Homecare
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Determining if Home Care Is an Option.
We face a number of critical crossroads in life, in which our decisions will have a long-reaching impact. Our career. Whether (and whom) to marry. Whether to have children. And once we’ve reached senior status, another major decision looms: should we consider a move to an assisted living facility or nursing home to ensure we have the care needed throughout the aging process, or is home care in California an option?
As with any crucial decision, it’s important to carefully consider the pros and cons of each choice. Hired Hands Homecare wants to help seniors and their families more clearly understand both options, in order to make the decision with which they’ll be most comfortable.
If you’re in the beginning stages of considering a move for your senior loved one, these questions are important to consider:
Is cost a factor? The U.S. Department … Read More »
Home Care vs. Assisted Living: Which Option is Right for Your Senior Loved One?
Home is where the heart is, and so many seniors’ hearts are set on remaining at home throughout aging, instead of making a move to an assisted living facility or nursing home – close to 90% of them, according to research done by AARP. And who can blame them? The comfort of familiar surroundings, the independence to come and go as you please, the freedom to prepare the meals you want when you want them are all priceless commodities.
But although it sounds like the perfect plan for aging, there are some real concerns to be thought through as well:
Will the senior be safe?
How will he or she get around when driving, or even walking, becomes difficult?
What happens if the senior becomes ill or injured and no one’s nearby to help?
Thankfully, it’s now easier than ever for older adults to stay … Read More »
Do Seniors REALLY Need Vaccinations? Our Home Care Company Has the Answer!
The excuses are too numerous to count, but they all boil down to this: “What’s the point of getting immunizations now that I’m in the later years of life?” For every reason seniors can conjure up NOT to receive their vaccines, there’s a countering response encouraging them to adhere to immunization recommendations. Here are just a few of the top reasons why those over age 60 need to make it a priority to ensure they’re up to date on vaccinations:
For protection of loved ones. In particular, babies under 6 months of age, who are too young to be immunized against illnesses such as whooping cough and the flu, are susceptible to contracting the diseases from family members who aren’t up to date on vaccines.
For travel safety. If one of a senior’s bucket list items includes visiting a foreign country, a … Read More »
Santa Rosa’s Caregiver of the Month
Addy is the Employee of the Month for the Santa Rosa Office! With her calm demeanor and a smile that lights up the room, Addy has a way of putting both clients and families at ease during even the most difficult times. She has become one of our most valued Hospice Team members, and has helped ease families and their loved ones through the Hospice experience. As one daughter said “My father loved Addy. Her kindness, gentleness, warmth, and the way she diligently cared for him, put him at absolute ease.”
Linda Shaver – Napa’s April Employee of the Month
Linda Shaver was chosen for employee of the month of April. Linda is a perfect example of dedicated caregiver. She takes care of a client that be challenging at times, but she still goes above and beyond. Linda never says no when we need her to cover extra shifts with her client, she’s even willing run over in the evenings to check on him or give him dinner. Linda always has her clients best interested at heart, and it shows as the client only wants her. Linda is always willing to help when needed.
Santa Rosa Home Care Company Offers 5 Practical Ways to Help a Loved One with Cancer
Perhaps there’s nothing harder than walking beside a loved one battling cancer. One of the biggest challenges can be the troubling side effects experienced from treatments like chemotherapy, and you probably want nothing more than to relieve these symptoms and help your loved one recover. Although simply being there for your loved one is strong medicine in and of itself, there are other ways to help. Here are some common side effects and how you can help your loved one overcome them:
Skin Problems: Cancer patients often struggle with a number of treatment- and disease-related skin conditions. Loved ones can help by encouraging the use of sunscreen, helping to protect affected areas from trauma, and keeping skin clean and dry.
Hair Loss: If a cancer patient is concerned about the potential for hair loss, loved ones can help by assisting with the … Read More »
How In Home Care Services Can Help Cancer Patients Meet Nutritional Needs
We all benefit from a healthy diet, but it’s especially important for those diagnosed with cancer. Good nutrition helps cancer patients regain strength, enabling them to endure chemotherapy treatments, defend against infections, eliminate breakdown of body tissue, and rebuild lost tissue. Good nutrition also helps patients cope with any cancer treatment side effects and may even be able to help them handle higher doses of certain drugs.
Nutrition recommendations for those with cancer may emphasize eating more higher calorie, higher protein foods. The doctor may recommend drinking more milk or eating foods like cheese and cooked eggs. Other suggestions might include increasing the use of sauces and gravies, or changing cooking methods to include more butter, margarine, or oil. Sometimes, nutrition recommendations for cancer patients suggest eating less of certain high-fiber foods which can aggravate problems such as diarrhea or a … Read More »
Avoid Caregiver Burnout: Finding a Healthy Balance When Caring for Senior Parents
You plan for a career. You plan to buy a house. You plan for a family. Life, however, often has other plans and can throw some unexpected curveballs. Caring for an older loved one is not often a job most people plan for, and many underestimate the financial burden, the amount of time it takes to provide care and the emotional toll it can take.
To help keep a healthy balance and avoid caregiver burnout, remember these tips:
Take time for a phone conversation or a visit with a friend or family member every now and then. Too often family caregivers throw themselves full force into caring for their loved one that they lose track of other healthy relationships, which can lead to feelings of isolation and depression. Remember to surround yourself with supportive friends and family.
Set personal limits. Don’t be afraid … Read More »
Caregiving Stress and Its Effects in the Workplace | California Senior Care
Even when you love your job, the workplace can be stressful. Now consider how stressful it can be for those who have a second fulltime job caring for an elderly or disabled loved one. For many family caregivers, it can be nearly impossible to find balance between work, caring for a family, and caring for a senior loved one, which can lead to extreme stress and anxiety, and that stress oftentimes carries over into the workplace.
Approximately one in four households is involved in the care of a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member, and just over 50 percent of family caregivers also work full time. There are some telltale signs of caregiving stress for which California employers should be on the lookout. If you notice the following behaviors in your employees, it might mean that they are experiencing caregiving … Read More »
Hired Hands Homecare Presents: The Sandwich Generation To-Do List
Do you have aging parents in need of care? Are you also trying to juggle caring for children and family at home? Then you are part of the sandwich generation – a generation of people, typically in their thirties or forties, who find themselves responsible for bringing up their own children and caring for their aging parents. The “to-do lists” of today’s sandwich generation are packed. Many family caregivers not only work full time, they are also shuttling children to and from school and after-school activities and maintaining a household on top of their caregiving duties. There are solutions to aid caregivers though, and the first step is getting educated on ways to make the situation more manageable.
At the risk of adding more to your plate, consider adding these items to your to-do list to help make caregiving more manageable:
Have … Read More »
