Elderly in home care can cause caregiver stress.Caregivers are expected to be strong and healthy, but what happens if the caregiver gets sick? As the Marketing Officer of a web based business that assists families to find care for their loved ones, I can always tell when a caregiver who is calling is at a breaking point. Their voices are very stressed amd they are almost in a panic. Often, as they describe their situation, I can hear the tears welling up inside of them. unfortunately, some people wait too long and the stress of being a caregiver has already taken its toll, but it does not have to be that way.
If you are the primary caregiver of a person with Alzheimer's,dementia,or other serious illness, you need to be very careful not to let the situation overwhelm you. While this sounds easier said than done, there are steps you can take to prevent burnout. Here are a few points that can help.
1.Look for help.Allow others to help and don't feel that you have to be the one to do everything. There are numerous ways to get help for your loved one depending on your needs,location and financial situation. Here are a few:
a.Contact the Office on Aging and ask about respite programs. Most counties have programs that will pay for a limited number of hours of home care services, free of charge. These types of programs are designed to give you a break and allow you to get out of the house.
b.If your loved one qualifies for Medicaid, there may be programs available which would pay for either home care or adult day care services.
c.If your loved one has a serious illness, consider using hospice. You don't have to wait until the illness is at the ends stages to get help.
d.Ask relative or close friends to help you out.
2.Get some exercise.Exercse can help you reduce stress, keep your body strong, strengthen your immune system and simply make you feel good. Some of the best exercises are walking or biking. These are easy to do, get your heart rate into the aerobic zone, burn calories and give you a chance to clear your head. Some excellent mind/body exercises include yoga, tai chi and Qi gong. Make time to exercise and you will reap the rewards.
3.Eat well.Like exercise, eating a well balanced diet helps you feel good, helps avoid being sick and gives you the energy you need to be a caregiver.
4.Learn relaxation techniques.Deep breathing, meditation and some of the mind/body exercises mentioned above can be tremendously helpful. An easy breathing technique is to inhale through your nose for a count of four,filling your belly with air, not your chest.Hold your breath for a count of seven and then exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.This can really help calm the nerves when practiced regularly.
5.Get an adequate amount of sleep.The fastest way to get run down is never getting enough sleep. If you find you are caring for your loved one at night, try to hire a person for overnight if this is possible. If you have siblings, ask them to chip in financially if they are not able to share some of the actual hands-on care.
While it can be very difficult to do many of the suggestions listed above, you must understant that if you get run down and sick, the problem is greatly magnified. You must be firm in demanding time to care for yourself and most importantly, you must not feel guilty. You are doing a great and honorable thing by being a caregiver, but it must not completely take over your life.
If you don't know where to turn, consider hiring a professional geriatric care manager. While they can be a bit costly, it is often money well spent, as their years of experience are focused on helping seniors and their families when in nee
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Affordable Homecare Resources
According to the Census Burea, the United States population of 65 and older will more than double by 2050, rising from 39 million today to 89 million. An association of retired persons' study shows that 84% of Americans want to stay at home as long as possible. But now more than ever, today's economy necessitates creativity when seeking affordable home care.
A good first step for many, especially those seniors that don't have family nearby for assistance, is to seek the advise of a case manager. A case manager is a professional whose role is to act as an advocate and help seniors and their families coordinate care needed.
Your local Office on Aging is a valuable resource. Each county operates its own office and is operated through state funding and offers information and programs to individuals over the age of 60. Information is available on a variety of programs and services for seniors, many at no cost. Some counties have grants that are awarded to qualifying seniors to pay for home care services.
Check with your local hospice agencies. Most people associate hospice with end of life care only. Hospice agencies now offer their services to chronically ill patients as well, thereby lengthening the amount of time services can be rendered. Additionally, hospice services can be utilized in conjunction with other agencies in order to have as much care as possible for the least out of pocket expense. Hospice also offers a volunteer as part of their services that can assist at no charge.
Speak with your local religious based organizations (church or synagogue). Many churches and religious organizations offer assistance to their senior members at low or no cost.
Go online to a website called Benefits Check Up. This is an online screening tool that helps seniors locate federal, state and local benefits programs for which they may be eligible.
Comparative shop your local home care agencies. Talk with local agencies to find the best priced/valued services. Look for any agency that doesn't require a long term commitment.
Consider live-in caregiver instead of having several different shifts throughout the day. This is usually a more economical form of home care and it reduces the number of people coming in and out of your home.
A good first step for many, especially those seniors that don't have family nearby for assistance, is to seek the advise of a case manager. A case manager is a professional whose role is to act as an advocate and help seniors and their families coordinate care needed.
Your local Office on Aging is a valuable resource. Each county operates its own office and is operated through state funding and offers information and programs to individuals over the age of 60. Information is available on a variety of programs and services for seniors, many at no cost. Some counties have grants that are awarded to qualifying seniors to pay for home care services.
Check with your local hospice agencies. Most people associate hospice with end of life care only. Hospice agencies now offer their services to chronically ill patients as well, thereby lengthening the amount of time services can be rendered. Additionally, hospice services can be utilized in conjunction with other agencies in order to have as much care as possible for the least out of pocket expense. Hospice also offers a volunteer as part of their services that can assist at no charge.
Speak with your local religious based organizations (church or synagogue). Many churches and religious organizations offer assistance to their senior members at low or no cost.
Go online to a website called Benefits Check Up. This is an online screening tool that helps seniors locate federal, state and local benefits programs for which they may be eligible.
Comparative shop your local home care agencies. Talk with local agencies to find the best priced/valued services. Look for any agency that doesn't require a long term commitment.
Consider live-in caregiver instead of having several different shifts throughout the day. This is usually a more economical form of home care and it reduces the number of people coming in and out of your home.
Using Home Care for a Loved One - 15 Good Reasons
hat is widely viewed as the best and most viable delivery of health care in America? Infirmed and elderly individuals have been found to prefer home care by 90 percent over comparable institutional care.
What are some of the reasons for home care? This article counts the ways:
1. Home care is delivered, as you would expect, at home. Dorothy said it best: “There’s no place like home.” Certainly, this is a statement that most people would wholeheartedly agree with. There is nothing like the comfort and familiarity of being cared for in the comfort and familiarity of one’s own home.
2. Home care helps keep families together. Compare this to taking an elderly person away from their loved ones. At no time is family more important than during times of illness.
3. Home care helps seniors maintain their independence. Home care allows seniors to continue to live in the place they function best – their home.
4. Home care prevents or puts off institutional life. Living in a long-term care facility is unfamiliar and can often be intimidating. Most people prefer postponing the inevitable as long as possible.
5. Home care helps promote healing. Medical evidence shows that people recover more quickly at home.
6. Home care is safer. There is no secret that people pick up infections and other complications when they live amid a chronically ill population (such as in a hospital or long-term care facility). This is obviously not the case when cared for at home.
7. Home care means personalized care. Care becomes a one-to-one proposition in the home. You get this nowhere else.
8. Home care often gets the entire family involved in providing care. Immediate and extended family members often take an active role at different times of the day.
9. Home care reduces the stress that often accompanies illness. Illness increases anxiety and stress, but it’s not nearly as great when care is practiced in the home.
10. Home care is the most effective form of health care delivered in terms of customer satisfaction. It all comes back to the fact that people prefer to be at home.
11. Home care is delivered by a special group of people. People don’t work in the home care industry for the money. They do it for the emotional satisfaction of helping others and for making a difference in the life of another.
12. Home care extends life. Studies by nursing schools and government agencies have found that home care extends life. Visits by home care personnel often provide spiritual as well as medical support.
13. Home care improves one’s quality of life. For most people, the quality of their life is far better at home than anywhere else.
14. Home care is less expensive than other forms of care. The cost of home care is always less expensive than hospitalization and almost always more affordable than nursing home or assisted living care.
15. Technology will make home care even more desirable in the future. Medical and technological advances will soon make it possible to diagnose, monitor and treat illness at a distance. This will help make home care even more of a preferred option.
Home care, unlike in the past, is no longer a well-kept secret. There are, after all, at least 15 good reasons for considering home care for a parent, spouse or other loved one. Please call us today so we can assist you with your home care needs.
Aging, Elder Care, and Senior Retirement Centers
There was a time, not that long ago, when a senior citizen could plan on living with an adult child as the years took their relentless toll. Now senior retirement centers are popping up seemingly everywhere.
It's a good idea to take a look at why these changes are taking place and how each of us can best fit into this new pattern of elder care.
The most glaring difference today is the prevalence of working women. Even a few decades ago, a full-time homemaker often had the time and energy to care for an aging parent in her own residence. Many homes boasted a "mother-in-law" apartment in the basement, over the garage of somewhere else on the premises. In many economic, social and religious groups it was a matter of pride to "care for one's own". In addition, there were few really appealing options beyond that ethic.
The reason there are so many senior retirement centers today is not just the lack of wives at home to take on the responsibility of geriatric care, there is also a preference surfacing in the seniors themselves. No matter how welcoming the environment is, a private home usually doesn't offer the stimulation and peer relationships that the new senior retirement centers are providing. Many seniors frankly want to choose their own support-oriented residence.
If incomes are high enough, savings are adequate or HUD and Medicaid benefits are available, it can be a win/win situation. Full calendars and new friendships can replace the isolation that living in another person's home can produce. Even the most loving adult child is usually busy with the demands of a full life of his/her own. What can ensue is mutual independence.
Not all senior retirement centers are supportive. Careful investigation needs to be done to find a match. However, the rewards that come from putting some serious time and effort into the search can be great.
As this cultural change develops, a surprising factor is surfacing. At one time, the dread of making such arrangements kept seniors from moving on until it was absolutely necessary. What we are starting to observe is a trend involving seniors moving into these new facilities earlier out of choice. Enthusiasm is replacing fear and years of active, support-oriented living can be the unexpected bonus.
Those who doubt the wisdom of selling their homes and moving into a senior retirement center are visiting friends who have made just such a choice. They often find that the pros outweigh the cons. As the new centers appear, competition is emerging and the units, amenities and perks become increasingly attractive. It's getting to be a "don't knock it if you haven't tried it" situation with positive results
It's a good idea to take a look at why these changes are taking place and how each of us can best fit into this new pattern of elder care.
The most glaring difference today is the prevalence of working women. Even a few decades ago, a full-time homemaker often had the time and energy to care for an aging parent in her own residence. Many homes boasted a "mother-in-law" apartment in the basement, over the garage of somewhere else on the premises. In many economic, social and religious groups it was a matter of pride to "care for one's own". In addition, there were few really appealing options beyond that ethic.
The reason there are so many senior retirement centers today is not just the lack of wives at home to take on the responsibility of geriatric care, there is also a preference surfacing in the seniors themselves. No matter how welcoming the environment is, a private home usually doesn't offer the stimulation and peer relationships that the new senior retirement centers are providing. Many seniors frankly want to choose their own support-oriented residence.
If incomes are high enough, savings are adequate or HUD and Medicaid benefits are available, it can be a win/win situation. Full calendars and new friendships can replace the isolation that living in another person's home can produce. Even the most loving adult child is usually busy with the demands of a full life of his/her own. What can ensue is mutual independence.
Not all senior retirement centers are supportive. Careful investigation needs to be done to find a match. However, the rewards that come from putting some serious time and effort into the search can be great.
As this cultural change develops, a surprising factor is surfacing. At one time, the dread of making such arrangements kept seniors from moving on until it was absolutely necessary. What we are starting to observe is a trend involving seniors moving into these new facilities earlier out of choice. Enthusiasm is replacing fear and years of active, support-oriented living can be the unexpected bonus.
Those who doubt the wisdom of selling their homes and moving into a senior retirement center are visiting friends who have made just such a choice. They often find that the pros outweigh the cons. As the new centers appear, competition is emerging and the units, amenities and perks become increasingly attractive. It's getting to be a "don't knock it if you haven't tried it" situation with positive results
Planning For Aging Parents
Most parents do not want to burden their children when it comes to care in their later years, other parents expect their children to care for them. The best way to balance these expectations is to discuss options for long term care long before the care is needed and to make financial plans now to cover needed expenses.
For example, parents can live in the home of the children or vice versa. What modifications would need to occur to make this necessary? Adding a separate apartment with a separate entrance? Remodeling a basement? Installing a wheelchair ramp? A walk in shower? If living together is an agreed upon plan, a budget should be established for remodeling costs and money set aside now. Assume costs anywhere from minor modifications of several thousand dollars to an addition costing $40,000 and up.
Other options are the obvious ones: in home care, assisted living, nursing homes and other care centers. Review the costs. The average cost for in home care is $20 per hour; assuming 3 hours per day 7 days a week, this equates to about $1,680 per month or $20,160 per year. The national average monthly rate for assisted living is $2,500 or $30,000 per year. A nursing home averages $172 per day or $62,800 per year.
Reverse mortgages are also another option to pay for home care. In simple terms, this is a loan on the equity of the home that is repaid when the older adult passes away or moves out of the home. Payments to the older adults are made monthly or given in a lump sum to be used for home care, repairs and other proejcts.
Researching long term care insurance is an option for many children who are able to pay or share premium payments with their parents. Long term care insurance, depending on the policy purchased, can cover costs for adult day care, home care, assisted living and nursing homes. A premium of $1200-2400 per year depending on the policy and the age of the individual when purchased looks favorable versus $62,800 for one year in a nursing home.
Many believe that in retirement expenses decrease. For some yes, for others with multiple health complications, expenses increase. There are health insurance premiums, medications, medical supplies, hearing aids, etc. It all adds up. Make a resolution to discuss long term care planning with your spouse, your parents or your children and reduce worry about the future.
For example, parents can live in the home of the children or vice versa. What modifications would need to occur to make this necessary? Adding a separate apartment with a separate entrance? Remodeling a basement? Installing a wheelchair ramp? A walk in shower? If living together is an agreed upon plan, a budget should be established for remodeling costs and money set aside now. Assume costs anywhere from minor modifications of several thousand dollars to an addition costing $40,000 and up.
Other options are the obvious ones: in home care, assisted living, nursing homes and other care centers. Review the costs. The average cost for in home care is $20 per hour; assuming 3 hours per day 7 days a week, this equates to about $1,680 per month or $20,160 per year. The national average monthly rate for assisted living is $2,500 or $30,000 per year. A nursing home averages $172 per day or $62,800 per year.
Reverse mortgages are also another option to pay for home care. In simple terms, this is a loan on the equity of the home that is repaid when the older adult passes away or moves out of the home. Payments to the older adults are made monthly or given in a lump sum to be used for home care, repairs and other proejcts.
Researching long term care insurance is an option for many children who are able to pay or share premium payments with their parents. Long term care insurance, depending on the policy purchased, can cover costs for adult day care, home care, assisted living and nursing homes. A premium of $1200-2400 per year depending on the policy and the age of the individual when purchased looks favorable versus $62,800 for one year in a nursing home.
Many believe that in retirement expenses decrease. For some yes, for others with multiple health complications, expenses increase. There are health insurance premiums, medications, medical supplies, hearing aids, etc. It all adds up. Make a resolution to discuss long term care planning with your spouse, your parents or your children and reduce worry about the future.
Improving The Safety Of Your Home For Elderly Loved Ones
Everybody get old; it’s a simple fact of life that can be hard to face. The truth is that muscles and bones get weaker and the home can slowly become a dangerous place. However, making some minor modifications to keep your loved ones safe is a very easy process.
Improving safety indoors
You can’t always prevent falls, but there are many things that you can do to help prevent them. Here are a few ideas:
• Clear floors of clutter – The majority of falls come from having a messy house. Be sure to keep all floors clear. The less of a struggle is it to move around the home, the less chance of falling. Make sure things are within reach, as well.
• Well lit rooms – Just as important as important as having clear floors, make sure things are lit well enough so you can see that the floors are clear. Keep plenty of flashlights around for blackouts, too.
• Safety railings – Grab bars and safety railings can be installed all around the house. Be sure to fix them to the bathtub and next to the toilet. Bed railings can also help keep your loved ones from falling out of bed at night.
• Non-Slip mats – Place non-slip mats underneath rugs and be sure to use them in the bathtub and on stairs.
Improving safety outdoors
Being safe outdoors is just as important as being safe in your home, but there’s not as much you can do to prevent danger. Make sure you assist your loved one by holding their arm when walking. If any roads or sidewalks become wet or icy, be sure to salt or sand them. Using a cane for any uneven ground is also advised.
What to do if they do fall
Not all falls can be prevented, accidents happen. When they do, the first thing you should do is not panic. If you panic, you’ll cause your loved one to panic as well. If they’re not able to get up, cover them with a blanket until help arrives.
Overall, you can’t prevent every fall, accident, or slip. You can, however, prevent the majority of them. The home is the place your loved ones will probably spend the most time in, so it’s the first place you should start.
Improving safety indoors
You can’t always prevent falls, but there are many things that you can do to help prevent them. Here are a few ideas:
• Clear floors of clutter – The majority of falls come from having a messy house. Be sure to keep all floors clear. The less of a struggle is it to move around the home, the less chance of falling. Make sure things are within reach, as well.
• Well lit rooms – Just as important as important as having clear floors, make sure things are lit well enough so you can see that the floors are clear. Keep plenty of flashlights around for blackouts, too.
• Safety railings – Grab bars and safety railings can be installed all around the house. Be sure to fix them to the bathtub and next to the toilet. Bed railings can also help keep your loved ones from falling out of bed at night.
• Non-Slip mats – Place non-slip mats underneath rugs and be sure to use them in the bathtub and on stairs.
Improving safety outdoors
Being safe outdoors is just as important as being safe in your home, but there’s not as much you can do to prevent danger. Make sure you assist your loved one by holding their arm when walking. If any roads or sidewalks become wet or icy, be sure to salt or sand them. Using a cane for any uneven ground is also advised.
What to do if they do fall
Not all falls can be prevented, accidents happen. When they do, the first thing you should do is not panic. If you panic, you’ll cause your loved one to panic as well. If they’re not able to get up, cover them with a blanket until help arrives.
Overall, you can’t prevent every fall, accident, or slip. You can, however, prevent the majority of them. The home is the place your loved ones will probably spend the most time in, so it’s the first place you should start.
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