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. 

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.

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 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.

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.

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.