Pleasanton Senior Care

Dementia delusions can lead to false accusations, and it’s important to know how to respond.

Dementia delusions can come seemingly out of thin air: you place your loved one’s favorite chicken salad sandwich in front of her – light on the mayo, no onions – something she typically enjoys. But today, she pushes the plate away and will not take a bite, insisting that you’ve poisoned the food.

Or, you’ve provided your loved one with a meaningful activity that links her to a significant time in her past career, sorting paperwork. Out of the blue, she accuses you of tampering with the documents in order to steal money from her banking account.

How can you respond to dementia delusions or hallucinations without further agitating the person? Try these strategies:

Keep a controlled, soothing, understanding tone. It might be instinctive … Read More »

Protect the seniors you love from financial elder abuse with these tips.

When asked whether they thought they might be at risk for financial elder abuse or fraud, the overwhelming majority of surveyed older adults – 81%, in fact – were confident that they would never fall for a scam. We all want to believe we’re too savvy and smart to be taken advantage of; but the reality is, many scammers are even smarter and savvier. 

And though we might assume that financial fraud mostly occurs at the hands of strangers, the truth is that as many as two out of three of all financial crimes are committed by people the victim knows and trusts. 

The good news is, there are several steps that seniors and their loved ones can take to protect themselves:

Register with EverSafe (or a … Read More »

Make sure you’re not crossing the line from motivating to bullying with these caregiving tips.

As a family caregiver, you obviously encounter an array of feelings throughout the day: shared laughter over a joke with your senior loved one; worry due to a health concern; and certainly, from time to time, irritation. We want only the best for those we love, and if a senior loved one is resistant to doing an activity we realize is beneficial, it could be tough to identify the most appropriate response. 

The key is to try to offer motivation and support, while remaining cautious not to ever cross the line into bullying your senior loved one. These caregiving tips are good to remember:

There’s no one-size-fits-all. An approach that has worked on a single occasion may perhaps be entirely ineffective in another. In … Read More »

Promote purpose and meaning for the seniors in your life with these ideas.

Think of a typical day in the life of a senior loved one. Hopefully it provides several positive and enriching experiences: enjoying breakfast, engaging in a fun hobby or interest, visiting with a friend or family member, watching a favorite TV show. Nevertheless, there’s a difference between positivity and purpose and meaning for seniors; and the need for a life rich with significance and purpose is starting to become more evident, particularly in the life of aging parents.

Viktor Frankl , world-renowned psychiatrist and survivor of the Holocaust, shares poignantly, “What matters is not the meaning in life in general, but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment.”

For people whose identity has been focused on a career and raising … Read More »

Learn how home care services can help alleviate family caregiving fears.

“Of course Dad can move in with me!” 

Increasingly, more family members are making this commendable decision on a daily basis, signifying the start of lifestyle changes they can only fully gain an understanding of once immersed in them. And even though the rewards of family caregiving are immeasurable, it’s a role that is not without its struggles and challenges. That’s why it’s important to understand the top family caregiving worries that caregivers face. 

It may seem natural to manage everyday activities for a loved one; but it’s not as instinctive as it seems on first impression. For example, helping a loved one into the shower or bath incorrectly may lead to a fall. Inadequate incontinence care could cause skin damage and infection. Non-compliance with a recommended … Read More »

Keep your loved one’s safe from senior malnutrition.

Remember getting together for Sunday meals at Grandma’s house, when everyone gathered around the table for a home-cooked meal, conversations, and laughter? Unfortunately, with so many families now living at a distance from their elderly loved ones, and with so many varying needs pulling us in multiple directions, it’s hard to maintain this tradition – and it may be just one of the factors contributing to a recent dramatic increase in senior malnutrition.

In fact, as many as 25% of all adults over age 65 in the U.S. are malnourished, triggering critical health concerns. For some seniors who live alone, they simply aren’t inclined to want to prepare nutritious meals for themselves. Others are undergoing feelings of grief, depression, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, poverty, medication side effects, and many other influencers … Read More »

Learn how an older adult may retaliate when you recommend an in-home caregiver.

Although many older adults adapt quickly when a new caregiver comes into the home, and begin to thrive and enjoy a higher quality of life, there are some seniors who may continue to feel threatened. What do you do if your elderly parent is refusing care? At Hired Hands Homecare, providers of elder care in Marin, we’re sensitive to the feelings of each senior we serve and are experienced in helping to ease concerns and restore peace. 

A senior who feels the need to convince his or her family that a caregiver is simply not necessary may implement one of these common tactics:

Becoming argumentative. Frustrations at being perceived as incapable of self-care may display as an increase in arguments, even over seemingly trivial matters. It’s … Read More »