05.29.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Referral Service, Assisted Living Safety, Caregiver, Depression, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Nursing home alternative, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services, care at home, dementia, forgetting to take medication at 6:05 pm by admin
Do your mother and/or father need to be moved from home to an assisted living? Do they need to be moved from an assisted living to a nursing home? Or are they at a facility that you are not happy with? Moving your parents can be the best thing that you can do for them, but it can also be the worst thing.
Moving is a dramatic change for an elderly person, especially one with Alzheimer’s disease. A move from home to a nursing home may be the best option but look into getting care at home. Moving can confuse and depress an elderly person. If your mother or father is able to, let him or her be a part of the decision.
When an elderly person is familiar with a facility or the staff at one assisted living or nursing home it’s usually best to keep him there. An elderly person is more likely to willingly receive care and feel comfortable with care attendants and nurses that he or she knows as opposed to a stranger. Also when elderly people are familiar with a facility, such as knowing where the dining room, medicine, activities, and their apartment is, they are usually emotionally stable longer than if they are moved from facility to facility and getting disoriented and confused.
However, when you see your loved one needing more care than what the facility gives, you need to act quickly. There are nurses that come to where your parent is and give care to him. Some facilities have care packages that start at minimal care (such as reminders to come to meals and take medicine) and maximum care packages (such as bathing, transferring from bed to wheelchair and feeding). If the facility that your loved one is does not offer more care and getting a nurse to come and care for him or her is not an option you should not leave him or her there, moving would be a must in that situation.
If your parents are at a facility and you are not happy with the care that they are receiving, talk to the management about your complaints. They may not be aware that your parent is being neglected. Also talk with the care staff and let them know that you care about your parents and want the best care for them. Politely tell the care staff your complaints (i.e. moms hair needs to be brushed, I noticed dad lost his dentures). Visit your parents often. Keep the care staff accountable by making visits at different times of the day or maybe spend a night there if possible. If the quality of care still does not improve make a complaint to DADS (Department of Aging and Disabilities Services) and move your parents to a more quality facility.
Most importantly make sure your parent is taken good care of and is happy.
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Posted in Assisted Living, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Nursing home, Retirement, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services, care at home at 2:00 pm by admin
Lite-Up Texas is a government service that helps low income citizens or those on Medicaid reduce their electric bill. If you are currently receiving Medicaid, food stamps, or if your household income is 125% below the federal poverty guidelines (i.e. $13,000 for 1 resident, $17,500 for 2) then you qualify to receive the Lite-Up Texas discounts.
Many elderly citizens choose Lite-Up Texas to help them get through the costly monthly summer electric bills. With Lite-Up Texas you still have a choice to pick from any electric provider if you are in a deregulated county. So you don’t have to switch electric providers if you do not wish to or you can switch to a low cost electric provider and still get a discount with Lite-Up Texas.
With electric prices on the rise choosing Lite-Up Texas is not a bad idea for you or your loved one. Stay cool and have an affordable summer!
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04.10.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Elderly Diseases, Nursing home, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services, care at home, dementia, exercises, forgetting to take medication, medication at 11:34 am by admin
U.S. News and World Report researched and found that men that were diagnosed with diabetes in middle age were at a higher risk for alzheimers. They found that low levels of insulin caused damage to blood vesels in the brain.
If you or a loved one has low insulin levels be sure to follow doctors orders and get proper medication. Remember to get enough exercise to keep a healthy circulation and healthy weight.
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09.28.07
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Caregiver, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Nursing home alternative, Senior Citizen, Senior Citizen Fathers, Taking Care of a Loved One, care at home at 3:29 pm by admin
When illness turns family members into caregivers there is often strong emotional experiences that the caregiver goes through.
Sadness: It is disturbing to see a loved one rendered physically helpless, particularly if the injury had a sudden onset. But the advent of cognitive deficits, causing changes in the patients personality and behavior, are generally found by researchers to be far more wrenching for families. When even so simple a task for the caregiver as sharing the events of one’s day and being understood is precluding by a patients dimentia, the loss of companionship is profound. Decreases in functioning, especially intellectual capacity, will often force patients who were working to retire, creating economical hardships for the family. When other family members shift to shoulder the bread-winning burden while also assisting the patient more at home with daily activities, they suffer dramamtically increased workloads and drastically reduced personal time. Some caregivers find relief in tears and take solace from sharing their mornful feelings with others who respond understandingly. Many caregivers however feel uncomfortable about expressing sadness and shame. They typicallycite several objections: 1-”I don’t want to feel sad because it will make me depressed.” 2-”I don’t want to express sadness because other people will think that I’m weak.” 3-”What do I have to feel sad about when I’m not the one who is disabled?” or 4-”I’m afraid that if I express sadness, it will make my loved one feel worse.” Generally though empathizing with the caregiver’s sadness is one of the most effective ways that a patient can give back something meaningful to the person who has made sacrifices on his behalf. When a caregiver is willing to take the risk of expressing sadness to a loved one in a non-blaming way, it most often results in a greater feeling of comunion or shared mission between the two that helps them both feel better understood and supported.
Anger: Caregiver anger depends mostly on the relationship between the patient and the caregiver before the illness. At its simplest, it takes the form of blaming the patient for bringing the tragedy upon the family. The sting of being unjustly trapped often lies at the root of anger. Sometimes the anger isn’t toward the patient but at God. Anger must be dealt with promptly or it will turn into bitterness.
Worry: Every family member of one who is suffering worries. But a caregiver must be careful not to worry him or herself too much or he/she will get burned out.
Guilt: Many family members feel guilty that their loved ones have become ill as if it is their fault. A family member might feel guilty that he or she hasn’t visited a loved one in the nursing home. Also there may be guilt because a relationship went soar before the illness took place. It is never too late to love. Visit that family member in the nursing home. Start talking and praying for him or her.
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08.17.07
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Safety, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Elderly Diseases, Home Health Care, Senior Citizen, arthritis, care at home, exercises, pain releif, soothes joints at 3:42 pm by admin
Elder Care Safety
Falls are the most common cause of injury in American adults age 65 and older. According to the National Safety Council falls are the leading cause of death. One in three of those 65 and older falls each year and 90% of hip fractures that occur in the U.S. are the result of a fall.
But do not panic over these statistics. Here are a few things to do to fall-proof your home and to learn how to fall the correct way to help prevent injury.
To fall proof your home:
-Don’t pile clutter or items in pathways or stairways.
-Put adhesive texture strips or a rubber mat on the bottom of shower. Install grab bars on the walls. Place a slip resistant rug on the floor to safely get in and out of bath.
-Keep appliance cords out of walking area. Don’t put them under rugs.
-Remove small area rugs at top and bottom of stairs and put adhere non-slip treads to bare-wood steps.
-Place night lights to light the way from bedroom to bathroom. Keep a flashlight with new batteries close to the bed in case of power outage.
-Clean up spills immediately.
-Wear sneakers around the house and outside. Do not wear stocking feet or high heals.
In case a fall does happen here are a few steps to follow to do avoid or minimize injury:
-If at all possible try to fall on your butt or side. Roll over naturally, turning your head in the direction of the roll.
-Keep joints (wrists, elbows and knees) bent. Do not break your fall with your hands or elbows.
-After falling take several deep breaths. Do not quickly get up especially if you feel you have been injured.
-If you feel you have been injured call 911 or a family member for help.
-If you feel you are not injured and are able to get up, crawl to a stable piece of furniture like a chair to support and help pull yourself up. Put both hands on the seat.
-Slowly begin to raise yourself up and bend whichever knee that is stronger keeping the other knee on the floor. Slowly twist and sit in the chair.
Remember to have physical checkups and exercise regularly.
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08.08.07
Posted in Assisted Living, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, care at home at 4:15 pm by admin
If you or your loved one has a caregiver be sure to tell that caregiver how much he or she means to you. Oprah Winfrey said “Caregivers of all kinds are the real heroes, and most overlooked humanitarians in the world.” I agree with that statement. So many good deeds of the caregiver is overlooked or unseen. It takes a special and humble person to be a caregiver. If you are a caregiver then remember “The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” Proverbs 11:18. Thank you caregivers for all the work that you do, your work will be rewarded.
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08.07.07
Posted in Assisted Living, Assisted Living Safety, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Nursing home alternative, Senior Citizen, care at home, dementia, forgetting to take medication, medication at 6:29 pm by admin
It’s easy for anyone to forget to take medication. Those with dementia need to be especially careful. Skipping medication can have searious consequences. One way to remember is to have a weekly pill box organizer. This helps prevent from accidentally taking the wrong pill or too many pills. There are some pill box organizers that have timers that buzz when it is time for medication. Putting a reminder posty note on the mirror or refrigerator is another suggestion. Marking down when was the last medication time on a pad of paper or calendar helps prevent overdose. If forgetting to take medication is a persistant problem have a trusted person be responsible to remind you each time or despense the medicine to you.
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07.21.07
Posted in Assisted Living, Elderly Care, Nursing home alternative, PACE, care at home at 11:43 am by admin
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, otherwise know as PACE is an optional benefit under Medicare and Medicaid that focuses on the elderly, who are frail enough to meet the state’s standards for nursing home care. It features comprhensive medical and social services that can be provided at home, adult day health center, or impatient facilities. For most elderly people it will allow them to continue living at home and receive services instead of being institutionalized. Health professionals and a team of doctors and nurses assess the persons needs, develop care plans, and deliver care plans which are integratedinto a complete health care plan.
PACE offers and manages all of the medical, social and rehabilitative services their enrollees need to preserve or restore their independence, to remain in their homes and communities, and to maintain their quality of life. PACE must include all Medicare and Medicaid services provided by the state. The PACE center includes at minimum primary care services, social services, restorative therapies, personal care and supportive services, nutritional counseling, recreational therapy, and meals. PACE services are available 24/7. PACE has a team of care providers that have frequent contact with the patient. This helps them to detect subtle changes in the patient’s condition and they can react quickly to changing medical, functional, and psycho-social problems.
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