sherri p asked:


To be specific, the parents do not want to enter a nursing home or retirement home. Should they be rewarded with the same care they provided for you when you were a child?

Rose

Grace Enderlein asked:


Whether it is a spouse, a parent, or even a friend, there are signs that perhaps your loved one needs elder care services.  There are many things to look for from physical and mental limitations, to their ability to keep up with housekeeping and finances.

Difficulty walking or unsteadiness on their feet can lead to falls, or maybe falls have already occurred, which is a huge safety risk for an elderly person.  Also, if you have noticed diminished driving skills or near misses while driving, this is also a major safety concern for them as well as others, indicating the need for elder care services. 

A loss of appetite or change in eating habits may be observed, and they may not be willing to cook for themselves anymore.  There can be a lack of nutritious food available in their homes, and maybe spoiled food in their refrigerator.  There may be a concern about the safety of them cooking for themselves, and keeping up with good nutrition is important for their health maintenance. 

Sometimes grooming can be a problem for an elderly person, and you have noticed their personal hygiene is not as good as it should be.  This is another sign of your loved one needing some help keeping up with their daily routines.

Administering your loved one’s medications may also lead to the need for elder care services.  Sometimes prescription drugs are very complicated to keep up with and the elderly need assistance in being reminded when their daily dosages should be taken.  This is also critical for their health preservation and safety.

Home maintenance including housekeeping and paperwork may also be something that is not being kept up with for your loved one.  There can be unopened mail and past due bills leading to mishandled finances, and added stress. 

Sometimes a loss of interest in socializing or activities that they typically enjoyed can be a concern.  Maybe they have difficulty concentrating, poor judgment, or even a personality change.  These behavior changes may be a sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.   Confusion and struggling to complete familiar actions can be signs of the onset of one of these cognitive disorders.  Your loved one may misplace familiar objects, become depressed and irritable, and be forgetful and lose memory.  All of these are indicators that one may need elder care services. 

There are many elder care service agencies, they offers top quality in senior care, senior care home, senior home care for the aging and infirmed as an alternative to nursing home care.  They work with families to make individualized care plans and can help with errands, hygiene assistance, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and more.  Visitingangels.com is flexible with scheduling and offers loving companions, and they are a respite for family caregivers.



Ryan

Zafera T asked:


Home care business for elderly people.

Katie

Tyler Moon asked:


Elder care is such an issue that many of us might find ourselves dealing with it. We could be facing the duty of caring our elderly loved one, elder parents or a friend. The issue of elder care becomes significant when cases of broken bone or signs of dementia occur between elders. Added to this if any elderly family member has just returned from hospital, their proper caring becomes an important issue. In most of the cases the nature of these conditions tends to be fragile. Hence, situations demands adequate assistance in everyday activity. In order to ensure the welfare of elder adults, elderly home care is the best available options.

Sometimes, elder people refuse to shift to other places, even if the situation demands. For example, due to higher education or better career options relocating become inevitable. Sometimes, senior adults suffer from a sense of insecurity and lack the self-confidence. They prefer to stay at their own known place. Under this kind of situation, home care services for the elderly are one of the effective solutions.

Elder care is not limited to providing medical care. The aim of elderly home care ensures that senior adults lead an active lifestyle. Elderly home care ensures that adults become self-sufficient as much as possible. The caregivers or the companions help the adults in taking part in various activities according to their interest. With an active body, the mind equally becomes active, thereby adults regaining their self-confidence.

Locating elderly home care service becomes an easy job, if you take the help of Internet. You can also ask your friends and colleagues about the numerous types of services available with home care. But it would be sensible, if you hold a conversation with your elderly loved one before taking the service of elder home care. With this conversation, you will be able to know about the preferences of near one and avail the service accordingly.

It is a pity that many senior citizens are moved to nursing-homes or hospitals, who might just require helping hand in running daily tasks of life. The solution to this type of problems lies in the hand of elderly home care services. Senior citizens, who need non-medical support, are also benefitted from this service. Senior home care services can provide a substitute to long-term care.

Since, in most of the cases working persons are unable to give adequate time, the variant services of the senior home care service works as a good alternative. These services include light housekeeping, meal preparation, errands and shopping, respite care, meditation assistance, hygiene assistance to name a few.

The longer period senior citizen spends time at their own home, they will stay healthy both physically and mentally. Take advantage of elderly home care to ensure a better life of your elderly loved one.



Estefan

Barbara Mascio asked:


Families with aging older adults often times worry if their loved ones are really okay.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you have a mother or father still living, you will always be their child. Parents, generally speaking, will go to great lengths to protect their children from worry. It is not unusual to hear via phone, “We’re great!” “Everything is fine.”

“After our last family visit, I nearly fell apart”, shares an adult child of a senior living in the Los Angeles area of California. “We spoke on the phone daily, (I live in Michigan) but when I came home and saw first hand how they’d declined, I felt so guilty.”

What signs should alert you to the fact that it’s time to consider hiring some in-home care assistance? Though certainly not a complete list, the following should help you in your decision.

Pay attention to sudden changes in weight loss or weight gain: This could be a sign that your parents are not able to grocery shop or cook the kind of meals they once did. It may also be a sign that they’re feeling depressed or perhaps it’s a sign that they need to get an updated physical at the doctor’s office.

Do you notice changes in mobility?: Is it taking longer for your parents to stand up from a sitting position? Are they able to walk with a strong gait? Are they a fall risk?

When you visit your parents, pay attention to the cleanliness of the home: Are the bathrooms and kitchen clean? Is the floor space clear and free of clutter? (important because of the potential fall risk.) Is the laundry done?

Check the supply of meds the next time you visit: Are your parents taking the medication prescribed to them as prescribed?

Be honest with yourself: You need to accept that in the process of aging, the likelihood of your parents needing help is not so much a question of ‘if’ but ‘when.’

Ed Morris, founder of Abbey Caregivers located in LA, California, (http://www.abbeycaregivers.com) estimates that 85% of the inquiries he receives are from a family member in a crisis situation.

Most seniors would much prefer to remain living within their familiar home environment. Setting services in place, prior to a crisis, simply makes sense for most families.



Nathan

need answer asked:


I have a mother who is 60 years old and is requiring 24/7 care. I have not work in a year for providing care for her which has caused a substantial financial burden on me and my other siblings. We have tried other resources for help but the care she needs requires a nursing home placement. My siblings and I have agreed to a nursing home but my aunt refuses to let us put her in one. Who has the legal right to make that decision? My mother’s daughters or her sister?

Wade

Steve Dubin asked:


Interested in a career in elder services? Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES) representatives will be on hand to answer questions during a “Career Day” for high school seniors on Wednesday, April 30th at the Shaw’s Center, One Lexington Avenue in Brockton.

High school seniors from Brockton and the surrounding towns are invited to this FREE event.



“There are many opportunities in the elder services field. At our agency, we have a variety of programs that help elders – from nutrition and caregiver services to housing, money management and protective services. Currently, there are direct staff as well as administrative and management positions available. A career in elder services is very rewarding,” noted Diana L. DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES.

Career Day is sponsored and hosted by The Enterprise newspaper.

About Old Colony Elderly Services

Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES) is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The organization’s mission is to provide services which will support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

One of the Commonwealth’s 27 non-profit Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs),

OCES serves the towns of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The agency has 110 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oc-elderly.org.



Steven

Tezzmichelle asked:


im doing Health and Social care level 2 and i need some explanation on how people rights are respected in a care home, please mak it long if you could, i just need HELP!.

Reed

Tyler Moon asked:


One of the popular elder care options is the home care for elderly seniors. But it is important to make sure that you and your loved ones are aware of any potential dangers in home and prepare accordingly. Here are some home safety tips for seniors to help your loved ones stay safe at home.

General

Try to keep a fire extinguisher and smoke detector on every floor. Get up slowly when lying down. Take your time and keep your balance. Make sure that the elder person in your home wears proper fitting shoes with low heels. Make sure that the walking aid of the elderly person is correctly measured. Remove electrical or telephone cords from traffic areas. Try not to use slippery wax on floors and wipe up spills promptly. Make sure that all stair cases have proper lighting system with switches at top and bottom. The staircases in your home should have a non-slip surface.

Bathroom

Use recommended bath aids, securely installed on the walls of the bath/shower stall and on the sides of the toilet. The door to your bathroom should have locks that can be opened from both sides.

Kitchen

Try to keep the floor of the kitchen as clean and uncluttered as possible. Make sure medicines are clearly labeled. Immediately dispose of any old and used medicines. Always consult a doctor before mixing alcohol and drugs. Have medication dispensed in a bubble pack or convenient dispenser. Always consult your doctor before mixing non-prescription drugs and prescription drugs.

Safety comes first for your loved ones. The above points are just few to remember and better if practiced for your family safety.



Ryan

tnmmax asked:


My mom stays at home 24/7 to take care of my grandma. My grandma is disabled and chronicaly sick. Can my mom recieve any money from the goverent since she can not work outside the full time job she already has? My grandma gets social security but uses it to pay her bills from hospital visits and medication.

Nickolas