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4 Reasons to Consider Dementia Care at Home
Seniors with dementia can very often continue to live where they’re most comfortable, with dementia care at home.
While countless older adults are struggling with the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease, an even greater number of family members are trying to cope with providing dementia care at home. Incredibly, nearly 75% of family caregivers are managing their older loved ones’ dementia care needs by themselves, with only 26% reaching out for professional care support.
Caring for Someone with Dementia? Here’s What You Need to Know.
Caring for someone with dementia is easier with help from our experts in elderly care in Pleasanton and nearby areas.
At times, the best lessons in life come through going through them firsthand; yet the wisdom we are able to glean from those who have walked an identical path before us is priceless. If you’re caring for someone with dementia and feeling a bit stressed in this uncharted territory, the guidelines below will help:
What to Do When You Notice Warning Signs of Aging Care Needs
Learn how to start the conversation when you notice warning signs of aging care needs.
The initial signs might be so subtle that many people wouldn’t even recognize that anything is amiss. Mom is outgoing, pleasant, and conversational while visiting loved ones and while running errands. But those closest to her have begun to detect concerns: being forgetful about the soup cooking on the stove, leading to a scorched pan. Putting her keys into the cookie jar. Failing to pay bills. What should you do when you begin to notice these kinds of warning signs of aging care needs?
As an adult child of a loved one in the early stages of compromised safety or the ability to make competent choices, it is normally incredibly difficult to transition to a higher degree of involvement and assistance – nonetheless … Read More »
Top Medications for Alzheimer’s and How They Work
These top medications for Alzheimer’s are key to managing the symptoms of the disease.
The latest Alzheimer’s statistics are sobering. The disease is now the 6th leading cause of death, rising above both breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. And though deaths from many other chronic conditions, like cardiovascular disease, are decreasing, those from Alzheimer’s have increased upwards of 100%. The toll the illness takes on family caregivers is likewise shocking, with more than 16 million Americans delivering over 18 billion hours of care for a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.
Though we’ve yet to find an end to Alzheimer’s disease, there are two top medications for Alzheimer’s that can help minimize some of the more predominant symptoms. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, there are a couple of options the doctor may … Read More »
For Better or Worse: Providing Care for an Aging Parent Without Sacrificing Your Marriage
Providing care for an aging parent can either strengthen or strain your marriage.
In marriage we agree to stick with each other for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness as well as in health – but what doesn’t come up through our vows to one another is how to deal with the mounting difficulties of providing care for an aging parent.
However, with our life span increasing, it is highly recommended to put together a strategy to meet both the requirements of our parents as they grow older, and also the multitude of day-to-day needs, all while honoring our cherished relationship with a spouse. It’s a struggle that’s creating stress and pressure for 80% of couples interviewed, resulting in detachment and much less quality time with each other. These particular areas in a married relationship … Read More »
Protect Senior Skin with These Tips
These tips can help protect senior skin from bruising, and heal bruises if they do occur.
You can blame it on the environment, changes in hormones, medications, and even the sun: our skin as we age is affected by a variety of factors, leading to thinning and an enhanced risk of bruising. As a result, it’s helpful to take proactive measures to protect senior skin from injury. Try the following tips:
Rearrange furniture and get rid of any clutter to reduce the chance of bumps and bruises.
Keep the skin moisturized, and always use sunscreen of at least 30 SPF or higher.
Talk with the senior’s physician about the impact of any medications on the skin. In particular, the long-term use of steroids, blood thinners, fish oil and vitamin E can enhance the risk of bruises.
Encourage the older adult to wear … Read More »
How to Respond if You’re Noticing Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s
Learn how to best handle addressing early warning signs of Alzheimer’s from our experts in home care assistance in Walnut Creek & the nearby areas.
Our natural instinct when we are picking up on the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s or another type of cognitive decline in ourselves or someone we love is to look the other way, denying that there is a problem. However, the Alzheimer’s Association advises that it’s vitally important to face the issue head-on as quickly as possible, since early diagnosis and intervention allow for the most effective treatment plan to be put into place.
Help for Dementia Caregivers: Coming to a Place of Acceptance
Discover how to reach a place of acceptance in dementia caregiving.
Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is life-altering – for the person being diagnosed, of course, but just as much for his or her loved ones. It’s important for family caregivers to allow themselves ample time to process the changes to come and to find a healthy way to work through the various emotions that arise.
Because Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, one of the difficulties for caregivers is finding peace in the midst of each stage. And while providing care for a senior loved one is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding roles we can take on, it’s not without its challenges as well. It can be helpful to use reflection as a tool to better cope with the challenges and changes. Hired Hands Homecare’s … Read More »
Watch for These Signs of Dementia This Holiday Season
During holiday visits with seniors, keep an eye out for these signs of dementia.
From the second the door swings open and your elderly loved one wraps you in a warm embrace, through the joyous holiday meal and each timeless family custom, possibilities abound for not simply quality time together, but also to assess how your parent is really doing and if any warning signs of dementia are noted.
There are specific indicators which can suggest cognitive issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Because Alzheimer’s is now more and more common in seniors, and because early diagnosis and treatment are fundamental, the dementia care team at Hired Hands Homecare recommends monitoring for any of the following common signs and symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s disease throughout your holiday visit this year:
Social differences. According to John Ramsay, CEO of Shift … Read More »
The Power of Play for Seniors: Why Recess Isn’t Just for Kids
Hired Hands Homecare discusses the power of play for seniors.
Do you remember that feeling as a young child when the school bell rang, indicating the conclusion of science and the start of the best part of the day: recess? There was an immense feeling of freedom bounding out onto the playground, leaving behind the pressure of school work for a quick period of unstructured play. Regrettably, for the majority of adults, this is just a happy but distant memory. Play for seniors isn’t usually something that’s considered by many adults. Nevertheless, is it possible, and even worthwhile, to recapture the enjoyment of playing?
