Home Instead Senior Care
Lafayette

Throughout the year, if you have a senior relative who lives on their own or with their spouse, you likely worry about how they are getting by; if they're able to provide for their own needs, and if they're healthy and happy.  While you might pose some of those questions, it's hard to gauge whether the answers you're receiving are truthful when you are not there to see for yourself. If you are visiting over the holidays, take this checklist with you or complete it mentally. If you can agree with all of the statements below, you can rest assured that right now your loved one is okay on their own - but if you don't, it's probably time to start discussing care options.

• There are no spoiled foods in the fridge, and it, along with cupboards are well stocked with nutritious meal and snack items

• Their home appears in the same state as it always has, with no dirt and dust appearing in locations that are harder to reach

• Bills are not piling up at home or in the mailbox, indicating that they're probably being paid

• Dates and dosages on medications match up with what's on the prescription bottles and it appears as though he/she is managing her medications effectively and taking them according to schedule

• His/her appearance is neat and tidy and to the same standard as normal

• Neighbors and friends close to him/her seem to have no concerns about the health, safety or happiness of the senior

Our home caregivers consult upon safety issues in the home and make changes that will proactively prevent future problems that your senior loved one might encounter.  Ensuring senior's comfort and safety day and night is our priority. Here are some safety tips to ensure your loved one can remain at home and independent.

1. Install nightlights - lighting in a senior's home is crucial for preventing accidents and night fright. Installing nightlights which have sensors to go on when seniors get up in the night can also improve safety, and are a simple and inexpensive addition to any home

2. Suggest a lifeline - since caregivers are not always there around the clock, a lifeline, or an emergency device that will contact a loved one or emergency help can make sure that seniors receive help when needed

3. Put lights on timers - suggesting lights on timers inside or outside the home can help ensure there is adequate lighting at all times, and it also adds an element of security in the evening hours when seniors are home alone, and helps to conserve electricity

4. Remove hazards - our caregivers ensure the environment is safe for seniors to get around while on their own. Removing tripping hazards like throw rugs and poorly placed furniture will reduce the likelihood of accidents. Sturdy grab bars can also be placed in bathrooms and along stairwells for added stability

5. We talk with family members - caregivers can also speak to family members about their concerns, and address them specifically, making the home environment safer to put everyone's minds at ease

We hire and train caregivers to be  perceptive to your senior's needs.

Fall is here, and that means that flu season has fallen upon us. This year, we don't only need to worry about the seasonal flu, we also need to worry about H1N1, and that's the virus that has really got people worrying and talking. Some of the information circulating about the virus just isn't accurate; there is confusion regarding facts and fiction of this illness, so here is some information to help you put your health first and make informed decisions this flu season:

1. The swine flu shot is not for everyone - unfortunately, there is not enough of the H1N1 vaccine to make sure the complete population is protected, although the CDC does recommend it. Those who are in higher risks groups should receive the vaccine as soon as it's available, including women who are pregnant, those who are around or care for babies under 6 months of age, everyone age 6 months through age 24, and anyone with pre-existing medical conditions between the ages of 25 and 64

2. The seasonal flu shot offers protection against the Swine Flu - the H1N1 virus varies from the season flu, and therefore those in the high risk groups should receive BOTH shots to ensure protection and cannot expect that one shot offers protection for both. However, do note that the risk groups for the seasonal flu shot vary from the H1N1 Virus

3. Getting the seasonal flu vaccine makes people more susceptible to H1N1 - studies have both proven and disproven this myth, so at this stage there is no firm answer

4. Seniors are most at risk for H1N1 - seniors are actually in the lower risk group for H1N1 and in the higher risk group for the seasonal flu. Seniors over the age of 65 are less likely to contract H1N1 but should speak to their doctors to determine if they should receive the shot due to existing medical conditions

Via: DailyFinance

Here is a list of senior services survival tools recommended by Home Instead Senior Care:

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 teaches 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 is important to walk away and to take that minute.

Ask for Help: To avoid burnout and stress, you can enlist the help of other family members, 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, a weekend, or even a week's vacation; just make sure you line up your support system so you can be confident that your loved one is safe and happy. And when you're away, stay away. Talk about different things, read that book you haven't been able to get to, see a movie. Only a real break will renew and refresh you.

Eat Well: Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins - including nuts and beans - and whole grains. Indulging in caffeine, fast food and sugar as quick "pick-me-ups" also produce quick "let-downs."

Take Care of Yourself: Just like you make sure your loved one gets to the doctor regularly, make sure you get your annual check-up.  Being a caregiver provides many excuses for skipping your necessary check-ups, but you cannot and should not compromise your health.

Indulge: Treat yourself to a foot massage, manicure, nice dinner out or a concert to take yourself away from the situation and to reward yourself for the wonderful care you are providing to your aging relative. You shouldn not feel guilty about wanting to feel good.

Find Support: Find a local caregiver support group, which will help you understand that what you are feeling and experiencing is normal for someone in your position. This is a place to get practical advice from people who are in your situation and to bounce off those feelings of stress, since everyone is likely to be in the same situation and can empathize.

Family caregivers are some of the hardest working people on the planet - and sometimes, they're the most unappreciated to. Sometimes the people around these hardworking caregivers just take everything that they do for granted, and don't always recognize just how much they're giving of themselves to make sure that the people they care about most are taken care of. Often with family caregivers, they put themselves last on their own priority list, placing their senior care recipients, the rest of their family and their career first. They wouldn't have it any other way, but they do deserve the recognition and the thanks for all that they do.

While we should learn to appreciate family caregivers year-round, National Family Caregiver month which takes place annually during the month of November is the perfect time to look at just how much family caregivers do for all of us. There's no better time to say thank you, whether it's with words or through another gesture that shows them that their efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Family caregiving is not an easy job; it can be stressful, it can feel like a burden at times; but those selfless people who give themselves to make sure that the seniors in their lives are happy and healthy do it because they care. So, let's care about them this month and put their needs first for a change!

Via: FamilyCaregiving101