Between doctor visits, medications, and routine check-ups, organizing a weekly schedule can be stressful for anyone.  Not to mention, being a caregiver requires you to take care of your own health as well.  This can lead to unnecessary amounts of stress and added pressure to your loved ones and yourself.  Research shows carefully managing your stress is one of the most important factors influencing happiness and effectiveness.  Here are 7 tips to help you stay healthy and create an organized routine.

1.  Eat Regularly and healthy

Eating a balanced diet is very important to your health as well as your ability to provide care that is needed.  Forgetting to eat will only turn to poor food choices.  When malnourished, our bodies produce a hormone called Cortisol which causes us to crave foods high in fat and sugar.  This leads to lower amounts of energy and higher amounts of stress.

2.  get the proper amount of sleep

Adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, according The National Institute of Health.  Getting a good night sleep helps your body feel rejuvenated.  Try going to bed at the same time every night for a week straight.  See if you notice a difference in the way you feel.

3.  Stay physically active

Exercising not only helps maintain weight and prevent poor health conditions.  A study by Mayo Clinic shows exercising also boosts energy, improves mood, and helps your mental health.  Try to exercise for 30 minutes a day.  Any type of cardio movement will lead to a higher quality of life.

4.  join a support group

You don’t have to do it alone.  There are many support groups online where caregivers come together for support and guidance.  The Caregivers Space is a group with over 100,000 members and counselors dedicated to providing care to senior loved ones.  They are available 24/7 for any questions or comments.  Click here to become a member today!

5.  learn more about your loved ones needs

Every person is affected differently by aging.  Getting to know their desires, interest, and needs will not only help them live a happier and more fulfilling life but also help you become better at understanding and communicating with them.  Begin the conversation early to help build a lasting connection.

6.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Do not wait until you are completely overwhelmed with caregiving to ask for help.  Start to talk to other family members and friends about ways to everyone can help.  Also, look for resources such as local senior centers and meals on wheels programs to assist a couple days a week.

7.  Determine where you are needed most

While we all would love to be a superhero, taking on a role of caregiving does not make you one.  Every care situation is different, and circumstances can change over time.  It is okay to not be able to do everything all the time.  To help with this, figure out which specific activities and tasks you are needed most.  Wether it is bathing, eating and dressing or running errands and companionship.  Creating a list prioritizing where to spend most of your time will help you and your loved one.

 

Privacy Tips for Seniors

Cybersecurity has begun to fill news headlines more and more over the last five years.  As the internet grows, so does the desire for hackers to reach your private data.  Departments, including the government, have been breached on all levels.  Large name-brand stores, credit card monitoring companies, and big banks have all had a fair share of strikes occur against them.

However, there are a small percentage of Americans who have no online presence at all.  In fact, over 10% of Americans do not use the internet at all according to a United States based research company.  And, the majority of that group, are NOT over the age of 65.  Over two-thirds are under the age of 60.  This means we need to help protect our senior loved ones from a cyber attack.  Let’s dive in a little further on some tips we can use to help manage our risk.

1.  Learn the Basics of a Computer First

Many times seniors are receiving the latest tech equipment from their children or grandchildren.  While this may be a nice gesture, most of the time they are left alone after the initial setup.  Considering reading a guide on the steps to take before trying to get connected to the internet.  Abby Stokes writes a great book outlining the simple steps to take to help minimize your exposure.

2.  Always be Careful Where You Search

Before you click on any link, hover over the text and see if you recognize the URL address.  To do this, hold your mouse over the link without clicking on it.  Then, in the lower left-hand corner of the screen, the website URL address will appear.  Many times hijackers will use anchor text (just like I did right here) in order to try to confuse people into clicking their link.  These links can be found in emails and websites that are not secure.

In addition, Google released an article stating the necessity for all website host providers to switch over to SSL encryption.  What does this mean?  When you are on any website, the address bar will show either a lock or a NOT SECURE logo before URL.  Look at the picture below showing the difference between the two.  Make sure you only visit websites that are secure and have an SSL lock like the picture on the left.

 

3.  Be smart about your passwords

This one is crucial.  Nowadays, every site we log into requires a password.  While this is great for security purposes, it can become troublesome to remember all of your passwords.  What ends up happening is, we use the same ones that are easy to remember over and over again.  Not only is this an issue because of the ability to access all of your platforms once hacked, but you end up using a password that is familiar to you making it easier for the hackers to identify.

According to the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, you should be changing your password at least every 90 days.  This will help prevent unwanted visitors and protect your private data.  If you have trouble remembering your passwords, Last Pass is a password managing tool that is great to use.  I will leave a link just below for you to check out.

And remember, if you are unsure about an email or link, do not open it!

Click here to visit Last Pass for you Password Manager