senior care in california
Experiencing Hearing Loss? Try These Communication Tips.
Background noises, fast talkers and those who mumble — these factors and others make it very difficult for those with hearing problems to participate in group discussions, and may even cause them to be left out altogether. People without hearing loss must recognize this challenge and remember to speak clearly and slowly, always facing the senior.
For the senior affected by hearing loss, the strategies below can help:
Tell the individuals you’re with that you are experiencing hearing loss, so they know to modify their speech, face you when they’re talking, or make other accommodations to help keep you in the dialogue.
Sit or stand where you can see the faces of all speakers.
Move away from noise or other background disruptions.
Request that those speaking repeat themselves when required, or repeat back the part of the message that you understood with a request for … Read More »
Overcoming Bathing Care Battles with a SMILE
Take a moment to close your eyes and picture yourself like this: You’ve spent most of your life taking care of and assisting others – as a mother or father, in your career, through volunteering in your community, and as a grandparent. After all those years of living independently and being in control of your life’s decisions, you’ve suddenly aged to the point that now you are the one in need of assistance with bathing and other care tasks. Imagine the sense of loss, vulnerability, and fear.
If you’re taking care of a senior loved one, it can help to put yourself in his or her shoes when facing challenges related to helping the person with personal care tasks. The struggles your older loved one is feeling are real, and a little empathy and patience can go a long way towards … Read More »
Sonoma Client Gayle Celebrates Her 100th
Gayle has been with Hired Hands since July 2012 and her favorite caregiver right now is Mary Martel. Gayle never had children or held an occupation. She and her late husband used to love hosting parties with friends and entertaining guests at their home in Santa Rosa. Gayle enjoys watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune; her favorite activities include walking in her neighborhood on nice days, conversing / reminiscing with her caregivers and weekly visits to the hair salon.
When Phyllis (Director of Santa Rosa office) and Jake (Santa Rosa Office Manager) arrived with cake and flowers, Gayle told them, “I’m so fortunate to have such wonderful people in my life. I am truly blessed!”
Avoid Caregiver Burnout: Finding a Healthy Balance When Caring for Senior Parents
You plan for a career. You plan to buy a house. You plan for a family. Life, however, often has other plans and can throw some unexpected curveballs. Caring for an older loved one is not often a job most people plan for, and many underestimate the financial burden, the amount of time it takes to provide care and the emotional toll it can take.
To help keep a healthy balance and avoid caregiver burnout, remember these tips:
Take time for a phone conversation or a visit with a friend or family member every now and then. Too often family caregivers throw themselves full force into caring for their loved one that they lose track of other healthy relationships, which can lead to feelings of isolation and depression. Remember to surround yourself with supportive friends and family.
Set personal limits. Don’t be afraid … Read More »
Hired Hands Homecare Presents: The Sandwich Generation To-Do List
Do you have aging parents in need of care? Are you also trying to juggle caring for children and family at home? Then you are part of the sandwich generation – a generation of people, typically in their thirties or forties, who find themselves responsible for bringing up their own children and caring for their aging parents. The “to-do lists” of today’s sandwich generation are packed. Many family caregivers not only work full time, they are also shuttling children to and from school and after-school activities and maintaining a household on top of their caregiving duties. There are solutions to aid caregivers though, and the first step is getting educated on ways to make the situation more manageable.
At the risk of adding more to your plate, consider adding these items to your to-do list to help make caregiving more manageable:
Have … Read More »
Financial Problems Can Affect Quality of Life
Everyone approaches their finances in different ways – some people are frugal, others spend-thrifts, and most people are somewhere in between. But no matter how we manage our money, there’s always a possibility that we can go off track, make a bad decision, or start having difficulties in doing financial tasks, like paying bills.
For some seniors, finances may represent independence, and any suggestion that they may be having difficulty managing their money may make them fear a loss of that independence. As well, they are from a generation that was often taught that you don’t discuss money, that this is an intensely personal part of life. That being said, difficulty managing money can be a sign of cognitive decline, and an indication that in-home health services may be needed.
So how can you make sure your loved one is able to … Read More »
Helping Someone Who Hoards
Do you think that someone you care for is compulsively hoarding? Is his or her situation becoming more and more difficult to manage? Are you worried?
Compulsive or pathological hoarding, officially called disposophobia, is more than just gathering or living with clutter. It’s an excessive gathering of objects, regardless of their value. The idea of giving away or throwing away any of the objects, even trash, causes great stress.
Hoarding causes several problems. Too many objects in a living space can cause problems with hygiene – both in the home and with personal hygiene if washing facilities are blocked. Extreme clutter can encourage social isolation, due to embarrassment about the state of the home and the inability to clean up well enough to go out. And the clutter also can be a safety hazard. Clutter can cause falls, destroy home foundations, and … Read More »
Questions to Ask: Signs that Your Loved One Needs In-Home Help
“I want to stay in my own home.” That is a frequently heard statement by many seniors, even if they may be having some difficulty managing on their own. And who can blame them? Their home is where they likely feel safest. They know where things are and they have their routines. They may have friends and family who live nearby, who add to their quality of life. But if you have concerns about your loved one’s ability to continue living at home, how will you know if he or she needs help, perhaps in the form of in-home health care services?
Here is a list of questions to ask yourself to help you determine if your loved one is as safe as possible and if he or she may need some extra help:
Weight loss
Has your loved one unintentionally lost … Read More »
Hired Hands Homecare celebrates!
Friday, August 17 was a very proud day for the Hired Hands Homecare team. Today, we had the honor of celebrating our First Anniversary of providing outstanding senior care in California to the communities of Pleasanton, Livermore and Danville. The afternoon was shared with a large, distinguished group of local business owners and professionals. We were honored to be joined by several clients, along with some of our amazing caregivers. On top of that… the Mayor of Pleasanton dropped by for a special Ribbon Cutting to help celebrate!
Erin Winter, Hired Hands VP of Operations and current Homecare Director for the Pleasanton office, summed it up best when she stated: “We are truly honored to be surrounded by so many amazing people. In one short year we have had the opportunity to support many families, develop an amazing growing team of … Read More »
