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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

When family caregivers ask us how they can make their jobs easier and improve the quality of care of their elderly loved one, one of the top caregiver tips that we recommended is to use a daily care log. Using a daily care log, is a great way to communicate important messages between multiple caregivers that might be providing care for a senior, and create a permanent record of a senior’s medical history and routines as they pertain to his/her care. For those providing elder care, a daily care log can also reduce caregiver stress, because family and professional caregivers start each and every day with a background on the senior’s physical and mental health and any new caregiving challenges they should be aware of.

The information that an elderly care professional or family caregiver records on the log helps improve the senior’s care while making their jobs easier through increased understanding. Each day a caregiver enters the senior’s home, or assisted living facility where they reside, they can record the tasks and activities they completed, any challenges they had to overcome with the senior physically or mentally, and during the first visit; write down the areas they feel the senior requires assistance from a caregiver. A caregiver log should also include any changes they’ve seen in the senior; in particular, if they need help with a task they could complete independently before. Creating a daily care log can be a great way to assess a senior’s care needs, and communicate between multiple caregivers and the family, to ensure the highest quality of care is always being delivered.

If you would like a copy of the daily care log that Home Instead provides to it’s clients please call your local Home Instead Senior Care office.

Sources:
1.   The Eldercare Team
2.    Grownups

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.

Historically, 57% to 75% of family caregivers for seniors have been women of a certain demographic; but as gender roles change, so does the family caregiving structure; and more men are becoming involved in the care of an elderly parent or family member. However, statistics do show that many of these male caregivers aren’t caring for elderly parents; they are providing care for their spouse who is suffering from an illness or injury. When it comes to caring for an older relative, men continue to play a decreased role compared to their female family members; they provide support, but women still spend 50% more time caring for a senior.

However, as many women hold careers that are just as demanding as their male spouses and men are playing a greater role in the care of their children, we might begin to see an increase in the numbers of male family caregivers as the family structure continues to change and adapt. And, according to studies, an increase of male presence in home and community care for seniors will have its benefits. Male caregivers can initiate greater large motor activities, due to physical strength; might encounter fewer workplace injuries due to the strain of lifting senior care recipients; and might be able to handle more strenuous housekeeping duties.

If you know a male that is a family caregiver we would like to hear from you… please send us a comment about your experience and we can post it on our blog.

Sources:
1.    Onkar Caregiver’s Training Institute
2.    Family Caregiver Alliance
3.    MedicineNet.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 know you appreciate everything that your long-term caregiver does for your aging family member, and believe that sometimes it’s appropriate to say thank you with a gift. If a family caregiver is responsible for senior care, sometimes the best gift to give them is a break. By providing them assistance with their responsibilities, they will have the opportunity to focus on themselves for a change. Everyone deserves a break; so offer to take your elderly relative shopping, prepare a meal. Another welcome gift for family caregivers is to pre-pay for a service that is typically an expense from their own pocket; buy a gift certificate for grass cutting, or house keeping to save them the expense.

If you want to show a senior caregiver hired from an agency that you appreciate them, first check with the agency for their policy on gift-giving. Many senior care agencies do not allow their caregivers to accept monetary gifts, but a small token of your appreciation; like flowers, a gift basket or a gift certificate for a nice meal can be great ways to say “thank you” to a long-term senior caregiver if they can accept the gifts.

Whether a caregiver who cares for an elderly family member is paid for their services or not, it’s important to remember how great their impact is on enhancing the lives of seniors; it doesn’t take much to say “thank you”, even if only in words.

Sources:
1. Area Agency on Aging
2. Caregiver’s Care Station

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.