Alzheimer’s

When dealing with dementia, one of these two treatment options may be recommended.

The most recent Alzheimer’s statistics are worrying. The condition has become the 6th leading cause of death, overtaking both breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. And though deaths from several chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, are declining, those from Alzheimer’s have escalated more than 100%. The toll the condition takes on family caregivers with a loved one who is dealing with dementia is similarly shocking, with well over 16 million Americans supplying over 18 billion hours of caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

Although we have yet to realize a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are two distinct forms of treatment options that can help alleviate some of the more prevalent symptoms. If your parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the following are two options … Read More »

Learn why giving up the car keys can lead to social and physical decline.

It’s one of the most difficult decisions we face as we grow older, and a highly sensitive issue for adult children to broach with their senior parents: unsafe driving, and the need to explore giving up the car keys. Driving a car, while offering a great sense of freedom and independence, can become risky due to a number of variables. And giving up that independence in order to remain safe can feel defeating.

On the other side of the equation, we need to take into account the latest research findings that show that giving up driving can lead to both mental and physical decline. Giving up driving, can lead to health decline through isolation, despondency, and reduced physical activity.

The study, as shared in … Read More »

Find tips for seniors who resist home care services.

Getting used to the reality that a senior you love needs help at home can be challenging. Even more difficult is talking about home care services with the senior and encouraging him or her to acknowledge that assistance is needed. If you have viewed changes in your loved one and you sense the need to initiate speaking about home care as a possibility to improve safety and independence in the home, try some of these conversation starters from the home care team at Hired Hands Homecare to raise the subject in a subtle, non-confrontational way.

If heightened frailty is growing to be a concern:

“I love you, Dad, and now that you’re living by yourself, I’m concerned about your safety. I know someone who can help us to make … Read More »

Can caring for your heart help prevent Alzheimer’s? Learn more in Hired Hands Homecare’s article.

Taking good care of your heart can help you avoid Alzheimer’s disease, according to the latest scientific research. It turns out that things that are good for your heart – like regular exercise and a healthy diet – are also good for your brain.

There are many ways a heart-healthy lifestyle contributes to a better brain. Regular exercise increases blood flow to the brain, while a healthy weight reduces inflammation that can contribute to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease include high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity. The same risk factors also contribute to the development of heart disease.

LDL or “bad” cholesterol could harm the brain by promoting the buildup of plaques that lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Higher “good” … Read More »

Thursday, January 31, 2019
4:00 – 7:00 pm
Valley Memorial Park – Novato
650 Bugeia Lane (off Atherton Ave.)
FREE EVENT!

Learn tips on how in-home respite care can help you steer clear of caregiver burnout.

Providing care for an older loved one, in spite of being incredibly rewarding, can also include a high level of caregiver stress. The full-time responsibility of meeting a loved one’s needs can quickly escalate to caregiver burnout – a dangerous condition which can cause loss of patience and emotional outbursts. This has an impact on not only the caregiver herself, but on her senior loved one as well.

It’s crucial to discover if you might be in danger of developing caregiver burnout, and seek assistance if needed. The questionnaire below from Hired Hands Homecare, experts at in home care in Walnut Creek and surrounding areas, can help you determine if you might have crossed the line from caregiver stress to caregiver burnout:

Do you … Read More »

Greetings! Join us today, Oct. 24 from 9am – 3pm at the Marin Senior Information Fair.  There’ll be tons of great information for and about Seniors.  Get your Flu vaccine, and make sure you stop by the Hired Hands Homecare booth to say hello to Blake and Kirsten.  We’d love to answer any questions you may have about how we can help families and their senior loved ones!

Hired Hands Homecare is proud to celebrate 25 years of participation in the Marin Senior Information Fair, and supporting the seniors and families of Marin County.

For more information about the Marin Senior Info Fair, please visit https://marinseniorfair.org.

Learn how to best respond to challenging Alzheimer’s behaviors.

Alzheimer’s disease often presents complex issues for both the person diagnosed and his or her loved ones. As the disease progresses, challenging Alzheimer’s behaviors often manifest, as seniors increasingly express their needs through actions instead of language, and these behaviors can often be inappropriate in nature. For instance, seniors with more advanced Alzheimer’s disease may display the following:

Agitation and aggression
Inappropriate sexual behavior such as:

Taking off clothing or touching themselves in public
Using obscene language
Accusations that a spouse is having an affair

Hallucinations
Depression

Behaviors such as these can be embarrassing and troubling for Alzheimer’s caregivers, but they can also be extremely confusing and frustrating for the person with Alzheimer’s, who most likely cannot understand why the behavior is inappropriate or upsetting to others.

As an Alzheimer’s caregiver, it’s essential to keep in mind that any … Read More »

Learn ways to ease stress when providing Alzheimer’s care for a loved one.

Some of the busiest people working today are providing Alzheimer’s care for a senior loved one, but that’s not all. Although Alzheimer’s caregivers have their hands full with that role alone, many also work long hours at full-time jobs, shuttle the kids to school and other activities, run errands and take care of the home, and prepare dinner for the family on top of their caregiving duties. When do they have time to just relax? When providing Alzheimer’s care, it can often feel like your day never ends, and stress and poor sleep can wear down your body as well as your mind. Caregiver burnout is a real and serious condition that can result in, among other things, physical health problems, depression, feelings of being isolated, … Read More »

Our Santa Rosa, CA in-home care specialists share information on Alzheimer’s disease.

Facing the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease in a senior loved one raises a multitude of questions: Is it truly Alzheimer’s, or could it be another type of dementia? What’s the cause of Alzheimer’s? What treatment possibilities are there? And how is it diagnosed, anyway? With our comprehensive experience in caring for those who have Alzheimer’s, Hired Hands Homecare’s Santa Rosa, CA in-home care team has collected responses to some of the most frequent questions we receive:

What causes Alzheimer’s disease?
Researchers don’t yet fully realize what causes Alzheimer’s disease. However, chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, diet, exercise, and social engagement may possibly have an effect on whether or not an individual develops Alzheimer’s.
What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?
Dementia is the symptom and … Read More »