If a family member has asked you to move in with them, you were probably immediately met with mixed feelings. On one hand, you likely felt gratitude; happy that someone is willing to sacrifice for you and is worried about your care. But on the other hand, you probably felt a sense of looming regret that you’d have to give up your home and your independence. Living under one roof is an arrangement that does work for many intergenerational families, and for some it doesn’t. You decide if this is something that would work for you in your senior years, and during the process, make sure you ask these questions:

• What will my role be in paying for household expenses? Does it sound affordable and reasonable based on the living arrangements determined?

• What specific responsibilities will I have? Will I be expected to contribute to household chores or care for any of the grandchildren in the home? If so, how often and when?

• Will I be provided with my own space to maintain my independence? Will I have a room, or a bathroom that’s off limits to the rest of the family?

• What will become of my assets? How will we handle the sale of my home and finances I have in my bank accounts?

• Can I bring my pets to the home?

• Will changes be made to areas of the home to provide for my comfort and safety?

• Will I be a part of family decisions, such as vacations, travel, and hosting of events in the home? Or will the other family members make these decisions?

• Am I able to invite my friends to the home and entertain? What if I want to use the space without the grandchildren?

• What arrangements will be made if I need care assistance? Will someone in the home be able to help, or will we hire senior home care?

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - a great assisted living alternative in Dallas for seniors and elders. Call us today for help at 972-239-3934.Myths About the Swine Flu and Vaccine

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.

When a family takes control of caring for elderly parents, tension and conflict often develops between siblings, because one takes on the majority of the care responsibilities for the aging parent.

Caregiving for a parent can reignite old conflicts and sibling rivalry in some siblings, while others may grow closer while coming together to determine the best way to care for their elderly parents. It’s also not uncommon for the sibling who plays the largest role in family eldercare to become resentful of their siblings, because they feel like the rest of their family isn’t making a big enough contribution to the care of their elderly parents.

In order to share responsibilities, siblings need to define clear roles and responsibilities. While one sibling may become the primary caregiver for the aging parents, other siblings who live nearby should offer to provide respite; by bringing mom or dad to appointments, or coming over to allow the primary senior caregiver a night out, all siblings can do their part. It’s also important that all siblings are aware of decisions regarding the care and health of their parents; through communication all members of the family remain involved, however, the primary caregiver should ultimately be responsible for making decisions if all siblings cannot come to an agreement. In these cases, the rest of the family should work to support the decision and play their role.

With planning and communication, siblings can come together to ensure quality care for their elderly parents.

Sources:
1.    Oregon State University Extension Service
2.    Senior Truth  Helen Dennis

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

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

Heart of a CAREGiver
Heartofacaregiver.com was developed by Home Instead Senior Care to raise industry awareness of the growing need for CAREGivers across the healthcare industry. A majority of families will experience a CAREGiving opportunity at least once with aging parents or spouses and children with disabilities. A crisis in health or accident will leave even the most cohesive family at a sudden loss as the dynamic and roles change. Respite care is a valuable and underutilized service available in nearly every community. After families go through crisis, often years after a loved one has passed, family caregivers often reminisce about their experiences with a new perspective and desire to give back to others in their communities.

Take a moment and watch this video about the joys that CAREGiving can bring to your life.

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

A lot of people begin to panic when they hear their loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. Images of nursing homes with people nodding off and barely able to remember their kids’ names come to mind.
The question that we are always asked is “how long can my mom stay home alone?” The answer really is it depends on how well the family has prepared for this. Planning, when it comes to handling vital issues about when to move mom or dad, is the most important thing. We have seen many families that have either been in denial or not considering that some decisions will need to be made and it is better to make them in advance.

One of the ladies we took care of, Jean, was a 78 year old lovely lady with a sharp sense of humour. All of her CAREGivers loved working with her and looked forward to the times they would spend bopping around town for daily outings. She complained though that every time her children got together the inevitable conversation of “what to do with mom” would come up. She loved her home and really didn’t want to move even but eventually she did start repeating the same story over and over again.

Her CAREGivers came over twice a day. Once in the morning to help walk her dogs, fix her breakfast, help her take her medications, tidy her home and take her out to run errands or do something fun. In the evening a different CAREGiver would come by to make sure she had dinner and take her evening medications. They would visit for awhile to make sure she was feeling good before going to bed. One of her CAREGivers enjoyed the symphony and took her to enjoy it together - to that Jean replied “that was the most fun she had since her husband had passed”.

Even though Jean was forgetting things her CAREGivers kept her on track and kept her safely at home for several years beyond what her family believed was possible.

Written by: Denise Thomas

Owner Home Instead Senior Care

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Providing assisted living at home, elder care and senior live-in services for Dallas seniors and elders. Call us today for help at 972-239-3934.

Regular walking helps elderly in Dallas remain independent 

Older adults who participate in a walking exercise program can decrease their risk of disability and increase their likelihood of maintaining independence by 41 percent, a University of Georgia study found. Establishing a walking routine with your aging relative is an easy way to help them stay independent longer. If you need help, call Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - our CAREGivers are available to spend companionship time with your loved one.

“In the past decade, researchers have focused on the benefits of strength training in maintaining independence, but until now we didn’t have good evidence using an objective performance measure that a walking program would improve physical functioning,” said study co-author M. Elaine Cress, Professor of Kinesiology and Researcher in the UGA Institute of Gerontology. “Our study found that walking offers tremendous health benefits that can help older adults stay independent.”

Study participants were assigned to either of two groups – a walking group that met three times a week for four months or a nutrition education control group. Researchers measured the aerobic capacity of participants using a treadmill test. While the control group saw a 9 percent decline in aerobic capacity over the four-month period, the walking group’s aerobic capacity increased by 19 percent. Physical function increased by 25 percent in the walking group, compared with a decline of 1 percent in the control group.

“We know that walking is good for you, but too many people still aren’t doing it,” said Trudy Moore-Harrison, lead study author. “This study shows that just walking on a regular basis can make a huge impact on quality of life.The study appears in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy.

Call us today for help at 972-239-3934.