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Author: Craig Bass

The Importance Of Respite Care

Posted on by Craig Bass

It is important for many families to care for aging parents in their own homes. Having the ability to keep parents at home and surrounded by people that love them has a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

At the same time, families can find the additional challenges of managing young children and busy schedules difficult to integrate with their role as a caregiver for elderly parents. This can lead to burnout, stress, and increased challenges for the whole family.

Adding Respite Care

Golden Heart provides respite care services from a trusted local home health provider. These respite services are provided in your own home, allowing your parent or parents to stay in a familiar setting. Respite care at home provides trusted Medicare caregivers who provide companionship and support throughout their stay.

Respite care for elderly individuals from Golden Heart is customized for your needs. This could include a small break throughout the day or spending a longer block of time to allow you to get away and relax. With either option, you have the peace of mind in knowing your loved ones are well-cared for while you are away.

Our respite providers are trained professionals who provide the services needed for your parents while you are away. Senior respite care services can include assistance with meal preparation, light housekeeping, and personal care support.

Respite care for caregivers helps you to spend time with your family while knowing respite care providers are caring for your elderly parents. Scheduling respite care at home allows you to recharge your batteries and find time for yourself.

4 Important Things You May Not Know About In-Home Care

Posted on by Craig Bass

Many people are not fully aware of the various aspects and features of in-home care, including who usually needs it, options available with it, how it can be paid for, and other benefits. At Golden Heart Senior Care, we offer a range of elderly care services for our clients, including respite care, assisted in-home care, and more.

A Break for Family Caretakers

Respite care is one of the features of in-home care that gives one or more caregivers within the family the opportunity to rest and get replenished from taking care of their loved one. During this time, a professional in-home caregiver can provide the necessary care. This arrangement also benefits the recipient of the care when his or her primary caregiver has received the relaxation and rest needed to provide assistance and care once again.

Reduces Hospital Readmissions

Much evidence indicates that individuals who receive care in-home are less likely to experience a serious health event while receiving care at home as opposed to in a critical health care environment. This helps reduce the level of readmissions to the hospital.

Flexible Options Are Available

When receiving in-home care, it is important to have a customized plan to meet your loved one’s individual needs. A unique in-home care plan can cater to a person’s specific preferences, condition, and abilities. The caregiver needs to listen to the client and be a good match. This involves asking the client what matters to them, what they need, what they like to do, and other pertinent questions to help assess the type of care required. From this information, an experienced in-home care service can provide the flexibility to deliver a care plan that will meet the client’s care needs.

There Are Many Ways to Pay

It is possible to pay for in-home care outside of using your personal savings. Veterans and spouses of veterans have access to benefits that may cover in-home care. Some life insurance and long-term care insurance may also cover the services. A family member may be able to receive payment from a Medicare recipient as part of providing caregiving services. The various payment options can be complicated to research, but taking advantage of a program that minimizes the stresses on the recipient of the care and the caregiver can certainly be worthwhile.

For information about the home care services we offer at Golden Heart Senior Care, give us a call today at 623.748.3301 or complete our contact form.

Should You Be Worried About Novel Coronavirus?

Posted on by Craig Bass

You’ve seen a lot of information about novel coronavirus in the news. The World Health Organization deemed it a global health emergency. Should you be worried?

It’s not very likely that your parents will get this virus. Those who have tested positive have typically been in the Wuhan region of China prior to contracting the virus. Here’s what you should know about this respiratory illness.

What is Novel Coronavirus?

The novel coronavirus is a respiratory illness that was originally believed to be spread from animals to humans, but it’s been found that it is spreading between people. It spreads just like the flu does. Exposure to the spray from someone’s cough or sneeze is a likely route of transmission. The disease can take 2 to 14 days to develop after exposure.

Symptoms are going to remind you of the flu. They are:

  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Shortness of breath

As it is a virus, there are no medications that can cure it. If your parents do come down with it, they may be put on antibiotics if a secondary infection, such as pneumonia, develops.

Older People Are More Susceptible to Severe Symptoms

Older adults with secondary chronic health conditions like asthma and heart disease have a higher risk of developing severe symptoms. It’s also easy to keep the spread of the disease down by washing hands regularly, using a tissue to blow the nose and immediately throwing it away, and wearing a protective mask if traveling or in an area where ill people are likely to be present.

If your parents develop a cough or other symptoms, you should talk to their doctor about what to do next. Keeping them home, making sure they stay hydrated, and watching for signs of pneumonia is important.

U.S. Cases Are Spread Out and Not as Numerous as You’d Think

While there is a concern, especially if your parents have traveled overseas, the number of positive novel coronavirus cases in the U.S. isn’t that high. A total of 241 people have reported having the symptoms. Of those tested, almost half have been found to be something else. Eight people have tested positive for the virus as of February 1st. Other tests are still pending.

The states that have had one or more positive cases include Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington. The people who are testing positive for the virus had recently traveled to China.

Statistically, your parents are not likely to get the virus if they haven’t traveled recently or spent time with one of the infected people. They’re more likely to get a chest cold or the flu. If that happens, senior care services can help them during recovery.

With senior care aides helping your parents with meals, housework, and other daily chores, your parents can rest, drink plenty of fluids, and have the help they need to feel better.

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/01/us/coronavirus-us-massachusetts/index.html

If you are considering senior care in Sun City West, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

What Does it Look Like When Mobility Is Contributing to Safety Issues?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Your elderly family member’s ability to be mobile has a huge impact on her ability to do the things that she loves and wants to do. It also has a massive impact on her overall safety. Talk with your senior’s doctor about what can be done to assist your senior with mobility issues and be on the lookout for these major signs that mobility is having a bigger effect than you realize.

Your Senior’s Appearance or How She Keeps Her Home Are Different

Your elderly family member’s method of dress or other personal hygiene might be different now than it always has been. Likewise, her home may be showing signs that it’s difficult for her to take care of cleaning it properly. These are surface signs, but they can point to your senior’s difficulty in moving well or in the ways that she needs to in order to keep up with these tasks.

Look for Stacks of Mail

When mail starts to pile up, that can mean that your elderly family member isn’t keeping up with what’s coming to her mailbox at all. That could mean that bills or other important correspondence are mixed in with junk mail and other bits of mail. Sorting through these piles could take more time and energy than your senior thinks she has, or it could be physically difficult for her to do on her own. Regardless, she is going to need a new system.

Food Is a Powerful Indicator

The state of your senior’s refrigerator and pantry can tell you so much about what’s going on with her health. She may have sparse cupboards, which can be an indication that she’s not getting out to the grocery store at all. Another issue could be that on the surface it looks like she has plenty of food on hand, but that food is either close to expiring or is actually expired. These are all bad signs and a big indicator that your elderly family member needs more help.

Check for Burned out Light Bulbs

This might seem a little bit on the “not a big deal” side of the equation, but it’s important to look for burned out light bulbs. These can tell you a lot more than you might realize. For starters, it can mean that your senior either doesn’t have replacement bulbs and hasn’t felt confident in getting them. But it can also mean that changing that dead bulb out for a new one is too difficult for her to do. Either way, it’s a problem.

Keeping a lookout for these types of signs can help you to spot when your senior’s life and health might be changing more than either of you are ready to experience. Hiring elderly care providers is an excellent way to ensure that your senior has assistance with mobility concerns and with some of these smaller tasks that are getting away from her.

If you are considering elderly care in Goodyear, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

Ways to Find Enjoyment in Being a Caregiver

Posted on by Craig Bass

There are certainly many reasons to feel good about being a caregiver. After all, the care you provide may be keeping your aging relative living in their own home. However, some days being a caregiver is just plain hard and it can even be boring since there’s a lot of waiting around involved. On those kinds of days, you may feel like there isn’t much to like about the role. If you could use some ways to make being a caregiver enjoyable again, here are some ideas.

Find Things You and the Senior Enjoy Doing Together

One of the reasons you may feel like you’re sitting around a lot is that the older adult is watching television or doing something else and you’re just there keeping an eye on them. Instead of co-existing throughout the day, find out what interests the two of you have in common and come up with things to do together. For example, if you both like to cook, spend time making new recipes or go to a cooking class together. Watch cooking shows together on television and try making some of the foods you see.

Play Games

Consider finding some games that caregivers and older adults can play together. Games are a great way to pass time together. They have the added benefit of providing mental stimulation that is good for the older adult’s brain health. There are lots of different kinds of games, like card games, games of chance, strategic games, and even cooperative games in which you and the older adult work together to accomplish a goal? If you’re not sure what to play, consider taking a trip together to a local game store to find a game you’ll both enjoy.

Use Downtime to Engage in Your Own Hobby

During those times when you feel like you’re just sitting around while the senior naps or while you’re in a waiting room during their appointment, spend your time doing your own hobby. If you knit or crochet, bring it with you when you visit the older adult or when you take them to appointments. If you enjoy reading, try downloading ebooks to your tablet or smartphone. That way they are always handy when you find yourself with nothing else to do.

Engage the Senior in Reminiscing

Older adults often enjoy reminiscing, which means telling stories about their past. Caregivers can find this enjoyable, too, since it can be a lot of fun to learn new things about the senior’s life. To get them started, you might ask about a treasured object or an old picture.

If you are considering caregivers in Sun City West, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

What Can Be Done About MS Brain Fog?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) complain about a symptom commonly referred to as “brain fog” or “cog fog.” It is a symptom that causes forgetfulness and an inability to concentrate. About half of people diagnosed with MS struggle with brain fog. Signs that your aging relative with MS is experiencing brain fog include frequently losing items, walking into a room and forgetting why, and difficulty remembering names.

Brain fog is believed to be a result of the damage MS does to the central nervous system, which is comprised of the spinal cord and brain. MS causes inflammation as well as lesions on the brain. These affect how the brain works.

Although brain fog is difficult to live with, there are ways for your aging relative to live with it more easily. Below are some tips for dealing with brain fog.

Eat More Healthy Fats

Healthy fats may be effective in protecting the brain, which could reduce brain fog. Some sources of healthy fat are:

  • Avocadoes.
  • Seafood, including mackerel, cod, sardines, and salmon.
  • Walnuts.
  • Chia seeds.
  • Extra virgin olive oil.
  • Flax seeds.

An elder care provider can prepare meals and snacks that contain healthy fats, like a sandwich with avocadoes on it or a dinner of baked cod.

Take Notes

Encourage your older family member to write things down that they might forget. For example, they should keep a calendar listing appointments in a prominent place. They might also carry a small notebook with them to write down the names of new people they’ve met or appointments to be recorded on the calendar later.

Some seniors might have trouble writing things down because of arthritic fingers or poor eyesight. An elder care provider can assist them by writing information down for them.

Challenge the Brain

Doing things that keep the brain engaged can help to keep it sharper, too. Older adults might do the daily crossword puzzle every morning or work on jigsaw puzzles. Playing board games, learning new skills, and attending classes or seminars can also help.

Elder care can offer transportation to classes and seminars. In addition, an elder care provider can play games with your aging relative or help them to do word, number, or jigsaw puzzles.

Do One Thing at a Time

Although there’s a lot of emphasis on multi-tasking these days, older adults with MS will probably do better if they focus on just one task at a time. It may also help to keep the room quiet, so they can focus. So, for example, if the older adult is trying to balance their checkbook, turn off the television or radio and avoid talking to them while they do so.

An elder care provider can take on some of the extra tasks, like cooking or cleaning, so that your aging relative needs to accomplish less in a day and can focus on just one thing at a time.

Sources
https://www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/cog-fog-science-and-tips#7

If you are considering elder care in Litchfield Park, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

Should Your Parent Try Yoga?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Exercise is an important part of staying healthy. People of all ages need to exercise to keep their bodies strong and to help maintain a healthy weight. Even if your elderly parent has not exercised in years, it’s not too late to start. The trick is to find a form of exercise that is enjoyable for your parent and that they can stick with. It’s also important for the exercise to be gentle enough that it doesn’t hurt. One kind of exercise that many experts recommend for older adults is yoga.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a form of exercise that combines mindful breathing with physical poses that improve strength and flexibility. It has been around for centuries, which means that despite its current popularity, yoga is not a fad. Instead, it is a form of exercise that is proven to work.

There are many kinds of yoga, from the more physical Hatha yoga to quieter, more meditative forms. Yoga is also an adaptable kind of exercise, so anyone can do yoga, no matter their physical abilities. In fact, there are yoga classes specifically for older adults and for those confined to wheelchairs.

What Are the Benefits of Yoga?

The benefits of yoga encompass both physical and mental aspects of life. In terms of physical benefits, practicing yoga on a regular basis will improve your parent’s muscle strength and joint flexibility. It can also help them to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, which has many benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease.

People who practice yoga also report feeling better about the way their body looks and works. In part, this is because yoga asks people to focus on what their body can do and the way it is working in the moment. Yoga studios purposely avoid the use of mirrors because the focus is meant to be inward rather than on what the person looks like while they do yoga or what the people around them look like.

Yoga is also an excellent way for seniors to manage stress. Yoga has been shown to improve how people cope with stress. The use of mindful breathing and meditation help to create a sense of calm that lasts beyond classes.

If your parent is interested in trying yoga, a home care provider can help them to find a class in their community. In addition, the home care provider can drive them to the class, ensuring they are able to attend regularly. If your parent is unable to find a class or would prefer to try yoga at home, a home care provider can help them to find videos online or take them to the library where they may be able to check out yoga videos.

Sources

The Benefits of Yoga


https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-benefits-beyond-the-mat
https://www.verywellfit.com/yoga-for-seniors-3566737

If you are considering home care in Buckeye, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

Which is Better – Hand Sanitizer or Hand Washing?

Posted on by Craig Bass

For a while, hand sanitizer was all the rage. Everyone carried it with them wherever they went. You couldn’t walk through an office building without seeing a bottle on nearly every desk. While hand sanitizer isn’t quite as popular as it once was, it’s still widely available and many people use it now and then. Some people swear by the effectiveness of hand sanitizer while others are hard-core hand washers who are skeptical about the use of sanitizer. So, is one better than the other? If so, which one? According to some doctors, one is better than the other. Read on to find out which.

Hand Washing vs. Hand Sanitizer

According to one expert, Dr. Roland Newman II, a doctor at Penn State Health in Hershey, Pennsylvania, hand washing trumps using hand sanitizer when hands are scrubbed for at least 20 seconds. Soap, he says, helps to force dirt and germs to release from skin. They are then trapped in the lather and get rinsed away. The temperate of the water doesn’t even matter. It’s the soap and the scrubbing that do the trick.

Dr. Newman agrees that hand sanitizers are an important way to fight infections, like cold and flu, too. However, many sanitizers aren’t as effective as they claim to be. Some germs are resistant to the substances in hand sanitizers. For example, norovirus, an extremely contagious germ that causes diarrhea and vomiting, isn’t affected by some kinds of hand sanitizer.

Proper Way to Wash Hands

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends washing hands frequently, such as before touching or preparing food, after using the bathroom, after touching garbage, after touching an animal or their waste, and after touching pet food or treats. The CDC also says there is a right way to wash hands. They suggest following these steps:

  • Wet hands under clean running water.
  • Apply soap.
  • Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds (the length of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice).
  • Rinse hands under clean running water.
  • Dry hands with a clean towel or air dry them.

When to Use Sanitizer

Hand sanitizers are a convenient way to clean hands when soap and water aren’t readily available, and that’s when they should be used. If you have access to clean running water and soap, always opt for handwashing instead. When you do need to use sanitizer, make sure it contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

Senior care can make certain your older family member follows good hand washing hygiene. This can be an especially important service for older adults who have cognitive problems, like dementia, who may not remember to wash their hands. Senior care providers can not only remind them to wash, but also help them to wash, if needed. Senior care providers can also bring hand sanitizer along when they take the older adult on outings and help them to use it at appropriate times.

Sources
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20191107/why-hand-washing-beats-hand-sanitizers
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/hand-washing/art-20046253
https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/index.html

If you are considering senior care in Surprise, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

How Does Elderly Care Help with Your Senior’s Goals?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Believe it or not, your elderly family member likely still has some plans brewing. They might be different than you expect, but with a little bit of extra help she can get those goals locked down and accomplished.

Maintaining Family Involvement

It’s really difficult for some family members to cope with the changes your senior is experiencing. They may not be able to do much for her, which can cause them to stay away more than they or she want. With elderly care providers handling the majority of the assistance your senior needs, other family members are can feel a lot less pressure around visiting or maintaining contact. That can be far more important than anything hands-on they could do for her.

Keeping Her Confidence High

Many seniors find that as they age, they start to doubt themselves and their abilities. Your elderly family member might even doubt that she can do something like stay in her own home for as long as she wants to. This can be further complicated as she encounters new challenges. When your senior is able to do what she’s ready and able to do, that can help to keep her morale high. Having home care providers available to offer support and to handle the tasks that aren’t within her ability right now can keep her from feeling as if she’s failing.

Aging in Place for as Long as Possible

So many aging adults want to remain in their own homes, aging in place, for as long as they are able to do so. In many respects, that might not seem like a good idea from your perspective, but with help, your elderly family member can accomplish a lot more. Elder care providers can take over the routine housekeeping tasks or cooking tasks that are becoming a bigger challenge. As your senior needs assistance with more activities of daily living, like getting dressed, they’re able to help with those, too.

Helping Her Stay as Healthy as Possible

Overall, maintaining your senior’s health is a vital task. If she’s been to her doctor a lot more often or if she’s been to the hospital, making sure that she recovers from whatever’s happened can prevent a relapse. Elderly care services can give her someone to lean on not just for regular daily tasks, but also for maintaining what she needs to do for her health.

Talk to your senior about her goals during this stage of her life. There might be more that she wants to accomplish than you realize, and working together with elderly care services can help her to achieve those plans.

What Are the Three Most Important Technological Devices to Install in Your Mom’s Home?

Posted on by Craig Bass

It’s difficult knowing your mom is home alone all day and night. When you can’t be there, you may wonder if she’s gotten out of bed and showered okay. Has she eaten? Is she doing okay? With today’s technology, there are ways to help keep your mom safe. Here are three technological devices to install in your mom’s home.

Security Cameras

Place security cameras in high-traffic areas of your mom’s house. Place a camera pointing in areas where she’s most likely to fall and that gets a lot of foot traffic, such as the living room or kitchen. Scan the cameras periodically through the week to make sure she’s out of bed, dressed, and doing okay.

Video Doorbell

Do you worry about strangers going to the door and scamming your mom? With a video doorbell that won’t happen. You get an alert if someone’s at the door. With the app and two-way radio, you can talk to the person at the door. If it’s a valid visitor, such as the HVAC technician scheduled to clean the furnace, you can direct your mom to let that technician in. If it’s not, you can tell her to keep the door locked and direct the person to leave.

Voice Assistants

Have you seen the latest Amazon Alexa ad where a grandson gets his grandfather an Alexa Show? The grandfather doesn’t seem especially thrilled at first. The grandson sets a reminder so that Alexa will tell his grandfather when to eat his favorite dessert. Fast forward and the grandfather is happily using Alexa to play the same song his grandson was singing.

Voice assistants are handy tools for so many reasons. They offer reminders like when to take medications, what is on the daily schedule, or where your mom put her purse or another item of value. They can play music, read books, news, or recipes, and look up any fact that’s needed. They can also play games with you, turn on the lights in different rooms, and find a movie or show to watch.

Don’t rely on technology alone to help your mom age in place. Pair the recommended devices with regular visits from a home care agency. Technology is no substitute for another person’s care. Your mom will have a home care aide to laugh with, talk to, and run errands with. Call now to arrange home care services.

IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HOME CARE IN YOUNGTOWN, AZ, CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE. CALL TODAY (623) 748-3301.