09.24.10
Posted in care at home, Caregiver, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Nursing home alternative at 12:46 am by admin
Sooner or later, most caregivers find they are unable to or uncomfortable with leaving their loved one at home alone long enough to run errands, take a much needed break, or work a part-time job to make ends meet. In times like these, it is impossible or at least extremely difficult to find friends or family members who can step in and help out and stay with your loved one at the times you need. Many caregivers are unaware of a growing service offered to help them out at these times: adult day care.
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Adult day care centers are cropping up all over the nation to offer daytime care for individuals who are unable to care for themselves while their regular caregiver is away from home. The care services are usually offered during weekdays during typical office hours, but times of services can vary by location.
Adult Day Care centers usually offer activities, such as physical exercise classes, snacks and meals, intellectually stimulating activities, and social activities. Many Adult Day Care centers offer specialized care and securlty for patients with dementia, developmental delays, physical ailments, and neurological illnesses. Some offer hightened security for individuals who are prone to wandering.
Caregivers are often at first hesitant to make use of these services for fear of leaving their loved one with strangers in a unfamiliar environment, but visiting several licensed care centers before you find yourself in a bind will help ease those fears. Meeting the staff, checking out the facilities, finding out if they have any specialized care pertinent to your loved one’s condition, and seeing their daily schedule of activities will help you choose which center will best suit your loved one’s needs and safety requirements. Always check to make sure the Adult Day Care Center is licensed, and has a good reputation with both caregivers and clients.
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While many caregivers feel uncomfortable with the idea of bringing their loved one to a Day Care, those who have utilized these centers realize they are a valuable service offering much needed help and respite to caregivers. The people who staff these centers recognize how demanding caregiving can be, their purpose is to offer you a helping hand and provide your loved one with a safe place to stay where qualified staff are available at all times to offer assistance. Turning to Adult Day Care Services in time of need might just prevent caregiver burnout, stress, and family friction, allowing you to continue to care for your loved one for as long as possible.
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For other Elderly Care service options check out the home pagewww.elderlycareservices.org.
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09.22.10
Posted in care at home, Caregiver, Elder Care, Elderly Care at 9:30 pm by admin
Your senior parents know all about caregiving, because when you were young, they cared for you. More than likely, your father went to work every day while your mother took care of you, fed you and clothed you. Together, they made sure your needs were met, and you were on your way to a life of success. They were doing something more than helping you survive. They were helping you to thrive.
Fast forward to today. Your elderly parents can no longer care for themselves, but you are able to help them. The tables have been turned. Now they need your help. Maybe they need you to look over their shoulder to help them make financial decisions. Maybe they need helpful reminders to take their medication. Perhaps they need help shopping or doing housework. Or, maybe it’s worse than that: maybe your elderly parents need someone to feed and clothe them, and to protect them from the outside world.[ad#ad-1]
Caregiving probably was not something you thought about for a long time. And whatever level of care your aging parents need, it is time to consider the best way for you to help their quality of life. This might seem overwhelming at first. But stop and think about your past, assuming you had a good childhood. What made family life work? What made it happy? What good memories immediately spring to mind? Because in the end, those are probably the things that made your childhood enjoyable. Usually a family’s financial state is less essential to happiness than a family’s own interactive culture: dinner rituals, holiday traditions, family vacations, even board games! Even poor children can have a wonderful childhood if they enjoy spending time together! Some might consider these rituals to be outdated. But I can guarantee this: the elder generation does not. They cherish relational family times. And they cherish memories.
Full time, intensive caregiving is a complicated process that will require some professional input. But there are things you can do no matter what your parents’ level of activity, to make them feel happy. How can you promote their quality of life? Spend quality time with them. Spend family time with them. Here are a few suggestions:
Family dinners: Did you have a special night of the week when you had a special meal? Pizza on Saturdays? Taco Tuesdays? Maybe it is time to bring that back. Or maybe you never did any of that. No problem. You can start that now! I can guarantee that those evenings will become highlighted events on your parent’s mental calendars.
Movie Nights: Get the kids to bed and grab a disk from the local Redbox. And grab some popcorn for mom and dad. If they are like my parents, they will love to watch movies together. Make movie nights a tradition, and be sure to have some time to laugh about it afterwards.
Take Trips: Granted, this might be limited, especially if your parents have health problems. Not everyone lives an hour away from the beach. But I will bet you have city parks nearby. Are there museums? Zoos? Ice Cream parlors? There is something familiar and happy about “going out.” Most seniors enjoy such outings, and it is good for them.
In short, the best way to promote elderly parents’ quality of life is to make more memories. Recreate the old days, and make some new days as well. Rich or poor, healthy or sick, quality family time is sure to make them smile.
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08.25.10
Posted in care at home, Elder Care, Elderly Diseases at 10:32 am by admin
No one likes to face the tough decision of what to do with mom or dad if they are unable to live alone and family members are not able to take them into their own home. But starting the decision process earlier rather than later will help you find the place best suited to your loved one, and will help them be a part of this important decision making process.
Most people are aware of nursing homes, assisted living communities, and retirement communities, listed in order of most to least support provided, but many are unaware of the adult family home option that may be appropriate for an individual who needs help with meals, cleaning, medicine administration, transportation, physical and daily routine assistance. Adult Family Homes generally offer more assistance than an assisted living facility, but less than a nursing home. Adult Family Homes are also a great option for someone who wants to have the sense of family by sharing a home with others. [ad#ad-1]
What are Adult Family Homes
Adult Family Homes are simply houses in residential areas which are licensed to provide room and board for up to 6 senior residents. Normally these homes are operated by singles, families, or businesses. Some Adult Family Homes choose to hire outside personel such as nurses to come into the home and provide services on a regular basis.
Services Offered
Every Adult Family Home will vary, but most homes offer the security of an onsite person responsible for the safety of the residents and providing physical assistance as needed, meal service, medication administration, and nursing care for routine vital checks. Some homes offer specialized services for residents with specific ailments such as dementia, mental or physical disabilities, or neurological illnesses.
Adult Family Homes Pros and Cons
In spite of their negative association with group homes that have gotten a bad rap in the past, new laws and medicaid eligibility requirements have upped the standards for most adult family homes. The shift to specialized care also has improved the overall quality of care for many adult family homes. More homes are making family atmosphere a higher priority by offering more family-style activities and living accommodations and policies. Many seniors appreciate the warm family atmosphere found in these smaller, tight-knit house communities . They also enjoy the fact that they can receive the extra care that they need, and don’t have to be a burden to family members.
Choosing a suitable Adult Family Home
Find a list of all adult family homes in your region. Be sure that their required licensing is up-to-date. Decide what specialized services you might need, and which accommodations you desire. Find out what specialized services each home offers that meet your wants and needs. If possible, bring your loved one with you to visit a few of the Adult Family Homes you’ve selected to meet some of the residents and find which location will be the best match, and what the atmosphere and other residents are like. If your loved one would like to keep a treasured pet, find out whether or not that home permits pets. There pet policy would be good to know too if pets or pet dander is a problem.
Adult Family Homes might be just the ticket for a senior needing some assistance and supervision and at the same time wanting to maintain independence from family. The family style residential atmosphere offered by adult family homes often provides a safe haven that suits many seniors to a T.
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12.18.08
Posted in Advertising, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Referral Service, care at home, Dialysis Assisted Living, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care, Marketing, Nursing home, Texas Elderly Care Services at 2:32 pm by admin
We have a comprehensive list of all the Houston elder care businesses and elder care services, and elderly care facilities in the Harric County and Fort Bend county areas. You can search by keyword in the elderly care directory below to find the type of elder care facility you are looking for. For instance, Assisted Living Type A facilities are for elderly people that can still take care of most of their daily needs and routines but would like the convenience of laundry service, meals, house cleaning, and activities. The type of facilities get progressively more specific like alzheimers care facilities, nursing homes, kidney dialysis assisted living in Houston and more. Browse or search our directory below.
Houston Elder Care Directory
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05.29.08
Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Referral Service, Assisted Living Safety, care at home, Caregiver, dementia, Depression, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, forgetting to take medication, Home Health Care, Nursing home, Nursing home alternative, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services 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, care at home, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Nursing home, Retirement, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services 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, care at home, dementia, Dimentia, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Elderly Diseases, exercises, forgetting to take medication, medication, Nursing home, Senior Citizen, Taking Care of a Loved One, Texas Elderly Care Services 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, care at home, 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 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, arthritis, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Safety, care at home, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Elderly Diseases, exercises, Home Health Care, pain releif, Senior Citizen, 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, care at home, Elder Care, Elderly Care, Home Health Care 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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