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.

Living with someone else is never easy, and adding a senior to your household who has had a lifetime of independence is not an easy process – on you or on them. For some, living together is just too close for comfort; they just get along better when seeing each other only occasionally; others, manage to get on quite well even when in close quarters. Before jumping into any decisions, seniors and their families should all consider if they’re prepared to make sacrifices and changes to their lifestyles. Specific questions
that seniors should ask include
the following:

• What will my role be in paying for household expenses? Does it sound affordable and reasonable based on the living arrangements determined?

• What specific responsibilities will I have? Will I be expected to contribute to household chores or care for any of the grandchildren in the home? If so, how often and when?

• Will I be provided with my own space to maintain my independence? Will I have a room, or a bathroom that’s off limits to the rest of the family?

• What will become of my assets? How will we handle the sale of my home and finances I have in my bank accounts?

• Can I bring my pets to the home?

• Will changes be made to areas of the home to provide for my comfort and safety?

• Will I be a part of family decisions, such as vacations, travel, and hosting of events in the home? Or will the other family members make these decisions?

• Am I able to invite my friends to the home and entertain? What if I want to use the space without the grandchildren?

• What arrangements will be made if I need care assistance? Will someone in the home be able to help, or will we hire senior home care?

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

Image source: sxc.hu

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

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

As we age, sometime certain skills and abilities can be lost as a result of strokes, Alzheimer’s and other potentially crippling diseases. Unfortunately for many older adults in Phoenix and across America, the skills that they lose are their ability to communicate, which can make it difficult for families to know how to deal with them, and can result in isolating the senior who has already gone through so much. With effective communication techniques, families and caregivers can ensure that they go the extra mile to communicate with their loved ones. Here’s what you can do to make sure that you don’t isolate your senior just because they can no longer communicate with you verbally.

• Pay attention to their body language in order to determine how they’re feeling, especially when interacting with them
• Don’t ignore them; just because they can’t speak back, doesn’t mean that you can’t talk to them
• In order to make them feel included, talk to them about anything – your day, things happening in your family, and about what’s happening around you; just like you would in normal conversation
• Use touch in order to bridge the gap; to help you communicate a point or just as a way to give affection

Sources:

1. Aging Care

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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

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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 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.

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Q – I’ve started to notice strange behavior in my mother, and suspect she might have Alzheimer’s or dementia. What do I do next?

A – If you suspect that an aging parent or relative has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, verify your suspicions against the 10 Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease to verify that what you’re seeing in your mother could in fact indicate Alzheimer’s or dementia, rather than just old age. Some form of memory loss, or slower thinking is not an uncommon part of the aging process, and this is often the first thing that those caring for the elderly look at when they have Alzheimer’s suspicions. If your mom doesn’t recall a name, date or other piece of information immediately when prompted, it doesn’t mean she has Alzheimer’s, as long as she remembers at a later time. If she can’t recall the information, and is never able to remember it, it may be indicative of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

If you suspect Alzheimer’s in an elderly parent, you can also talk to friends and family members to get their perspective. Have they noticed similar signs and symptoms that have concerned them? If so, it’s probably time to get your mother to see their doctor, who might refer them onto someone who specializes in geriatric healthcare. Also try to monitor how the changes in your mother are impacting her ability to live independently, so her safety is not compromised, and make the appropriate changes in the home.

With awareness and knowledge, you can help your mother live with Alzheimer’s.

Sources:
1.   Caring.com
2.    Carol O’Dell Caregiving Blog

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 – How is a family caregiver defined, and when should family members consider themselves caregivers for their seniors?

A family caregiver, or informal caregiver, is any family member that provides care or support to a senior relative. Family caregivers come in many forms, and many family members who provide support to a senior may not think of themselves as caregivers. While some family caregivers may either live in their senior relative’s home, or have their aging parent live with them, to be considered a family caregiver you don’t need to provide full-time or even permanent part-time care. Answer the following questions to determine if you should be thinking of yourself as a family caregiver.

•    Do you feel responsible for providing support to an aging loved one?
•    Do you help out an aging parent around the home, with cooking or cleaning, even if only on an occasional basis?
•    Do you take your senior relative out to run errands or escort them to medical appointments?
•    Would your family member call you in an emergency and expect your prompt assistance?
•    Do you provide support or assistance to an aging relative living in a long-term care or assisted living facility?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions then you are a family caregiver; don’t underestimate the value of what you do or the contribution you’re making to the quality of life for your elderly parent or aging relative.

Sources:
1.   American Society on Aging
2.   Caregiver-connect.ca

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.