Caregivers

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 »

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

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 »

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 »

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 »

Advance health care directives help individuals ensure their care wishes are met.

Life is unpredictable. And although an advance health care directive can be easy enough to put off, planning end-of-life choices now can help provide peace of mind that your standards and wishes about your health care will be listened to in the future. Additionally, it will ease the responsibility of decision-making on your family members.

Advance directives typically include these documents:

Living will. This written, legal document outlines the kinds of health care procedures and life-sustaining measures a patient would or would not like, such as mechanical breathing (respiration and ventilation), tube feeding or resuscitation.
Health care power of attorney (POA). The health care POA is a legal document that identifies an individual to make health care decisions on the patient’s behalf if the patient … Read More »

Understand the benefits of palliative care to help increase quality of life.

What initially comes to your mind when you hear the words “palliative care?” For many, it’s associated with hospice care. The true goal of palliative care, however, is to obtain comfort from symptoms such as pain, vomiting and nausea that are the result of either a disease or from the treatment for that condition. There are times when this does come about at the end of life.

Dr. Eric Widera, who practices palliative care at the University of California, San Francisco, explains, “We hear this all the time: ‘They’re not ready for palliative care,’ as if it’s a stage people have to accept, as opposed to something that should be a routine part of care.”

And though palliative care, much like hospice care, focuses on maximizing … Read More »

Learn the facts about asbestos exposure and mesothelioma.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few misconceptions regarding mesothelioma, the rare and aggressive disease caused by asbestos exposure. Some people ask, “Is mesothelioma contagious?” Others believe the disease is linked to smoking.

These incorrect assessments range from how people develop mesothelioma to where the disease forms within the body. Other mesothelioma myths include the demographics affected by mesothelioma, the amount of asbestos exposure needed to develop the sickness and the legality of using the substance in the United States.

Below are some common myths about mesothelioma and asbestos, as well as the realities of the disease:

Myth 1: Smoking Is Linked to Mesothelioma

Smoking is not linked to mesothelioma. The act does not cause or increase your risk of developing the disease. The disease forms along the mesothelium, which is a lining … Read More »

Learn about your aging parents’ wishes by asking a few key questions.

We’re all familiar with Benjamin Franklin’s sage advice: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” This has special significance when it comes to our aging parents, and to finding the answers to a number of important (as well as engaging) questions: from the practical knowledge of what their wishes are for their remaining lifetime, to what their favorite hobbies were as a child – and anything in between.

It’s a good idea to let your parents know that you have some questions you’d like to ask, and then schedule a time that will be uninterrupted, inviting siblings or other family members to attend as appropriate. Then prepare your questions in advance, thinking through ideas such as:

Do you have a power of attorney? … Read More »

Having a frank discussion about senior finances is important for long-term planning.

Family financial matters are oftentimes a taboo subject, and in addition, the root of many different controversies, heightened emotions, and misunderstandings. And for a number of today’s older adults, who maintain a “Depression era mentality” from many years of saving for a rainy day and learning to “waste not, want not,” it may be hard for them to grant access to finances to adult children, and to acknowledge the necessity to spend some of those personal finances on caregiving needs.

Talking with an aging parent about finances is most efficient when begun before the need arises, appreciating it might take numerous discussions before an understanding can be reached. These conversation starters can certainly help:

“Dad, at some point, we have to make some choices in regards to … Read More »