Become A Son Again

To us, it’s personal.

Everyone shares similar concerns about care for parents, grandparents, and loved ones reaching retirement age and beyond. Perhaps your mother experiences confusion and can't keep her medical appointments and prescriptions straight. Or perhaps you notice signs of depression in your dad, who no longer enjoys his hobbies. Maybe your grandmother suffering from Alzheimer's needs regular attention while you're at work. In difficult situations like these, Home Instead Senior Care can provide the in-home care that your loved one needs.
Becoming a Son Again

She sang you to sleep, taught you to tie your shoes, made soup when you were sick, and cheered at your games. Knowing she was always there for you gave you confidence and stability.

Now you find yourself tying her shoes, helping her with meals, and cheering for her when she accomplishes small projects. You want to provide that same confidence and stability for her without the uncomfortable feeling that you’ve become the parent in your relationship. The roles begin to feel reversed as you feel the full weight of responsibility for her physical and emotional well-being.

Home Instead understands the difficulty of maintaining healthy relationships as loved ones age, and we invite you to become a son again. With our expertise home care, we can relieve the worry you feel by assisting you in providing compassion and companionship for your loved one, freeing you to enjoy your role as a son without additional pressures.

For more information please visit:  http://becomeasonagain.com/

Returning Home, Transitioning From Hospital to Home

It can be very nerve-wracking when your senior loved one is admitted to a hospital or healthcare facility. And likely, the last thing you’ll be thinking about is what happens when the doctor discharges your loved one. Here is a video series about preparing the return home of a loved one from the hospital.

Go to Caregiverstress.com

Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias Course

As schools are letting out for the summer, I want to remind you that we offer online Alzheimer’s and dementia care training classes for family caregivers year-round, 24/7! Each class is self-paced and takes about 5-15 minutes to complete. Check it out and be sure to share this course with a friend or sibling!  Go to: helpforalzheimersfamilies

The Community Voice - Background music can be a valuable aid for caregivers

The Community Voice - Background music can be a valuable aid for caregivers



“Music has charms to soothe a savage breast,” wrote poet William Congreve. Those caregivers who work with Alzheimer’s patients know music can also be a valuable aid in helping to set a mood or to encourage certain kinds of behaviors in those in various stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Using background music may be particularly helpful.


Background music is by nature unobtrusive, but it can make unconscious, subtle impressions upon its listeners. Clearly, the inventors of Muzak knew this and the fact so many places, from department stores to doctors’ offices, use background music indicates its effectiveness.


Personally, I will notice more so when placed on hold, if there isn’t music playing rather than when it is because it has become so commonplace. I have even found myself singing or humming along with the on-hold music and forgetting I’m on hold if the music is pleasant enough. Music can create that soothing of an affect for us all.


Four tips how to use background music


• Know what musical selections are likely to be familiar: For the most part, the effective use of background music involves selecting songs that do not already have strong associations, positive or negative, for the listener. If the music you select has special meaning for the listener, he or she may become caught up in the associations the tune brings up and may not be motivated to react in the way you desire.


• Select music that is likely to bring about the desired reaction: If you want to help keep your loved one awake, a soothing lullaby is unlikely to do the trick; something in a march tempo or with a lively beat may be a better bet. On the other hand, if your goal is to relax your charge so that he or she is in a better frame of mind for a doctor’s visit or can drift off to sleep more easily, that disco medley may not work.


• Repetition can be a plus or a minus: Using the same set of songs to ease Mom off to sleep may make the going-to-bed experience more comforting and familiar. On the other hand, some patients may become so used to the music they want to stay awake and listen to it, which defeats the purpose of the music. Monitor reactions and see if your particular loved one falls into one or the other of these categories and act accordingly.


• Share your secrets: If the use of background music, especially specific songs in specific situations, becomes routine and expected, make sure anyone who shares caregiving duties or who temporarily relieves you of your duties knows about this. If you have the opportunity to go out for a dinner and a movie, you don’t want a frantic call from your sister because Dad won’t take a bath because he misses his bathtub tunes.


Music is a big part of many people’s lives. Just because it may be shuffled to the background doesn’t mean it can’t be utilized to help you make life a little easier for your loved one with Alzheimer’s – and for you.


Julie Ann Anderson is the owner of Home Instead Senior care office in Rohnert Park; mother of two and passionate about healthy living at all ages. Having cared for her parents, she understands your struggles and aims, through her website, www.homeinstead.com/sonoma to educate and encourage seniors and caregivers. Have a caregiving or aging concern? She’d love to hear from you at 586-1516 anytime.

Salute To Senior Service California Winner

Congratulations to California’s winner for the “Salute to Senior Service” contest, Ms. Pat Scott!  Ms. Scott will receive a $500 donation to a non-profit charity of her choice.  Ms. Scott is now eligible to win the national “Salute to Senior Service” with a chance at $5,000 to her organization of choice.   Yippee Ms. Scott, we are behind you and appreciate all you do.

For more information: http://www.salutetoseniorservice.com/volunteer-contest/entries/pat-s-2/

How to Help Your Senior Manage Medications

Because of the volume of medicines and supplements seniors maybe taking, many seniors find that they have problems keeping their medication regiment straight. They may take too much, too little, take it at the wrong time of day or not at all. What all this means for family caregivers is that they have to be extra diligent about helping their senior loved ones manage their medications.

For video series click here:  http://www.caregiverstress.com/senior-safety/medication-management-seniors/

Convince Mom to Stop Driving - Laughing with Mary

Kelly and her brother have talked to mom about her diminished driving skills but she refuses to listen even after two fender-benders.