Helping your parents downsize is a much smoother process with these tips!

Take a moment and look around your home and surroundings – the pictures on the walls, collectibles, furniture, books, and memorabilia that all are part of the story of your life and who you are as an individual. Now think about having to part with most of those items in order to move into a smaller home or a family member’s home. You can imagine how overwhelming it would feel. It’s important to keep this in mind if you’re helping your parents downsize.

How Can I Help Make Downsizing Easier?

If your parents are faced with the need to downsize, there are a number of steps you can take to simplify and ease the process. These guidelines from a professional organizer are a great place to … Read More »

Discover how to help seniors after a fall to regain the confidence they need to stay active while preventing a second fall.

While comedians and circus clowns may stir audiences to laughter over such stunts as slipping on a banana peel, there’s nothing funny about falling when it comes to seniors, who are at an elevated risk for serious injuries which could lead to a long rehabilitation process. Not just that, but there’s a lesser known complication that typically comes from a senior’s fall: a fear of falling again which is extreme enough to impact quality of life and health. Knowing how to help seniors after a fall to feel safe and secure again is crucial.

As the saying goes, “Once bitten, twice shy.” It is natural – and sensible – for a loved one who has fallen … Read More »

Senior falls can have serious consequences, but with a plan, the risk for falls can be greatly reduced.

Senior falls are all too frequent and may have serious outcomes. Taking preventative measures is key, such as examining the house for fall risks like area rugs and various tripping hazards, inadequate lighting, and a lack of appropriate grab bars and railings. But there is also a new strategy being advised now: creating a fall plan of care, which, when utilized correctly, has been shown to reduce fall-related emergency room visits up to 40%.

So while we absolutely don’t want to plan for a loved one to fall, we are able to be better equipped by helping the person take the following steps:

Stay vigilant – Avoid letting your mind wander and instead maintain your full focus on your surroundings.
Check vision … Read More »

It’s not uncommon for families to have conflict over honoring senior independence vs. safety.

It’s a conflict that occurs for numerous families: seniors are adamant about wanting to age in place in their own home, while their relatives worry about their safety and well-being. And there’s an argument to be made in both scenarios. Seniors, specifically individuals who live alone, confront multiple risks: falls that could possibly result in significant injury, trouble in maintaining the lifestyle to which they’ve become accustomed as aging progresses, even a susceptibility to scam artists. Nonetheless, senior independence is one of the keys to self-worth. 

Identifying a balance that fits the requirements of both sides may be challenging, but there are several important factors to consider that can make a difference.

Let go of ageism. While there is credibility to worries over safety for … Read More »

While we may envision a Norman Rockwell-worthy Thanksgiving celebration, with the whole family enjoying quality time together and Grandma’s traditional feast, the reality for many families includes something unexpected: a hospital visit. In fact, statistics show that E/R visits for the elderly jump an astounding 10 – 20% during the holidays. What can you do to avoid a hospital visit this holiday season?

While pinpointing the exact reasoning behind this increase is difficult, it stands to reason that one factor could be family members who haven’t spent time with an elderly relative in the months prior to the holiday season, only to discover then that his or her condition has deteriorated.

Dr. Tamara Kuittinen of Lenox Hill Hospital explains, “It’s an issue of out of sight, out of mind for many people. If you haven’t seen your mom … 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 »

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 »

Learn how to strike a balance between safety and independence for senior parents.

It’s a disagreement that develops for a number of families: senior parents adamantly like to age in place in their own homes, while their relatives are worried about their safety. And there’s a debate to be made in both scenarios. Seniors, especially those who live alone, confront many different risks: falls that could bring about serious injury, challenges in preserving way of life to which they’ve become accustomed as aging advances, even a susceptibility to fraud artists. Yet independence for senior parents is vital to self-worth, regardless of age.

Defining a balance that suits the requirements of both sides may very well be difficult, but there are several important factors to bear in mind that will help.

Let go of ageism. While there is certainly credibility to worries … Read More »

The home care experts at Hired Hands outline simple exercises to improve senior safety.

The CDC reports that as many as one-third of all seniors fall each year, and surprisingly, less than half of those seniors talk to their doctors about it. When a senior experiences a fall, even if it does not cause serious injury, she can develop a heightened fear of falling, which may result in limited activities, reduced mobility, loss of physical fitness, and in turn, an increased risk of falling again.

In our last blog post, we discussed some home modifications you can make to improve senior safety and reduce the risk of falls. In addition, there are a number of exercises that seniors can do on a regular basis to increase muscle strength and improve balance, which will not only help reduce … Read More »