MAINTAINING COMMUNICATION WITH A LOVED ONE WITH MEMORY LOSS

Elder Home Care services

Communication is an integral part of the human experience. It is vital for quality of life and for maintaining self-identity, yet it’s not uncommon for individuals to experience communication deficits as they grow older, especially when memory loss is an issue. Senior in home care services can help you meet your loved one’s basic needs, allowing you to focus on the quality of your visits with him or her. While visiting, try a few simple tricks to improve communication despite your loved one’s Alzheimer’s or other form of dementia.

Preparing to Communicate

It’s important to avoid letting stressors influence your communication with your loved one. Spend a few minutes taking deep breaths and calming down if something is troubling you. When you’re ready, make sure your loved one is focusing on you. You may need to eliminate distractions, such as by turning off the radio or television. Make eye contact with your loved one before you speak.

Speaking Clearly

It’s best to use short, simple sentences and to avoid any sort of complexity. If you’re asking questions, for example, ask only one question at a time. If you need to repeat your words, be sure to repeat the exact same words you previously used. Speak slowly and calmly, pausing briefly after each sentence to help your loved one process the information.

Listening Carefully

Give your loved one plenty of time to respond when you are finished speaking. Pay attention to non-verbal cues when trying to interpret speech, such as your loved one’s facial expression and body language. If your loved one says something that you know to be untrue, avoid contradicting him or her because this will only cause anxiety. Let your loved one express his or her feelings without trying to interject false humor or joviality into the conversation; it’s all right and even beneficial for your loved one to express sad feelings. Listening respectfully shows your loved one that you care.

Endeavor In-Home Senior Care is the leading provider of senior in home care services for families in Mesa, AZ. In addition to our companion care, post-operative care, and hospice support services, our rigorously screened caregivers also provide specialized dementia and Alzheimer’s care. If your loved one could benefit from some extra help to maintain independence in his or her own home, call our senior in home care agency at (877) 584-6162.

Senior Care Services in Arizona Help Seniors Avoid Re-Hospitalizations

Senior Care Services in Arizona Picture this scenario: your elderly mother, who lives alone in Arizona, suffered a fall, fractured her arm and ankle, and is now being released from the hospital. Leafing through her discharge papers reveals the need for medications, physical therapy, medical follow-up in several weeks, and a number of other senior care services that will be needed as well as symptoms to watch for that could warrant a return to the E/R.

With a family of six to care for and a full-time job, is it possible to also make sure she sticks to her doctor’s orders and can avoid another fall before she has even recovered from the last fall? Increasingly more often, family members are donning the role of caregiver for their senior parents – as many as 44 million and expanding, according to the AARP. And following a hospitalization, the level of senior care services provided often needs to be stepped up in order to ensure safety and prevent re-hospitalizations. Check out these bits of advice to help adult children keep their elderly family members safer during recovery after a hospital stay:

  • Investigate to get more information. Be sure to ask your family member’s medical team whatever amount of questions necessary to help you better understand how to provide excellent senior care, including who to call for help and warning signs to watch for that could indicate a potential problem.
  • Keep your own care in mind as well. Caregiving can be stressful, and can affect a caregiver’s own health. Make sure to eat a balanced diet, get plenty of rest, and take time for activities you enjoy.
  • Make connections. Adult children often feel the need to do everything on their own, but it’s in everyone’s best interest to have a list of helpful resources in Arizona available: friends, extended family, neighbors, even a caregiver support group.

Endeavor Home Care would welcome the chance to help as well. We’re here to help keep seniors safe with our trusted senior care services in Arizona, and to make sure they’re recovering and thriving following hospitalizations. We’re just a phone call away and can be a vital component to providing care to supplement family help. Contact us at 480-535-6800 to learn more.

THE ROLE OF SLEEP AND EXERCISE IN MAINTAINING A HEALTHY MEMORY

Maintaining a healthy memory as one grows older is a concern for many seniors, given the risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. A growing body of research suggests that sleep and exercise play an integral role in supporting brain health. Since exercising can be challenging for some seniors with mobility impairments, a caregiver from a senior in home care agency can lend a helping hand.

Watch this video to hear more about these studies. You’ll learn that the quality of sleep is just as important as the length of sleep for protecting the brain against changes associated with dementia. You’ll also hear from an expert on the types of exercise that can prove most beneficial for seniors.

Here at Endeavor In-Home Senior Care, the safety and well-being of our clients are our top priorities, which is why our caregivers assist seniors with mobility and exercise. If you or a loved one requires senior in home care in the Phoenix, AZ area, you can contact our home care assistance agency at (877) 584-6162.

How Home Care Assistance Helps Caregivers Begin to Let Go of Guilt

Home Care AssistanceThere’s no emotional rollercoaster quite like the one ridden by family members providing care for an aging or chronically ill loved one. In our experience with home care assistance, there’s hardly an emotion that does NOT come into play at some point during caregiving – and sometimes, the majority of those emotions can happen all within the span of a day. Perhaps one of the most difficult feelings to manage, however, is guilt; feeling as though you should be doing more for your loved one and less for yourself.

When suffering under the weight of caregiver guilt, follow these 3 manageable tips:

  • Avoid isolation. Talking about your feelings with a trusted friend, family member, or professional counselor is crucial to see the situation from an objective perspective and to release the burden of carrying those feelings alone.
  • Write it down. Keeping track of your thoughts and feelings in a journal is therapeutic in and of itself, but also provides the benefit of being able to read back over your writings and learn from your experiences. Be sure to document ALL of your thoughts and feelings, but don’t forget the positive comments, in order to lift your spirits on the more tiresome days.
  • Take sound advice. While well-meaning friends and family may have lots of input on how you should or should not be feeling, nothing beats the advice of someone who’s walked a mile in your shoes. Finding a support group of other family caregivers, particularly if their loved one shares a similar diagnosis, can make a world of difference.

For more resources on providing the best possible home care assistance for your senior loved one, or to explore the option of in-home respite care, call Endeavor Home Care at 480-535-6800, or fill out our quick and easy online contact form.

How Families Can Deal With Disagreements About Elderly Care

Elder Care

There is no such thing as the “perfect family”; to some extent, all families experience some degree of dysfunction. Unfortunately, when one or two elderly parents need an increasing level of care, dysfunction that had been buried for years often rises to the surface and creates problems among siblings and other family members, including disagreements about elderly care. To deal appropriately with the challenges of arranging for senior in home care, it’s necessary for families to set aside past differences and to speak honestly about present-day challenges.

How Can You Overcome Disagreements About Elderly Care?

Discuss the Challenges Openly

Disagreements often arise from misinformation. One classic example occurs when one sibling carries the burden of caring for the aging parents, while the other siblings or other family members assume that the caregiving tasks are minimal and easily managed. It’s often up to the primary family caregiver to help other family members to fully understand the challenges. A family meeting may be in order, during which the family caregiver ought to provide examples of challenges and let the other family members know how often these challenges arise.

Agreeing on a Course of Action

Once everyone is on the same page regarding the current situation, it’s often easier to work toward an agreement about what ought to be done. Quite often, family caregivers find that as their loved one’s care needs increase, the caregiver’s capacity to meet these needs declines. The family caregiver should clearly explain that he or she is no longer capable of providing this level of care and that to maintain the aging parents’ independence, senior in home care services are necessary.

Share Updates Regularly

Senior in home care lifts the burden from families, which allows them to focus on the quality of the relationship with the aging parents. If other family members live far away or are otherwise unable to visit regularly, the family member who does regularly visit and keep in contact with the agency caregiver should share regular updates with the others. This can be as simple as a weekly e-mail that lets other family members know that mom and dad are doing well.

When your aging loved one requires home care assistance in the Phoenix, AZ area, your family can trust Endeavor In-Home Senior Care. Our compassionate caregivers provide a comprehensive array of senior in home care services, including specialized care for individuals with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Call (877) 584-6162 with any questions you may have.

Arizona Homecare Company Update: Alzheimer’s Disease Now Potentially Linked to the Immune System

Arizona Homecare Company

Endeavor Home Care, an Arizona homecare company, believes there’s never been a more encouraging time for Alzheimer’s research than now, and new developments seem to be appearing every week. The latest findings are slated to have a huge impact in the quest for treatments and a cure: the correlation between Alzheimer’s and the body’s natural immune response to infections.

While scientists have been studying the connection between the beta amyloid protein and Alzheimer’s, the most recent news comes from the discovery that this protein is displaying the capability of fighting off infections in mice. Some drug trials have tried to get rid of this bacteria-fighting protein, which could be dangerous if beta amyloid works similarly in humans.

If this theory is correct, it follows that Alzheimer’s is likely triggered by an over-reactive immune response to a pathogen, causing problems in older brains that are unable to handle the overload.

While the findings are inconclusive, they match up with what we already know about the importance of proper sleep, exercise and a healthy diet, now showing that they could even potentially prevent Alzheimer’s. This research marks the way forward for other potential treatment options, such as inflammatory reduction medications and vaccines.

Contact Endeavor Home Care to learn more about how our Arizona homecare company can help seniors with Alzheimer’s, and their families, live more peaceful, comfortable lives. Call us any time at 480-535-6800 and allow us to share some additional dementia resources, and details on how our professionally trained Alzheimer’s caregivers can make a real difference in the quality of life for seniors.

THE ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRONIC IN-HOME MONITORING FOR SENIORS

Senior Person Care

Opting for electronic in-home monitoring for your loved one can provide several advantages that can make senior home care easier and provide you with peace of mind. Electronic in-home monitoring is used as part of a medical emergency response system that have zero up-front costs and are staffed by professional EMTs 24 hours a day.

These monitoring systems use a variety of tools, such as inactivity sensors, medication reminders, emergency pendants, and emergency response services, to help ensure the health and safety of your loved one. Featuring built-in backup power and power status monitors, electronic monitoring systems provide warnings and protection during power outages and come with a lifetime warranty.

Endeavor Senior In Home Care provides a variety of services that include in-home monitoring, physical disability support, companion care, and in-home assistance near Mesa, AZ. Call us today at (877) 584-6162 to learn how we can help your senior loved one with home care assistance.

REASONS TO HIRE IN-HOME CARE FOR SENIORS AFTER SURGERY

Non Medical Home Care

After surgery, the first twenty-four hours at home are the most critical and difficult. If you’re concerned about the health of a senior after surgery, in home care services can provide you with peace of mind, knowing that your loved one is in good hands. Focused on the patient’s well-being and safety, in home caregivers strive to make recovery pleasant and stress-free after surgery.

Orthopedic Surgery

The path to recovery after orthopedic surgery is often long and challenging. When you choose to hire an elderly home care provider, this healing process can be simplified. Post-surgical caregivers can provide medication reminders, help with exercises, and assist with mobility issues. Procedures such as knee and hip replacements can severely affect flexibility as the patient heals, but in home care services can help seniors get back on their feet while they recover.

Major Surgery

Tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and getting around the house can be significantly affected by brain, heart, and other major surgeries. In-home caregivers can help seniors resume their daily life and help with eating and other basic needs that can be challenging immediately following surgery. You can rest easier knowing that your senior is in good hands and receiving comprehensive home care as he recovers.

Post-Rehab

It’s common for seniors to stay at a rehabilitation center after surgery, and taking the step to return home can be daunting and difficult. Hiring in home care can ease this transition by helping your senior complete everyday tasks and needs that may still be challenging or impossible in his state. In-home care can help your senior move seamlessly and safely from a rehab facility to the comfort of his home.

If you’re looking for high-quality and experienced home care assistance in Phoenix, AZ, call Endeavor Senior In Home Care today at (877) 584-6162. We are members of the Arizona In Home Care Association, and our caregivers are dedicated to providing your senior loved one with the care and attention they need.