I struggled with the idea of getting in home help for my aging father for a number of years. For the longest time I felt that he would be undignified accepting help, so I extended myself to try to provide it for him, hoping he’d feel that it was a question of spending time together more than it was providing for his shortcomings. Since he had given up driving, I drove to his Phoenix home, nearly 30 miles from my own three days a week to transport him to appointments and out on errands; working around my schedule dictated by my career and family. Anytime I came by, I also made sure he had a fridge and cupboard full of food, and even prepared some meals for him to freeze and reheat. I’d also give him a hand by doing laundry and tidying things up so he wouldn’t have the physical burden of having to do it by himself.

One day I realized that while I of course wanted to spend time with my dad, I just couldn’t do it all, and acting as his primary caregiver to avoid hiring a professional one in Phoenix was taking a serious toll on my life and my family. Finally, I had to make the hard decision to give up being a family caregiver, and going back to just being a daughter to my aging father. Instead, I now have a professional in-home caregiver going into his home 3 days a week to complete the tasks I was doing for my dad, and when I come to visit, I just focus on appreciating our time together.

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

When my father-in-law began to experience serious vision loss, it took a much greater toll on his life than we ever would have expected. While he managed to find ways to cope with his lack of sight, the emotional effects were far more damaging and through association, the rest of the family found themselves dealing with similar emotional struggles.

It was hard to see a family member forced to sacrifice his independence and give up on some of the activities he enjoyed. Once an avid card player, my father-in-law withdrew from his weekly card game night because he was self-conscious and discouraged by his vision impairment that presented additional challenges that his friends weren’t facing. Eventually, because he felt he didn’t have anyone that could relate to what he was going through, he found a local support group here in Phoenix for seniors coping with loss of eyesight and began to realize that all the struggles he was facing were normal and by talking over his experiences he was better able to grieve.

While we wished we could do more, our family tried to offer the encouragement and support we felt he needed. We pushed him to re-join his card night, with the assistance of a caregiver who helped him find ways to adapt to his declining vision so he could continue to enjoy his life and all his favorite activities.

Sources:

1. Web MD

2. Eldercare ABC Blog

Image Source: spectacle.berkeley.edu

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

If you’re thinking about choosing home care for a senior living with Alzheimer’s in Phoenix, then you’re on the right track to securing their future and providing them a better quality of life. When considering home care for Alzheimer’s, there are a few things to consider in order to ensure that your elderly loved one is matched with the right caregiving agency and home caregiver.

• You have asked whether the staff at the agency has Alzheimer’s specific training?

• You have asked the agency about the number of people with Alzheimer’s they work with

• The agency will allow the senior to spend some time with the prospective caregiver before charging for time spent, or will send a new caregiver if the senior and caregiver do not mesh

• The agency will allow you to check references from other families who they have cared for with Alzheimer’s

• The agency will adapt to senior’s changing needs as the Alzheimer’s progresses

Sources:

1. Alz Info
2. Home Instead Senior Care

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

Families in Phoenix all struggle with the decision of when it’s the right time to get help for an aging relative. No one wants to admit that someone they love is getting older, because that brings them face to face with the concept of mortality and the idea that the important person in their life might not be part of it for much longer. However, by suggesting home care when the time seems right, families can give their loved ones the benefit of safety and health in their own homes. There is no definite equation for when it’s the right time for home care, but some ideal situations can be used as signs that it might be time to start talking about it.

Situations when Home Care is Ideal

• Seniors who struggle 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

• Seniors with declining mobility – 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

• Seniors who have had to give 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

• Seniors who don’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

• Seniors who have come out of the 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

• Seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia – safety may be an issue for seniors who struggle with their memories

Sources:

1. Elder Issues

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

While there has been a long-standing misconception that the best place to provide care for a Phoenix 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

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

Q – My dad in Phoenix 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.

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

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For many seniors, agreeing to accept help from a family member or caregiver is like the first admission that they’re aging and losing independence. That being said, it should come as no surprise that many seniors are reluctant to accept help, and even fewer suggest hiring a senior caregiver or moving to a senior residence or nursing home themselves. As a senior care specialist in Phoenix, once families have recognized that seniors need help at home, they ask me how they can convince their parents that it’s time to accept it.

While there is no answer that I can provide that will work to convince all Phoenix seniors that it’s time to accept help, it’s important to help seniors to understand that it’s about keeping them safe and making their lives easier; while helping them maintain their independence while living at home. Many family caregivers find that seniors may be willing to accept help when the options are out on the table, which can include assisted living facilities or nursing homes to help keep them safe and alleviate the burden of taking care of a home. When faced with these choices, senior care at home with a professional caregiver always looks like the more desirable choice. Seniors should also be aware that nothing is forever; if you choose to work with a reputable caregiving agency, if seniors are displeased, they’re able to cancel the caregiving services at anytime or request that a new caregiver come into their home.

Once families get over the hurdle of getting seniors to accept help, they’ll find that their elderly loved ones stress levels are reduced, and more often than not, their caregiver becomes one of their most trusted friends!

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

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Seniors and their families might want to look for the following opportunities when performing a home safety assessment.

√ Examine dark pathways, corners and other areas where seniors regularly walk or read.  Make sure all areas of the home have adequate lighting.  Timed and motion-sensor lights outdoors can illuminate potentially dangerous pathways.  Inside, consider Ott-Lites – which provide a high-intensity beam for doing detail work.  Make sure that hallways and stairs are properly lit.

√ Avoid monochromatic color schemes.  Contrast can help seniors with failing eyesight better navigate their homes.  Large red and blue buttons over hot and cold water faucet controls will help prevent dangerous mistakes.  A dark green or brown toilet seat and vinyl tape around the shower will make those fixtures more easily distinguished.  Kitchen countertops should contrast with floors as well.

√ Look for ways to reorganize.  Mom always put the black stew pot under the stove to keep the kids from breaking it.  Perhaps now it belongs on a shelf beside the stove.  And who says the eggs must go in the egg tray of the refrigerator?  Perhaps it’s easier for dad to handle them if they’re stored in the meat tray.  If that hallway table, which has always been a permanent fixture, is becoming a dangerous obstacle, relocate it.

√ Look behind closed doors.  Many seniors will close off parts of a house they no longer use.  Be sure to check those areas regularly for mold or water damage.  Don’t close vents to crawl spaces.

√ Look for ways to simplify your senior’s life.  Talk to your parents about why and how they do things then look for ways to simplify their lives.  If your Mom’s immaculate floors are now regularly dirty, think about how she’s been doing that job all these years and offer options.

Rather than a heavy mop and bucket, investigate light-weight, all-in-one mops. If your senior is replacing appliances, look for smooth-top stoves and refrigerators with water and ice on the outside.  Change door knobs to levers, or purchase grips that can go on conventional knobs.  Convert single-bulb light fixtures to multiple bulbs so seniors still have light when one bulb burns out.

√ Consider security.  Think about the potential dangers that lurk within your loved one’s home.  Lock-in switches on thermostats and stoves will keep seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease from harming themselves.  Help them manage in their environment by installing a cordless intercom.

√ Keep an eye out for damage.  Watch for signs that a senior is adapting his or her behavior to the environment.  Look for towel bars or window sills that are pulling away or shower curtains that have torn from seniors using them to grab onto.

√ Look for ways to make entries safe.  Make sure that railings into a home are in good repair and that steps and sidewalks are not damaged. Or eliminate steps altogether.  Make sure that doors into a home can be set to stay open for carrying groceries and other items in and out.  Install remote control locks.

√ Is clutter taking over?  Messy conditions and broken items are important warning signs.  Remove area rugs and stacks of newspapers and magazines, or other potential obstacles.

√ Contact a professional senior-care service, such as Home Instead Senior Care, which can conduct a home safety assessment and serve as a second set of eyes for older adults.

This list was adapted from the home safety checklist developed by Home Instead Senior Care and enhanced in cooperation with the SUNY Buffalo School of Architecture IDEA Center, the National Association of Home Builders—Remodelers CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialists), the National Aging in Place Council, and aging-in-place consultant Louis Tenenbaum.

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

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As a professional caregiver in Phoenix, one of the questions that families of my care recipients often ask me is how they can help their elderly parents cope with stress. Often these questions follow a traumatic event in the life of a senior; like a medical emergency, the death of a spouse or friend, or a change in care structure that can make seniors feel like they’re barely holding onto their independence. While changing situations can result in stress for seniors, it doesn’t need to be accepted by older Americans and their families; because as I tell my clients, with some simple lifestyle changes, stress can be controlled and even prevented.

Some of my advice may seem obvious – like choosing relaxing activities, and engaging in experiences designed to relax the body and mind; like reading, taking a bath, or trying yoga or meditation; other proven strategies for coping with stress aren’t as obvious. Seniors can improve their stress levels through diet, as many vitamins and minerals can help seniors cope with a prevent feelings of stress and anxiety. Simply by maintaining a well-balanced diet, stress can be managed. Socializing is another great way I tell my seniors to help reduce their stress levels. They can get out and engage in Phoenix community activities, or simply get together with friends or family.

Stress may be something that we all have to face in our lives, but it’s not something that needs to be lived with and accepted regardless of age.

Sources:

1. American Institute of Stress

2. About

Image: www.dovechristiancounseling.com

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.

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

Home Health in Greater Phoenix & Home Health in Central Phoenix helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623.583.5868, 602.265.8228 or 480.991.3959.