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.
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)
Many seniors have a hard time understanding technology. Instead of getting frustrated, it will be rewarding to spend some time with older adults and give them some lessons in technology. There are many little things that can be taught that will make things easier for seniors. The following list offers some great suggestions on how adults can teach seniors a few things about technology.
1. Most seniors have a computer in the home but only use it to send emails. There are even some seniors who are not online. Setting up an email account is a great way to enable seniors to stay in touch with friends and family members. For those who already have email, show them some of the other things they can do online, such as looking up important medical information.
2. Most seniors have cell phones, but they do not know how to enter contact information. Take some time to set up their phone book and show them how to navigate through the menu on their phone.
3. Programming remotes may seem like a simple task for most people, but seniors often have trouble with this. Instead of programming it for them, walk through the steps and teach them how to do it. The smile and glimmer in their eyes when they finally “get it” will be very rewarding!
Using various applications on a Smartphone can help caretakers perform their jobs more effectively. By using some of the newest apps, caregivers will reduce levels of stress, especially when it comes to organizing information. These apps can easily be downloaded to a Smartphone and used by caregivers and seniors. Below is a list of five new apps that have become very useful tools.
1. Tell My Geo is a personal-health-record app that will allow healthcare providers to access medical history through a Smartphone. The app also has a GPS locater. It is available from Android for $9.95 per month. This is a great app for seniors in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
2. Personal Caregiver is from iPhone at no charge. This app helps seniors and caregivers keep track of medications. Since many seniors take multiple medications at different times during the day, this app can be very helpful.
3. Pain Care is also a free app that has won numerous awards. This app helps seniors communicate their level of pain. This is a great app for seniors who cannot speak because of a certain medical condition.
4. iBioMed is an app that contains a treatment log book for therapies, diets, medications, test results and allergies. It is a portable medical record that has a time-stamped journal.
5. Public Speech is a free app that can help caregivers record the reminiscences of a senior who may not be with us for much longer. This app makes for a great activity that will engage seniors and allow them to record memories and their life stories.
It is a common thing for aging adults in Rhode Island to be concerned about the possible onset of Alzheimer’s. With the Baby Boomer generation, these concerns are the topic of much discussion since they will soon be considered seniors themselves. Alzheimer’s is a terrifying disease that continues to affect many seniors each year. Below is some information that will help take some of the worry away from Baby Boomers.
1. Even though there is no definite way to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s, seniors who stay mentally active will have a lower chance of being affected by the disease. It is important to stay as active and involved in activities as possible for as long as possible.
2. Seniors can have caregivers who use their time to exercise the minds of the seniors. In addition to providing other forms of care, caregivers can play a key role in Alzheimer’s prevention.
3. A great way to keep the mind active is to play cards. Members of the Baby Boomer generation enjoy card games almost as much as seniors do. Playing cards with seniors and those who will soon be considered seniors will help keep the mind healthy and the brain functioning.
4. Even though there is no cure for this horrible disease, there are ways to prevent it and slow the progression of the disease. Seniors and Baby Boomers are urged to stay active. Use your minds as often as possible and talk about your concerns regarding Alzheimer’s with your caregiver.
Home Instead Senior Care centers are currently offering a drawing for all caregivers who are providing support to a senior in need. The winner will receive a five day cruise on Celebrity Cruise Lines. This reward is a great way for the Home Instead senior Care franchises to offer thanks and pay tribute to caregivers. The following contains some additional information on the cruise prize.
A caregiver recently was the winner of a cruise giveaway from Home instead Senior Care. The cruise sets sail on January 3, 2011 and lasts for five days. The cruise is part of the Caregiver stress Management Cruise program.
Openseas Travel is working with Celebrity Cruise Line to award various caregivers for their efforts in making ultimate sacrifices to care for another elderly adult.
Free cruses are awarded to those who enter a drawing put o by Home Instead Senior Care. Winners of the cruise will be able to receive 40 hours of free care through Home Instead senior Care franchises.
Offering a free cruise is one way to pay tribute to those who take time from their own lives to provide care and services for elderly adults in need. This is one way that Home Instead senior Care takes time to notice the efforts of all caregivers and offer them a rewarding experience and time to connect with themselves and their family again.
Being a caregiver is difficult enough, but when the senior has dementia and you are a long distance caregiver, it can become even more of a challenge. Even though a person cannot be in close proximity, there are some things that can be done to make the caregiving process easier and more effective. Below are some tips that can benefit caregivers and the seniors they care for.
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.
Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniorsand 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.
To offer thanks for continued efforts in caring for seniors in their home, Home Instead Senior Care is offering free continuing education courses to caregivers. These courses are a great way for caregivers to earn CEU hours free of charge. The information provided below explains what is available and how caregivers can take advantage of this great opportunity.
All CEUs are compliments of Home Instead Senior Care. The meaning for offering these free courses is to keep caregivers up to date on new medical breakthroughs and research.
The courses are done through a webinar. Caregivers will have to pre-register for the courses online. They typically last one hour and at the end of the course, caregivers will receive one hour of CEU credit. If a caregiver cannot be present for a webinar, there are recorded versions that are available.
These free courses are a way to thank all caregivers for their continued efforts in providing superb care to seniors in need.
The courses are available to caregivers who are licensed in a field certain boards, including American Occupational Therapy Association, Association of Social Work Boards and National Academy of Certified Care Managers. There is an additional listing of boards available at the Home Instead Senior Care website.
Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniorsand 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.
“That 20 minute walk in the fresh air with my best friend was just what I needed.”
“At lunch I turn off my phone and email and shut the door. Then I close my eyes and enjoy the quiet for 15 minutes. It’s wonderful.”
Just 15-20 minutes here and there each day when you can focus on yourself will make a world of difference in managing your caregiver stress. According to a new Home Instead Senior Care survey, 55 percent of the family caregivers that eventually employed their professional caregiving services appeared to have above average or significant levels of stress as they came on board. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
These tips are recommended while taking care of an aging loved one:
Work out: Exercise and enjoy something you like to do (walking, dancing, biking, running, swimming, etc.) for a minimum of 20 minutes at least three times per week. Consider learning a stress-management exercise such as yoga or tai-chi, which teach inner balance and relaxation.
Meditate: Sit still and breathe deeply with your mind as “quiet” as possible whenever things feel like they are moving too quickly or you are feeling overwhelmed by your responsibilities as a caregiver. Many times you will feel like you don’t even have a minute to yourself, but it’s important to walk away and to take that minute.
Ask for help: According to a national survey by Home Instead Senior Care of adults who are currently providing care for an aging loved one, 72 percent do so without any outside help. To avoid burnout and stress, you can enlist the help of other family members and friends, and/or consider hiring a professional non-medical caregiver for assistance. There is no need to feel guilty for reaching out.
Take a break: Make arrangements for any necessary fill-in help (family, friends, volunteers or professional caregivers). Take single days or even a week’s vacation. And when you’re away, stay away. Talk about different things, read that book you haven’t been able to get to, take naps, whatever relaxes you and makes you happy.
Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniorsand 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.
Red Cross and Home Instead Offer New Training for Family Caregivers
The Rhode Island Chapter of the American Red Cross and Home Instead Senior Care of Rhode Island have announced a partnership to train and educate area families and caregivers in the skills necessary to provide home-based care to seniors. Health and wellness, fall prevention, gentle reminders, nutrition, dealing with depression, and caring for a senior with dementia are among topics covered in this practical yet relevant program offered for the first time in September. Details on the Senior Caregiver Training Program can be found on the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Red Cross web site or the Home Instead Senior Care of Rhode Island web site.
The 2006 U.S. Census estimated that 13.9% of Rhode Islanders were age 65 and over, the sixth highest rate in the nation. By 2030, this percentage is expected to grow by 59% with the biggest initial increase to occur in those 85 and over. Care and support for this growing population, who are living longer with a higher incidence of chronic and co-morbid disease, will continue to be an issue as we struggle to provide quality care in an environment of escalating costs.
Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniorsand 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.
