Alzheimer’s

These days, music is more available than ever before. For those who carry smartphones or tablets with them everywhere they go, hundreds of thousands – if not tens of millions of songs – are simply a couple of touches or finger swipes away. If you are a caregiver for an older person, your smartphone can become one of the most useful tools in your possession in helping connect music and seniors. This widely circulated video clip from the Alive Inside documentary demonstrates just how tremendously effective music can be for older adults with limited abilities and dementia.

With vast musical libraries readily available from places like iTunes, Pandora, Rhapsody, Spotify, and countless others, we can now find music, in many instances for no cost, in a variety of styles in mere seconds. Caregivers can ask clients or family members what sorts … Read More »

What feels finer than sinking into a warm, relaxing bath at the conclusion of a long, busy day? While most of us relish the luxurious comfort that bathtime brings, for seniors, especially those struggling with the challenges of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it’s certainly not blissful.

For many different reasons, such as memory issues, feelings of vulnerability, or physical distress from the pressure or temperature of the water, helping a senior with the personal care tasks of bathing can feel a lot more like entering a battleground.

Hired Hands Homecare of California wants to help restore the joy of bathtime for both the senior and his or her caregiver with these ideas:

Ensure safety. Keeping the bath area free from hazards is critical. Make certain that:

Grab bars and mats that are slip-resistant are strategically placed in and around the tub
The water temperature is … Read More »

Assisting a senior you love with personal care needs – tasks like taking a bath, getting dressed, and helping with toilet needs – can be uncomfortable for both the senior and yourself. It requires the senior to set modesty aside and allow herself to be vulnerable. And when Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia is added to the mix, the senior’s feelings of distress may become overwhelming, resulting in an outburst.

The exact trigger behind these outbursts can vary from one person to another, but some of the more common reasons are:

Loss of control. A person’s sense of independence can feel as though it’s slipping away in a number of areas for older adults, and trying to remain in control over the most basic functions becomes even more important.

What can help: Help the senior to feel as much in control … Read More »

Have you tried Googling “Alzheimer’s disease” and attempted to sift through the millions of results that instantly pop up? As wonderful as the age of the Internet is, it can also be overwhelming to try to sort out the true facts from the overabundance of old wives’ tales.

At Hired Hands Homecare, our California dementia care specialists offer the following breakdown of some of the most common myths, and the truths behind them:

Myth: Mom remembers so many stories from when she was growing up, so she certainly can’t have Alzheimer’s disease.

Truth: Alzheimer’s disease affects short-term (more recent) memories first, meaning that those memories of the more distant past can linger much longer as the disease progresses. This explains why someone newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can often remember stories from the past quite clearly. Additionally, someone with Alzheimer’s tends to have … Read More »

Picture how it would feel to wake up in an unfamiliar place, unable to remember how you got there or even what your name is. Complete confusion swiftly turns into fear and anger, and you may find yourself lashing out at the stranger standing beside your bed, speaking to you in a soft voice.

This scenario paints a bleak and sadly accurate picture of an Alzheimer’s patient’s reality. Now imagine standing in front of a person you love, and having that person look at you with no recognition whatsoever. Each day your heart breaks a little bit more, but you push through the pain and go on with your caregiving duties for your loved one with Alzheimer’s.

According to the latest report from Alzheimer’s Association, a whopping 17.7 billion hours of care are provided by family caregivers each year to those with … Read More »

Here is a PRIME example of how Hired Hands Homecare operates day in and day out with our amazing Clients and outstanding Caregivers…

On Jun 16, 2016, at 10:15 AM, Erin Winter <Erin@HiredHandsHomecare.com> wrote:

Hi Linda and Emi,

I just wanted to throw out a huge thank you for doing such a great job with Mr. S.  I spoke with Mrs. S yesterday and she said “Where have you been hiding these ladies?  They were nothing short of perfect, wonderful in every way.  Don loved them and enjoyed his time with them!  I couldn’t have asked for more!”  To get feedback like this is such a gift and we so appreciate your hard work and dedication.  Whenever either of you are working with one of our clients, I know they are in the best hands!

Mrs. S has gone through bad experiences with caregivers … Read More »

Hired Hands Homecare’s Pleasanton office is proud to announce Alicia Chavez as the Caregiver of the Month for March of 2016!

Alicia is so great!  She has been working steadily, five days per week with a gentleman with early stage dementia.  Both the client and his family have had nothing but the highest praise for Alicia.  She goes above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis.  Furthermore, she brings her wonderful smile everyday… and leaves one with the client she assists.

Thank you so much Alicia!  Your hard work and compassion make a daily difference in the lives of seniors in Pleasanton, Livermore, and the Tri-valley area!

Hired Hands Homecare is proud to present Cathy Wadleigh.  Ms. Wadleigh is an LVN, PAC Certified Trainer, and group facilitator specializing in grief recovery and family transition.

Informative sessions focusing on helping families and individuals adjusting to living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia will be held at the Hired Hands Homecare Pleasanton office on the first and third Tuesday of the month, with two sessions 11:30-1pm, and 4:30-6pm.

For more information, please contact Cathy at 925-413-2080, or email her at Cathy@AssistanceWithAging.com.

Because those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia thrive best on routine and predictability, the holiday season, with its influx of visitors, bright decorations, different foods and activities, etc., can cause some unsettled feelings and distress. At Hired Hands Homecare of California, we’re familiar with the overwhelming nature of the holidays for some seniors, and have put together the following ideas that have worked well to help the seniors in our care maintain a sense of calm and peace:

Stretch out the celebration. Rather than opening a pile of gifts at once, try just one or two at a time for a more low-key approach.
Keep it small. Host small get-together visits, stretched out over several days, instead of trying to incorporate someone with dementia into a large, noisy party.
Maintain routines. As much as possible, hold fast to the routines … Read More »

When caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, it’s natural to want to do everything for the person to minimize feelings of frustration – both for your loved one and for yourself. However, it’s in everyone’s best interest for the person with Alzheimer’s to maintain self-worth and dignity by managing tasks as independently as possible. Try these tips to enhance your loved one’s independence:

Allow extra time. Try not to let the issue of time guide the decision on whether or not to take over a task. If your loved one with Alzheimer’s has the ability to perform the task himself, allow the extra time needed and provide encouragement and positive reinforcement along the way.
Break it down. Taking a larger task and separating it into small, simple steps can change it from insurmountable to possible. For example, break down the … Read More »