Often the idea of senior caregiving falls to family members who are beginning to recognize a need in their loved ones. But the process of making these caregiving decisions just isn’t easy on any family but with thorough research and careful planning, the right decision can be made. Here are some tips to help families through their journey towards caregiving.

1. Talk about it – while family might believe a senior requires home care assistance, their elderly loved one might not feel the same. Talking about it gently is essential, and not all seniors are likely to simply accept the suggestion of help. A family counselor can intervene if necessary.

2. List the help needed – talk together and determine specific things that a senior care provider like Home Care Houston could assist with. Whether it’s grocery shopping, help with bathing and dressing, or other tasks.

3. Do research – talk to friends and family about home care agencies they’d recommend, but during that process as costs are addressed, it’s also essential that any funding or insurance coverage that may be available is investigated

4. Don’t jump into a decision – even once a specific agency is narrowed down, it’s okay to interview them and ask questions about their history and their policies. Ask if they’ll spend time with the senior first to assess comfort level, and also verify that a replacement caregiver will be provided if one doesn’t work out

Via: The Family Caregiver

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

These days, “nursing home” has become a dirty word amongst the senior community. Seniors want to live independently, in their own homes and play by their own rules. All things that nursing homes do not offer, despite the fact that they can address medical needs and provide assistance with activities of daily living. Assisted living facilities often get grouped into the same category, but they offer many of the things that make nursing homes undesirable with the following services:

1. Living independently – seniors in ALFs are often in one-bedroom or studio apartment buildings, so they have the privacy and independence that they require

2. Safety is offered – ALF apartments anticipate the safety needs of seniors and ensure that they include grab bars, ramps and other essential safety devices. Supervisors are always available to respond to emergencies

3. Seniors don’t need to worry about home maintenance – cleaning services, including laundry can be provided by ALF

4. Activity of daily living services are offered – bathing, dressing, and medication reminders can be provided. There are also special facilities for those who suffer with Alzheimer’s and dementia and designated services

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Whether you’re a family caregiver or a professional one hired to provide senior care, your primary concern should always be to provide a safe and secure environment for the senior in your care. Don’t just do the bare minimum, do everything that you can to ensure that they are well protected and address concerns in the following areas:

1. Install nightlights – lighting in a senior’s home is crucial for preventing accidents and nightfright. Installing nightlights which have sensors to go on when seniors get up in the night can also improve safety, and are a simple and inexpensive addition to any home

2. Suggest a lifeline – since caregivers are not always there around the clock, a lifeline, or an emergency device that will contact a loved one or emergency help can make sure that seniors receive help when needed

3. Put lights on timers – suggesting lights on timers inside or outside the home can help ensure there is adequate lighting at all times, and it also adds an element of security in the evening hours when seniors are home alone, and helps to conserve electricity

4. Remove hazards – if seniors do have caregiving help 24/7, caregivers should ensure the environment is safe for seniors to get around while on their own. Removing tripping hazards like throw rugs and poorly placed furniture will reduce the likelihood of accidents. Sturdy grab bars can also be placed in bathrooms and along stairwells for added stability

5. Talk to family members – caregivers can also speak to family members about their concerns, and address them specifically, making the home environment safer to put everyone’s minds at ease

The above are some suggestions of what should be included in any home care franchise service for the success of the business, but of course, specific services will depend upon the client, so hiring caregivers that are perceptive to senior’s needs is crucial to franchise well-being.

Sources:

1. Home Instead Senior Care

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Choosing to bring a caregiver into the home of someone you love is a big decision. It’s hard to trust someone else to take proper care of someone that means so much to you. But with Home Instead Senior Care, all caregivers are thoroughly screened and trained, so you never need to worry about leaving your senior in the hands of our caregivers. To ease your mind, here are some details about how we select our Houston caregivers and the training aspects that are focused upon:

The traits of  Home Instead Senior Caregivers:

• Dependability - work history and employment reference checks are completed for all staff members
• Honesty - drug test and background checks are completed by HISC
• Experience – personal or professional experience in the senior care industry or dealing with senior citizens is considered
• Compassion – a sense of compassion for giving seniors a better quality of life is looked for during the interview process
• Motivation – someone who is motivated in everything they do is better suited to ensuring that seniors are provided the highest quality of care

HISC also has a Caregiver Leadership Training Program that focuses on creating a fantastic caregiver experience by focusing on the following elements:

• Treating CAREGivers with dignity and respect
• Nurturing positive relationships
• Showing appreciation
• Humanizing and professionalizing the caregiving journey
• Connecting CAREGivers to Home Instead, its mission and other CAREGivers
• Dealing with issues openly and honestly.

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.

Families in Houston all struggle with the decision of when it’s the right time to get help for an aging relative. No one wants to admit that someone they love is getting older, because that brings them face to face with the concept of mortality and the idea that the important person in their life might not be part of it for much longer. However, by suggesting home care when the time seems right, families can give their loved ones the benefit of safety and health in their own homes. There is no definite equation for when it’s the right time for home care, but some ideal situations can be used as signs that it might be time to start talking about it.

Situations when Home Care is Ideal

• Seniors who struggle with Activities of Daily Living – seniors who struggle with dressing, bathing, preparing meals, taking their medications, or keeping up with chores around the home are ideal candidates for in-home senior care

• Seniors with declining mobility – seniors who are having changes with their balance and mobility may be at a greater risk of falling or having an accident in the home when trying to perform ADLs . By hiring a caregiver, safety issues can be addressed and prevented through additional help

• Seniors who have had to give up driving – seniors who no longer drive for whatever reason, would greatly benefit from the help of a caregiver who can take them to run errands or to appointments

• Seniors who don’t have family nearby – seniors who have the above problems but do not have family nearby to help them can benefit from in home care when there’s no one else out there to help them

• Seniors who have come out of the hospital or rehab – after seniors have been released from the hospital or rehab program and are in recovery, it’s better for seniors to have the help of a caregiver so they don’t put too much of a burden on their bodies by trying to care for themselves or their homes

• Seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia – safety may be an issue for seniors who struggle with their memories

Sources:

1. Elder Issues

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.

Since family caregiving is so common today, with more seniors and their families opting for home care instead of traditional nursing home care, people often fail to see the risks that can come with it due to improper training in senior care techniques. Although agencies like Home Instead Senior Care in Houston don’t provide medical care, they are better trained than most family caregivers. Professionals are well versed in caregiving techniques, home safety, and specific care for Alzheimer’s, and they are trained to identify potential signs of illness.

When family caregivers are selected over professional senior caregivers, there are a number of risks that can be presented to the health and safety of a senior. Their homes may be ill-equipped for their level of physical mobility, and safety hazards in the home may be left unidentified, leaving more room for in-home accidents. When helping seniors with mobility around the home, family caregivers may not be aware of proper techniques for lifting or moving seniors, which could potentially put the senior at risk of injury. Very few home caregivers think they need to know CPR, believing that help is only a phone call away; while this might be true, training in basic first aid is essential, and this is a reassurance that can be provided by Home Instead Senior Care’s professional non-medical caregivers.

Sources:

1. Seniors Daily
2. Home Instead Senior Care

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.

I pride myself on being an organized and disciplined person, but when my dad had a fall in his home and spent some time at a Houston hospital, then a rehabilitation facility, that all fell apart. I had thought that in a crisis situation, I would be able to take control and take care of all of his needs to ensure that he was comfortable and safe when he came home from the hospital, but when the day came for his release, I was nowhere near ready. The thought hadn’t even entered my mind that there were things I’d need to do, until the day before his release when a doctor asked me if arrangements had been made to help my dad out at home, and suddenly I realized I hadn’t done a thing. In panic mode, not wanting my dad to return to a disorganized house that would compromise his safety and his recovery, I asked the doctor if there was anyone to help. He recommended me to a Houston senior home care agency that would be able to make all the arrangements for my dad.

The morning my dad was set to return from the hospital, a caregiver had come into his home, restocked his fridge and pantry, and tidied up all of the dirty dishes and other messes that had been left behind. When I walked in with my dad, I was so impressed at how quickly the arrangements had been made, so all dad and I needed to focus on was his recovery!

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.

While there has been a long-standing misconception that the best place to provide care for a Houston senior suffering from Alzheimer’s is in a nursing home or assisted living facility, the reality is that not only would these seniors prefer to stay in their own homes, they receive greater benefits by living in a familiar environment. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming, and require you to make sacrifices in your work and family life in order to keep up with the senior’s growing needs. However, there are other options available to help keep seniors with Alzheimer’s living with some level of independence in their own home environments.

Home Instead Senior Care offers home care services which can help seniors deal with the areas of daily living that they struggle with, or with tasks where safety may be an issue due to the Alzheimer’s or dementia. Caregivers can help seniors with dressing, cooking, cleaning and more to preserve their safety and ensure their needs are being met. For those seniors who are suffering from more advanced Alzheimer’s and dementia, Home Instead Senior Care even have caregivers that are trained to deal with the specific needs presented by someone with Alzheimer’s, so families can rest assured that their elderly loved ones are receiving the highest level of care available.

Sources:

1. Web MD

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.

If you come from a close family and have maintained a healthy relationship with your adult siblings in Houston you may believe that nothing can break your relationship. However, that could all change when it comes time to start making decisions about the senior care of your aging parents. More often than not, when families come together to start discussing senior care, family conflict ensues which can create tension and tear the family apart, which also puts a great strain on the parent who may feel responsible even though they already have enough stresses to deal with.

Rather than allowing family fighting to continue, families can make family senior care meetings more amicable and productive with the help of a elder mediator, who can ensure that discussions take place without resulting in blows. As experts in senior care as well as communication, Houston seniors and their families will find that elder mediators can not only keep discussions on track, they can also provide invaluable resources; connecting seniors and their families with senior services that can improve the lives of all involved. With the help of an elder mediator, the role of each family member can be ironed out and even documented in writing to prevent the onset of future conflict.

Don’t let your family fight over senior care decisions; hire an elder mediator when it’s time to start talking about senior care to make sure your relationships survive, both for the sake of you and your siblings, and for the well-being of your elderly parent.

Sources:

1. Plan for Care
2. Mayo Clinic

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.

Q – I live near Houston and recently decided to leave my job in order to become a full-time caregiver for my aging mother. Is there anything I can do to prepare for the process of being a senior caregiver?

A – Being a family caregiver will be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences you will face in your life. To make the transition to caregiving easier, there are a number of things that you can do to ease the burden on the entire family.

• Talk to your mother about her expectations of you as a caregiver – what daily tasks does she feel she could use help with? What areas of her life would she prefer to manage independently (when possible) or with the assistance of a professional, rather than a family member?

• Determine what role your other siblings or family members will play in the care of your mother so that all expectations are predefined.

• Talk to your family and children about your changing role, so they understand what you are dealing with and try to help you through the process without becoming resentful over your shifting attentions in the beginning.

• Encourage your mother to get her affairs in order; including drafting a living will so you can ensure that her wishes for medical care are followed should she become incapacitated.

• Find local resources in Houston for information and caregiver support.

Sources:

1. Associated Content

2. Adsense Blog

Image: Cityofsalem.net

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Cypress, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.