Questions to Consider When Moving Senior Parents Home
Moving senior parents home is an option many families are considering during the pandemic.
The number of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes and assisted living facilities has been overwhelming, as the virus sweeps through our most vulnerable population who live together in such close proximity like wildfire. Not surprisingly, many families, as a result, are moving their senior parents home, which brings about a number of issues to work through.
Hired Hands Homecare, providers of senior care in Rohnert Park and the surrounding area, is here with the information you need to make sure the transition home for your older loved ones is a smooth one. An ideal place to start when considering moving senior parents home is by getting the answers to these questions:
Is there sufficient space for the senior to have his or her own … Read More »
Lela is the Best!
Please meet Lela! Hired Hands Homecare is pleased to honor Lela as our Caregiver of the Month for August. Lela is on our Live-in Team, and has been finding a special calling for working with our Hospice clients. She is very special not only to us, we have had several clients and families mention that she is simply outstanding! Lela, we proudly salute you for all you do!
Thanks!
The HIRED HANDS HOMECARE Team
Helping Family Caregivers Find Resiliency in a Time of Crisis
Try these tips for helping family caregivers stay resilient during a crisis.
Times of crisis can sometimes bring out both the very best and also the worst in us. During the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve come across stories of people hoarding items and selling them in order to make an excessive profit, along with stories of wonderful people who selflessly met the needs of others in spite of their personal fears.
The key to weathering the storms which are certain to show up in our lives in a healthy and balanced way is resiliency. Mia Bartoletti, clinical psychologist for the Navy SEAL Foundation, works with families of people serving in the armed forces, and provides guidelines for helping family caregivers find resilience through any time of crisis.
Convey your reactions. It is common to have an array of responses to … Read More »
Elective Medical Procedures: Assessing the Safety for Seniors
Determine the safety of elective medical procedures with these tips.
The COVID-19 pandemic put our world on pause, including, among many other activities, medical appointments and procedures. In fact, nearly half of all adults either cancelled or put off routine medical care and elective medical procedures since the coronavirus crisis began, leading physicians to become concerned about the consequences.
As we tentatively strive for a new normal, it’s important to talk with your doctor about any procedures you might have been considering pre-pandemic, and to get answers to the following questions to help you gauge the safety of following through with them now.
Is the medical facility where I’ll be treated also treating COVID-19 patients, and are the same medical staff who will care for me also taking care of them? If so, what precautions are in place … Read More »
Can Your Aging Parents Afford Long Term Care?
It’s important to discuss long term care with your aging parents.
Millions of Americans struggle with the question of whether their elderly parents can afford long term care. Financial matters can be a sensitive topic, and when it’s time to start thinking about long-term care needs, holding an open and honest discussion about how your parents will be able to afford long term care services is crucial.
To that end, our home care team has compiled the questions below to help you get started:
What are your parents’ assets? A good starting point is to determine approximately how much money your parents have available in cash, investments, and Social Security. This provides a basis for covering for long term care expenses.
Do your parents anticipate the need for financial assistance? People are living longer than ever before, meaning … Read More »
Accessing the Benefits of Long-Term Care Insurance
These tips will help families access the benefits of long-term care insurance.
Long-term care insurance can provide extraordinary peace of mind, but accessing those benefits can end up being a confusing experience for seniors and their family members. To help guide families through the process, Hired Hands Homecare, the leader in home care in Rohnert Park and the surrounding area, provides this helpful overview.
What services are covered?
Prior to filing a claim, it’s important to thoroughly read through a copy of the long-term care insurance policy in order to gain an understanding of the types of services the policy covers. If you don’t have a copy of the policy, reach out to the carrier to request one.
While all policies differ in what they cover, long-term care insurance usually covers non-medical services at home, provided assistance … Read More »
Incorporate These Safe Activities for Seniors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
There are some great activities for seniors that are safe throughout the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us to some extent, but for older adults, it’s been especially traumatic. With an increased risk of serious complications from the virus, combined with the need to isolate from family and friends, the lives of the seniors we love have been turned upside down practically overnight.
At Hired Hands Homecare, we remain committed to providing safe, reliable care for seniors that is focused on each person as a whole – meaning mental and emotional health are equally important to physical wellbeing. To that end, we take time to incorporate meaningful activities into each day, adjusted to the new social distancing recommendations while still bringing enjoyment and connection with others.
Our senior home care experts suggest the following … Read More »
Balancing Senior Safety with Freedom During the Pandemic
Senior safety is key to keep in mind while stay-at-home orders are lifted.
After months of quarantining, isolating, and distancing from loved ones, stay-at-home orders have been relaxed. But for seniors in particular, can it be safe to consider heading out?
Unfortunately, there is no cut-and-dry answer, and a number of criteria need to be considered to arrive at the best decision for every person, balancing senior safety with mental and emotional wellbeing. For example:
What health problems is the senior loved one encountering?
How challenging has it been for her or him to be isolated from loved ones?
Is the incidence rate of the virus subsiding or spiking within your town?
As a family caregiver, the best place to get started is sitting down and having a one-on-one conversation with the older adult. If your senior loved … Read More »
The Emotions That Come With Caring for Aging Parents, and How to Manage Them
Caring for aging parents raises some complicated emotions.
If you’re feeling a bit discouraged in your role in caring for aging parents, take heart; you’re in good company. Providing care for a loved one is perhaps one of the most complex roles we can hold: highly rewarding on one hand, while simultaneously frustrating and ever-evolving, often leading to feelings of doubt about whether we’re up to the challenge and providing the best possible care.
It’s why so many family caregivers struggle with some or all of these types of feelings:
Guilt: You may feel as though you’re not doing as much as you should to help your loved one, that you’re selfish for wanting time away to yourself, or that you’re inadequate to provide the help your loved one needs.
Helplessness: There are some circumstances when you simply … Read More »
Stress for a Family Caregiver Is a Given. Overcome It with These Tips
If you’re a family caregiver, it’s important to manage stress.
Stress for a family caregiver is inevitable, and actually, not necessarily always a bad thing. After all, as the saying goes, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Yet especially for family caregivers, the level of stress can quickly escalate and become overwhelming, and if not managed effectively, lead to serious health concerns.
Try these tips to minimize stress and achieve a healthier and more relaxed lifestyle – both for yourself and those you love:
Change your self-talk. Throughout the course of your day, you may find yourself entertaining thoughts such as, “I can’t do this!” or “Everything is going wrong!” Pause when negative thinking begins to intrude, and say to yourself instead, “I can handle this, one step at a time,” … Read More »
