Home Care: 4 Steps for Helping Your Senior Improve Her Diet

Posted in Home Care, Malnutrition |

January 6, 2022

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Home Care: If you’ve been wondering how you can help your elderly family member to eat better more consistently, you’re not alone.

That’s a big concern for a lot of family caregivers because it directly relates to keeping your senior as healthy as possible. It can take a little bit of trial and error to find the system that works best for your senior, but a combination of these ideas can be really helpful for you and your home care provider.

 

Home Care: Senior Malnutrition

Home Care: Senior Malnutrition

 

Set up Reminders in a Variety of Ways

It can be really easy for your senior to forget to eat. That sounds silly, but if she’s not following routines that help her to hit all the health marks, it’s really easy to do. Also, seniors often have a tough time eating alone or cooking for just one person. Those are all factors to consider. Offering reminders about eating and offering to share meals with her can be a huge help.

 

Help Her to Stock Up

Another factor that contributes to an unhealthy diet can be that it’s tough to keep healthier foods on hand. Often they’re foods that are more difficult to prepare and they can have a shorter shelf life. When you or elder care providers are helping your senior to stock up on healthy foods, that’s half the battle. Preparing the foods is another part of the process altogether.

 

Make Some Freezer Meals

You might also consider making meals that your senior can freeze and then reheat when she’s ready to eat. By freezing single-serving containers of healthy meals, your elderly family member is able to have just as much convenience as offered by prepackaged frozen foods. The big benefit besides convenience is also that you’re able to control what’s in the meals.

 

Hire Home Care Providers

Bringing in caregivers can be an excellent way to support your senior in so many of her needs as they change. Home care providers can offer companionship, help with household tasks and personal care tasks, and assist with cooking healthy meals. They can also be part of helping to remind your senior to eat as often as she should be eating.

All of these steps and others that fit your senior’s needs can be part of the process of helping her to eat healthy foods more often. The pieces all fit together and help to ensure that your senior is able to stay as healthy and as strong as possible.

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

 

Home Care Services: Tips for Making Your Dad’s Home Safe for Him

Posted in Home Care Services, Senior Safety |

November 10, 2021

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Home Care Services: As your dad ages at home, you want him to be safe.

He has several chronic health conditions that concern you. With so many prescription medications to take, you don’t want him to be alone all day, especially when some of his medications cause lightheadedness and nausea. What do you do to ensure your dad’s house is as safe as it can be for him? Talk to a home care services specialist to arrange a home safety inspection. While you wait, you can easily take care of these safety measures on your own.

 

Home Care Services in Elba AL: Senior Safety

Home Care Services in Elba AL: Senior Safety

 

Install Grab Bars

Grab bars should be near the toilet. Ideally, you want them behind the toilet and on one side. You also want to install them both outside and inside the bathtub or shower. Grab bars are best if there are both vertical and horizontal bars within the bathing area.

Get Rid of Slippery Rugs

Your dad may love the carpet runner he has going down the hallway, but it doesn’t have a non-slip back. When you step on it, it moves around. It could cause a fall. If he won’t get rid of it, install non-slip backing under it. Otherwise, roll it up and donate it to a thrift shop.

Fix Loose Rails and Check For Splintering

Examine the railings on the stairs inside and outside the house. If any are loose, add new screws to ensure they’re tight. If they need to be replaced, take care of that. Check them for splintering, too. If he pulls away quickly because of a splinter, he’s likely to fall.

Check His Seating

Look at his favorite seats in the home. Fix loose chair legs and replace chairs that he struggles to get out of. It may be time to purchase new furniture that has a higher back and sturdy arms. Firmer seat cushions are better than plush, soft ones that he sinks into.

Add Brighter Lighting

Your dad is more likely to trip and fall if he can’t see items on the floor. Make sure that every area he walks is illuminated. When he’s going from his bedroom to the bathroom in the dark, nightlights, especially motion-activated ones, will help him avoid falling.

Hire Home Care Services

Home care services is the final step to take to ensure your dad’s safety while he ages in place. He has the help he needs with daily activities and transportation. You have peace of mind that the home care assistance services he’s using help him remain independent. Call to learn more.

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

Home Care Services: Why Are IADLs Important to Use as a Guide to Home Care Services?

Posted in Home Care, Home Care Services |

September 30, 2021

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Home Care Services: You’ve heard of ADLs being an excellent guideline for determining if your parents need home care.

Have you considered the benefit of looking at IADLs, too? IADLs, or instrumental activities of daily living, are more complex skills that delve beyond walking around, using a toilet, or eating your meal. But, they are essential to your ability to live independently. You need to use these in decision-making. The chances are that your parents are fine on their own, but they just need that small helping hand to get through their week. Many of the Home Care Services that caregivers offer can help with these seven IADL categories.

 

Home Care Services in Headland AL: IADLs

Home Care Services in Headland AL: IADLs

 

#1 – Communication

Scheduling appointments or meetings over the phone or online is something your parents should be able to do, yet they’re not always able to. If they have a hard time hearing someone on the phone, seeing the buttons to dial, or figuring out how to book an appointment online, these are IADLs that caregivers can help them complete.

#2 – Housework

Housework doesn’t challenge everyone, but if your mom or dad develops painful arthritis, it may impact their ability to vacuum the stairs. Climbing a ladder to change a bulb or remove dust webs is dangerous when your ankles or knees ache. Changing sheets, washing dishes, and wiping down surfaces are other tasks that can become harder to manage.

#3 – Managing Medications

Many older adults take at least one prescription medication. Remembering to take them isn’t always easy. Ordering and picking up refills can also become a problem.

#4 – Paying Bills

Paying bills and ensuring there is enough money in an account to cover the bill is something else older adults can find difficult. Filling out a check, using the internet to pay a bill online, and checking balances are all aspects of financial management your parents may need help completing.

#5 – Preparing Meals

Can your mom and dad still cook meals? Do they rely on takeout and frozen foods regularly? Meal preparation services are worth considering if they can’t cook meals on their own.

#6 – Shopping

Do they shop for groceries independently or rely on you to read labels and check expiration dates? If they have a hard time creating a shopping list, avoiding extraneous purchases, or counting money at the register, caregivers are essential.

#7 – Transportation

Finally, it may be time to arrange to let someone else do the driving. If your mom and dad struggle with headlight glare, to stay in their lane, or to check their blind spot, it’s time to address having help with transportation.

Use an IADL checklist to determine what home care services are ideal for your parents. When you know, you’ll be able to discuss these services with a home care services specialist and get prices.

 

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

Elderly Care: Four Ways Your Parents Benefit From Elderly Care

Posted in Elderly Care, Home Care |

June 30, 2021

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Elderly Care: If you hear the term “elderly care,” what comes to mind?

Someone who cleans and cooks for your parents? That’s part of it, but it’s just a small part. Check out these ways elderly care providers can help your mom and dad retain independence while they age at home.

 

Elderly Care in Eufaula AL

Elderly Care in Eufaula AL

 

Organization

Your parents have a hard time putting things where they go. You’ve cleaned their house and gotten it organized, but your parents don’t like using a stool and can’t reach some of the shelves where smaller appliances are stored.

When they need something, they pull it out and leave it lying around. The vacuum is out in the middle of the hall. While walking through at night, your mom stubs her toe and trips. With a caregiver’s help, items go back where they belong. Plus, the caregiver can handle chores like vacuuming and getting the toaster or waffle maker to make breakfast.

Late Night Loneliness

What if an older adult is a night owl? Home care aides are often willing to work a late shift. Your dad isn’t tired until 11 p.m., but he hates being alone. You leave after making his dinner, and he’s not happy. He wants someone around at night until he’s sleepy.

That’s part of companionship services. He’ll have a caregiver with him for socialization. His caregiver can put on a movie and watch it with him or get some board games out to play. When he’s ready for bed, the caregiver can remind him to take medications and tidy up before leaving.

Safe Transportation

Your mom’s reaction times are significantly slower than they used to be. Her doctor’s advised it’s a good time to give up driving. She’s not happy, but she’ll be okay if she has someone to drive her around.

While you and your brother are at work, you can hire caregivers to drive your mom to stores, restaurants, friends’ houses, and medical offices. The elderly care provider can take your mom to her appointments, eliminating your need to take off multiple days from work for your mom’s dental and doctor’s visits.

Reading the Fine Print

Your mom and dad can’t read fine print without magnifying glasses. It’s becoming a problem at home as they struggle to read the instructions on medicine bottles. In a store, they cannot read the ingredient list on packaged foods.

Have you considered hiring caregivers to bring them to stores? Their caregiver can go over the nutrition facts with them and ensure they’re picking foods that match their dietary needs. At home, the caregiver can read the instructions on medicine bottles.

What do you do next? Start by calling or filling out a form to get more information on elderly care. An elderly care expert will walk you through the prices for home care, available services, and tips for keeping your parent independent while aging at home.

 

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