New Jersey Senior Home Care Services:

5 Tips for Dealing with Caregiver Stress

Senior Home Care Services — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:23:50 +0000

Caregivers are not just those who care for someone with a disease like Alzheimer’s. A caregiver is anyone who cares for another person–be it a child, an ill spouse or an elderly relative. Being a caregiver can be overwhelming at times and it is important to be aware of the signs of caregiver stress: weight gain or loss, constantly feeling tired and a loss of interest in activities to name a few.

Here are five ways to deal with caregiver stress:

1. Ask for Help

Don’t be afraid to ask for help–neighbors or family members may be willing to help out once a week with errands or even helping care for your loved one while you have some time to yourself and get out of the house.

2. Be Educated

Use available resources to educate yourself on the condition of your loved one. The Alzheimer’s Association offers classes on caregiving and local hospitals may have programs specific to your loved one’s disease.

3. Make Time for Yourself

Being a caregiver is selfless. You have dedicated your time towards ensuring the health and comfort of someone else. In order to provide the best care for your loved one it is just as important to make time for yourself. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep, stay active and participate in an activity you enjoy–like exercising or reading.

4. Stay Social

Caregivers sometimes experience feelings of isolation. Continue to stay connected with friends and family who can act as a great support network for you. Make plans to get out of the house and enjoy time with friends.

5. Go to the Doctor

Your own health is just as important as the one you are caring for. Inform your doctor that you are a caregiver and express any concerns you have regarding your health.

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Home Safety Tips for Alzheimer’s Patients

Senior Home Care Services — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:15:19 +0000

This week is National Public Health Week and the theme is injury prevention. For individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, their living environment requires adaptation in order for them to remain safe. Living conditions should be continuously re-evaluated as an individual’s condition changes.

Here are some adjustments that can be made in the home to keep a person with Alzheimer’s safe:

Remove locks inside the house

Remove locks on bedroom and bathroom doors to prevent the person from locking themselves in the room.

Keep Vitamins, Pills, etc. Out of Sight

Remove pill bottles, vitamins, sweeteners and spice jars from kitchen counters and the kitchen table. Medications should be secured in a locked area.

Shut the Stove Off

Install a hidden gas valve or circuit breaker on the stove so that the person isn’t able to turn the stove on. You can also remove the knobs for the burners.

Avoid Clutter

Keeping the house tidy prevents confusion and danger. Recycle old newspapers and magazines and create clear walkways free of furniture or throw rugs that can be a tripping hazard.

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When Should Seniors Stop Driving?

Senior Home Care Services — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:07:23 +0000

Many seniors are resistant to give up their driver’s license. For some, giving up driving is a sign of losing independence. Avoid judging someone’s driving capabilities by their chronological age and instead consider the factors listed below to determine driving capability.

Here are factors to consider when assessing your loved one’s driving ability:

Vision

With age, the retina loses light sensitivity making driving in the dark increasingly dangerous as we age. Be sure to make regular visits to the eye doctor and consider limiting night time driving. To compensate for decreased peripheral vision, turn your head frequently.

Cognition

Even seniors who do not suffer from cognitive problems like dementia have slower reaction times and are less able to avoid distractions. Stay safe by allowing for more room between the car ahead of you, taking local roads that are familiar and reviewing your route ahead of time.

Fitness

Consider a driver’s level of physical activity when determining if they should be driving. Safe driving requires flexibility, strength and coordination. Walking for 20 minutes five times a week helps increase strength, flexibility and coordination.

Medication

Speak with your doctor about the prescriptions you take and any over the counter drugs or substances such as alcohol that could have interactions with your medications and cause side effects. If a medication you are taking is labeled “Do not operate heavy machinery,” let some one else drive.

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Take Advantage of Resources

AAA has a great website, seniordrivers.org, with lots of resources for the aging driver. The site offers a 5-minute crash risk test, a self-rating brochure, and a course that can be taken online or in person called the “Mature Driver Improvement Course.” These resources can help senior drivers and their families determine if it is still safe for them to drive.

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Beware of Scams Targeting Seniors

Senior Home Care Services — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:03:01 +0000

A recent news report about a scam targeting grandparents is a disturbing reminder of the creative scams con artists create in order to steal money from seniors. It is important for both caregivers and seniors to beware of these common scams. The average victim of imposter fraud in New Jersey lost $3,500.

Here are some common scams targeting seniors:

- The Grandparent Scam

In this recent scam the con artist calls grandparents on a distorted line pretending to be their college-aged grandson. The “grandson” says he is on a road trip with friends and got pulled over or arrested and needs money immediately.

- Contractor Capers

With the warm weather around the corner these scams can pop up more often. A contractor will tell a senior they need a repair on their house costing thousands of dollars or they have a great deal on driveway paving and will then do a sub-par job or never return to the house to do the job.

- Bogus Sweepstakes

Be wary of phone calls or emails claiming that you have won a large prize. The sweepstakes will require money be sent to claim the “prize.” Recently con artists have been using the names and phone numbers of legitimate government agencies in order to gain the trust of consumers.

Scam Protection Tip:

Protect Your Information on Social Media

Con artists are now using social media to obtain important personal information about people. Social media sites helped scammers using the Grandparent Scam to identify people who had grandsons. Con artists can easily collect information such as your birthday, job, education and friends and family if you are not careful about your privacy settings.

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Green Tips for Seniors

Senior Home Care Services — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:00:24 +0000

We’re bringing you tips on how seniors (and everyone else) can take small steps to make less of an impact on the environment. Many of our tips not only help the environment but also save money, which can be particularly important to seniors on a budget.

Don’t Flush!

Most people, especially seniors, accumulate old and expired medications in their medicine cabinet. Flushing old pills down the toilet can be harmful to our waterways. Instead, take old medicine to your local pharmacy where they will dispose of it in a manner that is safer for the environment.

Ditch the Car

If you’re travelling a short distance, consider walking or biking instead of driving. This is a great way for seniors, who are still physically able to walk or bike, to both help the environment and their own health! Also consider using the bus.

Seal it Up

Sealing and weather-stripping your windows will prevent heat or air conditioning from leaking outdoors and help reduce energy costs. In the winter, keep drapes open during the day to let in natural heat from the sun. In the summer, close drapes that face south, east and west during the afternoon to keep your house cooler.

Save Water

Replace a standard 4.5 gallon per minute (GPM) shower head with a 2.5 GPM shower head and you save 20,000 gallons of water a year and money on your water bill. The modification itself may cost as little as $5.

Four Heart Healthy Tips for Seniors

Senior Home Care Services — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:55:49 +0000

Exercise regularly.
No surprise here–exercise is an important component of heart health. Aim to get 30 minutes of aerobic activity per day. Try taking a brisk walk, biking, yoga or jogging.

Increase Fiber Intake.
Fiber helps to keep you feeling full while also preventing inflammation of the arteries. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts are all foods that are high in fiber.

Reduce Sodium Intake.
Sodium can cause blood pressure to elevate so keep your sodium intake to a minimum. Avoid processed foods that are often high in sodium and instead choose fruits, vegetables and other whole foods.

Drink in Moderation.
Drinking alcohol in moderation can help heart health by increasing good cholesterol. Limit one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for me. Remember that seniors can be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and should drink with caution.

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Tips for Communicating with Alzheimer’s Patients

Senior Home Care Services — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:29:16 +0000

Adjusting to communicating with an Alzheimer’s patient is a difficult experience. Alzheimer’s damages pathways in the brain and causes communication skills to erode. It is common for someone with Alzheimer’s to lose their train of thought, substitute one word for another or repeat questions and phrases over and over again.

Here are some tips for communicating with an Alzheimer’s patient:

Speak Clearly.

Speak slowly, using short sentences. Ask one question at a time and stick with simple questions, like those with yes or no answers.

Stay Positive.

Communicating with an Alzheimer’s patient can be frustrating but avoid showing this frustration. Keep the tone of your voice calm and stay upbeat. If you sound agitated or stern, the patient may mirror this.

Be Respectful.

It is important to treat an Alzheimer’s patient with respect. Speak to them like any other adult and avoid using belittling phrases like, “good girl.” Do not speak about your loved one as if they are not in the room.

Avoid Arguing.

Alzheimer’s patients experience a decline in their ability to reason and make judgments. Even if you are frustrated by your loved one’s behavior, remain calm and avoid arguing. Arguing will only lead to further agitation and stress.

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Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s

Senior Home Care Services — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:10:53 +0000

Memory loss is frightening and something all older adults will experience, to varying degrees. It is important to know what memory loss is expected to come with age and what the warning signs are of Alzheimer’s. We’ve adapted our list from the Alzheimer’s Association.

Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s:

Short-term Memory Loss

A common first sign of Alzheimer’s disease is forgetting new information. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s a person might forget important dates, names or appointments but then remember them later. They may ask the same question several times or rely on reminder notes that they once did not need to use.

Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks

Everyday tasks that were once familiar may now be challenging. Someone suffering from Alzheimer’s may need help with tasks like using the microwave or the TV. Alzheimer’s and dementia patients can have difficulty reading analog clocks. Read this article about a woman whose mother swore her analog watch wasn’t telling the time but that a digital watch was.

Increased Isolation

Someone suffering from Alzheimer’s may withdraw from social situations. They may decline invitations to social gatherings or forget how to complete activities associated with a hobby.

Change in Mood

Change in mood or personality can occur in Alzheimer’s patients. They may become increasingly irritable and/or exhibit signs of confusion, anger or fear.

Please remember, these warning signs are only for informational purposes. If you suspect a loved one is showing signs of Alzheimer’s, consult a doctor. We’ve adapted our tips from the Alzheimer’s Association’s 10 warning signs of the disease. Read their full list here.

Steps to Prevent and Cope with Hearing Loss

Senior Home Care Services — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:06:26 +0000

Hearing loss can be disorienting and isolating. Seniors experiencing hearing loss may not want to admit what they are going through for fear of losing independence. Some signs of hearing loss include: responses to questions that do not make sense, withdrawing from or avoiding social situations, watching TV at a very high volume or not hearing the doorbell.

Here are some tips for maintaining ear health and coping with the hearing loss of a loved one:

Get a yearly physical. Seniors often go to doctors in specialized fields, overlooking a yearly physical. Annual check-ups are important for preventing and identifying any health problems, so don’t overlook them.
Schedule a hearing test. A hearing test is important for seniors. The test identifies hearing problems, which sometimes seniors are not even aware of.
Continue to eat healthy and exercise. We all know a good diet and exercise helps our heart but staying healthy is important for maintaining all your senses. A healthy lifestyle increases focus and response, even for hearing.

Adjustments to make if hearing loss occurs:

Keep background noise to a minimum. Background noise is distracting, particularly when hearing is diminished. When speaking with a senior experiencing hearing difficulty, turn the TV and other distractions off when you are trying to have a conversation.
Speak clearly at a normal volume. Many people raise the volume of their voice when speaking to a senior but speaking louder and slower distorts the conversation even more for someone with hearing loss. Speak at a normal pace and volume, making moderate adjustments if needed.

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Ways to Reduce Fall Risks for Seniors

Senior Home Care Services — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:37:41 +0000

This past week in the news, the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society changed their guidelines to cite fall risk screening as part of regular healthcare for seniors. Falls can cause serious injury and one in three people aged 65 and older suffer a fall each yea. Anywhere from 20 – 30% of people who do fall suffer from moderate to severe injuries. Falls can have major impacts on seniors’ health and can also create a fear of falling, which limits physical activity, thus increasing the risk of another fall.

Here are some ways to help prevent falls:

Exercise Regularly. Regular exercise helps to maintain your strength and balance. Weight bearing exercises and Tai Chi are proven to prevent falls because they help improve balance.

Safeguard Your Home. Reduce tripping hazards, install grab bars in the bathroom and use nightlights to create lighted paths at night. Check out our blog post from August where we gave you more tips on making your home safe for seniors.

See the Eye Doctor. Make yearly check-ups at the eye doctor a priority. This ensures that seniors’ eyeglass prescriptions are up to date and their vision is as sharp as possible. Better vision helps to reduce trips and falls that occur because of vision problems.

Check Your Medications. Speak with your pharmacist about the current prescription and over-the-counter medications you are taking. Determine if any have side effects of dizziness or drowsiness that may increase the risk of a fall.

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