Questions to Ask When Searching for In-home Care

There are certain questions that need to be asked if you are considering care for you or a loved one. It may be difficult to know where to begin; some people find it difficult to even think about this topic. Below are some questions that might help when you are talking with representatives about this kind of service. The answers to these questions may help you focus on which care provider will be the best fit for you and your family members.

Here are a few questions that may help:

• What kind of licenses do you have?
• Are your caregivers insured and experienced?
• What is your screening and hiring process for caregivers?
• What is your process when overseeing your caregivers?
• Is there a contract for services rendered?
• Do you have a minimum number of service hours required?
• Do you provide 24 hour care?
• How flexible are you when it comes to scheduling care for my loved one?
• What are your rates for weekends and after business hours?
• What is your policy if my caregiver doesn't show up or is late?
• What are your fees?
• Are there follow-ups on how care is dispensed?
• How involved are you in the beginning stages of in-home care for me or my loved one?
• Describe the services you offer
• If I have a complaint or question, who can I turn to for help?

If you need more background information on home care before you begin your search for these services, check out these two minute tips.

In-home care can make a big difference when you or a loved one needs extra care or when personal care for those you love becomes too much of a responsibility. Always check out what senior care services an agency offers so that you have an idea of the services that they offer before you go for a visit. 

Travel Tips for Seniors with Dementia

Older couples who enjoy going on trips together face unique challenges when one of the partners develops dementia. Traveling is easier and still possible for a senior who is in the early stages of dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association.  Planning ahead is crucial for the senior's safe and comfortable travel experience.

Plan and Prepare Ahead 

Be well-prepared when traveling with a senior with dementia. Keep a bag of essentials with you at all times.  You should pack all the senior's medications, a copy of your travel itinerary, a bottle of water, some snacks, activities the senior enjoys (books, puzzles) and a change of comfortable clothes in this bag. Include the senior's medical information with a list of the person's emergency contacts.  Put in copies of key documents such as the birth certificate, passport and medical power of attorney.

Write a detailed travel itinerary with information on each destination you will reach and leave a copy with each emergency contact. As his/her caregiver, carry a copy with you at all times as well. When staying at a hotel, contact the staff before arrival to tell them about your loved one’s special needs so they will be ready to assist both of you.  Seniors with dementia develop a time of day when they function best. Travel during this time frame so the senior is rested and relaxed.

Safe Travel Tips

Other tips for making travel safer include:

• Always allow extra time; don't plan too many activities daily.

• Fly at times when airlines are less busy; fly direct. Sit near restrooms.

• Let the airline/flight attendants know about any special needs. 

• Try short car trips before attempting a long one to trouble shoot for potential problems. 

• Follow the senior's usual routine as much as possible.

• Put identification on the senior, including your cell phone number. 

• Take the senior's photo daily with your cell phone for identification purposes.

When It Is Time to Stay Home

Gradually a senior's dementia progresses and the person will become agitated/ anxious around newcomers and in new environments.  Changes which indicate travel is no longer a safe option for a senior include:

• Great difficulty walking and risk of falling
• Tendency to wander off
• Problems with continence and needing assistance with toileting, bathing, dressing, eating
• Becomes physically and/or verbally abusive
• Serious health issues requiring medical consent to travel

When preparing to travel, your Alzheimer's caregiver can provide an extra hand getting your loved one packed and ready for the trip. When travel is no longer possible, non-medical home care workers can stir the emotional memories that linger longer than factual ones by showing the senior photos of previous trips.

Driver Safety Programs and Seniors

Losing the ability to drive is often a big blow to the independence of seniors. One of the most time-consuming tasks caregivers perform is driving their elderly loved one to medical appointments, the grocery store, pharmacy, and so forth.  Often, seniors are restricted by a doctor's orders due to surgery or illness, and may be unable to get behind a steering wheel for a while. Once those privileges are restored, a defensive driving safety course helps them brush up on their driving skills and gives them the confidence to drive again safely.

There are some very good reasons for seniors to enroll in driver safety courses.  Statistics show that drivers approaching 80 years of age have basically the same number of car accidents resulting in injuries as young adults under the age of 25, according to AAA.  A driving refresher course is an excellent opportunity for seniors to catch up on skills and rules that may have been forgotten. Consequently, there are a variety of safety courses dedicated to assisting seniors to learn much needed defensive driving skills.

Advantages of Driving Courses for Seniors

Enrolling seniors in a driver safety program offers multiple advantages. One is peace of mind. These courses are provided by certified agencies and provide the elderly with improved driving skills.  Another is the reduction in auto insurance premiums the participant receives upon completion of the course.  Still another is the renewal of driving confidence for a senior who has been off the road for a while.

The AARP Smart Driver Course is designed to improve and/or enhance seniors' driving skills in specific areas experts have identified as key problems for the elderly:

• Running through red lights
• Maneuvering through traffic roundabouts
• General safety: wearing seat belts, using turn signals, refraining from speeding

Toyota provided a generous 12.6 million dollar grant to AARP for the development of this important program.

The Road Wise driver safety course offered for several decades by AAA has been extremely beneficial in reducing the number of deaths from car accidents involving elderly drivers.  Most safe driving courses are available in a community classroom or online in a virtual classroom. If you or your senior loved one is unsure about how to find a course, local senior care providers may have this information handy. If you or your senior benefits from home care services, your caregiver may know where to locate safe driving classes as well. 

The Value of Photos for Those Suffering From Dementia

Recently the BBC wrote a story about dementia and how those who suffer from memory loss are being helped by viewing old photographs.

Martina Kane, author of the article and member of a British Alzheimer's association, stated that photographs can have an impact on a person's memories and emotions. She states, "{Many} deep-seated memories have a lot of emotion attached to them." She goes on to say that by tapping into a person's feelings of the past, you can draw out positive emotions from those memories.

She goes on to say that photographs are especially helpful for those who suffer from dementia because if you have dementia it is easier to recall past memories than it is to recall current memories. However, research has shown that photographs are one effective way the mind can be stimulated. In addition, music can also stimulate pleasant memories.

To be clear, this article states a theory that most of us have known for a long time. Other ways to stimulate the mind of a dementia patient are:

• A tune heard from a beloved radio program
• The aroma of a favorite food
• A photograph of a cherished life event such as graduation or a wedding
• Or, watching an old TV program

Most importantly, we can all learn a lesson from this article and remember the benefits and positive feelings we have when we recall positive and uplifting memories. Keep in mind that even the smallest or trivial things that we hear and see every day, can bring to mind memories that stimulate not only the mind but the body---emotionally and spiritually. It gives one pause, doesn't it, on how powerful and effective memories are?!    

 

If you are in need of non-medical home care, contact Always Best Care and find out more about the home care services that Always Best Care offers. We offer seniors and others in our community, quality in-home care from passionate and caring caregivers. Contact us today and find out more on how we can help your loved one get the compassionate care they need. They deserve and need the kind of senior care we can provide for them.

How Volunteering Helps Seniors with Hypertension

Seniors in the United States belong to the portion of the population that has the highest prevalence for high blood pressure, a health condition known as hypertension. This dangerous cardiovascular condition causes the heart to work harder than it should and over time, the high force can damage the kidneys, brains, heart, eyes and other organs in the body. While many individuals rely on their family physician to prescribe medications that will control their blood pressure, studies indicate that one effective way for seniors to control this disorder is by volunteering to help others.

A report appearing in a journal published by the American Psychological Association revealed results from a Carnegie Mellon University study. University researchers found that adults who spent a minimum of 200 hours a year volunteering could lower their risk of developing hypertension by as much as 40%. Individuals can reap the benefits of volunteerism regardless of whether they are tutoring students, serving food at a homeless shelter, walking dogs at an animal shelter or participating in some other activity that is beneficial to others.

Further research is necessary to identify the precise psychological and biological mechanisms affected by volunteering. One theory is that participating in volunteer activities may produce neurohormonal changes that have a positive influence on the cardiovascular system. In addition to improved physical health, seniors experience psychological benefits from volunteering their time to help other people. The opportunity for social interaction allows them to stay engaged and form meaningful relationships.

Interacting with others socially boosts self-esteem and improves overall quality of life. Seniors who live alone are at risk of leading a sedentary lifestyle that can contribute to a variety of health problems. Having a reason to leave the house and participate in a physical activity allows the elderly to maintain a sense of independence, which helps improve self-image. In general, doing something for others promotes a sense of well-being that relieves stress.

Individuals providing home care can assist seniors by reviewing the many local opportunities for volunteering and helping them choose an appropriate activity. Individuals charged with elderly care can also help by providing transportation when necessary.

How Retina Changes May Indicate Alzheimer’s in Seniors

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that affects seniors' memories, thinking and behavior. Although there is no cure, early intervention can slow the progression somewhat. That is why the research presented at a 2013 Neuroscience Conference is being studied so carefully. It indicates that the thickness of certain retinal cell layers in the eye may help doctors determine the presence and advancement of Alzheimer's in a patient. 

The results of research work conducted jointly by The University of Hong Kong and Georgetown University Medical Center have strongly indicated in research laboratory mice that two key layers of their eyes' retinas had lost thickness. Alzheimer's is known to kill the neurons of the brain. In these animals, it also destroyed many of the neurons (up to 49%) in the retinal ganglion cell layer, which sends visual information to the brain through the optic nerve. 

Why is this important and what does it mean for future treatment? A simple scan of the eye may be able to determine if there is significant loss of neurons in the retina, indicating the presence of Alzheimer's disease. Measuring retinal thickness changes can lead to earlier diagnosis, testing of new medications for Alzheimer's treatment and better, more effective treatments overall. 

There is no known way to prevent Alzheimer's, just as there is no known cure. Seniors can work to lessen their risk of getting the disease by living a healthy lifestyle that supports brain and heart health. Some preventative steps include:

• Engage in regular exercise to improve cardiovascular health.
• Eat a heart-healthy diet. It should include plenty of fruit,   whole grains, nuts, vegetables, fish and olive oil.
• Engage in regular social interactions with other people. Have strong interactions with someone during each week. Do not live an isolated life.
• Participate in challenging mental activities daily. Work jigsaw puzzles, play chess, work on puzzle booklets such as fill-ins, crosswords, mazes, or logic puzzles.
• Challenge yourself to learn something new. Take piano lessons. Take an art class. Take Pilates.

The care givers of an In-home care agency are trained to recognize and watch for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease so the senior's family can be notified to seek a medical screening and treatment as soon as possible. Home care workers can also assist seniors in mentally stimulating activities to keep their brains alert and active.

Common Myths about Home Care Services

Many families consider home care services to be a blessing to them and to their elderly loved one for whom they hired the service. The caregivers from the agency assist the elderly with the day to day tasks that are difficult for them to perform without assistance and make it possible for them to maintain some independence and dignity.

Still other families worry about having a stranger around their loved one or in their home. That is because there are some commonly held myths about residential care services. Let's take a look at these myths and separate fact from fiction.

                    Myth Number One: 

 Workers from Home Care Don't Really Care about Their Elderly Patients

This is false for several reasons. First of all, agencies screen and interview their employees carefully. They hire people who are interested in and care about the elderly. They train them in geriatric care giving. The agency will work with you to learn the needs of your loved one, then match him or her with the caregiver best suited to meet those needs. The caregiver will take the time to get to know your loved one, establish a rapport and help him or her feel comfortable with the caregiver. If you are dissatisfied for any reason, you can request a different caregiver by contacting the agency.

                      Myth Number Two:

 Only Elderly People Who are Really Sick Need In-Home Care Services

This is false. There are medical home assistance services for the elderly who are ill and medically fragile. There is also the type of elderly care agency that provides assistance with meal preparation, day-to-day activities such as bathing/dressing, does the marketing, and provides transportation for errands and medical appointments.

                      Myth Number Three:

The Elderly Are Often Mistreated by Their Care Givers 

This is generally untrue. Unfortunately, there are always a very few bad people out there. When you originally interview the non-medical home care company that you are interested in, ask how they screen their applicants. Do they require background checks? How do they train their employees? Are they licensed? Are they bonded? Ask how they are supervised. Do your due diligence first.

                      Myth Number Four:

I Won't Have Any Voice in Who Comes into Our Home/Senior's Home.

This is false. A reputable agency always works with you to find the right care giver with the skills and personality to be the best match for your loved one.

                      Myth Number Five:

I Can't Afford Home Agency Services.

This is not necessarily true. The cost depends on how many hours a week your loved one needs services and the level of care provided. It can be more affordable than assisted living or a nursing home.

                      Myth Number Six:

If a Senior Requires Round the Clock Care, Home Based Care Is Not an Option.

This is false. There are several agencies available that are able to build an experienced care giving team to provide your loved one with 24/7 care at home. 

For many families with elderly loved ones, home care is a true godsend. Don't let myths scare you away from a service that has great benefits for seniors and their families. Talk to the agencies and get the facts.

How Home Care Can Help Seniors with Gout

Many of us have heard of gout but may not understand exactly what it is. Gout is arthritis in one of its most painful and severe manifestations. Gout is the result of uric acid crystallizing in the body and being deposited into a person's joints, leading to inflammatory arthritis in these locations.  This arthritis is partnered with swelling, stiffness and tenderness in these joints.

When a person is afflicted with gout, the body part most commonly affected is one's big toe. The other joints typically prone to gout are the ankles, knees, elbows, hands and wrists. Gout becomes more and more painful as the joint swelling makes the skin above it tighten and become extremely sensitive to the touch. The skin reddens and even turns purple. Often a diagnosis of gout is not made until a patient comes to a doctor for something to help manage his or her pain.

Factors Affecting Seniors' Risk for Gout

Gout can last anywhere from three or four days to several weeks. It may even become severe enough to result in deformities in the affected joints. It is important for the elderly and those who work in senior care to know and understand the key factors that impact whether a person is at risk of developing gout or not. These include:

• a family history of gout
• being overweight, which leads to increased uric acid production
• alcohol consumption which interferes with the body's uric acid removal ability
• prescription medications used in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease such as Levodopa and Cyclosporine and drugs with Salicylate (aspirin, diuretics or Niacin
• increased risk from other health conditions like hypertension (high blood pressure), hypothyroidism,  and renal insufficiency,
• psoriasis and certain forms of cancers

Treatment for Gout and In-Home Care Precautions with the Elderly

The main goal of gout treatment is quick pain relief and prevention of any future attacks. Containment of the damage and avoidance of any long-term complications is also paramount. Kidney damage and deforming joint destruction are both potential hazards of severe gout. It is important for elderly patients to take any medicine prescribed and understand the steps they must take to prevent re-occurring attacks.

For those who have gout, home care can play a significant role in treatment. Seniors and their home care givers should use any recommended hot or cold therapy packs on any affected areas as directed and keep the gouty joint elevated as instructed. It is important that the affected person drink a great deal of water (up to ten glasses per day) and take the recommended doses of over the counter pain medication. Alcohol intake should be limited if not eliminated altogether. 

Home Care for Seniors Makes a Difference for the Whole Family

Many families choose to become the caregivers of their aging loved ones when that time comes. Whether choosing to care for one's parent(s), grandparent or other significant loved one, there will be challenges for the caregivers, their own family and the senior as well. The relationships among all involved are being exposed to tremendous differences that can cause discomfort and change those relationships greatly.

Depending on the senior's age, health and ability to attend to her or his own needs, different types of home care may be required. Some seniors need direct care on a daily basis. Others need help with meal preparation, grooming, bathing and general activities of daily living. Still others can no longer drive, but are otherwise capable of caring for themselves. Family members may be caregivers by going to the senior's home on a regular basis and attending to him or her there or by moving the senior into the caregiver's home permanently.

The elderly often grieve the loss of their independence. It is an emotionally difficult period of adjustment to become a dependent in someone else's household after living as an independent adult. It is also hard for the adult child to become the caretaker for the parent, who has always been the caretaker. Needing help with bathing and toileting is awkward for the parent when their adult child is the caregiver helping them. It is also difficult for the adult child. The time the caregiver must devote to the senior is taken from his or her own children, creating even more change in the home.

Senior care from other sources is available to assist and supplement the care provided by family members. In fact, this service is a great help for families making the adjustment of providing care for an elderly loved one. When the family caretaker needs a break, a non-medical home care agency can supply a caregiver to provide assistance in the home so the caretaker has a few hours each week in which to do errands or take some stress-relief breaks.

The family caretaker should interview the care agency to discover all the services they offer. One valuable service to consider would be to let the caregiver come and do the toileting, bathing and grooming sessions each week to remove the awkward and embarrassing episodes from the parent and child relationship altogether. Caregivers can come for a few hours a week or on a full time basis. The assistance of a care agency can ease the stress and contribute to the comfort and ease of the entire family.

How Volunteer Work Can Help Reduce Hypertension in Seniors

Communities, schools, churches, states, our country and the entire world all offer thousands of opportunities for volunteering. Museum docent, provider of Comfort Pet visits to hospital patients, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, library volunteer, homeless shelter cook, storyteller at a school, Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, and many other opportunities are available for anyone with time to spare and a desire to help. Many seniors and retirees serve as volunteers because, having retired, they have free time during the day to use for these projects.

Research from Carnegie-Mellon University indicates that today's volunteers are receiving more than warm and satisfied feelings for their efforts. In the Journal of Psychology and Aging published by the American Psychological Association, the results of this study indicated adults who volunteered regularly actually lowered their risk of hypertension.

Specifically, volunteers with at least 200 volunteer hours of service each year lowered their risk of hypertension by as much as 40%. This is a significant finding because high blood pressure (hypertension) is a contributor to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Volunteering as a means of reducing hypertension for the elderly is a safe and non-prescription remedy.

Seniors benefit more from volunteer work than any other group of volunteers for other reasons as well. These include:

• Social Interaction: which is a critical component of maintaining good thinking and memory skills as the brain ages.
• Self-Confidence: which allows the senior to continue to live independently and take care of him or herself.
• Physical Activity: which keeps the joints moving and helps prevent gout, stiffening and weight gain.

Inactivity from boredom and depression may lead to elevated levels of pain in the joints and muscle weakness. Self-confidence and satisfaction from volunteering leads to contentment and happiness that actually helps seniors live longer than elderly people who do not volunteer.

Seniors who receive non-medical home care because they cannot drive and need transportation for errands and medical appointments may still volunteer. They can discuss with their caregiver the opportunities available in their local area, then choose one to which the caregiver can provide the client transportation on volunteer days. In-home care services who work with house-bound seniors can help them discover volunteer opportunities they can handle from home, such as serving on a phone tree, working on-line, working on mailings and making phone calls.

To reduce hypertension risks, develop better heart health, improve memory and provide a service to your community, check out the causes and organizations that interest you the most and work with your care giver to choose the volunteering experience(s) for you.

Seniors Feeling More Confident about Their Looks

In today's world, we're surrounded by "the beautiful people" at every turn: TV shows and endless infomercials telling us how we can "improve" our faces and lose those love handles with the latest and greatest diet, and magazines with every other page featuring a digitally-altered model with a caption telling us why we need to look just like them.  Although we can all have moments of self-doubt, today it's even more understandable than ever for feelings of self-consciousness to surface, considering what's going on in the world around us.  But don't fret.  It doesn't have to be that way; in fact, research shows that the older we get, the better we feel about ourselves.

According to a Gallup survey of 85,000 people, here's what they found out from respondents aged 65 and older:

• 66% responded that they were happy with their appearance
• 64% of males who responded are happy with their looks, while 60% of women have the same feeling

The numbers above are the highest of any age group in this survey: in the 35 to 64 age range, only 54 percent were happy with their looks, and 61 percent in the 18-34 age group.  There are a few reasons why seniors may feel more confident in their appearance:

• Many seniors may be more relaxed in all aspects of their lives---this feeling can also carry over into how they feel about themselves and how they look.  For example, although they still want to look good, the sometimes unseen pressure of keeping up with the latest fashion trends is not the same as when they were younger.
• According to the American Senior Fitness Association, the overall number of seniors who exercise has increased over the years.  Exercise not only builds strength and stamina, but also builds confidence, both inside and out.
• The Gallup organization also surmised that another major reason for confidence expressed by seniors is that as we grow older, the expectations from society changes, leading seniors to feel better about their appearance.

To sum it up, when it comes to our appearance, confidence really does increase with age.  If you are exploring home care options, assisted living placement or in-home care for a loved one, contact us for a selection of options that may be right for you.

Seniors Can Be Athletes or At Least Active Regularly

We all know the adage, "You're only as old as you feel."  For owners of a non-medical home care business, you know how this applies to your clients. Some are active and able to garden and to participate in sports activities. Others are fairly sedentary and inactive.  Fun does not have to stop because one's age reaches a certain number. There are plenty of great examples of seniors still achieving amazing sports goals.

Seniors Who Are Star Athletes

In June, at the age of 91, Harriet Thompson ran the fastest marathon time (90-94 year old group) in U. S. history in her fifteenth running of the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon.  Illinois Wesleyan University professor D. Paul Miller was the oldest cyclist in the 19-sport competition of the 2013 National Senior Games. He was 96 years old at the time.

Seniors also participate in extreme sports. There is a club named Skydivers Over Sixty that jumps in large and intricate formations for fun and entertainment. Other extreme sports with senior participants include:

• Snowboarding
• Mountain climbing
• Waterskiing
• Parasailing

Activities for Seniors that have Specific Health Benefits

Encouraging seniors to become "athletic" does not require inborn natural talent or joining a professional team. It means trying an activity to see if they might enjoy it.  Many physical activities have the added benefit of increasing blood flow to the brain, which helps improve memory in older people. Senior care givers can start by encouraging their clients who have video games such as the Wii to try some of the bowling games or others with physical movements to get the client up and moving around.

Studies have shown that participation in Martial Arts can decrease falls in seniors. The low-impact exercises increase balance and flexibility (which decrease with age) and learning falling techniques has helped prevent some broken hips. Tai Chi increases muscle agility and increases coordination. It also increases core strength, all of which fight against depression, arthritis and slow blood circulation in older people.

Aerobic exercises have been established to improve the blood's circulation and oxygenation. Current research also indicates it may slow aging, improve memory and provide a higher blood flow to the brain, including the hippocampus, which affects the development of Alzheimer's.  Several gyms, recreation departments and other community resources offer Martial Arts classes especially for older adults and seniors. Research what is available in your community so you can pass this information along to your clients.

Laughter Can Help Improve the Memories of Seniors

Laughter is a universal sign of happiness and joy. Laughter means you are enjoying the moment and it makes you feel good. We all enjoy having a good laugh and usually feel better afterward without truly understanding why. There are actual physical changes that laughter causes in the human body. One of the changes, a recent study discovered, is improved memory for senior adults.

The Effects of Laughter on the Brain

A recent study conducted at California's Loma Linda University indicated that when a group of elderly test subjects laughed, their recognition and memory improved and their laughter actually helped them remember those enjoyable moments.  Two groups of subjects were studied to determine the levels of cortisol in their brains.  Cortisol is a stress hormone that can cause brain damage if too much of it collects over time.

One group of seniors watched a funny 20-minute long video. The other did not. The results found that the cortisol levels were much lower in the group of seniors who watched the video than the cortisol levels of the control group that did not. Lower cortisol levels result in less impact on the brain from stress, and thus, on memory. The seniors who laughed remembered the experience in more detail.

Laughter also has the pleasant effect of releasing endorphins, which chemically produce the good feelings we get when we laugh and are happy.  Laughter has been thought through the ages to have healing properties for all age groups so laughter literally is one of the best medicines. It can also decrease the risk of developing mental illness.

Indications for Elderly Care Services

Those offering home care services should consider the possible applications of this information in the services you offer all your clients and in the training that you provide to your home care providers. Bringing some laughter to your senior clients could easily become a goal of your services. Considering its beneficial effects on memory and emotional outlook, it should easily become a requirement.

Providing DVDs of funny movies, taking seniors on trips to the movies and going to see a professional comedian perform are all ideas to consider. Even something as simple as having your home care givers teach seniors with a computer how to watch funny cat videos on YouTube during in-home care sessions will bring laughter to their lives.

Senior Vision Health Tips

Many seniors in today’s society are living longer, happier lives because of the contributions that non-medical home care has provided them. While most seniors are able to stay in their homes longer and maintain their independence, many seniors have vision issues that persist as they age. Below are a few helpful tips and suggestions to maintain healthy eyesight in seniors:

Schedule regular eye exams for yourself

It is crucial for everyone to have regular eye exams, regardless of age. However, this is especially important for senior citizens. Vision can worsen in a short period, and that prescription you received only a few months ago could be much different than your current level of vision.

Be sure to protect your eyes properly

When you are outside, you must do what you can to protect your eyes from the harsh sunlight. It is particularly ideal to do so during the summer. Wear a hat and some sunglasses with adequate UV protection to keep your eyes from being damaged by UV radiation from the sun.

Take multivitamins daily

A multivitamin provides a great balance of nutrients that you will need for many things, including good vision. By taking them every day, you will ensure that your body has the right amount of nutrients to improve the chances that your vision will be maintained.

Eat the right amount of vegetables and fruits

Be sure to eat a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. That way, you will get a rich variety of vitamins. Studies have shown that there are many benefits to senior citizens eating a diet with an abundance of these foods, especially when it comes to vision.

Quit smoking

People who smoke can have their blood flow to their eyes restricted. This may contribute to eye conditions.

Use enough light when reading

If you are going to be reading or doing something that requires you to use your eyes a great deal, it is important to have adequate lighting to avoid strain.

Do not strain your eyes

Take frequent breaks from watching TV or using electronics. Be sure to do this before your eyes begin hurting.

Do your best to maintain a high quality of life and follow these tips for your vision. As you become older, these strategies will be extremely valuable to you. Consult with your elderly living specialist to learn more about vision health or to have a vision health cheat sheet constructed for your reference. 

Reviewing 3 Services of Home Care Agency Always Best Care

When loved ones become senior citizens and are confined more and more to their home as they become more medically fragile, the services of a home care company such as Always Best Care are invaluable to both the senior and his or her family members. The client receives the assistance with everyday tasks needed to remain at home and independent while family members gain peace of mind knowing that their loved one is being taken care of when they cannot be present themselves.

Three Always Best Care Senior Services

There are a variety of services provided for seniors by Always Best Care to serve their needs. One of these is a remarkable free service called Always in Touch. Offered to anyone in the US and Canada through application, this is a telephone program designed to reassure seniors that they are not alone and to make sure that those who live alone are okay on a day-to-day basis. Designed for the isolated and homebound disabled adult or senior citizen, this weekday "safety check" gives the client an opportunity to socialize and have contact with a friendly person so they don't feel so alone.

Always on Call is a telemedicine service offered to clients who use five or more hours of monthly in-home care. The client or a family member can call a physician 24/7 for non-emergency medical issues, for prescription refills (non-narcotic only) or when their primary physician is not available. The client does not have to leave home, wait, or pay a doctor. Six free consultations are available per year, with more available for a small fee.

Always Safe is a way to combine in home care services three times a week with a 24/7 fall prevention and detection coverage free of additional charges.  Fall prevention is a key safety concern in the homes of seniors and early fall detection and assistance is critical to a good recovery.

This comprehensive plan begins with a 35-point home inspection to identify hazards and make home safer for the senior. The caregiver works on fitness and strength to help the client remain active and mobile. The client is monitored through Lifeline with AutoAlert, which automatically calls for help when a fall has been detected.  Help is immediately available and emergency response can be called if needed. This provides 24/7 protection for the client and peace of mind for the family.

Like many other home care agencies, Always Best Care offers some great services that seniors utilize on a regular basis. If you or somebody that you know or love is in need of home care services, it may be well worth your time to consider Always Best Care. 

Tips for Caregivers of Dementia Patients

When you are called upon to care for a person with Alzheimer's disease or some other form of dementia, you must bring two key qualities with you to the task. One is a positive attitude and the other is patience.  For many caregivers, this is their opportunity to lovingly give back to someone who is important to them.  For others, for whom their relationship with the patient has been problematic or hurtful in the past, it may be particularly trying to offer empathy and kindness during patient care so a great support system will be vital for them.

Caregiving for Dementia Patients

Receiving the diagnosis of Alzheimer's may be harder on you than your loved one as time goes on. As their condition progresses, it may be necessary to gently remind the person that they have Alzheimer's as they question why you will not allow them to do things they used to do themselves (cook while alone, drive and use power tools, for example).  Simply refer to the person's "memory problems" as the source of the changes. Be prepared to patiently repeat something you have already said again and again, as the person will not remember it.

Learning to communicate both verbally and non-verbally is critical. Your positive attitude is vital as dementia patients are very able to read and respond to body language, positive or negative. Let the person know you heard their question and answer it, even if it has been asked three times already. That is the nature of the disease. If a request is irrational or inappropriate, do not argue or try to change their viewpoint, but gently redirect to a more appropriate way or topic. Offer lots of love and affection, if this has been natural in your relationship. Otherwise, be patient. Be positive in responding to the patient.

As the disease progresses, a person in senior care with dementia needs certain behaviors from their caregivers. These include:

• Respecting their worth and needs as a person: love, human contact, gentle touches, being spoken to-just as a baby responds to a caregiver, so too will a dementia patient. If treated poorly, they feel grief, rejection and emotional pain.
• Accepting their declining capabilities: Remain patient, calm and supportive while having flexibility in your care plan.
• Managing behavior problems: Aggressiveness, forgetfulness and wandering are symptoms of the disease and not to be taken as personal attacks against you. Medication may be of assistance in some cases.
• Accepting that this is harder on you than it is on them: You are fully aware of the person's declining condition. Mercifully, they are not.
• Having a steady caregiver: Seek a support group and/or supportive friends to help you through this time of grief and strain. Take time out and have home care help for a day or two each week to allow you to recharge yourself for your own well-being.

Above all, practice maintaining your patience when offering a dementia sufferer senior care at home.  The dementia patient is not aware of their memory loss or how it is affecting you, so be prepared for repeat behaviors. Always remember that they can still respond to your smiles and touch.

Home Care Visits Lessen Need to Be Hospitalized Again

The results of a recent study conducted at North Shore University Hospital clearly indicate that patients who receive follow-up home care from a nurse practitioner following cardiac surgery were less likely to need readmission to the hospital within 30 days of their initial stay, and also achieve a higher survival rate than patients who do not.  In fact, patients who had no assistance at home after their surgery were re-hospitalized at triple the rate (almost 12 percent) of those who do have in-home assistance (almost four percent).

The Advantages of In-Home Care

According to Dr. Michael Hall, who is NSUH's Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery, the nurse practitioners who cared for the patients in their homes had also cared for them during their hospital stays and so were familiar with their conditions and their particular needs.  The NPs visited their patients at home for the first two weeks following discharge twice weekly.  During these visits, the Nurse Practitioner's job was to:

• Provide the patient with a physical exam
• Provide management of the patient's medication
• Serve as a liaison for the patient with his/her family doctor, cardiologist, pharmacist, others
• Contact social service agencies for future needs, if necessary

The NPs participating in the studies had special smart phones that were encrypted for patient information privacy to allow them to send the surgeons patient data, vital signs and photographs of patients' surgical sites for care instructions. The patients continued to receive the latest in updated care for these weeks following their surgery even though no longer being supervised in a hospital setting but enjoying the comfort of home.

Additional Findings of NSUH Continued Care at Home Study

As summarized by the May 2014 article on this study in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Hall also spoke of some of the problems the NPs dealt with while working with the patients in the study that are indicative of the reasons patients without care at home fare poorly and must return to the hospital for further care. These are:

• Failure to fill new prescriptions due to cost issues
• Substituting their old prescriptions instead to save money because they erroneously believe they are still good or appropriate, when they are not
• Not following up with seeing doctors in the community for lack of transportation

Nurse practitioners were able to help patients with these and various other issues on an individual basis because they could respond within that patient's community to his or her needs once they visited them in their home.