With this being the month of love and hearts , it's definitely appropriate for our Sandwich Generation families to remember the important news for all of us boomers and seniors that it's also American Heart Month! The CDC (Centers for Disease Control Prevention) want to encourage all of us to:

• Get up and get active by being physically active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. (playing active games while babysitting grandchildren is a fun way to combine the two )
• Make your calories count by eating a heart-healthy diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in sodium and trans fat. (sets a great example for those grandkids too)
• Take control of your heart health by following your doctor's prescription instructions.

AND

Corinne Ruiz  from The Bakersfield Voice has a terrific challenge for all of us – "Imagine if each person who made a New Year’s resolution knew how to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Or if, instead of roses, 198 million AEDs were deployed in schools, churches, shopping malls and other public gathering places across the country." Smart ideas, aren't they? It definitely ain't easy with all the other Sandwich Generation issues of life that we have going on, but certainly especially useful for us as we are caregiving.  I am happy to say, I have had CPR training, including the use of the AED. How about you?

Also – something important that I personally discovered recently – if your elderly parent is showing symptoms of high blood pressure, shortness of breath, confusion, or even odd heart beats, be sure to get them checked out at the doctor's right away. Along with any and all other tests they decide to run, I would suggest you ask about a urine test for a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), as well. We learned that the symptoms of a UTI can be quite different for elderly women than younger and can occasionally include the items I listed. It can be very odd, very frustrating, and very easy to miss – even for medical personnel! It won't hurt to check, and it could save you a lot of time and worry!

And speaking of doctor visits, be sure to check out my latest guest post at EldercareABCblog - Doctor Visits With Our Senior Parents Are Beneficial to All - including in situations like these.

Definitely a heart-y helping of interesting news for all of us boomers and seniors who are caregivers – in OR out of the Sandwich Generation. Have a great day!  

Kaye

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, it's definitely time to make sure we have our Valentines ready for our Sandwich Generation family. I just mailed off some kids' fun and easy crafts and activities Valentine cards for my long distance grand kids that I found at Walmart and Dollar Tree. I'm thinking my compadre seniors-in-law might have fun helping the grandkids work on them.

I admit, I also enjoy cute SMALL goodies to go with the cards. For the kids, I do avoid candies, preferring something like the fun and small Webkinz stuffed animals I also sent off earlier, thanks to the great deals on Amazon. It's perfect timing for them to update their account for another year!

For older grandkids and their parents, I love to give "HUGS" via thick towels I find on sale, cozy fleece or Sherpa throws and blankets, or encouraging and interesting books. My sweet seniors love all the Karen Kingsbury Christian novels. Her latest books are  Longing, which just came out in  November, and Loving, which is due to be released in March. It's a fun way to spread out the holiday if you get both of them.

For the younger grandkids, another fun and inexpensive non-edible treat is one of the Happy Meal Toys from McDonalds. Unlike some other restaurant fast food chains, McDonald's is wonderful about letting you buy the toys WITHOUT buying the Happy Meals – making them a great treat for all grandkids, including those dealing with food allergies and intolerance symptoms. Right now, they have some uber cool Hot Wheels cars my grandboys are loving, along with some girly toys (Barbie I think?) for the grandgirls.

For those who do prefer the traditional candy, I gotta tell you, I am currently hooked on Lindt Lindor Dark Chocolate Truffles. Oh…my…delicious….gracious!!!! They are so tasty and healthier than plain chocolate (after all, they do say Dark Chocolate is the "new vegetables." I don't know about that. I DO know that when the Sandwich Generation juggle starts getting on my nerves, lots of prayer and a couple of those tasty treats are a GREAT RX!

Well, that's my main Valentine's Day shopping list. What's yours? We're always up for more fun and creative gifts ideas for our Sandwich Generation family members – from grand kids to the beloved elderly seniors!  :)

Kaye

Are you, like so many of us in the Sandwich Generation, caring for a family member – whether your elderly parents, or another member – with some type of major illness or other special needs? I just learned something new that I had never heard of and thought it might prove useful for some caregivers. Most will never need this but for those who might, here's the scoop.

Did you know that there are special plastic laundry bags, called melt-away water soluble laundry bags, that dissolve in the hot water wash? These are primarily geared for medical care facilities but they are available at Amazon, among other places, and I could think of a couple of instances where they might come in handy for senior OR junior home care givers, can't you? Even if it's just to give a weary caregiver an occasional break from dealing with certain unpleasant odors when doing the wash. It may seem minute, but I still have vivid memories of one beloved's clothes, many years later, during the last couple of weeks and I would have loved anything that could lessen that. And, of course, if you are dealing with someone with a contagious illness, that's exactly what these are well-suited for.

Per Amazon, These Sani-Melt Water Soluble Laundry Bags…designed to isolate soiled or contaminated linen — are a great way to manage dirty or infected laundry while protecting your staff! Clear bags can be washed along with linen contents. Bag ties dissolve at 40 degrees F, the bag itself dissolves in hot water flush at 140 degrees F.

As I explained at the beginning, I doubt most of us caring for elderly parents or other family members will ever need these melt-away bags. But I've learned from experience to pass on anything unique like this because there WILL be some of us who will be thrilled to learn of these bags. And any useful little tips for taking care of elderly parents or any other family members in the Sandwich Generation are always such a blessing to share as well as learn, don't you think? And speaking of great tips to help caregivers, the latest Twitter #ElderCareChat recap is now available at Seniors For Living. Great resources for the Sandwich Generation, all!  

Kaye

Eyesight and aging eye changes can definitely be an issue for the whole Sandwich Generation family – from grandtots in eyeglasses to senior parents facing cataract surgery. And one that is especially concerning to me personally, and perhaps to many of you, is Macular Degeneration. Since this is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness month, I thought it would be good to share some important facts about this not-very-nice disease that my own senior dad had. 

According to the National Institutes of Health:

Macular degeneration, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 and older. It is a disease that destroys your sharp, central vision. You need central vision to see objects clearly and to do tasks such as reading and driving.

AMD affects the macula, which is the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. It doesn't hurt, but it causes cells in the macula to die. In some cases, AMD advances so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. In others, the disease progresses much faster and may lead to a loss of vision in both eyes. Regular comprehensive eye exams can detect macular degeneration before the disease causes any vision loss. Treatment can slow down vision loss, but it does not restore vision.

They have some very useful and comprensive information and FAQs for us at their site, Facts About Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Genentech and the American Society of Retina Specialists also share some concerning info about this disease including:

"The same things that put you at risk for heart disease and stroke also put you at risk for AMD, such as:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

I was surprised to discover that gender (WOMEN more than men) is one of the other things that play an important role in whether you might get this disease, along with age (over 60), and family history. You can read all the warning signs and find more useful information at their site, AMD Awareness.

As Dr. Ryne C. Wood, Optometrist with Leet EyeCare in Missouri, points out, "February is AMD Awareness Month and we encourage all people, especially those at higher risk for this disease, to familiarize themselves with the potential symptoms and need for regular eye examinations." Sounds like good advice for all of us in the Sandwich Generation, along with our senior parents! 

P.S. If you'd like more information on this subject, you might like to check into the book, The First Year: Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Daniel L. Roberts, which comes in a Kindle and Extra Large Print books. Mr. Roberts is a patient of AMD himself and has a resource-full website devoted to the topic of AMD.

P.P.S.

Kaye

I recently got the prettiest velour sweat shirt/jacket, similar to this shade of dark pink, during the after-Christmas sales. Quite pretty, easy wash and dry, and it looks so nice – even with my Sandwich Generation/baby boomer burgeoning metabolism and tummy. 

This being Pink Saturday, I'm betting many of us also have a cute pink sweat suit – one that looks so perky and raises our spirits. Even our senior moms may have one of those. The senior dads probably prefer grey, what do you think? 

Why all the sweat suit talk? Because I found a note I made to myself after a dear friend's surgery a while back. No matter how cute they look, do NOT wear those cute pinks or "stylin' greys" if you are headed for the hospital for surgery. Why?

Depending on the surgery and all that it entails, there's a good possibility they will get spotted, stained, or totally ruined. While we were in recovery for an out-patient procedure, I overheard another patient commenting that she had gotten blood on her pants and was so upset as it was a favorite pair of hers.

Not a fun or exciting post – but an eminently practical one with another of my simple tips for taking care of our Sandwich Generation family, from elderly parents on down to the grandkids. BLACK is definitely the color to pick when you are headed for the hospital – preferably with full elastic waist pants. It may not be quite as pretty as our favorite pinks, but it is definitely less likely to show any stains – whether blood, medications, or spilled food. And those full elastic waist pants will be much easier to put on and take off! Comfort clothing for the hospital for all, from grandkids to elderly parents – "the only way to fly." (And yes, that cute velour set at the top comes in black as well. I do love ! )

Kaye

Depression! It can hit all ages, can't it? I was mildly depressed when I discovered my favorite, easy to use editing tool, Picnik.com – perfect to help me with pictures from my digital camera – was closing up and partially moving to Google + (yes, I do take my tech goodies a little too seriously at times, but really – this is costing me a TON of time to find a replacement, so it is a bit of a big deal. ). One of my grandkids was in tears over similar geeky news in his world this week (more on that tomorrow – and yes, he's doing fine! ). And for the Sandwich Generation, caring for elderly parents, we well know that depression can also impact our aging parents.

Whether it is over the loss of a beloved spouse, being alone so much, or having to move from their beloved home to a family member's home or a senior care residence, depression can definitely be a big factor in all of that.

If your senior parent is taking, or thinking of taking, medication for their depression or anxiety, do have them be extra cautious. I had already heard that Xanax was a cause for concern for a beloved senior citizen as they are more likely to fall due to it. Now there is important news for seniors about Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) that are often prescribed for depression – they, too, are causing more falls among the elderly – particularly those with dementia – At Dementia Today, I read, "However, now it is being said that SSRIs make a person suffering dementia to fall quite often which could lead to his death. As per the research, the risk of this kind of medication is three times more than that caused by using conventional dementia drugs."

And the headline at Online National News Network exclaims, "Depression drugs ‘causing falls,'" with a quote from Professor Clive Ballard, from the Alzheimer’s Society, who said it was "worrying" that such a commonly prescribed anti-depressant was causing increased risk…It is important to highlight any aspect of care that might be causing risk to a person with dementia. We want to ensure that people with the condition are always receiving the best care possible."It's definitely cause for concern, awareness, close supervision and lots of prayer for all of us in the Sandwich Generation, caring for our elderly parents and other relatives – in their own home or in a care facility! Don't forget, a big help with that awareness factor is #eldercarechat as well as #talkalz on Twitter.  You can find a recap of the latest #ElderCareChat all about the Sandwich Generation by clicking here, follow SandwichINK on Twitter by clicking here, and…

Kaye

Dictionaries, dictionaries, dictionaries! It's definitely been the week for them in my Sandwich Generation family! My senior mom always has her light-weight, large-print paperback dictionary handy and loves it. She uses it whenever she writes her cards and notes to her friends and family and wouldn't trade it for nothin.' 

My granddaughter needed a dictionary for a special project this week. I suggested adding the dictionary app I have to her iTouch that she received at Christmas but she wanted a hard copy. I had recently lucked into a not-too-old used set of encyclopedias from the library for a whopping $2! I thought it had a dictionary with it, but when we looked – no luck. Later that day, I took her home and we checked in her room. Guess what! I had already given it to her and it was sitting on her bookcase just waiting for this project.

My grandsons are loving their new home schooling computer program they work on daily and this week, one was even learning all about dictionaries and encyclopedias.

And I, the Sandwich Generation granny nanny, have been having a blast with many in my family playing the Word With Friends game apps and exercising all our brains. It's been a very busy two weeks, but playing those words are easy to sneak into the seconds we spend standing in line and give me a bit of fun and a huge smile as I virtually giggle with friends and family.  

As a result of our games-playing, I added some new dictionary apps to my already useful and free Dictionary! app:

• Word Lookup is a dictionary and anagram finder for word games like Words With Friends, Scrabble, and crossword games. Use it to resolve a 'challenge,' improve your game, and learn new words and their meanings. There is both a free version and an upgraded version for 99 cents.
• WordWeb - An English dictionary and thesaurus: fast searching, spelling suggestions, definitions, usage examples, synonyms, related words – and no ads. Free app.
• The Free Dictionary by Farlex – as it says, it's a free app and it's great! 

I also have two medical dictionaries that come in handy with caregiving AND Words With Friends:

• MedAbbreviations: Medical Abbreviations Reference – Provides instant access to over "thirteen thousand" abbreviations, including medical terms, common shorthand, and professional associations and organizations. Provides fast search and fast scanning. 99 cents. It's an excellent app that helps us understand the different abbreviations that may up with medical treatments
• Medical Dictionary online – I bookmarked this to my iPhone home page – it's a very handy site, as well.  

All these dictionaries are quite useful to most, if not all of us, in the Sandwich Generation – whether for our grandkids, our senior parents, our medical needs, or just plain having fun with brain exercise games like Scrabble, Hangman, Boggle, or the Words With Friends game apps. There are many other apps, as well – many of which can actually "do the work" of figuring out the words to help us win. But I generally skip those, as I want the brain exercise – for myself AND for my grandkids. How about you? And have you got any great dictionary resources to share with us? We'd love to hear.  

Kaye

This week I've been writing a lot about one of my favorite new additions to my "best iphone apps for kids and grandkids" – the Words with Friends game apps! And for all of us boomers and seniors it's grand news to realize it's also quite healthy for us in more than one way. Here are just SOME of the great headlines recently:

Kaye

I have a bit of a funny story to share with you. It happened to me – and it's never happened before. BUT I suspect it's happened to others and I'm sharing it as much as one of those useful tips for caring for ourselves and our elderly parents, as to give you all a fun Saturday chuckle.

As you may recall, last month I had an "Energizer" sinus infection. It kept going – and going – and going… I was almost done with the first round of antibiotics and was better, but the cough just wouldn't quit, so I finally got MYSELF going – back to the doctor. i was out of town, so I had to go to an urgent care clinic I'd visited before. Nice people, nice brand-new offices, and not too long of a wait.

After about 45 minutes, the sweet nurses' assistant took me back to one of the rooms and took all my vital signs. Then she left the room, saying the doctor should be there in just a few minutes. I sat on one of those fun little beds you find in these rooms and kept myself busy using my ever-handy iPhone.

All of a sudden, total darkness – except for that iPhone. My first thought was, "The power has gone out! What's happening!" My second thought was a bit more pragmatic. I immediately started waving my hands and hopped off the bed. Sure enough, the second thought was correct. The lights used one of those motion sensors. If there was no movement in the room for a certain amount of time, they would automatically turn off. Apparently, pushing buttons on a cell phone wasn't enough movement!

I had to chuckle at the situation, and my immediate "the world is ending" thought. But then I thought about my senior mom and how she might have felt, if she'd been in there alone. She certainly couldn't have hopped off the bed easily like me! And she gets very worried very easy, as so many of our elderly parents do. Hmmm, guess there's something else to keep an eye out for when we are taking our senior parents to doctor appointments. If I have to leave her in a room in the future, I'll definitely remind her to wave her her arms every so often! Yes, we may look a bit silly, but better safe than sorry and much easier than having to carry a bird around us to move around! And if you are at the doctor's with kids or grandkids, might be fun to have them wave periodically too.  

Kaye

As you may have noticed, it's been a bit of a scientific theme at SandwichINK this week. And as we all know, science is vital for all of us in caring for elderly parents! So in keeping with this week's focus, I thought it would be interesting and useful to share some of the latest scientific and other news of special interest for our aging parents (not to mention all of us boomers and seniors in the Sandwich Generation.) Such as:

• Pneumonitis, a respiratory illness that strikes the elderly, knocked homicide off the list of the top killers in the United States for the first time in 45 years, per the CDC!
• Grief Can Cause a Heart Attack as this sweet love story illustrates –  Man, wife married 61 years, die hours apart
• Alzheimer’s Gene Carriers May Cut Risk With Exercise, Study Says by By Nicole Ostrow
• Sandwich Generation Stress: Five Survival Tips by Michelle Seitzer
• The Impact of Caregiving on Health and Finances
• New rule could mean sad news for many boomers and seniors - Work rule could end up costing seniors, caregivers by Joseph Bensmihen
• #ElderCareChat 1/4/12 Recap: Personal and Professional Caregiving Goals

And here's some interesting news from SandwichINK with two of my latest guest posts:

• Encourage Our Elderly Parents to Exercise In Winter for “Snow” Many Good Reasons at EldercareABCblog.
• Grief and Loss During Or After the Holiday Season at Writer Interrupted

Whew! Lots of good senior and boomer news and info, whether you are in the throes of science fair projects preparation like us, or not. How about you? Have you heard any important scientific or other news of use to all of us boomers and seniors in the Sandwich Generation. We'd love to hear about it.

Kaye