homecare Archives - Tammie's Take~

How to Finance Senior Living on a Budget

Reviews · February 12, 2019

After working hard for 40 or 50 years, we all hope to retire with a reasonable income from pensions and maybe other investments too. Unfortunately, that’s not always the way it works out. Sometimes the value people thought they were going to get from their pension doesn’t materialize, or through health problems, low earnings, and raising the family you simply don’t have a very substantial pension pot.

Regardless of why your income may be limited, you and many millions of other seniors across the country find themselves in a position where they need to be careful with what they spend. With that in mind, your home is one of the key factors in directing expenditure and helping you manage your finances as you get older.

Selling your home

The first thing to consider if money is tight is what value you have in your property. If you own it and would be in a position to sell, the money you free up by selling and downsizing could provide you with a better standard of living and put an end to your money worries. You’d need to be sure of having a substantial amount of capital after the sale to cover the costs of moving, and if you have any debts, they would need to be cleared first.

Alternatively, you could move into assisted living accommodation, where you live independently but in a community where there is someone to call on if you need help. It’s a good compromise if you’re mostly able to care for yourself but need some peace of mind. If you aren’t able to manage to live independently, the money would also help pay for a place in a care home.

Releasing equity

If you love your home and don’t want to move, you could look at releasing the equity in your property with a reverse mortgage, which is a way of remortgaging your home without having to pay anything back during your lifetime. The loan and interest accrued are taken from the profit your home makes when it’s sold after your death. This is a great option if you don’t need or want to bequeath your home to your children, but it will take a large chunk of the value of your estate away for anyone who does stand to inherit.

If you want to stay at home, freeing up some capital from your property gives you the ability to pay for someone to come in and help you at home with domestic tasks and self-care. This option enables you to live at home as long as possible with help from specialist care services. You can find out more about in-home care and senior living at www.inhomecare.com. Receiving assistance in your own home is known to be better for your wellbeing than having to move into care before you need to, and in-home care is significantly cheaper than a care home too.

Your home is one of the most important parts of your life, and you need to be somewhere safe, comfortable, and convenient so you can enjoy your senior years without worrying about money.

How to Support Elderly Parents without Taking Away Their Independence

Reviews · July 15, 2018

If you would like to help your elderly parent without interfering with their life, still making sure that they are safe at home and can manage everyday tasks, there are a couple of ways you can provide support without invading their space. The worst thing you can do is making them to go to a nursing home and lose the freedom and independence their current lifestyle gives them. Below you’ll find a few tips on how to keep them safe, but let them enjoy independent living.

Image via Public Domain Pictures

Day Care and Activities

It is a good idea to give your older relative a chance to socialize, especially if they are living alone. You can sign up for an elderly day care center that will pick them up a couple of days a week and take them out to the local park or community center. Remember that they will need a purpose in life, despite their reduced mobility.

Home Visits

If your older parent can do most of the things alone, but struggles with cooking and cleaning, you can get a home visitor to come and check on them every day. They can do their shopping, get their food cooked, and have a chat, breaking down the long days. A home visitor can also arrange home maintenance jobs and talk to contractors, so your parent will feel safe and doesn’t have to worry about being cheated or forgetting about something. Check out nursing care options from Riddle to find out more about the personalized packages available for elderly people.

Granny Annex

If you feel like you’d rather keep an eye on your older relative, you can build a prefabricated home for them on your property. They will be independent, but you can simply walk over or send the kids there to check on them. They can stay independent and feel safe knowing that you are only a few minutes away. If you work from home most of the time, you can also save money on nursing and care costs.

Home Modifications

Image via Pixnio

Sometimes mobility aids and security improvements in the home will make a huge difference in older people’s lives. If you want to help them, get the bathroom and kitchen adjusted to their needs. Don’t forget to install warning bells around the house, if they have a health condition that can cause seizures.

Regular Checkups

It is also crucial that your parent gets regular checkups and their health is monitored by medical staff. They can either visit them every week to take their blood pressure and carry out tests, or you will have to visit a specialist department at your local hospital. No matter which option you choose, you need to take responsibility for keeping the appointments.

If you have started worrying about the health and safety of your older parent, you can help them in a way that you don’t take away their independence and purpose in life. Sit down to discuss their options, and be understanding of their needs.

Four Ways to Help an Elderly Relative Remain Independent

Reviews · June 6, 2017

Growing old is a natural part of the circle of life, however, for many elderly people, their golden years are tainted with bad health and other issues that come along with aging, which can cause many to start to lose their independence. As the need for more frequent care grows and older people become increasingly unable to do the things that they once enjoyed, it can take a huge toll on their mental health leading to heightened stress levels and even feeling dejected and depressed.

For many families who have an elderly relative, the key to keeping them happy and enabling them to enjoy their old age as much as possible is to help them to retain their independence, such as staying in their own home rather than moving into a care facility, and providing them with as many opportunities as possible to engage in the activities and hobbies that they enjoy. However, for an elderly person who requires a lot of care, achieving this is not always the easiest of tasks. We’ve listed some of the best things that you can do to help your elderly loved one remain independent and live life to the fullest during the precious time that they have left.

#1. Home Health Care:

To make sure that your relative’s immediate needs are met, the best thing that you can do is find a good home health care service, such as that offered by Delray Beach home health care. Rather than moving into a nursing home or other care facility, elderly people can receive the care that they need in the comfort of their own homes, which is often a lot less stressful and unsettling for them since they can remain in an environment that they are familiar with, and keep their privacy at home.

Caregivers and nurses are available 24 hours per day for your relative to call on when they need emergency help, along with regular visits, such as in the morning and evening and during meal-times, when caregivers will be on hand to assist with general tasks, help with taking medication, and support with personal care, for example. Another option is to hire a live-in caregiver; if your relative has a spare room and requires a higher standard of care than average, this could be an ideal situation as they’ll be able to remain as independent as possible whilst you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing somebody is there with them to look out for them.

#2. Encourage Activities and Hobbies:

As people age, it’s not uncommon for them to become more tired and less interested in doing the activities that they once wouldn’t have missed for the world. But, whilst it’s important to respect your relative’s decision to spend more time relaxing at home, they should also be encouraged to take part in other activities, even if it’s only once a month or more infrequently. Simple things such as joining a social group, visiting family and friends, or starting a new, undemanding hobby can be wonderful for an elderly person as long as it is not too much and does not overwhelm them.

Growing old does not just affect us physically; mental health can also be affected therefore it’s important to determine whether your relative is simply tired due to old age, or if they are feeling depressed or anxious. If you are worried that it could be the latter, then it’s important to make sure that they know they are not alone and that you will always be there to support and assist them with the things that they would like to do.

#3. Help with Physical Activity and Healthy Eating:

Even people who were once very active in their younger years can become more and more sedentary as they age. In general, people over the age of 65 can spend up to ten hours per day seated, which in turn can lead to a range of health problems and risks, including a higher risk of obesity, falls, heart disease, and even early death. Because of this, one of the best ways to help keep your elderly relative as independent as possible is to encourage them to stay physically active and look after their health.

For many older people who may already be suffering from health problems and aches or pains, exercise can help, yet it can be difficult for them to do. Thankfully, not all exercise needs to be intense; gentle, short walks, for example, can help to keep your relative active and moving, decreasing their immediate and future health risks. A pet can help with this; dogs make excellent companions for the elderly and since they require walking, will help your relative stay active and healthy. In addition, a healthy diet will give your relative the nutrients that they need for optimal physical and mental health, which will help them to remain independent for as long as possible and get more out of their golden years.

#4. Ask Neighbors and Friends to Help:

When your elderly relative was younger, it was likely the norm for communities to rally together and offer their support. Unfortunately, the modern world is no longer quite the same, however, there are many kind-hearted people out there who will be more than willing to offer their help and support to you and your relative. If they have good neighbors who they get on with well, then it’s a good idea to ask them if they will keep their eye on your relative; perhaps they could visit every once in a while to check up on them and see how they are doing. This will not only offer peace of mind to you as you’ll know that somebody else is also looking out for them, it can be great for your relative since social visits tend to be more few and far between for older people. Having somebody there who occasionally visits for a chat will help their life remain as normal as possible.

Would you like to add any tips of your own? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.