Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

Avoiding Post-Holiday Abandonment

Dealing with senior care on a daily basis, we witness the toll that loneliness and depression takes on an elder’s health and general well-being. Many of our clients do not feel that they have a strong emotional support network, because their loved ones live far away and are not a regular part of their lives. Many of our seniors only see their families on special occasions and holidays, and while it brings them great joy to catch up and reminisce, they can feel abandoned the rest of the year.

A little goes a long way to remind seniors that they are still an important part of your lives, even though they are physically far away; and it is crucial that they understand they are cared for.

Here are a few things family members can do to stay connected:

• Make sure seniors are kept aware of what is happening in your life
• Ensure they know it is okay to call you anytime just to talk
• Send family photos so they can be visually aware of your events and routines
• Write them letters or call regularly with no specific agenda in mind
• Send a gift that reminds you of them
• Have your children draw pictures or write letters to their grandparents
• Talk or write about memories when you were all together in one place
• Give them the opportunity to talk about the things important to them
• Setup a support network in your senior’s area; ensure they have people to turn to, either friends or caregivers
• Encourage the senior to become involved in the community and socialization

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

When a Senior Asks for Help

As a family member or caregiver, it’s important to know how you can help a senior when they ask for it. Seniors find it very difficult to admit when they are struggling to meet their responsibilities, because it signifies a loss of independence.

So make yourself available and easy to talk with, so that the senior will come to you with the challenges they’re having. Whether they’re asking you to take them to a visit to the doctor, help out with housework or paying bills, or doing their shopping, make sure you hear them out and do your best to help out. You aren’t expected to take on everything by yourself, but offer an empathetic ear and offer suggestions especially when asked. You can also help find someone who is able to assist them with some of their needs that you can’t take on, such as another family member or by hiring a professional caregiver.

Remember, as the family member of a senior, the best thing you can do is offer them your emotional support and encourage them to openly discuss their needs related to care.

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

Activities for Nursing Home Entertainment

This holiday season, when visiting your aging parents or grandparents at their assisted living residence or nursing home, come prepared with activities that the whole family will enjoy. These activities will help you pass the time, bond as a family and celebrate the holiday together as a family.

• Play games, such as cards, board games, bingo or chess
• Take a leisurely walk outside
• Bring the family dog, if allowed, which can lift a senior’s spirits
• Reminisce over family photos or memories you have together
• Watch a light-hearted family movie, perhaps with a holiday theme

Enjoy the time you have together with your family, and happy holidays!

Source: http://searchwarp.com/swa79063.htm

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

Long Distance Care

If there is an aging relative in your family, no matter where they live, you need to remain conscious to their care and well-being. Since it’s not always possible to monitor a senior’s health and self-sufficiency on an ongoing basis when you live long distances away, take any opportunity available to check in.

The holidays are an ideal time to ensure that your aging loved one is doing okay since it is a time when families already come together. Things to look for:

• Be aware of your aging relative’s physical appearance.
• Observe their weight, have they lost a lot?  
• Are they keeping up with their personal hygiene? If not, there may be a bigger issue at play.

The same is to be said if they are no longer keeping up with their housework or managing responsibilities like paying bills, which may be indicated by unopened mail. You should also look out for bruises which may indicate falls or injuries, unused required medications, and withdrawal from social activities.

If you believe a senior’s responsibilities are becoming too much for them:

• Consider hiring a part or full-time CAREGiver,
• Check on them even once the holidays are over by calling, having a friend drop by, or ensuring a doctor is monitoring their health.

This holiday season, consider your long distance concern a gift to your family.

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Setting Limitations for Alzheimer’s Safety

Elder care experts agree that caregivers and family members should encourage seniors with Alzheimer’s to live as independently as possible. For many, this could mean living with a relative, under full-time supervision, but with the independence to complete some routine daily tasks without assistance; such as brushing teeth, using the bathroom, or getting dressed. A caregiver should assess the senior’s individual abilities, and determine when tasks can be completed safely without assistance, or when supervision may be required.

In order to keep a senior with Alzheimer’s safe while they function around the home on a daily basis, caregivers or family members need to set limitations on where the senior is allowed to go. Certain areas of the house may be dangerous, such as stairways, doors to outside, or cupboards and closets. Establishing these boundaries both verbally, so the senior understands those areas are off-limits, as well as physically will both be beneficial depending upon the stage of Alzheimer’s.

Caregivers, should however, encourage independent living as much as possible by making tasks within the senior’s abilities easier to complete and ensuring their safety.

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

When dad needs help at home.

I’m a working family caregiver, married, raising three children, and help dad as much as I can around his house. Mom passed back in 2003 and since then, dad is slower, older, and quite frankly needs more help than ever before. I do the best I can, but cannot always be there for him because we live 50 miles apart.

It’s sad to see him this way and I know he doesn’t want to be a burden on me. But I am at a point that I cannot provide the care he needs to remain independently at home. I decide to do some research and seek help for him. I talked this over with my HR Director at work and she suggested that I put together a list of what dad requires and by doing this will make the process easier.

My HR Director also recommended Home Instead Senior Care - they can help me make a list of what Dad’s needs are. Those requirements included part-time hours the CAREGiver would be responsible for initially like cleaning, cooking, running errands for dad and driving him to appointments.

Home Instead set up several interviews; during the first I assessed the candidates initially based on qualifications and personality, and the remaining few who I liked, were invited to a second interview to see how they would relate to dad.

Together, with Home Instead, dad and I decided on a middle aged man who is retired and lives within minutes of dad’s home. We both are relieved and dad now has a companion.

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Healthy ways to boost mental acuity:

One of the major changes that occurs as individuals approach their senior years, is a decline in concentration and overall mental acuity; it can affect memory, problem-solving, and even communication. Unfortunately, these changes are a natural part of aging, and while they can’t be prevented, it is possible to slow the process of deterioration and enhance cognition.

In order to boost your mental acuity as you age, it’s not necessary to make any major lifestyle changes; simply eating healthy, with a diet rich of fruits and necessary minerals, will bring on the desired results.

One of the most beneficial minerals may already be found in your diet; glucose is a major source of energy which results in increased levels of concentration. It is, however, important to note that glucose and processed sugars are not one of the same, and will not have the same outcomes. Processed sugars should be avoided, because while they will provide the illusion of a temporary boost, the result will be a “sugar crash” which will actually reduce your cognitive abilities. In order to get the desired results from glucose, choose fresh fruits and juices, as well as other healthy foods and minerals that will aid in the gradual release of glucose from the blood stream.

Incorporating water into your regular diet boosts energy; fiber filled foods in the morning and exposure to sunlight will also have similar effects. Potassium, as found in bananas, helps process the glucose in your bloodstream; and peppermint keeps your mind active and alert. A healthy amount of daily exercise also has proven effects when it comes to maintaining mental acuity during the aging process.

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted elderly home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Safety Equipment for Year-Round Walking

Walking; one of the major forms of exercise for seniors of all ages; with the benefits of any other cardiovascular activity and the ease of a low-impact routine. Since exercise is a crucial factor in maintaining senior health and longevity, it should be a part of their weekly routine. This, however, can be challenging; especially for those who live in climates with snow, ice and other factors which can make it difficult to get out and get moving. With the right safety equipment, seniors don’t have to give up on walking; and their health will thank them.

For those seniors who enjoy walking outdoors and getting the benefit of fresh air in conjunction with physical activity; it’s important that they invest in the right equipment. A sturdy, comfortable pair of walking shoes is important at any time of year.

However, when winter rolls around, there are other products that can reduce the likelihood of injury. Make sure you have a good pair of winter boots that have good traction, are light-weight, waterproof and well-insulated. Stick to walking on areas that have already been cleared of snow, iced and salted and ask a caregiver, family or friend for assistance in clearing the walkways at your home. Take a cane to help with additional balance, and consider wearing hip-protectors; that way if a fall should occur, the chances of a serious injury are greatly reduced. Of course, remember to dress warm and in bright colors so you are easily visible to motorists and fellow walkers, no matter what the weather.

For seniors who are leery about venturing into the great outdoors, especially when winter weather is a factor, consider choosing indoor locations to get your exercise. Have a loved one or friend bring you to a local, indoor shopping center to walk around. Go during the daytime on weekdays so you don’t have to battle the crowds, and have your credit card ready or get some window shopping done while engaging in your exercise regimen.

When approaching exercise, like walking, with safety and preparedness, it can be a fun activity for seniors at any age!

Source: http://www.butlerboomer.com/2008/10/walking-tips-for-seniors.html
http://www.safety-council.org/info/seniors/winter.html

Home Instead Senior Care and our CAREGivers help keep your aging parents safe & healthy at home. Please call us at 830-624-8380 when seeking home care in New Braunfels, San Marcos, Canyon Lake, Seguin, and Schertz.

One of the most common questions I receive as a geriatric nurse relates to cognitive decline with age. Seniors and their caregivers want to know if there’s anything they can do to preserve memory and cognitive skills during the aging process. I tell them that while they are no guarantees, simple lifestyle factors can help to keep the mind sharp.

Many people are surprised to learn that exercise and physical activity actually has an impact on the mind since it promotes blood flow and energy to keep seniors alert. Activities that many seniors already enjoy also have benefits; doing jigsaw puzzles or crosswords help with problem-solving skills, reading builds vocabulary and conversation stimulates the mind.

I wish I could guarantee that these efforts would indefinitely bring the desired results, but the least I can do is promise these activities will bring seniors together with their families and friends for some fun!

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Providing the most trusted senior home care in America today! Call us at 830-624-8380.

Most of us are tied down by our own bills, or immediate families, that it can be difficult broaching the subject of assisted living with our parents. The next time you visit your parent or loved one’s home, keeping an eye out on a few details can give you a clue as to your loved one’s mental or physical state.

If you go to the refrigerator, check to see if food has spoiled, or if mom has a harder time cleaning tight, cluttered places. Checking the refrigerator can also tell you what kind of foods your senior is purchasing. Are they purchasing valuable nutritional foods, or are they buying mainly junk food?

Checking bathroom shelves can indicate if your parent is taking their medication regularly, or on schedule. If you walk around the house and notice a pile of newspapers, books and magazines are creating a potential fire hazard, then your senior may be showing signs of aging.

If all the above scenarios paint an accurate picture, then elderly services in New Braunfels may be the best decision you make for you and your loved one. With assisted living, those telling signs around the house don’t have to be as difficult for you to bare. Elderly care for your aging parent can bring you peace of mind.