December 30th, 2010 | Author: lisa
Your first gardening experience as a child can be very exciting. Children establish a great connection to the earth when they’re raised around fruit trees, flowers, fresh-grown tomatoes, and zesty herbs in the yard. This love for gardening continues throughout one’s life, and even becomes stronger as we age.
A garden can be a place of respite and peace in our retirement years. “Grandma’s Garden” is a classic symbol of tranquility, life, and love. Few realize that gardening reaps tremendous benefits for our health.
One of the best is exercise. The medical community is starting to recognize the power of everyday activities and hobbies to provide low-exertion exercise for the body. Moving your muscles and joints, bending down, standing up, carrying, and digging are all important movements for us as we age. Add to that the fresh air and sunshine, and you have a tremendous health-promoting activity.
Building and maintaining a garden takes strength, and for many seniors adjustments need to be made for gardening to be a more accessible past time.
Design or redesign your garden to meet your physical needs. Can you not crouch down? Try hanging pots instead. Can you not handle too much work in the garden each day? Create a very small garden, and use plants and flowers that require less upkeep.
Find tools that are designed to make it easier for you to do your work, like lightweight ones with comfortable handles.
Use some light warm-up exercises before beginning in the garden to ensure that you won’t damage any muscles or joints. Gently roll your neck from side to side, then try rolling your wrists, and bending your knees a few times. Do what feels comfortable, but do not push yourself.
Muscle-toning, Cardio, and Flexibility
Gardening has wonderful benefits for the muscles. When carrying bags of soil, flats of flowers, or tools, make sure that they’re not too heavy for you. Lift things in separate shifts if need be, but carrying the right amount of weight at a time is great for bone density and muscle toning.
Keeping up a garden also requires walking, digging, and planting. All of these actions promote cardiovascular health by slightly elevating the heart rate and deepening the breath. This improves circulation, lung capacity, and overall health. Again, only do as much as feels comfortable and invigorating.
Swatting, kneeling, turning and twisting are great for your joints. When it comes to flexibility, you really need to use it or lose it. While gardening, focus on the subtle movements, and how the various actions are keeping your muscles and joints alive and well.
Gardening can also be great for you emotional health as well as physical health. Relax and take deep breaths while gardening. Admire all the colors and scents, have picnics in your garden, or maybe your first cup of coffee in the morning. There’s no greater fulfillment than admiring the natural beauty around you that has been nurtured by your own hard work.
Home care counselors at ComForcare are available to talk with you and your family about care needs for your loved one, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. ComForcare is a home care agency providing In Home Care in Palm Springs, CA and surrounding Riverside County areas.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Planning for Temporary Home Care After Hospital Stay in Palm Springs
Planning for Temporary Home Care After the Hospital Stay
By LESLEY ALDERMAN
ANNIE BRUMBAUGH has become a bit of an expert on recuperating at home. Over the last two years, the 65-year-old wardrobe consultant has had two serious operations on her foot, plus a bone graft, each of which left her homebound for weeks at a time. “This is not easy,” said Ms. Brumbaugh, who lives alone in Manhattan. “Most people have no idea what they are in for.”
Even straightforward procedures, like C-sections and hip replacements, can involve longer-than- expected recuperations. Preparing for these requires more than stocking up on novels, DVDs and plenty of frozen entrees (though such supplies certainly are useful).
After a hospitalization, you will need help doing things that you’re unable to do for yourself — even with performing basic tasks like cleaning and dressing. You may need a nurse to change the bandage on a wound or to administer intravenous drugs. You may need equipment, too: a walker, a bath seat or a commode to ensure you don’t injure yourself during recovery.
Equipment and support services will help speed up your recovery, but they also can put a dent in your savings. That’s because most insurers pay for home health care by skilled professionals only during the first, acute part of your recovery. Insurers do not pay for care provided by home care aides, often needed for both short and long recuperations.
Source: New York Times
Continue reading…
Home care counselors at ComForcare are available to talk with you and your family about care needs for your loved one, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. ComForcare is a home care agency providing In Home Care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
By LESLEY ALDERMAN
ANNIE BRUMBAUGH has become a bit of an expert on recuperating at home. Over the last two years, the 65-year-old wardrobe consultant has had two serious operations on her foot, plus a bone graft, each of which left her homebound for weeks at a time. “This is not easy,” said Ms. Brumbaugh, who lives alone in Manhattan. “Most people have no idea what they are in for.”
Even straightforward procedures, like C-sections and hip replacements, can involve longer-than- expected recuperations. Preparing for these requires more than stocking up on novels, DVDs and plenty of frozen entrees (though such supplies certainly are useful).
After a hospitalization, you will need help doing things that you’re unable to do for yourself — even with performing basic tasks like cleaning and dressing. You may need a nurse to change the bandage on a wound or to administer intravenous drugs. You may need equipment, too: a walker, a bath seat or a commode to ensure you don’t injure yourself during recovery.
Equipment and support services will help speed up your recovery, but they also can put a dent in your savings. That’s because most insurers pay for home health care by skilled professionals only during the first, acute part of your recovery. Insurers do not pay for care provided by home care aides, often needed for both short and long recuperations.
Source: New York Times
Continue reading…
Home care counselors at ComForcare are available to talk with you and your family about care needs for your loved one, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. ComForcare is a home care agency providing In Home Care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Keys to Being a Good Grandparent in Palm Springs, CA
December 23rd, 2010 | Author: lisa
Article from Keith Merrill on how to be a good Grandparent. Interesting article for all of us
Being a grandparent has little in common with parenting. Being a grandparent can also be much more fun. Grand parenting is one of very few examples of having your cake and actually being able to eat it. In most cases, you are afforded the opportunity to love, play with, and spoil a grandchild without having to participate in any of the less enjoyable aspects s of child-rearing. After all, at some point, your grandchild will go home! All of the pleasure without any of the headache
Despite all the advantages, we do owe it to our grandchildren, and our children, to be the best grandparent that we can. As with all life endeavors there is no universal glove that will fit all situations. Different circumstances require different approaches and tactics. However, there are a few simple guidelines that should apply to most cases…
Respect the rules and philosophies of the parents: Maybe your approach to child-rearing is well aligned with those of the parents. Perhaps they are not. Regardless of the degree of alignment, a grandparent should, in all cases, respect the values, rules, and philosophies of the parents as related to the upbringing of their children. The surest way to sour the relationship between parents and grandparents is for the grandparents to overtly (or covertly) circumvent the wishes of the parents. If you find yourself tempted to deviate from boundaries set by the parents, just think back to how upset you would have been if your children’s grandparents had attempted to do the same. This does not mean that you should kowtow to every parental whim, and you certainly have the right to establish simple behavioral rules within your home, but you should strive to adhere to parental wishes in all areas of major significance.
Leave the hard discipline to the parents: As a grandparent you have the firm right to demand respect from your grandchildren. You have the right to expect your grandchildren to obey your commands and to behave appropriately. In those inevitable cases where your grandchildren will attempt to explore or push your boundaries, you should feel free to exercise some degree of discipline. A “time-out” period or the removal of some cherished privilege can be effective responses and deterrents. If a situation becomes unmanageable you should consult with the parents. A collaborative effort (and a united front) between parents and grandparents will go a long way towards finding an appropriate solution. Use of corporal punishment should be left to the discretion of the parents.
Create memory-generating experiences for your grandchildren: This is one of the most cherished and rewarding roles of the grandparent. As adults, most of us have as many fond memories centered around our grandparents as we do our parents. With the majority of the heavy-lifting being done by the parents, you have the luxury of concentrating your energy into creating an environment that will foster happy memories. This does not have to be expensive or consist of extravagant effort. In many cases, the simpler the activity the better it is. Look for things to do that you know the parents simply do not have the time for. Don’t be afraid to let your grandchildren have some down time if they appear to want or need it. Most kids today are involved in a myriad of activities. In some cases they may be over stimulated and exhausted. Allow them the pleasure of simply hanging out if they express a desire to do so.
Be a consistent source of encouragement: Encourage your grandchildren in everything they do. Be an active supporter in their sports and athletic activities. Watch your grandchild’s face light up when they spot you in attendance at one of their activities. Do not hesitate to be a source of constructive criticism is those cases where it is needed. Be an active listener and let them know that their voices are being heard.
You will have favorites: If you have multiple grandchildren, it is highly likely that one or two of them will have a special place in your heart. In some cases, the reasons for that special bond are fairly obvious. In other cases, you may be hard pressed to identify the nature of your feelings. Trying to keep those feelings subdued is one of the most difficult aspects of being a grandparent. Showing overt favoritism to one or two grandchildren can be extremely hurtful to your other grandchildren who, through no fault of their own, may not occupy that special, secret, place within your heart. Do your best to make all your grandchildren feel equally loved and appreciated. In some cases that may be hard work, but it is a vital responsibility of all grandparents.
The caring home care professionals at ComForcare are available to speak with your family about all of your home care needs, including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing affordable, quality care to your loved one. ComForcare is a home care agency providing home care in Palm Springs, CA and surrounding Riverside County areas.
Article from Keith Merrill on how to be a good Grandparent. Interesting article for all of us
Being a grandparent has little in common with parenting. Being a grandparent can also be much more fun. Grand parenting is one of very few examples of having your cake and actually being able to eat it. In most cases, you are afforded the opportunity to love, play with, and spoil a grandchild without having to participate in any of the less enjoyable aspects s of child-rearing. After all, at some point, your grandchild will go home! All of the pleasure without any of the headache
Despite all the advantages, we do owe it to our grandchildren, and our children, to be the best grandparent that we can. As with all life endeavors there is no universal glove that will fit all situations. Different circumstances require different approaches and tactics. However, there are a few simple guidelines that should apply to most cases…
Respect the rules and philosophies of the parents: Maybe your approach to child-rearing is well aligned with those of the parents. Perhaps they are not. Regardless of the degree of alignment, a grandparent should, in all cases, respect the values, rules, and philosophies of the parents as related to the upbringing of their children. The surest way to sour the relationship between parents and grandparents is for the grandparents to overtly (or covertly) circumvent the wishes of the parents. If you find yourself tempted to deviate from boundaries set by the parents, just think back to how upset you would have been if your children’s grandparents had attempted to do the same. This does not mean that you should kowtow to every parental whim, and you certainly have the right to establish simple behavioral rules within your home, but you should strive to adhere to parental wishes in all areas of major significance.
Leave the hard discipline to the parents: As a grandparent you have the firm right to demand respect from your grandchildren. You have the right to expect your grandchildren to obey your commands and to behave appropriately. In those inevitable cases where your grandchildren will attempt to explore or push your boundaries, you should feel free to exercise some degree of discipline. A “time-out” period or the removal of some cherished privilege can be effective responses and deterrents. If a situation becomes unmanageable you should consult with the parents. A collaborative effort (and a united front) between parents and grandparents will go a long way towards finding an appropriate solution. Use of corporal punishment should be left to the discretion of the parents.
Create memory-generating experiences for your grandchildren: This is one of the most cherished and rewarding roles of the grandparent. As adults, most of us have as many fond memories centered around our grandparents as we do our parents. With the majority of the heavy-lifting being done by the parents, you have the luxury of concentrating your energy into creating an environment that will foster happy memories. This does not have to be expensive or consist of extravagant effort. In many cases, the simpler the activity the better it is. Look for things to do that you know the parents simply do not have the time for. Don’t be afraid to let your grandchildren have some down time if they appear to want or need it. Most kids today are involved in a myriad of activities. In some cases they may be over stimulated and exhausted. Allow them the pleasure of simply hanging out if they express a desire to do so.
Be a consistent source of encouragement: Encourage your grandchildren in everything they do. Be an active supporter in their sports and athletic activities. Watch your grandchild’s face light up when they spot you in attendance at one of their activities. Do not hesitate to be a source of constructive criticism is those cases where it is needed. Be an active listener and let them know that their voices are being heard.
You will have favorites: If you have multiple grandchildren, it is highly likely that one or two of them will have a special place in your heart. In some cases, the reasons for that special bond are fairly obvious. In other cases, you may be hard pressed to identify the nature of your feelings. Trying to keep those feelings subdued is one of the most difficult aspects of being a grandparent. Showing overt favoritism to one or two grandchildren can be extremely hurtful to your other grandchildren who, through no fault of their own, may not occupy that special, secret, place within your heart. Do your best to make all your grandchildren feel equally loved and appreciated. In some cases that may be hard work, but it is a vital responsibility of all grandparents.
The caring home care professionals at ComForcare are available to speak with your family about all of your home care needs, including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing affordable, quality care to your loved one. ComForcare is a home care agency providing home care in Palm Springs, CA and surrounding Riverside County areas.
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Perfect Holiday Caregiver in Palm Springs CA
The Perfect Holiday Caregiver: It’s all a state of mind
December 8, 2010
The holidays are always a wonderful time of year for family gatherings, reflection on what we have and the spirit of giving. The television is packed with specials showing relationships and families coming together for the holidays.
But the holidays can also be a time of stress and sadness for those who are caring for family members that are struggling with health problems, frailty, dementia and loss. Those who care for these individuals may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, depressed or resentful as they watch “perfect” families enjoying the holidays. There are many surveys and documents that show that caregivers are highly susceptible to these feelings. If you are a caregiver, there are measures you can take to avoid this.
First; Remember, that you are not alone.
If you are new to caregiving or have been caring for someone for a very long time, remember that the perfect family on television is not reality for many Americans. You are not the only one with these challenges. A recent study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that 44.4 million Americans age 18 or older are providing unpaid care to an adult. In fact according to the survey provided by the National Family Caregivers Association:
* The typical caregiver is a 46-year-old Baby Boomer woman with some college education who works and spends more than 20 hours per week caring for her mother who lives nearby.
* Female caregivers provide more hours of care and provide a higher level of care than male caregivers.
* Almost seven in ten 69%) caregivers say they help one person.
* The average length of caregiving is 4.3 years.
* Many caregivers fulfill multiple roles. Most caregivers are married or living with a partner (62%), and most have worked and managed caregiving responsibilities at the same time (74%).
....continue reading from longtermcarelink.net
The caring home care professionals at ComForcare are available to speak with your family about all of your home care needs, including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing affordable, quality care to your loved one. ComForcare is a home care agency providing home care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
December 8, 2010
The holidays are always a wonderful time of year for family gatherings, reflection on what we have and the spirit of giving. The television is packed with specials showing relationships and families coming together for the holidays.
But the holidays can also be a time of stress and sadness for those who are caring for family members that are struggling with health problems, frailty, dementia and loss. Those who care for these individuals may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, depressed or resentful as they watch “perfect” families enjoying the holidays. There are many surveys and documents that show that caregivers are highly susceptible to these feelings. If you are a caregiver, there are measures you can take to avoid this.
First; Remember, that you are not alone.
If you are new to caregiving or have been caring for someone for a very long time, remember that the perfect family on television is not reality for many Americans. You are not the only one with these challenges. A recent study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that 44.4 million Americans age 18 or older are providing unpaid care to an adult. In fact according to the survey provided by the National Family Caregivers Association:
* The typical caregiver is a 46-year-old Baby Boomer woman with some college education who works and spends more than 20 hours per week caring for her mother who lives nearby.
* Female caregivers provide more hours of care and provide a higher level of care than male caregivers.
* Almost seven in ten 69%) caregivers say they help one person.
* The average length of caregiving is 4.3 years.
* Many caregivers fulfill multiple roles. Most caregivers are married or living with a partner (62%), and most have worked and managed caregiving responsibilities at the same time (74%).
....continue reading from longtermcarelink.net
The caring home care professionals at ComForcare are available to speak with your family about all of your home care needs, including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing affordable, quality care to your loved one. ComForcare is a home care agency providing home care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
When Elders Don’t Accept Outside Caregivers in the Home in Palm Springs, CA
December 12th, 2010 | Author: lisa
Very common and a difficult problem for many family members trying to get help for their loved ones this is a good article by Carol Bradley Bursack.
When my uncle had in-home health care, he liked a couple of the caregivers, he thought one was okay, and barely tolerated two others. I wasn’t always there to witness his behavior, but I’d say that the caregivers he didn’t particularly like were not thrilled with him, either. Yet they did their job.
My neighbor, Joe, had a similar situation. He locked one caregiver out of his home, let another one in but was rude to her, and thoroughly enjoyed one young man because they could discuss golf. Quality of care wasn’t the issue. Joe resented anyone but me helping him, and the only reason he liked the guy was for talking about a shared sport.
Paid caregivers, hired by family members or even elders themselves, go into the elder’s home as nurses, assistants (CNAs) and custodial help (non-medical help such as shopping and light house keeping). Often their best efforts are frustrated by anger and actual abuse dished out by the elder they are there to care for.
I believe some of this abuse comes from fear. The presence of an outsider suggests to the elder that their family can’t (or doesn’t want) to take care of their needs. It also magnifies the extent of the elders’ care needs and makes them feel vulnerable. This fear, plus the denial of their actual need for care, can make them angry. If they are prone to lashing out when angry, then this person who represents the care they wish to deny becomes the target.
add to this the paranoia that is common with many dementias, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, and you have one explosive situation. Recently, on the Agingcare forum, a nurse asked what she should do about a client with Alzheimer’s who thought she, the nurse, was trying to murder her. People were surprised and sympathetic, but unfortunately, this fear is not all that unusual.
Sometimes this paranoia can be side effect of a drug that the person with dementia is taking. I’ve seen this first hand. When my dad went into the hospital for the operation to put in a shunt to remove fluid from behind scar tissue in his brain, he had a nurse named Brad. My dad also went by the name Brad and they bonded over their mutual name as well as many other things. This young male nurse was exceptional. Dad was a humble, caring person and made friends easily.
Then came Dad’s brain operation. Something went wrong and Dad came out of surgery totally demented. The doctor gave him the anti-psychotic drug Haldol. Suddenly, under the influence of Haldol, Dad was terrified of the nurse. Brad was trying to kill Dad when he was in the shower. He was trying to steal Dad’s dentures. If we cared about him, we’d get him out of there. We, his family, were frantic. We knew Brad was doing no such thing, but Dad was terrified of him.
Fortunately, after much begging, pleading and finally demanding, I got the doctor to take Dad off Haldol. After the drug wore off, Brad, the nurse, was once again perceived as he was, a wonderful nurse. If no medication can be blamed for the paranoia, the elder’s basic personality needs to be taken into consideration. We knew Dad, and we knew how he had reacted to the nurse prior to the medication.
Not everyone will have had this head start. The first thing you will most probably witness is the anger and abuse spewing from the elder. The non-family caregiver doesn’t know what to do. Neither does the family
It’s time to play psychologist. Is it only this particular person who upsets your elder? Maybe this person, through no fault of her own, reminds your dad of someone he feared when he was a child. With Alzheimer’s, we have to remember that people are mentally at an age where they are young and vulnerable. If it is only one person that your elder reacts violently to, I’d kindly let the person know that this arrangement, through no fault of her own, won’t work. Explain what is going on.
If she is a seasoned caregiver, she will likely have seen this behavior before. She may not like it, but she will understand. Of course, you will already have talked with the elder and told him repeatedly that you are still the caregiver, but that you need help. You’ve told him that this person is there to help both of you and you are watching over the process. Constant reassurance is necessary. Understanding the elder’s fear and vulnerability is necessary in order for you to cope with this problem.
Trying a new caregiver may be necessary and even helpful. If, however, your elder is abusive to all outside help, I’d talk with a doctor about anti-anxiety medication or other medical therapy. For those of you who are on the receiving end of the abuse, I’d advise you to communicate with the family in a friendly way. Brainstorm about what may be frightening the elder. Try to find ways to interact with the elder in an informal manner.
Find out about hobbies and past work experience. Even your clothing may make a difference. Do you look too “medical?” Work with the family as closely as you can. If you are a medical person, and you think an anti-anxiety medication may help, or other medications may be causing this behavior, speak up. However, if the abuse can’t be stopped, you need to give notice and walk away.
You are in this business to help people. There will be those you can’t help, no matter how good you are. So, quit the position with an appropriate explanation, and look for a position that will fully use your talents. There are many others who need you. The family will then need to search for a different person to help. Let’s hope they find someone who meshes with the elder, and you find an elder with whom you can do your work well.
If you are seeking advice or information about home care and assistance for a loved one, the home care counselors at ComForcare can help! ComForcare is a home care agency providing elder care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
Very common and a difficult problem for many family members trying to get help for their loved ones this is a good article by Carol Bradley Bursack.
When my uncle had in-home health care, he liked a couple of the caregivers, he thought one was okay, and barely tolerated two others. I wasn’t always there to witness his behavior, but I’d say that the caregivers he didn’t particularly like were not thrilled with him, either. Yet they did their job.
My neighbor, Joe, had a similar situation. He locked one caregiver out of his home, let another one in but was rude to her, and thoroughly enjoyed one young man because they could discuss golf. Quality of care wasn’t the issue. Joe resented anyone but me helping him, and the only reason he liked the guy was for talking about a shared sport.
Paid caregivers, hired by family members or even elders themselves, go into the elder’s home as nurses, assistants (CNAs) and custodial help (non-medical help such as shopping and light house keeping). Often their best efforts are frustrated by anger and actual abuse dished out by the elder they are there to care for.
I believe some of this abuse comes from fear. The presence of an outsider suggests to the elder that their family can’t (or doesn’t want) to take care of their needs. It also magnifies the extent of the elders’ care needs and makes them feel vulnerable. This fear, plus the denial of their actual need for care, can make them angry. If they are prone to lashing out when angry, then this person who represents the care they wish to deny becomes the target.
add to this the paranoia that is common with many dementias, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, and you have one explosive situation. Recently, on the Agingcare forum, a nurse asked what she should do about a client with Alzheimer’s who thought she, the nurse, was trying to murder her. People were surprised and sympathetic, but unfortunately, this fear is not all that unusual.
Sometimes this paranoia can be side effect of a drug that the person with dementia is taking. I’ve seen this first hand. When my dad went into the hospital for the operation to put in a shunt to remove fluid from behind scar tissue in his brain, he had a nurse named Brad. My dad also went by the name Brad and they bonded over their mutual name as well as many other things. This young male nurse was exceptional. Dad was a humble, caring person and made friends easily.
Then came Dad’s brain operation. Something went wrong and Dad came out of surgery totally demented. The doctor gave him the anti-psychotic drug Haldol. Suddenly, under the influence of Haldol, Dad was terrified of the nurse. Brad was trying to kill Dad when he was in the shower. He was trying to steal Dad’s dentures. If we cared about him, we’d get him out of there. We, his family, were frantic. We knew Brad was doing no such thing, but Dad was terrified of him.
Fortunately, after much begging, pleading and finally demanding, I got the doctor to take Dad off Haldol. After the drug wore off, Brad, the nurse, was once again perceived as he was, a wonderful nurse. If no medication can be blamed for the paranoia, the elder’s basic personality needs to be taken into consideration. We knew Dad, and we knew how he had reacted to the nurse prior to the medication.
Not everyone will have had this head start. The first thing you will most probably witness is the anger and abuse spewing from the elder. The non-family caregiver doesn’t know what to do. Neither does the family
It’s time to play psychologist. Is it only this particular person who upsets your elder? Maybe this person, through no fault of her own, reminds your dad of someone he feared when he was a child. With Alzheimer’s, we have to remember that people are mentally at an age where they are young and vulnerable. If it is only one person that your elder reacts violently to, I’d kindly let the person know that this arrangement, through no fault of her own, won’t work. Explain what is going on.
If she is a seasoned caregiver, she will likely have seen this behavior before. She may not like it, but she will understand. Of course, you will already have talked with the elder and told him repeatedly that you are still the caregiver, but that you need help. You’ve told him that this person is there to help both of you and you are watching over the process. Constant reassurance is necessary. Understanding the elder’s fear and vulnerability is necessary in order for you to cope with this problem.
Trying a new caregiver may be necessary and even helpful. If, however, your elder is abusive to all outside help, I’d talk with a doctor about anti-anxiety medication or other medical therapy. For those of you who are on the receiving end of the abuse, I’d advise you to communicate with the family in a friendly way. Brainstorm about what may be frightening the elder. Try to find ways to interact with the elder in an informal manner.
Find out about hobbies and past work experience. Even your clothing may make a difference. Do you look too “medical?” Work with the family as closely as you can. If you are a medical person, and you think an anti-anxiety medication may help, or other medications may be causing this behavior, speak up. However, if the abuse can’t be stopped, you need to give notice and walk away.
You are in this business to help people. There will be those you can’t help, no matter how good you are. So, quit the position with an appropriate explanation, and look for a position that will fully use your talents. There are many others who need you. The family will then need to search for a different person to help. Let’s hope they find someone who meshes with the elder, and you find an elder with whom you can do your work well.
If you are seeking advice or information about home care and assistance for a loved one, the home care counselors at ComForcare can help! ComForcare is a home care agency providing elder care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Keeping Seniors Involved in Social Activities in Palm Springs CA
How to Keep Seniors Involved in Social Activities
by: Maragret Dennison
Many seniors become introverted due to problems that can easily be resolved. They should be offered social activities that will keep them interested in life and emotionally healthy. One of the things that causes seniors to let social activity pass them by is an inability to hear properly.
They feel embarrassed when they have to keep asking people to repeat themselves, so they often simply pretend they can understand what is said. When this happens more embarrassment awaits them because they will either be required to answer and have no idea what to say, or they will find that they don’t get a joke while others are laughing. They may even become paranoid about laughter, thinking that they are the butt of the joke. So getting hearing aids fitted may be all you need to do to encourage social activity.
Another problem with seniors and going out to social activity is that they have often suffer from a weak bladder. This means that the building they socialize in needs to have good amenities that are close by. Otherwise, they may fear that they won’t make it in time.
Incontinence could be the next step from a weak bladder, but even in this case, it is possible to get pads that will last for an hour or two.
...continue reading from eldercareabcblog.com
If you are seeking advice or information about home care and assistance for a loved one, the home care counselors at ComForcare can help! ComForcare is a home care agency providing elder care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
by: Maragret Dennison
Many seniors become introverted due to problems that can easily be resolved. They should be offered social activities that will keep them interested in life and emotionally healthy. One of the things that causes seniors to let social activity pass them by is an inability to hear properly.
They feel embarrassed when they have to keep asking people to repeat themselves, so they often simply pretend they can understand what is said. When this happens more embarrassment awaits them because they will either be required to answer and have no idea what to say, or they will find that they don’t get a joke while others are laughing. They may even become paranoid about laughter, thinking that they are the butt of the joke. So getting hearing aids fitted may be all you need to do to encourage social activity.
Another problem with seniors and going out to social activity is that they have often suffer from a weak bladder. This means that the building they socialize in needs to have good amenities that are close by. Otherwise, they may fear that they won’t make it in time.
Incontinence could be the next step from a weak bladder, but even in this case, it is possible to get pads that will last for an hour or two.
...continue reading from eldercareabcblog.com
If you are seeking advice or information about home care and assistance for a loved one, the home care counselors at ComForcare can help! ComForcare is a home care agency providing elder care in Palm Springs CA and surrounding areas.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Caregiver Next Door in Palm Springs, CA
December 5th, 2010 | Author: lisa
We heard a tap at the door and then a voice: “Murray?”
My father rarely troubles to lock his apartment when he’s at home. His friends drift in and out, looking for a card game, checking to make sure he’s up and about, or bearing the latest gossip. Or, in the case of Jo Ann, who walked into the living room juggling several containers, bearing food.
Jo Ann (she’s asked me not to identify her further) lives two floors up from my dad in a N.O.R.C. — a naturally occurring retirement community — in Vineland, N.J. She and her husband Fred, who are both 68, moved in eight years ago. She was operating a deli at the time, and Fred was in construction, so at first they were too busy to pay much attention to the cluster of people in their 80s who gathered in the lobby every afternoon, awaiting the mail.
But then Jo Ann retired, and the folks in the lobby started asking her to sit and chat a bit. She listened as they compared utility bills, shared news of sales at the local ShopRite, bragged about their grandkids. She realized most were widows or widowers whose children lived far away: “I thought, ‘My God, they need help.’ ”
Her first overture to my dad was, “Do you eat soup?” After years at the deli, Jo Ann cooks in quantity, vast pots of vegetable and potato and cream of broccoli soup in winter, piles of macaroni and potato salads in summer. She began leaving plastic containers of food at Dad’s door; now, she leaves them at eight or nine doors.
I live 125 miles away, and I worry some about my father — at 87, he’s fallen a couple of times, though he hasn’t seriously hurt himself — but I don’t worry about malnutrition. Jo Ann is on the case; his freezer is full.
In fact, Jo Ann has quietly launched a one-woman senior service operation. In summer, she goes to U-pick farms, harvests bushels of fresh tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, and brings the baskets to the lobby; her neighbors descend with bags and take what they like. She ferries people to doctor’s appointments and the ShopRite.
When my dad woke up with intense abdominal pain two years ago (turned out, he needed gallbladder surgery), whom did he call at 5:30 a.m.? Not me, not the paramedics — Jo Ann. He knew she was an early riser, and she’d already driven ailing neighbors to the emergency room several times.
She’s recruited her husband in this campaign, as well. The building employs a handyman, but somehow it was Fred who wound up in Lola’s apartment fixing the kitchen ceiling light.
It occurs to me that there probably are thousands of people like this, unobtrusively supporting tens of thousands of elderly friends and neighbors in ways large and small. Maybe you know someone who plays a similar role; maybe you’re the one dispensing soup and giving rides. A number of the folks in my dad’s building are frail, with failing sight and hearing, walkers and canes. Some are in their 90s now. To have someone close by to call makes an enormous difference.
When I asked Jo Ann what led her to become an unpaid social worker, she mentioned that her father died when she was a teenager and that being with old people was a pleasure for her.
But at root, her motives are simpler. “They need help,” she said of her neighbors. “So if I can do it, I help.”
She and Fred won’t show up on any government or academic survey of caregiving. I doubt they’d even think the phrase applies to them. Yet I personally think she’s keeping a half-dozen people out of assisted living or nursing homes, and the only way I can really say thanks is to send an occasional box of Godiva chocolates (her favorite). And to write this post.
And to be conscious, myself, of the older people around me who could use a hand.
1:06 p.m. Aug. 31| Updated by Paula Span
Let me assure readers who voiced concerns about my father’s well-being that he manages quite independently for now. Though he uses a walker for balance, he still drives, shops, cooks (defrosts, more accurately), manages his finances, volunteers and takes (seated) yoga classes.
I frequently drive the 125 miles to visit and keep a watchful eye on the situation — he’ll be 88 next month; how long can we be this lucky? — but he doesn’t need me to make soup for him. He doesn’t even need Jo Ann, his wonderful friend and neighbor, to make soup, though he appreciates it when she does. I think Jo Ann and Fred help keep a number of old people in their homes, but my dad isn’t dependent on her and I’m not exploiting her.
But I’ve taken to heart your suggestions that there are better ways my sister and I can show gratitude than the occasional box of chocolates. I’ve bought a supermarket gift card to help underwrite her meals-without-wheels efforts and a restaurant gift certificate as a small treat, and I hope Fred and Jo Ann will accept them in the spirit I intend. My thanks to those who pointed out that I should do this regularly; I will.
——————————————————————————–
Paula Span is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families With Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions.”
ComForcare Home Care Services-Riverside County & Palm Springs, CA & Lisa Marie Blaskie RN, CCM, CSA provides home care & elder care in-home services in the Palm Springs & Moreno Valley area. In addition Lisa is a Case Manager and works with seniors & their families To get help in selecting other care options for an aging loved one call @ 800.993.2945 or 760.321.2945
We heard a tap at the door and then a voice: “Murray?”
My father rarely troubles to lock his apartment when he’s at home. His friends drift in and out, looking for a card game, checking to make sure he’s up and about, or bearing the latest gossip. Or, in the case of Jo Ann, who walked into the living room juggling several containers, bearing food.
Jo Ann (she’s asked me not to identify her further) lives two floors up from my dad in a N.O.R.C. — a naturally occurring retirement community — in Vineland, N.J. She and her husband Fred, who are both 68, moved in eight years ago. She was operating a deli at the time, and Fred was in construction, so at first they were too busy to pay much attention to the cluster of people in their 80s who gathered in the lobby every afternoon, awaiting the mail.
But then Jo Ann retired, and the folks in the lobby started asking her to sit and chat a bit. She listened as they compared utility bills, shared news of sales at the local ShopRite, bragged about their grandkids. She realized most were widows or widowers whose children lived far away: “I thought, ‘My God, they need help.’ ”
Her first overture to my dad was, “Do you eat soup?” After years at the deli, Jo Ann cooks in quantity, vast pots of vegetable and potato and cream of broccoli soup in winter, piles of macaroni and potato salads in summer. She began leaving plastic containers of food at Dad’s door; now, she leaves them at eight or nine doors.
I live 125 miles away, and I worry some about my father — at 87, he’s fallen a couple of times, though he hasn’t seriously hurt himself — but I don’t worry about malnutrition. Jo Ann is on the case; his freezer is full.
In fact, Jo Ann has quietly launched a one-woman senior service operation. In summer, she goes to U-pick farms, harvests bushels of fresh tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, and brings the baskets to the lobby; her neighbors descend with bags and take what they like. She ferries people to doctor’s appointments and the ShopRite.
When my dad woke up with intense abdominal pain two years ago (turned out, he needed gallbladder surgery), whom did he call at 5:30 a.m.? Not me, not the paramedics — Jo Ann. He knew she was an early riser, and she’d already driven ailing neighbors to the emergency room several times.
She’s recruited her husband in this campaign, as well. The building employs a handyman, but somehow it was Fred who wound up in Lola’s apartment fixing the kitchen ceiling light.
It occurs to me that there probably are thousands of people like this, unobtrusively supporting tens of thousands of elderly friends and neighbors in ways large and small. Maybe you know someone who plays a similar role; maybe you’re the one dispensing soup and giving rides. A number of the folks in my dad’s building are frail, with failing sight and hearing, walkers and canes. Some are in their 90s now. To have someone close by to call makes an enormous difference.
When I asked Jo Ann what led her to become an unpaid social worker, she mentioned that her father died when she was a teenager and that being with old people was a pleasure for her.
But at root, her motives are simpler. “They need help,” she said of her neighbors. “So if I can do it, I help.”
She and Fred won’t show up on any government or academic survey of caregiving. I doubt they’d even think the phrase applies to them. Yet I personally think she’s keeping a half-dozen people out of assisted living or nursing homes, and the only way I can really say thanks is to send an occasional box of Godiva chocolates (her favorite). And to write this post.
And to be conscious, myself, of the older people around me who could use a hand.
1:06 p.m. Aug. 31| Updated by Paula Span
Let me assure readers who voiced concerns about my father’s well-being that he manages quite independently for now. Though he uses a walker for balance, he still drives, shops, cooks (defrosts, more accurately), manages his finances, volunteers and takes (seated) yoga classes.
I frequently drive the 125 miles to visit and keep a watchful eye on the situation — he’ll be 88 next month; how long can we be this lucky? — but he doesn’t need me to make soup for him. He doesn’t even need Jo Ann, his wonderful friend and neighbor, to make soup, though he appreciates it when she does. I think Jo Ann and Fred help keep a number of old people in their homes, but my dad isn’t dependent on her and I’m not exploiting her.
But I’ve taken to heart your suggestions that there are better ways my sister and I can show gratitude than the occasional box of chocolates. I’ve bought a supermarket gift card to help underwrite her meals-without-wheels efforts and a restaurant gift certificate as a small treat, and I hope Fred and Jo Ann will accept them in the spirit I intend. My thanks to those who pointed out that I should do this regularly; I will.
——————————————————————————–
Paula Span is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families With Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions.”
ComForcare Home Care Services-Riverside County & Palm Springs, CA & Lisa Marie Blaskie RN, CCM, CSA provides home care & elder care in-home services in the Palm Springs & Moreno Valley area. In addition Lisa is a Case Manager and works with seniors & their families To get help in selecting other care options for an aging loved one call @ 800.993.2945 or 760.321.2945
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Advantages Of Elderly Home Care In Palm Springs CA
Elderly Home Care – The Advantages
By:Bob Kohut
In many ways we are now experiencing a “perfect storm” which is making elderly home care the only viable choice for taking care of many our seniors. With declining incomes coupled with rising expenses and a rapidly aging population, retirement communities and assisted living centers are being priced beyond the reach of many.
There are many ways to provide elderly home care – from retrofitting the home for safety to hiring professional in-home care givers. As with many things in life there is both an upside and a downside to elderly home care. Let’s first look at the major advantages:
1. Allows seniors to maintain their independence.
2. Fosters a sense of continuity of living.
3. Preserves social networks.
Independence
To many seniors nothing is more important than maintaining their independence. They chafe at any suggestion they may need help taking care of themselves and adamantly refuse to consider any options other than staying where they are. Proper elderly home care lets them hang on to that all important sense of independence. They don’t want to be a bother to their children and living at home lets them feel better about themselves and their situation.
Continuity of Living
Familiarity with their surroundings – from the home itself to the neighborhood parks, stores, and other amenities – actually promotes better mental health and a general sense of well-being. Adapting to a changed environment can be difficult at any stage in life and it is even more of a challenge for seniors.
In addition, there is evidence that allowing seniors to relive pleasant memories of their past is a healthy thing. It is far easier for Mom or Dad or Grandma or Grandpa to engage in pleasant reveries of Christmases past in the rooms where the events actually took place.
Social Network
Many seniors remain engaged with their neighbors and participate in community activities long after their own children have fled the nest. If your seniors love to sit on their front porch and engage in friendly conversation with the neighborhood children as they walk by, losing that sense of social belonging can be a stressful event.
...continue reading from Eldercare ABC Blog
The home care counselors at ComForcare can provide your family with the answers to all of your elder care questions, including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing affordable, professional care to your loved one. ComForcare is a home care agency providing home care in Palm Springs and surrounding areas.
By:Bob Kohut
In many ways we are now experiencing a “perfect storm” which is making elderly home care the only viable choice for taking care of many our seniors. With declining incomes coupled with rising expenses and a rapidly aging population, retirement communities and assisted living centers are being priced beyond the reach of many.
There are many ways to provide elderly home care – from retrofitting the home for safety to hiring professional in-home care givers. As with many things in life there is both an upside and a downside to elderly home care. Let’s first look at the major advantages:
1. Allows seniors to maintain their independence.
2. Fosters a sense of continuity of living.
3. Preserves social networks.
Independence
To many seniors nothing is more important than maintaining their independence. They chafe at any suggestion they may need help taking care of themselves and adamantly refuse to consider any options other than staying where they are. Proper elderly home care lets them hang on to that all important sense of independence. They don’t want to be a bother to their children and living at home lets them feel better about themselves and their situation.
Continuity of Living
Familiarity with their surroundings – from the home itself to the neighborhood parks, stores, and other amenities – actually promotes better mental health and a general sense of well-being. Adapting to a changed environment can be difficult at any stage in life and it is even more of a challenge for seniors.
In addition, there is evidence that allowing seniors to relive pleasant memories of their past is a healthy thing. It is far easier for Mom or Dad or Grandma or Grandpa to engage in pleasant reveries of Christmases past in the rooms where the events actually took place.
Social Network
Many seniors remain engaged with their neighbors and participate in community activities long after their own children have fled the nest. If your seniors love to sit on their front porch and engage in friendly conversation with the neighborhood children as they walk by, losing that sense of social belonging can be a stressful event.
...continue reading from Eldercare ABC Blog
The home care counselors at ComForcare can provide your family with the answers to all of your elder care questions, including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing affordable, professional care to your loved one. ComForcare is a home care agency providing home care in Palm Springs and surrounding areas.
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