Companion Care Services

The highest quality LGBTQ+ senior care begins with understanding and implementing cultural competence practices.

As we strive to create compassionate and supportive environments for seniors, the concept of cultural competence takes center stage, particularly when addressing the unique needs of LGBTQ+ individuals in their later years. In the context of LGBTQ+ senior care, embracing cultural competence is essential to ensure that each person receives the respect and understanding they deserve as they navigate the intricacies of aging.

What Is Cultural Competence?

At its core, cultural competence refers to the ability of individuals or organizations to effectively interact with people from different cultures. It involves understanding, respecting, and responding to the needs and preferences of individuals from diverse backgrounds. In the context of LGBTQ+ seniors, cultural competence extends beyond a general understanding of aging to encompass the unique challenges, … Read More »

Discover how to improve resilience in older adults in four simple steps.

Did you ever encounter someone so inspiring that it completely changed your viewpoint on life? It might lead you to pause and wonder what it is about that person that supplies them with the drive and strength to stand out from the crowd. This type of resilience in older adults is especially encouraging, showing us that whatever comes our way, at whatever age, life is beautiful, rich, and fulfilling.

At the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center at Columbia University, research workers decided to examine this further with their “Exceeding Expectations” project. They followed 20 elderly New Yorkers from diversified backgrounds and cultures for a two-year time period. Here is what they learned about the resiliency of these extraordinary individuals.

They never let their obstacles define them. … Read More »

Taking steps to learn how to be the best possible caregiver will improve life in a variety of ways for the person in your care – and yourself.

If someone were providing care for you, how would you want that caregiver/care receiver relationship to look? What qualities would shift that level of care from ordinary to extraordinary? Placing yourself in the shoes of the person in your care is the first step to learning how to be the best possible caregiver – something that will have a lasting impact on both your family member and yourself!

Make sure you’re not crossing the line from motivating to bullying with these caregiving tips.

As a family caregiver, you obviously encounter an array of feelings throughout the day: shared laughter over a joke with your senior loved one; worry due to a health concern; and certainly, from time to time, irritation. We want only the best for those we love, and if a senior loved one is resistant to doing an activity we realize is beneficial, it could be tough to identify the most appropriate response. 

The key is to try to offer motivation and support, while remaining cautious not to ever cross the line into bullying your senior loved one. These caregiving tips are good to remember:

There’s no one-size-fits-all. An approach that has worked on a single occasion may perhaps be entirely ineffective in another. In … Read More »

When providing end-of-life care, one of the best gifts you can offer is a listening ear.

Sharing what’s on our hearts with those we love is never more important than when someone is nearing the end of life. There are often unspoken sentiments and unresolved issues that, once verbalized, can bring peace and a deeper connection with our loved ones in their final days. 

As Dr. Jessica Zitter, physician in critical and palliative care medicine at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA explains, “Those are opportunities for people to take stock and say, ‘I want to be more intentional about how I want to relate to people in my life.’ Death should really be seen as the last opportunity that you have to make amends and clean things up before you’re in the next world, wherever that may be.”

Read More »

Wandering in dementia is one of the most difficult effects to manage, and safety is a top concern.

Of all the impacts of Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most alarming is the individual’s tendency for wandering and the potential dangers that may develop if the senior becomes confused or lost. Wandering in dementia can occur any time the older adult is:

Scared, confused, or overwhelmed
Trying to find someone or something
Bored
Trying to maintain a familiar past routine (such as going to work or shopping)
Tending to a simple need (such as searching for a drink of water or going to the bathroom)

The aim is twofold; to help keep your loved one secure, and also to be certain that his/her needs are satisfied to attempt to stop the want to wander to begin with. Consider the following safety measures if your … Read More »

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 »

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 »

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

Today, we whole heartedly salute the American men and women who have served our country, and sacrificed so much for our freedom and safety.

With much gratitude and respect,
The HIRED HANDS HOMECARE Family