The Senior Scene

(Pictured: Matti Rinehart and her dog, Benji, have received food from Meals on Wheels during her battle with cancer. Photo credit: Jake Lyell)

Like humans, four-legged family members need love and care. However, the relationship is not one-sided. In addition to joy and unconditional love, pets can help their owners – particularly seniors – live longer, happier, healthier lives, according to the Human Animal Bond Research Institutes (HABRI). Caring for pets may reduce anxiety, decrease loneliness, encourage physical activity and more.

Benefits of owning a pet and the important role a furry friend can play in healthy aging is noted by Meals on Wheels America. The national non-profit supports a network of more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country addressing senior hunger and isolation, and they serve furry clients, too. Hundreds of local programs provide pet food and supplies, plus services such as veterinary care access, grooming, emergency boarding, and dog walking. This helps seniors care for their animal companions and increases the chances they will stay together.

The organization’s pet programming success hinges on community investments, including national support from PetSmart Charities, as well as donations from local pet supply stores, veterinary clinics and other community-based businesses.

Since the program launched five years ago, the people behind it noticed a number of key benefits of pet ownership:

Improving mental health.

Pets typically waste little time in coming to their owners’ aid when they sense feelings of sadness or other negative emotions. Physical interactions, such as petting, can cause the release of endorphins, which are natural mood boosters, promoting happiness and well-being.

Companionship.

Pets serve as a source of comfort and emotional support during difficult times and reduce feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Nearly 98 percent of Meals on Wheels’ clients with pets said their animals make them happier and less lonely. Many seniors often find solace in talking to their pets, their closest companions and often one of their only sources of consistent comfort.

Physical activity.

Pets help keep older adults active with the opportunity to play and go on walks. Even if mobility is limited, pets can spark physical activity in day-to-day life. Dog owners reported more minutes per week of physical activity compared with non-dog owners, according to HABRI. Regular physical activity has been shown to help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Known for providing nourishing meals and companionship to homebound seniors across the country, Meals on Wheels also serves furry clients. This extra layer of support allows seniors to continue living independently with their floppy-eared hounds and whiskered felines, including David, who lives alone with Rebel, his 7-year-old blue heeler.

In May, volunteers from a local program delivered the 13-millionth pet meal, which just so happened to go to David and Rebel’s doorstep. This is one of several services offered by many programs across the country, which often provide veterinary care access, cat litter, leashes, treats and toys, grooming, emergency boarding and dog walking.

Before connecting with the charity, David resorted to paying only half his electric bill – just enough to keep the lights on – so he could afford food for his pup.

“I was barely making it,” David said.

Many homebound seniors make sacrifices like this to care for their pets. More than 1 in 5 Meals on Wheels clients with pets forgo meals themselves to feed their companion animals. About 30 percent skimp on other necessities, like medical care and utilities, to provide for their pets.

Despite these challenges, pets are a powerful force in the fight against senior isolation. That includes David, who relies on Rebel, a registered service animal, to help manage his anxiety and depression.

“Rebel the Wonder Dog – that’s what I call him,” David said. “I wonder how he’s still here and how he takes care of me so much. I talk to him all day like a human because I got no family. He helps me more than people will ever know.”

More information about pet assistance programs is at mealsonwheelsamerica.org/pets.

Source: Family Features

(Pictured: Jason Erskine, AARP Washington’s communications director, says support and services are critical for people caring for their parents, spouses, or other loved ones.)

By Jason Erskine

Chances are, if you aren’t a family caregiver, you know someone who is. Every day, more than 820,000 Washingtonians help their parents, spouses, siblings, grandparents, neighbors and other loved ones live independently at home – where they want to be.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to highlight the important work these folks do. But simply thanking them isn’t enough. Here in Washington and across the country, AARP is advocating for more support, services that are community-based or home-based, caregiver training, and more. We’re also working to connect caregivers and their loved ones with the resources and supports they need. 

Caregiving may start with driving your loved one to get groceries or going to doctor appointments. As time goes by, you may help prepare meals or handle bills, and you may find yourself taking time off from work to help. You may not think of yourself as a caregiver, but if you are helping someone with daily activities like getting dressed, managing medication and providing transportation to and from appointments, then you are a caregiver, and help is available. Check out the following resources:

Call 2-1-1.

AARP and United Way have teamed up to connect you with trained, compassionate people in your community who can help you find AARP caregiving resources and more. It’s called 2-1-1, it’s free, and you can talk to specialists who can help you find local resources for caring for your loved one, like driving to medical appointments, managing medications, or helping with finances or meals. You can also find resources that will help you navigate more specialized issues like home safety or veterans’ benefits. When you contact 2-1-1 and ask for AARP resources, you can get help for yourself, too, including support groups and counseling and employment and placement assistance. Call or visit www.aarp.org/211care

Caring for Caregivers.

Visit “Caring for Caregivers” at www.aarp.org/caregiverswa. You’ll find links to local resources and support, special events and activities for caregivers, and more.  Be sure to look for our video podcast series featuring discussions with local experts, community leaders, and caregivers just like you on a range of topics to help you along your caregiving journey.

Local Resources Guide.

If you are wondering where to turn closer to home, our state resource guide is here to help. Find local services for family caregiving, finances, legal support, health assistance, housing and care facilities, end-of-life care, and more. For more information, visit https://states.aarp.org/washington-211. A print copy is also available by calling 877-333-5885.

BenefitsCheckUp.org:

Operated by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), www.BenefitsCheckUp.org is a free tool that identifies services that can help pay for healthcare, medication, food, and utilities. For those needing long-term care or caregiver support, the platform can connect users to affordable aid and volunteer caregiver relief options. Additionally, the site assists with applications for over 50 programs, like Medicare’s Extra Help and state pharmacy plans.

No matter where you are in your caregiving journey — starting to plan; taking care of a friend or family member,  in a home, a facility, or from a distance; or managing end-of-life caregiving responsibilities — having the right resources, information, and connections can make all the difference.  Understand that you’re not alone in this journey; your role is essential, and there are tools out there to help.

Jason Erskine is AARP Washington’s communications director.

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

As part of National Family Caregivers Month in November, Pierce County Human Services, through its Aging and Disability Resources program, is inviting the public to share personal stories about caring for loved ones and how it has affected their lives. The stories can be submitted online at https://www.cognitoforms.com/PierceCounty2/FamilyCaregiverStories

By Cyndi Bray

Cutting energy waste in the home is not only good for the environment, it can also save money. Most people wouldn’t expect it, but washing machines and dryers are some of the biggest energy wasters in homes. One study estimated the nation’s residential laundry carbon dioxide emissions at 179 million metric tons per year. That’s equal to the total annual energy use of more than 21 million homes. 

While high-efficiency machines use less water and electricity than other models, more can be done to reduce the environmental impact of doing laundry, especially when it comes to cumbersome items like bed sheets.

The first step is to know your machines. Most people never take the time to read the owner’s manual for their washer and dryer, which could lead to missed maintenance and not fully understanding what the various cycles and settings mean.

It’s also important to check the care labels on garments, towels, and sheets. The fabric care instructions sewn into the items list the harshest conditions they can tolerate. Many people will be surprised to learn that laundry advice passed down from parents and grandparents may conflict with manufacturer recommendations.

These tips can also help save time, energy, water, and even money when doing laundry:

• Give your dryer a clean slate. Check and empty the lint trap before each load. A full lint trap reduces efficiency and becomes a fire hazard. A clogged lint trap prevents the dryer from being able to exhaust hot air, causing it to overheat.
• Washing in cold water eliminates the need to use energy to heat the water, and it is also gentler on fabrics so they will last longer. Heating water uses the most energy where the washer is concerned. These days, most laundry detergents clean well in cold water, and there are also options specific for washing on cold.
• Combine loads. When you wash everything in cold water, you could eliminate the need for separate loads, so you may be able to wash fewer loads. Don’t be afraid to mix your clothes in with your sheets. (If you’re washing a new colorful item, be sure to keep it away from whites and light colors.)
• When washing and drying sheets, use Wad-Free for Bed Sheets, which prevents them from tangling, twisting, and balling-up in the washing machine and the dryer, so they come out cleaner and dry up to 75 percent faster. The savings are significant. 
• Keep dryers on low. Even though it will take longer for items to dry using a low heat setting, you will still use less energy than a medium or high setting, and again all your items will last longer without exposure to heat. Drying loads one after the other can also help by retaining the heat in the dryer for the next load.

And instead of chemical fabric softeners or dryer sheets that end up in landfills, opt for reusable wool dryer balls with a few drops of essential oils on them to add scent to laundry and reduce static.

Cyndi Bray is the inventor and founder of Wad-Free (wadfree.com) laundry products.