In-Home Care During a Recession

In this video series, certified senior advisor Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care talks about how to provide in-home care during difficult financial times. The information in this video will introduce you to less expensive care options, financing possibilities, enlisting support for caregiving duties and how to get paid for your services.

In this video series, certified senior advisor Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care talks about how to provide in-home care during difficult financial times. The information in this video will introduce you to less expensive care options, financing possibilities, enlisting support for caregiving duties and how to get paid for your services.

For more videos go to:  http://www.caregiverstress.com

   

14 Tips for an Elderly Friendly Fourth of July

By June Fletcher, AgingCare.com editor-in-chief

Almost everyone looks forward to gathering with family and friends for a backyard barbecue. But if you’ve been dreading going to one because of your responsibilities as a caregiver, never fear: Both you and your elderly loved one can have a fine time, if you plan ahead.

But first, make sure that your relative is in good enough health to attend a party where there will be heat, bugs, noise, smoke from the grill and possibly rambunctious children. Also, check with your hosts to ensure that they understand and can accommodate your loved one’s limitations. If not, find another caregiver to look after your relative while you attend alone; it’s important for you to socialize and recharge.

However, if your hosts are amenable and your loved one is up to it, don’t leave him or her behind. Joan Wright, a certified geriatric manager at NVNA and Hospice in Norwell, Mass., told AgingCare.com that you should remember that every elderly person was once young, mobile and eager to socialize. “Those desires are still there even if their physical capacity to fulfill them is not.”

Here are some tips from Ms. Wright and others to ensure that everyone has a good time:

Before the barbecue

–Talk to the host or hostess about dietary limitations your elderly relative may have. If the menu is too spicy, fatty or hard to chew, plan to bring some food that the senior can eat, and request that the meal be served at the same time as everyone else’s.

What to Serve Seniors at a Cookout

–Find out what sort of seating the hosts will have for guests. If they just have backless picnic benches, which can be difficult for an elderly person to sit on and provide no back support, ask if you can bring a folding chair or stackable plastic chair.

–If your relative is in a wheelchair, find out in advance if your hosts’ gates are wide enough and slopes gentle enough to maneuver it into the back yard.

–Ask if there’s any shade in the backyard; if not, ask if you can also bring a portable beach umbrella.

–Lay out comfortable clothes that include layers, since some seniors feel cold even when it’s warm out. Include sturdy shoes to prevent falls and trips.

–Before you go, make sure that the senior has put on some sunscreen.

At the barbecue

–Set up a spot for your relative away from the hot grill and any areas where children are likely to be throwing balls or rough-housing.

–Find out the location of the closest bathroom, and if accidents could be a problem, seat the senior near it. If your relative needs assistance using the restroom, you might want to arrange a discreet hand sign or code word between you so you can excuse yourself to help without embarrassing him or her.

–If your relative can’t get around much but is sociable, bring other party-goers over for brief chats.

–Since dehydration can be a problem with elderly people, make sure that a glass of water is always at hand. Avoid alcoholic beverages, which are not only dehydrating but also can conflict with medications.

–If you must cut some meat off a bone or corn off of a cob, do it in the kitchen and then bring the plate to the senior. Cutting up food in front of other partygoers puts the senior in an embarrassing, child-like position.

–If your relative can’t get around much but is sociable, bring other partygoers over for brief chats. And ask other family members or friends to sit down with the senior from time to time so you can mingle, too.

–If your loved one can’t communicate well, bring headphones, a CD player and some music. He or she will be able to enjoy being around others without being under pressure to talk.

–Watch your loved one for signs of restlessness, overheating or other distress, and be prepared to leave before the festivities end.



Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/14-tips-to-make-the-fourth-fun-for-you-and-elderly-loved-ones.html#ixzz1QmQ0SVDW

The Basics Of Personal Hygiene For Elderly People

Personal hygiene routines are something most of us take for granted. You get up, wash, brush your teeth, comb your hair, etc. But these routines are something that elderly people can find very difficult. Imagine the effect it would have on you if you could not perform your usual hygiene routine. You would start every day feeling dirty and unprepared. In elderly people, this can lead to agitation, frustration and depression. If you are caring for an elderly person, it is very important that you establish their daily personal hygiene routine to avoid these problems.

Washing an elderly person

If you are responsible for washing the person in your care, they you must first establish what your routine will be and then explain it to the person so that they know exactly what to expect. This will help create a trusting relationship, and will help the elderly person to relax.

Reluctance

Understandably, many elderly people are somewhat reluctant to let another person administer their daily personal hygiene routine. Imagine if you had to rely on another person to do everything for you. You may feel that you have lost self-respect and personal dignity. This is exactly how elderly people feel, regardless of their illness and mental state, unless of course they are completely unaware of what happening around them.
It's not unusual for some elderly people to react angrily but again this is completely understandable.

Caring for themselves

Elderly people should be encouraged to carry out their own personal hygiene routines as much as possible. This promotes independence and a sense of purpose in life. Even managing the smallest task is better than nothing at all. However, sometimes elderly people find hygiene routines impossible and may become incontinent.

Establishing a routine for an elderly person

If you have to carry out the personal hygiene for an elderly person, it is important that you establish a set routine. Elderly people find routines comforting. The routine that you establish should include all the basic elements that are normally included. If the elderly person is still active, then showering an bathing may be included. All nooks and nooks and crannies need to be washed, teeth brushed, hair combed and attention paid to finger and toe nails.

Make up for the elderly

Female elderly people may like to put on makeup to feel feminine then you should encourage it as far as possible. It encourages self respect and personal identity.

Looking out for abnormalities

Good personal hygiene routines for the elderly can also be useful in diagnosing abnormalities in physical health. If you are washing someone, you should look out for any lumps, bumps and bruises as well as any bodily changes that may indicate a health problem. If you are keeping a written care plan, it it worth making a note of any changes as these can help future diagnoses by medical practitioners.

Sensitivity

Personal hygiene is definitely one of the most important aspects of caring for the elderly, but also one of the most sensitive areas. However, if handled in the right way, it can help create a bond between you and the person you are caring for.



For more tips on elder care go to: elderlycaretips

Understanding Your Long-Term Care Options

"Mom had a fall." I'd come to dread the four words uttered on the other end of the phone, but there they were. Again. Mom had just recovered from her most recent fall last summer when she'd fractured a vertebrae, and I thought things were getting better.

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I found myself lurched back into the reality of the moment. My mother needed to explore options for assistance. It's a conversation that I'd tried to start a hundred times before but just couldn't figure out how to do it. I was suddenly faced with the need to make a life-changing decision. But first, I had to know: what were my Mom's options for assistance?

This concern is shared by millions of seniors, adult children, friends and neighbors, around the world. It isn't a simple problem. The answers involve complex financial, emotional, physical and spiritual considerations, but there are many ways to get an older adult the help they need. When you boil down the choices though, there are really three routes to take:

• Provide assistance within the senior's home, allowing them to remain in their own house.
• Create a place for them to stay in your home (or a relative's).
• Find an alternative residence or care facility, for example, a Residential Care Facility (RCF), or a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF).

How Do I Make a Choice About Care?

I certainly wasn't the only person whose parent had experienced a bad fall. Every year, the need to make long-term care decisions is precipitated by a fall, an illness, Alzheimer's or Dementia, or the sudden death of an older adult's spouse. Suddenly, you're trying to make a complex decision in the midst of a very stressful event. It's really important to have the tools and questions in mind to think through this difficult and personal decision. Below is a list of questions that can help clarify your own values and beliefs:

1. Consider Staying at Home

Most seniors will tell you that their first choice is to stay at home. They're comfortable in their spaces. They have many memories and it feels safe, even if in reality it isn't what it used to be. To give up their home feels like they are giving up a large part of who they are. It can be a difficult conversation, but I've found that you need to act as a sounding board to help your parents think through their realistic needs and assess what's feasible.

• What level of care is required?
• Is non-medical assistance needed (such as shopping, cooking, paying bills and the like)?
• Do they need help ensuring that medications are not forgotten?
• Is help required with activities of daily living?
• How many hours a day is the care required?
• How much will it cost? Will paying these costs reduce or eliminate other choices later on?
• Is reliable help available?
• Are you able to check that the hired help is not abusing your parent?
• Is the home safe for an older adult? If not, can it be modified to be safe?
• Are railings available for the full length of all staircases?
• Are supports available in the shower or tub?
• Are there gas appliances that must be lit?
• Is there a way to summon help if the parent falls and is unable to move?
• How often will you personally be able to visit?
• What are the demands on your time due to work and other family obligations? (For example, would you be taking time away from other family members or your job to spend hours traveling each weekend to visit?)

2. Consider Moving Senior into Your Home

• Can your parent be left alone and for how long?
• What changes will need to be made to your home to make it safe for a senior?
• Who else lives in your home and how will they be impacted? (e.g. Are there children living at home? How old are they?)
• What will you do if the person becomes ill or simply needs to go to the doctor?
• Are you and your spouse in COMPLETE agreement?
• Are you also in agreement on sharing the responsibilities?
• Have you researched what the role of caregiver can mean in your life? There are lots of resources online that can help connect you with other caregivers and deal with the inevitable stress (and also share its benefits).
• How do you feel about having part-time help come into your home?
• Have you investigated the options for senior daycare?
• What are the options if you want to go away for a weekend?

3. Consider Moving Senior into a Care Facility

• Are the financial resources available for this option?
• How far away is the facility from you? Should you relocate the senior, geographically, so that you can more easily visit?
• Are you prepared for enormous initial resistance? This is a big change for a senior.
• Have you thoroughly researched what's available?
• Have you thought about the possible need to move among facilities with differing levels of care? (For example, eventually a parent might need to move from assisted living to a nursing home).
• If funds are available, but limited, have you learned how the facilities address Medicaid?
• Will the facility accept a client coming in on Medicaid or will they demand an initial paid period? Facilities are becoming increasingly inventive about ways to finance the cost of care. Care costs money. Include this fact in your planning. Ask, don't assume.
• Don't assume that government funded facilities will be horrible (or that private facilities will be wonderful). Visit them and decide for yourself.

There can be advantages and disadvantages to all three of the options, depending on the situations of both you and and your parent. Taking the time to prepare and educate yourself now can make it a lot easier to deal with that dreaded phone call, should it ever come. You'll be glad you did.


http://seniorcare.homeinstead.com/long-term-care-options/