Regardless of whether or not you love your job, the workplace can, at times, be stressful. Now consider how stressful it can be for those who have a second full-time job taking care of an older or disabled family member. For many family caregivers, balancing caregiving and a career can be virtually impossible, along with taking care of a home and family, and caring for an older loved one, which…
Family Caregiver Tips: Practicing Self Care
We plan for our careers. We plan to purchase a home. We plan for a family. However, life often has other plans and throws unanticipated curveballs. Taking care of an aging parent is often not a role most people plan for, and many are unaware of the financial burden, the amount of time required to provide that care, and the emotional toll it can take. Luckily, there are a few…
Reducing Hospital Readmissions in Seniors
There is presently a top priority for hospitals: reducing hospital readmissions in seniors who are at high risk. Healthcare Financial Management Association’s article “Two Ways Hospitals Can Reduce Avoidable Readmissions” explains that successful initiatives from a sampling of hospitals with minimal 30-day rehospitalizations are, to some degree, the result of participating with inpatient and outpatient care providers, such as Advanced Home Health Care, who can provide a continuum of care.
Holiday Safety for Seniors – Avoiding Emergency Room Visits
Although of course we’d love to visualize enjoying a Norman Rockwell-worthy holiday gathering, with all of our family members spending quality time together and Mom’s traditional holiday feast, the reality for numerous family gatherings instead can consist of something unanticipated: an E/R visit. In fact, research shows that E/R visits for seniors rise about 10 – 20% over the holiday season. That’s why it’s so important to take holiday safety…
Home Modifications to Help Seniors Impacted by Reduced or Low Vision
Among all of our senses, our vision is probably the one for which we’re most grateful. So much of our life’s experiences are a result of the things we notice in the world around us. Our sight also safeguards us from a variety of risks. Reduced or low vision can make it more problematic to avoid the dangers and barriers we come across, both within and outside of the home.
Post-Holiday Let-Down: Tips to Combat Loneliness in the Elderly
The holidays can be filled with a whirlwind of busyness for the seniors we love, with family get-togethers, holiday parties, faith-based events and services, and deciding on the best gifts for the ones they love. Yet after the ornaments are packed away and families have resumed the daily busyness of life, many seniors encounter a typical but little-discussed concern: post-holiday loneliness.
Aging in Place – Is Staying at Home an Option?
We all face a number of critical crossroads in life, when decisions we make will result in far-reaching effects. The career we choose. Who (or whether) to marry. Whether or not to have children. And as we age, another life-changing decision needs to be made: should we move into an assisted living environment so that we have the level of care needed during our years of aging? Or is aging…
The Questions to Ask Before Taking Care of Elderly Parents in Your Own Home
One of the more honorable actions adult children can make is to start taking care of elderly parents in their own home. Our parents took care of us when we were little, so it seems fair to reciprocate when it becomes dangerous for Mom or Dad to live on their own. But there are a number of points to talk through with your sisters and brothers before making this step….
Best Ways for Dealing with Siblings and Elderly Parents with Care Needs at Home
When we were young, we figured out how to share toys and games as well as the attention of our parents. Those same feelings likely carry with us well into the adult years. As nice as it is to have brothers and sisters, there also are times it can bring about heightened stress levels, such as when meeting care needs at home for aging parents. While loving each other and…
Learn How to Recognize the Signs of Elder Care Abuse
While it goes without saying that abusing an older adult is something that would never even occur to most people, it’s a tragically typical occurrence in the U.S. Elder care abuse happens in many ways, from emotional to physical, and it affects the most frail and vulnerable among us. Considering that elder care abuse is typically a voiceless problem, it’s crucial for families and friends of older individuals to be…