While you may have noticed changes in your cognitive processes, receiving a diagnosis that you have dementia may turn your world upside down. While it may seem like your whole life will become consumed by the grief that comes with the diagnosis, dementia is something that you can manage to cope with so it doesn’t’ take over your life. You need to be aware that dementia may be caused by a variety of different ailments including depression, excessive drinking, stroke and sometimes can be a temporary condition.  Dementia therefore does not always precede Alzheimers and the two are not the same disease.

When you first learn you have dementia, take the opportunity to arm yourself with the knowledge you need to better understand the disease and how you can cope with it. Join a Walnut Creek support group for senior dementia or Alzheimer’s sufferers if you feel that would be beneficial, read up on dementia online, and talk to your doctor about what to expect. Get your affairs in order, from your finances to a living will and talk to your family about your wishes for the future as the dementia progresses. Since routine tasks may become more challenging with dementia, to reduce stress, choose activities that are less demanding; including career-based responsibilities and even hobbies. Don’t get yourself down if you can’t do things like you used to; instead focus on the contributions that you’re making to your family and your community.

Seniors with dementia will also boost their spirits by maintaining as much independence as possible. Living independently at home with assistance from a Walnut Creek professional or family caregiver will help you to maintain the lifestyle you’re accustomed to.

Sources:
1.    Alzheimer’s Society UK
2.    DementiaGuide

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

What exactly is Swine Influenza? Learn the facts about the virus that’s catching the
attention of the news media and concerned citizens all over the US from The Center of
Disease Control and Prevention website and share your thoughts.

1.) How should this outbreak be handled?

2.) What can adults and seniors do to prevent exposure?

Please comment below with your opinions!

Image Source:
-New York Times

While you will never get the comforts of home during a hospital stay, being well-prepared with the items you will need for a hospital visit will help make your time in the hospital more tolerable and even comfortable.  It is recommended that Walnut Creek elderly with a history of medical problems that require hospital visits keep a packed bag with the items they will need for the hospital.  Other seniors can have a family member pick up the items for their time in the hospital on their behalf, although it’s easier if a list is drafted in advance and kept with a close relative or caregiver so essential items are not forgotten in the face of a medical emergency.

Items to include on a packing list for a hospital stay:

1.  Copies of important documents - Insurance information, living will, Power of Attorney’s, phone lists and lists of current medications should be stored in an enclosed folder.

2. Clothing - if the hospital allows you to wear your own clothing choose nightgowns or nightshirts, loose fitting undergarments and short sleeved tops so that monitors and intravenous can still be applied easily.  A buttoned cardigan or robe can also be worn for extra warmth.

3.    Toiletries
4.    Eye glasses, hearing aids etc.
5.    Prepaid Phone card
6.    Pen and paper
7.    Books, magazines, knitting and other entertainment
8.    Small amount of cash

9.    Electronics (cell phones, laptops etc if allowed by hospital)

10.    Momentos from home – framed photos or other items can make the hospital feel more like home

Sources:
1.    MedicineNet
2.    Inventor Spot Beth Hodgson

Image: ehow.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Choosing a caregiver for an elderly relative or parent is not a task that anyone can take lightly. While you want to make the best decision to ensure your Walnut Creek senior receives the highest quality of eldercare and remains satisfied with the decision you make for their in-home care, it’s hard to know what to look for in a caregiver. Well, worry no further, because we’re about to tell you about the qualities and skills every Walnut Creek in-home caregiver should have.

1.    Experience – the amount of experience a caregiver should have depends on the level of care a senior requires. If a caregiver is strictly there for companionship, they may not need direct eldercare experience, but ensure you check references from previous employers to learn about personality and depedability. If a caregiver will have higher levels of responsibilities, consider looking for a caregiver with more direct experience in eldercare.
2.    Commitment – choose a caregiver with a track record of committing to their care recipients. It’s easier on your senior to have just one main caregiver once you find one you like.
3.    Emergency Training – While a caregiver doesn’t need a medical background, some level of CPR or first-aid training can be beneficial, so they know how to assist a senior in an emergency while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
4.    Driver’s License – a senior caregiver with a license is a must for running errands, going to appointments, and responding to emergency situations!
5.    Good personality – a senior caregiver must be dependable, patient, and demonstrate compassion, but above all; their personality must be a good fit with that of a senior.

Sources:
1.    Associated Content
2.   AMazines

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

With the growth of the senior care industry in Walnut Creek and with many seniors requiring some form of in-home care or assisted living services, it comes as no surprise that almost everyday there seem to be new developments that surround the eldercare business. The best developments in Walnut Creek senior services are those that improve the lives of seniors and ease the stress of caregivers caring for their elderly family members.

1.    In-home monitoring systems – Big Brother style monitoring systems allow family members and eldercare professionals to monitor the safety of a senior living independently through motion detectors, cameras, and vital monitoring.

2.    Safety gadgets – electronic alert devices and personal alarms allow seniors to call for help when they’re in danger. Many come equipped with GPS for locating.

3.    Transportation services – many communities offer free transportation for seniors over a certain age, so they can get around independently.

4.    Exercise information and resources – it’s no longer believed that exercise is bad for seniors joints or their hearts when completed safely. Many gyms offer programs that cater to the older demographic.

5.    Luxury goods – personal care products, like canes and walkers no longer have a sterile medical feel. Seniors can purchase items that fit their style and personality.

6.    Elderlaw – with the number of baby boomers approaching their senior years, Elderlaw is addressing more needs of the elderly with legislation.

7.    Gadgets – technologies cater to senior living, can improve their lifestyle and increase independence.

8.    Resources for family caregivers – support groups, information sources and other resources are available to help family caregivers learn about senior care and connect with one another.

9.    Peer care – caregiving agencies may have older adults on staff to provide care to their peers that might better relate to senior issues, offer companionship and increase a care recipients comfort level.

10.    In-home Care – non-medical senior care is widely available through agencies like Home Instead Senior Care, to allow seniors to maintain their independence at home with the assistance they require.

Sources:
1.    Eldercare ABC Blog
2.   Franchise Prospector

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

With spring in the air, Walnut Creek senior caregivers and family members of the elderly are looking for safe and fun outdoor activities to entertain their loved ones in the fresh air and sunshine. Looking for an Easter present for your Grandma? Consider getting her a digital camera and taking her on digital photography excursions to take photographs of nature and the other fun elements of spring. Not only will it make for a fun outdoor activity, you can relive the memories that you shared together through the photos and get creative by displaying them around the senior’s home!

When choosing a digital camera for a senior, keep in mind their familiarity with technology and choose something that will be user-friendly. A digital camera that has a larger display screen, and large easy to push buttons will make it easy and fun to operate. If purchasing a digital camera for your elderly loved one just isn’t in the budget, you can still have fun this spring with digital photography by borrowing a camera from a family member or friend on your photography outings or renting one from a local Walnut Creek photography store.

Sources:
1.    Ehow

Image:  funtimesguide.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

For many Walnut Creek seniors, arthritis is one of the unfortunate realities of getting older. Fortunately, there are arthritis therapies that can alleviate some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and the associated pain that seniors experience and tools which can assist with the physical challenges that can occur. Simple arthritic therapies can be incorporated into the daily life of a senior, like an exercise program as recommended by a doctor or therapist; using thermal therapies and ice therapies with ice packs or heating packs to relieve local pain, tension and muscle spasms; and rest using splits or supports, or laying down in bed. An occupational therapist can also help seniors to learn techniques to cope with their arthritis and complete tasks hard on the joint safely.

While Walnut Creek elder care professionals or family caregivers can assist seniors with day-to-day tasks, seniors who live independently at home and suffer from arthritis may benefit from use of assistive devices to help with tasks that are made to difficult by the arthritis like grasping, holding, getting dressed, walking, sitting, standing, climbing stairs, walking and driving. Assistive devices and gadgets are available online from websites like Comfort House, Dynamic Living, and Ableware.

Arthritis may create additional challenges for independent seniors, but with knowledge and understanding, it can be managed without a great impact on a senior’s chosen lifestyle.

Sources:
1.    About
2.    WebMD

Images: www.aidsforarthritis.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

When moving an elderly parent or senior relative into your home so you can provide caregiver assistance, you might be doing it to benefit the level of eldercare they receive, but don’t forget to consider your needs as well as theirs.

In order to allow a senior to have some independence in your home, make sure they have their own personal space, whether a room fully equipped with a TV, bathroom and sleeping quarters; or a basement apartment with their own kitchen, depending upon what’s appropriate for the senior’s capabilities. If you live in a smaller home, ask the senior to contribute that way your family can purchase a larger space that will allow the family and the senior to have the space they need.

Remember, when living with a senior it’s important to provide for their safety in the home. Ensure that furniture in the main areas of the home is arranged to allow ample space for a senior to walk through without tripping, and try to reduce additional clutter. Senior safety devices can also be installed in bathrooms for assistance with mobility, like grab bars, bathtub transfer benches and raised toilet seats. Also keep in mind that while you may have moved your elderly parent in to act as their main caregiver; you deserve a break to, so take advantage of {city} home caregiver services in your area for some respite.

Sources:
1.    Ezine Articles
2.    Seniormag

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Elder care issues and medical emergencies just don’t operate on a standard 9-5 schedule. So what do you do if your elderly relative requires care assistance outside of regular business hours?

Many Walnut Creek senior home care providers offer live-in senior care, which ensures there is a caregiver available to address a senior’s every need 24/7. Others, like Home Instead Senior Care, guarantee that a caregiver is available on call when a senior needs them 24 hours per day. If you believe that the level of care required by a senior loved one requires the availability of 24 hour eldercare, make sure you do your research and ask the right questions when selecting a senior caregiving agency. Look at the rates closely, as some may charge a much greater cost for caregivers who work outside of normal business hours; and if your choice is to hire a live-in caregiver, ensure that background and reference checks are completed so you have a greater guarantee that they are trustworthy.

Obtaining 24 hour care for a senior in Walnut Creek is a big decision, so don’t take it lightly! Involve your elder in the decision process as appropriate, and be thorough!

Sources:
1.    Home Instead Senior Care
2.    ForElderCare

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Q – What is senior financial abuse, and how can it be prevented?

Senior financial abuse is any situation where a senior and/or their money are exploited for monetary gain. Seniors in Walnut Creek, are a major target of financial abuse because they can be dependent upon others, they can be trusting, and they may have minimal experience managing their financial affairs; oh, and they also control 70% of personal assets in North America. Financial abuse takes a number of forms; some seniors may be financially exploited by their own family members, their caregivers may take advantage of their money, and may be stolen from through elaborate scams.

Tips to Avoid Senior Financial Abuse:

1.    Protect personal information – SSN, PIN numbers and other financial data should be protected and never given to anyone (except a financial power of attorney)
2.    Background checks and references – anyone hired to work for a senior, as a laborer or caregiver should be thoroughly screened with background checks and follow up on personal and professional references
3.    Never pay for anything – often sweepstakes or lottery scams require a senior to pay money in order to claim a prize. Seniors should never have to pay to receive winnings
4.    Have a backup – seniors should seek the help of a trusted family member to review and oversee major financial transactions. Having a second set of eyes to assist with decisions will help protect seniors from financial abuse
5.    Report it – report any suspicious persons to senior advocacy agencies and the local police

Sources:
1.    Associated Content Susan Rand
2.   Sun-Times News Group Terry Savage

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.