elderly Archives - Page 2 of 3

Bringing An Elderly Parent To Stay: Can You Do It?

Reviews · July 30, 2018

It’s easy to forget that elderly parents won’t alway have their independence. Eventually, many elderly individuals will reach the point where they can no longer cope without help. This could be due to a mental or physical decline. Don’t forget, as you age, the chances of developing conditions like Alzheimer’s increase while the body gets weaker. When you’re young, you can recover from a broken leg in weeks. When you are over seventy, it will take months, and the pain or discomfort will last for years. Your leg may never return to its original condition.You can see then why your parents will need help and support. But where will they turn to get it?

Full-Time care is an option in a residential home. Or, alternatively, you could be thinking about bringing an elderly parent to live with you. This can be a rewarding experience, allowing you to give back to your parent, helping them keep their independence and ensuring that they are comfortable. However, it’s also a lot of work, a heavy commitment and a massive life change. You need to be prepared.

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Are You Emotionally Ready?

Don’t forget, once you make this decision you will typically be moving away from your role as a daughter or son and moving towards the position of carer. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a massive commitment. You do need to think about whether you can handle this. Remember, the way your parent views you will change. You will have to make the tough choices, deciding when they should and shouldn’t have full independence. This can be frustrating and may lead to volatile situations.

You can avoid this by hiring a full-time live-in carer. This will also allow you to have more control of your personal life and spare time, so it is certainly worth considering.

Is Your Home Set Up Correctly?

The next step is to make sure that your home is set up the right way. You need to make sure that it is both safe and indeed comfortable for your parent. Ideally, you do want to make sure that there are facilities both up and downstairs. You may also need to think about adding railings to the bathroom, hand bars and potentially a stair lift as well. If your parent is in a wheelchair, ramps may also be beneficial.

Of course, comfort is a top consideration too. It’s crucial that your elderly parent has their own space in your home and that they don’t feel like a guest. You also need to invest in specialist furniture such as the aged care tables you would find in a care home. These are the right height and design for elderly individuals.

Get The Family Ready

Finally, don’t forget that this change won’t just affect your life. It will alter the life of your entire family. Once again, you need to be prepared. Make sure that everyone is on board and understands the change. Let children know why this happening and what their role will be in this scenario. If everyone knows their place, you can make the transition far easier.

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We hope this helps you deal with the decision to bring your elderly parent to live with you.

The Dos & Don’ts Of Caring For A Loved One

Reviews · May 9, 2018

If you have an elderly relative who is going to require some extra care and support during the next few years, now is the best time to educate yourself on the methods and strategies that work best. The last thing you want is for your loved one to become depressed or struggle to manage their daily activities. So, it is vital that you’re around to help out wherever possible and ensure that person can maintain their independence. The dos and don’ts listed on this page are an excellent starting point for your research. Use the information from this article to ensure you make the right decisions when the time comes.

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The does of caring for a loved one

Do ask your relative how you can help

Communication is vital when assisting an older adult who needs support with various tasks around the house to ensure they stay safe. Always make sure to sit down and have a conversation with the person and ask them how they want you to help. That way, you make sure your relative feels in control and never gets annoyed.

Do make time to chat with your loved one

The worst thing you can do is relate all conversations to how you can support your loved one. Instead, you should ensure you ask them about their day or the things they watched on TV the night before. Try to create a level of normality as much as possible.

Do recommend social activities

Your elderly relative will struggle to maintain happiness if they spend all their time sitting watching the television. So, conduct some research and recommend some social activities. Maybe there is a local church group or something similar?

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The don’ts of caring for a loved one

Don’t take full control over everything Always ensure your elderly relative remains in control of the care and support you provide. Do not take the reins and manage every aspect of their lives because they might begin to feel suffocated.

Don’t be afraid to arrange respite care

Experts claim respite care is essential for those who help to look after an elderly relative. After a few months, you are going to feel tired and worn out. So, there is no harm in taking some time out and asking professionals to take over.

Don’t run yourself into the ground If you’re moody or tired, there is a reasonable chance you will struggle to provide the care and support your loved one requires. So, remember to think about your health and ensure you don’t miss meals or anything like that.

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You now know all the dos and don’ts of caring for a loved one during their twilight years. In some instances, people will have to pay for residential care when their elderly relative loses their independence. However, you can usually help anyone to remain in their homes if you ask about their requirements and ensure you support them in completing their daily tasks and activities. There is always more to learn, but at least you now know about some of the most critical basics.

Safety Tips For The Elderly

Reviews · March 12, 2018

With an increasing number of seniors who prefer living independently, it is important to take the right measures and make sure they’re safe in all environments. Most people are only concerned about the elderly’s safety at home. While that is an essential aspect to consider, they should not forget about their outdoor safety. All kinds of accidents can happen due to the absence of mind or poor weather conditions, for example, slipping on ice during winter months. On the other hand, car accidents are more and more frequent these days. Unfortunately, children and older people are the most inclined to personal injury.

However, there are a few useful tips that everyone can consider when it comes to the safety of their aging parents, neighbors or just seniors in general. Here are a few of them!

Home Safety Tips

There are a lot of important measures that people need to take to protect their aging parents or relatives. They need to consider every single room and accessible space of the home and prepare accordingly. By doing that, they are able to prevent falls and other unwanted accidents. First of all, they could have a panic button that notifies the emergency services. Home accidents can be considerably decreased by installing rails in showers and tubs or by eliminating clutter. Another important thing to consider is whether there is enough lighting in the home or not.

Winter Safety Tips

During the winter months, the cold weather and the snow can have negative impacts on seniors. Sadly, falls are a common occurrence for the elderly, especially during winter months. These falls lead to injuries such as a hip or wrist fractures. Wearing shoes with good traction can significantly reduce this problem. They also need to remember to take their shoes off as soon as they return home to prevent creating slippery conditions because of the snow and ice attached to the soles. Lastly, dressing in layers when going outside and covering all exposed skin areas is essential in this case.

Outdoor Safety Tips

People of all ages are advised to be active and spend as much time as possible outdoors, but there are so many unexpected challenges that might appear. The hot temperatures, slipping on rainy days or even car accidents are just a few of them. Luckily, there is a solution to every problem. During summer months it is vital to drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen even when sitting in the shade and dressing accordingly. Sometimes, no matter how prepared you are, there might happen to be car accidents. In this case, it is important to get in contact with a law firm. Chester Law Group is a personal injury firm that knows exactly how to help you in these situations.

General Safety Tips

To maintain good mental health, they need to build a close circle of friends and prevent isolation. They can meet on a regular basis or just keep in touch over the phone. Keeping plenty of medication on hand is essential for those who are not able to move around easily. Hiring a nurse to come and check on them on a regular basis will prevent unwanted situations. Lastly, installing a home security system, an alarm system, locking the doors and windows and checking on them often makes them feel loved and stops potential dangers.

Every single individual should think about the safety of aging people around them. Taking these measures prevents injuries and makes them feel appreciated.

Five Tips That Will Help Your Elderly Parent Through the Cold and Flu Season

Reviews · January 8, 2018

Cold and flu season is never a fun time for anyone, but for the elderly, it can be especially rough, and even serious depending on their existing health. Finding ways to get through the season and contracting as few germs as possible is key. However, try as you may, it’s almost impossible to avoid all the bugs out there. So, if your elderly parent is currently suffering from a cold or has the flu, here are some tips that can help make it a little easier for them.

Set Up a Humidifier in Their Home

A humidifier can offer all kinds of relief when they are suffering from a cold or flu. It can help to ease dry sinuses, cracked lips, and bloody noses (common when you have a nasty cold). Sometimes, it’s worth it just to use the humidifier at night when you are forced to breathe through your nose due to your clogged sinuses. Having a cool mist humidifier run while you’re sleeping will keep your throat moist so you don’t get a painfully dry throat.

Instead of paying top dollar for a humidifier, you can always make one for your parents. Visit the DIY Experience website and look at the various types of humidifiers and instructions on how to build them. You’ll find options for beginners and those with a little DIY experience.

Pick Up Some Vapor Rub

Another really simple product that can help to make a huge difference is vapor rub. The rub can be used on the chest and it can be quite handy to put a small dot under the nose so it is breathed in. It can be applied throughout the day and night as needed.

Plenty of Hot Beverages

Hot beverages can make a huge difference to a person’s comfort level while they are sick. Herbal teas are best with a bit of organic honey in them. This will coat the throat, help to soothe a cough, and honey helps to boost the body’s immune system.

Get More Sleep than Usual

In order for your body to fight off the germs, it needs energy, which can leave a person feeling extremely exhausted. It’s a good idea to encourage your parent to get as much rest as possible, whether they take naps or just rest in bed. If your parent is finding it hard to sleep because of their stuffed up nose, provide an extra pillow to prop them up.

Good Ol’ Chicken Soup

If there’s anything that’s going to make a person feel better, chicken soup is just that. Not only is it easy to eat when you’re stuffed up, but it’s also easy on the stomach and can even help to reduce inflammation in the body. This means the symptoms of the cold will be reduced.

Making It Through the Season

By using these tips you’ll be able to help your elderly parent through the cold and flu season as smoothly as possible.

Choosing A Retirement Home For Your Parent

Reviews · January 2, 2018

Putting your elderly parent in a retirement home is a process that’s sure to leave you feeling a little guilty. However, it is often a necessary decision, especially when your mom or dad no longer has the ability to take care of themselves.

If you are going to take this action, though, it’s vital that you find the right place for your cherished parent to spend their retirement years. A number of elements must be carefully considered before finding the best destination. Pay close attention to each of the items below, and you won’t go far wrong.

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Location

The geographic location of the retirement is vital for many reasons. If your parent still has some independence, the local amenities and social opportunities can be crucial. After all, they can influence their happiness and mental stimulation.

Furthermore, you don’t want the venue to be too far away from yourself and other family members. After all, those regular visits will become the highlight of your parent’s week. Skype calls and technology may provide a good backup, but there’s no substitute for those magical face-to-face interactions.

It may be worth considering the climate and researching how accommodating the area is to people with limited movement. A little knowledge goes a long way as you try to locate a place the will leave your parent feeling comfortable. Do not overlook it.

Cleanliness

When searching for potential places for your parent to live, you will no doubt look at the facilities. While those features are certainly crucial for your mom or dad’s ongoing comfort, it’s vital to appreciate other factors. Cleanliness is one that should sit at the top of your agenda.

Retirement homes of all types are vulnerable to poor hygiene. This is partly due to the fact that many of the elderly residents cannot control all bodily functions. Without the right cleaning, germs can spread fast. Visit www.medlineplus.gov to learn more about the changes to the immune system that come with age. With this knowledge, you’ll soon see why a clean environment is key for their health.

In addition to the physical benefits, clean surroundings promote increased happiness. Photographs of the establishment are useful. In truth, though, completing at least a handful of visits before confirming your selection is the only answer.

Staff Attitude

Even if you intend to visit on a regular basis, it’s impossible to be there for your parent on a 24/7 basis. In truth, your busy lifestyle and other commitments are among the main reasons that living with you wasn’t a viable option. As such, you need to have confidence in the staff.

Getting older can be terrifying at the best of times. However, life will be far more daunting if they aren’t receiving the empathetic and friendly care that they desire. When visiting potential care homes, it’s imperative that you interact with as many staff members as possible. This is the only way that you’ll truly gauge whether they can provide the right atmosphere for your beloved family member.

On a separate note, depending on your background, it may be worth finding a care home where workers speak in your mom or dad’s first language When things are daunting, speaking in their mother tongue can be very comforting indeed.

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Specialities

No two elderly citizens are identical. Therefore, it would be very naïve to think that there is a one size fits all answer when finding a home. Taking the individual situations and circumstances into account is pivotal. Choosing a generic home not suited to those needs could spell disaster.

It’s not simply a case of checking the facilities for physical limitations either. As life expectancy grows, the number of seniors suffering problems with the brain increases. Visit www.parcprovence.com/ to find out more about care homes for Alzheimer’s patients. When the retirement home is built specifically with those requirements in mind, the service provided will be far greater.

There are plenty of other conditions or issues that may need to be considered when finding the right place for your parent to stay. As long as it fits around their individual troubles, there’s no doubt that the foundations will look far stronger.

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Reputation

The history and presence of the residential senior home is vital for many reasons. Firstly, a combination of accolades and positive testimonials suggest that the business can be trusted. However, this type of crucial insight isn’t the only benefit of seeking a respected company.

Ultimately, once you choose a home for your parent, it should be the place they can stay for the rest of their life. Moving again is the last thing that anybody needs. A company with a good reputation is far less likely to go under compared to one that’s only just started. This additional sense of stability is something that should not be underestimated for a second.

Apart from anything else, the knowledge that the company can be trusted provides peace of mind. Without this, you’ll constantly wonder whether your parent is suffering in silence due to bad care. Besides, an established company will have experience of treating people from all backgrounds.

Communication Links

A care home should be ready to provide your parent with everything they could possibly need for a healthy and happy retirement. Nonetheless, they need to respect that family members still have a lot of love for the resident. Essentially, they need to work with you rather than against.

In many ways, you will be reliant on their updates. Finding a care home that is always there to provide the necessary information is vital. Likewise, their cooperation when planning events for your mom or dad’s birthday can make a world of difference. After all, your only concern is that your loved one enjoys the best retirement possible.

If it is difficult to contact them during the planning phase, it should have the alarm bells ringing. Meanwhile, paying attention to how staff interact with visitors during your look around the venue can be very useful. Ultimately, if their communication with you is poor, links to medical experts could be inadequate too.

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The Final Word

In most cases, your gut instinct will tell you a lot. Still, going the extra mile to analyze each of the items above will help with the decision making process. If that means that your mom or dad enjoys a better retirement, those efforts will be more than worthwhile.