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The Balancing Act of Safety and Independence When Caring for Aging Parents
Caring for aging parents is a role many of us step into gradually, often without realizing the full scope of responsibilities until we’re in the thick of it. One day, they’re the ones reminding us to eat our vegetables and look both ways before crossing the street. The next, we’re gently nudging them to use
How to Handle Aggression and Agitation in a Loved One With Alzheimer’s
It’s one of the most heartbreaking aspects of dementia. The person who once greeted you with warmth and kindness now reacts with frustration or even anger. It’s confusing. It’s painful. And if you’re honest, when faced with aggression and agitation in a loved one with Alzheimer’s, it can feel like a personal attack. But it’s
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How to Help a Senior Lose Weight Safely and Effectively
Maintaining a healthy weight and BMI is so important for senior health. But as people age, losing weight can become more difficult. Nutrition and exercise needs change with age. Fewer calories are required daily, and it can be harder to burn them as well. Still, the regular rules of weight loss still apply. Seniors should:
Keep Cool with Indoor Summer Activities for Seniors
Summertime can be a fun time to enjoy the sun and being outdoors. But for older adults, the summer heat can also lead to issues such as dehydration and overheating. When the intense July heat makes us all want to stay indoors, how can older adults keep cool while still having fun? It’s possible to
Need a Flexible Career Option? Consider Caregiving!
A 9 to 5 work week is not for everyone. Many parents feel the need for something more flexible, especially when trying to balance their children’s schedules. Also, in recent years, more and more people have been choosing flexible careers to support the work-life balance they desire. Why? Flexible work offers people more freedom to
Is Someone You Love at Risk for Senior Depression?
Life is full of ups and downs. Each one impacts our mental wellbeing – for better or worse. When we are mentally healthy, life’s challenges may get us down for a period of time, but they are balanced out by positive experiences. When the difficulties of life become overwhelming, however, depression can develop – something
Try This Surprisingly Effective Dementia Care Tool: Laughter!
We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, and nothing feels better than enjoying a good laugh with friends. For people who have loved ones with dementia, however, the often challenging nature of the disease can seem like anything but a laughing matter. Still, humor is an essential part of dealing with stressful situations,
Combat Feelings of Caregiver Dread with These Helpful Tips
Family caregivers take on a huge responsibility when regularly helping a loved one with their physical and emotional needs. Caregiving is a selfless choice, but it can also be fraught with challenging emotions as the responsibilities of caring for an aging loved one wage on. Feelings of frustration, guilt, and caregiver dread are common, but
How to Provide the Best Dementia Care Through Journaling
Caring for a loved one who has dementia is often stressful. It can be challenging to understand and deal with difficult behaviors caused by dementia. Add in the daily stresses of work and family obligations, as well as the worries brought on by a global pandemic, and many family caregivers can feel lost and overwhelmed.
Implement a Daily Routine for Seniors to Kick Off the New Year
For older adults, a lack of structure can lead to a fear of the unknown. Seniors may also feel anxious due to changes in independence or physical or cognitive abilities. People managing Alzheimer’s, dementia, or a chronic health condition may feel especially anxious facing the day. With these conditions, it’s not uncommon for loved ones
The Holiday Gift You Can Give Yourself: A Career in Caregiving
The holidays are here, which means it’s gift-giving season. While you are contemplating what to get for friends and loved ones this year, don’t neglect a great gift for yourself – a new career! The COVID-19 pandemic caused many people to reevaluate both their personal and professional lives. Millions of Americans are leaving high-stress careers
Top Tips to Manage Osteoarthritis Pain
If the pain of osteoarthritis has you or a loved one feeling down, you’re not alone. Around 27 million Americans are living with osteoarthritis, making everyday tasks painful and challenging. Fortunately, there are lots of treatment options and steps you can take to ease your symptoms. Use these tips to help manage osteoarthritis pain and
The Unexpected Dangers of Pill Organizers and How Home Care Can Help
Medication usage is common among older adults. According to findings from a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, many people aged 60-79 are taking five or more prescription drugs daily, making it a challenge to keep track of multiple medications. Many seniors rely on pill organizers for medication management, but there are hidden dangers that
Effective Strategies to Minimize the Challenges of Incontinence in Dementia
Dementia creates significant changes in a senior loved one. Couple that with a sensitive issue like incontinence and providing care can begin to feel overwhelming. Incontinence is difficult enough to manage for older adults who do not have a cognitive impairment, however, it is even more challenging when a senior has dementia. Incontinence may be
Tips for Communicating with Seniors Experiencing Loss of Hearing
Loss of hearing is a common issue among older adults. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, around a third of people ages 65 to 74 have hearing loss and nearly half of those 75 and older have difficulty hearing. Hearing loss can come on gradually over time, or it can
Turn Your Compassion Into a Caregiving Career!
Do you have experience taking care of an older family member? Maybe you’ve helped your grandmother tidy up around the house and run errands, or provided transportation for her when she could no longer drive. Maybe you were there when a loved one was injured or recovering from surgery, or maybe you’ve provided assistance for
Technology Tools Increase Senior Independence
In the midst of the pandemic, our caregivers experienced firsthand the crucial pairing of seniors and technology to stay connected to family and friends. Now, as health and wellbeing continue to be our focus in caring for seniors, there are a number of tech tools that are incredibly beneficial for senior independence. We’ve provided details
Finding Purpose Later in Life: Seniors and A Sense of Meaning
A sense of purpose is essential to holistic wellbeing for all of us, but it’s particularly important for the seniors in our lives. An individual’s place in society and their responsibilities change as they age. Seniors sometimes struggle with transitioning into retirement or away from being a primary caregiver to children and grandchildren. Health concerns
When Counting Sheep Won’t Cut It: Six Tips for Better Senior Sleep
Good sleep habits are a cornerstone of health; however, sleep cycles change as we age. If you or a senior loved one has been struggling with sleep, you aren’t alone. The elderly are more likely to experience disruptions in their circadian rhythm or “internal clock” that make falling asleep and staying asleep more difficult. The
Creativity for Seniors: The Many Benefits of Music and Art
We’re well aware of the value of incorporating the arts into children’s education, but how about when we’re older? Art can play an integral role in learning for a lifetime, and activities to promote creativity for seniors is, in fact, some of the best types of activities to include in your senior care toolbox, with
When Sibling Conflict Arises: How to Best Care for Aging Parents
When we were growing up, we learned how to share both our toys and the attention of our parents with our siblings. It’s not surprising that the feelings connected with those memories can remain with us into our adult years. As wonderful and rewarding as it is to have brothers and sisters, there may be
Overcome Caregiver Guilt Once and for All
While many of us are juggling a variety of balls just to get through each day, for caregivers, it may seem more like juggling flaming swords and knives! It’s extremely common for family caregivers to feel overwhelmed, which can lead to feelings of caregiver guilt when things don’t go exactly as we wish they would.
How to Alleviate Loneliness After The Holidays
While the holidays are often a joyful time for seniors, once the decorations are packed away and loved ones have returned to their everyday, hectic lives, many older adults are at risk to sink into a time of loneliness after the holidays. Seniors who live alone are most susceptible to experiencing feelings of sadness and
Add These Stress-Reducing Recipes to Your Holiday Menu
While the holiday season certainly brings with it plenty of joy, it can also add stress, especially for busy family caregivers who already feel as if they’re stretched to the breaking point. The extra responsibilities of baking, shopping, attending family gatherings, and more can make it hard to experience a season that is calm and
Home Modifications for Aging at Home: Tips from Experts
Aging in place is the ability to stay in your home independently and comfortably, irrespective of your age, income, or ability level. With the increasing life expectancy, education level, work opportunities, and decreasing the poverty rate, more people are aging at home. Residential home modifications to suit the elderly are proliferating. The aging population now
Alzheimer’s Communication Techniques to Better Understand and Be Understood
When a senior is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, one of the key challenges both initially and as the disease progresses is the struggle to effectively communicate. While the disease affects a person’s speech, it also impacts his or her ability to find and use words correctly, as well as to
It’s a Guy Thing: Activities Perfectly Suited for Senior Men
For a number of senior men, who’ve dedicated their lives to working in a meaningful career, providing for family, and staying physically active, the mere thought a relaxing afternoon of crafting or bingo is, to say the least, unappealing. Coming up with engaging activities for older men begins with reviewing their life history to discover
The Flu Vaccine for Seniors: Separate Myth from Fact
Living through the COVID-19 pandemic opened our eyes to the dangers of microscopic, unseen organisms and the havoc they can wreak on all of us. It’s also helped us all to be more vigilant in taking necessary precautions and preventative measures to keep ourselves, and those we love, safe. This includes the flu vaccine for
Could It Be ALS?
Receiving a diagnosis of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) can raise a number of concerns and questions – for the person receiving the diagnosis, as well as his or her loved ones. What causes the disease? What symptoms can be expected now, and how will those symptoms change in time? Where do I turn for ALS
6 Tips for Male Mesothelioma Patients
Mesothelioma occurs in men 4 times more often than women. Researchers believe men develop mesothelioma more often because occupational asbestos exposure typically happens in male-dominated industries. Contact us today if you’re interested in a professional in-home caregiver in Tucson or nearby area to help with care for someone you love who has mesothelioma. 6 Health Tips for
Coming Home from the Hospital: How to Ensure a Safe Transition
Getting the green light that your older loved one is free to return home after a hospital stay brings such a feeling of relief, but at the same time, can raise a number of questions and concerns. Will there be restrictions in place as the senior recovers? What prescriptions will he or she need to
Find the Perfect Exercise for Any Age!
Exercise is a vital part of life for all of us, even, and particularly, as we grow older. Although it can be a challenge for seniors who are experiencing the impacts of aging, or who spend most of their time in a wheelchair, there are still countless ways to incorporate exercise for any age into