Senior Health
What is the Best Way to Assist An Elderly Parent After a Hospital Stay?
Engaging home care services after a hospital stay is essential for a smoother transition.
As experts in home care in Rohnert Park and other California cities, we understand that recovering after a surgical procedure can take time, especially for older adults. Not only do aging bodies take longer to heal, but together with reduced mobility and a multitude of directions for medications, physical activities, follow-up appointments, and dietary restrictions, there is a lot to help keep tabs on after a hospitalization. So what is the best way to assist an elderly parent after a hospital stay?
Recent research conducted by IPC, The Hospitalist Company, revealed that nearly one out of every five discharged patients required assistance with at least one thing that had the possibility of affecting their recovery. Other similar studies have shown that bringing in professional … Read More »
Tips to Solve Inappropriate Alzheimer’s Behaviors
Inappropriate Alzheimer’s behaviors are common and can be managed compassionately.
Disbelief. Shame. Awkwardness. Discomfort. Many of these types of feelings can cycle through a family caregiver’s heart when a loved one with dementia displays disinhibited behaviors, such as:
Rude or tactless comments
Inappropriate sexual advances or remarks
Removal of clothing at improper times
And other socially unacceptable actions
The complicated changes that occur to the brain in Alzheimer’s disease may cause a complete turnaround in an older adult’s personality and behaviors, such as a formerly genteel grandma suddenly swearing like a sailor. For an individual who is confused, uncomfortable, disoriented, or has simply forgotten social skills and graces, these behaviors are actually quite common, so it’s crucial to learn how to specifically manage them should they arise in someone you love.
Hired Hands Homecare’s Alzheimer’s care experts suggest trying the following tactics … Read More »
Support for Family Caregivers Brings Peace of Mind
Support for family caregivers is vital for success.
“Obviously Dad can move in with me!”
More family caregivers are making this commendable choice, signifying the start of lifestyle changes they may only truly comprehend once in the middle of them. Even though the positive aspects of providing care for an older parent are immeasurable, they’re not without a number of struggles as well.
It may seem natural to take care of daily activities for a senior loved one; however, it’s not quite as instinctive as it seems initially. For example, helping a senior in the shower or bath the wrong way can result in a fall. Poor incontinence care can cause skin damage and infection. Noncompliance with a recommended nutritional plan can bring about a wide array of health complications.
It’s no wonder that in a … Read More »
Dehydration in Seniors: Warning Signs & Tips to Help Stay Hydrated
Dehydration in seniors is common and can lead to health issues if not addressed.
Did you realize…approximately 50% of all older adults are chronically under-hydrated, according to a recent study conducted at UCLA? Not only that, but seniors over age 65 account for the highest category of hospital admissions because of dehydration.
Dehydration in seniors can sneak up quickly because they often have a decreased sensation of thirst, can experience medication side effects that can cause hydration problems, or they mistakenly believe that drinking less will reduce incontinence issues.
Senior dehydration is extremely dangerous, increasing the risk for health issues such as:
UTIs
Kidney stones and/or failure
Blood clots
Seizures
Hypovolemic shock
And many others
Dehydration is generally detected by the following symptoms:
Early stages:
Decreased amount/darker-colored urine
Dry mouth
Feelings of weakness, dizziness, and/or exhaustion
Muscle cramps
Irritation
Advanced stages:
Confusion and disorientation, such as problems with walking
Low … Read More »
Tips for Effectively Managing Medical Issues for Seniors
Managing medical issues for seniors requires effective communication.
Out of all the many responsibilities a family caregiver faces, possibly one of the most difficult is managing medical issues. The National Council on Aging estimates that around ¾ of all seniors are identified as having at least two chronic illnesses, and they are seeing an average of four healthcare specialists.
As your senior parent’s advocate, it’s crucial to know how to communicate effectively with those from the older adult’s medical team, and also to arrive at appointments fully prepared to address any and all issues. The following four questions are a good starting point:
Are all of these prescription drugs required? With most aging parents taking multiple medications, you will want to keep an in-depth list and examine regularly with the doctor and also the pharmacist, both of whom … Read More »
Helping Family Caregivers Find Resiliency in a Time of Crisis
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 »
Elective Medical Procedures: Assessing the Safety for Seniors
Determine the safety of elective medical procedures with these tips.
The COVID-19 pandemic put our world on pause, including, among many other activities, medical appointments and procedures. In fact, nearly half of all adults either cancelled or put off routine medical care and elective medical procedures since the coronavirus crisis began, leading physicians to become concerned about the consequences.
As we tentatively strive for a new normal, it’s important to talk with your doctor about any procedures you might have been considering pre-pandemic, and to get answers to the following questions to help you gauge the safety of following through with them now.
Is the medical facility where I’ll be treated also treating COVID-19 patients, and are the same medical staff who will care for me also taking care of them? If so, what precautions are in place … Read More »
Can Your Aging Parents Afford Long Term Care?
It’s important to discuss long term care with your aging parents.
Millions of Americans struggle with the question of whether their elderly parents can afford long term care. Financial matters can be a sensitive topic, and when it’s time to start thinking about long-term care needs, holding an open and honest discussion about how your parents will be able to afford long term care services is crucial.
To that end, our home care team has compiled the questions below to help you get started:
What are your parents’ assets? A good starting point is to determine approximately how much money your parents have available in cash, investments, and Social Security. This provides a basis for covering for long term care expenses.
Do your parents anticipate the need for financial assistance? People are living longer than ever before, meaning … Read More »
Advance Health Care Directives Provide Peace of Mind
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 »
Questions You Need to Ask Your Aging Parents
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 »
