Seniors Helping Seniors

SHS Were Our Saviors

Seniors Helping Seniors Central Indiana franchise was highlighted in an article appearing in the Mooresville-Decatur Times. Family members of a Seniors Client felt the service was just what they needed to care for their father who while initially resistant ended up looking forward to the SHS providers' visits. Read More.

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Senior Hunger and Malnutrition

Do you live alone and find it difficult to put together nutritious meals for just you?  Does your mother or father live alone or face mobility challenges that make it hard to move around in the kitchen?

If so you are one of thousands of Indiana seniors facing hunger and malnutrition.  According to a national survey, Indiana ranks 12^th in the nation with the most food insecure seniors.  What many seniors and their loved ones do not understand is the critical importance of good nutrition when you are older.  “Older adults do not realize that good nutrition coupled with exercise in their later years is the foundation for a healthy life that insures that they can live independently in their own homes as they age”, stated a nutritionist specializing in nutrition for older adults.  “Good nutrition feeds your body’s tissues – without that your muscles weaken and your ability to maintain good health disappears.” 

To learn more about this issue and to view two award-winning public service announcements about senior hunger, visit www.eatcoalition.org.

 

“I’m fine, I don’t need help.”

How often have we heard this as we struggle to find just the right amount of assistance for our parents or grandparents?  We all value independence and would much rather do for ourselves than to ask someone else for help.  I even get irritated when I have to ask my husband for help with something I should be able to do – open a jar lid, fix a broken door knob. 

For those of us who are seniors, we aren’t surprised that admitting we might need help around the house is hard.  As a senior, you must step back and look at your situation as objectively as possible.  Is it hard to do some of the chores around the house you always did?  Do you find yourself eating crackers and drinking coffee for snacks rather than a nutritious meal?  Is it hard to get out and around – especially in the winter?

Are your parents resisting any talk of extra help or moving into another type of living arrangement?  Is it obvious that they can’t do the things they need to do around the house?  Are they isolated in their own homes unable to get out because they can no longer drive?

For all of you – start small.  Everyone wants to stay living in their own homes as long as possible.  Maybe just a couple of hours a week of another friendly senior stopping by and helping with some household chores might smooth the way to accept more help later.  A Seniors Helping Seniors^® Provider can stop by once a week and help you or your parent run much needed errands.  That way you can get your children to their fully scheduled Saturday activities and not feel guilty about not finding enough time to do everything.  Your mother or father can take all the time they need to run their errands and not feel they are “bothering” you.

Call us today at 317-204-2522, 888-890-2674 and let’s talk about how we can help both parents and their children come to grips with aging issues we all face.