Fritzi Gros-Daillon, Director of Education for Age Safe® America traveled to Las Vegas this week to receive the NAHB 2019 Educator of the Year award at the 2020 NAHB International Builders Show®. During the Designation Reception Fritzi said, “Having taught CAPS and Universal Design courses to 300 students from 22 states in the last four years; it has been a privilege to have this platform to share vital information that changes lives for professionals and the myriad of clients and families they will serve.”
As part of the Pre-Show Education, Fritzi had the opportunity to teach the first course in the Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation training series on Saturday, January 18th. The course was “Marketing and Communicating with the Aging in Place Client” and the students were professionals from many sectors within the construction, building and service industries looking to make a mark in the Longevity Economy.
International Builders Show 2020
The NAHB International Builders Show® (IBS) is the largest annual light construction show in the world. IBS 2020 is taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The 2020 Builders’ Show will bring together more than 1,400 top manufacturers and suppliers from around the globe in 600,000 net square feet of exhibit space, showcasing the latest and most in-demand products and services.
IBS 2020 offers the most up-to-date and innovative education the building industry has to offer. It features sessions in seven tracks, taught by renowned building industry experts from across the country. Be prepared to learn, connect and grow with these incredible educational offerings: Project Management, Design & Community Planning, Business Management, Sales & Marketing, Industry Trends & Emerging Issues, Custom Building & Remodeling, Multifamily Housing.
With topics including, expanding your business into the aging-in-place market, the latest trends in universal design, to solutions for livable homes and technology, there is literally something for everyone.
Many falls are preventable, but prevention is contingent upon your understanding of the factors placing an individual at risk of falling.
Factors contributing to the risk of falling are internal (physical and medical) as well as external (environmental) factors that could cause an older adult to fall.
Internal Factors – Many older adults experience:
– changes in their muscles and bones, weakness or loss of strength;
– vision changes, such as adjusting to lightness and darkness, sensitivity to glare, and/or decreasing depth perception;
– balance problems, automatic reflexes weakening;
– cardiovascular (heart) difficulties, which can often lead to numbness in the limbs, or loss of blood to the brain, which can cause fainting;
– medications that can affect their judgment and coordination;
– chronic and acute diseases (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, arthritis), which a fall can reveal;
– depression and/or sleep deprivation, making them less alert.
External Factors – An older adult’s environment or circumstances can also increase the likelihood of falling, including:
– clutter, unclear walkways, or lack of support systems, such as railings;
– slippery floor surfaces;
– lack of proper lighting;
Transitioning from another setting (such as their home, independent living apartment, or from the hospital) can also be stressful, especially for those living with dementia, as older adults figure out their new surroundings and daily routines.
Some risk factors considered to have a high association with falls, which are also modifiable, include:
the fear of falling
limitations in mobility and undertaking the activities of daily living
impaired walking patterns (gait)
impaired balance
visual impairment
reduced muscle strength
poor reaction times
use of multiple medications specifically benzodiazepines, antidepressants, anti-psychotics and psychoactive medications
Need Help to ensure your safety or the safety of a family member?
If you are a senior or caregiver please use the form to the right>>>
Check “Need Services Referral” and be very specific as to what services you or your loved one needs, and where exactly you or they currently live (city, state, zip code). We will attempt to match you with a qualified professional.
This New Year 2020 we wish everyone the best of Health, Happiness, Prosperity and Joyous Moments this year and always! Welcome 2020 with new hopes, new plans, new projects, new commitments, new inspirations and new attitudes.
We have had the honor this last year to have trained professionals throughout all 50 US states and Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. We look to this coming year with a renewed commitment to our Mission: To train and empower professionals, entrepreneurs, seniors and caregivers with essential knowledge and skills necessary to better help clients or themselves. To be a trusted name for those choosing to “age safe at home” and a source of confidence and peace of mind to family members. And our Vision: To affect the safety, security and longevity of the world’s aging population.
We will leave you with an Irish Blessing for you and yours:
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN! On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!
Whether they are coming for an afternoon or a week, taking some steps before your grandchildren arrive can help keep them safe during their visit. Adopt any of the following precautions from this grandparents guide to child-proofing that are appropriate for your young visitors’ ages and abilities.
Be prepared
Gather essential telephone numbers ahead of time. These should include the numbers of the children’s parents, their pediatrician, and your area’s poison-control center.
If you have a gun, make sure it’s not loaded. Keep it locked up and store the ammunition in a separate place.
Living areas
Keep small and sharp objects off the floor and out of reach.
Put safety plugs in wall sockets.
Don’t let electric cords dangle where children can reach them.
Lock doors that go outside, to stairs or to garages.
Don’t leave children alone in a room with a burning fireplace or plugged-in space heater.
Make certain curtain and blind drawstrings are secured and out-of-reach.
Kitchen
Use your stove’s back burners and keep pot handles turned to the back of the stove.
Keep hot foods and drinks away from the edges of tables and counters.
Don’t allow children under 10 to use a microwave oven.
Don’t leave a baby alone in a highchair. Always use the safety straps.
Don’t use tablecloths. Children can pull down plates, hot foods and liquids on themselves.
Keep cleaning products, knives, matches, and plastic bags out of reach.
Bathroom
Don’t leave children in the tub or shower. Small children can drown in two inches of water within seconds.
Keep medicines, vitamins, and soap where they can’t be reached. Buy medicines with child-safety caps.
Always check the bath-water temperature with your hand before putting children into the tub.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the best way to dispose of old medications. Do not toss them in the wastebasket.
Your bedroom
Don’t keep any medications, vitamins, or other medicines on or in your bedside table. Children often swallow pills because they look like candy. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, grandparents’ medications account for nearly 20 percent of drug ingestions by children.
A baby’s bedroom
Keep the crib away from window blinds and drapery cords.
Put the baby to sleep on his or her back in a crib with a flat, firm mattress with no soft bedding underneath. Doing so reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
In case of emergency, take the following steps if a grandchild swallows something dangerous or is burned or injured in any other way.
Call 911 or your community’s emergency medical response number.
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Going around the table asking family members what they’re thankful for may be a tradition in your household, and there are a number of reasons why doing so feels so good. Giving thanks, it turns out, has some major health benefits. Research has linked gratitude with an increase in self-esteem, resiliency and overall life satisfaction. It can also help you build new friendships and strengthen the relationships you already have. Researchers are investigating how positive emotions can lower disease and mortality in older adults. Even among people with serious illnesses like heart disease, those who practice gratitude tend to be less depressed than those who don’t.
Science has discovered that people who practice gratitude experience the following:
Grateful people are 25% happier than those who do not practice gratitude.
Being grateful and happy can add as much as 9 years to your life!
When practicing gratitude, you will experience higher levels of positive emotions such as love, happiness, and optimism.
By writing down thoughts of gratitude each day, you will have fewer illnesses because gratitude strengthens the immune system.
Expressing gratitude will restore the natural rhythm of your heart.
When we are grateful, we “bounce back” from stressful situations faster.
You can make gratitude part of your life by being thankful to those who help you, and by being mindful and appreciative of what’s important to you. Although it may feel strange to “practice” gratitude, over time it becomes a natural part of life. Don’t worry if gratitude doesn’t come naturally. In the same way you work out to build stronger muscles, you can also strengthen your gratitude muscle by
keeping a gratitude journal or meditating briefly on what you’re grateful for
concentrating on the good in your life
reaching out to thank friends and family for being there, or for gifts or favors received
starting a family gratitude ritual: have everyone list something they’re thankful for that day
thanking strangers who have done something nice
Many Blessings from all of us here at Age Safe®America!
