Caring for a senior is a huge responsibility and is one that should not rest on just one family member. In order to keep the lines of communication open and allow other family members to become involved in the care of the senior, there should be regular family meetings. These meetings can provide many great benefits. Some of these are provided below.
1. All members of the immediate family should be present at family conferences. Here they will be told what is going on in terms of the care the senior is receiving.
2. These meetings can help divvy responsibilities to all family members so one person is not taking care of the majority of the responsibilities. This will also help alleviate misunderstandings.
3. Family conferences should have an impartial moderator present. This could be a care coordinator, a member of the clergy or a trusted family friend.
4. Family meetings are a great way to make sure everyone is informed of the status of the senior. It will also allow family members to feel they are involved in the care.
5. Family caregivers will benefit from these meetings because they will be able to ask for help if they need it. Caring for a senior is a huge responsibility, so it may be necessary for other members of the family to take on some of the responsibilities to assist with care.
Writing down observations when caring for a senior is very important. Unfortunately, many caregivers do not do this. When managing or coordinating care for a senior, these written observations can provide a wealth of knowledge, especially for new caregivers who are not familiar with the patient. Below is a list that contains some of the benefits of writing observations and some of the things that should be noted.
1. Make sure to note the abilities of the senior. Caregivers should note how they function mentally and physically.
2. Always have a written list of available family members. This can help when the senior needs additional care or the caregiver requires medical information.
3. Make notes about the physical environment in which the senior lives. These notes should include whether the environment is accessible and if it can be adapted at a reasonable cost.
4. Caregivers should also write down their other responsibilities, including at home, work and in their community. This will help them manage their time more effectively.
5. Caregivers also need to keep track of their own health and physical abilities.
6. Financial resources should always be noted, both for the caregiver and the senior receiving the care. This includes available insurance, end-of-life documents and the existence of healthcare.
When coordinating and managing the care of a senior, it is important for all family members to have all of the information they need. This will help to make informed decisions on behalf of the senior and will also help the caregiver communicate with the family in an effective manner. The list below highlights some of the benefits of having a family conference.
1. All members of the immediate family should be present at family conferences. This is where they will be told what is going on in terms of the care the senior is receiving.
2. These meetings can help divvy responsibilities to all family members so one person is not taking care of the majority of the responsibilities. This will also help alleviate misunderstandings.
3. Family conferences should have an impartial moderator present. This could be a care coordinator, a member of the clergy or a trusted family friend.
4. Family meetings are a great way to make sure everyone is informed of the status of the senior. It will also allow family members to feel they are involved in the care.
5. Family caregivers will benefit from these meetings because they will be able to ask for help if they need it. Caring for a senior is a huge responsibility, so it may be necessary for other members of the family to take on some of the responsibilities to assist with care.
Caregiving responsibilities can occur without warning, so without proper planning, it can create a crisis situation, particularly if you live far away.
Living far away from your senior in need is a problem for many caregivers. According to a Home Instead Senior Care survey, 45% of American adults who plan to care for an aging relative in the next two to four years live one or more hours away. Of those, just six percent have shortened the distance between them to make caregiving easier.
Of those currently caring for an older relative, 23% live more than one hour away and of this group, 20% live two-plus hours away. Some families find themselves several states away from their senior loved one, making a long drive or plane ride the only choice.
“It is not uncommon for family members who are family caregivers to live in different cities or states, making travel time and expense a major issue,” says Paul Hogan, president and founder of Home Instead Senior Care. “Providing assistance to an aging relative can become a full-time job for many, so the addition of travel can compound the stress and exhaustion.”
If moving closer to the senior or having the senior move closer to you is not an option, the following tips may make your long distance caregiving easier:
Get to know the senior’s neighbors when you visit – identify one or two trustworthy neighbors that can look in on your elderly relative – call them once a week for an update.
Get to know the local mail carrier – if he/she sees that the mail has not been brought in, he can alert you or a neighbor. Some post offices have special programs set up to handle this type of “elder watch” issue, so make sure to sign up your relative.
Alzheimer’s disease is a common killer in America. It is important to pay attention as to how your memory is working, and to know the differences between different types of memory loss. Short term memory loss is often associated with the hippo-campus, and is often the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. It is important to be vigilant about your memory and how it works, and to be able to distinguish between short term memory loss and onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Below are different classifications of memory:
• Working Memory – this type of memory is often referred to things that you can hold in your short term memory for later retrieval. Working memory is located in the frontal lobe of the human brain. An example of working memory is memorizing a phone number.
• Short-Term Memory – Short term memory is thought to be located in the hippocampus, and is often associated with the first symptom of Alzheimer’s. These memories are things that people remember for a couple minutes up to a few weeks. For example, your hotel room number or a character’s name in a novel.
• Long Term Memory – Long term memory are things that you can recall and retrieve for the longest period of time. Things like your birth date or your favourite grade school teacher are examples of long term memory. The location of the brain that long term memory is stored in is unknown.
The Geriatrics Cultural Navigator is a new App from iPhone that is a great tool for caregivers. When dealing with multiple patients, caregivers will often find that there are different races and cultures that have an effect on the decisions made regarding the health care of a senior. This new App can provide a lot of essential information, helping caregivers to make the right decisions.
1. The App has been developed by the American Geriatrics Society and offers decision-making support for caregivers.
2. In nursing homes, cultural and racial sensitivity is very important, so this App can really help caregivers who are working in this setting.
3. The App provides valuable information when dealing with people from different cultures, including how to address individuals, types of nonverbal communication and culture-specific health risks.
4. Gender issues and various approaches to decision-making are also provided in the App.
5. This App is a great tool for any person who is in the role of a caregiver. Even if the caregiver is familiar with a particular culture or ethnic group, the App can provide some useful tips when dealing with patients and making important decisions in regards to health care.
6. The App also gives caregivers information on cultural traditions and the different health beliefs that seniors may have due to their ethnicity or cultural beliefs.
Many seniors need some extra help at home. This could be as simple as someone to help them make arrangements for doctor’s appointments or as complex as the need for assistance finding outside resources. This is where a care coordinator comes into play. This person will be responsible for making sure the senior is safe and healthy. Below is a short list that provides some information about the responsibilities of a care coordinator.
1. The gathering of information from all healthcare providers. This means collecting important medical information from each doctor that treats the senior.
2. The care coordinator must be able to effectively assess the home environment as well as the needs of the person receiving care.
3. Coordinators must be able to find private services and resources that will meet the needs of the senior.
4. There must always be ongoing communication between all of the parties involved. This includes the individual receiving care, the caregivers, doctors and family members. It is important to keep all those involved up to date.
5. The care coordinator should also be able to assess daily situations to make sure the senior is in fact receiving all of the services they need to function. If there is something that changes with the senior’s health, changes to the type of care and services they receive may be required.
Seniors who have a chronic illness can have difficulty dealing with health issues. This is common for many. Below is a list of tips that help to cope with illnesses. The list can be beneficial to help seniors find the positive and to deal with their health conditions.
1. Tend to your spirit. Try to find things to do that provide a positive outcome. Participate in activities that make you feel whole.
2. Always speak your mind and never be afraid to express yourself. Many seniors will have regrets over something they wish they would have said while they had the chance.
3. Accept the situation and take things one hour at a time. Chronic illness often prevents seniors from making long-term plans, but they should live for the moment.
4. Laughter and humor can heal. Seniors with a chronic illness should try to expose themselves to light-hearted humor.
5. Try to avoid stress.
6. Spend time with those who are important. These people will often raise spirits and bring smiles to seniors.
7. Eat a healthy diet and make sure foods are nutritious.
8. Exercise as much as possible. Short walks can be beneficial and can help seniors clear their mind.
9. Be part of your health care. Try to get as much information as possible and be involved in decisions that are made.
10. Learn as much as you can about your illness. This will help seniors understand their situation and can help them cope better.
