June 2, 2023 AgingHere

Author

Aging Here
June 02, 2023

Sign up for the free weekly newsletter helping aging-in-place and eldercare professionals stay in the loop. 

In this week’s email:

  • Online test to check if a senior is still safe to drive.

  • What will the 2024 COLA for your Social Security benefit look like? Consider a lesser scale.

  • Addressing the changing needs of retirees, seniors, and multi-generational households.

  • How do ADLS and IADLS differ from one another?

  • Today’s Survey

  • Making us laugh this week

Test brain driving ability

CogniFit's Driving Cognitive Assessment (DAB) is a professional and comprehensive tool that evaluates cognitive abilities and predicts driving performance. With digital neuropsychological tasks, it assesses the cognitive capacity and attitude needed for safe and efficient driving. This online test provides a detailed report with valuable information about driving ability, performance, and skills, helping to identify potential risks and cognitive deficits related to driving. It's an essential tool for assessing at-risk drivers and promoting road safety. Read more.

Older Americans may face a significant decrease in their Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) next year if inflation continues to decline, warns The Senior Citizens League. The estimate suggests a 3.1% COLA for 2024, compared to the record-high 8.7% in 2023. The lower adjustment raises concerns about diminishing purchasing power, highlighting the need for accurate COLA calculations that align with seniors' expenses. Currently, seniors' buying power has been eroded by inflation, impacting their financial security and overall well-being. Read more.


Adapting homes through remodeling and incorporating universal design principles can address the changing needs of aging populations and multi-generational households, providing safety, comfort, and convenience for both seniors and families with young children. Read more. Here are some basic guidelines:

Universal Design from Aging in Place.

• Switch door knobs for levers.

• Replace conventional faucets with ones that include motion controls or blade handles.

• When possible, remove stairs and level changes; make all corridors at least 36 inches wide; do not use long hallways; and make most, if not all, doorways and room openings at least 36 inches wide.

• One simple approach to ensure that a bathroom is accessible to both people in wheelchairs and small children is to simply lower one vanity sink and replace the cupboard behind it with a thin vanity shelf.

• Think about the automatic flushing systems.

• Install temperature controls in showers to prevent scorching.

• To make them easier to reach, lower wall switches and raise receptacles around the house. Install illuminated versions when needed for safety and convenience.

• Think about wall ovens that have side-opening doors as opposed to front-folding ones.

• Reduce the height of the cooktop so that a wheelchair or a short person can easily reach the burners.

• Look inside the drawers in the dishwasher and refrigerator, put your dishes in the drawers under the counter, and get rid of the higher cabinets. Install corner lazy-Susans and pull-out shelves.

ADLs and IADLs are used to assess the functional living abilities of aging individuals. ADLs, or Activities of Daily Living, refer to basic physical tasks like walking, bathing, and feeding. IADLs, or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, are more complex activities requiring cognitive skills, such as managing finances and transportation. ADLs help determine the need for basic care, while IADLs indicate cognitive impairment. Assessments can be done through caregiver reports and various tools. Read more.

Today's AgingHere Survey

How do you engage with senior clients who aren't tech-savvy?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Listen to Mastering Medicare Podcast Episode 20: Medicare Advantage and Delegated Medical Group Deep Dive with Alex Mohseni.

Making us laugh this week:
AgingHere Inspirational Quotes

"Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better!" - Ingrid Bergman

Reply

or to participate.