Hiring a senior caregiver for someone that’s important to you can be an extremely big responsibility. You want to make sure that your senior is in good hands every time that they’re with the caregiver and that means finding someone who will go above and beyond the call of duty. When you’re talking to prospective caregivers, ask them about their policies on procedures for the following areas, so you know that your loved one’s best interests will always be in the forefront:

1. Be aware of changes – seniors who are experiencing health changes, financial difficulty or other problems might begin to act differently. Often seniors who are experiencing problems might not be open about them due to embarrassment, but caregivers can speak with other family members if they notice anything unusual while spending time with their senior clients

2. Help address financial need – while it’s not a caregiver’s responsibility to pry into a senior’s finances, they can identify problems. If stacks of mail are piling up or collections calls are being received in the senior’s home, it’s possible bills aren’t getting paid. Again, a caregiver can approach this issue gently with the senior’s family, and suggest that a Power of Attorney be used if the issue appears to be that bad

3. Dispose of sensitive information – assist seniors by suggesting that they shred bills or other information that could compromise their safety

4. Know who is making healthcare decisions – caregivers should ensure that they have the contact information on hand for the family member or other individual for making these important decisions in case of a medical emergency

5. Suggest an advanced directive or living will – to help seniors secure their future wishes, suggest an advanced directive or living will so that their medical needs are fulfilled according to what they want

6. Determine how expenses will be paid – if the caregiver will be responsible for household purchases on behalf of the senior, it should be determined how this will be managed. Signed checks can be provided, seniors can open an expense account that the caregiver has access to, or if all expenses will be paid in cash provided

7. Be wary of strangers – caregivers should be wary of new friends that come into senior’s lives, especially if they are from a different generation. Seniors can become victims of scams because they are anxious to curb their loneliness with new social opportunities. With this in mind, caregivers should also work with seniors to investigate any charitable organizations or other causes seniors are thinking or donating to before a transaction is made

8. Provide a safe environment – in all circumstances, senior caregivers from a franchise should be responsible for identifying potential hazards in the household and ensuring that they are addressed to put their senior care recipient’s safety first.

Via: Keeping Seniors Safe

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

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.

One of the greatest advantages of modern digital processing technology is the ability to forever store and edit images.  Current media is prime for transforming your memories and relics of childhood, first loves, and marriage into a format that is easy to access and forever safe.

Several months ago, one of our CAREGivers, upon the request of a client prepared, a DVD movie including music, chapter separation, and interviews for the client’s family.  When the client passed away recently, Home Instead was able to present to the family several copies of the DVD at a special memorial service that the CAREGivers who knew their grandma so well were able to attend.

The DVD was presented along with a framed portrait done by another Home Instead CAREGiver. The CAREGivers were not hired for their abilities as artists or digital media gurus, rather as trained and compassionate companions.  However, Home Instead was not surprised to find out that the people they had hired were so multi-facetted and willing to give of themselves.

At this dinner, the family alongside their beloved mother’s CAREGivers, was able to watch the story of her life and their own special places in it.  For this group, it was a truly special opportunity to share and love alike.

In your own family’s future, consider the opportunity to have a Home Instead CAREGiver chronicle and record your past.  This can be a wonderful way to celebrate the lives of those around you while they are with you and afterward.

Prepared by Denise Thomas, Home Instead Senior Care Austin

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

According to a report published by the AARP, in 2007 the economic value of family caregivers would have been $375 billion if they had been paid for their home care assistance. However, it is the value of family caregivers that cannot be measured monetarily that makes a far more substantial impact on the lives of seniors they provide home care for.

Family caregivers sacrifice greatly to provide help to their senior relatives in need. A great majority of family caregivers are men and women with full or part-time careers, which they balance along with their in-home senior care responsibilities and providing care for their immediate family and often, young children. Family caregivers sacrifice in order to better the lives of their senior relatives or parents, by identifying the aspects of home life that seniors are struggling with and providing their assistance; allowing seniors to remain at home with some resemblance of an independent lifestyle that doesn’t require them to live in a community living facility for the elderly.

Sometimes seniors become resentful of their caregivers, and forget to place value upon what they’re sacrificing to improve the senior’s lifestyle, because they are resentful of the loss of independence that has occurred due to the aging process. So seniors asking for help from their families or hiring a caregiver need to remember just how valuable a contribution a caregiver can make to the life of a senior.

Sources:
1.    AARP
2.   National Family Caregiver’s Association

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