repository where the official forms can be obtained. It appeared that it could take up to 6 weeks to receive an official copy. Fortunately, we found the original document folded in his wallet and we did not have to delay our process.
One of the forms my Consultant made me aware of was a VA power of attorney form (VA form 21-22a) that gave me the authority to fill out and submit the forms to VA on behalf of John. Although John was mentally sound, he was weak and tired and didn’t really want to do anything but watch television and eat. With this form, I was able to communicate with VA in his behalf.
There were several other forms to fill out and after all the paperwork was finished, my Veteran’s consultant gave us the address of where to send all of them. Our particular VA processing office was located in St. Paul, Minnesota.
After about two weeks, John and I each received a letter stating that VA was working on his case and they assigned him a case file number. After another two weeks, we received a letter stating that we needed to fill out some other paper work. I showed these to my consultant, who assured me, in our case, that it was standard procedure and that the paper work I had originally filed was sufficient. Within another two weeks, John received his first payment.
Because his care cost exceeded his income, he was awarded the full $1644.00 per month. VA sent another payment from the date that they had first issued his case number. So in the first month, we received two payments. These were sufficient to catch up the debt he owed to his assisted living and to continue with full payments each month.
Applying for the VA Aid and Attendance Pension was detailed, but it was not terribly frustrating because of the general information on the application process I received from my consultant. It did require extra work on my part, but it was well worth the end result of getting the care that John needed and the relief that Bryan and I needed in the end. I am grateful that we had such a wonderful resource in National Care Planning Council to help us find a capable and informative Veteran’s Consultant.
Bryan and I now see John twice a week and visit with his assisted living staff often to help him have a comfortable and enjoyable life in his new home. He is able to enjoy activities and meals with other people, have quality personal care and have the peace of mind that someone is always there to help him. I now sleep at ease through the night, knowing that his needs are taken care of and that there won’t be any middle of the night calls asking for help.
The National Care Planning Council wishes to thank Melissa for providing her experience. We maintain a list of consultants across the country which can be found at the following address: www.veteranslisting.com. We also provide a book with instructions to help people who want to file an application by themselves. This book can be purchased online at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a16books.htm.
With our current economic challenges, seniors looking forward to retirement need to be well-informed about their financial needs in coming years. And not only pre-retirees, but individuals like myself, already in retirement, need to be wise to the changing economic environment. The good news is there are trained professionals who keep abreast of changes in the current economy, changes in laws and changes in government programs for seniors. Professionals in this field are equipped to handle everything from help with retirement savings accounts, investment advice, guidance on government programs, estate planning or even new funding options such as reverse mortgages. A little planning prior to retirement will allow you to maintain your current lifestyle; whereas, a lack of planning may require you to live on an extremely tight budget. For those already retired, taking time right now to deal with financial problems instead of waiting for a crisis to happen may be one of the most important decisions you will ever make.
A large number of retired individuals feel that they have planned well for the future only to find that rising medical costs, damage done to investment portfolios (by the current economy) and many other factors have caused them to go into debt. According to an article in USA Today, seniors are racking up debt like never before. Elderly individuals who are in debt live with a constant burden over their heads. Most of these people are on fixed incomes and have no way of paying off credit cards and home equity loans that continue to mount to cover household budget deficits. In order to meet ongoing payments, seniors often forego purchasing medications and skimp on food budgets. They live like hermits — never going out and pinching every penny — in order to pay their obligations.
Most of these people worked hard their entire lives and managed their debt. They never anticipated the rising costs of prescriptions, expensive medical care or depletion of savings by living too long. The good news is there is help for these individuals. Here are just a few examples of some relief options that could be available. There are many more besides these.
Reverse mortgages – A Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), also known as a reverse mortgage, is a risk-free way of tapping into home equity without creating monthly payments and without requiring the money to be paid back during a person’s lifetime. Instead of making payments the cash flow is reversed and the senior receives payments from the bank. Thus the title “reverse mortgage”. For those seniors who are less fortunate financially but own a home, a reverse mortgage can allow them to remain in the home by creating extra income. Of course, this may not be a solution for everyone, but it does warrant some looking into.
Life settlements — A life settlement enables older individuals, businesses and other organizations to sell life insurance policies they currently own – but no longer want or need – for an amount greater than the cash surrender value. In some cases the value can be 2-3 times the cash surrender value. Even some term life insurance policies with a conversion option to permanent coverage can qualify for a life settlement.
Government Programs — Some government programs such as food stamps provide temporary financial help for food. Other programs provide subsidized housing, help with medical expenses, and some provide tax credits. For veterans there is free health care, inexpensive prescriptions and disability income. There is also an Area Agency on Aging that offers individual counseling, legal help, and advice with Medicare costs. The local office can be reached at (360) 337-7068.
For some, living on a fixed income and dealing with debt can be an overwhelming burden. However, there are knowledgeable professionals and debt relief strategies that can assist in easing this burden. The Kitsap Alliance of Resources for Elders (KARE) is a local non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides such assistance and education from its members. For more information contact KARE at www.kare-wa.com .
Carl R. Johnson
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®
Community Relations Director
Abiding HomeCare
Silverdale, WA
The Brown family reunion has always been an event everyone looks forward to. Family visits, games, stories and everyone’s favorite foods are always on the agenda. On the top of the menu is Grandmas Lemon Coconut Cake. Grandma always makes the traditional cake from her old family recipe. This year, however, the cake tasted a little on the salty side, perhaps a half cup full of salty.
Though the family was disappointed over the cake, of more concern was Grandma’s confusion with the recipe and her similar confusion about the loved ones around her. Could something be wrong with grandma’s mental state?
One might say that for an elder person a little forgetfulness or confusion is normal, but when do you know if there is a serious problem, such as dementia?
An online article from FamilyDoctor.org outlines some common symptoms in recognizing dementia.
“Dementia causes many problems for the person who has it and for the person’s family. Many of the problems are caused by memory loss. Some common symptoms of dementia are listed below. Not everyone who has dementia will experience all of these symptoms.
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks. People who have dementia might cook a meal but forget to serve it. They might even forget that they cooked it.
Problems with language. People who have dementia may forget simple words or use the wrong words. This makes it hard to understand what they want. - Time and place disorientation. People who have dementia may get lost on their own street. They may forget how they got to a certain place and how to get back home.
- Poor judgment. Even a person who doesn’t have dementia might get distracted. But people who have dementia can forget simple things, like forgetting to put on a coat before going out in cold weather.
- Problems with abstract thinking. Anybody might have trouble balancing a checkbook, but people who have dementia may forget what the numbers are and what has to be done with them.
- Misplacing things. People who have dementia may put things in the wrong places. They might put an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. Then they can’t find these things later.
- Changes in mood. Everyone is moody at times, but people who have dementia may have fast mood swings, going from calm to tears to anger in a few minutes.
- Personality changes. People who have dementia may have drastic changes in personality. They might become irritable, suspicious or fearful.
- Loss of initiative. People who have dementia may become passive. They might not want to go places or see other people.”
Dementia is caused by change or destruction of brain cells. Often this change is a result of small strokes or blockage of blood cells, severe hypothyroidism or Alzheimer’s disease. There is a continuous decline in ability to perform normal daily activities. Personal care including dressing, bathing, preparing meals and even eating a meal eventually becomes impossible.
What can family members do if they suspect dementia? An appointment with the doctor or geriatric clinic is the first step to take. Depending on the cause and severity of the problem there are some medications that may help slow the process. Your doctor may recommend a care facility that specializes in dementia and Alzheimer’s. These facilities offer a variety of care options from day care with stimulating activities to part or full-time live-in options. Sometimes if patients tend to wander off, a locked facility is needed.
In the beginning family members find part time caregivers for their loved one. At first, loved ones need only a little help with remembering to do daily activities or prepare meals. As dementia progresses, caregiving demands often progress to 24 hour care. Night and day become confused and normal routines of sleeping, eating and functioning become more difficult for the patient. The demented person feels frustrated and may lash out in anger or fear. It is not uncommon for a child or spouse giving the care to quickly become overwhelmed and discouraged.
Family gatherings provide an excellent opportunity to discuss caregiving plans and whole family support. It is most helpful if everyone in the family is united in supporting a family caregiver in some meaningful way.
“The first step to holding a family meeting, and perhaps the most difficult one, is to get all interested persons together in one place at one time. If it’s a family gathering, perhaps a birthday, an anniversary or another special event could be used as a way to get all to meet. Or maybe even a special dinner might be an incentive.
The end of the meeting should consist of asking everyone present to make his or her commitment to support the plan. This might just simply be moral support and agreement to abide by the provisions or it is hoped that those attending will volunteer to do something constructive. This might mean commitments to providing care, transportation, financial support, making legal arrangements or some other tangible support.”
The Four Steps of Long Term Care Planning
Professional home care services are an option to help families in the home. These providers are trained and skilled to help with dementia patients. Don’t forget care facilities as well. It may be the best loving care a family member can give is to place their loved one in a facility where that person is safely monitored and cared for.
The National Care Planning Council supports caregiving services throughout the country.
www.longtermcarelink.net
If you’re fortunate enough to have one or both parents still living, you may have noticed a role reversal taking place in your relationship. Remember the days when Mom shuttled you to the doctor whenever you were sick? Now, it may be you who’s driving her to her medical appointments. Perhaps you’ve become even more involved in managing her healthcare needs – serving as her healthcare proxy, moving her into your home to care for her, or even having to select a nursing home for her to live in.
Whatever the case, it’s natural to feel challenged – and, yes, intimidated – in the role you’ve undertaken. But if you stay positive and proactive, you’ll be in a great position to advocate for your parents’ optimal care. And, really, what better way is there to say “Thank You” for all they’ve done for you over the years?
The following six recommendations will help you understand what may be happening to your parents as they age – and what you can do to help.
1. Stay vigilant to sudden changes. Typically, sudden changes arise from sudden problems. Your elderly father who becomes confused one week but was alert and oriented the week before, or becomes unsteady walking and starts falling, is likely experiencing an acute problem – an infection, medication side effect, or perhaps, a heart attack or stroke.
2. Investigate the source of gradual decline. A host of conditions can cause gradual decline. However, before jumping to the conclusion – as many people do – that Alzheimer’s disease is the culprit, recognize that your parent may be experiencing an altogether different problem: a vitamin B12 deficiency, an underactive thyroid, Parkinson’s disease or depression, to name a few.
Recently, I was told of an elderly woman living in a nursing home whose family, assuming she had dementia, had moved her there after she had gradually stopped speaking. After a doctor’s examination, and performing a brief procedure on her, she was back to her former lively and communicative self.
A miracle? Not exactly. The doctor had simply removed bullet-sized pieces of wax from her ears. She’d stopped speaking because her ears were too plugged to hear.
3. Know thy parent’s medicine cabinet. Familiarize yourself with the medications your parent takes: what each one is for and how often they take them. Make sure you notify each doctor your parent visits of all the medicine they take, including over-the-counter products. Ask what side effects you might observe from each medication and whether it’s potentially dangerous if your parent takes them together. To recognize which medications might cause the symptoms your parent experiences, check out www.drugscanmakeyousick.com.
4. Discourage ageist attitudes. Simply put, ageism is prejudice against the elderly. It exists in many forms, but can be particularly damaging to an older person’s self-esteem when it assumes that all of their woes are age-related. Here are a couple of ways of expressing ageism to an elderly parent: “What do you expect at your age?” … “You’re not getting any younger.”
If you’re ever tempted to utter something similar, remind yourself that by chalking up everything that ails her to her age, you sell your parent short. If she’s depressed, it may have nothing to do with the fact that she’s 80 and everything to do with a biological predisposition to depression.
5. Address not just symptoms—but emotions, too. There is disease and then there is “dis-ease” – that is, a lack of ease, security or well-being. “Dis-ease” can manifest itself as myriad emotions in an elderly person: fear, grief, boredom, embarrassment and sadness among them. The fact is, these emotions can be every bit as debilitating as disease.
6. Strive to maximize your parent’s quality of life. No matter our age, we all want to enjoy life to the fullest and have the capability to do the things we want to. Improving the enjoyment of life and a patient’s functional ability are the cardinal goals of geriatric care. But you don’t need a medical diploma on your wall to help your parent achieve either of those goals.
Sometimes, it’s the small gestures that have the most profound impact. As the child of an elderly parent, you are uniquely positioned to deliver these life-changing gifts.
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide
About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
If you find yourself wanting to manage stress in your life, but you feel you just don’t have time to learn a new technique or take on a time-consuming regular activity, you’re in luck. These are stress relievers for busy people like you: they’re easy, quick, or fit into your schedule with little fuss. If you don’t have a lot of time to devote to change, these will give you a good return for little effort.
1. Take Your Vitamins
Taking your vitamins in the morning really can help you feel less stressed throughout the day. In particular, you may want to take a Vitamin B complex, Calcium and Magnesium, and Vitamin C. You should always talk to your doctor before beginning any new vitamin regimen to be sure you take a mix that is safe for you and your particular situation, but vitamins are a quick and beneficial way to relieve stress if taken appropriately.
2. Listen To Music During Your Regular Activities
Music has proven health and stress relief benefits, and can be easily used in daily life to relieve stress. Busy people can turn on music during their morning routine, commute to and from work, during dinner, or at other times to relieve stress as they go about their daily activities. It takes virtually no extra time, and provides real benefits.
3. Practice Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises are a great way to relieve stress anytime and anywhere. They’re simple to learn, simple to use, and can be done on the spot when you feel tension, immediately helping you to feel better. One very effective exercise is to ‘inhale peace’ and ‘exhale your stress’.
4. Learn To Say No
How much less busy could your schedule be if you said no to all new commitments? It’s sometimes hard to say no, however, especially if you’re concerned about disappointing or offending people. Learning to diplomatically say no is quick and simple and with a little practice, you’ll do it easily and without thinking.
5. Develop a Positive Attitude
Optimists and positive thinkers experience better health, less stress, and more ‘luck’ in life. While it takes a little practice to develop a more positive frame of mind, the practice takes little extra time and can really change your whole experience of life and how you live it. After some initial learning and a bit of practice, and the rewards are continual, which is a pretty big payoff.
If you, or someone you know, are engaged in caring for a loved one, sooner or later you’re going to need a break. The emotional and physical demands of caring for someone 24/7 are far too overwhelming for one person to handle alone – at least they are if you want to maintain your health and sanity. It’s not uncommon for the stresses of care giving to take a serious toll on our physical and emotional well-being. Studies link high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression and other health ailments with care giving. Respite care … the “pause that refreshes”, could be the key to preserving your sanity and well-being.
So what exactly is respite care? Respite care refers to a short rest or a temporary period of relief. What I call the “pause that refreshes”. It benefits the care recipient and provides support to the caregiver so he/she doesn’t feel so alone in the care giving journey. Whether you want to spend time with friends, go to the movies or just catch up on your sleep, respite care means a responsible caregiver will watch your loved one so you can have a well-deserved break.
Don’t make the mistake of waiting for a crisis before taking advantage of respite. And remember that the first step to finding respite care that works for you is to take stock of the skills, type and frequency of services you need.
What is it that you and the care recipient need the most? Is it helping with transportation? Someone to do the grocery shopping and cook meals? Assistance with daily walks or other forms of exercise? Companionship for a few hours each day? Bathing and grooming? Or maybe you need help with transferring?
Answering these questions will help you choose from a variety of available respite services:
- In-homecare – This enables individuals the comfort and familiarity of remaining in their home environment. You can request a companion who will engage the individual in stimulating recreational activities and provide transportation to appointments. A personal care provider assists with bathing, dressing, feeding and toileting. Homecare services offer meal preparation, shopping, and housekeeping. Depending on your needs, you can choose one or a combination of these services.
- Adult daycare – Group respite care is provided in a structured and stimulating environment outside of the home. This type of respite is typically available Monday through Friday. Daily activities may include music, exercise, art and lectures.
- Residential care – When you need a break, there are residential facilities that offer short term stays. Care recipients can stay overnight, for several days or for several weeks.
We all know the “golden rule” of good care-giving: “take care of thy self”. Respite care gives you an opportunity to do this. After all, if we don’t take care of ourselves who is going to take care of those who depend on us?
Maybe it’s time to take the “pause that refreshes.”
Carl R. Johnson
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®
Community Relations Director
Abiding HomeCare
Silverdale, WA
Research has discovered that as we age, our diets and our need for dietary supplements become more. Doctors are increasingly concerned about boosting the levels of vitamins and minerals that we need as we grow older.
As most people get older, they tend to eat less due to a loss of appetite. As a result, many elderly individuals do not take in adequate amounts of vitamins and other nutrients as they did when they were younger. Other factors that can affect appetite and the inadequate uptake of vital nutrients are medications, medical complications, certain disabilities, diabetes, changes in the digestive system and even the changes in our skin as we age. One study estimates that one-third of the elderly are alarmingly low on important vitamins and minerals. Another study indicates that two thirds of the elderly patients admitted to a hospital are mal-nourished, resulting in low levels of vital nutrients. When a person is vitamin and mineral deficient, he or she is more susceptible to illness and infections. It is estimated that deaths due to infections are ten times more likely in the elderly.
Vitamins
So what is a vitamin and why is it so essential to our bodies? A vitamin is a molecule that our bodies need to carry out certain biological functions. With only a few exceptions, we have no way to create vitamin molecules ourselves, so these vital building blocks must come in through food that we eat. The human body is known to need at least 13 different vitamins. We are able to store some of these for long periods of time in fat cells or in the liver — such as vitamin A — but most vitamins need to be replenished frequently.
Vitamins don’t supply us with energy. We need protein, carbohydrates, and fats for that. What vitamins do is to help the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins release energy. These vital compounds are very important and they are required for all sorts of complex chemical reactions in our bodies. Vitamins are also needed to assist the enzymes that repair tissue and help with the production of cells. Many studies show that vitamins and minerals can help or prevent some of the disorders or diseases related to aging.
There are two types of vitamins — water soluble and fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins are not stored in our systems. They pass through us quickly. In order to keep these nutrients in our bodies we have to consume them frequently. Water soluble vitamins contribute to our health, energy and stamina. This type of vitamin also helps in the function of over one hundred enzymes and chemical reactions that give our bodies energy. Listed below are some of the well known water soluble vitamins and their benefits.
- Vitamin B5 – good for reducing swelling
- Vitamin B3 – reduces tissue swelling and helps increase blood flow.
- Vitamin B6 – also reduces swelling. When combined with vitamin B12 in proper concentration has shown to reduce heart disease.
- Vitamin B12 – This is the most vital of the B’s. It aids in the formation of cells, myelin production, healthy nerves, and maintaining immune system and mental function.
- Vitamin C – Vitamin C helps in the formation of cartilage and bone. Some studies have shown it may reduce the progression of osteoarthritis.
Fat soluble vitamins are vitamins that stay in the body and are typically stored in the liver. You can usually receive enough of these compounds by eating a well balanced diet. Any condition that can interfere with the absorption of fat in the body like tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, hypothyroidism, lactose intolerance, and many other diseases or disorders can cause deficiencies in these vitamins. Before taking the daily recommended dose of fat soluble vitamins you must consult your doctor. Overdosage of these substances can cause a toxic build-up. Listed below are the major fat soluble vitamins.
- Vitamin A – Lungs, throat and mouth depend on vitamin A to retain moisture. This compound is also important for your skin, bones, teeth, digestive system, urinary tract, eyes and aids in preventing skin disorders like acne, boils, and bumpy skin. Some studies show that it may aid in slowing the aging process.
- Vitamin K – plays an important role in the clotting of blood. Research has linked vitamin K to bone health.
- Vitamin D – is produced in the skin by exposure to the sun. Deficiencies mostly occur in people living in northern latitudes where daylight is brief during winter months. Changes in skin as we age can also cause poor production of vitamin D. Studies show that osteoporosis might progress faster in women with low levels of vitamin D. This compound is essential in helping the body absorb calcium and in maintaining strong bones.
Minerals
Unlike vitamins, minerals are not manufactured by plants or animals. Minerals form in the earth, and are absorbed by plants and found in animals that eat the plants. Listed below are some of the essential minerals needed to maintain a healthy body.
- Iron – helps carry oxygen throughout the body. Iron also helps the immune system ward off foreign entities.
- Calcium – Most women as they get older need calcium supplements to prevent bone loss that causes osteoporosis. Calcium supplements will not do you any good if you do not have the right levels of vitamin D. your body cannot absorb calcium without vitamin D.
- Zinc – Zinc deficiencies can affect skin, nerves, and the body’s immune system.
It is important that you take vitamin and mineral supplements with food. Fat soluble vitamins require fat ingestion to result in the best absorption. It is best to take your supplements at the biggest meal of the day.
We use vitamins every day to support the processes our bodies use to maintain life. Ongoing reduced levels of vitamins can make you weak and more vulnerable to disease. Proper nutrition with vitamins and minerals is vital for seniors to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Other health issues related to aging are discussed on the National Care Planning Council website at www.longtermcarelink.net.
Listen to our executive director’s interview with Jason Parker.
Sound Retirement Radio: Thriving in Retirement
Jason Parker is the President of Parker Financial LLC an independent fee based registered investment advisory firm in Silverdale Washington specializing in wealth managment for retiree’s. He is also a member of KARE, which is a non-profit organization committed to helping Kitsap Peninsula seniors, their family members, and their caregivers with resources, education, and training.
