Even though caregivers often think they are indestructible, there are some factors that need to be taken into consideration. Caretakers should make time to rest and relax. The career is demanding and is usually stressful, which is why it is so important for caregivers to take a break when needed. The list below contains some useful tips for New Braunfels caregivers.

1. Caregivers should remember that they are not alone. The role of a caregiver can be stressful, exhausting and demanding. Many times, caregivers suffer from depression. While it may seem like the caregiver must do this alone, family and friends can offer much support and make a big difference.

2. Caregivers need to know their strengths. It is important to reward yourself for a job well done. Knowing your strengths as well as your limitations will help you become a better caregiver.

3. Many caregivers neglect their own health because they are so preoccupied with caring for a senior. Your personal health should be your number one priority. Never put aside your own health needs.

4. It is ok to ask for help. If you begin feeling overwhelmed, there is no shame asking for help. This could be as simple as words of encouragement. Family members may also be able to help you care for an elderly relative. This can make a huge difference because you will not be responsible for every aspect of care. It is ok to take a break!

5. Caregivers need to be an advocate for seniors. It is important for every caregiver to know their own rights in addition to the rights of the senior receiving assistance or treatment.

Source: thefamilycaregiver.org

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

National Family Caregiver’s Month is this November, and it’s time to recognize the people in our lives who make sacrifices to help take care of others. Gestures can be big or small to help show caregivers how much we care, and here are a few interesting ideas:

1. Give them a break – offering to provide respite care or hiring someone to step in can allow caregivers to relax or reconnect with friends and family

2. Remind local businesses what this month means – then encourage them to offer freebies or discounts for family caregivers in the area!

3. Lend them a hand with holiday preparations – the holidays can create added responsibility, so help a caregiver decorate for the holidays or put stamps on their cards

4. Get them laughing – go see a funny movie with them, or pick up tickets to a local comedy club. Laugher IS the best medicine!

5. Take over holiday hosting responsibilities – caregivers already have a lot on their plates; host Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another holiday celebration so the caregiver can simply focus on enjoying the company!

6. Sign the petition – there’s a petition to establish a stamp that recognizes family caregivers; sign it in their honor!

7. Create something personal – a personalized gift, like a calendar with family photos, will help them feel like they’re appreciated, and it will help them stay organized

8. Send them a token of appreciation – a bouquet of flowers or a card might not be a big gesture, but it will make caregivers feel appreciated and special

9. Connect them with caregiving resources – free seminars and other events take place to keep caregivers better informed and help them manage stress

10. Lend your support – give them an ear to talk to, or help them find a support group

Via: The Family Caregiver

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

Art activities of any kind offer a form of creative expression and communication that can greatly benefit San Marcos and New Braunfels seniors who are struggling with illness or loss, or just having a hard time keeping their self-confidence intact as they experience the changes of aging. If you’re a family caregiver, bring art therapy home to your loved one by following these simple principles for introducing the creative process:

1. Choose activities suitable to the senior’s level of mobility – although skill really doesn’t play a role in the benefits of artistic expression and seniors, you don’t want to make the experience frustrating for them. Keep a senior’s physical abilities in mind when choosing an activity.

2. Make activities challenging – age doesn’t mean seniors are less capable of creation. Don’t choose activities that are too simple, like those you’d give to a child.

3. Create a quiet environment – to receive the best possible benefits from a creative activity, seniors need a quiet environment where they can simply focus on creating. An area free from distraction will help set the tone for the creative process

4. Think about long-term projects – a quick craft that can be finished in a couple of hours won’t have the same benefits as one that extends over a period of time. Choosing an activity that seniors can think about and go back to day after day will really get the creative juices flowing

5. Work together – remember, even if you’re working on an art project together, don’t take over and don’t try to lead; it’s not about the end result of the creation, it’s about the journey along the way

Sources:

1. Washington Post

2. My Optum Health

3. Associated Content

Image: artandaging.com

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

Most people dread going through the aging process, but it’s all about your perception and what you choose to make of it. Instead of allowing yourself to succumb to the stereotypes, make your life what you want it to be. Here are some suggestions on how you can change your life in older adulthood:

1. Take a class – learning lasts a lifetime, so take advantage of the opportunities that you have in front of you in older adulthood. Take a college extension class or see what classes are offered at a local community center. You can take anything that interests you, whether it’s active, crafty or intellectual

2. Be social and seek support – don’t withdrawal from social activities like so many seniors have the tendency to do; no matter what’s going on in your life stay in touch with friends and family members with social activities, and get support from groups with any issues you’re dealing with

3. Live and laugh – they say laughter is the best medicine for a good reason, make sure that you do things that you enjoy that make you laugh and smile. Laughter is a great way to cope with grief, overcome stress, and gain a better appreciation of life!

4. Safety first – take the opportunity to look at how you can improve your safety so an accident doesn’t put a damper on your chosen lifestyle. Should you still be driving? Can you avoid busy driving periods or roads? Are there improvements you can make to your house? Are you aware of common frauds targeting seniors, and do you know how to protect yourself from them?

Via: Associated Content

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

Q – I know that there are extensive benefits of vegetables for seniors, and as a caregiver for my mother, I try to make sure that her diet is varied and colorful. However, I find that she’s gotten very picky as she’s gotten older and it’s a challenge to get her to eat many of the vegetables that she should; any suggestions?

A – Seniors’ desire for food can change as they get older, and that can make it a challenge to ensure that they have a well-balanced diet. Here are some tips for helping seniors to eat a colorful diet rich with fruits and vegetables.

1. A New Braunfels farmer’s market – offers all of the seasonal fruits and vegetables at a budget-friendly price. Plus, you may be inspired to try something new.

2. Mix color – select a variety of fruits and vegetables from every color group for nutritional benefits.

3. Cook creatively for your elder – if there are vegetables that are not enjoyed, try blending them into a soup or stew.

4. Try smoothies or juice – to increase the daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

5. Buy frozen – frozen fruits and vegetables offer nutritional benefits. Frozen berries are versatile; blend them into a smoothie or serve with cereal.

6. Add fruit – breakfast is the perfect meal to eat fruit. Add bananas or strawberries to your cereal!

7. Maintain good habits when eating out – order at least one serving of fruit or vegetable.

8. Be open to salad – don’t stick to traditional salad ingredients. Start with deep green lettuce, add vegetables - the more colorful, the better! Add  bell peppers, tomatoes, beets, or avocado. Drizzle with lemon not fatty dressings.

9. Go with stir fry – a great way to eat a variety of vegetables. Start with a bed of rice, flavor with garlic or ginger - include a vegetable.

10. Analyze your meal – notice if one color group is favored - add more of the others to your next shopping list.

Via: Body and Health

Image: buylocalfood.org

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

When it comes time to make the hard decision that an older adult in your life needs help, it can seem impossible to decide what is best for them. You can choose from nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or keeping them at home with a senior caregiver. With Home Instead Senior Care, the decision is easy. Your senior can remain at home with comfort and independence, and remain only in the best hands since our caregivers are thoroughly screened and trained.

The traits of  Home Instead Senior Caregivers:

• Dependability - work history and employment reference checks are completed for all staff members
• Honesty - drug test and background checks are completed by HISC
• Experience – personal or professional experience in the senior care industry or dealing with senior citizens is considered
• Compassion – a sense of compassion for giving seniors a better quality of life is looked for during the interview process
• Motivation – someone who is motivated in everything they do is better suited to ensuring that seniors are provided the highest quality of care

HISC also has a Caregiver Leadership Training Program that focuses on creating a fantastic caregiver experience by focusing on the following elements:

• Treating CAREGivers with dignity and respect
• Nurturing positive relationships
• Showing appreciation
• Humanizing and professionalizing the caregiving journey
• Connecting CAREGivers to Home Instead, its mission and other CAREGivers
• Dealing with issues openly and honestly.

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

image soure: jupiterimages.com

What would you say if I told you that you could shave years off the way you feel whether you’re in your 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, or even your 90’s? I know, it might sound too good to be true; but it’s really simple. It’s all about healthy habits and lifestyle changes according to these 4 ways to age with health and happiness. 1) Pick healthy habits that you can stick with – if you don’t enjoy your lifestyle changes with regards to diet and exercise, you just won’t stick with it. Choose physical activities that you like doing, so you’re motivated to keep it up, and don’t just choose foods that you know are healthy – stick with ones that taste good, agree with your cooking style, and that provide you with a well-rounded diet! 2) Stop thinking that it’s too late to make healthy changes – it’s never too late to start exercising and to receive benefits with regards to strength, flexibility, bone density and more. No matter what ails you, don’t ever think that it’s too late. Any steps you take to improve your health are helpful and positive! 3) Don’t let fear hold you back – you might worry that exercise will cause injury and greater problems, but if you suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure or other common illnesses for New Braunfels seniors, then the risks that can come from NOT exercising, are actually much greater than the risk of injury when you do 4) Make small changes to your diet – making small changes to increase the fiber in your diet, or the fruits, vegetables and other nutrients, can make a huge different. Gradually replace your less healthy food choices to those that will have a more favorable impact on your body! Sources: 1. Family Doctor Home Instead Senior Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

After watching Dancing with the Stars with my elderly care recipient for a number of seasons, I decided that it was time for us to get off the couch and into our own dancing shoes. When I mentioned the idea to my 77 year old New Braunfels senior, she was very excited to follow in the footsteps of older stars like Cloris Leachman and Priscilla Presley who had appeared on the TV show. Since I really didn’t have much dancing experience, and wasn’t comfortable introducing her to moves and techniques that might not be safe for a person of her age and physical condition, I decided to look up classes offered in New Braunfels to introduce seniors to ballroom dancing. Surprisingly, I found that there were many options available in the community, offered by recreation centers and even senior development organizations. I chose a place close to home that had an instructor that not only had years of dance training herself, but had also worked teaching seniors for a number of years, so she was familiar with the particular needs of older adults considering their health and physical abilities.

My care recipient and I decided that we would take the classes together, so we could practice at home and feel better informed when we sat down to watch the next season of Dancing with the Stars. During the first lesson, we were introduced to basic warm up techniques and stretches; the instructor also provided a series of warning signs for us to look out for that might indicate that activity was too physically trying. She said that particularly for seniors, shortness of breath, excessive perspiration or unusual muscle or joint pain can indicate a greater problem; so if anyone in the class has these experiences, they should speak up immediately. This gave me confidence that we were in a safe environment that would address my senior’s specific needs and limitations.

Within weeks we were dancing the cha cha and the samba, having a great time and strengthening our bond by engaging in an activity that we found mutually enjoyable.

Sources:

1. Suite 101
2. Global Action on Aging

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

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

With many home care agencies, you never know who’s going to turn up on a New Braunfels senior’s doorstep each day of their scheduled care. But what this means is that seniors never have the opportunity to trust, bond and form a friendship with their senior caregivers. At Home Instead Senior Care, we know that the right caregiver is one that a senior can get to know, begin to trust with their home and their care, and someone who will become an important companion. Every day a senior has home care scheduled, we send the same caregiver to provide consistency and because through our process we ensure that the caregiver sent is one that meshes with the senior’s personal needs and personality.

When we send a new caregiver to a senior’s home for the first time, we complete an in-depth assessment to evaluate the needs of the senior and the type of caregiver who would be best suited for the role. However, just because a senior has been sent a caregiver, doesn’t mean that they’re stuck with them forever. If a senior or their family is not satisfied with the caregiver, we will be happy to send a replacement that better meets the request.

Once the right caregiver has been matched with a senior, you’ll never be able to separate them!

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

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

When deciding to bring a pet into their New Braunfels home, seniors need to consider how their physical and emotional health allows them to provide for a living animal. While pets can have a number of benefits and enhance the lives of seniors, they also come with a great deal of responsibility which seniors need to consider before bringing home a new dog or cat.

• Are they physically capable of providing pet care? Dogs require regular walks, feeding, bathing and more; and even cats come with responsibilities. Will they be able to meet these needs without compromising their own safety?

• Are they prepared to get the animal the training it needs? Kittens require litter box training, while new dogs need to be housebroken and taught basic obedience. Will they be able to meet these needs?

• Have they thought about how to care for the animal’s health and maintenance? Do they have the means to transport a dog or cat to the groomers or to an appointment at the vet?

While seniors do need to provide some level of care to their pets independently when they are considering adding a furry friend to their household, they don’t have to do it alone. Not only is it okay to ask family members or friends for occasional help with pet care, senior home care agencies will help seniors care for their animals as well as themselves, so some of the physical burden of responsibility is alleviated, and the likelihood of falls and accidents as a result of pet ownership is reduced.

Sources:

1. Suite 101
2. American Kennel Club

Image Source: eldercareabcblog.com

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