When it’s time to hire a caregiver, family members and close friends of the senior are usually the first ones to take notice that it’s time for a change. Once health and safety could be sacrificed is when it’s necessary to start the journey for caregiving, and while it can be stressful, by following the right process the outcome can be positive.
1. Talk about it – while family might believe a senior requires home care assistance, their elderly loved one might not feel the same. Talking about it gently is essential, and not all seniors are likely to simply accept the suggestion of help. A family counselor can intervene if necessary.
2. List the help needed – talk together and determine specific things that a senior care provider like Home Care Walnut Creek could assist with. Whether it’s grocery shopping, help with bathing and dressing, or other tasks.
3. Do research – talk to friends and family about home care agencies they’d recommend, but during that process as costs are addressed, it’s also essential that any funding or insurance coverage that may be available is investigated
4. Don’t jump into a decision – even once a specific agency is narrowed down, it’s okay to interview them and ask questions about their history and their policies. Ask if they’ll spend time with the senior first to assess comfort level, and also verify that a replacement caregiver will be provided if one doesn’t work out
Some seniors may require some additional help at home. While the needs are not always the same, the help of a caregiver can be very beneficial. Whether you are looking for someone who can help medically or someone who will assist with daily living, there are many agencies like Walnut Creek Senior Care that provide seniors with caregivers. Hiring a caregiver is a serious decision that can be made easier by following some of the
tips below.
1. Check local Home Care Agencies. These companies staff many caregivers. However, they do provide different levels of service, so take the time to make sure all services that are needed can be provided.
2. If the senior in need of a caregiver is approved for care that will be paid for by Medicare, the Health Care Agency must be Medicare certified. This ensures that the agency meets the minimal federal requirements.
3. If the senior only requires personal care or homemaking services, caregivers do not have to come from an agency that is certified for Medicare.
4. If there is no Medicare coverage, the cost of the caregiver will have to be paid by the person receiving services. These services can be expensive, but there are some low rates for personal care attendants, also known as PCA’s. They are typically paid by the hour at rates between $13 and $35.
5. Do not be afraid to contact multiple agencies. It is important to find the right caregiver that will provide all services needed by the senior.
As an adult child, you might not feel it’s your place to step in and dictate what your senior parents should do with their lives. But encouraging them to plan their future early will help you make sure that their desires and needs are met later on in life when your personal role might increase, and they might not be in a position to dictate their lifestyle. Plan early and address the following areas that will help secure your loved one’s future:
1. Look at all resources –in order to help a senior plan for the future, take a look at all of the options by considering family who may be able to provide help, finances and other assets that could contribute to an aging loved one’s future
2. Understand that plans can change – when planning early, a guideline might be put in place. You might decide with the senior in your life that you will be a full or part-time caregiver. But, by the time they actually need help you might not be in a position to follow through. Accept that plans can change, be flexible, and have backup plans in place
3. Enlist help – a geriatric care manager or a senior care provider can help evaluate the future needs seniors may have to aid in planning
4. Organize the legal aspects – encourage your elderly relative to create a will, draft an advanced directive, establish a power of attorney, and go through the estate planning process
Home Care Walnut Creek, CAdelivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.
We’ve all been told before how important it is to eat vegetables. Here are some tips for older seniors to include vegetables and fruits into every meal!
1. Shop at a farmer’s market – you will find all seasonal fruits and vegetables at a budget-friendly price.
2. Mix color – include fruits and vegetables to gain ultimate nutritional and health benefits.
3. Get creative with cooking – if you don’t enjoy textures or tastes of some foods, try blending them into a soup or stew.
4. Try smoothies or juice – to increase servings of fruits and vegetables, blend them into smoothies or juices.
5. Buy frozen – blend them into a smoothie, or thaw them in the morning to add to your cereal or oatmeal.
6. Add fruit like bananas or strawberries to your cereal.
7. Maintain good habits when eating out – order at least one serving of fruits or vegetables.
8. Be open to salad – Add bell peppers, tomatoes, beets, or avocado. Drizzle your salad with lemon instead of dressings for a vitamin C boost.
9. Go with stir fry – this helps include a wide variety of vegetables into a meal.
10. Analyze your meal – when you sit down with a meal that has a wide variety of vegetables, notice if you favor one color group over another, and make a point to add more of the others to your next shopping list.
Q – I know my mom’s come to a point in her life where she could use some help, whether it’s by moving her into nursing home or keeping her at home with the help of a caregiver. I kind of worry about choosing home care, because what if the caregiver just isn’t up to par; at least in a facility she’ll have multiple people caring for her and at least some will be capable. How do I know I’m getting a good caregiver by going with home care?
A – It might not be the case with every home care agency, but when you choose to work with Home Instead Senior Care in Walnut Creek, we ensure that your senior gets only the highest quality of care through rigorous screening and training. We can guarantee that your mom will be happier with one of our caregivers, and here’s some details about our process to ease your mind:
The traits of Home Instead Senior Caregivers:
• Dependability - work history and employment reference checks are completed for all staff members
• Honesty - drug test and background checks are completed by HISC
• Experience – personal or professional experience in the senior care industry or dealing with senior citizens is considered
• Compassion – a sense of compassion for giving seniors a better quality of life is looked for during the interview process
• Motivation – someone who is motivated in everything they do is better suited to ensuring that seniors are provided the highest quality of care
HISC also has a Caregiver Leadership Training Program that focuses on creating a fantastic caregiver experience by focusing on the following elements:
• Treating CAREGivers with dignity and respect
• Nurturing positive relationships
• Showing appreciation
• Humanizing and professionalizing the caregiving journey
• Connecting CAREGivers to Home Instead, its mission and other CAREGivers
• Dealing with issues openly and honestly.
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.
It’s never easy to watch someone you love getting older, but as a relative of a senior, often the responsibilities fall to you to decide when they need help. For the sake of your loved one, it’s important that you know when home care just might be right for them. Take the following checklist, and if your Walnut Creek senior meets any of the below criteria, it just might be the right time for senior home care.
• Your loved one is struggling with Activities of Daily Living (dressing, bathling, preparing meals, taking medications, keeping up with chores at home)
• Your senior’s balance and mobility is declining, putting him/her at greater risk for in-home accidents.
• Your loved one has given up driving and finds it challenging to get to appointments and run errands.
• Your senior doesn’t have family nearby, or family members who are able to help them on a regular basis.
• Your loved one has recently come out of the hospital or rehab and needs to focus on recovering
• Your loved one’s memory is suffering because of Alzheimer’s or Dementia which could impact their ability to care for themselves safely.
When choosing a Walnut Creek home care agency to provide care for an aging loved one, it’s important that families know exactly what they’re getting themselves into. There are a significant number of agencies out there that can place senior care specialists in the home of a senior, and they come at all price points. However, don’t be fooled by some of the home care agencies that promise the world at a lower price, because you’ll encounter more complications than its worth in many cases that can compromise the level of care received by your loved one.
Many home care registries operate in Walnut Creek and around the country; but they’re not to be confused with licensed home care agencies. These home care registries hire their senior care specialists as private contractors rather than employees which can be convoluted when it comes to dealing with the taxes and legalities surrounding hiring a caregiver from a registry. While some of these home care organizations charge less strictly for connecting families with caregivers, families may be responsible for paying taxes, workman’s compensation and other aspects. Some home care registries do cover these costs, but since caregivers under their wing are licensed contractors only, there can be some serious legal and financial repercussions which can drain the family of all resources if a workman’s compensation claim is made after the caregiver has had an accident or injury on the job.
By hiring a caregiver from a licensed home care agency like Home Instead Senior Care, all caregivers are employees of the company, categorized as “nurses and other healthcare workers who travel”. Based on this categorization, fees might be higher, but Home Instead takes care of all of the dirty work; paying all taxes and fees, with no repercussions to the senior’s family should the caregiver have an accident.
It may be tempting during times of financial crisis to pinch pennies in all areas of life, but when it comes to senior home care, you get what you pay for; so if you want quality care with no legal ramifications, go with a licensed home care agency, and you’ll have no regrets.
Technologies on the market today have improved senior care and have allowed seniors to increase their independence while still maintaining their safety. Personal Emergency Response Systems are one innovative senior technology that improve the livelihood and lifestyle of Walnut Creek seniors by allowing them to remain living independently in their own homes, with the reassurance that help will always be on its way in the case of a medical emergency or accident. Many seniors fear that an accident or other medical issue will occur when they are home alone, and that there will be no one to get to them in time if they are unable to reach the phone to call for help. This fear, drives many seniors to sacrifice their independence to live in an assisted living facility or senior residence, however, with the benefits presented by Personal Emergency Response Systems, seniors can have their independence and live their chosen lifestyles without safety being sacrificed.
Benefits of Personal Emergency Response Systems
• No matter where Walnut Creek seniors are, they can activate the device in the case of a medical emergency or accident
• Personal Emergency Response systems remain on the senior at all times, so it’s never an issue of the phone remaining out of reach
• Family members and caregivers can be confident that seniors are safe, even when living alone, because help is always immediately available
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 – I live near Walnut Creek and recently decided to leave my job in order to become a full-time caregiver for my aging mother. Is there anything I can do to prepare for the process of being a senior caregiver?
A – Being a family caregiver will be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences you will face in your life. To make the transition to caregiving easier, there are a number of things that you can do to ease the burden on the entire family.
• Talk to your mother about her expectations of you as a caregiver – what daily tasks does she feel she could use help with? What areas of her life would she prefer to manage independently (when possible) or with the assistance of a professional, rather than a family member?
• Determine what role your other siblings or family members will play in the care of your mother so that all expectations are predefined.
• Talk to your family and children about your changing role, so they understand what you are dealing with and try to help you through the process without becoming resentful over your shifting attentions in the beginning.
• Encourage your mother to get her affairs in order; including drafting a living will so you can ensure that her wishes for medical care are followed should she become incapacitated.
• Find local resources in Walnut Creek for information and caregiver support.
Q – My father was recently diagnosed with dementia. While we all saw it coming in a way, it has come as a shock, especially for him. What can we do to help keep him in positive spirits and cope with the emotional aspects that come with such a diagnosis?
A – While you may have suspected a diagnosis like dementia in your father’s future, actually hearing the words and having your fears reinforced can be shocking for everyone.
At this stage, your father may feel as though his mind and body are letting him down, and he may fear an inevitable loss of independence. In the early stages, your father should seek support from Walnut Creek community groups for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia, and learn as much about his condition as possible. Planning early on for the future can also help ensure that his wishes with regards to care and medical treatment are met, if he reaches the point where he is able to voice what he wants. Encourage your father to create a living will, appoint a future Power of Attorney, and generally get his affairs in order. By researching care options in Walnut Creek, he can choose the best fit for him if it’s needed in the future. Encourage him to maintain his lifestyle, but refrain from activities that are too stressful or demanding.
