Home Instead Senior Care offers a brand of caregiving that is strictly non-medical in nature and can be provided wherever the senior resides; we have two programs, Companionship and Home Helper.

The Companionship program sends a CAREGiver to keep a senior company by engaging in activities and conversation as well as preparing meals, providing medication reminders and caring for plants. The Home Helper Program aims to assist seniors with general household duties such as light housekeeping, laundry, ironing, garbage, pet care and escorting them to appointments and events. We also offer Alzheimer’s care.

CAREGivers are well-trained, committed and reliable. They are not nurses, since services are non-medical, but do receive ongoing training and undergo thorough background checks which include 6 references, insurance and bonding.

Benefits you receive when hiring our CAREGivers:

• Often family members are caregivers of aging parents who may require additional help (like 31% of the population)
• Family caregivers are often within the demographic called the ‘sandwich generation’; adult children of seniors who provide care to their parents as well as their own children, all while working at a full-time job
• Not all seniors have family nearby or capable of being acting caregivers
• 55% of family caregivers suffer from high levels of stress and may experience caregiving burnout
• Services offered by HISC can allow seniors to remain in their own homes, maintaining their independence
• CAREGivers provide seniors with companionship and help provide for their safety

Relief for Family Caregivers - Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Call us to discover your options 972-239-3934.

I have worked for over 20 years as a geriatric nurse in a busy hospital, and both understand and witness first hand the stress that is experienced by full-time or part-time caregivers. Most people that come to the hospital with seniors, are their adult children who often act as caregivers for their parents in addition to providing for children and working full-time. I know the statistics; 31% of family caregivers wish they had help, and 25% are resentful of family members who don’t help enough. These individuals are subject to suffering high levels of stress, depression and caregiving burnout.

Knowing how important it is for caregivers to have a resource that can provide the help they need, I have become a big advocate of Home Instead Senior Care Dallas and often recommend it to families of my patients. HISC was founded in 1994 by Lori and Paul Hogan in Omaha, Nebraska, who while sharing caregiving duties of an aging relative with their family, identified the need to create a service that can provide relief to caregivers and provide care to seniors when their families are unable to. The company has now expanded globally, with over 700 independently owned offices; more than 37,000 CAREGivers; and 20 million hours of service delivered annually.

Continuing our post on diet & support for Parkinson’s Disease - August 22…

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, other marine life such as algae and krill, certain plants (including purslane), and nut oils.  Most omega-6 fatty acids are consumed in the diet from vegetable oils such as linoleic acid (not to be confused this with alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, which is an omega-3 fatty acid).

Canadian researchers observed that when mice were fed an omega-3 rich diet, they seemed immune to the effect of MPTP, a toxic compound that causes the same damage to the brain as Parkinson’s.  By contrast, another group of mice that were fed an ordinary diet developed the characteristic symptoms of the disease when injected with MPTP.

Please talk with your mother’s doctor about medication options and other ways to help her treat this disease.  And don’t forget the benefit of support.  If your mother needs extra help with tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping and medication reminders, contact Home Instead Senior Care Dallas.  Our CAREGivers can be of assistance. Call us to discover your options 972-239-3934.

* For more information about the study:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071126110453.htm
* * For information about omega fatty acids from the University of Maryland Medical Center:

Diet, Support Play Roles in Living with Parkinson’s

Question from an adult child of an aging mother: My 78-year-old mother, who is divorced from our dad, has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  I’ve read a lot about this disease and frankly, the prognosis does not seem to be encouraging.  Is there any positive news about this condition and what we can do to help mom get along at home?

As you probably already have learned, Parkinson’s disease is caused by the progressive death of the neurons responsible for producing dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely linked with movement control.

Researchers from the Université Laval (Quebec City) recently discovered that omega-3 fatty acids can help protect the brain from Parkinson’s disease.  Researchers believe that their findings can not only help prevent the disease but slow down its progress.*

Apparently, it’s all about balance between two fatty acid groups; omega-3 and omega-6.  According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a healthy diet should consist of roughly two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than omega-6 fatty acids.  The typical American diet tends to contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, and many researchers believe this imbalance is a significant factor in the rising rate of inflammatory disorders in the U.S.**

Please talk with your mother’s doctor about medication options and other ways to help her treat this disease.  And don’t forget the benefit of support.  If your mother needs extra help with tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping and medication reminders, contact Home Instead Senior Care Dallas.  Our CAREGivers can be of assistance. Call us to discover your options 972-239-3934.

More information on Home Health Care Dallas - Elder’s Get a Physical After Death of Spouse

“Ask her primary care physician for a referral to a geriatric dementia specialist or geriatric neurologist, who will take the time to do all the many tests needed to uncover the earliest stage,” Marcell said.  “Be aware that there are some reversible dementias that the doctor should rule out.

The right doctor is the first key, and early diagnosis and treatment can slow the progression of dementia.  Her doctor can then prescribe medication or the appropriate treatment for her,” she said.

After all her medical conditions have been properly evaluated and treated, call friends and family and ask them to pick a day of the week when they can routinely contact her.  Ask them to visit as often as possible and to invite her to do things.  Look into the closest senior centers that have a variety of activities that may get her interested again. Go with her the first few times and then have friends accompany her until she gets acclimated and makes new friends.  Or, if you want a more dependable schedule, look into hiring a companion, such as a CAREGiver from Home Instead Senior Care.  The company makes every effort to match CAREGivers with seniors of like interests. Jacqueline Marcell is an author, publisher, radio host, speaker and eldercare advocate. Her book,

“Elder Rage, or Take My Father… Please! How to Survive Caring For Aging Parents,” is a Book-of-the-Month Club selection.  She hosts “Coping with Caregiving” www.wsradio.com/copingwithcaregiving/ an Internet radio program.  Her Web site is located at www.ElderRage.com.  For more information about Home Instead Senior Care, contact <<Insert

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Dementia Care in Dallas. Please call us if you need reliable and safe elderly services for your parents living in Dallas, Texas. You have more choices in Dallas.. do your research and due diligence. Call us to discover your options 972-239-3934.

Physical Should Follow Death of Spouse - Home Health Care Dallas

Question from an adult child living at a distance from elder loved one - Our dad died last year and mom, who’s 76, seems to have lost her social circle of friends.  She always loved socializing when dad was alive.  How can we help her continue to have an active life?

We asked eldercare expert and author Jacqueline Marcell to provide input to your mother’s situation.  Marcell suggests that you first schedule an appointment with your mom’s doctor for a physical to evaluate any medical problems including depression, which is very possible from her recent loss. 

Unfortunately, loss of initiative could also be an early warning sign of dementia, Marcell says. “Nearly one of every five persons by the age of 75 gets some form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and she should be tested.  Her symptoms could be a sign of depression, or dementia, or both,” she added.

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas can help with your mom’s personal care and transportation concerns for your mother’s doctor appointments. Our CAREGivers are insured, bonded, and well trained in Dementia Care in Dallas. Please call us if you need reliable and safe elderly services for your mother living in Dallas, Texas. You have more choices in Dallas.. do your research and due diligence. Call us to discover your options 972-239-3934.

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas in many cases is a better alternative to Dallas Nursing Care and Assisted Living Services. In-home non-medical senior care is a good alternative because most elders prefer recovering at home when released from the hospital. You have more choices in Dallas.. do your research and due diligence. Call us to discover your options 972-239-3934.

Staying Healthy at 50+

This information is designed to help people ages 50 and older stay healthy. If you are younger than 50, some of the information also may apply to you. Whatever your age, talk with your doctor or nurse about staying healthy. You can also get more information by going to the “Tools and Resources” page at www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov.

What To Do and When - Daily Steps to Good Health for Dallas Seniors

• Be tobacco free: All men and women - Ages 50 to 80 and older.
• Be physically active: All men and women - Ages 50 to 80 and older.
• Eat a healthy diet: All men and women - Ages 50 to 80 and older.
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation: All men and women - Ages 50 to 80 and older.

Screening Tests and Preventive Medicine

Heart and Vascular Diseases

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Tests: Once for men - Ages 65 to 75 who have smoked.
• Aspirin to Prevent Heart Attack: Men - Ages 50 to 80 at risk.
• Aspirin to Prevent Stroke: Women - Ages 55 to 80 at risk.
• Blood Pressure Screening Test: All men and women - Ages 50 and older, at least every 2 years.
• Cholesterol Screening Test: All men and women - Ages 50 and older.
• Diabetes Screening Test: Men and women - Ages 50 and older with high blood pressure.

Home Instead Senior Care - Please call us 972-239-3934.

When should an elder in Dallas call her doctor?  Continuing our post from August 12..

•Severe chest pain:  The sudden onset of severe chest pain that radiates into the shoulders arms and back and is accompanied by nausea, sweating, and possibly shortness of breath my be a sign that you are having a heart attack.  Seek medical attention immediately!

If you are experiencing a dull pain that follows physical exercise or heightened emotions and disappears when you have rested and calmed down, then you may have angina, a sign of arteriosclerosis—a hardening of the arteries.  You should consult with a physician when possible.  An increase in severity or frequency of any of these symptoms is important information and should be relayed to your doctor!

• A severe headache:  A tumor may be indicated if the headaches are accompanied by blurry or double vision, loss of peripheral vision, loss of balance, nausea and/or vomiting.  If the headache has a sudden onset and is “the most painful thing you’ve ever felt” it is possible you are having an aneurysm or a mild stroke.  Immediate medical intervention is required.  Go to the nearest emergency room!

Call 972-239-3934, if you are a family member of an aging senior in Dallas TX. We deliver homemaker services, non-medical home care, post surgery care and personal care services.

For Senior Citizens living in Dallas - Ask any physician which complaints they receive from patients most frequently and you will see a recurring theme among the things that have patients worried.  Here is a list of common “worries” and some instances when seeking medical attention is advised.

• Unexplained weight loss:  When coupled with an inability to sleep or a lack of motivation, this may indicate depression.  Weight loss due to diabetes will be accompanied by increased thirst and more frequent urination, while concurrent upper-abdominal pain may indicate the presence of a stomach ulcer.

• A persistent cough:  If you have recently recovered from a respiratory ailment such as the flu, yet your cough has persisted and worsened, you may have inflammation in your lungs known as pneumonia. 

• An aggressive rash:  The sudden onset of an itchy rash followed by swelling of the lips and face and/or the appearance of hives may be the sign that you are having a life-threatening allergic reaction to a medication, food, or insect sting also known as anaphylactic shock.  You need immediate medical attention.  Go to the nearest emergency room!

Visit our blog in a day to learn more tips on when it’s urgent to see a physician in Dallas.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care Dallas call us at 972-239-3934.

A study reveals that a little extra weight is not so bad - Visit Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas if your elder needs help at home.

A 78 year old woman, a client of Home Instead Senior Care Dallas, told us that she knows her body could stand to lose a few extra pounds, but since she lives alone - it is difficult for her to get motivated to exercise.  She asks, “Is a little extra weight a health hazard?’

The moderately overweight have a lower risk of death than the obese and the underweight, according to a recently published study.  Researchers classified people into three groups: obese, overweight and underweight.

What they found was that overweight is not strongly associated with increased cancer or risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but appears to provide improved survival during recovery from infections, medical procedures and some diseases. This may be due to greater nutritional reserves or higher lean body mass associated with overweight, according to a study in the November 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.* Most doctors and nutritionists would agree that it is important to try to maintain a healthy weight.  Please see your doctor about what that weight is for you. 

If you live alone, and need help getting motivated about eating healthy meals and exercise, why not consider some extra help around the house.  Home Instead Senior CAREGivers in Dallas can help you stick to healthy nutritious meals and exercise plan.  Since we try to match CAREGivers with clients of similar interests, there might even be someone available to exercise with you!

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care Dallas please call - 972-239-3934.  * Cause-Specific Excess Deaths Associated With Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity; http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/298/17/2028.