Rhode Island

Home Instead Senior Care provides non medical home care services for seniors in Rhode Island and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Caring for Your Parents and Loneliness

Depending on your parents’ health, it may be necessary to move in with them. Though this will greatly alleviate worries for your siblings, it could leave you feeling isolated. If you are only spending time with your parents, you may feel you have no one your age to talk to. If this is the case, let your siblings know and try to:

•    Be honest with your siblings.

•    Make a list of specific things they could help you with to give yourself a little more free time.

•    Ask them to visit more often.

•    Set up a Facebook page and get in contact with your friends from the past.

•    Invite a friend to dinner.

•    Contact a local bookstore to find a book club you could join.

•    Check your local newspaper to find out about upcoming events in your community.

•    Renew old acquaintances in communities you were a part of.

Letting your family know how you are feeling can be very beneficial. With their help, you can develop a new social circle to help you cope with the feelings of loneliness.

If you require more information about eldercare, read this help guide.

Caregiverstress.com

Home Instead Senior Care provides non medical home care services for seniors in Rhode Island and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Caregiving Help for Elder Care

At around the age of 50, you should expect to start caring for your parents. There are a lot of ways you can help your aging parents out, including:

•    Caring and maintaining for the house.

•    Paying bills and arranging doctor’s appointments.

•    Selling the house and moving into a care facility.

•    Hiring a nurse to visit your parent’s house periodically.

These options can greatly alleviate the stress your parents’ responsibilities have on them. Just make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.

Action Time

After discussing the options with your parents, it is time to make a decision. You may feel overwhelmed that their future lies in your hands.

Before taking action, consider the following:

•    Are your parents just overwhelmed? Do they just need reassurance you will be there if they need you?

•    Take the point of view of your siblings and group it behind the opinion of your parents’.

•    Are you parents capable of making an informed decision?

•    Teamwork is the best approach to resolving this dilemma so work together.

For more information on caring for elderly parents and maintaining peace within the family, read this online help Caregiverstress.com.

Home Instead Senior Care provides non medical home care services for seniors in Rhode Island and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Seniors and Self-Directed Care

Many seniors will need some form of assistance if they become ill or develop a disease. However, the needs of all seniors will vary. Some seniors will benefit from self-directed care, in which they will be involved in the decisions regarding what type of senior care and services they need and who will be providing this care. The information below can help assess seniors for self-directed care.

1.    Always take the time to ask the senior their views on the situation. Involve family members in these discussions as well. Also be sure to ask the senior if they have any interest in adult daycare programs.

2.    Make note of how the senior functions on a daily basis. It is important to know whether they can care for themselves in any way. Some seniors may require minimal assistance, such as with keeping up with laundry or getting to appointments.

3.    Be sure that the safety needs of the senior are always being met.

4.    It is important to make sure seniors feel safe in their home. Ask them if this is the case. In addition, spiritual beliefs should be supported and social needs tended to. Seniors should not be isolated from the rest of the world just because they are old and may have an illness.

Source: eHow.com

Home Instead Senior Care provides non medical home care services for seniors in Rhode Island and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Important Decisions You Should Talk About With Your Family

When it comes to caring for aging parents there are a lot of things you must keep in mind. Discuss the following topics in a calm manner, keeping in mind your parents may find some of the subjects private.

•    Family inheritances
•    Finances
•    End of life issues
•    Estate Planning
•    Caring for Your Parent

The 50-50 Rule

Caring for your aging parents can be a difficult process. There are some methods for handling this difficult subject. Problems can arise between you and your parents or you and your siblings. The 50-50 rule refers to how you should divide the labor between you and your siblings. It also is the average age a child has to start thinking about options for their parents’ future.

Questions You May Come Across When Caring for an Aging Parent

It is very common to feel overwhelmed when it comes to caring for someone who spent their life caring for you. There are some questions to keep in mind when it comes to making arrangements for eldercare including:

•    What is the best way to divide the workload between your siblings?
•    How do you reach agreements on important topics with your family?
•    What is the best way to build teamwork among your family?
•    How do you avoid family conflict?

For more information check out this site. (http://www.caregiverstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/The-50-50-Rule-Helping-Siblings-Overcome-Conflict.pdf)

Home Instead Senior Care provides non medical home care services for seniors in Rhode Island and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Finances are stressful for everyone, including your parents. During these tough times it may be necessary to assist your parents in a number of ways. This could include lending them money or taking control of their finances. With age, remembering certain tasks can become difficult and the responsibility of paying bills on time can prove too much.

Some Tips for Handling Financial Woes

•             Discuss every aspect of your parent’s financial situation that they are comfortable sharing.

•             Reach a financial agreement everyone is happy with.

•             Keep in mind the impact the recession has had on seniors. In Canada, 20.6 percent of seniors filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

•             Automatic bill paying is good for seniors who have trouble remembering to get them in on time.

•             Maintain a united front with your siblings.

•             Ensure everyone understands the problems and the outcomes.

Be Clear

When it comes to discussing finances with your parents be sure everyone is clear on what the problem is and your siblings understand the situation as well. When reaching a solution, verify that everyone is happy and comfortable with the end result.

Source: CaregiverStress.com

Technology can often be overwhelming, especially for a senior citizen. With each new invention comes confusion about how to use it or what it is. Rather than being afraid of technology, seniors should open up their minds to geriatric technologies. Many of these new gadgets and inventions made especially for seniors are not to be feared, but rather embraced. Here are a few things seniors may want to know about using geriatric technologies.

•             Living a life of independence—Many seniors are limited in terms of independence, needing someone to drive them to appointments or remind them to take their pills every morning. However, geriatric technology helps the senior be more independence. Many of these inventions help the senior get by every day, while feeling independent at the same time.

•             Caregivers can’t be replaced—While many geriatric inventions can help seniors, it is still important to have a caregiver or some sort of human helping out. Seniors should know their caregiver can’t be replaced with the latest shiny gadget for senior care.

•             Elderly Lifestyles Can Be Enriched—Being a senior can be difficult at times with things to always remember and those normal aches and pains. At the same time, new elderly technologies can make a senior’s lifestyle better. General Electric and Intel have developed products for seniors that don’t hurt a senior’s everyday life, but make it easier and more enjoyable.

•             Education on New Technology is key—Technology can be confusing to seniors, but it doesn’t have to be. Education is key when it comes to understanding the benefits of geriatric technology. Often seniors are afraid of new inventions and modern conveniences, but if you learn about these trends, they might not be so daunting and strange.

When a senior has dementia, they will often need some help from family members. In some cases, a caregiver may not be able to be in close proximity to the senior who needs assistance. When this is the situation, it is possible to hire a caregiver that can be there daily to help the senior. The following contains some information on how long distance caregivers can make sure the senior is being cared for and their needs are being met.

1.            Make sure to be aware of what services are needed. People with dementia may need assistance doing daily tasks. When visiting the home, be sure to notice what they can do on their own. This will provide a better sense of what kind of services could help.

2.            Check the food in the refrigerator to make sure there is enough and that it is not spoiled. Watch how they function in the kitchen.

3.            If the home is messy, they may need help maintaining the inside and outside of the home. Laundry can also be a chore for many seniors. Those with dementia will have even more problems. If the senior needs help with laundry and other things around the home, hiring a PCA can be beneficial.

4.            Create a list of support contacts. This should include individuals and resources that can help coordinate care from a distance.

5.            Keep a current list with names and numbers and note what kind of services they provide.

6.            Keep in touch with their doctor so you will always be updated on medical conditions.

7.            Make the best of physical visits. While visiting, make necessary appointments, talk with friends and other family members about how the senior is doing and make sure to make time to reconnect with the senior.

Source: articlesbase.com

With so many advances being made in the field of medicine, life expectancies have also increased. It is estimated that many people who are already in their 50s and 60s will reach the age of 100. Unfortunately, this is something many people do not plan for in regards to finances. Below is some information pertaining to this important issue.

5.            With extended life expectancies, many seniors are working well past the age of retirement in hopes of being able to save up money to enjoy later in life, especially if they reach the age of 100.

6.            While some seniors have the desire to work, it can be difficult. Not many companies will hire older adults. Some companies will not allow employees to work past the age of 65. This has raised some serious discrimination issues.

7.            For people who are in their 50s, it may be very difficult to save enough money by the time they reach the age of retirement to ensure income that will last until they are 100 years old.

8.            Reaching 100 should be a cause for celebration, and for many people it will be. However, there will still be many financial concerns for the future.

Source: Easier.com

Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

There are many changes that will occur as we age. Some of them we will have no control over, such as loss of hearing or vision. However, there are many things that can be done to promote good health, both mentally and physically. A healthy mind plays an important role in overall health. It is important for seniors to make sure to stay active physically and mentally.

1.            Low cholesterol, low blood pressure, healthy weight, physical activity and a healthy diet will all benefit the mind and the body.

2.            There will be many changes that occur in mind and body as we age. It is important for seniors to do all they can to keep their mind active and healthy.

3.            By being active and having lower cholesterol levels, the brain will receive oxygen-rich blood. This will help promote and maintain mental health.

4.            There are many ways in which seniors can keep their mind and body healthy. Doing simple things like reading, crossword puzzles and staying active in a social aspect can all provide great benefits.

5.            Many seniors, and a lot of caregivers, will underestimate the power of social interaction. For seniors to stay healthy physically and mentally, being involved with other people is essential.

Source: GMHF Online

Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

As we age, we become more concerned about certain things, such as health care and financial responsibilities. The Baby Boomer generation is now entering their senior years and has many concerns about their future. A recent research project conducted a survey of American adults turning 65. The following information was gathered and represents what Baby Boomers are looking at in their senior years ahead.

1.            More than 59% of American Baby Boomers have a serious concern about the health care system that is in place. The majority of these individuals believe their generation will overload the system.

2.            A large portion of Baby Boomers will work past the retirement age in fear of possible financial restraints. Baby Boomers are actually being encouraged to continue working for as long as they can.

3.            69% of working Americans feel it is their responsibility to provide for people of the generations that came before them.

4.            These statistics were gathered from a study that was conducted by the Home Instead Family Care network. 1029 American adults participated in the study. The information paints a picture of what members of the Baby Boomer generation will face as they enter retirement.

Source: Home Instead

Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.