Senior Moments:Craving Companionship

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675 N. Fifth Avenue, Suite 1BSequim, WA 98382-3066

(360) 381-2511www.homeinstead.com

SENIO

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MEN

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MER 2011

Serving Jefferson and Clallam

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ounties with offi

ces in Sequim,

Port Ludlow &

Port Townsend.

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News & Announcements

NEW OFFICE IN PORT TOWNSEND

Home Instead of the North Olympic Peninsula has just opened a new office near Kala Point in Port Townsend to better serve the needs of Eastern Jefferson County.

We are planning an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, September 10th, from 1PM - 4PM. Be sure to stay tuned for more information about this event!

Until then, please feel free to stop by and pay us a visit or give us a call Monday - Friday at 74 Kala Square Lane, Port Townsend, WA, (360) 385 - 6357.

FIND US ONLINE

In addition to the new office in Port Townsend, Home Instead of the North Olympic Peninsula is also branching out online. Watch videos, access featured articles and research topics related to aging, or get news alerts and features about your Home Instead office.

Search for the keyword “OlympicSrCare” on• FACEBOOK• TWITTER• FLICKR (photos)• SLIDESHARE (tutorials & slideshows)

Or search the term “OlympicSeniorCare” on • YOUTUBE (videos)• DE.LICI.OUS (recommended resources)

Visit us online www.homeinstead.com/650 to read staff bios, get a complete list of services, or submit an inquiry for additional information on how Home Instead can serve your needs.

RECIPES APPLE CINNAMON OATMEALApples are naturally sweet, helping to curb our cravings for sweets in a natural way. They have fiber and Vitamin C. Cinnamon has many beneficial properties, including a mild anti-inflammatory effect, anti-microbial properties (helps stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi), better blood sugar control, the odor boosts brain activity, and is an excellent source of manganese.

Ingredients: 1/3 cup rolled oats (or steel cut oats*) 2/3 cup liquid (1 cup liquid for steed cut oats*) ½ an apple cut into small pieces ½ tsp. cinnamon Dash of salt

Directions:Add all ingredients to a small pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes (about 20 minutes for steel cut oats*)

* Steel Cut Oats are a much heartier cereal. They have more fiber & nutrients. They have a wonderful, chewy texture and you will stay full longer when you eat steel cut oats.

SALMON WITH WHOLE WHEAT PENNE, PEAS, & DILLThis quick and easy pasta is a great weeknight recipe featuring the classic combination of salmon, peas and dill.Ingredients 1 (12-ounce) boneless, skinless fillet salmon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces 100% whole grain penne pasta 2 cups fresh or frozen petite green peas 3 cups packed baby spinach leaves 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds Directions:Bring a large pot of water to a boil for cooking the pasta. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place salmon on a baking sheet and sprinkle with lemon zest and pepper. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Add peas to the cooking pasta 2 minutes before pasta is done. Drain pasta and peas and return to pot. Stir in spinach, dill, lemon juice and fennel seeds and toss until well combined. Flake salmon into bite-size pieces and serve over pasta.

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What does an older adult who lives alone want most for dinner? The answer might surprise you. According to research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care ® network, an overwhelming majority of seniors (85%) say that having someone to share their meals makes those times more satisfying for them.*

Those same seniors revealed that the biggest mealtime challenge for older people who live alone is lack of the shared family experience including companionship. It’s a message that resonates with both family caregivers and senior care professionals throughout North America.

“Family caregivers and those who work with seniors may agree that older adults often need help planning and preparing nutritious meals,” said Je� Huber, President and Chief Operating

Instead Senior Care network. “But that’s only part of the story. So many older adults are lacking mealtime companionship. They want to relive a time around the dinner table when they can share their lives with the people they love most.”

Bringing mealtimes back to older adults often revives treasured memories, which can contribute to their well-being. That’s the idea behind the Home Instead Senior Care network’s Craving CompanionshipSM program at www.mealsandcompanionship.com. The program o�ers tips and practical advice for family caregivers to encourage companionship and easy healthy meals.

FAMILY SUPPORTCraving Companionship is geared to helping families support a nutritiously vulnerable population – older adults who live alone. In the United States, approximately 40% of the population age 75 and older – 6.7 million people – lives alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sadly, these seniors who are alone say that several factors can get in the way of their mealtime companionship. The most common obstacles that prevent seniors from sharing more meals are family/friends don’t have enough time (28%) or they live too far away (20%), according to Home Instead Senior Care network research.

The Craving Companionship program is an incentive for families

always loved and enjoy those dishes with them. “Who likes to eat alone? Nobody,” said Sandy Markwood, Chief Executive

on Aging (n4a), whose members coordinate the popular home-delivered meals program, also known as “Meals On Wheels® .”

.teltuo laicos a tub ,ecnanetsus fo rettam a tsuj ton era slaeM“It’s how we come together as a family or a community. When a senior is isolated, it’s indicative of bigger challenges that person could be facing,” Markwood said.

*The Home Instead Senior Care network completed 600 telephone interviews with seniors age 75 and older in the U.S. who live alone in their own homes or

Craving Companionship SM New program helps seniors revive treasured meals and memories

four warning signs of poor nutritional health**. According to Home Instead Senior Care network research, the most common of these warning signs and their incidence rates are listed below.

76% - Eating alone most of the time

71% - Taking three or more di�erent medications a day

46% - Eating few fruits, vegetables or milk products

31% - Having an illness/condition that prompted a change in diet

25% - Not always being physically able to shop, cook or feed themselves

23% - Not always having enough money to buy needed food

and published by the Nutrition Screening Initiative.

Craving CompanionshipSM | New program helps seniors revive treasured meals & memories

Proudly serving seniors in Clallam & Jefferson Counties with quality home care

When today’s seniors were raising families, meals were often a special time to catch up on the day’s events and share family triumphs. Mealtimes are still important to older adults. But circumstances have changed.

families too busy to enjoy even their own meals at home.

CAREGivers SM from the Home Instead Senior Care ® network understand the importance of mealtime companionship for seniors because much of their work each day revolves around meal planning and preparation.

WARM AND COMFORTABLE“Mealtime is the highlight of many seniors’ days,” said CAREGiver Carolyne Kramme-Burkett, who joins her clients for table-side conversation after she has prepared their meal. “We have a lot of laughter from news items, and family issues do come up. It makes them feel warm and comfortable. There was a time years ago when mealtime was the center of the day. Everyone got together to share laughter and humor. Fast food has changed that for many families.”

Kramme-Burkett takes pride in making mealtime an event by planning the menu with her clients and adding special touches such as table centerpieces. She helps clients shop by looking for fresh and a�ordable produce at local farmers’ markets. Family members occasionally drop by to share her gourmet meals and favorite family memories with their loved ones.

A WELCOME DISTRACTIONCAREGiver Donna Kumar said mealtimes are an important distraction for an 84-year-old man su�ering from the ailments of aging. “Mealtime is a huge thing for him,” said Kumar, who often takes her client to lunch. “He’s told me he doesn’t focus on the pain for the three or four hours of the day when I am there. It’s his best meal of the day. He eats a good lunch and it gets him through the day. By dinner he is often in too much pain to eat,” she added.

said. “They can’t do what they used to do. Mealtime becomes the focus and highlight of their day. So it’s nice to have someone they can sit and talk with. That’s the time they can share their story.”

RELIVING THE COOKING DAYSCAREGiver Sharon Cornman said mealtimes can help older adults relive their own cooking days even if they can no longer work in the kitchen. “My client loved to cook so she’ll give me some of her old recipes and I modify them for her current dietary needs. Sometimes we’ll get crazy with new dishes. We’ve tried tilapia with mango and banana chutney made with fresh herbs, cilantro and mint,” she added.

“I often engage her in conversation about what her family liked to eat. She’ll say, ‘George and the kids used to love when I made this dish.’ It takes her back and lets her reminisce and share that experience with someone else,” she said.

“I don’t think seniors eat as well if they’re left alone to make a cold sandwich,” Cornman explained. “Having someone around at mealtime is very important to them.”

For more information about the Craving CompanionshipSM program, including family recipes and Caring CardsTM that can help facilitate mealtime conversation, go to www.mealsandcompanionship.com.

Mealtime is Highlight of the Day for Seniors Home Alone

Homemade Memories SM Cookbook

Visit www.mealsandcompanionship.com

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2011 holiday season. Proceeds from the cookbook will go

Mealtime is Highlight of the Day for Seniors Home Alone