As we age, there are adjustments we have to make. To make them easier on our aging, adult children are urged to get involved and help their parents adjust to these new changes. The following list provides some ways in which children can help their senior parents make necessary changes to their everyday lives as they continue to age.

1. Encourage seniors to have their driving evaluated to determine if they are still safe on the road. At-risk drivers can be the cause of many accidents and these may cause the death of the senior or another innocent person.

2. Be direct with the senior if they have to give up driving. Do not make up excuses and try to cover the facts. Simply state that they are no longer safe on the road.

3. If necessary, involve a doctor. The doctor will be able to tell the senior that they can no longer drive. Seniors will often take the information better coming from a medical professional.

4. Talk about alternatives, such as a transportation service or car pool. If the senior realizes they can still go out and do what they like, they will accept the fact better.

5. Driving can be dangerous for many seniors, especially those with severe health conditions. Make sure to discuss this with the senior as well as their doctors.

Source: USAWeekend.com

Home Care Jacksonville, and Home Care Fort Myers FL provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville,  St. Augustine, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Halloween Fun for Grandparents and Kids

With Halloween around the corner, children are getting excited. For grandparents who want to participate in the costume fun, we suggest spending time with grand kids doing crafts and costume design for Halloween. It’s a great way to bond and enjoy time together. The following list offers some suggestions.

1. Making decorations is inexpensive and fun. Kids love to color and paint, so grandparents can get in on this by creating cut out paper and allowing kids to decorate them. Then display them in and around the home.

2. Making a costume does not have to be difficult. Instead of sewing, try using fabric glue. Make use of old items, such as pantyhose and old t-shirts. With a little creativity, you and the child can create something great.

3. Carving pumpkins is always a Halloween favorite for kids. Make sure to save the seeds and bake them for a healthy treat that can be enjoyed while decorating. If there are multiple children, try a pumpkin contest to see who can make the best one. For younger children, simply allow them to paint faces on their pumpkin instead of carving.

Source: SDM3

Home Care Jacksonville, and Home Care Fort Myers FL provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville,  St. Augustine, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Father’s Day Celebrations with Elderly Dads

If you have stopped celebrating Father’s Day like you used to when you were a kid, you are definitely missing something. Of course, you do not need to be providing your dad with homemade crafts and drawings; but you can try different activities to show you care.

1. Give him a great meal. Bring him breakfast in bed, take him out to his favorite buffet, go for a beer or to a fancy restaurant he loves. Remember, it ís all about him!

2. Give him something he wouldn’t get himself – your gift does not have to be expensive, but do think of something he’d never get for himself and skip the stereotypical gifts

3. Pay attention to his wants – if there is anything in particular you’ve noticed your dad talking about, try to make that desire a reality. The best part of the gift will be the recognition that you’ve been paying attention!

4. Give him your undivided attention – it does not matter what you do, but make sure your time together is uninterrupted. Don’t answer your text messages or phone calls unless itís absolutely crucial!

5. Honor dad after death – if your father is no longer alive, you can still honor him on Father’s Day. Have a tribute to dad with other family members or donate to his favorite charity or cause

eHow.com

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradenton provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

With Mother’s Day coming up this week, it’s time to show appreciation to those mothers who have been there for us throughout our lives. Those mothers who we are there for now that they are aging. But while we appreciate them, we may not know how Mother’s Day came about. There are a number of different historical perspectives from different cultures and all of them recognize that joy and appreciation of motherhood.

•    Egyptian Roots with the Goddess Isis – in ancient Egypt, an annual festival was held to honour the goddess Isis, considered the mother of the pharaohs.

•    Ancient Roman History with Cybele – initially in Roman tradition, Isis was also recognized, marking the beginning of winter with a 3-day celebration. However, Mother’s Day also recognizes the Phrygian goddess Cybele who was Rome’s version of Rhea, considered the mother of many of the major deities. These celebrations were said to be very wild, and were banned until later the focus shifted to giving flowers and eating cake

•    European History for Lent and the Mother Church – in Europe, on the fourth Sunday lent, individuals honoured the church where they were baptized which was known as the “Mother Church”. Flowers and jewels were placed around the place of worship as offerings.

These Mother’s Day celebrations of the past have similarities to what is celebrated here today in Canada on the second Sunday of May.

Mother’s Day Central

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradenton provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Home Care Florida enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

Valentine’s Day cards and chocolates are also enjoyed by seniors. Many people believe that seniors no longer celebrate the day. In fact, most seniors still have spouses and family that they enjoy spending holidays with. Valentine’s Day is no different. There are many ways to brighten the day of a senior on Valentine’s. Some great ideas are provided below.

1. Make handcrafted Valentine’s cards. This can be a great project for school classrooms as well as adult groups. Seniors would be very appreciative of any cards that were hand delivered. Taking the time to make and deliver something by hand can have a huge effect on seniors.

2. Small gifts provide a bit of cheer. For senior family members, use a heart shaped picture frame to display family photographs and present to your senior loved one.

3. Chocolates and cookies make great gifts. Be sure to check if the senior is on a restrictive diet before buying sweet treats. Many sugar-free chocolates are available and cookies that are made at home can also be made to suit a particular diet.

4. A “heart attack” is not always a bad thing! If you are able to decorate living spaces with hearts and other Valentine’s symbols, you will be giving a senior a positive “heart attack.” This can also be done through the mail by filling an envelope with heart shaped paper and confetti.

Source: aginggrandparents.suite101.com

Image Source: sxc.hu

Home Care Florida, Elder Care Florida, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464..

This year when shopping for holiday gifts for an elderly loved one; don’t try to break the bank to impress them with your generosity. Instead, choose gifts that they’ll really use and appreciate:

• Items that allow them to pamper themselves – seniors on a budget are not likely to splurge on things they consider non-essentials. Buy them candles, soaps and body lotions that allow them to feel pampered at home. Gift cards to restaurants or spas are added luxuries

• Gift baskets – gift baskets with a combination of items, including some of the above, as well as seasonal foods, books, and craft supplies that they will enjoy and make use of are all great things to include! Gift baskets can be bought pre-fabricated or can be created at home

• The gift of companionship – seniors will most appreciate the company of their loved ones. If this is not possible, senior care services can be gifted for companionship and assistance at home

• Take an elderly loved one out for the day – a trip out for lunch around the holidays to see a movie or a musical event can be a very enjoyable way for them to spend a day and it will be memorable!

Image Source: www.sxc.hu

Home Care Florida, Elder Care Florida, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464..

Despite age, senior citizens continue to travel all over the globe. However, every senior should know several things about traveling to eliminate any problems or mishaps that may arise while on vacation.

• Contact a Travel Agent – Travel agents offer additional discounts for senior citizens on vacations, along with age-appropriate itineraries and travel packages.

• Take Your Time While Traveling- Seniors should not pack too much sightseeing into one day. Make sure to take several breaks throughout your trips so you do not become too exhausted. It is a vacation after all.

• Pack All Medications, Special Equipment and Items You Can’t Live Without- All necessary medications should go in every senior’s suitcase before leaving on a trip. However, plan accordingly as some countries do not allow certain medicines on their soil. If you need a wheelchair be sure to pre-arrange one with airlines and hotels before leaving the house. Also, pack all items you can’t live without such as an extra pair of eyeglasses.

• Think About Your Safety While on the Move- When traveling do not fall victim to thievery. Carry only the amounts of cash you need for the day. Also write down your credit card company’s phone number should your wallet or purse be stolen.

Via: eHow

Image source: sxc.hu

Home Care Florida, Elder Care Florida, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464..

Q – There are states between myself and my grandchildren; it’s hard to find creative ways to stay in touch, but I want to make sure they know that their grandmother loves them and is trying to have an impact on their lives. Is there anything I can do to make our phone calls more memorable, or other ways to really make our interactions from a distance more special?

A – Here are some tips for grandparenting from a distance:

1. Take advantage of technology – email and social networking sites can allow families to remain connected. Post pictures, videos and share stories using sites like Facebook or others that can help keep grandparents and grandchildren up to date on what’s happening in each other’s lives

2. Create fun long-distance games – to stay connected, grandparents can try fun long-distance games that let their grandchildren know they’re loved and being thought about. Create personalized crossword puzzles or word searches, send them a jar of M&Ms to countdown to the next visit, or play long-distance hide and seek, having someone hide items around the house and then giving the clues to their grandchildren over the phone

3. Make a point to get together – it’s hard to bring families together, and easy for too much time to pass between visits. Family reunions that bring grandchildren together with their grandparents should happen at least once a year no matter what!

Sources:

1. Let Life In 

2. FamBooks 

Home Care Florida, Elder Care Florida, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Today it’s not uncommon for grandparents to be the primary caregivers for young children, with more than 6 million households living with this arrangement. But this does not come without obstacles. Taking in a child in older adulthood comes with challenges as a result of age, health and financial aspects.

1. Seniors who are retired often have limited finances available, and adding another member to the household can come at an increased expense

2. Seniors may not have the same physical capabilities that younger parents would when responsible for the physical care of children when carrying them around, bathing, and physical chasing after children

3. Seniors may neglect their own health needs when worrying about others

4. Seniors may be under the stress of legal issues when trying to adopt a child or ensure that they legally remain the child’s guardian

Love is the first step in overcoming these challenges, because seniors who have that for their grandchildren can get over the rest, but they might need a little bit more help along the way and can take note of the following tips:

1. Find out if there are assistance programs available in their area to help grandparents raising grandchildren financially

2. Remember to simply do the best that they can, and remember, that loving the children and ensuring their safety, health and happiness is all that’s really important

3. Of course, the health of their grandchildren is important, but grandparents need to remember if they don’t take care of themselves, they’ll be unable to care for anyone else

4. Seniors can try to minimize the stress of the process by seeking support from those who have been in similar situations

5. Respite help is necessary to give seniors a break. If children are too young to be in school seniors can find a daycare or ask for help

Sources:

1. Care-givers

2. AARP

3. Answers for Families

Home Care Florida, Elder Care Florida, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.