We know that most seniors have some worry about their health and longevity, so this year, why not focus your New Year’s resolution on leading a healthier life. Plan to make simple changes to your exercise routine and nutritional habits, that way your resolutions are more likely to last through 2009 and beyond.

• Start by speaking to a doctor about your plans, so they can provide any suggestions regarding activities that might harm you, or tips regarding benefits
• Try to slowly introduce greater levels of exercise into your life and work up to at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity 5 days a week
• Create a routine that includes cardio; stretching, to help with flexibility; strength training and balance
• Consider speaking with a nutritionist regarding your eating habits
• Ensure your diet consists of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Avoid: fat, cholesterol, and excessive amounts of sodium and sugar
• Include: calcium, vitamin D, and lots of water
• Cut out excessive alcohol consumption and smoking

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

Preventing Loneliness and Encouraging Safety

When you live in the same city as your parent, you may stop by their house regularly just to see how they’re doing or to get in some one-on-one time. It’s a great way to keep tabs on how they’re managing a lifestyle of independent living. But what can you do when you aren’t lucky enough to live close to your aging parents?

You can hire a professional caregiver, or request the help of a family friend or neighbor. Having someone come by to check on your parents, will help you learn if they are having any challenges in their life; if their health is declining; or if they’ve had an increasing number of falls or other accidents. These are often areas which you can’t necessarily get information about just by talking on the phone; parents are often reluctant to worry you with their problems, especially when you live far away. Having others stop by, also offers seniors with a sense of companionship and gives them someone local to turn to.

Often children who live long distances from their aging parents feel a sense of guilt for not always being there for them. By setting up a caregiving arrangement or asking for a friend’s help, your parents will know that you are thinking about their well-being. But remember, even though you have provided parents with a support system you need to maintain a strong presence in their lives.

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

When choosing a plan for long-term elder care for your aging parent, you want to consider the following questions. What is the difference between assisted living, a nursing home, and home care?  What if my senior desires to stay home? How extensive is the care provided by private in-home caregivers? Here are a few guidelines to consider. 

Understand the difference in terms of community care. Nursing homes are not unlike hospitals, offering little privacy where seniors have to share rooms. With assisted living, seniors are provided apartments, and thus have more privacy and independence. If you feel that in-home care option is best for your aging parent, you will live more comfortably knowing they remain in their neighborhood, in contact with their old neighbors and friends.

In terms of medical attention, an assisted living facility is more suited for those with minimal medical needs. Nursing homes are targeted towards seniors that require full-time medical care and attention. However, be aware that there are senior home care services that offer care for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia if needed, as well as supervising their medications.

If you wish to research elder care facilities, be sure to check with the local ombudsman for information such as staff turnover, or other reported problems. Also, request state surveys that give you information on reported violations. Use your judgement if you feel that a certain facility is unfit for your mom or dad.

When researching assisted living facilities and nursing homes, drop in unannounced. See if the staff is  welcoming and offers a complete tour. Check certain areas such as bathrooms and kitchens for an idea of the cleanliness and sanitation. Check how the food is being prepared.

Understand that Home Instead Senior Care CAREGivers specialize in companionship services, if you feel that an assisted living environment fails to measure up.

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

Safe Living

Many Dallas residents living at home after experiencing an in-home fall or accident are more fearful about their safety. While they cannot be prevented entirely, there are methods to allow seniors to increase their safety while living independently in their own homes. Many of these tips can be implemented quickly and easily to avoid home care injury.

• Install grab bars, transfer benches and shower seats in bathrooms

• Use non-slip rugs and mats around the home

• Furniture is arranged so the senior can walk around easily without obstruction

• The home is kept clean, and free of clutter; a family member, caregiver or housekeeper helps if necessary.

• Lighting in the home is bright for optimal visibility, especially in highly trafficked areas

• Nightlights are used so pathways are visible during nighttime trips to the bathroom or kitchen

• Loose railings are immediately secured, and additional bars are placed in hallways and other areas of the home to help with balanced

• Required items are kept within reach of the senior, while items that pose a danger remain inaccessible

• Equipment to improve a senior’s way of life has been researched and considered

• For those seniors with decreased mobility, equipment has been purchased and installed, such as lifts, ramps, raised toilets and beds with adjustable height

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Home-Medical-Equipment-Resource-Guide-I—Home-Safety-Guidelines-For-Seniors-and-Disabled-Individual&id=1632795

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

The holiday season is upon us, and you and your family will see mom for a four-day visit. Knowing that your mom will need elderly care, here are some pointers to coordinate her care during those four days. As you live at a distance, you will also want to look into home care options for the long-term.

Here’s what you can do:

• Check the Internet and search Google for Home Care Dallas, Home Health Dallas, Elder Care and Senior Care Dallas. See what at home care services are available to your mom in Dallas. 
• You can also Google ”Dallas Elderly Government Services” and see what services can benefit your aging parent.
• Look into senior services such as Meals on Wheels, or other charitable organizations in your mother’s area.
• Browsing the web or checking the phonebook should give you options.
• Purchasing an emergency alarm system for your mom might ease your worries, especially if you’re trying to coordinate her home health from a distance. Pressing a button will signal for the appropriate response to any emergency to mom.
• You might also invest in gadgets that can help monitor your mom, as you will not always be there. For instance, some cooking devices actually limit how hot they can get.
• Home Instead Senior care Dallas provides non-medical Companionship, Homemaker and Personal Care services we provide include meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, laundry and ironing, escorting to appointments and events, incidental transportation, and assistance with ambulation, bathing, dressing and personal hygiene.

For more information visit these links:
http://www.laterlife.com/retirement-c5/retirement-caring-for-elderly-parents-living-in-their-own-home.htm
http://www.tellinitlikeitis.net/2008/03/taking-care-of-aging-parents-as-a-family.html
http://gadgetophilia.com/10-gadgets-to-improve-parent-child-relation/

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

Checking up over the Holidays

During the holiday season, when our practice is open, we find that many adult children of our patients walk through our doors. Many of these individuals travel a long way to ring in the holiday celebrations with their aging parents, and know that while they are in town they can do more to help with their care.

Some meet with our doctors to discuss their senior’s overall health; others want to address specific concerns regarding what they have witnessed during their visit. While of course we have to maintain a level of confidentiality, we do what we can to help; because we know that being local creates the ideal opportunity for families to make arrangements and get seniors they help they need.

As a nurse specializing in senior care, it often falls to me to provide information on local resources to their families. I encourage the children to visit local nursing homes and assisted living facilities, speak with caregiving agencies and interview medical and non-medical in-home caregivers, and drop in on caregiver support groups to speak with others going through the same process. It can also be a good time for family members to speak with neighbors and friends who may have more information on the senior’s routines and would notice any concerning changes.

I’m a big advocate for in-home safety devices for seniors who live independently in their own homes, so I encourage families to assess the way their parents are living and identify any safety hazards. Being local, it’s the ideal opportunity to purchase and install safety products to help reduce the chance that an accident will occur.

Happy holidays to you and your families, but while you enjoy the time together, exercise proactive thinking about senior care and living.

Resources:

Seniors Resource Guide, Texas (http://www.seniorsresourceguide.com/directories/SanAntonio/search_topics.html)

Texas Aging Network
(http://www.texasagingnetwork.com/)

USA.gov Senior Citizens Resources
(http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml)

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

Learning How to Ask for Help

The senior clients that we work with come to us only after they and their families have recognized their need for caregiving assistance. We know that for a senior, one of the biggest challenges that they face as they age, is coming to terms with the changes they’re experiencing, and acknowledging that they may need help to carry on their lifestyle. Once they have made this recognition, the next step is approaching the subject with their loved ones and asking for help.

Speaking with family members of seniors, we know that the type of help they offer takes a variety of forms. Often, it depends on the time that a relative is able to commit to helping the senior, based on the other responsibilities in their life. Seniors often ask them for assistance with basic tasks, like driving them to appointments, taking them shopping, or picking up prescriptions. Although seniors are often reluctant to ask for as much, some family members are able to provide part or full-time care assistance; while others take control of hiring a professional caregiver or research suitable assisted living facilities.

Encouraging Independence

Seniors living with Alzheimer’s encounter a number of challenges when it comes to day-to-day living and performing tasks that the rest of us may find routine. Those who are in the later stages of the disease may require the full-time assistance of a professional or family caregiver.

While it is crucial that caregivers provide them with assistance and supervision to maintain their safety, seniors with Alzheimer’s should also be encouraged to maintain as much of their independence as possible. Areas of the home where they may be self-sufficient should be safety-proofed, and access should be made as easy as possible. Caregivers should consider placing senior safety devices in the bathroom in particular, if they are able to remain independent, to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

It is also important to keep seniors away from areas of the home which may pose a physical threat. Caregivers must establish which areas are to be off-limits, and potentially dangerous objects should be kept in areas that cannot be accessed. By establishing these limitations, it will also reduce the senior’s levels of frustration.

Caring for a senior with Alzheimer’s can be challenging, but by establishing guidelines, encouraging independence and providing a safe, structured environment, a senior’s well-being will be greatly enhanced.

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

Sugar: A Natural Source of Energy

Energy can come from many sources, and is especially important for those in their senior years, because a decline in energy can result in a decline in brain function. Many seniors experience problems with their memories, have trouble forming thoughts when communicating, and find decision making challenging. Since this is such a common issue, many seniors seek a simple and easy solution to boost their mental powers. The answer is quite simple, really; with physical energy comes an optimally functioning brain.

As I mentioned, energy comes from many sources; exercise, sunlight, problem-solving, and of course diet. A great source of energy is sugar; or rather, glucose, in its natural, non-processed form. Fresh fruits and juices will release the natural energy that keeps a senior’s ability to concentrate and process thoughts sharp. Additional foods like bananas, which contain potassium, help glucose release gradually from the bloodstream throughout the day; while, peppermint helps refresh the mind, and fiber boosts your energy levels. Exposure to sunlight also helps overall well-being, which only benefits your physical and mental ability to function day-to-day.

So, to keep your mind in optimal shape as you age, look to sugar as a natural source of energy.

Image: canada.com

Home Instead Senior Care providing the most trusted elder home care in America! Helps family caregivers cope with senior care in Dallas. Call us today at 972-239-3934.

“I had a fall.” These can be chilling words to hear if you are a caregiver, spouse, child, or friend of an older person.  The possible consequences can be devastating: bruises, broken bones, hospitalization, loss of mobility, and loss of independence.

The fear of falling can lead older adults to limit their activities. This can actually increase the risk of falling as lack of exercise and reduced movement impairs flexibility and balance. 

Falls are the leading cause of injury among Americans over age 65, sending 1.8 million seniors to the emergency room in 2005, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing falls is a key component of healthy aging.

Experts say that efforts to prevent falls should include management of chronic conditions, limiting the number of medications to reduce adverse side effects, physical therapy to increase range of motion, and “fall-proofing” the home.

The first step to fall-proofing the home is to create open paths through each room.  Furniture should be re-arranged so that seniors can walk through each room without have to maneuver around tables and chairs.  There should be a clear path from the bed to the bathroom that is wide enough to be negotiated in the dark.