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.

Can Cognitive Functioning Issues Contribute to Inadequate Nutrition?

Posted in Caregiver in Geneva AL, Caregiver Tips, Elderly Care Geneva AL, Home Care in Geneva AL |

March 7, 2018

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When considering the impact that cognitive functioning decline can have on your elderly parent, you may immediately think of issues such as memory loss, wandering, and increased difficulty in making decisions or having proper judgment.

 

What you might not immediately think about is the physical effect that cognitive functioning issues can have on your parents. One such physical effect is difficulty getting adequate nutrition on a regular basis. Many elderly adults are at risk for inadequate nutrition and the potentially serious consequences that can result, making it extremely important for you as a family caregiver to not only understand this risk, but the factors that can contribute to it so that you can take the proper steps to protect your parent as they age in place.

 

Home Care in Geneva AL: Senior Nutrition

Home Care in Geneva AL: Senior Nutrition

 

Some of the ways that cognitive functioning issues can contribute to inadequate nutrition for your aging parent include:

-Inability to remember when they last ate, contributing to them not eating as frequently as they should

-No longer understanding that they need to eat or the purpose of eating

-No longer being able to recognize hunger pangs or to understand that eating will relieve those hunger pangs

-Resistance to a variety of foods that can lead to them strictly limiting their diet and only eating a few select foods that do not give them the full range of nutrients that they need

-Inability to read and follow instructions in order to properly prepare foods to be eaten

-Inability to safely use kitchen utensils and implements such as knives or the stove to properly prepare foods to eat

-No longer remembering how to eat properly or how much they should eat

 

Starting elderly care for your aging parent can be an exceptional way for you to help your parent live their highest quality of life possible as they age in place.

An elderly home care services provider can be with your parent when it is best for them to offer a highly personalized set of services designed to address their needs, challenges, and limitations in the ways that are right for them.

Through these services, the care provider can help your parent stay happy, healthy, comfortable, and safe, while also pursuing a lifestyle that is as active, engaged, and independent as possible throughout their later years. These services will be designed with your parent as an individual in mind, shaping the services around their thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and personal goals for the most fulfilling quality of life.

 

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

 

Source:

https://www.mayoclinic.org

https://www.huffingtonpost.com

How Can You Start to Assess Your Senior’s Needs?

Posted in Caregiver Tips, Elder Care in Abbeville AL, Senior Health |

December 21, 2017

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Determining what your aging adult needs and what it’s going to take in order to help her is a giant task. As her caregiver, you’ll need to break it down into steps that help you to see the whole picture.

 

Elder Care in Abbeville AL: Caregiver Tips

Elder Care in Abbeville AL: Caregiver Tips

Talk with Her Doctor

Setting up a meeting with your aging adult’s doctor can help you to understand exactly what’s going on with her health. Be sure that you ask about the immediate and longer-term future, too. The more information that you have in order to make decisions, the better.

 

What Types of Assistance Are Necessary

Your aging adult may need a variety of different types of assistance ranging from frequent doctor’s appointments to hospital visits, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. It may be time for your aging adult to stop driving, which means that help with transportation could become an issue now. If she’s no longer able to cook for herself, help with meal preparation or meal delivery is vital.

 

Look at Who Can Provide that Assistance

As your senior’s primary family caregiver, it’s possible that the bulk of what your senior needs will fall to you to carry out for her. But you’re only one person and as much as you may want to do everything yourself, that’s just not reasonable. Getting help from other family members, elderly care providers, and friends can help you to ensure that all of the bases get covered.

 

Determine if Home Modifications Are in Order

Depending on the needs your aging adult has, she may need some home modifications to make her home safer or more secure. Doing this properly helps her to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible, which is frequently a goal for aging adults.

 

Revisit the Process Periodically

This is a process you’ll need to revisit periodically as your needs change, as your senior’s needs change, and as her health changes. Setting aside time quarterly or even just a couple of times a year can help you to think through what’s changed for your aging adult and to respond accordingly.

Take a deep breath and remember to be good to yourself as you learn to be a caregiver. You’re doing something amazing for your aging adult and need to give yourself time to learn the ropes.

 

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