It’s never easy to watch someone you love getting older, but as a relative of a senior, often the responsibilities fall to you to decide when they need help. For the sake of your loved one, it’s important that you know when home care just might be right for them. Take the following checklist, and if your Phoenix senior meets any of the below criteria, it just might be the right time for senior home care.

• Your loved one is struggling with Activities of Daily Living  (dressing, bathling, preparing meals, taking medications, keeping up with chores at home)

• Your senior’s balance and mobility is declining, putting him/her at greater risk for in-home accidents.

• Your loved one has given up driving and finds it challenging to get to appointments and run errands.

• Your senior doesn’t have family nearby, or family members who are able to help them on a regular basis.

• Your loved one has recently come out of the hospital or rehab and needs to focus on recovering

• Your loved one’s memory is suffering because of Alzheimer’s or Dementia which could impact their ability to care for themselves safely.

Sources:

1. Elder Issues

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

Many people in Phoenix who become family caregivers believe that they are doing their loved one a favor, because rather than hiring a professional home caregiver which can make seniors feel like they’re losing independence; receiving care from a family member can make seniors feel like they’re just spending quality time with someone they love. Of course, this is not the reality; but beyond the illusion that sometimes comes with family care, there are also potential safety implications. Very few family caregivers receive training in proper safety techniques for senior caregiving; methods to identify hazards in the home, recognizing signs or symptoms of serious illness, or even basic CPR. As a result of this lack of training, family caregivers are putting their loved ones at risk since they are ill-equipped to respond to medical emergencies, and may inadvertently cause harm to the seniors they care for.

While family caregivers feel that they’re doing their loved one a favor by saving them from the indignity of losing independence by accepting help from someone who isn’t family, they might really be doing them a disservice. Instead of choosing a family caregiver for a senior, consider hiring Home Instead Senior Care in Phoenix to provide home care services. Professional caregivers are trained in the following:

• First aid

• Safe caregiving techniques

• Identifying signs and symptoms of potential illness

• Specific Alzheimer’s care

Sources:

1. Seniors Daily
2. Home Instead Senior Care

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

Q – My mother in Phoenix has a dog and cat that have been with her since my father passed away, she would never dream of giving them up and I wouldn’t want to put her in that situation because I can see how happy they make her. However, she does suffer from Alzheimer’s, and I worry that her safety might become an issue when she leaves the house to walk the dog, and I’m not certain if they’re receiving proper care as a result of her memory. I’ve been looking at home care agencies to help her around the house, but can they provide assistance for pets too?

A – While not all home care agencies for seniors provide pet services, Home Instead Senior Care in Phoenix can provide services to assist both the more traditional elements of home care as well as well as those that relate to the pets. Home Instead Senior Care can assist your mother by feeding the dog and cat, taking the dog for a walk, ensuring that they receive meals, and even by running errands for pet supplies. Through these home care services you can rest assured that both your mother and her best friends are well cared for, so giving them up never has to become a contending factor.

Sources:

1. Suite 101

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

After a long stay at a Phoenix hospital or rehabilitation facility following an accident or injury, things around the house probably aren’t in the same condition that seniors are used to living with; and have you thought about the additional help they might require to focus on their recovery? Answer the following questions to determine if you have made the appropriate preparations to get your senior ready to return home from the hospital.

• Groceries and pantries have been re-stocked

• Meals have been prepared so the senior doesn’t need to worry about cooking or meal planning

• The home has been restored to its normal state, with dishes washed, bedding changed, and laundry put away

• Arrangements have been made to help the senior with any required physiotherapy exercises

• Arrangements have been made to help the senior with daily tasks, like dressing, washing and so on

• Someone is available to upkeep the home while the senior recovers

These are all important elements to get seniors ready to come home from the hospital or rehabilitation facility so that their comfort and safety remains the top priority. Since families have a lot on their plates when a loved one is recovering from an accident or injury, home caregivers can fill the void and take care of all of the following tasks.

Sources:

1. Home Instead Senior Care

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

As a leading home care agency in Phoenix, one of the top questions that Home Instead Senior Care receives is if caregivers can help seniors out around the home. Many families worry about their aging senior’s ability to keep up with tasks and responsibilities at home, especially when a safety risk might be a consequence; but they don’t want their loved one to suffer from loss of independence by moving them out of their own home.

Fortunately for Phoenix families, Home Instead Senior Care provides a number of senior home care services, including help around the home. Our caregivers can assist seniors with light-housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, meal planning, grocery shopping and transportation to and from errands. In addition to the help around the home that our caregivers offer, they also provide assistance with personal care like bathing, dressing, and personal grooming. Our caregivers also provide companionship for the senior and bond with each and every one of their elderly clients to ensure that they feel comfortable, safe and happy with their home care situation.

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

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As a senior caregiver, one of the biggest complaints that I receive from my senior clients and their families, is that the stress of making care decisions is resulting in family conflict and serious drama. Many of these families got along perfectly well together until they had to come together to decide the fate of their aging parent; while others have always had dramatic relationships and remained out of each other’s lives until coming together for a parent’s care. Regardless of the family relationship that existed before, when my clients ask how they can put a stop to the drama taking place every time the family discusses senior care, I recommend that they consult the services of a elder mediator. Essentially, an elder mediator is a 3rd party person who specializes in communication and senior care who can moderate family meetings to make them more productive and reduce the family conflict.

The Role of an Elder Mediator:

• Elder mediation can help families who have a different perspective to the situation being discussed

• Meeting with a third party to moderate can help prevent disputes

• The mediator is able to provide additional resources in senior care, and may invite a geriatric care manager or home care specialist to provide a different perspective and specific insight into a topic of discussion

• Helps families lay out a care plan in writing, with the input of the senior parent and the elder mediator

• Allows adult children to think through care options they might not have considered before

• Challenges family members and makes them take responsibility for their actions

• Allows aging parents to look at their positive skills and qualities rather than limitations

Sources:

1. Plan for Care
2. Mayo Clinic

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

As a geriatric care specialist, I often receive questions from my Phoenix clients; seniors and their families, about what would happen if their loved one had an accident in the home when no one was around. Family members worry that their senior, living alone, might have an accident or fall and remain unattended and without help for hours until someone discovers that something just isn’t right. My recommendation to these individuals is to invest in a Personal Emergency Response System, because while accidents may happen in even the safest home, at least with such a technology someone can be notified once an incident occurs, providing the senior the help they need in response.

Personal Emergency Response Systems allow seniors to press a button once they’ve had a fall or accident to contact a monitoring service that notifies a family member or emergency response. These services can also help remind seniors to take their medication and allow them to communicate directly with someone when an emergency occurs. While I do provide my clients with a number of tips that may help them reduce the likelihood of accidents in the home, unfortunately, they still can happen, but by taking advantage of today’s technology there is an added element of safety so if something does occur, the senior’s needs can be attended to.

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

Image: www.health.com

Q – Does stress make the body vulnerable to diseases and illnesses? Is it possible that stress is to blame for my diabetes?

A – There is a chance that stress could be responsible for your diabetes, as there is a direct correlation that can put Phoenix seniors at risk for the disease. Naturally, when you are stressed, your blood sugar levels rise. While in most cases, people who do not have diabetes have mechanisms to get blood sugar levels back under control, those who are diabetic may not which can cause the onset of diabetes symptoms. While stress is unlikely to directly cause diabetes, it can cause the illness to be discovered. Stress can also have serious health effects for someone suffering from diabetes since blood sugar levels rise which can result in symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, confusion, problems forming words.

Prolonged elevated blood pressure can also result in heart disease. Particularly during times of extreme stress, seniors should be aware of these family conditions which can be further aggravated by stress and have their risk assessed by a doctor.

Sources:

1. Medical News Today

2. Medicine Online

3. The American Institute of Stress

Image: www.gettyimages.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

Q – Are there methods that Phoenix seniors can use to control anxiety that can be made part of their regular lifestyle?

A – Phoenix seniors can reduce and control anxiety with simple methods that fit easily into every lifestyle. While anxiety, at times is a normal reaction to stressful situations or uncertainty, it is important that all elderly Americans have effective coping methods to ensure that their anxiety doesn’t overcome them or result in serious health complications like cardiovascular or gastrointestinal problems.

Simple lifestyle changes with regards to diet, physical activity, and other social socials can also help Phoenix seniors to control and reduce anxiety without making any drastic changes to the way they live.

• Focus on healthy nutrition – poor food choices can naturally increase levels of anxiety, lower the immune system and have other adverse affects upon a senior’s emotional and physical well-being. Maintaining a well-balanced diet into older adulthood can help reduce and prevent stress and anxiety.

• Exercise – engaging in physical activities can help to reduce emotional tension and help seniors relax. Naturally, exercise choices for seniors should depend on each individual’s physical capabilities, but regardless of the activity, the benefits towards anxiety reduction are the same. Choose walking, jogging, riding a bike, or playing a favorite sport.

• Socialize – seniors can reduce and prevent anxiety by becoming involved in their communities, joining clubs for seniors, spending time with family, getting together with friends, and finding time in each and every day to stay connected with the important people in their lives.

• Choose relaxing activities – seniors can try activities geared to relax like yoga for seniors or meditation, or choose activities like gardening or reading that provide a sense of anxiety reduction.

Sources:

1. Mayo Clinic

2. Yoga for Seniors

3. About

Image: www.qualityoflifecare.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

Many seniors become reluctant to part with their belongings as they get older. For them, the odds and ends in their home may represent a past life with a deceased spouse and provide a sense of identity; so letting go of old furniture or clothing can be a very difficult task. Another factor that can contribute to a senior’s reluctance to part with their things relates to income; when living on a fixed income after retirement they just might not have the funding required to purchase new clothing or items for their home.

This year, help the senior in your life declutter their home and acknowledge which items could spare to be replaced. Instead of forcing them to spend to replace their older things, look around your home when completing your own spring cleaning in Phoenix and think about what might be donated to the senior.

Clean out your closet and determine which items you no longer wear would be appropriate in the senior’s wardrobe. Think about why you want to get rid of it; is it damaged? Is it worn out? Does it no longer suit today’s fashion trends? Clothing items which are gently used and sitting in your closet simply because they’re slightly out of date, may be perfect for a senior who worries more about function than fashion when choosing their clothing.

Other items that you might consider donating to a senior during spring cleaning in Phoenix can include furniture, electronics, bedding and linens and kitchenware to give them affordable new items for their home!

Sources:

1. Michigan Home Care Blog

2. About.com

Image: Image: www.thisoldhouse.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.