Caregiver Tool Kit: Packing a Day Bag for Your Aging Loved One in Paradise Valley, AZ

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As a home care provider for an aging loved one you probably already know that being prepared makes a major difference in how well you are able to provide care for your loved one. Making sure that you have everything that your loved one may need will give you both peace of mind, particularly if you plan on being away from the home.

Consider the following items when packing a caregiver day bag:

  • Any prescription medications that your loved one takes along with copies of the prescriptions. Make sure the medications are in the official prescription bottles
  • Any over-the-counter medications that your loved one might need throughout the day such as pain relievers, antacids, stomach relief, eye drops, cough drops or allergy pills
  • An extra pair of eye glasses along with a case or reading glasses, depending on your loved one’s needs
  • Hard candy or gum
  • A non-perishable snack such as granola bars, trail mix or dried fruit
  • Medical information such as allergies, medical conditions and emergency contact information
  • First aid supplies including triple antibiotic cream, bandages, tweezers, and alcohol pads
  • Antibacterial gel and wet wipes for fast hand cleaning and germ control
  • Tissues
  • A paperback book, crossword puzzle book or other entertainment
  • Medical supplies for any chronic condition that your loved one may have such as diabetic testing supplies, insulin, portable catheters, incontinence supplies or oxygen

Keep all of these items in a lightweight canvas bag or messenger bag so that they are all easily accessible. Having these items at hand will help you to address needs as they arise with your aging loved one. By having these things readily available you can feel more confident about running errands or taking day trips with your aging loved one. Your loved one will also feel more relaxed knowing that he can enjoy his outings with you without worrying that he doesn’t have something that he will need. Don’t hesitate to talk to your loved one about things that he might want to include that you might not have thought of when putting together your day bag. Also remember to throw in a few things for yourself so you feel prepared for your own needs as well!

When researching options for caregivers in Paradise Valley, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing caregivers in Paradise Valley, AZ.

Home Care Services and the Flu

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While providing home care services for an aging loved one, you will hear a considerable amount about the flu. You will hear that it is exceptionally dangerous and can cause incredibly serious consequences for seniors. Hearing this, however, does not necessarily prepare you to provide appropriate care for your aging loved one. If you are considering hiring home care services for your aging loved one it is critical that you are fully educated on influenza and can share this information with the in home care provider to ensure that your senior loved one is receiving the level of care that he needs throughout the dangerous flu season.

Here are some important facts about the flu:

  • Up to 20% of the population will get the flu each year
  • Each year more than 200,000 people end up admitted to the hospital due the flu and around 36,000 will die
  • The flu spreads primarily through coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread when a person touches a surface that has been contaminated with the virus
  • The virus can be spread for up to a day before the symptoms even develop and up to five days after they appear

It is important to keep these things in mind when preparing for the flu season with a home care services companion because the health of the companion will be vital to the health of your aging loved one. It is vital that the in home care provider does not come to work if she has been in contact with people that are infected with the flu or is feeling any symptoms.

Symptoms of the flu include:

  • High fever
  • Chronic headache
  • Fatigue
  • Dry cough
  • Sore or scratchy throat
  • Runny nose
  • Stuffy sinuses
  • Achy muscles and joints
  • Nausea and diarrhea

It is also important to keep track of any of these symptoms arising in your aging loved one so that prompt medical attention can be sought. Though most home care services companions are familiar with potential complications related to the flu, it is important that you discuss them with the companion to ensure she understands your expectations regarding the care of your loved one should he contract the flu.

Complications can include:

  • Ear infections
  • Sinus infections
  • Pneumonia
  • Dehydration

When researching options for home care assistance in Chandler, AZ or the surrounding areas, call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor In Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care.

Keeping the Family Involved in Elderly Care

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It is no longer the norm for all members of the family to live within close proximity of one another. Instead, relatives are far-flung throughout the country and rarely have the opportunity to be together. This can make providing elderly care for aging loved ones extremely difficult. The adult children that are not living close to home can feel disconnected and ignored in the decisions that are made regarding their parents, while the ones that are living close to the parents can feel pressured and overwhelmed by the responsibility. Keeping the family involved in elderly care can help maintain bonded family relationships and in sure that your aging loved ones receive the highest level of care possible.

The first step in keeping the entire family involved in elder care services is having a meeting with all of the members of the family that will be a part of the elderly care arrangement. Generally this is all of the siblings being involved in the care of aging parents, though other family members are known to provide care as well. Getting together for such a meeting can be virtually impossible, but thanks to technology it is possible to bring everyone together in the form of a video chat or instant message chat room. Make sure that everyone is available and that each person has the opportunity to discuss his feelings regarding the elderly care of his aging parents so that these opinions can be taken into consideration.

Once it has been decided which siblings desire to be involved in the elderly care of your aging loved ones, devise a plan for their involvement. This can include daily phone calls, weekly video chats or ongoing letter writing correspondence with your parents. You can also request that your siblings provide ongoing financial support or help out by being responsible for arranging physician appointments and keeping up with the schedule. Though keeping all members of a long-distance family involved in elder care services can be difficult, it can also be extremely fulfilling and ensure that family relationships are kept close.

When researching options for in home care in Paradise Valley, AZ or the surrounding areas, call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor In Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care.

Protecting Your Marriage While Providing Senior Care

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Providing senior care for an aging loved one is an incredible undertaking. You are dedicating your time, energy and effort to making sure that this senior is able to enjoy the highest quality of life possible and that his daily physical, medical and cognitive needs are addressed in a safe, effective and efficient way. While providing home care for an aging loved one, however, it is important to remember that you are still an individual with a life of your own. Many caregivers report feeling as though there personal relationships, particularly their marriages, suffer once they take on the responsibility of being a home care provider for an aging loved one. It is essential not just for your own personal health, but also the relationship that you maintain with your aging loved one that you don’t allow your role as a caregiver to completely overtake your life. You must continue to focus on your marriage, and allow this relationship to give you strength, confidence and stress relief as you face the challenging and often overwhelming realities of being a family caregiver.

Some of the ways that you can protect your marriage while providing senior care for an aging loved one include:

  • Take the time every few hours to send your spouse a text message or make a brief phone call. Often just a short message is enough to ease tension and help you feel better
  • Write each other love letters and hide them in the car, by the coffeemaker or anywhere else where you know the other will find them
  • Hire home care services for one night per week so you can spend some time just focused on your spouse
  • Create plans for special outings or trips that you can look forward to. Make a commitment to hire respite care for this time so you’re able to enjoy your special plans together
  • Agree not to use your spouse as a “vent”. Don’t take your frustration or anger out on your spouse. If you feel as though you need a place to let out tension or frustration, find a therapist that will listen to you and help guide you in coping techniques.

When researching options for in-home senior care in Mesa, AZ or the surrounding areas, call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor In Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care.

Sharing Elder Care Responsibilities with Siblings

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Providing elder care for an aging loved one is a tremendous responsibility that requires not just the dedication, but also an incredible amount of time and energy. If you are facing the prospect of providing elderly home care for your parents, you may find that fulfilling the role of an elder care provider may require you to neglect other areas of your life such as your relationship, your children, your career and yourself. By sharing the responsibilities of providing elder care for your parents with your siblings, you are not only giving your parents the opportunity to spend time with all of their children and your siblings the opportunity to provide care and support for your parents, you are giving yourself the freedom to take care of other responsibilities in your life without feeling as though you are neglecting your parents.

If you are considering sharing elder care responsibilities for your parents with your siblings, it is important that you engage in careful planning and establish open lines of communication from the very beginning. Start by gathering your siblings and parents together for a meeting at which you will discuss with the arrangement and how the responsibilities will be shared. It is important that each sibling agrees to specific responsibilities and that everyone involved is aware of the responsibilities of everyone else so that each of you can be held accountable for upholding your end of the agreement.

Sharing elder care responsibilities with your siblings could mean splitting the week up so that each of you is responsible for providing care on specific days, or identifying specific responsibilities that each sibling will fulfill.

These responsibilities include:

  • Grocery shopping for your parents
  • Verifying in picking up prescriptions
  • Bringing your parents to doctors’ appointments and treatments
  • Cleaning the home
  • Doing laundry for your parents
  • Preparing meals
  • Participating in entertainment or recreational activities with your parents
  • Bathing and grooming considerations
  • Shopping for clothing and other necessities
  • Managing finances

Though it may seem too formal for the cooperation of siblings, writing down the division of responsibilities within your elder care arrangement help ensure everyone involved is in agreement. This also organizes the arrangement so that it can be easily work referred to if there is any confusion or conflict in the future.

When researching options for Mesa senior home care or elder care throughout the surrounding areas, call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor In Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care.

Elderly Care for Arthritis in Phoenix, AZ

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Most people providing elderly care for an aging loved one will encounter arthritis as one of their loved one’s chronic complaints. The term arthritis simply refers to joint inflammation, and is actually a blanket term applied to over 100 different diseases the impact all of the joints in the human body. All of these diseases share the effect of causing swelling, tightness and even pain in the joints. The most common effect of arthritis is limited mobility. Among seniors, the most common of the arthritic diseases is osteoarthritis. It is estimated that more than half of aging adults over the age of 65 experience chronic osteoarthritis and at least one of the joints of their body. Elderly care for seniors suffering from arthritis will have a primary goal of easing the negative effects of the disease so that they can be properly managed and the senior can continue to enjoy an active and productive lifestyle.

Some of the ways that an elderly care provider can help an aging loved one manage symptoms of arthritis include:

  • Many seniors with arthritis find relief from the pain and stiffness of the disease through application of either cold or heat. Some even use both alternately. Heat can come in the form of a heated blanket, a hot tub, taking a warm bath or using a heating pad, while cold is generally applied with an ice pack
  • Symptoms of arthritis are often made worse by getting cold. Encouraging your aging loved one to sleep in warm pajamas or use flannel sheets or extra blankets can help his body stay warm and ease symptoms
  • Though it may seem as though moving around will make the pain and stiffness worse, exercise that has been approved by your loved one’s doctor can help to reduce stiffness and improve range of motion
  • If your aging loved one is overweight, reducing the weight by even 10 percent can take a huge amount of strain off of the joints, thereby reducing pain and encouraging greater flexibility
  • Exercising in the pool is generally much less stressful and less painful for seniors suffering from arthritis. The water helps to support the body and reduce strain on the joints so that your aging loved one can participate in more activities without suffering worse pain.

When researching options for elderly care in Phoenix AZ, call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing home care in Phoenix AZ.

Home Care Services vs. Visiting Nurse: Understanding the Difference in Phoenix, AZ

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There are many different types of senior care arrangements available, and it is important to understand the specifications of each different type in order to make the decision that is most appropriate for your aging loved one. If you have recognized that your aging loved one has increased needs in terms of meeting daily activities of life, managing health concerns or simply staying active; establishing a beneficial home care services arrangement can help your aging loved one remain independent in his own home while still staying safe and healthy for the long term. It is easy to become confused as to the details of each type of senior care because many of them sound extremely similar. Contacting the home health care services agency in your area and asking for further information can help to clarify the different senior care options that are available to you so you can select the one that is geared most specifically towards the needs of your loved one.

One source of senior care confusion is the difference between home care services companions and visiting nurses. While these may sound as though they are the same thing, they do not offer the same types of services and are appropriate for different seniors.

The main difference between a home care services companion in a visiting nurse is that a visiting nurse offers primarily medical services and is qualified to administer medications and other treatments. This nurse will visit the home and take care of medical needs such as redressing wounds, administering medications, taking vital signs and otherwise providing medical care for your aging loved one. This type of nurse is not responsible for activities of daily living or providing extensive companionship. While the nurse may spend time with your aging loved one and even help with some immediate needs such as tidying up the room or preparing a fast meal, these are not her central responsibilities and she will be more focused on taking care of physical or medical needs.

Home care services companions, on the other hand, do not administer medications or medical treatments, but rather encourage seniors to be responsible for their own medical care through offering medication reminders and treatment compliance encouragement. Home care service companions are also true companions, providing emotional support and friendship that boosts the emotional health and well-being of seniors. An in home care provider can take care of tasks of daily living such as running errands, light housekeeping, light meal preparation and basic pet care while also helping your aging loved one with mobility issues, bathing, dressing, hygiene and other similar needs.

When researching options for home care services in Phoenix, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing home care services in Phoenix, AZ.

Benefits of Memory Screening in Elder Care Fountain Hills, AZ

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Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are two of the most prevalent issues in elder care today. Elderly health care providers are charged not only with recognizing cognitive challenges in the seniors for him they provide care, but also in devising and implementing different ways to help prevent these cognitive challenges from developing and treat or at least manage them when they do develop. As an elder care provider, you may find yourself constantly worrying about whether your aging loved one will develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and become incredibly stressed at the prospect of how these diseases impact of life of a patient and his caregivers. It is important understand that early recognition of the cognitive and memory challenges is critical to the appropriate and effective management of these diseases, and that through  memory screening as a regular part of an elder care plan, the earliest signs of memory and cognitive challenges can be detected and the condition monitored and managed into the future.

Elder care memory screening helps elderly health care providers recognize early onset symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, but also helps to eliminate potential causes for these symptoms so that they can be eradicated and the disease managed better. Regular memory screening shows how well a senior can remember simple to complex concepts, process thought patterns and engage critical thinking. While some of the tests that are used during an elder care memory screening may seem confusing and even unrelated to the concept of memory care, each of the steps of such as screening is specifically designed to illustrate an individual thought pattern or process.

If you are providing elderly home care for an aging loved one and a memory screening indicates that the memory or cognitive challenges are beginning, it is important that you take immediate steps to manage these symptoms so that the condition does not deteriorate rapidly. Prompt and effective response to early onset symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is the best way to help keep seniors who suffer from these diseases healthy, productive and functional for as long as possible.

When researching options for elder care in Fountain Hills, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing home care in Fountain Hills, AZ.

Caregiver in Mesa, AZ: What is the “Sandwich Generation”?

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Have you ever felt like a smear of peanut butter and jelly? No, not spread too thin, though that may be a valid feeling as well, but a part of a sandwich. If you have, it is likely that you are part of an age group that is booming in today’s society. This a true, referred to as the sandwich generation, is the adults that find themselves providing financial support both to their children and their aging parents at the same time. This group is generally in their 40s and 50s, though there are some members of the sandwich generation that are younger. Being a caregiver in sandwich generation can be extremely stressful as you are responsible for taking care of multiple people, but it also has its potential advantages.

Whether you are an in home care provider for your aging parents or simply provide financial support, statistics show that many adult children who are closely connected to the ongoing care of their parents feel more connected to the older generation than they did when they were younger. Likewise, members of the sandwich generation often report that they have a stronger emotional connection to the children who they help support than other people of a similar age to do not have this responsibility. For many people, providing financial support is a tangible way of demonstrating love and helps to facilitate a closer bond and more opportunity to spend quality time together.

As a member of the sandwich generation, however, it can also lead to you feeling overwhelmed and as though you have lost yourself along the way. It is important to remember that while you are taking care of your parents above you and your children below you that you are still an individual and need to take care of your relationship with your partner and your friends, your own hobbies and pastimes and yourself. As with any caregiver, you will always be able to offer greater support and encouragement to those who depend on you if you also take care of yourself.

When researching options for caregiver agencies in Mesa, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing caregivers in Mesa, AZ.

Elder Care in Mesa, AZ: When Can Your Parents No Longer Make Their Own Decisions?

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One of the most serious considerations in elder care is competence. It is a delicate topic to consider whether your aging loved ones are truly mentally competent to continue making their own decisions, or whether you need to step in and become legally responsible for making decisions regarding their financial situation and health care. As with many other elderly health care considerations, you may find that your aging loved one is extremely resistant to discussing the topic of competence, and may even become defensive and angry should you bring up any concerns that you may have. Even if your aging loved one is not offended by your discussion of his competence, you may find that your siblings or other people in your family feel that you are making a rash or even selfish decision. If you’ve been providing ongoing elder care for your aging loved one, however, it is your responsibility to stand up for the health and well-being of this senior by recognizing when his mental faculties have reached a point at which they are no longer sharp enough to make beneficial decisions, and take the steps to protect him through your legal guardianship.

If you’ve been pondering the competence of your aging loved one in the course of your elder care, there are certain warning signs that you may wish to look out for.

These include:

  • Your aging loved one has not changed his clothes in a few days, or has put on dirty clothes
  • The clothing that your aging loved one is wearing is disheveled or stained
  • Your aging loved one has not been attending to his hygiene, including bathing, washing his hands, brushing his hair or brushing his teeth
  • The home has become disorganized, messy or even dirty
  • You find items placed or stored in a logical places such as canned goods in the refrigerator or clothing in the oven
  • You notice excessive expenditures on bank accounts or credit card statements
  • Your aging loved one begins receiving a tremendous number of packages from mail-order services or televised sales services
  • Your aging loved one no longer seems capable of following the progression of a conversation, or is not expressing emotion in a way that is appropriate for the situation.

If you have concerns that your aging loved one is no longer competent, contact the elder care services in your area for help finding legal resources that can help you protect his interests.

When researching options for elder care agencies in Mesa, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing home care in Mesa, AZ.