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

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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

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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

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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

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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/

Five Ideas for Managing Arthritis Pain

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

June 18, 2020

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Arthritis pain is something that can come and go for your senior. When she’s in the midst of a flare, your senior’s joints may be hot, swollen, and red. She may find it difficult to move the affected joints at all, much less do any of her regular activities. That’s part of what can be so difficult about arthritis and never knowing when a flare is going to happen.

 

Elder Care in Elba AL: Managing Arthritis Pain

Elder Care in Elba AL: Managing Arthritis Pain

 

Start with Your Senior’s Doctor

As with any medical issue, you want to start with your senior’s doctor. Your elderly family member’s doctor can give you detailed information about how arthritis affects her specifically. There may be medical therapies that your senior can use in addition to these ideas.

 

Alternate Heat and Ice

Ice and heat are both helpful for arthritis pain. Alternating those two methods is highly effective, but you need to make sure that you’re not using either for too long. For heat, make sure that the heating pad or hot pack is not too hot and put a towel or some type of cloth between the pack and your senior’s skin. Ice is cold, but it can also burn delicate skin. Make sure that there is some sort of fabric barrier with ice packs, too.
Consider Massage

Massage helps to move fluid through your senior’s joints and tissues, which can help to warm up the joints and keep them limber. Your senior may also learn some specific stretches and movements that help her to experience less pain. Massage can be a way to ease your senior into becoming more active.

 

Exercise Does Help

Moving, much less exercising, may feel to your senior like the last thing she wants to do when her arthritis is flaring up. But it really can be helpful. Exercise helps to strengthen the muscles around the joints, which supports them when they’re feeling weak and painful.

 

Get Some Extra Help

When your elderly family member is experiencing more pain than usual, she may find it difficult to handle some of the tasks that aren’t a problem when she’s not in the middle of an arthritis flare. Senior care providers can make a huge difference for your elderly family member on those days.

Finding the right combination of treatments for your senior’s arthritis pain is really important. There may be solutions that work better at certain times of the year, so you may need to adjust periodically to account for other contributing factors.

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

Helping Your Senior to Accept Help

Posted in Elder Care in Enterprise AL, Home Care in Enterprise AL |

June 12, 2020

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Part of growing older is that unfortunately, your senior is going to need some help. That can be a tough truth to swallow, though. In fact, your elderly family member may be very against having help from outside sources at all.

 

Home Care in Enterprise AL: Senior Accepting Help

Home Care in Enterprise AL: Senior Accepting Help

 

Pay Attention to How You’re Phrasing Things

Sometimes it’s all in how you say something that makes the biggest difference. For your senior, hearing that she should accept more help or that she has to let someone come in and help her can feel as if she’s losing control over parts of her life. Or it can feel as if you no longer trust her to take care of herself. When you’re careful with your phrasing, you can help to alleviate some of those concerns.

 

Listen to Your Senior’s Thoughts and Opinions

It’s crucial for you to listen to your senior’s thoughts and feelings on this topic. If she feels like you’re ignoring her or glossing over what she’s telling you, that’s going to compound the problems. You’re going to need to really listen and show her that you understand. That’s going to go a lot farther.

 

Make This an Easy Transition

When you bring elder care providers in to help, do what you can to make that a slow and easy transition. Stay there while elder care providers are there. Start out with visits every couple of weeks at first. Maybe keep the visits themselves short as well.

 

Put a Time Limit on Things

Something else that you can do is to set a time limit for the entire experience. For example, at the front end, you might tell your elderly family member that this is something you’ll both can try out for the next six months. That helps her to see that there is an end date, and if she wants to stick with that, you can when that time comes.

 

Keep the Conversation Positive

When you do talk about how elder care services are going for your senior, do what you can to remain positive about the situation. She may still have some negative feelings about the experience, but if you follow that mood you may not be able to win her over even if she does need the help.

It’s difficult for some people to accept that they need help now. If your elderly family member has always been fiercely independent, it’s going to take some time for her to adjust. Be there for her as she finally accepts and learns to enjoy having some extra assistance.

 

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

What Does Vitamin D Have to Do with Kidney Health?

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

May 20, 2020

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More than 50 percent of people in the United States don’t get enough vitamin D. You may know that vitamin D has been linked to bone health since it helps the body to absorb calcium. However, what you may not know is that it is also important to kidney health.

 

Homecare in Elba AL: Vitamin D and Kidney Health

Homecare in Elba AL: Vitamin D and Kidney Health

 

The Link Between Vitamin D and Kidneys

People get vitamin D from three sources: the sun, food, or supplements. The kidneys help the body to turn the vitamin D it takes in from the sun or from supplements into its active form, a substance the body can use.

Often, people with chronic kidney disease are very deficient in vitamin D, sometimes severely so. The reason for this is that as kidneys become more and more damaged, they are not as effective in turning vitamin D into its active form. Elderly people with kidney disease seem to be among those especially susceptible to vitamin D deficiency.

Because vitamin D can be an issue for seniors with kidney disease, a doctor may suggest they take a supplement, even in the early stages. In addition, family caregivers can help older adults to support kidney health by serving foods that are rich in vitamin D. Some good sources are:

  • Cheese.
  • Beef liver.
  • Fatty fish, such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
  • Egg yolks.
  • Foods that have been fortified with vitamin D, like certain dairy products, orange juice, and cereal.

Other Ways to Support Kidney Health

In addition to eating foods that contain vitamin D, there are plenty of things seniors can do to improve their kidney health, such as:

-Exercise: Exercising regularly can support kidney health through weight loss and lowering blood pressure.

-Control Blood Sugar: Uncontrolled blood sugar can harm the tissues in the kidneys.

-Keep an Eye on Blood Pressure: Having blood pressure that is consistently higher than 140/90 can also damage the kidneys.

-Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water helps the kidneys to flush toxins from the body.

If your older family member has chronic kidney disease, home care can help them to maintain, and perhaps improve, their kidney health. A home care provider can prepare meals that are balanced and healthy as well as including foods that contain vitamin D. Home care providers can also help your older family member to exercise by doing things like taking walks with them or driving them to an exercise class or facility. Home care providers can also remind the older adult to take medications or supplements suggested by the doctor for managing kidney problems.

 

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

 

Sources
https://www.kidney.org/news/
https://www.webmd.com/
https://www.healthline.com/

How to Clean Hands and Household Surfaces to Avoid COVID-19

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

May 8, 2020

| by

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended several steps to protect people from contracting the COVID-19 virus. Two of those things are washing hands and disinfecting surfaces. These steps may not seem difficult, but many people don’t do them correctly so that they are effective in eliminating germs.

 

Elder Care in Eufaula AL: Proper Steps for Hand Washing

Elder Care in Eufaula AL: Proper Steps for Hand Washing

 

Proper Steps for Hand Washing

Hand washing is important in protecting seniors from the COVID-19 virus because germs can be transferred from hands into the body when the older adult touches their face. The CDC recommends washing hands at these times:

  • Before, during, and after cooking.
  • Before eating.
  • After using the bathroom.
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

 

There are five steps involved in thoroughly washing hands. They are:

  1. Wet hands with clean running water (the temperature doesn’t matter) and apply soap.
  2. Lather all parts of the hands, including the backs and between fingers.
  3. Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds. That’s about as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.
  4. Thoroughly rinse hands under running water.
  5. Dry hands using a clean towel or by air-drying them.

Seniors may also need to apply lotion often after washing hands since their skin dries out easily. Since they are likely washing hands more often during the pandemic, it might be a good idea to keep a bottle of hand lotion near the sink.

 

How to Disinfect Surfaces

To prevent germs from being transferred from frequently touched surfaces, the CDC suggest disinfecting them often.

Frequently touched surfaces include:

  • Tables
  • Hard-backed chairs
  • Doorknobs
  • Light switches
  • Phones
  • Tablets
  • Remote controls
  • Keyboards
  • Handles
  • Toilet
  • Sinks

If the surface is visibly dirty, it should be washed with detergent or soap before disinfecting it. Afterward, use an EPA registered cleaner for disinfecting and follow the instructions on the label. Bleach is also an effective disinfectant. It should first be diluted with water. To make a bleach solution, mix one-third cup of bleach with a gallon of water.

 

How Elderly Care Can Help

Elderly care can assist with both of these important steps for protecting your older family member from the COVID-19 virus. An elderly care provider can remind the elder adult to wash their hands often. They can also observe the senior while they wash to ensure they are doing a thorough job. In addition, elderly care can disinfect surfaces in your loved one’s house regularly, using whatever disinfectant cleaner the senior prefers or a bleach solution.

 

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

 

Sources
Cdc.gov
Cdc.gov

Simple Crafts That Keep Your Mom and Children Occupied

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

April 24, 2020

| by

Maybe there’s a virus going around your house that has your family staying inside. Maybe the weather isn’t cooperating. For whatever reason, your children and mom are stuck inside and getting bored. It’s hard to get things done around the house when your family is bored.

 

Home Health Care in Elba AL: Senior Crafts

Home Health Care in Elba AL: Senior Crafts

 

Instead of letting the boredom continue, get them involved in simple crafts that all ages can do. These crafts are all easy for children and adults and keep people occupied for hours.

 

Melted Crayon Art

Sharpen a bunch of crayons using a hand-held sharpener. Set the crayon shavings aside on small sheets of wax paper. Set those wax paper squares on a table with some sheets of paper.

Have your mom and children place the crayon shavings on a sheet of paper in whatever design appeals to them. Cover the artwork with the second sheet of paper. Carefully carry the paper to an ironing board and iron the paper so that the crayon shavings melt. Pull off the top piece of paper to reveal the crayon art.

 

Origami

You don’t need much to get started with origami. Paper squares and instructions that you can print out online gets you started. From there, it’s all a matter of following the instructions when it comes to folding the paper into different animals or objects.

Origami paper is sold in packets at craft stores. You can also make squares from magazines, wrapping paper, and junk mail. You’ll need scissors to cut them into squares.

 

Painted Rocks

Gather rocks while you’re out walking. Bring them home and soak them in a bleach and water solution and scrub away any dirt. Once they’re clean, allow them to fully dry.

Cover a table in a newspaper or a vinyl tablecloth to protect the wood. A selection of paintbrushes and cotton swabs provide the tools needed to paint. Use a styrofoam egg tray or several small paper cups and fill them with different paint colors.

Your mom and kids can paint the rocks and transform them into little creatures, flowers, or other objects. Once dried, they can go into your gardens to add splashes of color.

 

Are you struggling to get everything done when you’re a family caregiver? Have you considered hiring caregivers to help your parents out? If you’re balancing the care of your children and your parents, which is common in the sandwich generation, caregivers are important. Call a home care agency to help your parents so that you can focus on family.

 

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

What is “Do the Five?”

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

April 8, 2020

| by

Have you heard or seen Google’s “Do the Five” promotion. It’s a public awareness campaign the company has posted on its home page in cooperation with the World Health Organization. The goal is to make people aware that the best way to avoid spreading coronavirus is by practicing five important things.

 

Home Care Services in Headland AL: Do the Five

Home Care Services in Headland AL: Do the Five

 

 

#1 – Wash Your Hands Often

The most important thing is to wash your hands. Wash your hands for 20 seconds ensuring the soap gets between the fingers and under the fingernails. Scrub thoroughly for the full 20 seconds before rinsing in water that’s as hot as you can stand.

When it comes to how long COVID-19 lasts on surfaces, there is some uncertainty. The CDC says that the agency is learning new things about the disease regularly but to clean surfaces in your home each day. The U.S. Department of Health’s NIH says it can last on surfaces for several hours.

Keep washing hands or using hand sanitizer after you touch anything outside of your home, after you cough/sneeze or blow your nose, and constantly while preparing food. Moisturize if your skin’s getting dry.

 

#2 – Cough or Sneeze Into Your Elbow

If you have to cough or sneeze, turn your head and cough into your elbow. That helps keep the spray from a cough or sneeze from spreading. If you have a tissue nearby, use that and throw it out immediately after.

 

#3 – Don’t Touch Your Face

This one can be tough. If your nose is itching or you have dry skin or a skin condition like rosacea that makes your skin itchy, do not scratch or touch your face. If you absolutely cannot stand it and must, go wash your hands first and wash your hands after, too.

 

#4 – Keep Your Distance

While Google and WHO’s public health announcement says to stay more than three feet apart, the CDC recommends staying at least six feet apart. Keep your distance from others. If you’re taking a walk, cross the street if someone else is coming in your direction. In a store, keep that six-foot gap between you and other shoppers.

 

#5 – Stay Home if You Feel Sick

The symptoms of coronavirus are cough, fever, and shortness of breath. They can take anywhere from 2 to 14 days to appear after you’re exposed. If you have any of them or learn you were near someone who’s been diagnosed with COVID-19, stay at home. Do not go anywhere.

Call your doctor for advice. Seek medical treatment if your symptoms worsen to chest pain or pressure, a bluish tinge to the lips or face, confusion or difficulty staying awake, or difficulty breathing.

 

It’s important that your parents stay isolated at this time. That may mean staying away from them. If you can’t stop by, hire senior care services to check on them as often as is needed. Senior care aides can deliver groceries, pick up prescription refills, and make sure your parents are okay.

 

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.

 

Sources:
Nih.gov
Cdc.gov