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The Importance of Words and How They Affect People

Donna Nichols • July 5, 2024

Have you ever been at a restaurant or in a store and the server or clerk calls you “honey” or “sweetheart”? I, personally, can’t stand it when someone calls me this, even if it’s done with the best of intentions. This is condescending in my opinion and usually done by someone much younger than I am.

 

We tend to “talk down” to seniors as well. It’s not our intention, it’s just something we do, and we need to be more aware of it and change the way we speak to them and about them.

 

A lot of seniors think of their caregivers as “babysitters” we must emphasize they are caregivers and are there to make sure nothing happens to them. Explain to them that as you cannot be there, someone must prepare their meals because they can’t cook or carry plates to the table any longer. Let them know the caregiver is not there to babysit them, they are there to assist them. The caregiver is there to make their bed, do their laundry, and clean their bathroom as they are no longer able to do those things either.

 

Another important thing is using the word “diaper.” Please don’t use this word if your senior is incontinent. Call them what they are, whether they are Depends, or pads, or whatever, just don’t call them diapers, because babies wear diapers.

 

Remember: small changes make big differences.

 

Thinking about the words you use; how do you convince your loved one it’s time to move into an assisted living community? Please don’t use the word “facility,” this word brings up ideas of a nursing home or an institution and our assisted living communities are nothing like that. Use words like community or apartment, after all, they are moving into an apartment within a community.

 

Don’t dwell on their declination, instead stress the positive aspects of the community. Like, senior communities are resort-like living with all your meals included housekeeping, activities, and laundry; you don’t have to do anything unless you want to. You will have so many other people to share movie time with, meals with, play cards with and so many other social gatherings with others.

 

Should you slip up and use words that make them feel like a child, don’t beat yourself up, just apologize and try better next time. Change takes time, once you start noticing the words you say and the impact they have, the easier it will become to improve. All we really want is for our loved ones to maintain their dignity and be willing to accept the support they need so they can continue to live life to the fullest.

 

Should you need assistance with any aspect concerning your elder(s), please call us at 386-847-2322. We are Assisted Senior Services.

 

Maya Angelou said it best,

 

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

— Maya Angelou

Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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