When Might it Be Time for Your Senior to Leave Her Home?

July 18, 2018 By David Goldenberg

At some point, you might need to help your elderly family member move into another place, possibly even your own. Here’s how you can tell that it might be time for this talk.

Elderly Care in Collegeville PA: How to Tell When It’s Time for Your Senior to Leave her Home

If Her Safety Is in Question.

Any time that your senior’s safety is in question is a time for action. She may not be able to navigate her home as well as she used to or there may be maintenance or repair issues that are difficult to resolve. Logistical issues and your senior’s mobility are likely to be incredibly influential in this decision. Safety is about more than just removing clutter. Take the full situation into account.

If Her Health Is Getting Significantly Worse.

When your senior’s health starts to decline rapidly, that often leaves her with big practical concerns, like whether she can stay in her home. In some cases, your senior may have a chronic health condition that is manageable for a long time. Unfortunately, many of those health issues, such as congestive heart failure, tend to worsen rapidly when they do worsen.

If She’s Expressed a Desire to Leave Her Home.

Your elderly family member could be perfectly fine at home from a standpoint of health and safety, but she may want to leave for emotional reasons. If your aging adult is in need of more emotional support, she may express that to you. You might want to talk with your senior about what she needs and what she feels will support her best.

If Your Best Option for Being Her Caregiver Means She Needs to Live with You.

In some cases, the decision for your senior to leave her home rests more on the fact that you aren’t able to be her best caregiver with the situation as it is. You may have commitments and obligations that keep you where you are, meaning your elderly family member has to change her situation. This may not be something either of you wanted, but it might mean the best care for your senior ultimately, making it the option you need to choose.

Your elderly family member likely wants to age in place for as long as she possibly can. Toward that end, most of your caregiving duties probably revolve around that goal. When that’s no longer something that is feasible, though, you’ll know that it’s time to have this talk. Elderly care providers can be incredibly helpful during and after this time to help you both adjust.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Collegeville, PA, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today (610) 674-6860.

How Can You Protect Your Senior’s Safety On a Road Trip?

July 5, 2018 By David Goldenberg

Going on vacation is something that many families look forward to every summer. A vacation with your family is a fantastic way to connect, make memories, spend quality time together, and experience new things, or revisit places that are meaningful to you. As a family caregiver, planning a vacation is not just about thinking of all the wonderful things you’ll do together, and making sure you plan what everybody wants to do. You must also keep in mind your senior’s needs and how you can help them stay safer and healthier throughout the vacation experience.

Home Care in Wayne PA: Road Trip Safety

Use these tips to protect your senior’s safety on a road trip:

Make sure there’s enough space in the vehicle for your parent to sit comfortably and shift positions. Nothing should be pressing against your parent, or restricting their movement.
Insist your senior wears their seatbelt at all times throughout the travel.
Make sure your parent dresses comfortably and in layers so they can quickly and easily adjust their temperature and not become excessively hot or cold.
Do not place any luggage where it could slide and potentially injure your senior.
If your parent has wandering tendencies, do not leave them alone in the car or allow them to go into rest areas or other unfamiliar locations by themselves.
Consider having your parent carry or wear a personal GPS tracking device that will allow you to keep track of them should they get out of your sight during a break in the trip.

Bringing your senior along with you on a road trip can be wonderful, but it isn’t always possible. Simply because you are a family caregiver for an aging adult who is not able to be as active as the rest of your family doesn’t mean you are no longer able to enjoy your annual vacation. There is help available that allows you to still take your vacation, while knowing your parent is safe and properly cared for. If you are planning a vacation with your family, but don’t feel it would be appropriate to bring your senior along, consider respite care. This type of care can be used in conjunction with your parent’s regular home care provider to ensure they have continuous access to the care they need. With respite care, an additional care provider steps in to manage care tasks that you would usually handle yourself. This means they still have someone with them as much as they need to, while you’re able to go enjoy your quality time with your partner and children, take a break, and relax.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Wayne, PA, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today (610) 674-6860.

A Senior Citizen Shares Information on a Part-Time Job Scam Targeting the Elderly

May 31, 2018 By David Goldenberg

To age at home, many elderly men and women rely on the help of caregivers. Some need elderly care services because they can no longer drive. Others need help with harder household chores like laundry and vacuuming.

Elderly Care in Ardmore PA: Part Time Job Scam

While elderly care services are extremely helpful, they can be hard to afford on a fixed income. Some able seniors take small, easy jobs to cover the expense. As one senior found out, even the job market has scammers looking for victims.

The Mystery Shopping Scam.

Mystery shoppers go into stores and critique the customer service, cleanliness, and overall experience. They get paid a fee to do so. Once the report is filed, payment is immediately scheduled. If any purchase was required as part of the assignment, a copy of the receipt is needed to get reimbursed for the purchase.

One senior was offered a job as a mystery shopper. The company gave him the instructions and a very official looking check to cover the fee and money to buy thousands of dollars in gift cards. He was instructed to deposit the check and then go to a store to buy the gift cards. Once the company’s check cleared, the money he’d spent would be back in his account.

As the man had never been paid in advance, he was suspicious. He went to police who admitted the check looked valid. They called the bank on the check and learned it was a fake. Had the senior not questioned the payment, he would have been responsible for bounced check fees. He’d also be out the money he used to buy the gift cards.

This is One of Many Scams.

This is one of many scams seniors face. Any time a request is made to buy gift cards and send them or to wire money, seniors should contact authorities. Make sure your parent knows to ask before they ever send money to a person or business.

If your parent needs elderly care services and isn’t sure how to afford it, talk to an agency. With a mix of caregiver’s help and family chipping in, it is possible to get the cost of elderly care services to a point where your parent won’t have to take a part-time job or have you help out financially. Call us today to learn more about other ways to make home care affordable.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Ardmore, PA, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today (610) 674-6860.

Why Are Balance Exercises Important for Your Aging Adult?

February 8, 2018 By David Goldenberg

Balance exercises are any type of exercise that involves your senior having to rely on her body and muscles to keep her upright. Some types of balance exercises could include special stretches that work on her posture as well as yoga or tai chi. Your senior might enjoy using streaming courses at home or even attending classes at a local gym. But why are they so important?

Senior Care in King of Prussia PA: The Importance of Balance Exercises

They Improve Her Balance.

It might go without saying that balance exercises can improve your senior’s balance, but many people avoid these types of exercises if their balance is bad. Over time, the muscles necessary for helping your elderly family member maintain her balance become stronger. As she continues, she may even want to increase the amount of time she spends doing these types of exercises.

They Can Help Her Mobility.

Along with improving her balance, these types of exercises also help to improve her overall mobility. Because your senior isn’t constantly worried about losing her balance and falling, she’s free to start moving in a more relaxed way again. If your senior is tense, she’s not going to move as fluidly as she needs to.

They’re Good for Fall Prevention.

Now that your senior is balancing her body better and she’s able to move more easily, she’s going to naturally be less likely to fall. That’s why your elderly family member’s doctor is likely to recommend balance exercises if she’s at a higher risk of falling. Continuing to perform these exercises can keep her from injuring herself.

They Help Her to Be More Confident about Movement.

Now that she’s at a lower risk of falling and her mobility and balance have both improved, your senior is going to find more joy in moving. She’ll also be more confident when she does need to walk or move in other ways. Moving confidently means that she won’t be wobbly or otherwise off-center, which is a huge improvement if your elderly family member has had difficulty moving in the past.

Work with your elderly family member to determine when she wants to do her balance exercises every day. Having a routine helps everyone, including other family members and senior care providers, to help your senior.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in King of Prussia, PA, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today (610) 674-6860.

When Should Your Senior Avoid Exercising?

November 30, 2017 By Cerie Goldenberg, MSW, LSW

As helpful as exercise is, there are some situations in which your aging adult might be better off taking some time away from her workout. Here are just a few of those situations that can lead to some rest time rather than exercise time.

Elder Care in King of Prussia PA: When to Avoid Exercise

Her Doctor Tells Her to Stop.

If your senior’s doctor tells her to give exercise a rest, that’s exactly what he means. There can be an amazing variety of reasons that your elderly family member needs to stop exercising for a little while and all of them are important. If you’re ever in doubt about whether exercise is alright, clear it with her doctor.

She’s Experiencing New Symptoms.

New symptoms can mean that your elderly family member is experiencing a downturn in her health. They can also be completely innocuous, depending on the symptom. But until your senior checks in with her doctor, she may not be able to tell the difference and that might bode badly for her exercise routine. It never hurts to get her doctor’s opinion.

Recent Surgery.

Recent surgeries mean that your aging adult is not at full strength and may need to either modify or completely stop exercising for a while. This depends on her current health, the type of surgery, and the prognosis for after the surgery.

Significant Eye Problems.

Eye problems don’t just interfere with your senior’s ability to see, they can also interfere with how well she can move when she’s trying to exercise. Exercising without being able to see properly can make your elderly family member more susceptible to losing her balance and falling, which is never good.

Fever.

A fever is how your senior’s body responds to some types of bacteria and viruses. It is how the body tries to fight off infections. If your senior has a fever, exercising may not be the best idea. Fever can weaken your elderly family member, increasing her risk of falling.

Any other major symptoms or ailments that cause your senior significant trouble should also be a cause for taking a break from working out. Always talk to your elderly family member’s doctor about exercise when you’re in doubt.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in King of Prussia, PA, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today (610) 674-6860.

Fire Prevention Checklist: The Kitchen

October 12, 2017 By Cerie Goldenberg, MSW, LSW

One of the most important things that you do for your aging loved one as their family caregiver is help to keep them safe. While you might think of this in terms of their challenges and limitations, it is vital that you also keep in mind other risks that they can face. One such risk is a home fire. Around 400,000 of these fires occur each year, resulting in approximately 3,000 deaths. Elderly adults are at the highest risk for both injuries and death associated with home fires. In fact, seniors who are 64 years and older are at nearly three times the risk for such consequences, a rate that increases to more than four times for those who are 84 years and older.

Elderly Care in Wayne PA: Preventing Kitchen Fires

As your parent’s family caregiver, you can help to protect them from such serious consequences by going through their home and checking for safety, as well as making meaningful modifications to improve their safety as they age in place.

Use this checklist to help prevent fires in your parent’s kitchen:

Ensure the stove and oven are properly cleaned to avoid grease buildup catching on fire.
Keep all flammable objects away from the stove, including dishcloths, oven mitts, and papers.
Encourage your parent to use a timer to ensure that they do not forget when they have food in the oven or on the stove.
Keep a fire extinguisher easily accessible so that if there is a fire in your parent’s kitchen they are able to address it quickly.
Ensure all electrical appliances are in good condition, including the plugs and the wires.

Starting elderly care can be one of the best decisions that you can make during the course of your caregiver journey with your senior loved one. An elderly home care services provider can be with your aging parent on a fully customized schedule to ensure that they are getting all of the care, support, encouragement, and assistance they need to manage their individual needs, challenges, and limitations as they age in place. A set of highly personalized services are designed to help your parent remain as safe, healthy, comfortable, and happy as possible throughout their later years while also encouraging them to live a lifestyle that is as active, engaged, and independent as possible. As their caregiver, this can give you confidence and peace of mind knowing that even if you are not able to be with your parent as often as you would like, they are still in good hands.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Wayne, PA, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today (610) 674-6860.

Sources

http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/campaigns/fire-prevention-week

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/older_adults.html

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When Might it Be Time for Your Senior to Leave Her Home?

How Can You Protect Your Senior’s Safety On a Road Trip?

A Senior Citizen Shares Information on a Part-Time Job Scam Targeting the Elderly

Why Are Balance Exercises Important for Your Aging Adult?

When Should Your Senior Avoid Exercising?

Fire Prevention Checklist: The Kitchen

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