Take a Break from Caregiving with Respite Care

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You can’t be caregiver you need to be when you’re burnt out.

The commitment you made to care for your elderly parent probably means a lot to them but it doesn’t mean you have to do all of the caregiving 24/7 every day of the year alone. The most important thing for any caregiver to learn is that to be able to give yourself to take care of others, you have to take care of yourself first. Burnt out caregivers can’t give the same level of care. The stress can make them prone to depression and illness that would leave them unable to care for the ones who depend on them. Caring for a parent is hard work.

Taking a well deserved break from caregiving is not a failure in your commitment to care for your parent like they cared for you. Arranging safe, qualified, respite care on a regular or occasional basis can allow you to balance your parent’s needs with the other parts of your life. Everyone will be happier.

If you’re a member of the sandwich generation, juggling the care of your parents and the care of your dependent children, you may need respite care for your parent for only a few hours at a time while you are busy with your children’s activities or while you take your children on an active vacation that wouldn’t be suitable for a senior. If you don’t yet have children, maybe you need someone experienced in the special needs of caring for seniors so that you and your husband can enjoy an evening alone or a weekend getaway. It’s okay to get help to care for your parent no matter what you plan to do with your free time.

The Endeavor Home Care caregiving team can help give family caregivers a break. Contact us to learn more about our Chandler respite care and the areas we serve and to see how we can help you at 480-498-2324.

Home health care: not synonymous to home care

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home care

Home care is provided by non-medical caregivers, who are screened and employed by senior care facilities who assist with activities of daily living.

The phrases “home care” and “home health care” are sometimes used interchangeably, but recently, with an increasing emphasis on geriatric care, there seems to be an emerging need to distinguish one from the other.”Home health care is a wide range of health care services that can be given in your home for an illness or injury” as defined by Medicare, which covers most of its services.

While in both cases, care is provided to your loved one in the comfort of his or her home, the type of care and the provider may be different. Home care is provided by non-medical caregivers, who are screened and employed by senior care facilities such as Endeavor Senior Care and who assist with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as preparing meals, cleaning the house, doing groceries, taking medications, etc. Home health care, on the other hand, is provided by licensed healthcare workers such as nurses, occupational therapists and medical social workers. These professionals provide in-home medical care, which is “just as effective as care you get in a hospital or skilled nursing facility (SNF)” according to Medicare.

A medical doctor will decide if home health care is the right option. After prescribing it, he or she may either choose to refer you to a home health agency available in your area or may allow you to contact one that will best meet your loved one’s needs. Either way, the home health staff will constantly be reporting back to the doctor about your loved one’s care and progress.

There may be times when both home care and home health care services are required. For example, your loved one may be in need of both personal and medical assistance. In that case, what do you do? Fortunately, Endeavor Senior Care has a registered nurse on hand and many caretakers in the Phoenix and Tuscon area. For more information on how these services differ from each other and how we can assist your loved one, please contact us at (480) 535-6800.

Home Healthcare Solutions Exist for People with PTSD Dementia

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Have you ever experienced trauma in your life? According to the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder’s ongoing research, almost all of us have gone through such events. Unfortunately, a May 2015 article that appeared in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry indicates having those types of experiences puts us at risk of developing something many families don’t anticipate.

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There are treatment options for PTSD dementia patients, and we can help your family find the right one.

If you guessed dementia, you’d be correct. On a good note, the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder also believes that people suffering from one or both illnesses would benefit from home healthcare. It is one item on a list of treatment options the center released previously to interested caregivers. A registered nurse or physician can go over, in detail, the other items on the list for families that are interested.

Based on those published treatment recommendations, it’s apparent that the agency’s experts widely believe that everything from medically necessary assistance to companion care services may help. So families should know that it is normal to see both types of care included on a PTSD dementia patient’s care plan.

There are a number of ways to pay for home healthcare for PTSD dementia patients. As such, specialized care plans and related treatments are in reach for those that need it. For example, treatment for trauma experienced as part of service to our country may be covered by Veterans Administration programs and private insurance. Our team members are willing to sit down and offer guidance to families in need of PTSD dementia in home care.

To learn more about obtaining care for people with PTSD related dementia and receive personalized assistance, pleasecontact us at Endeavor Senior Care. We specialize in caring for people with various forms of dementia, including post-traumatic, LBD, Alzheimer’s and TBI. All of our caregivers are screened. Plus, we’re bonded and insured.

Home Care Services Use Technology to Assist Seniors

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Seniors are choosing to live at home where they are comfortable, have more access to their friends and continue to be independent.

For many, though, staying home requires some assistance and fortunately home care services are available to help people stay in their homes.

technology for seniors - non medical home care phoenix

Tools like video chat allow far-away family members to check in with their loved ones more frequently.

The good news is that staying at home through the senior years is less expensive than moving to a senior care facility and more fun, found several recent studies. For the elderly and their families, it is also safer, by far.

“Aging in place” has found to be less costly than moving to a long-term care facility or nursing home, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . Out of pocket expenses is much greater for institutional care than for home care, the study revealed.

Nursing homes and assisted living rates have grown higher than inflation while the cost of in home care was less than 1 percent in the past five years, a Genworth Financial study showed.

To make life easier while keeping aging relatives at home, new technologies help improve the lives of the aging client and assist care givers at the same time.

The advent of new Internet applications supports home health caregivers to assist their clients and families with smart technologies. Using sensors, GPS, voice activation, cellular connectivity with mobile phones and Bluetooth are a big boost to the in home care giving industry, according to AARP .

While the current demographics of the oldest generation may not be comfortable with the newest technologies, caregivers are more in tune with electronic assistance and families are only to willing to supply the aids in helping to keep aging relatives at home.

Technology to enhance and support professional care givers such as exercise videos, video chat with long distance family members, health tracking and GPS monitoring for dementia patients at risk of wandering off in the middle of the night are significant assets for elderly home health care.

For more information about how we can help you and your family with non medical home care Phoenix and the surrounding area trust, contact us today!

Three Tips for a Smooth Transition to Home Health Care

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It’s a common issue for many families. Busy sandwich generation caregivers being pulled in a million directions as aging parents struggle with the gradual loss of independence.

You begin to notice things slipping around your mother’s house, but even the most subtle mention of bringing in help yields harsh opposition. Mom just isn’t ready to welcome a stranger into her home with open arms; however, you are no longer able to handle everything.

Here are three tips for beginning the transition to home health care.

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Consulting with a geriatric care manager may be a helpful step in the transition to home health care.

  • Bring in a housekeeper for just a few hours each week. Let your loved one share in defining responsibilities; he or she is more apt to accept help with household chores than personal care. Allowing time for a relationship to form will make adding additional services less traumatic.
  • Be honest. Tell your loved one you’re struggling with everything you have on your plate. Explain how much you worry and that it would help alleviate your concerns to know someone was coming in to help with medication and meal preparation while you are working. Including them in the interview and selection process will increase their comfort level.
  • If all else fails, consult with a geriatric care manager for tips on how best to handle your specific situation. A trained professional will evaluate your loved one and help design and introduce a suitable care plan.

Home health care is a great way relieve some of the pressure you, the primary caregiver, are feeling. Contact us to learn more about our services. We look forward to providing personalized, compassionate care that will give you peace of mind and allow your loved one to remain independent for as long as possible.

Home Care for Hip Fracture Patients

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Skilled therapists are trained to know what your loved one needs most, from exercises and stretches to encouragement and education.

A recent study shows there are at least 258,000 hip fractures among adults aged 65 and older that lead to hospitalization each year. A more disturbing statistic is one out of five people who suffer a hip fracture die within the first year following the fall. Treatment for a fractured hip includes surgery, a hospital stay, and more often than not a stay in a nursing home.

Life following surgery is a challenge on many levels. Recovery is a slow and painful process. Daily activities easily completed before the injury are now struggles. Family will need to be near to offer assistance with walking, dressing and bathing.

Help is a phone call or click-of-the-mouse away. Home care provided by the professionals from Endeavor Senior Care can make a difference when a patient goes home from the hospital and must begin physical therapy in order to learn to walk properly and be able to complete daily activities.

Family members need no longer stress over knowing what exercises to do, how often they need to be done, and when. The emotional ups and downs of caring for a loved one after major surgery are many; personal connections make it difficult to insist on the hard things being completed.

Skilled therapists are trained to know what the patient needs most. From exercises and stretches to encouragement and education, family members can be confident in the care received. Patients will receive the help needed to regain balance, motor skills, and mobility. Occupational therapists are there to help a patient accomplish those daily tasks such as taking care of personal hygiene and dressing themselves.

Remember, you don’t have to attempt to do this alone. If you have a loved one who has suffered a fall, contact us. Let us help. We are the Home Health resource you can trust.

Senior Care At Home: Preventing Falls

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preventing falls - companion care phoenix

Make sure there is enough room to get around the home without having to step around or over furniture or other items such as pet bowls, shoes, or general clutter.

As we age, even the place we know the best can become a hazard. If you are caring for an elderly loved one make sure their home is as well! Knowing what causes falls in the home can help you to prevent them so educate yourself and take steps to ensure that your loved ones are safe.

Always make sure the way is clear! Make sure there is enough room to get around the home without having to step around or over furniture or other items such as pet bowls, shoes, or general clutter. Make sure that all carpets are secure and remove any high pile throw rugs or rugs that are on slippery surfaces.

Clear out any cluttered areas! If the garage, laundry room, or other areas of the home have a high accumulation of clutter, consider re-organizing so that everything is off the floor. The more room your loved one has to walk, the better. While you are organizing, put the most used items in places that are easy to access, for example laundry detergent and other cleaning materials should be easy to reach without stooping or lifting them off high shelves.

Are there any steps in the home? Make sure any areas where climbing needs to occur, including getting into and out of bathtubs or showers, are equipped with grab bars or handles. Having something to hold on to makes getting places a lot easier. Consider the shower area itself as well. If there are no anti-slip features in the shower, buy a mat or have an anti-slip coating applied.

Consider their shoes! Always make sure that shoes fit properly and are easy to walk in. If their shoes are older, consider getting new shoes that have proper traction and support. If your loved one wears slippers around the house, make sure they stay on their feet without having to shuffle or adjust them constantly. If this is not the case consider buying new slippers or having them wear socks with their slippers to prevent them from falling off or slipping.

Another issue to watch out for are the side effects of any medication your loved one is taking. Many medications cause dizziness or light-headedness and could add to instability especially when standing up after sitting for long periods of time or when bending over. Discuss these side-effects with the person your caring for and make sure they take their time getting around the home.

All of these things can add to a senior’s feeling of independence, but it’s never a bad idea to lend a helping hand. Whether you need simple cleaning services or someone to help your loved one around the home, Endeavor Senior Care is the solution for you! Visit our website to learn more about our senior care at home or contact us to receive information about home care and companion care Phoenix and the surrounding areas trust.

Positive Senior Care at Home

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Whatever our age, independence is an essential part of our daily life. From birth, we are taught to achieve, to progress in skills; to thrive through our abilities and choices. There is no greater fear than that of losing control and of not being able to do even simple things for ourselves, but when we age this is exactly what happens.

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Senior care at home can restore an elderly loved one’s sense of independence and enjoyment of life.

For the elderly, the active normal world which was once their reality suddenly becomes a hostile and lonely environment, and they become, in their own eyes, nothing but a problem.

We all need to feel needed and to know that when we help, our efforts are appreciated and that we have done things right.

Remember, with senior care at home, the aim is to make them feel better, to boost their morale and self-esteem so that they can enjoy their life. Check out our services at Endeavor Senior Care. We offer many services for your peace of mind, and to help give them what they need to flourish.

Daily living skills are things we do every day without even thinking about them. For the elderly, however, many times they must relearn these things We are here to help you to help them find their way. When you need a hand, we are here. Contact us. Our home caregivers are professional, trained, compassionate people with the health and well-being of your elderly loved one in mind. Come to www.EndeavorSeniorCare.com. We can help them, and help you by easing your worries.

The Elderly and the Internet: Applying Mom’s Wisdom To In Home Care

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Websites like Facebook and services like Twitter help give seniors that social interaction where they might otherwise feel alone and isolated.

Seniors who can’t get around like they used to may turn to the internet for their social activities. Websites like Facebook and services like Twitter help give seniors that social interaction where they might otherwise feel alone and isolated. This usually leads to a lot of time at the keyboard. To help avoid repetitive stress syndrome, remember what your mother told you growing up, and apply it to your in home care plan.

“Sit up straight!”

Mom was definitely right about this one. Sitting up straight, not slouching, can be very difficult if you’re at your computer for long periods of time. Muscles want to relax, not remain in a rigidly upright position. As they relax, however, they start to put strain on tendons as your whole frame relaxes. This, in turn, leads to inflammation. If you notice Mom or Dad hunching over at the keyboard, try to find a way to make it easier for them to sit upright. Sometimes a wireless keyboard will do the trick as it allows the user to recline instead of having to lean forward to meet the desk.

“Don’t sit so close to the TV!”

While sitting too close to the monitor can lead to eye trouble, having the computer and peripheral equipment properly placed can help reduce over-stressing muscles and tendons. Laptops are particularly problematic as they are often placed on the lap. This makes a user’s head tip down so they can see the screen and keyboard. This puts unnecessary strain at the neck and shoulders. If they’re resting their arms on the arms of the chair, their elbows will also feel it. Be sure to place peripherals where they can be comfortably reached while maintaining a healthy posture. Use speech recognition software or other adaptive technology to help.

“You’ve been sitting there too long! Go outside and play!”

Taking a break from repetitive tasks is important. It keeps them from being, well, repetitive. If a person has limited movement, they can still take a break by doing anything that doesn’t put them back in front of the monitor. For example, they can get a snack and eat it someplace else. If they eat it in front of the computer, they’re probably going to be too tempted to keep doing what they had been doing.

If they can’t easily get way from the computer, introduce them to other activities that don’t use the same action. For example, if they’ve been doing a lot of “point-and-click”, suggest they open an eBook or go to a heavily text-based website and read. (Wikipedia has a “random article button”. While user-generated content may have accuracy issues, it’s at least entertaining if not educational!)

“Clean up your room! It looks like a disaster!”

Keeping the computer area free of clutter will give them room to stretch and to move around. Being encased in stuff can make a person inadvertently start to hunch down and keep them from moving easily. This can keep a person from taking much-deserved breaks.

“Relax, it’s not the end of the world!”

Even if the computer area is well-organized and free of clutter, they take regular breaks, and get away from the screen once in a while, they can still have problems with Repetitive Stress Syndrome. Why? Repetitive stress in day-to-day life can keep a person tense and wound up. This steady pressure on your muscles will cause damage to your muscles and tendons as well as your state of mind.

Learning how to prioritize concerns and how to cope with situations that can’t be controlled is paramount to good health. According to Statistic Brain, more than 3 quarters of the US population has regular stress, with more than half suffering mentally and/or physically from it. By learning how to cope with stress, whether through a therapist or simple relaxation techniques, they’ll not only better avoid repetitive stress syndrome, but may also discover a healthier lifestyle!

RSS’s Other Names

Repetitive Stress Syndrome goes by many names: bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s contracture, epicondylitis, ganglion, rotator cuff syndrome, tendonitis (or tendinitis), tenosynovitis, trigger finger, or writer’s cramp. Whichever form you have, it’s not pleasant at all. It’s very uncomfortable and can be very damaging if left untreated.

Mom was right

She was either your best friend, or she was a creature from another planet. Whether she gave you these tips as gentle nudges or as thundering commands from on high, the fact is that these simple things can help reduce anyone’s chances for developing Repetitive Stress Syndrome, especially seniors. If they have done all of these things and continue to have problems with pain, tingling, numbing, or weakness, they should see a doctor. They might be able to get away with anti-inflammatory medication or a heat pack. But if it’s a more developed stage of Repetitive Stress Syndrome, the doctor will know what is needed to treat it.

For more help and resources in taking care of your elderly loved ones at home, contact us.

And if you hear your mom saying “I told you so!”, just admit she was right on this one!

Elder Care: Helping Chase the Fountain of Youth One Discovery at a Time

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What if the elusive fountain of youth wasn’t really a fountain at all? What if the secret to staying young and healthy came in the form of anti-aging drugs instead? The latter is a question currently being posed by people in the elder care industry thanks to a recent round of research conducted by learned individuals associated with The Scripps Research Institute and others. The research focused on identifying and destroying senescent cells.

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New advances in research may bring us one step closer to turning back the clock.

It is widely believed that by identifying and destroying senescent cells, humankind may be able to circumvent diseases commonly associated with aging. However, until now, elder care providers were not sure how to go about it without causing additional damage to their patients. The recently released research paper provided a suggestion on how to solve that problem, which includes a proposed, new class of drugs. The drugs are designed, in part, to kill the senescent cells, which are then disposed of by the body. Additional research, including clinical trials, still needs to be done on their long and short-term usage.

Until researchers answer lingering questions, the new class of drugs will not be put into widespread use. However, there are still actions that may be taken by aging Americans hoping to retain their youth for as long as possible. Let’s take the social interaction provided by home healthcare agencies in Arizona as an example. Organizations such as the National Institute on Aging and the American Society on Aging has consistently insisted that people who maintain healthy relationships with others tend to fare better overall than those individuals who isolate themselves from the world.

Elder care providers can also help aging individuals maintain their physical strength, dexterity, senses, cognition and weight as well. Although those activities may not stop the proverbial clock, they’ll at least make aging Americans feel better about themselves and the world around them. To learn more about elder care options that have the potential to keep seniors feeling youthful, please contact Endeavor Senior Care today.