Q – I have thought about home care for my aging mother in Florida; but how do I know when it’s the right time?

A – There is no cut and dry answer for when it’s right to bring home care into the life of a Florida senior like your mother, but there are some life situations that seniors can encounter which makes home care ideal for them.  If your mother finds herself experiencing one or more of the following scenarios, then it may be time to consider home care for her.

• She’s struggling with Activities of Daily Living – seniors who struggle with dressing, bathing, preparing meals, taking their medications, or keeping up with chores around the home are ideal candidates for in-home senior care

• Her mobility is declining – seniors who are having changes with their balance and mobility may be at a greater risk of falling or having an accident in the home when trying to perform ADLs . By hiring a caregiver, safety issues can be addressed and prevented through additional help

• She’s given up driving – seniors who no longer drive for whatever reason, would greatly benefit from the help of a caregiver who can take them to run errands or to appointments

• She doesn’t have family nearby – seniors who have the above problems but do not have family nearby to help them can benefit from in home care when there’s no one else out there to help them

• She’s recently come out of hospital or rehab – after seniors have been released from the hospital or rehab program and are in recovery, it’s better for seniors to have the help of a caregiver so they don’t put too much of a burden on their bodies by trying to care for themselves or their homes

• She suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia

Sources:

1. Elder Issues

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Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

Having had to go through the decision of bringing a senior home care provider into my father’s Florida home when he was in the 70’s, I know just how hard it can be to know when it’s the right time. While I’m sure that every situation varies for each senior and their family, there were a few factors that made me determine it was the right time to help my dad by providing him with in-home care. For one, after recovering from an injury, I knew I wouldn’t be able to be there for his every whim once he returned home from the hospital, and I really wanted him to focus on his recovery, and didn’t want him to overdo it by trying to keep up with things around the house. Since I couldn’t be there all the time, I figured that an in-home care provider for seniors would be able to fill in the gaps.

Even after his recovery, we decided it was a good idea to keep the professional caregiver, because his doctor recommended that since his injury probably impacted his reflexes, he give up his car keys. While I had no problem arranging to drive my dad around to run errands, I knew that with my immediate family and my career, that I wouldn’t be able to accommodate him every time he needed me since I’d need to work around my schedule.

I would say, that anyone who sees their elderly parent or relative beginning to struggle, should consider home care to fill in the blanks.

- Stephanie, 45 Florida

Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

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Florida caregivers are always looking for fun activities to do with their elderly care recipients that are enjoyable for both of them. Since sometimes there can be a generational gap between seniors and their caregivers, this is often a challenge. However, that’s not to say that activities suitable for caregivers and their seniors do not exist; and digital photography is one of them.

If you’re thinking about introducing digital photography to a senior that you provide care for in Florida but do not have a digital camera available, consider asking their family to see if anyone has a camera that they’d be willing to loan for the senior-friendly activity, even if it’s just for an afternoon. Take the senior’s interests into an account when deciding what to photograph, since just about anything can be a photography subject. Encourage them to photograph their garden, and experiment with different angles to take pictures of their favorite plants or flowers. Go to a favorite outdoor spot and photograph the landscaping, and then go home and sit down with a senior at their computer, and put the photos together in a slideshow for them to enjoy, or send the images out for print to be mounted and displayed in the home.

Not only can digital photography be an enjoyable pastime, it can also give seniors a unique sense of accomplishment and also allow them to enjoy what they’ve created at home!

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. eHow

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Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

Q – I’ve heard about a large number of elderly friends of the family who are suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia going to live in Florida nursing homes to care for their condition. My mother is in a similar situation, but I don’t like the idea of putting her in a home; is there another option for Florida seniors?

A – Traditionally, people had the perception that seniors who are unable to adequately care for themselves independently at home needed to be moved into a nursing home to get the assistance they needed. Unfortunately, while there are a large number of new care options today that focus on care at home, many Florida families don’t lean towards them for senior care and Alzheimer’s assistance due to lack of knowledge. However, as the care structure changes with more of a focus on independence in the home and allowing seniors to preserve their lifestyle, hopefully more families will embrace home care as an option for seniors with Alzheimer’s.

Agencies like Home Instead Senior Care specialize in providing care and assistance in the home, and have caregivers with specific Alzheimer’s training. So, when looking for care options for your loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s in Florida consider home care as an alternative in order to allow them to preserve their independence, and hang onto an important part of their life that’s familiar to them.

Sources:

1. Alz Info
2. Home Instead Senior Care

Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

When it was time to approach my mother about getting some help for her at home, I was so worried that telling her that she was getting too old to take care of herself would be devastating both to her and our relationship. I knew from previous conversations that the last thing my mom wanted was to end up stuck in a Florida nursing home and assisted living facilities, so before I even brought up the subject, I did some research on what the options available in the area were. I came across professional in-home care as an option and immediately landed on it as the best choice; allowing my mother to maintain her lifestyle and independence while taking away some of the physical and emotional burden of struggling more and more with the care of a home and herself.

When I finally decided it was time to have the conversation, my mom was surprisingly receptive. I approached her saying that I felt that taking care of the home was getting to be too much for her, and I wanted to get her some help to take the stress away. I let her know that taking her away from her home was the last thing I’d suggest for her, because I wanted her to keep her life. Because she knew only her best interests were in mind, and because I’d clearly taken her specific needs and wants with regards to senior care into account, she agreed almost immediately. If I could suggest anything to another adult child trying to talk their loved one into accepting help, it’s to make sure you use the right approach that’s sensitive to the senior’s needs so you don’t insult or degrade them, and make it clear you’re making the suggestion to better their lives.

Sources:

1. Senior Journal

Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

After a senior has suffered from a medical emergency or accident, the last thing they need to worry about when returning home from a hospital or rehabilitation center is to worry about how they’re going to manage to take care of themselves and their Florida home. After retuning home from the hospital, Florida seniors need to focus on their recovery, regaining their strength and health so they can get on with their lives; however, this is a process that just cannot be rushed as much as they might want it to be. In order to help seniors with the transition from hospital or rehab to home, Home Instead Senior Care in-home caregivers can ensure that all seniors need to focus on is getting better and that they don’t take on any unnecessary burdens that might compromise their recovery.

Bringing a caregiver into a senior’s home can help them through the recovery process; Home Instead Senior Care’s caregivers can help seniors with dressing and bathing, getting in and out of bed, and can even help them to complete any assigned physiotherapy exercises. Having a caregiver help a senior around the house, also ensures that they don’t need to worry about maintaining their home, since caregivers can take care of those tasks; from light-housekeeping, to laundry, cooking and errand running.

Hire a home caregiver for your aging loved one when they leave the hospital, and know that all they need to worry about is their recovery.

Sources:

1. Caring.com

Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

With many home care agencies, you never know who’s going to turn up on a Florida senior’s doorstep each day of their scheduled care. But what this means is that seniors never have the opportunity to trust, bond and form a friendship with their senior caregivers. At Home Instead Senior Care, we know that the right caregiver is one that a senior can get to know, begin to trust with their home and their care, and someone who will become an important companion. Every day a senior has home care scheduled, we send the same caregiver to provide consistency and because through our process we ensure that the caregiver sent is one that meshes with the senior’s personal needs and personality.

When we send a new caregiver to a senior’s home for the first time, we complete an in-depth assessment to evaluate the needs of the senior and the type of caregiver who would be best suited for the role. However, just because a senior has been sent a caregiver, doesn’t mean that they’re stuck with them forever. If a senior or their family is not satisfied with the caregiver, we will be happy to send a replacement that better meets the request.

Once the right caregiver has been matched with a senior, you’ll never be able to separate them!

Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

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We may think we’re not responsible, but anytime each of us turn a blind eye to the signs that an older adult is being abused or neglected, we are participating in their victimization. Whether we pass a senior in a Florida grocery store who shows signs of bruises and don’t say a word, or we keep our mouths shut while we see an individual verbally battering an older adult in the park; we are sharing in the responsibility of elder abuse. Next time you suspect a senior is being abused, don’t hold your tongue; any of the signs listed below can indicate that a senior is a victim of abuse or neglect, and now’s the time to do something about it.

• The senior is showing physical signs of injury, including bruising, sprains and cuts

• There are bedsores on the senior’s body, which may show signs of neglect

• The senior seems to be tense and argumentative around his or her caregiver

• The senior has withdrawn from many social activities that they once enjoyed

• The senior’s general attitude has changed

• The senior refuses to seek treatment for any issues with drugs, alcohol or depression

• The senior tries to avoid the topic of his/her care

• The senior appears to be losing excessive amounts of weight

• The senior’s caregiver seems “too good to be true”, if you get the impression, that may very well be the case. A good caregiver should be open and honest about their dealings with a senior.

Sources:

1. Planning for Eldercare

Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

Q – Can Florida seniors prevent the effects of stress by making friends?

A – Absolutely! By forming trusted and reliable networks of support in Florida and around the country, seniors can fend off loneliness, gain a sense of belonging, increase their sense of self-worth, and create a sense of security all which can prevent the effects of stress.

In order to form a trusted support network, seniors of all ages should keep the following tips in mind:

• Reach out – reach out to those who you’d like to befriend or form a relationship with, it’s not necessary to wait for them to make the first move

• Choose wisely – don’t bring people into your life who cause more stress, it’s okay to choose who enters your inner circle

• Reciprocate – with a support network, the relationship should work both ways. Remember to listen to and support your friends and family and you can expect the same from them

• Challenge yourself – keep looking for ways to improve your social life and the support you provide to others

• Stay in touch – no matter how far away you live from the people in your support network, or what’s going on in your life, stay in touch. This includes reaching out by phone or email, and returning messages left by your loved ones

• Don’t overdo it – there is such thing as too much, consider what is appropriate communication for each person in your support network. While calling everyday might be too much or too invasive for one person, it might be just right for another

Sources:

1. Mayo Clinic
2. The American Institute of Stress

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Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.

When my mother was in her 80’s she passed away, while some have said it could be due to old age, I’m convinced that stress killed her. My mom had been a worrier her entire life, but her stress got worse as she aged. Who could blame her, with so little certainty in her life? While she always had the support of her family, she had already lost her spouse, her friends in Florida were few and far between as they reached their time, and she was burdened with the financial repercussions of medical care. For someone who liked for things to be in control, the constant change was a great source of stress.

While I always said that it was stress that killed my mother, due to its resulting decline in her health, I was even more certain this was the case when I read an article about a study that linked stress to poor immunity. Apparent a hormone called neuropeptide Y (NPY) is linked directly to the immune system, and by making it function improperly, leaves seniors vulnerable to a variety of illnesses and diseases, some which can be fatal. During the later years of her life, this was my mom; she complained of insomnia and anxiety, suffered from gastrointestinal problems, and ultimately died from a stroke which can also be linked to stress.

So if you want to know if stress kills, the answer is yes; because stress killed my mother.

Sources:

1. Medical News Today
2. Medicine Online
3. The American Institute of Stress

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Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 904-794-9450.