5 Surprising Killers Lurking in Your Bathroom

Nobody’s thinking about danger while relaxing in a warm shower. Yet potential danger, even the fatal kind, is all around you in a bathroom. According to a 2007 research report by the Home Safety Council, preventable home injuries are the fifth largest cause of death in the U.S. And safety researchers point to the bathroom, along with the kitchen and stairs, as the most dangerous zones in the house.

Here are five threats that often trip up (sometimes literally) the unwary:

1. Water, water everywhere

The most basic part of the “water closet” — the water in the sink, tub, and shower — is probably its number-one danger. More people are injured, even fatally, in bathroom falls than in any other room in the house. Trouble is, water doesn’t always stay where it should. Poorly fitting shower curtains and simple wet feet are two of the biggest causes of water winding up on the bathroom floor.

A better way: The ideal shower has a shatterproof glass door, rather than a curtain. Failing that, you can minimize leaks by hanging a curtain liner that falls inside the tub and a second, decorative curtain that falls outside. To stop slips, try tiles in the shower with a slightly uneven surface (such as bumpy smaller tiles, rather than large, smooth squares) that feet can grip onto. A cheaper alternative: strips of adhesive nonslip decals on the shower or bathtub floor.

Keep a nonskid rug on the floor next to the shower/bath exit and in front of the sink. Basic scatter rugs are themselves a tripping hazard; look for one made to absorb moisture and stay in place on the floor. And if you’re renovating, be sure to use nonslip tiles on the floor.

2. Bathroom danger: Slick tub or shower bed

Modern Americans use lots of products in the shower and bath. Trouble is, all that shampoo, conditioner, body wash, exfoliant, bath gel, shaving cream, and bubble bath collects as residue on the sides and floor, making them slippery.

A better way: Soapy buildup should be cleaned off regularly. Giving the shower or tub a quick wipe down with a washcloth after each use helps minimize slickness. A strong adult may be able to withstand the residue, but someone with balance problems, such as a frail older adult, can slip just enough to lead to a fall.

Be sure, too, to install well-anchored grab bars wherever slips are likely.

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5 Signs of Short Term Memory Loss

Short Term Memory Loss

Your elderly loved one has undoubtedly changed over the years, perhaps they are not as active or as healthy as they once were. For many individuals, Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease are major concerns, and these illnesses and others often manifest themselves in the form of short term memory loss.  To help keep your elderly loved one as healthy and happy as possible, it is crucial that you pay close attention and catch short term memory loss right when it begins. The following are five signs that short term memory loss may be present.

Decline in Cognitive Capabilities

1. Forgetting recent events or activities can be difficult to pinpoint at first, but this symptom of short term memory loss can quickly escalate and even cause dementia. Individuals with this symptom may have a difficult time planning or organizing, may forget to take their medicine, or may not pay bills on time.

Speech Confusion 

2. Speech confusion. When elderly individuals have a difficult time finding the right words, or mix up the meaning of common words, this may be a sign of short term memory loss.

Changes in Mood or Personality 

3. Individuals who suffer from short term memory loss may have the constant feeling that something is… off. This can prompt them to act in a different way than normal, and may cause anxiety or other distress.

Disorientation 

4. Though visiting a new place can be disorienting for anyone, it is something that most people can navigate. For individuals who have short term memory loss, coping with unfamiliar surroundings can be difficult because they may not remember how they arrived in this new place.

Repetitiveness

5. Elderly individuals who suffer from short term memory loss may ask the same question several times, or repeatedly make the same observation.

Though there really is no cure for memory loss, mild cases can be treated. The key is to address the issue quickly, before it becomes too severe. By watching out for these five signs of memory loss, you may be able to pinpoint short term issues and have them treated quickly. Additionally, paying close attention to the behavior of your elderly loved one will also allow you to better care for their needs.

How does the aging process affect driving ability?

by Julia Layton

The fact is, human beings age at different rates. Some drivers are as safe at 80 as they were at 40, while others probably should give up driving at 65. There are countless factors affecting an older person’s safety behind the wheel. Driving is a complex task, and it involves many systems, both physical and mental, all of which need to be in top form in order to handle the quickly changing environment of the road.

One of most drastic physical changes that occurs with age is vision deterioration. Light reception is what enables us to see, and as we age, our eyes become less sensitive to light. Also, refocusing from one object to the next takes longer, so the “simple” task of checking the speedometer and then moving our attention back to the car ahead of us becomes a lot less simple. Older eyes are also more susceptible to glare because the lenses of the eyes thicken and the pupils shrink as we get older. According to the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation, someone who is 55 takes eight times longer to regain normal vision after exposure to bright light than someone who is 16. Other visual systems affected by aging include peripheral vision, depth perception and color perception. An older person may have trouble distinguishing red lights from yellow lights or brake lights from running lights. Also, many seniors suffer from vision disorders like cataracts and macular degeneration.

All of this makes it more difficult to read road signs, react quickly to busy road conditions and accurately determine distance and speed.

Another function affected by the aging process is hearing. Hearing is an important part of safe driving — it allows us to react properly to ambulance and police sirens and the honking horns of people trying to warn us of danger or mistakes. Thirty-three percent of people over the age of 65 have some degree of hearing loss. Over the age of 75, that number goes up to 75 percent. Motor skills also suffer with age. Muscles weaken, reflexes slow down and flexibility decreases. This all makes it harder to do things like turn your head to make sure it’s safe to change lanes and quickly turn the steering wheel to avoid a collision. Also, arthritis is very common among senior citizens, making quick and fluid motion and maneuverability even more difficult.

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Living to 100? That Will Be $3.5 Million

By Jonnelle Marte and Linda Lacina | SmartMoney

The average American who lives to the ripe old age of 100 will spend $3.5 million in his or her lifetime, according to an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A good chunk of that bill, more than $1.5 million, will have been racked by your 50th birthday. The next 30 or so years — the average 50-year-old today can expect to live until 81 — will run another $1.4 million. And the lucky few who make it to 100 will need an additional $630,000. Experts say these high costs of living often come as a shock to retirees, many of whom expect to dramatically cut back on their living expenses as they get older and stick to a fixed budget. “A lot of time people actually end up spending more money in retirement than they may have spent when they were working,” says Heidi Schmidt, a wealth manager in Dallas with USAA.
Just where that money goes depends largely on your decade. Most people in their 60s spend a lot of their savings on entertainment — finally buying that sail boat or splurging on trips to the Caribbean. Those in their 80s, on the other hand, typically swap a good portion of their leisure budget for medical bills.

Of course, not all expenses come down to age, experts say. A healthy octogenarian with wanderlust might have spending habits more in line with people twenty or thirty years younger. And certainly many Americans will spend much less in retirement — either through careful planning, a good bit of luck or both. Whatever the retirement goals, here’s a breakdown of how spending tends to vary through the retirement years.

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Problems Facing Elderly Living Alone

By Erin Schreiner, eHow Contributor

For many elderly members of society, living alone is a way of life. After their  children grow and move out and their spouses pass on, the left-behind seniors  must face the task of maintaining a household solo. If you have an elderly loved  one who is dealing with the rigors of living alone, consider some of the  problems that this arrangement may create.

Increased Risk of Poverty

• Most elderly individuals depend upon personal retirement accounts or  government assistance to meet their financial needs. Because these individuals  no longer work, they are more likely to fall into poverty, reports Merck.  Exceptionally old seniors who have outlived spouses and must now support the  household alone are at even more risk of running into financial difficulties.  Family and friends of elderly individuals living alone can help them avoid these  potential financial problems by helping them create and maintain a budget;  monitoring the senior’s financial security.

Trip and Fall Risks

• While some elderly individuals are still quite spry, many are not as  physically able as they were in their youth. Elderly individuals living alone  run the risk of falling within their homes and having no way of alerting others  to their emergencies. Many technological advances have been made to help seniors  who are at risk of experiencing this type if in-home trauma. Individuals worried  about the risk of the senior citizen in their lives can provide them with an  alert system, such as an alert necklace or watch, to use should they take a  tumble.

Errand Running Struggles

• As seniors age, they often lose their ability to get out and about and  complete their own errands. The inability to drive due to visual difficulties or  mental acuity can make even seemingly simple things, such as picking up some  milk from the store, next to impossible. Individuals charged with caring for  live-alone elderly individuals who can not venture out for their own errand  completion can assist these individuals by creating an errand completion  schedule and picking up the things that this senior requires, or shuttling her  out to get them herself.

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