If you’re looking to hire a professional caregiver to help provide care for an elderly loved one, you need an agency that’s going to provide you with more than just the basics; you need a caregiver who will ensure that your loved one is safe and protected at all times. When interviewing prospective caregivers or talking to agencies, make sure that they have procedures in place to address the following areas:

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 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.

Family caregivers face a substantial amount of stress, the caregiver burden, from carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. Not only are family caregivers responsible, or so it feels, for the livelihood of their senior care recipient, they might be overwhelmed by their many responsibilities. Between caring for their own family and children, working out of the home, managing a household, and looking after a senior, caregivers have a lot to deal with and little time to themselves.

To reduce the stress they feel as caregivers, those responsible for the care of a family member can use simple techniques to make their job easier, reduce the caregiver burden, and allow them to focus on their own well-being.

1)    Use assistive technologies that promote safety
2)    Ask for help from family
3)    Hire an in-home, non-medical caregiver
4)    Use services to help out with housekeeping (caregivers often do light-housekeeping, and agencies can assist with yard work and more strenuous chores)
5)    Attend caregiver support groups to talk to others in similar situations
6)    Enroll the senior in rehabilitation therapy to improve their mobility, and remember your own health
7)    Communicate with the care recipient and your family about your experiences
8)    Try to maintain the relationship that existed before caregiving when possible, both with your family and care recipient
9)    Take time out for yourself
10)    Don’t get yourself down if the care recipient’s condition seems to decline; you can help them, but can’t control it all!

Sources:
1.    Extension
2.    AARP

Image: 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.