Some seniors recognize the need to start planning for their futures early, while others require a little push in the right direction because they refuse to recognize that their situation might change as they age. Encourage planning early and address the following areas:

1. Look at all resources –in order to help a senior plan for the future, take a look at all of the options by considering family who may be able to provide help, finances and other assets that could contribute to an aging loved one’s future

2. Understand that plans can change – when planning early, a guideline might be put in place. You might decide with the senior in your life that you will be a full or part-time caregiver. But, by the time they actually need help you might not be in a position to follow through. Accept that plans can change, be flexible, and have backup plans in place

3. Enlist help – a geriatric care manager or a senior care provider can help evaluate the future needs seniors may have to aid in planning

4. Organize the legal aspects – encourage your elderly relative to create a will, draft an advanced directive, establish a power of attorney, and go through the estate planning process

Keeping Aging Relatives in El Segundo, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey, Palos Verdes Estates, Playa del Rey, Redondo Beach, San Pedro, Torrance, safe and independent at home. We provide senior home care for Torrance Seniors and Elders.  Call Home Care Torrance 310-542-0563.

When hiring a senior caregiver, your primary concern is probably the safety of an elderly family member. Proactive caregivers aren’t just there to provide basic care; they’re there to be the eyes and ears when you’re not around to make sure that your loved one is safe. Talk to your caregiver about the safety steps that they’re taking, and know that a proactive caregiver should always have the following in mind:

1. Install nightlights – lighting in a senior’s home is crucial for preventing accidents and nightfright. Installing nightlights which have sensors to go on when seniors get up in the night can also improve safety, and are a simple and inexpensive addition to any home

2. Suggest a lifeline – since caregivers are not always there around the clock, a lifeline, or an emergency device that will contact a loved one or emergency help can make sure that seniors receive help when needed

3. Put lights on timers – suggesting lights on timers inside or outside the home can help ensure there is adequate lighting at all times, and it also adds an element of security in the evening hours when seniors are home alone, and helps to conserve electricity

4. Remove hazards – if seniors do have caregiving help 24/7, caregivers should ensure the environment is safe for seniors to get around while on their own. Removing tripping hazards like throw rugs and poorly placed furniture will reduce the likelihood of accidents. Sturdy grab bars can also be placed in bathrooms and along stairwells for added stability

5. Talk to family members – caregivers can also speak to family members about their concerns, and address them specifically, making the home environment safer to put everyone’s minds at ease

The above are some suggestions of what should be included in any home care franchise service for the success of the business, but of course, specific services will depend upon the client, so hiring caregivers that are perceptive to senior’s needs is crucial to franchise well-being.

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

Stretching is a crucial part of any workout routine. Seniors need to make sure that they implement the stretching tips below every time they exercise to prevent injury and increase the workout benefits. With these tips, safety always comes first!

1. Stretch after a workout when muscles are warm and flexible, and stretching is not going to result in pulling anything or cause an injury before the fitness routine even begins

2. Stretch during physical activity if any part of the body begins to feel tight. By stopping to stretch it out seniors can prevent the likelihood of injury

3. Never stretch before warming up. Stretching cold muscles can result in injury, so be sure to warm up for 5 or 10 minutes with light exercise before stretching. This will give seniors the optimal benefit from exercise and reduce the chance of sprains, strains and muscle pulls

4. Breathe through a stretch. Inhale in preparation and exhale during the stretch while the muscle begins to lengthen and stretch

5. When stretching hold it for 5 seconds, release for 5 seconds and then start again so there is no strain and the stretch really has a chance to penetrate the muscles

Via: Real Age

Image: imrdevin7.blogspot.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

As you get older, don’t let senior stereotypes hold you back. Despite society’s views about aging, older adulthood is a time where you can pursue your dreams, and improve your way of living body and mind. Here are 4 ways to take control of  your senior years:

1. Take a class – learning lasts a lifetime, so take advantage of the opportunities that you have in front of you in older adulthood. Take a college extension class or see what classes are offered at a local community center. You can take anything that interests you, whether it’s active, crafty or intellectual

2. Be social and seek support – don’t withdrawal from social activities like so many seniors have the tendency to do; no matter what’s going on in your life stay in touch with friends and family members with social activities, and get support from groups with any issues you’re dealing with

3. Live and laugh – they say laughter is the best medicine for a good reason, make sure that you do things that you enjoy that make you laugh and smile. Laughter is a great way to cope with grief, overcome stress, and gain a better appreciation of life!

4. Safety first – take the opportunity to look at how you can improve your safety so an accident doesn’t put a damper on your chosen lifestyle. Should you still be driving? Can you avoid busy driving periods or roads? Are there improvements you can make to your house? Are you aware of common frauds targeting seniors, and do you know how to protect yourself from them?

Via: Associated Content

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

Deciding to bring a caregiver to help out in your senior’s Phoenix home is a big decision, since it’s like you’re putting their fate in the hands of someone else. But Home Instead Senior Care takes steps to ensure that only the best caregivers are placed so that all seniors receive the highest quality of care. Through their training and development program, seniors are always in the best of hands.

The traits of  Home Instead Senior Caregivers:

• Dependability - work history and employment reference checks are completed for all staff members
• Honesty - drug test and background checks are completed by HISC
• Experience – personal or professional experience in the senior care industry or dealing with senior citizens is considered
• Compassion – a sense of compassion for giving seniors a better quality of life is looked for during the interview process
• Motivation – someone who is motivated in everything they do is better suited to ensuring that seniors are provided the highest quality of care

HISC also has a Caregiver Leadership Training Program that focuses on creating a fantastic caregiver experience by focusing on the following elements:

• Treating CAREGivers with dignity and respect
• Nurturing positive relationships
• Showing appreciation
• Humanizing and professionalizing the caregiving journey
• Connecting CAREGivers to Home Instead, its mission and other CAREGivers
• Dealing with issues openly and honestly.

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

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.

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 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.