EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
Sandwich Generation
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One of the first things Morey Lokken did when he purchased a second-level condominium that overlooks Tijeras Creek Golf Course 11 years ago was install a chair lift that leads from his garage up a flight of stairs to the unit’s back laundry room. Next, the Rancho Santa Margarita resident purchased a hospital bed that would allow him to easily get in and out of bed. Though the 72-year-old does not use either of these devices, they are there in case of a possible future scenario. Lokken is not alone in his desire to remain in his home. According to a recent AARP housing survey, 83 percent of older Americans want to stay in their current homes for the rest of their lives. Assistive devices represent just one avenue that helps seniors carry out this wish. They also serve as an important link to their overall well-being. Research, for example, shows that older adults tend to be happier and live longer, healthier lives if they reside in their own homes. “It enhances their overall quality of life,” says Marilyn Ditty, executive director of South County Senior Services in Laguna Hills. “People may have a tremendous determination and constitution about life, but when they are really set back with major illnesses or even some of these chronic health problems and they don’t get the help that they need, they just give up. And then, of course, the health deteriorates even more; it’s faster.” This could have been the case for Lokken, who had major heart surgery five years ago. Instead, a healthy lifestyle and established support system played a major role in his full recovery. Besides eating nutritious meals, he walks with friends and works out at the gym three times a week. To keep his mind active, Lokken, who has been retired for 10 years, makes frequent trips to the library for books and magazines. He also volunteers at Saddleback Church, where he attends weekly services and belongs to a men’s Bible study group. Through his church, he has met many new friends. “You choose many friends. Friends that will support you,” he says. “I make sure to call my friends. I call them and check in with them and see where they are at. We all support each other.” Lokken, who has been divorced for 30 years, also has family in the area. His daughter and son-in-law live in South County. The couple have three children, two of whom still live at home. “That’s one thing I’m very careful of. They have a separate family. If I need her, I know she’s there,” he says. Senior centers provide another critical link for active older adults. According to Ditty, there are 46 senior centers in Orange County. Seniors can attend once or twice a week, or every day. Among the many offerings are health and wellness programs, activities, trips and congregate meals. Besides maintaining a socially active and healthy lifestyle, seniors and their families can take a number of other steps to remain independent and/or reduce the level of assistance needed from caregivers. Homes, for example, can be modified in a number of ways, from installing bathtub safety rails to lowering closet rods so they are more accessible. A number of products has been designed to assist as well. Weighed utensils that come with soft rubber handles, for instance, allow more control for people with limited hand movement. For the less mobile, county services or those of a nonprofit agency can lend a hand. South County Seniors Services, for example, offers a popular program called Meals-on-Wheels. For a donation, meals are delivered to homebound, low-income individuals, from San Clemente to Newport Beach. And the county of Orange offers non-emergency medical transportation, including trips to the doctor, dentist, to pick up prescriptions, medical tests, etc. (Information: 800.510.2020). Other families seek the assistance of home-care agencies to allow their loved ones to continue to live at home. For example, Home Instead, which has four locations in Orange County and hundreds nationwide, offers an array of services. Staff members drive elders to appointments, help with bathing and personal care, perform light housekeeping, and serve as companions. Services are available for as little as three hours as needed to 24-hour care. Preserving one’s self-worth represents another key component to the elder’s overall well-being. “The main thing is how we treat people as they age. And the most critical thing is how we view a person as they age,” says Ditty. “There’s a lot we can learn from our Asian countries because as an elderly person reaches a certain stage of life, they are treated with great dignity and great respect and they’re given the highest honor and the best gifts at Christmas time; whereas, we tend to go the opposite direction. “We have to approach them with the dignity and the respect, and hopefully they will come back with a greater appreciation and understanding that they are not being passed over, that they really do count, that they really do matter in life. And that’s the key.” Sandy Bennett is associate editor at Churm Publishing, Inc. |
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