What Families and Caregivers Should Know about Hospital Discharge Planning

Posted in Home Care in Daleville AL, Home Health Care in Daleville AL |

November 20, 2020

| by

When a senior loved one is admitted to a hospital after an unexpected illness or injury, their families often feel overwhelmed, confused and uncertain how to proceed. Proper planning and communication with the medical team can make all the difference in how smoothly the transition home goes, and the senior’s recovery. Understanding the basic discharge planning process can make this step less intimidating and more successful.

 

Home Health Care in Daleville AL: Hospital Discharge Planning

Home Health Care in Daleville AL: Hospital Discharge Planning

 

Discharge Planning

Discharge planning is a process, defined by Medicare, to determine what a patient needs to smoothly and successfully transition from the hospital back to their home or to another level of care, such as a rehabilitation facility.

The exact process of discharge planning varies from one hospital to the next, but it generally includes the same key features:

  • Evaluation of the patient’s needs
  • Discussion with the patient or representative
  • Determination of any additional support or caregiver training that may be needed
  • Referral to supportive services, such as home care
  • Arrangements for follow-up appointments
  • Planning transportation or other specific steps to get the person home, or to the next facility

 

Patient, Family and Caregiver Discussion

It’s important to be fully present and attentive during the discussion portion of the planning process. This is easier said than done! The entire hospitalization can be stressful, confusing and overwhelming. It may be hard to imagine what life really will be like upon returning home.

Remember to take your time, take notes, and ask lots of questions. Do your best to communicate your situation as fully as possible during this process. Resist any temptation to overestimate what you can do for your loved one. Only then can the medical team accommodate your actual needs, and set you and your loved one up for the best chance of success.

The discussion will include your loved one’s physical needs, both what they were prior to the hospitalization, and what they are likely to be afterward. Your loved one may need physical therapy or new equipment such as a wheelchair or bedside commode. They may need oxygen or other medical treatments. A good discharge planning discussion will include consideration for who will take care of these needs, but also who will be handling other daily needs, such as transportation, cooking and daily chores.

Family caregivers can easily become overwhelmed and exhausted — both mentally and physically — when they try to handle all the daily needs of the household, their loved one and themselves.

Often, family caregivers are urged to hire assistance so that they don’t become overwhelmed. Overwhelm can lead to a number of poor outcomes, including:

  • Trouble with the caregiver’s own health
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Less than ideal recovery
  • Physical complications
  • Challenges with the patient’s or caregiver’s mental or emotional health

Home care services are a popular choice for support because they offer an array of services customized to each individual families’ needs and preferences. Home care aides can come on a customized schedule and perform tasks including:

  • Laundry, dishes or light housework
  • Meal preparation
  • Transportation
  • Shopping or errands
  • Personal care, such as bathing, dressing and assisting with using the toilet
  • Mobility assistance, such as using a wheelchair, walker or safely moving from one chair to another
  • Companionship

These types of services help family caregivers conserve energy and can assist the senior to experience a smooth and successful recovery in the comfort of their own home.

 

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

 

Sources

https://www.caregiver.org/

Nutrition and Your Senior: How to Ensure They Eat Well

Posted in Homecare in Ozark AL, Senior Care in Ozark AL |

November 5, 2020

| by

Eating a healthy diet is important at any age, but it’s especially important for aging seniors.
In addition to keeping a person’s physical body healthy, eating well also can be one of the best ways to help your aging parent to stay emotionally healthy and keep a positive state-of-mind. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be about making sacrifices and compromises with what your parent loves to eat, it’s more about helping your parent enjoy fresh delicious food, made with wholesome ingredients and doing it with friends and family, making a meal a whole body, mind, and soul experience.

 

Senior Care in Ozark AL: Ensure They Eat Well

Senior Care in Ozark AL: Ensure They Eat Well

Good nutrition sharpens the mind, boosts positive emotions, and can help your senior live longer and better. So, how do you ensure your parent is eating well?

 

1. Go shopping with your parent.

Travel to the grocery store together, helping your parent pick out food that she not only likes but is also good for her health. It’s important to encourage products like fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats, dairy products, and items high in fiber. So, if your parent loves carrots, encourage her to buy fresh carrots instead of canned carrots. If your parent has never thought about these types of foods, then you going with them to the store can help guide them in the right direction of the best foods they can get.

 

2. Help your parent learn new ways to prepare food.

Maybe it’s time to take that cooking class together? By spending time together, a new task can seem fun and exciting, not daunting, and overwhelming. Even if it’s simply looking at a new way to make different types of salads, helping your parent open previously-closed doors to new food experiences, may give her the needed incentive to try new things.

 

3. Plan family dinners.

The enjoyment of having company can help almost anyone eat better. When planning a family dinner with your senior parent, make sure to have menu items that she’ll not only enjoy but that will be good for her. Associating the pleasure of community with a particular food can make that item seem even more enjoyable. And don’t forget to send leftovers home with your parent so she can easily reheat and enjoy the meal for another time.

 

4. Enlist help.

Whether it’s signing up for a home meal delivery plan, asking the neighbors to bring meals, or hiring a home care professional to come into your parent’s home and prepare a meal or two, it’s important that you don’t try to do it all on your own. There are plenty of services out there willing to step in and help; and most likely, you have friends or family that would also love to help out by providing a weekly meal.

As your senior parent ages, many things may cause stumbling blocks to good nutrition, from budget concerns to reduced appetite and even problems chewing and swallowing. Maintaining an open and non-shaming conversation with your parent about her eating habits will help you both to make needed adjustments that will enrich her life and increase her overall health.

 

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

Recognizing Personality Changes Related to Dementia

Posted in Elderly Care in Geneva AL, Home Health Care in Geneva AL |

October 22, 2020

| by

Is your elderly loved one acting differently than they normally do? There are a range of health issues that could cause personality changes in the elderly. One of the diseases that could cause these types of changes is dementia. If you concerned that your elderly loved one could have dementia, it is important to learn all you can about the personality changes related to this disease today.

 

Home Health Care in Geneva AL: Recognizing Personality Changes

Home Health Care in Geneva AL: Recognizing Personality Changes

 

Threatening and Aggressive Behaviors

Have you or a senior care provider noticed that your elderly loved one is becoming increasingly threatening or aggressive? Have they screamed at you, their senior care provider, or others in their life? Are they hitting, kicking, or punching someone? Do they throw things? If your elderly loved one is doing any of these things and they have dementia, they might be frustrated, bored, or in pain.

 

Anxiety

Does your elderly loved one seem overly anxious? Have they had an anxiety or panic attack? Do they talk very fast or try to get out of certain situations? If so, and they have dementia, they could be scared or worried about something.

 

Experiencing Apathy

Have you or a senior care provider noticed that your loved one is experiencing apathy? This means that they don’t desire to do a particular thing that they used to do. For instance, is your elderly loved one suddenly uninterested in taking care of their personal hygiene? If so, they could be frustrated, confused, or experiencing another emotion that is causing this disinterest.

 

Delirium, Hallucinations, and Delusions

If your elderly loved one is experiencing delirium, hallucinations, and/or delusions, they might be scared or confused. It is important to do what you can to help them. First, you may want to schedule them an appointment with their doctor, especially if this is new for them. The doctor might prescribe medication to help with these symptoms. There might be other recommendations that the doctor has for your elderly loved one, as well.

 

Conclusion

It is important that you are able to recognize the personality changes that could occur if your elderly loved one has dementia. There are so many things that a person with dementia goes through. As the disease gets worse, your elderly loved one might have even more personality changes. This disease can’t be cured, but you and senior care providers can try to help your loved one feel better in the meantime.

Keep in mind that if your elderly loved one is having severe symptoms, you should speak to their doctor as soon as possible.

 

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

 

Sources

https://memory.ucsf.edu/

 

Internet Safety Tips to Follow After a Breach

Posted in Caregiver in Elba AL, Elderly Care in Elba AL |

October 8, 2020

| by

It seems that every day, there is news about a new breach hitting the media. Some of the earliest involved stores like Home Depot and TJ Maxx. Then, there were huge breaches of Equifax and Marriott. If your parents are in a breach, do they know how to protect themselves against identity theft or to prevent fraudulent transactions? Do you?

 

Elderly Care in Elba AL: Internet Safety Tips to Follow

Elderly Care in Elba AL: Internet Safety Tips to Follow

 

It’s estimated that fraudulent transactions cost older American’s $1.7 billion in 2017. The average loss was more than $34,000. You can’t stop every type of fraud from happening, but you can take preventative measures and know what to do if it happens to your mom or dad.


Run Virus/Malware Scans

Make sure your parents’ computer is set to do automatic scans of their system for viruses, malware, etc. Have virus definitions updated daily. This helps keep them safer on their end, though things can slip through. If there’s a new virus that doesn’t have definitions set up yet, it’s possible.


Use Email Software That Has Strong Spam Filters

Many email programs are now set up with effective spam filters. If spam comes in, it usually goes right to a spam folder. Mistakes will happen, so your parents should check their spam folders and move mail as needed. The software learns what is and isn’t spam this way.

Instead of opening spam emails, your parents can quickly delete them. They should also make sure the settings are set to have to double-click to open an email and not to automatically open attachments.

 

Change Passwords

After learning of a breach or possible hack, change passwords on any site related to that company. If your parents have used that password or a similar version of it on other sites, change those too.

Many virus software suites have password protection as part of the options. They’ll help your parents create strong passwords that are stored with a passcode or PIN within that software so that they don’t have to remember them. They should also write them down in a notebook that’s stored in their safe or a lockbox.

 

Check Their Credit Report

After a breach, they should check their credit report. They want to look for accounts that are not theirs. If they find anything, they should report it to the three credit bureaus and notify the FBI’s fraud division to get a case number.

 

Consider a Credit Freeze

Your parents may want to put a credit freeze in place. They’ll do that online or by phone. If they do want to take out a new loan or open a new credit card, they have to thaw their credit file before the application is processed.

If your parents struggle with daily tasks like organizing mail, handling phone calls, or sorting spam emails from valid ones, it’s time to make sure they have help. Elderly care services help with more than laundry and housekeeping. Caregivers can help your parents as they pay bills, read emails and mail, and answer the phone. Call an elderly care agency to learn more.

 

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

Sources:

https://www.aarp.org/

 

 

World’s Alzheimer’s Day: How Do You Know When Home Care is Necessary?

Posted in Caregiver in Enterprise AL, Home Care Services in Enterprise AL |

September 16, 2020

| by

Over five million men and women in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s. The number of people with Alzheimer’s is expected to triple over the next 30 years. If you have a parent with Alzheimer’s, you already know how serious it is.

 

Home Care Services in Enterprise AL: World's Alzheimer's Day

Home Care Services in Enterprise AL: World’s Alzheimer’s Day

 

 

World’s Alzheimer’s Day takes place each year on September 21st. When you’re mom or dad has the disease, you need to carefully watch the progression of the symptoms. Arranging home care services early helps your parent become familiar with the caregiver. That will help as the memory declines.

 

Meal Preparation

While your mom or dad’s memory may decline, mobility doesn’t always decline at the same rate. Your parent may still feel capable of cooking, but the memory gets in the way.

It’s best to hire caregivers to help with meals early on. You don’t want your parent to put something in the oven to cook, forget it’s in there, and start a fire.

 

Medications

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, it’s not hard to forget to take medications. Later on, your mom or dad will need a reminder. If no one is there to watch your parent take medications and offer reminders, medications will be skipped.

Sundowning

Sundowning may have your mom or dad becoming very agitated at night after the sunsets. Sleep patterns get thrown off. Your dad may only sleep for 30 minutes here and there, which makes it impossible for you to get a full night’s sleep.

Wandering

Not every person with Alzheimer’s wanders, but it can be alarming if it happens. You don’t want your mom or dad to be alone on a walk and disappear. It becomes hard for a person to remember how to get home, so wandering takes them too far from home to safely return.

Delusions may worsen wandering. Your dad may become distressed that a distant neighbor stole something belonging to him and go off on a mission to get it back. Your mom may think her dog ran off, only she doesn’t have a dog so there’s no dog to find.

One thing is important when it comes to Alzheimer’s. You cannot wait to arrange home care. If you wait too long, you could put your parent in danger. Wandering, delusional behavior and difficulty cooking can put your mom or dad at risk of harm.

Home care aides can be with your mom or dad when you can’t be. It keeps your parent safe and gives you peace of mind while you’re at work or running errands.

 

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

Sources:
https://www.alz.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding Common Causes of Urinary Incontinence

Posted in Caregiver in Hartford AL, Elderly Care in Hartford AL |

September 3, 2020

| by

Incontinence can be confusing and upsetting, so much so that your elderly family member may not even want to talk about what’s going on for a while. Having open and loving conversations about what’s happening and what might be causing it is vital. It’s also important to be able to talk with your elderly family member’s doctor about what she’s experiencing

 

Elderly Care in Hartford AL: Causes of Urinary Incontinence

Elderly Care in Hartford AL: Causes of Urinary Incontinence

 

A Weak or Damaged Bladder

Physical problems with your senior’s bladder or urinary tract can lead directly to urinary incontinence problems. The muscles in the bladder and urethra help to contain the urine until your senior is ready to void her bladder. When those muscles aren’t working as well as they should, leaks can occur when your senior is least expecting them to happen. Infections or bladder stones can also cause incontinence and damage the bladder.

 

Other Health Conditions

So many other health issues, like having had children, or health issues requiring surgery can weaken areas around your senior’s bladder. That can cause her to have some problems with incontinence. Medications that your senior takes to manage those other health issues have to be processed through her liver, kidneys, and bladder. That can mean side effects that affect her bladder, even if the medication is for something else entirely.

 

Dietary Causes

You’ve probably heard a million times that what your senior eats affects everything about her health. It really is true, especially if your elderly family member tends to eat a lot of spicy foods or drinks carbonated beverages. Both can be irritating to the bladder. Caffeine, sugar, and other foods and drinks can also be an irritant. Your senior’s particular dietary triggers might be different than the norm. Keeping a food diary can help you to start to notice specific triggers.

 

Too Much Stress

Stress is always a problem for the entire body. It can definitely make incontinence worse, though. And if your senior is worried or stressed about incontinence, that becomes a vicious cycle that keeps making itself worse over time. It helps if your elderly family member learns to remain calm about the things that are beyond her control.
Your senior’s medical team can help you to narrow down what’s causing her incontinence. There may be solutions ranging from medical options to products that help her. It’s also a good idea to consider bringing in elder care providers. They’ve got experience helping seniors with complicated and embarrassing situations.

 

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

 

National Water Quality Month – Have You Ever Tested Your Mom’s Well Water?

Posted in Caregiver in Elba AL, Home Care Services in Elba AL |

August 21, 2020

| by

August’s National Water Quality Month is a good time to discuss the care and maintenance of your mom’s well. Some homeowners don’t realize that the water in a well needs to be checked to ensure it’s safe. A house filter will help with the water quality, but she still should be aware of what’s in her water.

 

Home Care Services in Elba AL: National Water Quality Month

Home Care Services in Elba AL: National Water Quality Month

 

How Often Should It Be Tested?

Ideally, your mom should test her private well once a year. If she has a dug well, it needs to be tested more often than that. Wells that have water supplies closer to the ground surface may become contaminated by things like fertilizers more easily.

 

Why Test Well Water?

Even if the well tested fine when she moved in, they can develop bacteria, parasites, toxic substances, and viruses over time. The water may not smell or look different. If she hasn’t had it tested in a while, she can arrange to do a test by contacting her local health department.

She wants to have her water tested for chloride, coliform bacteria, fluoride, hardness, manganese, nitrates, pH, sodium, sulfates, and total dissolved solids. Chances are it’s still fine, but if it’s not, she can take steps to make her water safer.

 

What Happens if the Water is Unsafe?

If the water is unsafe, several steps may help. She may need to chlorinate her well water to kill bacteria and sulfur. She might need to hire a company to aerate the water or add a solution of hydrogen peroxide to neutralize issues. A whole house water filter may be recommended.

Someone should talk to the company that put in the well. If the pumping level has declined, it may change the water quality. If this is the case, rehabilitation to remove silt, built-up minerals, and other measures may be helpful.

Who helps your mom keep track of her appointments? If she’s struggling to stay organized, are you taking the time to arrange her medical appointments or home maintenance chores like the heating system and dryer vent cleanings? If she can’t do these things on her own, talk about senior care.

She can have caregivers to help remind her of upcoming appointments. Caregivers can be with her on appointment days by providing transportation or being in her home when a contractor is there. They can also cook meals, help with housework and laundry, and assist her with personal care. Call a senior care agency 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.

Four Ways to Organize Yourself as a Caregiver

Posted in Caregiver in Hartford AL, Elder Care in Hartford AL |

August 5, 2020

| by

There’s the organization of things and then there’s the organization of yourself, your thoughts, and the facts you’re responsible for. The latter is most important when you’re a caregiver because you’re dealing with a lot of those particular items. Keeping yourself organized isn’t as difficult as it might seem at first.

 

Elder Care in Hartford AL: Ways to Organize Yourself

Elder Care in Hartford AL: Ways to Organize Yourself

 

Consider a Planner or Calendar

Even if you’ve never been much of a planner lover before, now might be the time to try to find the right one for you. Planners are portable and they offer you a chance to collect a lot of data that would otherwise get lost or would be spread out over a variety of other places. You think you’ll remember everything as a caregiver, but that’s often not the case, especially as you get busier.

 

Make Lists Whenever Possible

Lists do a lot more to organize you and your thoughts than you might expect. When you take the time to write out a list, that gives you a chance to think through what is going on, what has to happen, and what happens next. Your lists don’t have to be perfect, but they can help you to make sense of everything that’s going on. It’s also a lot easier to delegate tasks once you have a list. For example, you can hand a list to elderly care providers without having to think through everything a second time. This saves you and everyone around you a lot of time.

 

Copy Important Documents and Store Them Securely

Important documents are sometimes difficult to find when you need them most and yet you don’t want to lose them, either. One solution is to either make copies and then store the originals in a safe or some other secure location. Another option is to digitize those documents and then save the file names as the type of document it is. You can store the documents on your phone or in your online cloud account for easy access wherever and whenever you might need them.

 

Talk to Your Senior

It’s also really important to talk to your senior when you’re thinking about making organizational changes. There may be some aspects of your current system or the one you’re thinking about moving to that your elderly family member might enjoy offering input about. Keeping your elderly family member involved as much as you can is really important, even if it doesn’t seem crucial to you.

There’s a lot that goes into being organized that isn’t necessarily about where things are placed. Organizing the important information you’re managing may be the most important part of feeling like you have a handle on what’s going on.

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

Helping Your Elderly Loved One Have Better Quality of Life

Posted in Elderly Care in Headland AL, Home Care in Headland AL |

July 22, 2020

| by

As people age, they might start feeling as if they are too much for their loved ones. This might cause them to feel down or depressed. It is important that you help your elderly loved one to feel better. There are numerous ways that you can help them to have a better quality of life as they age.

 

Homecare in Headland AL: Better Quality of Life

Homecare in Headland AL: Better Quality of Life

 

 

Treating Their Depression

One of the most important ways to help your elderly loved one have a better quality of life is to get their depression treated. Depending on the cause of their depression, there are various treatment options available. Your elderly loved one might need medications, therapy, lifestyle changes, more companionship, or a combination of all these things.

 

Encourage More Interaction with Others

If your elderly loved one has started isolating themselves because they feel they are too much for their loved ones to take care of, talk to them. Let them know that you care about them and that you want to help. It might even be beneficial to hire home care providers for your elderly loved one. This may help them have a better quality of life because they won’t feel they are as much for their loved ones to care for.

 

Regular Exercise

Research shows that regularly exercising can help people to have a better quality of life. If your elderly loved one isn’t exercising enough at this point, you can help them create an exercise routine and schedule. Before doing so, however, it might be a good idea to have them see their doctor. The doctor can let them know what types of exercises are safe. From there, a plan and routine can be created for your elderly loved one in regard to exercising.

 

Going Outdoors More Often

Studies have shown that being outdoors can help to improve people’s mental state. If your elderly loved one is feeling down, getting them to go outdoors more often could help them to start feeling better. Just being outdoors for 20 minutes a day could be enough to help your elderly loved one feel happier, more content with their life, and less stressed.

These are some of the many ways that you can help your elderly loved one to have a better quality of life. Depending on what they are feeling and how they are doing, some or all of these tips might not work. However, if they don’t, you can always schedule your elderly loved one an appointment with their doctor or a therapist to further explore what is going on. These professionals can help your elderly loved one to start feeling better.

 

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

Activities Outdoors for an Elderly Adult in a Wheelchair

Posted in Caregiver in Ozark AL, Elder Care in Ozark AL |

July 8, 2020

| by

If you are trying to help care for your elderly loved one who is in a wheelchair, one of the things that you will need to make sure is that they still get time outdoors. Many people who are in a wheelchair don’t get outdoors enough. They are stuck inside more than they should be. The good news is that there are many activities outdoors that your elderly loved one can take part in. By getting your elderly loved one outdoors more it can help to improve their sleep, reduce their stress levels, give them more energy, and help them feel more connected to the world and to other people, as well. If you can’t get your elderly loved one outdoors because of your busy schedule, you can hire caregivers to help out.

 

Caregiver in Ozark AL: Activities for Elderly in a Wheelchair

Caregiver in Ozark AL: Activities for Elderly in a Wheelchair

 

Picking Fruit

One of the fun activities that your elderly loved one can do outdoors is picking fruit. There are many fruit picking farms in various areas. The good thing about these is that they don’t have to be close to other people, so they can keep their distance and still have a good time. You could take them to pick blueberries, strawberries, or other fruits.

 

Have a Picnic

When was the last time that your elderly loved one had a picnic? It may have been so long that they can’t remember. This would be a fun outdoor activity for your elderly loved one. You or their caregivers can get picnic supplies around and take your elderly loved one outdoors. You can have a lunch and some sweet tea. Just sit around and conversate with your elderly loved one. Playing music during the picnic might be fun, as well.

 

Going Fishing

If your elderly loved one likes to fish, but they haven’t gone in a long time, this might be something that you or their caregivers could take them to do. This can be a fun activity outdoors and it can give your elderly loved one something to do for hours. Not only that, but they will need to practice their patience while they are waiting for the fish to bite. This is something that many elderly adults need to practice.

These are some of the many different activities outdoors that your elderly loved one can take part in. Just because your elderly loved one is in a wheelchair that doesn’t mean that they can’t get outdoors and have a good time. They deserve to live a great life and being outdoors more often will help them to do that.

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

Sources
https://dnr.wi.gov/t
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/