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Author: Craig Bass

Ways to Find Enjoyment in Being a Caregiver

Posted on by Craig Bass

There are certainly many reasons to feel good about being a caregiver. After all, the care you provide may be keeping your aging relative living in their own home. However, some days being a caregiver is just plain hard and it can even be boring since there’s a lot of waiting around involved. On those kinds of days, you may feel like there isn’t much to like about the role. If you could use some ways to make being a caregiver enjoyable again, here are some ideas.

Find Things You and the Senior Enjoy Doing Together

One of the reasons you may feel like you’re sitting around a lot is that the older adult is watching television or doing something else and you’re just there keeping an eye on them. Instead of co-existing throughout the day, find out what interests the two of you have in common and come up with things to do together. For example, if you both like to cook, spend time making new recipes or go to a cooking class together. Watch cooking shows together on television and try making some of the foods you see.

Play Games

Consider finding some games that caregivers and older adults can play together. Games are a great way to pass time together. They have the added benefit of providing mental stimulation that is good for the older adult’s brain health. There are lots of different kinds of games, like card games, games of chance, strategic games, and even cooperative games in which you and the older adult work together to accomplish a goal? If you’re not sure what to play, consider taking a trip together to a local game store to find a game you’ll both enjoy.

Use Downtime to Engage in Your Own Hobby

During those times when you feel like you’re just sitting around while the senior naps or while you’re in a waiting room during their appointment, spend your time doing your own hobby. If you knit or crochet, bring it with you when you visit the older adult or when you take them to appointments. If you enjoy reading, try downloading ebooks to your tablet or smartphone. That way they are always handy when you find yourself with nothing else to do.

Engage the Senior in Reminiscing

Older adults often enjoy reminiscing, which means telling stories about their past. Caregivers can find this enjoyable, too, since it can be a lot of fun to learn new things about the senior’s life. To get them started, you might ask about a treasured object or an old picture.

If you are considering caregivers in Sun City West, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

What Can Be Done About MS Brain Fog?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) complain about a symptom commonly referred to as “brain fog” or “cog fog.” It is a symptom that causes forgetfulness and an inability to concentrate. About half of people diagnosed with MS struggle with brain fog. Signs that your aging relative with MS is experiencing brain fog include frequently losing items, walking into a room and forgetting why, and difficulty remembering names.

Brain fog is believed to be a result of the damage MS does to the central nervous system, which is comprised of the spinal cord and brain. MS causes inflammation as well as lesions on the brain. These affect how the brain works.

Although brain fog is difficult to live with, there are ways for your aging relative to live with it more easily. Below are some tips for dealing with brain fog.

Eat More Healthy Fats

Healthy fats may be effective in protecting the brain, which could reduce brain fog. Some sources of healthy fat are:

  • Avocadoes.
  • Seafood, including mackerel, cod, sardines, and salmon.
  • Walnuts.
  • Chia seeds.
  • Extra virgin olive oil.
  • Flax seeds.

An elder care provider can prepare meals and snacks that contain healthy fats, like a sandwich with avocadoes on it or a dinner of baked cod.

Take Notes

Encourage your older family member to write things down that they might forget. For example, they should keep a calendar listing appointments in a prominent place. They might also carry a small notebook with them to write down the names of new people they’ve met or appointments to be recorded on the calendar later.

Some seniors might have trouble writing things down because of arthritic fingers or poor eyesight. An elder care provider can assist them by writing information down for them.

Challenge the Brain

Doing things that keep the brain engaged can help to keep it sharper, too. Older adults might do the daily crossword puzzle every morning or work on jigsaw puzzles. Playing board games, learning new skills, and attending classes or seminars can also help.

Elder care can offer transportation to classes and seminars. In addition, an elder care provider can play games with your aging relative or help them to do word, number, or jigsaw puzzles.

Do One Thing at a Time

Although there’s a lot of emphasis on multi-tasking these days, older adults with MS will probably do better if they focus on just one task at a time. It may also help to keep the room quiet, so they can focus. So, for example, if the older adult is trying to balance their checkbook, turn off the television or radio and avoid talking to them while they do so.

An elder care provider can take on some of the extra tasks, like cooking or cleaning, so that your aging relative needs to accomplish less in a day and can focus on just one thing at a time.

Sources
https://www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/cog-fog-science-and-tips#7
https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2017/05/19/9-ways-manage-brain-fog/

If you are considering elder care in Litchfield Park, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

Should Your Parent Try Yoga?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Exercise is an important part of staying healthy. People of all ages need to exercise to keep their bodies strong and to help maintain a healthy weight. Even if your elderly parent has not exercised in years, it’s not too late to start. The trick is to find a form of exercise that is enjoyable for your parent and that they can stick with. It’s also important for the exercise to be gentle enough that it doesn’t hurt. One kind of exercise that many experts recommend for older adults is yoga.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a form of exercise that combines mindful breathing with physical poses that improve strength and flexibility. It has been around for centuries, which means that despite its current popularity, yoga is not a fad. Instead, it is a form of exercise that is proven to work.

There are many kinds of yoga, from the more physical Hatha yoga to quieter, more meditative forms. Yoga is also an adaptable kind of exercise, so anyone can do yoga, no matter their physical abilities. In fact, there are yoga classes specifically for older adults and for those confined to wheelchairs.

What Are the Benefits of Yoga?

The benefits of yoga encompass both physical and mental aspects of life. In terms of physical benefits, practicing yoga on a regular basis will improve your parent’s muscle strength and joint flexibility. It can also help them to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, which has many benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease.

People who practice yoga also report feeling better about the way their body looks and works. In part, this is because yoga asks people to focus on what their body can do and the way it is working in the moment. Yoga studios purposely avoid the use of mirrors because the focus is meant to be inward rather than on what the person looks like while they do yoga or what the people around them look like.

Yoga is also an excellent way for seniors to manage stress. Yoga has been shown to improve how people cope with stress. The use of mindful breathing and meditation help to create a sense of calm that lasts beyond classes.

If your parent is interested in trying yoga, a home care provider can help them to find a class in their community. In addition, the home care provider can drive them to the class, ensuring they are able to attend regularly. If your parent is unable to find a class or would prefer to try yoga at home, a home care provider can help them to find videos online or take them to the library where they may be able to check out yoga videos.

Sources

The Benefits of Yoga


https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-benefits-beyond-the-mat
https://www.verywellfit.com/yoga-for-seniors-3566737

If you are considering home care in Buckeye, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

Which is Better – Hand Sanitizer or Hand Washing?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Senior Care in Surprise AZFor a while, hand sanitizer was all the rage. Everyone carried it with them wherever they went. You couldn’t walk through an office building without seeing a bottle on nearly every desk. While hand sanitizer isn’t quite as popular as it once was, it’s still widely available and many people use it now and then. Some people swear by the effectiveness of hand sanitizer while others are hard-core hand washers who are skeptical about the use of sanitizer. So, is one better than the other? If so, which one? According to some doctors, one is better than the other. Read on to find out which.

Hand Washing vs. Hand Sanitizer

According to one expert, Dr. Roland Newman II, a doctor at Penn State Health in Hershey, Pennsylvania, hand washing trumps using hand sanitizer when hands are scrubbed for at least 20 seconds. Soap, he says, helps to force dirt and germs to release from skin. They are then trapped in the lather and get rinsed away. The temperate of the water doesn’t even matter. It’s the soap and the scrubbing that do the trick.

Dr. Newman agrees that hand sanitizers are an important way to fight infections, like cold and flu, too. However, many sanitizers aren’t as effective as they claim to be. Some germs are resistant to the substances in hand sanitizers. For example, norovirus, an extremely contagious germ that causes diarrhea and vomiting, isn’t affected by some kinds of hand sanitizer.

Proper Way to Wash Hands

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends washing hands frequently, such as before touching or preparing food, after using the bathroom, after touching garbage, after touching an animal or their waste, and after touching pet food or treats. The CDC also says there is a right way to wash hands. They suggest following these steps:

  • Wet hands under clean running water.
  • Apply soap.
  • Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds (the length of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice).
  • Rinse hands under clean running water.
  • Dry hands with a clean towel or air dry them.

When to Use Sanitizer

Hand sanitizers are a convenient way to clean hands when soap and water aren’t readily available, and that’s when they should be used. If you have access to clean running water and soap, always opt for handwashing instead. When you do need to use sanitizer, make sure it contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

Senior care can make certain your older family member follows good hand washing hygiene. This can be an especially important service for older adults who have cognitive problems, like dementia, who may not remember to wash their hands. Senior care providers can not only remind them to wash, but also help them to wash, if needed. Senior care providers can also bring hand sanitizer along when they take the older adult on outings and help them to use it at appropriate times.

Sources
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20191107/why-hand-washing-beats-hand-sanitizers
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/hand-washing/art-20046253
https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/index.html

If you are considering senior care in Surprise, AZ, for an aging loved one, contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care. Call today (623) 748-3301.

How Does Elderly Care Help with Your Senior’s Goals?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Elderly Care in Sun City West AZBelieve it or not, your elderly family member likely still has some plans brewing. They might be different than you expect, but with a little bit of extra help she can get those goals locked down and accomplished.

Maintaining Family Involvement

It’s really difficult for some family members to cope with the changes your senior is experiencing. They may not be able to do much for her, which can cause them to stay away more than they or she want. With elderly care providers handling the majority of the assistance your senior needs, other family members are can feel a lot less pressure around visiting or maintaining contact. That can be far more important than anything hands-on they could do for her.

Keeping Her Confidence High

Many seniors find that as they age, they start to doubt themselves and their abilities. Your elderly family member might even doubt that she can do something like stay in her own home for as long as she wants to. This can be further complicated as she encounters new challenges. When your senior is able to do what she’s ready and able to do, that can help to keep her morale high. Having home care providers available to offer support and to handle the tasks that aren’t within her ability right now can keep her from feeling as if she’s failing.

Aging in Place for as Long as Possible

So many aging adults want to remain in their own homes, aging in place, for as long as they are able to do so. In many respects, that might not seem like a good idea from your perspective, but with help, your elderly family member can accomplish a lot more. Elder care providers can take over the routine housekeeping tasks or cooking tasks that are becoming a bigger challenge. As your senior needs assistance with more activities of daily living, like getting dressed, they’re able to help with those, too.

Helping Her Stay as Healthy as Possible

Overall, maintaining your senior’s health is a vital task. If she’s been to her doctor a lot more often or if she’s been to the hospital, making sure that she recovers from whatever’s happened can prevent a relapse. Elderly care services can give her someone to lean on not just for regular daily tasks, but also for maintaining what she needs to do for her health.

Talk to your senior about her goals during this stage of her life. There might be more that she wants to accomplish than you realize, and working together with elderly care services can help her to achieve those plans.

What Are the Three Most Important Technological Devices to Install in Your Mom’s Home?

Posted on by Craig Bass

It’s difficult knowing your mom is home alone all day and night. When you can’t be there, you may wonder if she’s gotten out of bed and showered okay. Has she eaten? Is she doing okay? With today’s technology, there are ways to help keep your mom safe. Here are three technological devices to install in your mom’s home.

Security Cameras

Place security cameras in high-traffic areas of your mom’s house. Place a camera pointing in areas where she’s most likely to fall and that gets a lot of foot traffic, such as the living room or kitchen. Scan the cameras periodically through the week to make sure she’s out of bed, dressed, and doing okay.

Video Doorbell

Do you worry about strangers going to the door and scamming your mom? With a video doorbell that won’t happen. You get an alert if someone’s at the door. With the app and two-way radio, you can talk to the person at the door. If it’s a valid visitor, such as the HVAC technician scheduled to clean the furnace, you can direct your mom to let that technician in. If it’s not, you can tell her to keep the door locked and direct the person to leave.

Voice Assistants

Have you seen the latest Amazon Alexa ad where a grandson gets his grandfather an Alexa Show? The grandfather doesn’t seem especially thrilled at first. The grandson sets a reminder so that Alexa will tell his grandfather when to eat his favorite dessert. Fast forward and the grandfather is happily using Alexa to play the same song his grandson was singing.

Voice assistants are handy tools for so many reasons. They offer reminders like when to take medications, what is on the daily schedule, or where your mom put her purse or another item of value. They can play music, read books, news, or recipes, and look up any fact that’s needed. They can also play games with you, turn on the lights in different rooms, and find a movie or show to watch.

Don’t rely on technology alone to help your mom age in place. Pair the recommended devices with regular visits from a home care agency. Technology is no substitute for another person’s care. Your mom will have a home care aide to laugh with, talk to, and run errands with. Call now to arrange home care services.

IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HOME CARE IN YOUNGTOWN, AZ, CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE. CALL TODAY (623) 748-3301.