Benefits of Home Care

Money management issues with seniors need to be addressed tactfully and with sensitivity.

Among the most difficult obstacles for older adults is recognizing the need for help with financial matters. Finances are both extremely personal and a representation of your autonomy, and adult children specifically can often be met with opposition when stepping into this arena when suspecting money management issues with seniors. 

However, for a number of reasons, including the ever-increasing incidence of senior scams and cognitive decline, it’s essential to make sure that the financial assets our senior loved ones have acquired through the years are safeguarded, and that bills are paid correctly and on time. It’s an issue that needs to be taken care of delicately and with diplomacy. Try these strategies for an easy transition to assisting a loved one with monetary management:

The introductory … Read More »

Seniors know best what they’re dealing with; empower them to take control of their chronic health care needs.

When it comes to chronic health care, seniors are the experts, hands down, with up to three out of four seniors affected by a number of conditions that are ongoing, necessitate long-term medical treatment, and place restrictions on activities. With the never-ending barrage of bloodwork as well as other tests, physicians’ appointments and procedures, and medications, managing chronic diseases usually takes both a physical and emotional toll, and may quickly become daunting.

Dr. Mary Tinetti, chief of geriatrics and internist at Yale School of Medicine, said, “Once you get three, four, or five and six diseases, several things happen: Number one, almost guaranteed, trying to get one of these diseases under control is going to make one of the other … Read More »

Make hygiene care for someone with Alzheimer’s more comfortable with these tips.

Of the numerous challenges related to caregiving, the Alzheimer’s Association indicates that the most prevalent challenge is hygiene care for someone with Alzheimer’s, for various reasons:

Decreased sense of vision and smell
Comfort found in familiarity (i.e., desiring to wear exactly the same clothes repeatedly)
The challenges of bathing, compounded by cognitive impairment and confusion
Fear of falling, the noises and feelings associated with the water, and more

Cajoling, arguing, and logical thinking are hardly ever practical strategies with those impacted by Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Rather, attempt these innovative techniques if your loved one resists hygiene care:

Arrange the bathroom in advance so that the room will likely be comfortable and you will not have to juggle collecting supplies along with assisting your senior loved one. Warm the … Read More »

Rediscover joy and watch caregiver stress melt away with this one simple tip.

Our facial expressions divulge so much to those around us, and when you’re feeling an unusual level of caregiver stress, well-meaning family members will certainly recognize it, possibly encouraging you to essentially, “Cheer up, buttercup!” In reality, of course, it takes a whole lot more than a couple of words to turn our mood around.

Nonetheless, recent research does support the concept of positive thinking as a method to minimize levels of depression and anxiety which might develop when we’re bombarded with stress – something critical for busy family caregivers to take to heart to decrease the possibility for burnout.

Judith Moskowitz, head psychologist in the research project who consequently established a program to combat the downward spiral of emotions so typical in individuals providing … Read More »

When providing end-of-life care, one of the best gifts you can offer is a listening ear.

Sharing what’s on our hearts with those we love is never more important than when someone is nearing the end of life. There are often unspoken sentiments and unresolved issues that, once verbalized, can bring peace and a deeper connection with our loved ones in their final days. 

As Dr. Jessica Zitter, physician in critical and palliative care medicine at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA explains, “Those are opportunities for people to take stock and say, ‘I want to be more intentional about how I want to relate to people in my life.’ Death should really be seen as the last opportunity that you have to make amends and clean things up before you’re in the next world, wherever that may be.”

Read More »

Paranoia in seniors with dementia can be challenging, but these tips can help.

“I’m telling you, there’s a dog in my closet! I hear it growling all night long. We’ve got to track down its owner!”

Listening to a senior loved one express concerns like this that you know to be untrue is distressing – however, not unheard of. Your first instinct may well be to try and rationalize with the person with a response such as, “Nonsense! There is no way a dog could have gotten into the closet!” However, for various reasons, this could be the least effective technique to handle unreasonable thoughts and paranoia in seniors.

Instead, we at Hired Hands Homecare propose the following tactics which will help bring back a sense of calm and wellbeing:

First, schedule an appointment with the senior’s physician. It … Read More »

Seniors with dementia can very often continue to live where they’re most comfortable, with dementia care at home.

While countless older adults are struggling with the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease, an even greater number of family members are trying to cope with providing dementia care at home. Incredibly, nearly 75% of family caregivers are managing their older loved ones’ dementia care needs by themselves, with only 26% reaching out for professional care support.

Caring for someone with dementia is easier with help from our experts in elderly care in Pleasanton and nearby areas.

At times, the best lessons in life come through going through them firsthand; yet the wisdom we are able to glean from those who have walked an identical path before us is priceless. If you’re caring for someone with dementia and feeling a bit stressed in this uncharted territory, the guidelines below will help:

Learn how to start the conversation when you notice warning signs of aging care needs.

The initial signs might be so subtle that many people wouldn’t even recognize that anything is amiss. Mom is outgoing, pleasant, and conversational while visiting loved ones and while running errands. But those closest to her have begun to detect concerns: being forgetful about the soup cooking on the stove, leading to a scorched pan. Putting her keys into the cookie jar. Failing to pay bills. What should you do when you begin to notice these kinds of warning signs of aging care needs?

As an adult child of a loved one in the early stages of compromised safety or the ability to make competent choices, it is normally incredibly difficult to transition to a higher degree of involvement and assistance – nonetheless … Read More »

Providing care for an aging parent can either strengthen or strain your marriage.

In marriage we agree to stick with each other for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness as well as in health – but what doesn’t come up through our vows to one another is how to deal with the mounting difficulties of providing care for an aging parent. 

However, with our life span increasing, it is highly recommended to put together a strategy to meet both the requirements of our parents as they grow older, and also the multitude of day-to-day needs, all while honoring our cherished relationship with a spouse. It’s a struggle that’s creating stress and pressure for 80% of couples interviewed, resulting in detachment and much less quality time with each other. These particular areas in a married relationship … Read More »