Q – I live near New Braunfels and recently decided to leave my job in order to become a full-time caregiver for my aging mother. Is there anything I can do to prepare for the process of being a senior caregiver?

A – Being a family caregiver will be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences you will face in your life. To make the transition to caregiving easier, there are a number of things that you can do to ease the burden on the entire family.

• Talk to your mother about her expectations of you as a caregiver – what daily tasks does she feel she could use help with? What areas of her life would she prefer to manage independently (when possible) or with the assistance of a professional, rather than a family member?

• Determine what role your other siblings or family members will play in the care of your mother so that all expectations are predefined.

• Talk to your family and children about your changing role, so they understand what you are dealing with and try to help you through the process without becoming resentful over your shifting attentions in the beginning.

• Encourage your mother to get her affairs in order; including drafting a living will so you can ensure that her wishes for medical care are followed should she become incapacitated.

• Find local resources in New Braunfels for information and caregiver support.

Sources:

1. Associated Content

2. Adsense Blog

Image: Cityofsalem.net

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

In order to remain in optimal health during older adulthood, New Braunfels seniors need to make smart nutrition choices, which includes cooking healthy, balanced meals for themselves. Many seniors who live alone in later life neglect their diet, because they can’t be bothered to cook for one. But, there are simple recipes which taste great, help seniors enjoy their meals, and won’t keep them slaving in the kitchen for hours on end.

Here’s a healthy recipe that New Braunfels seniors can make at home with relative ease–although, if you serve it to guests, it tastes so good you can let them think you’ve spent all day cooking!

Lemon Dill Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup sour cream
1 TSP chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425? F. degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chicken.
Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread 1/4 of the lemon dill sauce over the bottom of pan.
Arrange chicken breasts on top of sauce in a single layer.
Pour remaining sauce over chicken and spread evenly.
Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is done.

Serve the chicken breasts with green peas, and a half cup of boiled potatoes for each serving. To reduce fat content, or omit use of dairy products, skip the sour cream and use the lemon and dill as seasoning or choose a low fat variety.

Sources:

1. ClevelandAndSeniors.com

2. Nutritionwerks.com

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

Q – I know that my elderly mother from New Braunfels has a diet rich in salt. Is sodium harmful to a senior’s health? And if so, how can we help her cut back?

A – Every diet should contain sodium in order for the body to maintain homeostasis, however, when it’s consumed in excess it can be harmful to a senior’s health. According to a recent study completed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, seniors who consume more than 1,500 mg of salt per day are at a greater risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. While altering a senior’s diet may seem drastic, proper nutrition with a reduced sodium diet is essential for New Braunfels seniors’ health.

If your mom consumes processed foods, like meats, on a regular basis an easy change would be to encourage her to shop for fresh foods instead. Generally, fresh meats will not contain added sodium, but this can be confirmed with the butcher before purchase. Packaged foods should also contain ingredient lists, and will state if they are low in sodium – seniors should choose these products for better nutrition. You can also encourage your mother to choose salt-free snacks over those that are high in sodium; omit salt from recipes where possible; and use other spices and seasonings that are sodium-free.

Sources:
1. MayoClinic
2. Magic Kitchen
3. Seniors for Living

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

Q – I have noticed some signs that my elderly mother is struggling to live independently in her own home. While I have some ideas about home care, I do come from a large family in New Braunfels and feel it’s important that I involve my siblings and immediate family in the decision making. What’s the best way to go about this?

A – Ask your immediate family to get together in New Braunfels so that you can all discuss your concerns about your mother’s health and care. If not all siblings live close by, you can set-up a conference call so that everyone can be involved in discussing your mother’s care requirements. For the first meeting, don’t involve your mother, so you can talk openly about your concerns without upsetting her. Discussing eldercare requirements for a loved one, can be stressful, so keep the following tips in mind when planning your first family senior home care meeting.

1. Establish a goal for each meeting – the first meeting might be about discussing concerns, and making suggestions for how to proceed with home care

2. Invite only close relatives – invite your close siblings or other family members you feel must be involved, but try to keep numbers under 7 people

3. Allow each family member the chance to speak without interrupting

4. Share resources – each family member can bring information about your mother’s specific conditions or local resources that may be able to help

5. Have a moderator – invite a 3rd, impartial party like a counselor or Geriatric Care Manager to help keep the meeting on track if you feel there will be disputes about your mother’s care amongst family

Sources:
1. Elder Care Online
2. Suite101

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

When my mother was in her 70’s, we talked her into adding identity theft insurance to her home insurance policy, knowing that the chances she might be a victim of fraud were fairly high in the senior demographic. The policy offered by her insurance policy for identity theft coverage cost nearly $30 extra per month, but after careful research we decided the benefits were worth it. While fraud insurance doesn’t actually cover any financial losses at the result of identity theft, it does provide coverage relating to the recovery process that occurs after such a fraud has occurred, including lost wages and legal bills up to $15,000 per claim.

When choosing to get the identity theft insurance for my mother, I ensured that the whole family understood that we still can’t let our guard down when it comes to managing my mom’s affairs. The same precautions still need to be taken when reviewing her finances and handling important documentation to prevent identity theft and fraud; the policy is only an additional safeguard, but it doesn’t decrease her chances of becoming a victim.

I would recommend fraud insurance to all seniors provided the policy is affordable for their lifestyle and income level, and that appropriate coverage is available. Fortunately, while my aging mom has not yet been impacted by fraud, we know with the insurance, if it occurs, she will manage to recover from it.

Sources:
1. Spam Laws
2. Globe and Mail Joanna Pachner

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

Q – My elderly mother, who lives alone in New Braunfels, neglects her nutrition because she says food doesn’t taste like it used to, and since my father passed away she doesn’t bother to cook for herself. I worry about her health with all the processed convenient foods she eats. Can you suggest a healthy, tasty recipe that would be easy for her to make that would encourage her to cook at home?

A – Here’s a great recipe that your mother will be able to make quickly and easily, and it has such a great taste she’ll surely be convinced that cooking at home is worthwhile. It also tastes so wonderful that she needn’t cook it just for one; if she invites over some guests they’re sure to think she’s been slaving away in the kitchen all day even though the recipe only requires about 10 minutes preparation time, and 30-35 minutes in the oven.

Lemon Dill Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup sour cream

1 TSP chopped fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425? F. degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chicken.

Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread 1/4 of the lemon dill sauce over the bottom of pan.

Arrange chicken breasts on top of sauce in a single layer.

Pour remaining sauce over chicken and spread evenly.

Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is done.

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

What would you do if you had an elderly parent with an addiction?

No one seems to suspect that senior citizens are at risk for drug addiction, but currently approximately 17% of people over the age of 60 abuse prescription medication, and many have adult children who are wondering: “what do we do?” People have preconceptions about what defines an addict, but age and pharmacueticals don’t discriminate.

The elderly who face depression, illness, and various ailments are more likely to become reliant upon their prescriptions and face withdrawal once they try to stop taking them. Addiction doesn’t mean you needlessly take medications; many seniors legitimately require pain killers to cope with Arthritis or sedatives to deal with the loss of a spouse, but it’s abuse when medications are taken consistently against medical instruction.

What if you had a parent who had a history of alcohol abuse and now uses prescription drugs? It’s a great debate with seniors who abuse prescription drugs, since they need them, is it fair to categorize seniors and label them as addicts as you would label an alcoholic? According to experts, drug abuse is addiction, regardless of medical need. Alcoholics also need to have a drink in order to avoid withdrawal, and that’s addiction too. But would you handle a senior’s prescription drug addiction the same way you’d intervene with an alcoholic?

Sources:

1. Bio-Medicine

2. Join Together

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

According to a study published in the Journal of Neurology, a direct correlation exists between physical fitness and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease; a cognitive condition which affects a large portion of the senior population in New Braunfels. According to the study which looked at 121 seniors over the age of 60, many of whom were in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, those who were routinely physically active had four times less brain shrinkage than those who lead more sedentary lifestyles. Based on previous evidence, decreasing brain volume is linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia, so a regular fitness routine can actually help prevent future cognitive problems as well.

Throughout the aging process, it’s important to remain active, even if it means just getting out to take a walk, going for a swim, or completing a series of stretches at home. New Braunfels seniors will not only improve their overall health through routine exercise, they will also increase the blood flow from the heart to the brain, which improves brain functioning and prevents the onset of other diseases which can aggravate mental conditions like Alzheimer’s.

Seniors in New Braunfels shouldn’t feel that it’s too late to begin an exercise program at anytime in their lives; they can start small and slowly build up their endurance to greater activities for the optimal benefits to the body and the mind.

Sources:
1.    About
2.    BBC News

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

For seniors in New Braunfels, receiving a geriatric assessment is a key component in the elder care process, particularly for those who might be exhibiting signs of dementia. Often a family physician refers a senior who they feel needs to receive a geriatric assessment, however, families who are concerned about signs being exhibited by an aging parent or other relative can request that their senior see a GCM to receive a geriatric assessment.

A geriatric care assessment does focus on the risk of dementia, but takes a look at a New Braunfels senior’s overall health; including physical, mental and psycho-social factors and addresses issues that a senior may have today or in the future with regards to independent living. By assessing abilities for Activities of Daily Living such as dressing, bathing, meal preparation, and managing medications, a geriatric care assessment can help families make decisions to ensure their seniors remain safe and healthy, even if it means hiring an in-home caregiver from agencies like Home Instead.

Geriatric assessments can take place at hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, at a physician’s office or a patient’s home. Geriatric Care Managers can provide additional assistance to seniors and their families with the senior care decision making process and can be a great resource.

If you are concerned about the well-being of an aging loved one in New Braunfels, talk to their physician about receiving a geriatric assessment!

Sources:
1.   HelpGuide
2.   Southwestern Medical Center

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

For many seniors from New Braunfels, cruise vacations for their demographic are the ideal way to get away from home without the stresses of more traditional vacations that cater to people of all ages. Many of the big names in cruising offer cruises just for seniors that fall into the 55+ age group at retirement age so that they can cater to the specific vacation needs of the demographic. Cruise ships for seniors offer entertainment that would appeal to the age group, have additional accommodation for those with disabilities and mobility problems, and have the ability to cater to specific senior dietary needs.

Senior cruises may also have increased capacity to provide for medical needs, with both doctors and nurses on board; and can even ensure they have provisions in stock to meet a senior’s specific medical needs should the situation arise (for example, a supply of insulin for diabetic emergencies). While on most cruise ships, shore excursions are optional, outings off the ship are designed to meet a senior’s mobility needs through the selection of wheelchair accessible destinations.

To promote senior bonding with younger generations, some cruise lines also offer cruises for grandparents and grandchildren alike; with activities to suit the needs of both generations independently or together when traveling from New Braunfels.

Sources:
1.    Expedia Cruise Ship Centers
2.    About
Images: mustcruise.com

Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.