Falls Are Serious and Costly One out of five falls causes a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury. Each year, 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). In 2015, the total medical costs for falls totaled more than $50 billion. Medicare and Medicaid shouldered 75% of these costs. Who We Are: Silver Spaces is a leading software company dedicated to improving the safety, security, and overall well-being of the elderly within their homes. Our mission is to empower caregivers, healthcare... Continue Reading
Posts Tagged With ‘ Dr.Jill Bjerke ’
Why remain in your own home as you age? Continuing to live in your own home is arguably one of the most important challenges older persons face as they age. The graph below clarifies how older adults conceptualize home through age-related lifestyle changes. Anchoring self Enabling freedom Being comfortable Staying in touch Longevity of residence Personalize activities and self-manage time Having things one needs Close to family and friends Personal investment Purpose and reason to keep busy Good memories Base for participation in community activities Sense of identity & place... Continue Reading
How are they connected? As the Baby Boomer generation ages, it becomes more and more evident that appropriate, accessible housing stock that fits the needs of the older adult is shrinking – rapidly. There is and never will be one solution – but that is a good thing because not all older adults have the same requirements for their residences. But what has turned the Boomer generation and their children upside down is the “boomerang effect!” There was a time when adult children moved away from home, only to move back in at some point. Due to many factors, parents are now finding that... Continue Reading
This is a nationwide effort to raise awareness that falls ARE preventable. These national trip and fall statistics are startling. And what is even more jarring is that most of these are preventable! There are many ways of reducing the risk of trips and falls in a home and using the Silver Spaces Home Safety Assessment is one of them. Why the Silver Spaces Home Safety Assessment is such a valuable tool! The major goal of the Silver Spaces home safety assessment is to identify and mitigate trip and fall risks around a home. This unique inspection provides a 360-degree evaluation of the interior... Continue Reading
Dr. Jill M. Bjerke, SilverSpaces.com May 2022 happens to not only be Healthy Vision Month, but also celebrates Older Americans Month. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) “will be focusing on aging in place – how older adults can plan to stay in their homes and live independently in their communities for as long as possible. The 2022 theme is Age My Way, an opportunity for all of us to explore the many ways older adults can remain in and be involved with their communities. We’re going to be discussing how planning, participation, accessibility, and making connections all play a... Continue Reading
Dr. Jill M. Bjerke SilverSpaces.com Everywhere you look in your home there is stuff. When Richard Eisenberg, who at the time was the Money & Word Editor for NextAvenue.org, released an article aptly titled, “Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff,” predictably his article garnered a huge response. He published many of them in his follow-up posting, “What You Said About ‘Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff’. Some were funny, some sad, but all a true reflection of the emotional roller coaster and unknowing trap walked into by those who either want to “pare down” or... Continue Reading
Dr. Jill M. Bjerke Silver Spaces, LLC March, 2022 The dates are now approaching when the faster 5G wireless service will start to be introduced worldwide. The result of this is that the earlier generation of 3G will be winding down and eventually eliminated. This presents serious consequences for certain products that still use the older 3G networks, such as alarm systems and personal emergency response systems (PERS) that many seniors rely on to live independently. “This so-called 3G sunset will come to pass at different times for different wireless providers. AT&T says it’s shutting... Continue Reading
Learn Important Information About Trips and Falls September is National Fall Prevention Month. So the spotlight now is recognizing the cause of these injuries and how to reduce the incidence of occurrence. One of the most devastating and costly injuries an older adult can incur is a trip or a fall. The consequences can be irreversible and sometimes deadly. Recognizing this, there are now fall risk reduction prevention programs available across the nation to address the issues that cause trips and falls in the first place. But there is other information to consider as well. The Journal of... Continue Reading
Grab bars. Two simple words that one may assume describes a common solution to stabilizing a body position movement. While that is still true, the solutions to that stability have drastically changed in the last decade. What I find interesting is how little most people actually know about the “realm” of grab bars. For instance, I have clients who may need them, but say they don’t want them installed because they are fearful they will be seen as “old” people. This tells me they have not seen how this former “tube” has changed dramatically, not only in form and function, but... Continue Reading
In 1900, 1 in 25 Americans was a senior. In 2016, 1 in 8 Americans is a senior. In 2020, 1 in 6 Americans will be a senior. In 2030, the ratio will reach 1 in 5 and will remain there through 2050. Globally 8.5 percent of people worldwide (617 million) are aged 65 and over. According to the report, “An Aging World: 2015,” this percentage is projected to jump to nearly 17 percent of the world’s population by 2050 (1.6 billion). Impressive statistics. Very impressive. One would think then, that something called “ageism” would get more attention. Without knowing it, many of us are guilty... Continue Reading