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

dneubywisc@sbcglobal.net asked:


Can you get compemsated for taking care of an elderly/disabled parent in their home? I would like to quit my regular job and just stay home to care for my father but cannot afford to unless I can get some form of income. Can you help? I live in the state of Wisconsin.

Emilio

A nurse 4 u asked:


The person needn’t be a nurse and needs basic english speaking ability. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Marcus

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Taking care of an elderly relative is a very strenuous process and can be very stressful. The fact that it is your relative adds a little bit of extra responsibility on your shoulders. You have no choice but to ensure effective care and you cannot pull off from your commitment that easily. If it is any elder you can afford to maintain a level of detachment from them. There will be a lot of emotions at stake when you take up this job of taking care of an ill elder or a disabled elder. So it isn’t easy to detach yourself from them and hence continuing to care and look after them would be a wise thing to do. This has a lot of options, though, owing to the service popularly called home help. It may be called with a different name but the name itself sums up the whole meaning. It is definitely the most effective help if you are in need of help for the elderly relative. These caretakers are dedicated and very helpful.

Home help is usually a service where qualified and experienced caretaker will come to the elderly person’s home to help out with various activities such as bathing, dressing or feeding. This will be done according to the need of the elder. But to many bathing and undressing an elder might be disgusting so it is understandable if they do not want to do it. Again, it all treads back to that air of detachment spoken about earlier. The caretaker and the elderly relative should share a good rapport. So appointing another person to do all this while you could take care of the feeding and other simpler stuffs will be the best way.

The caretakers actually take up this job to make good money. The fact that they are properly schooled and mastered in their trade is true and cannot be taken for granted. They can be honest people who can be trusted anytime. These caretakers have to possess certain qualifications to be able to know the nuances of their job. They are trained to tae the stress and pain involved in the profession. So a few people leave the entire responsibility to the caretaker allowing him the freedom to do what he feels is the best. The caretaker is thus ensured with freedom as well as money to go about his work. No caretaker would want to harm so seeking home help would be the right choice.

Most of the caretakers go the homes of the elderly people at least once in a day. They make sure the elder is out of bed, bathed and fed properly with care. A few often choose home help if they need it. Though, two or even three times in a day is the usual routine which caretakers follow, it entirely depends on what the elder is demanding. There will be caretakers who also would be working on full time basis to earn good money. But again, it totally depends on what you want the caretaker to do everyday. If you do not mind spending extra cash, you might as well go for the caretakers who visit you two or three times a day. It usually gets a little expensive that way but the elder for sure is well treated. You can have an interview to filter the caretakers who have approached you and choose them on convenient basis.



Jerrold