An In- Home Assessment by Your Local Home Care Agency Can Point Out Safety Issues in the Home

Aging brings with it not only mobility issues, but an increased susceptibility to falling and sustaining severe injuries. This means that it is absolutely critical that your aging loved ones live in a home that is as free from hazards as possible. It can be very difficult for you to detect the potential safety hazards in your parents’ home because you are so accustomed to that home. It is likely that your parents of lived in that home for the majority of your life, if not your entire life, and you are so used to the surroundings that you may not notice things that could pose a serious danger to your parents on a daily basis. This doesn’t mean that your negligence, or that you don’t care about the safety of your parents, it simply means that you are so used to your parents’ home in the way that you have navigated it over the years, that it may not occur to you that simple things that you just consider part of their home may be dangerous.

An in-home assessment by a local home care agency can be extremely enlightening in pointing out the safety hazards in your parents’ home. If you have noticed that your parents are coping with mobility or cognitive issues and you are concerned about their safety, or they insist on remaining at home throughout the course of their life, strongly consider having such an assessment done. During this assessment the home care agency will come into your parents’ home and evaluate it for its safety and usability. The representatives of the agency will point out to you in the areas of concern, and offer suggestions for how to modify these potential hazards to make the home safer and more functional for your parents.

Some of the things that a home care agency might notice during an in-home assessment include:

  • Furniture that is arranged in such a way that makes it difficult to get through the home
  • A bathroom that is not properly outfitted with slip resistant materials and handrails
  • Banisters that are not secure
  • Sidewalks and other walkways that are uneven
  • Porches and front steps that are not in good condition
  • Appliances that are not in good working order or that can be easily turned on accidentally
  • A lack of security measures such as locks or window bars
  • A lack of a home security system that includes monitoring

Having such an assessment will allow you to modify your parents’ home so that it is safe as possible, allowing them to remain in these surroundings throughout their lives. An in-home assessment by a home care agency can also be a fantastic start to a home care companion relationship. This assessment will allow the companion to get familiar with the home as well as with your parents.

When researching options for in home care agencies in Tucson, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an home care agency providing home care in Tucson AZ.

Activities that Home Care Companions Can Do with Seniors to Keep Them Happy and Healthy in Gilbert, AZ

There is an important distinction that needs to be made in regards to elder care. Home care companions are not nurses. This means that they are not around to keep your senior loved one tucked in their bed when they will occasionally be visited for vital signs to be taken and medication to be handed over. Quite the opposition, home care companions are there to make sure that your loved ones are living the happiest, most energetic, and healthiest life but they possibly can. This means, of course, taking care physical need such as bathing, dressing, grooming, nutritional support, and medication reminders, but they’re far more benefits to having a home care companion.

A home care companion is just what their title suggests, a companion. This means that she is there to offer emotional support, friendship, and anything that your seniors need in order to enjoy a high quality of life. One thing that a qualified and dedicated home care companion will do is plan fun activities to do with seniors that will keep their minds active and their bodies healthy. Filling their days with activities will give your senior loved ones more productive and happier lives.

Some of the fun activities that your home care companion can do with your loved one include:

Scrapbooking

Making a scrapbook is one of the most wonderful ways to encourage a senior to remember their lives and record their happiest memories. A scrapbook is a lasting way to recall the accomplishments, memories, and legacy of a senior. With your help, a home care companion can gather photographs, letters, and any other mementos that can be included in a scrapbook that will give your senior the opportunity to share stories and relive the happiest times in her life.

Cooking

If your senior once loved cooking but is now unable to prepare her own meals, she may greatly miss this activity. Home care companion can prepare meals and snacks with a senior so that she can continue to enjoy the activity of cooking while remaining safe. This is also a chance for home care companion to introduce lighter and better balanced nutrition than your senior may be used to. Good nutrition is key to health and well-being, and making your senior a part of the meal preparation will make them feel good about themselves and their independence.

Physical Activity

Many seniors with mobility issues feel that they are no longer capable of participating in any form of physical activity. Much to the opposite, even seniors with serious mobility issues can enjoy activities on a daily basis. This is fantastic for physical and emotional health, and can stave off medical concerns and lead to a happier, healthier, and longer life. A home care companion can bring a senior out for walks, bring them to senior exercise classes, or even just help them with exercises and activities right there own home. By making it fun, and home care companion make physical activity something that your senior will look forward to.

When researching options for home care agencies in Gilbert, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing home care in Gilbert, AZ.

Considering Home Care in Chandler, AZ after Visiting Aging Parents During the Holidays? What You Should Know

The holidays are such a bright and joyous time. You welcome your loved ones into your home, or visit them at their homes, and reconnect over the warm feelings and happiness that this season bring. The holidays, however, can also act as a magnifying glass through which the physical, cognitive, and medical needs of your aging loved ones can become incredibly obvious. Suddenly they are able to celebrate in the way that they once did. Maybe you noticed that they aren’t as actively participating in family traditions. Maybe your mother isn’t preparing the elaborate meal or a favorite dessert that she has every year. Maybe your father isn’t on the floor playing with the children, or outside arranging a family football game. Whatever it is that makes you feel that your parents need additional help, it is important that you don’t hesitate to get this help in place.

If you are considering home care after visiting your aging parents during the holidays, calling an agency for more information can help your mind at ease. The agency can offer you all the information that you need to make a confident and loving decision regarding the assistance of your parents. Here are some things that you should know about arranging home care for your aging parents:

• There is no one type of home care. That is the beauty of home care. It is absolutely personalized to the individual senior. Your parents will receive the level of care that they need, in the way that they need, and nothing else.

• A home care companion is not a nurse. She is not there to keep your parents constricted to bed or provide medical assistance and nothing else. She is there to be a companion.

• The companion means that she is there to encourage a productive, healthy, and happy life. She will help your parents run errands, take them on outings, help keep their house neat, do laundry, help prepare meals, play games, basically she will do whatever your parents need in order to feel comfortable and happy.

• Home care is an ideal complement to care that is provided by family members. A Home care companion can be there for just a couple of hours a day a few days a week if that’s all you need. You can also hire a live-in caregiver to provide assistance to your parents 24 hours a day seven days a week.

What’s really important to remember about home care for your aging parents is that through this type of care you are ensuring that your parents will be safe, happy, and healthy even if you are not available to be there all the time.

When researching options for home care agencies in Chandler, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing home care in Chandler, AZ.

Does Your Aging Loved One Need Elder Care? Home Care in Sun City West, AZ Can Help

It can be hard to watch as your vital, energetic parent ages and gradually needs more help with day-to-day living or with managing health concerns. When you start noticing changes, however, it is time for you to come together with your loved one to devise a care plan. Keeping your parent involved to the extent that he is capable will ensure that he feels in control and that you are aware of his wishes. You may be surprised learning your parent’s opinions about his own continued care, so it is important that you remain open to his opinions and willing to respect them as much as possible.

If you notice that your parent is experiencing any of the following, it may be time to consider a home elder care arrangement:

• An injury due to a fall or other accident and needs help during his recovery

• Mobility issues, particularly when going through daily activities such as getting out of bed, bathing, or walking

• Cognitive or memory problems that have become troublesome

• Regular non-compliance with his doctor’s medication or other treatment plan

• Sudden, unexplained weight loss

• Sudden lack of social involvement or an uncharacteristic change in personality

Home elder care does not have to be a permanent solution. Just because your parent reaches a particular age or has been diagnosed with a certain medical condition doesn’t mean that he can’t live a vibrant and productive life. Recovering from an illness or injury can be more difficult in older adults, however, and having a home care companion can make this recovering faster, easier, and more effective.

If you know that your aging parent needs permanent care but also know that he doesn’t want to go to an assisted living or nursing care facility, home elder care can provide you peace of mind. You want the absolute best for your elderly loved one, and home care agencies know this. They are dedicated to providing attentive, compassionate, and supportive care that goes far beyond just ensuring that your loved one takes his medication. For those that are coping with the effects of aging, the value of companionship should never be underestimated.

When researching options for home care agencies in Sun City West, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing home care in Sun City West, AZ.