Being a caregiver is not an easy job. The role comes with stress, depression, pressure, anxiety and exhaustion. These are important things to consider. Caregivers need to allow themselves to take a break if they begin feeling run down. It is extremely important to remain healthy so you can continue caring for an elderly individual. The following list contains some useful tips for Walnut Creek caregivers regarding their own well-being.

1. Caregivers should remember that they are not alone. The role of a caregiver can be stressful, exhausting and demanding. Many times, caregivers suffer from depression. While it may seem like the caregiver must do this alone, family and friends can offer much support and make a big difference.

2. Caregivers need to know their strengths. It is important to reward yourself for a job well done. Knowing your strengths as well as your limitations will help you become a better caregiver.

3. Many caregivers neglect their own health because they are so preoccupied with caring for a senior. Your personal health should be your number one priority. Never put aside your own health needs.

4. It is ok to ask for help. If you begin feeling overwhelmed, there is no shame asking for help. This could be as simple as words of encouragement. Family members may also be able to help you care for an elderly relative. This can make a huge difference because you will not be responsible for every aspect of care. It is ok to take a break!

5. Caregivers need to be an advocate for seniors. It is important for every caregiver to know their own rights in addition to the rights of the senior receiving assistance or treatment.

Source: thefamilycaregiver.org

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.

National Family Caregiver’s Month is a time to appreciate all of those out there who make sacrifices and give so much of themselves to care for the other important people in their lives – often, their senior parents or other elderly relatives. The following gestures below can help them to celebrate a job well done!

1. Give them a break – offering to provide respite care or hiring someone to step in can allow caregivers to relax or reconnect with friends and family

2. Remind local businesses what this month means – then encourage them to offer freebies or discounts for family caregivers in the area!

3. Lend them a hand with holiday preparations – the holidays can create added responsibility, so help a caregiver decorate for the holidays or put stamps on their cards

4. Get them laughing – go see a funny movie with them, or pick up tickets to a local comedy club. Laugher IS the best medicine!

5. Take over holiday hosting responsibilities – caregivers already have a lot on their plates; host Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another holiday celebration so the caregiver can simply focus on enjoying the company!

6. Sign the petition – there’s a petition to establish a stamp that recognizes family caregivers; sign it in their honor!

7. Create something personal – a personalized gift, like a calendar with family photos, will help them feel like they’re appreciated, and it will help them stay organized

8. Send them a token of appreciation – a bouquet of flowers or a card might not be a big gesture, but it will make caregivers feel appreciated and special

9. Connect them with caregiving resources – free seminars and other events take place to keep caregivers better informed and help them manage stress

10. Lend your support – give them an ear to talk to, or help them find a support group

Via: The Family Caregiver

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.

Most people dread going through the aging process, but it’s all about your perception and what you choose to make of it. Instead of allowing yourself to succumb to the stereotypes, make your life what you want it to be. Here are some suggestions on how you can change your life in older adulthood:

1. Take a class – learning lasts a lifetime, so take advantage of the opportunities that you have in front of you in older adulthood. Take a college extension class or see what classes are offered at a local community center. You can take anything that interests you, whether it’s active, crafty or intellectual

2. Be social and seek support – don’t withdrawal from social activities like so many seniors have the tendency to do; no matter what’s going on in your life stay in touch with friends and family members with social activities, and get support from groups with any issues you’re dealing with

3. Live and laugh – they say laughter is the best medicine for a good reason, make sure that you do things that you enjoy that make you laugh and smile. Laughter is a great way to cope with grief, overcome stress, and gain a better appreciation of life!

4. Safety first – take the opportunity to look at how you can improve your safety so an accident doesn’t put a damper on your chosen lifestyle. Should you still be driving? Can you avoid busy driving periods or roads? Are there improvements you can make to your house? Are you aware of common frauds targeting seniors, and do you know how to protect yourself from them?

Via: Associated Content

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.

If you’re a caregiver caring for a senior who suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia, you might find yourself simply providing the basic care you were hired for. But stop and think for a minute; are you doing anything to bring joy to your care recipient’s life, or are you just going through the motions. It doesn’t take much to make a big difference, try these activity ideas to help your senior do more than just survive:

1. Reintroduce old favorites – reintroducing seniors to games and activities that they once enjoyed can activate old memories and nostalgia, and they are generally enjoyable. Try tic tac toe, checkers, cards, or large piece jigsaw puzzles.

2. Bond over magazines – looking through magazines like Reminisce or Good Old Days are a great way to share stories; or simply pick up any publication a senior enjoys for an entertaining way to pass the time and create conversation

3. Reminisce with photos – get out the family photo albums to remind seniors of cherished memories or family members. This is also a great way to start sharing stories and memories of great times with loved ones

4. Get online – for a senior who loves to learn, get online and browse travel destinations, look up information about activities or facts that interest the senior, or simply use it to look at pictures. If your senior is feeling really adventurous, you can even get them signed up on Facebook or Twitter

5. Share a treat – a great activity can be as simple as going to a local bakery or ice cream shop to bond over a sweet treat. Or, it can be made at home and enjoyed there

6. Get outside – don’t underestimate the power of fresh air and sunshine for a senior, get out there!

Via: Suite101

jupiterimages.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.

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.

Via: Body and Health

Image: buylocalfood.org

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.

Of course in our practice we always encourage seniors to remain as active as possible, but at this time of year when temperatures can rise, many are looking for alternatives to exercising outside, and one thing that I suggest as a nurse is that they try mall walking. This not only creates a sheltered environment from the natural elements, it’s also a great way for seniors to socialize with others. Many big malls host mall walking programs, but for those seniors who don’t have one in their area, here are some tips that we provide for starting and making the most of mall walking:

1. Don’t walk alone – part of the fun of mall walking is to socialize, so bring a walking buddy; either a family member or friend, but make sure that they’re at your fitness level so you can keep the same pace and get the exercise benefits

2. Window shop – since you’re already in the mall, scope things out. You’ll spot stores that are having sales or other great bargains as you pass by the shops

3. Take motivational music – take your MP3 player with a compilation of music that motivates you to walk and push yourself to get the best fitness benefits

4. Make plans – having plans for after mall walking will help to motivate you. Make it a regular date to go for coffee with friends, or hang around to shop at the mall

5. Set incentives – organized mall walking programs may have prizes if you meet certain goals, but even when walking independently you can set your own goals, meet them, and then set some more!

6. Take in your surroundings – walking in the mall you can take in the décor, especially coming up to holidays and people watch

7. Clear your head – when exercising, there’s no better time to clear you head and make positive plans. Don’t allow your worries to plague your mind

8. Play games – when walking with a buddy, play games based on what you see around you. Try Eye Spy or other fun games based on signs and other things in the surroundings

9. Reward yourself – reward yourself after completing a mall walking session, it will help you want to come back and do it again and again!

Via: Grand Times

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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 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.

Image: pro.corbis.com

After watching the progression and decline of my own grandparents in recent years, I’ve begun to take a long hard look at senior care options so that I can make a better decision when it comes time to care for my own parents. While that time still might be a decade away, it’s time to start thinking about what we’ll do if and when they begin to need assistance. My mother, who is in her senior years herself provides care for my elderly grandparents for 6 months out of the year. They don’t live with her, but are around the corner, so she’s only a phone call away. I can see the stress that she’s under every time the phone rings, or even when it doesn’t, wondering if something has happened to her parents.

I can’t help but wonder if they would be better off living under the same roof, so my mom always knows what’s going on with her parents, and this is something that gets me thinking if that would be a good option for me with my own parents when the time comes. I know that it would come with its own stresses, and that  great deal of planning and conversation would need to happen to make sure the transition would occur smoothly for everyone living under the same roof. I know that there would be positives and negatives of living under the same roof and providing care, just as there would be with living separately, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Via: Home Instead Senior Care https://www.homeinstead.com/Lists/doclistlib/Attachments/257/Too_Close_For_Comfort_Booklet.pdf

mage Source: pro.corbis.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

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Q– I am a home caregiver for an 87 year old Walnut Creek senior; we used to do a lot of activities together outside, but after a recent accident her mobility has changed. I need to come up with some entertaining activities that can keep her stimulated while inside the home. What would you suggest?

A – Art activities are ideal for seniors regardless of their age, health, or physical abilities; and best of all, there are endless benefits! Art has proven benefits to helping seniors with self-expression, boosting self-esteem, improving memory, and generally, stimulating their minds. Art takes many forms, so you can choose an activity that has specific interest to your senior, or you can combine a variety of different art projects into your day-to-day caregiving routine. Art can include drawing, painting, pottery, crochet, knitting, quilting, playing a musical instrument and even writing.

Many of the supplies that you’ll need can be purchased from a Walnut Creek arts or craft store, and can be relatively inexpensive if you’re planning to start the art at home. If you’re working with a senior who suffers from a cognitive impairment like Alzheimer’s or dementia, you will need to consider safety when making your purchases. Make sure none of the tools have sharp ends, and that any paints or other materials are non-toxic.

Sources:

1. Smart Senior
2. Seniors Making Art
3. My Optum Health

Image Source: pro.corbis.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.

With many home care agencies, you never know who’s going to turn up on a Walnut Creek senior’s doorstep each day of their scheduled care. But what this means is that seniors never have the opportunity to trust, bond and form a friendship with their senior caregivers. At Home Instead Senior Care, we know that the right caregiver is one that a senior can get to know, begin to trust with their home and their care, and someone who will become an important companion. Every day a senior has home care scheduled, we send the same caregiver to provide consistency and because through our process we ensure that the caregiver sent is one that meshes with the senior’s personal needs and personality.

When we send a new caregiver to a senior’s home for the first time, we complete an in-depth assessment to evaluate the needs of the senior and the type of caregiver who would be best suited for the role. However, just because a senior has been sent a caregiver, doesn’t mean that they’re stuck with them forever. If a senior or their family is not satisfied with the caregiver, we will be happy to send a replacement that better meets the request.

Once the right caregiver has been matched with a senior, you’ll never be able to separate them!

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.

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