Archives

A Daughter’s Plea, A Mother’s Rebuttal

Aging in Place, Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Parents, Aging Well, Care Managers, Care Recipients, Caregiving, Family Members, Guest Writer, Long-Term Care, Mental Health, Miriam Zucker, Sibling Relationship

Like in the childhood game, “telephone,” the first call came from the neighbor across the street, who called the son in Pennsylvania who, in turn, called his sister in Maine, who, in turn, called me, the eldercare consultant in New Rochelle, New York. The town their mother, and I, called home.

It seems the neighbor across the street observed their ninety-two-year-old mother taking her garbage to the curb. How, she inquired of the son, could he and his sister be so neglectful? While it wasn’t her words exactly, it was more the tone of her voice, that spurred this action. I imagine the neighbor was trying to be helpful. Given the adult children’s geographic distance, perhaps she thought they were not aware of what was taking place during these thrice-weekly jaunts to the curb.  The truth be known, the son and daughter had been trying, unsuccessfully, for years to persuade their mother to just give a companion a try.

Despite hints of early dementia, the mother was readily able to reiterate to her children all the reasons for not wanting anyone coming to her house. To start, she was not having difficulty managing on her own. Regarding her shopping needs, what she was not able to pick up in the supermarket, there was a “COVID Volunteer” from her local synagogue she could count on. A companion would interfere with her privacy. Hinging on that, she had her sentimental belongings throughout the house and was certain they would disappear within a week of the companion’s arrival.  And so, it was with this background that a daughter, undaunted by her mother’s past rebuttals, called this eldercare consultant, confident that what she and her brother were unable to do, I could accomplish.

With the expectations of the adult children and the neighbor on my shoulders, I met with the mother. She was welcoming and showed me around her home. I was slightly suspicious. Tours usually come after a client gets to know me. Perhaps the unsolicited tour was to make a point about her capabilities or maybe she was just being hospitable. With the sightseeing out of the way, we got down to the reason for my visit. Mom was well-rehearsed.  She conveyed to me all the same reasons she had shared with her children.

This type of resistance is not unusual. As Aging Life Care Managers® we come across this kind of struggle frequently. The mother recognized that accepting help brings with it relinquishing privacy and adjusting to a new routine. She saw it as a sign of weakness to acquiesce. The daughter declared sheer frustration. Her mother failed to recognize that a little bit of help could go a long way to ensuring her continued safety and longevity in her home.

While empathizing with each of the mother’s reasons for refusing help, we Aging Life Care Professionals® have many strategies that we can choose from to try to resolve a particular issue. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, high expectations do not bring the hoped-for results.  (Miracle worker does not appear in our job description or websites.) And so it was with this Aging Life Care Professional, me.

I used one of my tried and true strategies.  “Give it a try, just for a few weeks” Not a budge. “How about if you think about it?” I asked. Affirmative. And with that, I said I would give her a call in a few weeks.

“I’m happy you didn’t forget about me,” she said two weeks later. And in the same breath, said she would be in touch with me when the time was right. Will the time ever be right I thought to myself?  Or will the next call be from the daughter, all her mother’s excuses banished, replaced with an urgent appeal for help.

Wherever you are in your aging care management process, Aging Life Care Professionals are available and eager to help families of older adults. While it’s ideal for us to become a part of the solution before a crisis arises, we are full of resources to help in the event of an emergency too. Don’t delay and find one who can help you and your family.

About the Author: Miriam Zucker, LMSW, ACSW, C-ASWCM, is the founder of Directions in Aging, based in New Rochelle, New York, Westchester County.  As an Aging Life Care consultant with over two decades of experience, she has helped families find strategies to deal with the challenges of aging, while maintaining the stability of the family and the dignity of the senior.

In conjunction with the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging, of Hunter College, she helped to develop the Certificate Program in Geriatric Care Management where she served as a faculty instructor. She currently serves on the board of New Rochelle Cares, an aging-in-place program focused on helping seniors remain safely in their homes.

Is it time for the homecare industry to mandate vaccinations?

Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Well, Caregiving, COVID-19, Guest Writer, Health, Jangir Sultan, mask-wearing, Uncategorized, vaccines

I recently had a simple request from an elderly patient’s wife after her husband had a short stay in a rehabilitation facility. “I want the home health aide that comes to my house to be vaccinated,” she requested. Prior to my patient’s discharge from the sub-acute facility, the social worker sending out the referrals to the home care agencies was made aware of this request. After the agency’s nurse came over to my patient’s home to evaluate him, the evaluating nurse declared “We simply do not have vaccinated aides.” The family and I then asked that the case be sent to one of the largest home care agencies in New York City with the hopes of getting a vaccinated aide.

Again, before the nurse’s home assessment, we asked for a vaccinated aide. We were told the onboarding team would be sent a note to be made aware of our preference. However, we faced the same plight where the agency could not identify a “vaccinated aide” because of HIPPA laws. Surely, the patient has a right to ask a home care agency if the individual coming to their home during a pandemic is vaccinated? After all, there was a recent case in New Jersey where an aide with Covid-19 spread the virus to her 80-year-old patient who later died and also infected four other individuals living in the home. I reached out to the New York Department of Health for guidance and was told in New York, there is no mandate for home care workers to be vaccinated, but the patient maintains their right to ask if the aide is vaccinated. With that information, I asked for the family to get permission to interview the home health aide to see if they would be a good match for the family. We were told they would get back to us.

Finally, I spoke to the Compliance Department and Director at the home care agency. I was told the home care staff is not tested on a daily basis prior to starting their workday and that aides are only tested if they show symptoms of COVID-19. Moreover, I was told personal protective equipment (PPE) is only issued if the patient is suspected of having COVID-19. We ended up discussing the cost of testing and PPE.

I voiced my concern about resources in institutions not being put towards the frontline patients and workers. I also asked if there have been cases where a patient had gotten COVID-19 from a home care employee. I was told that is propriety information. Clearly, there is something wrong here. It is in the public’s interest to know if a vulnerable individual dies because a home care worker infected them or vice versa. I respect individual’s rights not to choose to be vaccinated, but I also believe the aides have a right to PPE that will protect them. Vulnerable people turning to home care agencies should have the right to receive safe care in their homes.

Instead of waiting for New York Department of Health regulations that will “force” home care agencies to protect their patient. I ask the leadership of the home care agencies to reflect for one minute as to why they went into healthcare. Most of you will say “to help people.” Now look at the home care staff you are sending to the patient homes without proper PPE, look at the vulnerable patients you are treating in the community, and reflect. Are you helping people, or are you placing people’s lives at risk? I am encouraging all home care agency’s management to do the right thing and encourage your staff to get vaccinated or get tested on a weekly basis with the availability of proper PPE. A gown and face shield should be a standard during a pandemic, especially if the aids are not vaccinated. After all, this is healthcare, and if there are no patients or employees left, how will you survive?

This article originally appeared here.

About the Author:  Jangir Sultan, OTR/L, MS AT, LNHA, is the founder and CEO of Patient Advocates of NY. Born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in England, Jangir’s father sent him to live with his grandparents in the Himalayas at the age of 10 when he sought more information about his heritage. Once there, he took pride in learning about his cultural heritage but also took a role in helping to care for his grandparents. With this experience, his passion was ignited, and he returned to the United States, determined to pursue a career related to eldercare. He has worked in various healthcare settings and roles such as OT Manager, Regional Director of Rehabilitation, and Director of Specialty Programs. One theme that has remained consistent is his focus on providing his clients with the best care possible. Hence, he created Patient Advocates of New York with the mission of changing healthcare from what it is to what it should be: prioritizing the client and providing him/her with the highest quality care.

Spiders and Finances, Oh My!

Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Well, Care Managers, Corporate Partners, Deborah Vogt, Financial, Financial Managers, Guest Writer, Support, Technology, Uncategorized

ALCA’s Corporate Partners are a vital part of the equation that makes the Aging Life Care Association as strong as it is. They offer advice and insights to members via our listserv to help members find solutions for their clients. And members feel confident choosing one for their clients’ needs because ALCA’s Corporate Partners also adhere to a Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. One such partner is Harmoney Bookkeeping Company which helps ALCA Members with their finances, so they can focus on their care management practice.

Harmoney owner, and frequent speaker at ALCA events, Deborah Vogt writes:

quotesI really, really hate spiders. I recognize they have an important place in the circle of life; however, my preference is to pretend we do not exist in the same world.

Yesterday morning, a spider appeared in my bathroom sink. He wasn’t doing any harm, just hanging out enjoying the cool surface of the porcelain. Regardless, I immediately reached for the faucet and washed him down the sink – admittedly feeling a bit bad when I saw the panicked reaction that the rush of water caused the spider. After a few seconds, he was washed away.  That evening, however, he greeted me once again, relaxing in the same exact spot in the sink. I repeated my less than hospitable greeting from earlier in the day and down he went. This morning he was back in the same place. Huh.

Seeing him for the third time gave me pause. Rather than flooding his world yet again, I found myself wondering if his persistence was meant to be taken as a lesson of some sort. I decided to look at the thrice appearing spider as a representation for something unpleasantly persistent but with a greater purpose. But what? Being the owner of a bookkeeping company, there’s never a big leap from anything I’m thinking about to bookkeeping.

My recoiling at the sight of a spider is very similar to the reaction some business owners have when I suggest we review their financial reports. During my career I’ve heard the audible catching of one’s breath at the suggestion, I’ve seen crunched up faces, shaking heads and been given dirty looks, and I’ve been asked to put it off to “another time”. Financial reporting is their spider.

Like spiders, the way to appreciate financial reports is to accept that as a business owner, you and your financial reports exist in the same world. Whether you see them or not, they are there and they serve a greater purpose. Financial reports tell an entrepreneur about their financial environment in the same way a spider tells a scientist about the environment it inhabits. Financial reports can protect owners from unexpected ebbs and flows in cash and they can provide a buffer against cash-seeking pests. While their goodness may not be evident to the untrained eye, their value cannot be overstated.

Three ways to squash a Financial Reports phobia:

  1. Realize there is a structure and a purpose to each report. Its purpose is to share with business owners how to understand, grow and profit from their businesses.
  2. Ease into the reports. Get to know them a little at a time by looking at either the Profit & Loss or Balance Sheet monthly. With regular and increased exposure, an owner’s comfort and confidence will increase. Owners and their financials become good friends over time.
  3. Believe in the ability to understand and to professionally benefit from financial reports. In no time the reports will become an important part of managing your business.

Business owners new to financial reporting may wish to read the SEC’s Beginner Guide to Financial Statements

About the Author: Deborah Vogt is the founder of Harmoney Bookkeeping Company in Wayland, Massachusetts. Debbie presented at the 2021 ALCA National Conference. She and her staff provide monthly bookkeeping services to small and medium-sized businesses around the country including many ALCA members.

A Corporate Partner Shares The Value of Working With ALCA Members

Aging in Place, Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Parents, Aging Well, Care Managers, Care Recipients, Caregiving, Corporate Partners, David Petroski, Family Members, Financial, Guest Writer, Long-Term Care, Making a Move
ALCA’s Corporate Partners are a vital part of the equation that makes the Aging Life Care Association as strong as it is. They offer advice and insights to members via our listserv to help members find solutions for their clients. And members feel confident choosing one for their clients’ needs because ALCA’s Corporate Partners also adhere to a Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. One such partner is Grandma Joan’s Live-in Care Staffing. Grandma Joan started out as a state-licensed home care agency in 2010. The home-care model was born from an exit survey with one of their original home care agency clients. The client was distressed about the need to continue their professional live-in services for his mom. She was living alone and had Alzheimer’s; however, he was no longer able to afford their agency rates. It was from this client’s need that the concept of live-in care staffing service was born. They helped him find, screen, and contract with a qualified independent live-in, all for a one-time set-up fee. He paid the independent provider directly and, on the books, cutting out the agency overhead. Grandma Joan’s service model was an overnight success, and within a year of its launch, they went nationwide.

Founder David Petroski shares his experience of ALCA membership and working with Aging Life Care Members.
quotes “When I joined ALCA as a Corporate Partner a few years ago, I was already working with a dozen or so care managers scattered around the county, and at that point, 9% of my new clients were referrals from ALCA members. While I don’t remember which one of them suggested that I join ALCA,  I am so glad that they did. I joined in 2018.
Over the last 3 ½ years I have:

  • Networked, networked, and networked.
  • Exhibited at two ALCA National Conferences
  • Utilized advertising options made to corporate partners, like their members-only newsletter
  • Wrote a piece for the ALCA blog
  • And attended lots of ZOOM one-on-ones with curious care managers

And as a result, my business has grown by double-digits for three years in a row.

In 2020, a whopping 55% of my new clients were referrals from ALCA members. I cannot be more thankful and cannot speak highly enough about how much joining this organization has helped me get the message out to families in need–that there is another option out there for them to consider if they don’t want to relocate to an assisted living facility or skilled nursing facility.

When the opportunity arises, I happily recommend ALCA to peers, and always recommend my clients to utilize a certified care manager from ALCA. In the over 10 years I’ve been in the senior care industry, I honestly feel there is no better referral network for a reputable senior care service than ALCA, especially for a company with a national footprint. I have heard local companies do equally well with membership at the regional Chapter level.”
Thank you to all the Aging Life Care Professionals, for all that you do for your clients –  David.

Grandma Joan

About the Author: David Petroski is the Founder of Grandma Joan’s Live-in Care Staffing. He is a Human Resource Specialist that has helped staff over $15 million in household payroll. He has helped hundreds of families across the country safely navigate the challenges of the consumer-directed live-in care market. David’s work has helped Grandma Joan earn five national awards of recognition in the senior-care industry. He has been working in senior care since 2010, when he started a home-care agency in Montclair NJ. David has been an expert panelist for CPE-accredited webinars educating hundreds of senior-care industry professionals about private-hire live-in care. He is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®, and has been interviewed on radio and is quoted in the 2018 book Aging with Care. David lives in New Jersey with his wife Cathy, who is also in HR, and their three children, Danny, Sofi, and Blake.

Hydration: How Much Water Should You Drink Every Day?

Aging Well, Caregiving, Guest Writer, Health, Juliet Powell

Glasses,Of,Water,On,A,Wooden,Table.,Selective,Focus.,ShallowRecent weather and above-average, record-breaking temperatures have me wondering if I drink enough liquid, especially water. The human adult body is approximately 55 to 60 percent water. Staying hydrated is essential to our health and helping our bodies function optimally.

 

How does water function in our bodies?

  • Regulates body temperature
  • Lubricates joints
  • Flushes body waste
  • Nourishes brain and spinal cord
  • Helps deliver oxygen

Water is vital to our survival. Decreased hydration can result in drops in mood, skin moisture, blood pressure, and energy level. It can also contribute to symptoms of cognitive impairment.

How much fluid should you consume each day?

Past guidelines have advised eight cups per day, but new recommendations suggest higher intake. Our individual needs differ based on gender, age, where we live, activity levels, and overall health. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that adequate daily fluid intake is:

  • About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men
  • About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women

How do you make certain that you are consuming enough?

There are various healthy habits you can adopt to be certain that you drink enough liquids. Here are some simple, effective ideas that I’ve found helpful:

  • Buy a water bottle that is easy to clean and comfortable to tote. This way you will always have water or some other hydrating beverage at the ready. Put rubber bands around your water bottle to track consumption. Remove one each time you finish the contents. Example: my water bottle is 32 ounces = 4 cups. I should be drinking at least 11.5 cups of water per day, so I put three rubber bands on my bottle, removing one each time I finish a bottle, before refilling.
  • Keep a pitcher of chilled water in your refrigerator. Add slices of strawberry, cucumber, citrus fruits, or sprigs of a favorite herb to add flavor without calories. If the water tastes good, you are more likely to drink it. (I keep mine on the counter as I prefer my water less chilly.)
  • Make sure you have plenty of fruits and vegetables handy, as most are 90 percent water. Apples, cucumbers, strawberries, celery, spinach, and melon (especially watermelon) are popular choices. They also add nutrients and fiber and are a great excuse to visit your local farmers’ market!
  • Take sips throughout the day. Don’t consume large quantities all at once.
  • Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal (and yes, coffee and tea consumption count).
  • Drink water before, during, and after physical activity.

 What are the symptoms of dehydration in adults?

  • Extreme thirst
  • Dry, cool skin
  • Headache
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Dizziness and/or fainting
  • Confusion
  • Infrequent urination
  • Dark-colored urine
  • Fatigue

How do you know you are hydrated?

  • You don’t feel thirsty often.
  • Your urine is colorless or pale yellow. If it is a deeper yellow or amber, then you know you need to increase your level of hydration.

Hydration tips for caregivers

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Thirst isn’t always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water. Many people, particularly older adults, don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. That’s why it’s important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you’re ill.”

If you are caring for an older person, you know that hydration can be a challenge. It is important to remind older people about drinking water, as signals for thirst in the brain change over time, especially if someone is living with dementia. Proper hydration can also help keep urinary tract infections (UTIs) at bay and counter the dehydrating effects of some medications.

Be mindful that an individual concerned about incontinence or bathroom access when in public may use this as an excuse to not drink adequate amounts of fluid (though they may not articulate it in that way). Encourage regular sips of a beverage. Be aware of how often bathroom breaks occur.

If outings and potential accidents are a concern, consider using a public bathroom finder app such as Flush. When you have a planned outing, call ahead to find out about bathroom access and locations, and subtly scout the locations of facilities when you arrive. If an individual needs assistance with toileting, have a change of clothing and extra incontinence products (if they are regularly used by the individual) handy as back-up.

No single approach works for everyone. Experiment and explore your options. With a little planning and new habits, you will soon be hydrating appropriately and experiencing the benefits.

About the Author: Contributor Juliet Powell leads Creative Engagement at Aging Wisdom, an Aging Life Care practice based in Seattle. Juliet is a certified home care aide who has worked in the field of aging since 2012. She facilitates Professional Boundaries Training and is involved with hiring, training, and supervising Aging Wisdom creative engagement specialists.

Founder’s Story: Parkinson & Movement Disorder Alliance

Aging Well, Caregiving, Family Members, Guest Writer, Long-Term Care, Parkinson & Movement Disorder Alliance, Parkinson's, Support

At the very heart of Parkinson & Movement Disorder Alliance (PMD Alliance) is a deep desire to meet people where they are at in their movement disorder journey. We roll up our sleeves, hold your hand and remind you that you will not walk alone.

Whether you’re someone living with a movement disorder, or a care partner, an adult child, a friend, a doctor or a support group leader, PMD Alliance is a uniquely people-oriented community designed to care for you. We cannot do this important work alone. Together, alongside donors, corporate partners, volunteer Ambassadors, doctors and advance practice providers, the uniquely supportive PMD Alliance community provides innovative and inspiring programming and resources to those navigating a devastating diagnosis.

Because at our very core – that’s just who we are. That’s why we do this work.

In 1992, we noticed Wayne was having tremors in his right hand. We didn’t think it was anything serious, so we continued our normal, busy schedule. Wayne was an early riser and ran three miles every day! But by 1998, the tremors were more significant and were accompanied by constant fatigue. Just one year later, he was diagnosed with Parkinson disease. – Helen Squires

Helen Squires and her husband, Wayne, were married for 55 years before he died from complications due to Parkinson’s in 2016. At the time, there were limited resources for people living with Parkinson’s, let alone support for care partners and families navigating this disease with a loved one.

 

 

 

 

 

TURNING STRUGGLE INTO ACTION 

It was watching her mother-in-law struggle to keep up with her husband’s declining health that pushed Sarah Jones, CEO and co-founder of PMD Alliance, into action.

Some memories are forever etched in our minds and hearts. I was standing on a moving walkway in the Denver Airport. My wife and I were returning from a visit with her parents. Her father’s Parkinson’s was stealing his very existence and simultaneously breaking my once fiercely energetic mother-in-law. We believed she would die before him because of the stress and strain she was experiencing in caring for her husband,” says Jones.

“As former ministers, my in-laws were active and social – rarely without people. Yet as the disease progressed, their world shrunk. They were told by doctors there was nothing more to be done. Their souls were crushed, and they were alone. And I was outraged.

Millions of dollars were pouring into research in attempt to change the future and meanwhile, no one had a service model focused on the people living with a degenerative disease today. In that moment I knew an organization needed to be created to attend to the tens of millions of people – not just patients – whose lives are impacted by Parkinson’s and other movement disorders.”

A SHARED VISION
Sarah’s vision was one that was shared with co-founder, former colleague and friend, Judy Talley who had spent the previous 15 years working in long-term and residential care settings. She and Sarah met in 2015 when working for the American Parkinson Disease Association in Tucson.

“Motivated by a deep desire to help people trying to keep their heads above water every day, PMD Alliance was born. Having run nonprofits for nearly 25 years, I was determined to create a new set of services that offered real, honest, and empathic services that moved the needle on quality of life and reduced isolation,” says Jones.

Judy Talley adds, “Sarah and I have an amazing ability to quickly and clearly communicate with each other, and together have always been aligned in our aspirations for the organization. For me, the scariest part was the most fun part. Starting something new. Developing new events and new ways to engage people. Coming up with a new paradigm to support people in their daily lives and that honors them in the entirety of their living and was about more than the disease.”

A NEW AND UNIQUE SPACE
One of the “new” things that PMD Alliance has introduced to the movement disorder space is its unique Movement Disorder Care and Support Ecosystem© which focuses on strengthening all persons affected by a diagnosis. When everyone involved is better educated, better supported and more connected, the person with the movement disorder has more opportunities to live more fully.

At PMD Alliance, that translates into support groups for care partners, a Facebook group for adult children, a unique catalog of programming that focuses on everything from physical activity to medication options to end of life care. Just ?ve years since its start, as the organization continues to grow and serve people not only nationally but internationally, PMD Alliance still strives to meet people where they are at in their journey and to ?ll needs when they are seen.

I am amazed how strong people with the disease can be; accepting, resisting, and adapting as they cope through the years. – Judy Talley, Co-Founder PMD Alliance

The reality is there are 40 million Americans living with movement disorders. 40 million. While there is still no cure for Parkinson’s disease, with PMD Alliance there is hope. There is partnership. There is community. And there remains a deep desire shared among everyone involved in the community to touch the lives of many.

Oftentimes among its staff, PMD Alliance asks each other – “what is our ‘why’?”

It’s a good reminder to check-in. To make sure the programs and resources offered meet a need. To search for unmet needs and to innovate. To remember why it is that this work is so important not only to people living with movement disorders, but for those who care about them.

When we do that, we are reminded of Helen Squires and why PMD Alliance was started in the first place. We are all trying to navigate and live our very best lives despite this devastating disease, and if we work together, we have a better chance at doing just that.

Will you join us?

 

About the Author: Sarah Jones, MPA, MS Strategic Design, CEO. With more than 25 years of experience leading non-profits and healthcare programs, Sarah is a visionary leader. As a dyed-in-the-wool dynamo who continually seeks opportunities to impact and address unmet needs, Sarah has designed programs and led training for local, national and international audiences, including groups in Canada and Botswana. Called upon to solve issues of efficiency and develop a culture of innovation, she has also acted as a consultant for global brands, including Campbell’s Soup. Sarah holds two master’s degrees: Master of Science in Strategic Design Management and Master in Public Administration. She has consulted with large health care systems, integrative medicine clinics teaching utilization of strategic design principles to innovate and change end-user experience.  Sarah is driven to create a world that people are excited to live in.

The Power of Breath

Aging Well, Guest Writer, Health, Jane Stelboum, Mental Health

I have always been fascinated with the power of breath.

We carry it with us at all times. We breathe somewhere around 20,000 breaths every day. Most of us barely give our breath any thought at all. Yet how we breathe can have everything to do with our health and well-being.

Try it for yourself:

Close your eyes (after reading this of course!) and simply watch and feel your breath, without changing it or judging it in any way.

Notice the length of the breath, the temperature, where it moves through your body, if it’s smooth or rough. Do this for just a few minutes or as long as you like. How do you feel? Relaxed, calm, peaceful, more present?

Help Reduce Stress: Bringing awareness to our breath, even for just a few minutes, can help us feel calm and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Research shows that stress is a contributing factor to many diseases.

Maybe while you were breathing you noticed the different qualities of the inhale and exhale. The inhale literally lifts and expands the body and provides inspiration and energy. The exhale contracts the body and provides a sense of release and grounding.

Which do you need more of?

  • Need a boost of energy? Increase the length of your inhale.
  • Need to relax and ground? Increase the length of your exhale.

I lost my mother to Alzheimer’s about ten years ago. While sick, she didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. I’d sit with her and encourage her to breath in her right nostril and out her left nostril. Right nostril breathing, also called sun breath for its activating nature, stimulates the left side of the brain – the more logical, get up and go, side of the brain. Three rounds of ten would be just enough to get her to re-focus and provide that little boost of energy she needed to start her day. Try it if you feel sluggish yourself at any point during your day.

Trouble sleeping? Try the opposite. Left nostril breathing, or moon breaths for their more cooling and calming nature.

Bottom line: The way we breathe can have a tremendous impact on our energy, mood, stress level, focus and attention, and sleep. These are all factors in healthy aging. If you care for someone, personally or professionally, breath can be a tool to take care of both of you.

Have you paid attention to your breath today?

About the Author: Jane Stelboum is a Yoga Teacher/Trainer, a Certified Brain Longevity® Specialist, and founder of Sarasvate (sar-as-VAH-te´). Through workshops, private sessions and speaking engagements she shares how the tools of yoga, and other lifestyle choices, help maintain brain longevity and healthy aging.