Q – I have thought about home care for my aging mother in Dallas; but how do I know when it’s the right time?

A – There is no cut and dry answer for when it’s right to bring home care into the life of a Dallas senior like your mother, but there are some life situations that seniors can encounter which makes home care ideal for them.  If your mother finds herself experiencing one or more of the following scenarios, then it may be time to consider home care for her.

• She’s struggling with Activities of Daily Living – seniors who struggle with dressing, bathing, preparing meals, taking their medications, or keeping up with chores around the home are ideal candidates for in-home senior care

• Her mobility is declining – seniors who are having changes with their balance and mobility may be at a greater risk of falling or having an accident in the home when trying to perform ADLs . By hiring a caregiver, safety issues can be addressed and prevented through additional help

• She’s given up driving – seniors who no longer drive for whatever reason, would greatly benefit from the help of a caregiver who can take them to run errands or to appointments

• She doesn’t have family nearby – seniors who have the above problems but do not have family nearby to help them can benefit from in home care when there’s no one else out there to help them

• She’s recently come out of hospital or rehab – after seniors have been released from the hospital or rehab program and are in recovery, it’s better for seniors to have the help of a caregiver so they don’t put too much of a burden on their bodies by trying to care for themselves or their homes

• She suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia

Sources:

1. Elder Issues

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

Q – My dad’s caregiver has suggested digital photography as an activity for them to do together. I am totally on board with this since I know photography was a hobby of my dad’s in his younger days, and it’s great that she’s trying to inspire him creatively. The only problem is the caregiver doesn’t have a camera, and I don’t have one that I can lend him. With his birthday coming up, I’m thinking about buying a digital camera for him, but is there anything specific that I need to look for to ensure that the camera chosen is senior-friendly, especially since his abilities might change over the next few years while he has the camera?

- Stella, 47

A – It’s great to hear that both you and your father’s senior home caregiver are willing to inspire your dad’s creativity through photography! Shop around in Dallas to find a digital camera that is a good value, but there are also specific features that you should look for in order to ensure that the choice is appropriate for your dad today, and later on in the future if he continues the hobby of taking pictures on his own or with a caregiver. Think about your dad’s technological knowledge; if it’s limited, choose a camera that has minimal features without all of the unnecessary bells and whistles. A point and shoot style camera is more than sufficient for a senior looking to take on a digital photography hobby. You also want to look for a camera that has relatively large buttons, as his dexterity could decrease with age, as well as a camera with a large display screen. Also ensure that his computer is compatible with the camera before you decide to bring it home!

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. eHow

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

Q – Is it safe for Dallas seniors to have pets?

A – Pets like dogs and cats can provide companionship to Dallas seniors who live by themselves. Having another living creature to care for can help motivate seniors to live their lives and avoid falling into a depressive state. However, having a pet, especially a dog can increase the likelihood of accidents such as falls. The responsibility of having a dog to take outside for walks can become a physical burden, and can unnecessarily expose seniors to potentially bad weather that can increase the likelihood of an accident. Having to bend over to pick up after a pet could result in a fall, and a dog has the potential to pull a senior over if pulling to visit another animal or person when on a leash.

Seniors who are stable may not be at risk for accidents resulting from pet care, but even they need to consider who will care for their pet in case of a medical emergency or incident.

Regardless of the situations, seniors can have pets and ensure that both their animal and their own health is well looked after by having someone else who is able to provide pet care once the senior’s physical mobility causes a safety issue, or in the circumstance where they are taken away from the home due to an illness. Since it’s not always possible to rely on family or friends to look after pets, seniors can find a home caregiver agency like Home Instead Senior Care to step in and look after the needs of both the senior and their beloved pet.

Sources:

1. Suite 101

Image Source:eldercareabcblog.com

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

When your senior is coming home after an extended stay in a Dallas hospital, nursing home or rehabilitation facility, the last thing they need to worry about is taking care of the mess they left behind when they left their homes in a rush, and while family members might be able to help, they naturally have more urgent concerns regarding the health of a loved one. So with everyone worrying about something, and no one worrying about the state of the home, how can families make sure that their seniors return to their Dallas homes in comfort where all they need to worry about is getting better?

Professional caregivers can come into a senior’s home, and help prepare it for a senior’s return from the hospital. They can take care of all of the light-housekeeping to ensure that the home is in order when the senior arrives. They can take care of cleaning out the fridge and pantries, washing any dirty dishes left behind, vacuum, change bed linens and even pick up fresh groceries. With this kind of help for seniors in their homes, all the elderly and their loved ones need to worry about is getting them better and back on their feet!

Sources:

1. Home Instead Senior Care

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

While there has been a long-standing misconception that the best place to provide care for a Dallas senior suffering from Alzheimer’s is in a nursing home or assisted living facility, the reality is that not only would these seniors prefer to stay in their own homes, they receive greater benefits by living in a familiar environment. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming, and require you to make sacrifices in your work and family life in order to keep up with the senior’s growing needs. However, there are other options available to help keep seniors with Alzheimer’s living with some level of independence in their own home environments.

Home Instead Senior Care offers home care services which can help seniors deal with the areas of daily living that they struggle with, or with tasks where safety may be an issue due to the Alzheimer’s or dementia. Caregivers can help seniors with dressing, cooking, cleaning and more to preserve their safety and ensure their needs are being met. For those seniors who are suffering from more advanced Alzheimer’s and dementia, Home Instead Senior Care even have caregivers that are trained to deal with the specific needs presented by someone with Alzheimer’s, so families can rest assured that their elderly loved ones are receiving the highest level of care available.

Sources:

1. Web MD

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

Q – My dad in Dallas has had to give up driving. I don’t live close enough to be able to take him on errands or to appointments. Are there any services available to help with transportation in his area?

A – In-home senior caregivers can help seniors with transportation to appointments, errands, and virtually anywhere else they want to go. At Home Instead Senior Care, we check all of our caregivers driving records with the DMV to ensure they are licensed to drive and have a good driving record. Caregivers can transport senior clients in the seniors vehicle, or in their own vehicle if the senior does not own a car. However, if they use the caregiver’s car, then transportation fees do apply.

While many communities do offer free transportation services for older adults that are similar to public transportation on buses, they do not offer the same level of flexibility or allow seniors to stick to their own schedule or routines. By having a caregiver to drive them, seniors can do everything on their own time without making sacrifices.

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

It’s not uncommon for family conflict to occur over elder care decisions. Dallas families are forced to choose what’s best for their aging loved one, and since everyone brings a different point of view to the table, this can often result in family conflict and even estrangement if the issues are allowed to continue, and the results can have serious effects upon the general well-being of the senior.

Reasons Families Experience Conflict over Senior Care

• The views of family members regarding what’s best for an aging parent may differ

• Siblings may disagree with the primary family caregiver’s decisions

• Family members may resent the role they play in senior care

• Family members may feel that responsibilities are unevenly distributed

So, how can families overcome these conflicts before it tears them apart and causes more stress to their aging parent? Families can consider using elder mediation by hiring a third party to assist them in moderating family meetings. By using an elder mediator, the following goals can be achieved

• Using a communications expert who specializes in elder mediation can help families who have a different perspective to the situation being discussed

• Meeting with a third party to moderate can help prevent disputes

• The mediator is able to provide additional resources in senior care, and may invite a geriatric care manager or home care specialist to provide a different perspective and specific insight into a topic of discussion

• Helps families lay out a care plan in writing, with the input of the senior parent and the elder mediator

Sources:

1. Plan for Care
2. Mayo Clinic

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

All family caregivers want some element of independence for their elderly loved ones, but at the same time, they worry about the safety of their seniors because if something should happen no one would know. After a fall or an accident, a Dallas senior might lie in wait for hours for someone to discover that they aren’t picking up their phone or coming to answer their door, and by that time there could be serious health ramifications.

As much as they’d like to be, caregivers can’t remain with a senior 24/7, and by doing that, they are decreasing the level of independence that a senior feels. So what is the solution? Personal Emergency Response Systems give Dallas seniors and their caregivers the best of both worlds because independence and safety are both offered. These Personal Emergency Response Systems allow seniors to press a button in the case of an emergency, at which point they are immediately connected to an operator who will contact a family member and notify the appropriate help. In addition to safety, these smart systems can be purchased with additional features that provide seniors greater levels of autonomy, including prescription reminders and 2-way voice communication.

By installing a Personal Emergency Response System in a senior’s home, caregivers and family members can give them the space they need to live their lives, without worrying that their health and safety is at risk.

Image: www.seniorspecialists.org

Stress can have some serious effects upon the health of Dallas seniors, and there a number of factors that can make seniors more vulnerable to stress and its effects. Answer the following questions to determine if your lifestyle and other factors are leaving you vulnerable.

• I eat at least one hot, well-balanced meal every day without fail

• I exercise at least twice a week in an activity suitable to my level of mobility

• I get at least 8 hours of sleep each and every night

• I don’t smoke cigarettes

• I do not drink alcohol, or keep any drinking to less than 5 drinks per week

• I regularly attend social activities with other seniors with whom I have things in common

• I am in touch with family members, and visit regularly

• I speak openly to friends, family or professionals about things that worry me

• I have few financial worries. Even though I have a fixed income, I feel it is adequate enough to pay my bills

• I avoid caffeine or consume no more than 1 or 2 caffeinated drinks, like coffee, everyday

• I take time out of everyday to do something that I enjoy or find relaxing

If you are a senior living in Dallas and you have answered “no” to any of the questions outlined above, you are putting your body at a greater risk for stress and potential health repercussions including cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal problems, depression and anxiety.

Sources:

1. Medical News Today

2. Medicine Online

3. The American Institute of Stress

Image: www.gettyimages.com

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.

Sometimes walking into a doctor’s office feels like traveling to another country. The flight can be as short or as long as the scheduling dictates and is not determined by distance, but like a plane ride, your neighbor in the next room probably has a bad case of the sniffles. Once you get to your final destination, it can be like emerging yourself in another culture where no one speaks your language, and you return home feeling like you might have learned something from the experience, but require a translator to determine just what. As a senior caregiver, this might be a circumstance you encounter every time you step into a doctor’s office for a consultation with his/her physician. As with traveling to another country, doctors assume that we speak their language and understand what they’re saying; however, this may not always be the case when less common medical terms are being thrown around.

While of course it’s important to ask for clarification when at the doctor’s office, the internet has a wealth of resources to help seniors and their families understand important issues that relate to their health. The Medical Library Association offers a site called Medspeak which gives caregivers access to medical terms in an easy to understand dictionary form. MedicineNet also offers a comprehensive guide to help people understand the medical conditions and other information related to their health.

Caregivers, share your worst doctor experiences that have resulted from a breakdown in communication.

Sources:
1. Medical Library Association
2. MedicineNet

Image: www.ecwusers.com

Are you seeking home care for an aging relative in Dallas? Call Home Instead Senior Care in Dallas at 972-239-3934.