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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.

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.

Home Care Services vs. Visiting Nurse: Understanding the Difference in Phoenix, AZ

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There are many different types of senior care arrangements available, and it is important to understand the specifications of each different type in order to make the decision that is most appropriate for your aging loved one. If you have recognized that your aging loved one has increased needs in terms of meeting daily activities of life, managing health concerns or simply staying active; establishing a beneficial home care services arrangement can help your aging loved one remain independent in his own home while still staying safe and healthy for the long term. It is easy to become confused as to the details of each type of senior care because many of them sound extremely similar. Contacting the home health care services agency in your area and asking for further information can help to clarify the different senior care options that are available to you so you can select the one that is geared most specifically towards the needs of your loved one.

One source of senior care confusion is the difference between home care services companions and visiting nurses. While these may sound as though they are the same thing, they do not offer the same types of services and are appropriate for different seniors.

The main difference between a home care services companion in a visiting nurse is that a visiting nurse offers primarily medical services and is qualified to administer medications and other treatments. This nurse will visit the home and take care of medical needs such as redressing wounds, administering medications, taking vital signs and otherwise providing medical care for your aging loved one. This type of nurse is not responsible for activities of daily living or providing extensive companionship. While the nurse may spend time with your aging loved one and even help with some immediate needs such as tidying up the room or preparing a fast meal, these are not her central responsibilities and she will be more focused on taking care of physical or medical needs.

Home care services companions, on the other hand, do not administer medications or medical treatments, but rather encourage seniors to be responsible for their own medical care through offering medication reminders and treatment compliance encouragement. Home care service companions are also true companions, providing emotional support and friendship that boosts the emotional health and well-being of seniors. An in home care provider can take care of tasks of daily living such as running errands, light housekeeping, light meal preparation and basic pet care while also helping your aging loved one with mobility issues, bathing, dressing, hygiene and other similar needs.

When researching options for home care services in Phoenix, 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 services in Phoenix, AZ.

Home Care Services in Phoenix, AZ: Keep High Blood Pressure in Order

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High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a serious illness, particularly for  senior citizens. To keep it at reasonable levels, careful monitoring and taking the right medications is important. These activities can sometimes be easily forgotten, no matter how old a person is.

Hiring home care services can assist seniors with high blood pressure levels to take better care of themselves by keeping their disease in balance.

Home care services are not “skilled nursing services”. Companions, CNAs and Home Health Aides cannot administer medications or make medical diagnoses. What they can do for seniors is help remind them to take their medications.

For a problem like blood pressure, medication reminders can be essential.

While out and about, home care service providers can help the senior to keep track of his or her blood pressure by using the automatic blood pressure cuffs found in pharmacies.

Blood pressure checks can conveniently be added into a trip to pick up a prescription or to the grocery store. Even day-to-day blood pressure checks can help the senior know if his or her blood pressure medication is working correctly.

Some seniors acquire automated blood pressure cuffs in their own home. These can be acquired at a practical cost at any local pharmacy or drug store. The in-home care agency can help the senior with daily blood pressure monitoring and recording at home.

Seniors with high blood pressure should find assistance in keeping their condition manageable. Without control, the original symptoms the senior felt before going on medication may appear. These symptoms may include: dizziness, nosebleeds, shortness of breath, blurred vision, or headaches. Such symptoms are only warning signs of more serious problems that could arise from uncontrolled high blood pressure levels.

Some of the most extreme consequences of uncontrolled hypertension in the elderly are heart attacks and strokes. The constantly high force of the blood on the walls of the arteries serving the heart or the brain become weak and may burst, causing the heart attack or stroke. These are potentially deadly circumstances, which might be prevented by the senior taking his or her medication and having regular blood pressure checks.

High blood pressure causes many problems with the body, and as people age, the chances of these problems happening may increase, especially if the person has suffered from high blood pressure for many years. Preventing future problems from high blood pressure depends on regular monitoring and taking the doctor-prescribed medicine as directed.

A home care service provider can help a senior remember to take much needed medications, possibly saving his or her life by avoiding the deadly consequences of uncontrolled hypertension.

When researching options for home care services in Phoenix AZ, 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 Phoenix AZ.