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vision loss

New Technologies Provide Real Help for Those with Vision Loss

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Impacting millions of Americans, vision loss can be as varied as the individuals who experience it – from simply having to put on a pair of reading glasses to skim through the morning paper, to complete blindness. And it’s a lot more common in older adults, with one in every three senior citizens over age 65 experiencing some type of eye disease that affects vision, like glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, as well as others. Thankfully, as with a lot of other challenging conditions, technology continues to explode with choices to improve standard of living for people experiencing vision problems. Simply take a look at a few of the vision enhancement tools that are now available: Read more

Senior Care At Home: Preventing Falls

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preventing falls - companion care phoenix

Make sure there is enough room to get around the home without having to step around or over furniture or other items such as pet bowls, shoes, or general clutter.

As we age, even the place we know the best can become a hazard. If you are caring for an elderly loved one make sure their home is as well! Knowing what causes falls in the home can help you to prevent them so educate yourself and take steps to ensure that your loved ones are safe.

Always make sure the way is clear! Make sure there is enough room to get around the home without having to step around or over furniture or other items such as pet bowls, shoes, or general clutter. Make sure that all carpets are secure and remove any high pile throw rugs or rugs that are on slippery surfaces.

Clear out any cluttered areas! If the garage, laundry room, or other areas of the home have a high accumulation of clutter, consider re-organizing so that everything is off the floor. The more room your loved one has to walk, the better. While you are organizing, put the most used items in places that are easy to access, for example laundry detergent and other cleaning materials should be easy to reach without stooping or lifting them off high shelves.

Are there any steps in the home? Make sure any areas where climbing needs to occur, including getting into and out of bathtubs or showers, are equipped with grab bars or handles. Having something to hold on to makes getting places a lot easier. Consider the shower area itself as well. If there are no anti-slip features in the shower, buy a mat or have an anti-slip coating applied.

Consider their shoes! Always make sure that shoes fit properly and are easy to walk in. If their shoes are older, consider getting new shoes that have proper traction and support. If your loved one wears slippers around the house, make sure they stay on their feet without having to shuffle or adjust them constantly. If this is not the case consider buying new slippers or having them wear socks with their slippers to prevent them from falling off or slipping.

Another issue to watch out for are the side effects of any medication your loved one is taking. Many medications cause dizziness or light-headedness and could add to instability especially when standing up after sitting for long periods of time or when bending over. Discuss these side-effects with the person your caring for and make sure they take their time getting around the home.

All of these things can add to a senior’s feeling of independence, but it’s never a bad idea to lend a helping hand. Whether you need simple cleaning services or someone to help your loved one around the home, Endeavor Senior Care is the solution for you! Visit our website to learn more about our senior care at home or contact us to receive information about home care and companion care Phoenix and the surrounding areas trust.

Memory Care You can Use to Connect with Your Loved One

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memory care

Enjoying activities like painting, drawing, and playing music, can help strengthen memory.

When an older family member struggles with memory loss and dementia, we often lose the ability to communicate with them in a way that is satisfying to both of us. Although there is a caregiver in the home so we don’t worry about their safety or health, and we know that trained aides use memory care techniques to sustain our loved one’s cognitive abilities, we want to do something ourselves to hang onto the bond we have with our loved ones.

Trained workers use Reality Orientation, Fantasy Validation, Music and Art Therapy with other techniques to connect with elderly clients, but there are some things you can do too, using the same principles, to maintain the bond with your elderly family member. Playing music, making art and cooking together are all great ways to connect with loved ones who are limited in their communication. Besides that benefit, studies show that these therapies can reduce pain and discomfort in the elderly.

When you play songs from their youth, you stimulate memories that can foster your loved one’s ability to connect with you. They often reminisce, and you may even learn something about your past from engaging them at that level. Research also shows that the mind uses organization tasks to process the music and that can help people reinforce cognitive abilities. When you introduce rhythm and respond to it by moving or dancing with your loved one, you further tap into that organizational element.

Drawing, painting or coloring with an impaired elderly person enables connection by accessing emotions and pleasure areas that the person has trouble verbalizing. When language begins to slip away, emotions are still strong; drawing, using color and texture can activate those emotions and the memories that rise with them.

Even cooking with your loved one is a powerful tool. Food, in its preparation and in the eating of it, is so important to family life and to who we are as individuals( especially women). Simple recipes like scrambled eggs, cakes and cookies, even making a peanut butter sandwich together, can bring back those emotional memories of family that connect us to our loved ones.

For more information on how to enrich your loved one’s life, or to find out how a live-in aide can give you peace of mind,contact us. Together,as a team, we can keep your family ties stronger, longer.

Preparing a Senior to Accept In Home Care

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It is common for an aging adult to no longer be able to live alone in their home without assistance. Most people don’t want to admit their age is affecting them and that they need help. Often they fear losing independence if they acknowledge they need help. Some seniors may fear family members will remove them from their home and move them to an assisted living facility. In reality, in home care is a wonderful solution allowing a senior to maintain independence in their own home but providing the assistance needed to complete daily tasks.

in home care

Highlighting the positive aspects of in-home care will help ease the transition.

If you have a loved one who is showing signs that they can no longer live on their own, make sure you maintain frequent contact. This will allow you to monitor and assess the living situation to verify that you are correct in your evaluation. In addition, consider talking about the living arrangements with other family members to see if everyone has the same point of view. Make sure all family members are on the same page before you broach the subject with your loved one. This way when the elder discusses in home care with any family member the response will be consistent.

It is best to make your case that in home care is needed by providing specific examples. If your loved one is forgetting to take medications or having difficulty preparing meals express your concern for their well-being. Cite ways in which day to day life has become too difficult for the elder and how burdens can be eased with assistance. Highlight the ways in which the in home care will be helpful to your loved one. In addition, emphasize that in home care will provide companionship as well as assistance. For additional information about in home care for your loved one and how to prepare them to accept the assistance they need contact us.

Deciding if Care at Home is Right For Your Loved One

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Making decisions about an elderly loved one can be difficult.

There often comes a time when we must decide if our loved one might need a little extra care at home. One of the last things that we want is to take away our aging loved one’s independence. (S)he seems to be getting along fine on his/her own but you worry. So how do you decide if care at home is the right choice?

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself when making that decision:

Is your loved one getting all the care he/she needs when they need it?

Oftentimes, it is neccessary for an elderly person to be on a specific diet or certain medications. If you find that mom or dad is becoming forgetful when it comes to meeting specific criteria in his/her life it might be time to think about in-home care. A professional home care expert will make sure to remind your loved one to take any necessary medication and make sure he/she adheres to any diet restrictions.

Is housework becoming too difficult to handle?

If your loved ones’ home has turned from neat-as-a-pin to just falling short of a pig pen, it might be time to consider home care. An aging adult may find it more difficult to keep up with housework. There’s nothing worse than an aging loved one being too embarassed to have visitors because he/she can no longer keep up with household chores. An experienced home care expert can help bring pride back to your loved one and his/her home.

Are you worried when you are away from your loved one?

If you find yourself worrying about your loved one while you are away it may be time to consider care at home. Nobody can tend to someone 24 hours a day. It is exhausting and unrealistic. As the adult child, your life must go on and there’s a good chance that you have other responsibilities. If you have a job or a family of your own there’s a good chance that finding the time to check on mom or dad is challenging. Do you worry that your loved one is hindered with forgetfulness or has limited physical capabilities? If so, it is time to consider care at home.

Making decisions about an elderly loved one can be difficult. If you are faced with tough decisions about your aging loved one we can help ease your mind. To talk more about this, or anything else, please Contact Us.

Memory Care: Stage One of Alzheimer’s Disease

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memory care calendar

Using a calendar that’s visible helps people with memory issues feel more comfortable

Alzheimer’s Disease typically follows recognizable patterns in its progression. In each of its three stages, there are specific behaviors and symptoms that are considered “normal.” It is helpful to know these stages as a caregiver so you can make the best decisions for the memory care of your loved one.

If your family member is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, he is in Stage One that typically lasts for two to four years.

Symptoms and how you can help:

  • Time or place disorientation—Avoid arguing and don’t correct your loved one all the time. Offer a gentle reminder of where you are and what is going on.
  • Short-term memory loss—Consider using a board of some sort that shows the day of the week and date. You can place appointment reminders here, too. Also, use this area to keep glasses, keys, and other things used on a daily basis.
  • Lack of energy—Encourage naps each day during appropriate times.
  • Hard time concentrating—Don’t expect the Alzheimer’s patient to focus on a task for longer than 20 minutes.
  • Short tempered, rage, over-reaction, hysteria—Do your best to keep routines. This will help your loved one know exactly what to expect. Also, do not respond to everything, it is the disease talking. Try to stay calm.
  • Depression—Severe depression is experienced by nearly ¾ of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Watch for depressive behaviors and talk with your family member’s doctor about these behaviors you may witness. It can be helpful to use an anti-depressant to treat the depression.

Helping your loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease can help you, too. For more information on this condition, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Senior Care at Home: Think About the Stairs

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senior care at home

Often household injuries occur due to a fall down the stairs. A small slip can result in a broken bone especially for a senior. Many seniors want to stay in their own home so it is necessary for loved ones to make the environment as safe as possible. Since it is typically not possible to remove stairs from an existing home and install ramps here are some other tips to increase safety of stairs.

Railings

Verify existing railings are securely installed. When pulled on they should not wiggle at all. If railings do not exist it is strongly recommended they be installed. It is best to install railings on both sides of the stairs. Also, verify your loved one uses the railings when going up and down the stairs. Use of railings significantly decreases the risk of falls.

Clear Clutter

Items left on the stairs are a tripping hazard. Nothing should be left on the stairs at any point. If your loved on likes to put items on the stairs that need to be brought to another floor consider placing an empty basket adjacent to the stairs where they can accumulate items to transport. The key is to not put the basket actually on the stairs but instead adjacent.

Lighting

Stairs need to be well-lit. Sometimes this is an issue with stairs leading to the basement. Consider installing higher wattage bulbs over staircases or add reflective tape to the edge of the steps.

Duplicate Items

It is best for your loved on to walk up and down the stairs without trying to carry items at the same time. This will allow them to have free hands to hold onto the railing. Ask what type of items they typically find they need to carry up and down the stairs. If possible buy duplicates of these items so they have one upstairs and one downstairs eliminating the need to transport the item. For example, if they are carrying a water cup upstairs consider purchasing disposable cups to keep upstairs.

Senior Care at Home

Taking the above steps will help lower the likelihood of a fall. However, you may still worry that your loved one is no longer stable enough to traverse the stairs. This does not mean you need to move your loved one. Instead consider the option of senior care at home. A home care aide can help with light housework, meal planning and preparation, medication reminders and provide companionship for your loved one. In addition a safety assessment can be conducted of the home to identify areas of improvement that will help reduce the risk of injury. Endeavor Home Care offers senior home care in Phoenix and throughout the surrounding areas. For more information about at home care, contact us at 480-498-2324.