Don’t Head Out on a Road Trip With Your Parents Before Considering These Factors

Posted in Caregiver in Eufaula AL, Home Health Care in Eufaula AL |

August 7, 2019

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Summer’s here and you want to go on a vacation. You like getting your parents out of the home. It’s a good time for them to bond with your kids. You also gain the benefit of getting to spend quality time with your parents.

 

Home Health Care in Eufaula AL: Senior Vacation

Home Health Care in Eufaula AL: Senior Vacation

 

The ideal vacation is what you hope for, but it’s not always the reality. Before you head out on a road trip, make sure you consider these factors.

 

How Long Can Your Parents Really Travel?

Wherever you’re heading, you need to make sure you’re not making your parents sit for too long. If your mom has arthritis in the knees or hips, sitting for hours in a car may be hard. You’ll need to stop every hour or so and allow her to get out and walk around for 10 or 15 minutes.

If your dad has issues with swelling or gout and is supposed to put his feet up, a long car ride may not be a great idea. He’ll need a way to recline and keep the swelling in his ankles and toes to a minimum.

 

What Are the Family’s Interests?

Your parents love history museums while your teens love arcades and beaches. You’re going to need a middle ground if you want everyone to be happy. Look for cities that offer a mix of activities. For example, if you head to a coastal city like Portland, Maine, there are beaches, but you also have museums, historic homes, and coastal walking trails.

If your parents want time to relax on the beach and your kids want amusement parks, a setting like Myrtle Beach, San Diego, or New York City may work well. While you’re deciding, make sure you’re picking a location that isn’t too far away. You don’t want to be on the road for days in order to reach your destination, so you’d have to fly or find somewhere closer.

 

Is It Time to Leave Your Parents Behind?

While you may dislike omitting anyone from travel plans, it could be time to plan a family vacation without your mom and dad. You could plan short day trips with them and a longer vacation with your kids.

While you’re away, home care services can take over and help your parents. Caregivers can take your parent’s shopping and can cook and serve meals. They can help with housework and provide companionship. Call a home care agency to discuss services and pricing in your parents’ town or city.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Eufaula, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Don’t Try to Navigate the World of Home Care Without First Reading These Tips

Posted in Caregiver in Eufaula AL, Home Care in Eufaula AL |

March 19, 2019

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How much thought have you put into your dad’s senior care needs? Most families have thought about it, but they don’t know where to start. It takes time to find the right services.

 

Home Care in Eufaula AL: Home Care Tips

Home Care in Eufaula AL: Home Care Tips

 

Before you try to navigate the world of home care, read these tips…

Thoroughly Research Activities of Daily Living

There are two types of activities of daily living. Activities of daily living are the activities your parent has to do each day to survive. Instrumental activities of daily living are meant more for comfort than survival.

Activities of daily living include things like feeding oneself, using a toilet and cleaning up after, dressing appropriately, showering, and moving around independently. Instrumental activities of daily living include things like managing household finances, cooking meals, driving a car, creating a shopping list and going shopping, housework, scheduling appointments, keeping appointments, and taking medications on time.

Go over everything on both of these lists with your dad. If there are things he says he struggles with, those are the home care services to start with. He may find that others make him feel more independent, and they can be added when they appear.

 

Hold a Family Discussion

Once there is a list of things your dad admits he needs help completing each day or week, hold a family meeting. Depending on locations and work schedules, some family members may be able to help out a few hours a week or each month.

Your dad gains social opportunities as several people come to his home to help him around the house. It also helps limit the number of hours a professional caregiver is needed, which saves him money. Plus, there may be tasks he doesn’t want a caregiver helping with our vice versa.

 

Plan for the Unexpected

Once home care services are arranged, don’t be surprised if his needs change. A sudden illness like the flu could impact his abilities. He’ll need more help for a few weeks. If he falls and breaks a bone, you’ll want to have extra help available and go back through his house or yard to figure out if there was a way to prevent that fall.

 

Stay Involved

Once professional caregivers are helping your dad, stay involved in his care. Talk to the home care agency to see how things are going and if the caregivers have any concerns or suggestions. Talk to your dad to see how he’s enjoying having caregivers.

Build your list of must-haves. Once that’s done, call a home care agency. You’ll soon be set up with the right services and caregivers to ensure your dad is happy and safe while he ages at home.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Eufaula, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Can Seasonal Affective Disorder Happen in Seniors?

Posted in Caregiver in Eufaula AL, Elder Care in Eufaula AL, Senior Care in Eufaula AL |

November 6, 2018

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Is your aging relative expressing more sad and worried feelings than usual during winter? Are they growing more irritable and moody the closer it gets to the holidays? It’s not out of the ordinary to guess that your elderly loved one might be struggling with a recurring depressive state known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, known by the acronym of SAD.

 

 

Senior Care in Eufaula AL: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Senior Care in Eufaula AL: Seasonal Affective Disorder

 

While cold and darkness often leave people of all ages feeling a little blue, SAD is a serious medical condition that affects a person’s mental health. Elderly adults are particularly at risk for developing SAD. If you want to help your aging relative avoid seasonal depression, learn more about the condition and what you can do to prevent it.

 

SAD Causes and Symptoms 

While experts are not clear on what causes SAD, it has been linked to numerous triggers that help you see if your elderly loved one is at risk. In most cases, SAD is linked to reduced sunlight exposure as the daylight hours shorten in the fall and winter. Exposure to sunlight has a big effect on the body, from producing vitamin D and setting our wake/sleep patterns to triggering hormone production in the body. When there are fewer daylight hours, some people are mild to severely affected. People who live at higher latitudes are more likely to develop SAD than those at lower latitudes. SAD is also more likely to occur in females than males.

 

The symptoms of SAD are similar to clinical depression.

They can include lethargy, mood swings, loss of appetite or increased appetite, insomnia, feelings of helplessness, irritability, lack of focus, sadness, and thoughts of suicide. Because you may already see some similar behaviors in your aging relative due to other health conditions or age-related behaviors, it can sometimes be difficult to identify SAD. Many seniors with SAD go undiagnosed and untreated because of this.

 

SAD Treatments

As with clinical depression, SAD can be effectively treated with a multi-phase approach. First, your aging loved one needs a strong support network of family members, home care providers, friends and doctors. They also need to live a healthy lifestyle, with proper nutrition, regular activity, no smoking, proper management of any health issues and restful sleep.

 

With relation to sunlight exposure, seniors should accompany family caregivers or home care providers on outdoor excursions as the weather permits. Even a few minutes of direct exposure of skin to sunlight can help. A doctor can recommend a light box, a device with light bulbs that mimic natural sunlight. Seniors need to sit in front of it for a set time each day to reap the benefits.

 

Finally, seniors may need to meet with a therapist and work on the mental aspect of seasonal depression. They may need to take antidepressants as well in moderate to severe cases. The good news is that using a combination of treatments, elderly adults can reduce the impact of SAD in their lives and avoid serious mental and physical health issues as a result.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Eufaula, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

 

 

 

5 Reasons To Hire Senior Care Providers After Senior Surgery

Posted in Caregiver in Eufaula AL, Caregiver Tips, Hiring Senior Care Providers |

October 4, 2018

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From cataract surgery to getting a broken hip set, there are many reasons why an aging adult might need to get surgery.
Depending on the elderly person’s health and the reason for the surgery, recovery might be fast. However, most surgeries take some time to heal, and elderly adults often need someone around to assist them with daily tasks. Family caregivers should investigate hiring senior care providers to provide in-home care to aging adults that have recently had surgery.

 

Caregiver in Eufaula AL: Senior Care After Surgery

Caregiver in Eufaula AL: Senior Care After Surgery

 

Here are 5 reasons for family caregivers to hire senior care providers after an aging relative has gone through surgery:

 

1. Reminders About Medication: Most doctors will prescribe pain medication to elderly adults to take in the days after the surgery. However, due to fatigue, confusion, and lack of concentration, many elderly adults struggle to take the right medication at the right time. A senior care provider can remind the aging adult when to take their pills and even make notes about it for the family caregiver.

 

2. Grocery Shop and Prepare Meals: Of course, an aging adult recovering from surgery won’t be able to prepare meals for themselves, much less make trips to the grocery store. With a senior care provider, elderly adults can have nutritious meals and snacks while they heal.

 

3. Self-Care: It can be quite hard for elderly adults to take care of themselves while recovering from surgery. Showering or bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting could be serious obstacles for seniors, but a senior care provider is skilled at assisting in each of these areas. In many cases, adaptive devices like shower chairs, grab bars, and more can make it easier for all.

 

4. Housekeeping and Laundry: If elderly adults recovering from surgery cannot take care of themselves, they are certainly in no condition to keep the house clean and do laundry. However, it’s essential for them to be in a clean and comfortable environment. Senior care providers can take care of light housekeeping and laundry when they are giving in-home care.

 

5. Companionship: It’s easy to overlook an elderly person’s mental health during an in-home recovery period. Recovering from surgery can be frustrating, painful and even boring. Seniors are usually quite isolated socially and living with pain can leave them irritable, fatigued or sad. A senior care provider can act as a companion for them and make them feel safe.

Recovery can be extremely challenging for aging adults, and family caregivers may not have the time or resources to be with them all the time. Hiring a professional home care provider means that the aging adult is well-cared for, which increases the chances of healing more quickly.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Eufaula, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.