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Aging Gracefully: A Guide to Independent Living for Veterans and Caregivers
This handout provides a comprehensive overview of how to promote and support independent living for aging Veterans. It highlights the crucial role of assistive technology (AT) and adaptive equipment in maintaining a high quality of life, physical and mental health.
Core Principles
Independence is key to well-being: Fostering a Veteran's independence directly correlates with positive physical and mental health outcomes, leading to a higher quality of life throughout the aging process.
Assistive Technology (AT): Any technology that helps a person perform a task more easily.
Adaptive Equipment: Tools specifically designed to enable a person to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
Technology and Tools for Independent Living
This section is a detailed guide to various tools that can be used to enhance safety, support daily tasks, and maintain social connections.
1. Home Safety & Accessibility
Sensors and Automation: Automatic stove shut-off sensors, electronic door locks, and temperature/moisture sensors can prevent accidents.
Medical Alerts: Emergency call buttons, fall detectors, and medication dispensers with escalation alerts provide a crucial safety net.
Smart Home Technology:
Video doorbells and keypad-controlled locks enhance security.
Smart light bulbs and blinds can be controlled remotely or with voice commands.
Bathroom motion sensors can detect falls and alert a caregiver.
Remote support hubs (e.g., Rest Assured) offer integrated remote monitoring.
2. Daily Routines & Personal Care
Adaptive Clothing: Designed for physical or cognitive disabilities, this clothing promotes easy dressing, comfort, and independence. Examples include:
Open-back shirts with Velcro® or snaps.
Magnetic closures on shirts and pants.
Back-flap pants and side-zip pants for wheelchair users.
Adaptive footwear with Velcro® closures.
Hygiene Aids:
Bathing: Tub benches, grab bars, handheld showers, and long-handled bathing brushes.
Grooming: Electric toothbrushes and razors, automatic soap and toothpaste dispensers, and no-fog mirrors.
Toileting: Grab bars, bidets, and talking/no-touch thermometers or scales.
3. Nutrition and Mealtime Support
Kitchen Tools:
Dycem stabilizers prevent bowls and cutting boards from slipping.
Liftware spoons help those with tremors.
One-handed bottle openers and electric jar openers assist with limited hand strength.
Liquid level detectors provide an auditory alert to prevent spills.
Simplified Cooking:
Use modified cookbooks with large print or visuals.
Utilize alternative appliances like an air fryer or slow cooker.
The "CanPlan" app can break down cooking tasks into step-by-step instructions with video modeling.
Talking kitchen scales and Alexa-enabled microwaves support those with visual impairments.
Meal Delivery: Services like Meals on Wheels, Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats can simplify meal preparation and grocery shopping.
4. Health and Medication Management
Pill Management: Automatic medication dispensers with alerts and escalation features ensure medications are taken on time.
Health Trackers: Apps like MyChart or Apple Health provide a digital record of appointments and prescriptions.
Telehealth: Virtual appointments can reduce the need for travel, conserving energy.
5. Recreation and Social Connection
Media and Communication:
Smart TVs with gesture or voice control.
Smart speakers with screens (e.g., Amazon Echo Show) for easy video calls.
Captioning and descriptive video settings on smart devices.
Mobility & Navigation:
GPS trackers and apps like "Find My Friends" provide peace of mind.
The AbleLink travel app offers GPS-based, step-by-step guidance for public transit or walking paths.
Reading & Accessibility Tools:
See10 reader and Seeing Eye app for reading assistance.
Talking calculators and money identifiers for financial management.
Equipment lending programs offer a low-cost way to try out various tools.
The Assistive Technology (AT) Assessment Process
A successful AT implementation is an ongoing and collaborative effort. A comprehensive assessment considers the following four key areas:
Self:
What are the Veteran's strengths and weaknesses?
Are there sensory issues (light, sound, touch)?
What is their reliable access method (touch, voice, switch)?
Environment:
What is the living situation?
What level of caregiver support is available for setup and training?
Are outside providers involved?
Tasks:
What activities does the Veteran want to do but currently cannot (e.g., preparing a meal, shopping for groceries)?
Tools:
What are the available tools that can meet the Veteran's goals?
By considering these factors, social workers can effectively recommend and implement solutions that truly empower Veterans to live more independently and gracefully.
Detecting STROKE
F: can you make a smile , or is part of the smile turning downward
A: Raise arms to the horizontal position
S: ability to recognize and use speech
T: Every Minute Counts
Brain Attach and Heart Attack mean the faster you recognize someone needs help then the better the outcome
Normal Brain Aging:
Executive Function problems
Episodic memory problems
(working memory problems)
Processing Declines
What can we do?
Connect new information to old information. Connect new routines to ones that are established.
Process information by elaborating as much as possible on a new topic or piece of information. Use a graphic organizer.
We remember visual and spatial information more than verbal as we age. We remember strange, funny, and out of the ordinary things.
Think of visuals that are funny, strange , or different when trying to remember something new.
Use tools like calculators, phones to write down numbers, and reminders on smart phones and smart devices.
Give an older individual a few extra seconds to process and formulate answers to questions. Give written and verbal information. Provide a visual to facilitate memory whenever possible. Ask an individual to repeat back what next steps need to be taken to ensure comprehension.
Eat many fruits and leafy greens
Embed exercise into your routine
And embed social activities into your routine
And then maybe you will be shaking your tooshie on the dance floor like my favorite actor, that is, Dick Van Dyke.
Lesson to Help Remember
Multi-Sensory Remembrance Activity/
Getting to Know You
Resources
• Whiteboard
• Whiteboard pens and rubber
• Name stickers
• CD player and music for the session: ‘Getting to Know You’
• Book of names and their meanings
Map of the World or USA
Colored sticky dots for map
Treat of some kind like doughnuts
Inflatable question ball
Letter tiles from a scrabble game
Current events from a newspaper
To start session provide everyone with name stickers
Discuss current events for 10 minutes
Activity 1 for names and meanings
Ask each person in turn to introduce themselves and say their name. Write out a name sticker for them to wear. Ask them if they know what the meaning of their name is. Use the book of names to look up each person’s name if they do not know the meaning of it.
What is your first middle and last name?
Answer: Suzonne Kakoolaki
Where did your name come from and who chose it?
My name is Middle Eastern and my Mom selected it because it was close to a name used in the USA as well
Is there a family history of your name?
The origin of my last name is not known as different sources report the country of origin to be in more than one country
Do I have any nick names?
Yes, SuzyQ and my grandmother called me Sue(adapted from the name Susan)
* Have you used different names for different times and places, such as how you were known at home and work, as a child or as an adult?
As a young child, I did not want to have a different sounding name and to my Mom’s annoyance I decided to go by Suzanne until a little boy said to the achy breaky heart song that he “might blow up and kill Suzanne.” Then, I went back to being the name my Mom gave me.
* Have you used different names for different times and places, such as how you were known at home and work, as a child or as an adult?
No, never married
* Do you think your name suits you?
Yes
How do you feel about your name?
I like my name
* If you could have chosen your own name, would you have chosen something different?
Maybe a time or two but I am not comfortable sharing that here
Are you named after anyone famous?
Nope!
What does my name mean?
Flower. Suzonne is one of the derivatives from the land of Susa (land between Russia and Iran today) where lilies grow
Activity 2: Places where people grew up
Activity 3: Tasting time
When we meet a new friend, we might invite them for coffee and a doughnut.
Offer a doughnut to everyone
Activity 4 Play Getting to know you song
Using the inflatable question ball, group members take turns to roll it and choose a question to answer.
Next Group meeting
Play some Disney spooky Halloween sounds
Pass around pictures of Halloween objects and fall pictures
Did you enjoy fall when you were young?
Do you remember a fall when the leaves were passed your ankles?
Picture of Jack o lantern
How did you get the pumpkin?
How did you make the face on the pumpkin?
What things come to mind when you think of fall?
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