Elder Care: Caring for an Aging Parent? Make Sure to Take Care of Yourself

Elder Care: Caring for an Aging Parent? Make Sure to Take Care of Yourself

 Senior Helper

Caring for an aging parent is one of the most noble and commendable ways to spend your time. It often involves making many sacrifices.
For example, you may have given up a well paying job or some other hobby or activity you enjoy in order to devote more time to your parent. After a while, this can lead to becoming stressed out and overwhelmed. When these feelings occur, it is important to take some time for yourself.
The problem is that in many cases your elderly parent demands almost constant attention. This is particularly true if they have a condition like Alzheimer’s or dementia. The last thing you want to do is ship them off to a nursing home or large hospital. In this situation, you need to get some help. Yes, you may be the primary caregiver for your parent, but sometimes you need someone to give you some relief.
It may be time to have a family conference. Depending on how many siblings you have and their proximity to the situation, it may be possible that one or more of them could help out in looking after your parent. If no sibling is able, maybe you have a close friend that would be willing to do it for you. If there are no family members or friends able to help, then you may want to consider the services of an in home senior care agency.
You may be thinking that you can’t afford in home elder care services or you don’t need another full time caregiver. What many people don’t realize is that some in home senior care agencies offer short term services like respite care, which is designed specifically to provide relief to a family member that is also a full time caregiver. So if you are feeling overwhelm and have no other relief options, talk to a local in home senior care agency. They might have the cost effective solution you are looking for.
If you are looking for more information on In Home Care Services please visit us at Senior Helpers of NJ

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Could Your Parent Have Dementia? The Top Rated In Home Health Care Company In Manahawkin Nj Talks About Dementia

 

Could Your Parent Have Dementia? The Top Rated In Home Health Care Company In Manahawkin Nj Talks About Dementia

As we age, it's perfectly normal for all of us to forget certain things from time to time. As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease and it's the most common form of dementia. Dementia is defined as a state of serious emotional and mental deterioration. This is not to be confused with Alzheimer's. While Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, seniors can suffer from dementia and not have Alzheimer's.



A person with dementia struggles with memory loss and other mental abilities that are severe enough to interfere with everyday activities. It's caused by changes in the brain and generally doesn't start until around age 65 and older, although it can start in any stage of adulthood. There are other illnesses that mimic dementia-like symptoms such as depression, drug interactions, thyroid problems, excess use of alcohol or some vitamin deficiencies. Be sure to address any of these possible illnesses with your parent's doctor if you suspect they may be an issue.
According to the Alzheimer's Association the 10 most common signs of Alzheimer's:

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life
• Challenges in planning or solving problems
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
• Confusion with time or place
• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
• New problems with words in speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Withdrawal from work or social activities
• Changes in mood and personality

Memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging. It may be a symptom of Alzheimer's, a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.
If your loved one is suffering from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, it can also take a tremendous toll on your own physical and emotional well-being. There's no need to go it alone. Senior Helpers can create a customized care plan that changes as your loved one's needs change. We'll help your loved one cope better with a cueing program that stimulates their ability to remember and we'll carefully monitor everything from medication to daily activities. As experts in Alzheimer's and dementia care, you can trust Senior Helpers to make your loved one's life-and yours-much easier and more enjoyable!
Senior Helpers can help your loved one live independently at home for many wonderful years to come! Please visit our website to learn how we can help you.

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How Far Should a Caregiver Go in Helping an Elderly Person with His Daily Routine?By Peter Mangiola Rn Bsn

How Far Should a Caregiver Go in Helping an Elderly Person with His Daily Routine?By Peter Mangiola Rn Bsn

— Senior Helper

The level of intervention that a caregiver should give in helping an elderly person with his daily routine depends on his needs. A bed-bound elderly person obviously requires more personal senior care- like someone to give him a bed bath, while a more active elderly person might just need some amount of assistance in doing his personal hygiene routine. If you are not experienced in the elder care industry, getting advice from professional caregiverscould help establish a necessary level of intervention. This could be a nurse or a doctor, who is able to provide both aid and training in managing personal hygiene routines.
In general, most professional caregivers advise that elderly people be given the freedom to perform their personal hygiene routines by themselves. An elderly person, for instance, who can still move his arms, should be allowed to wash his own face or brush his teeth. Even if it might take forever for him to finish these basic routines, it is still important that you allow him that freedom. This will not only save him from being completely dependent on you, his caregiver, but this will also help him maintain his mobility as well as reduces your senior care workload.
How frequently should an elderly person shower?Not all senior persons need a full bath each day. However, all of them need to have their face, underarms, and private parts washed daily.
Bathing and Shower Tips for Mobile SeniorsHere are some tips to remember when helping a mobile senior have a bath or shower.

1. Place a non-slip mat at the bottom of the bath or shower.
2. Put a non-skid bathmat that has a rubber base in front of the bath or shower.
3. Install steady grab rails at the senior’s bath that can support him anytime he gets in and out of the bath.
4. Put a stable shower seat inside the shower so that the senior can use it in case he needs to sit down while bathing.
5. Always ensure that the water temperature in the bath or shower is neither too hot nor too cold.
6. If the senior in your care would rather bath or shower on his own, ensure that he always leaves the bathroom door unlocked.

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Senior Helpers of Moorestown Nj talks about Possible Symptoms of Severe Memory Loss

 Possible Symptoms of Severe Memory Loss

As we get older, we tend to get more forgetful. This is part of the aging process and there’s not a lot we can do about it. For this reason, some memory loss among elderly persons is usually not cause for alarm. However, there are cases when chronic forgetfulness can progress into full blown dementia or Alzheimer’s. So if you believe that you or an elderly loved one might be suffering from a severe form of memory loss, it’s important to get some help right away.

Here are 4 symptoms to look for that may be signs of severe memory loss:

1. Forgetting dates

Forgetting a couple dates here and there may not be too big a deal, but if there is a recurring pattern of forgetting important dates, forgetting to show up at work, or forgetting to show up at planned social events, this could be a sign of trouble. If this type of memory loss is occurring, keep a close eye on it and if it gets any worse, get help right away.

2. Forgetting where they are

This is a potentially dangerous trend if it’s happening with an aging family member. Losing your direction in an unfamiliar place is common, but if you see them forgetting where they are in places they’ve known for a long time like just a couple blocks from their house, get help before something bad happens.

3. Losing Things

Everyone misplaces their car keys or wallet from time to time, but those suffering from severe memory loss do this on a regular basis-to the point where it becomes difficult for them to function during their daily life without someone else keeping track of their things. Watch out for your loved one commonly misplacing important items. This may be another sign of trouble.

4. Pulling back from normal living

This is the natural progression of someone suffering from severe memory loss like dementia or Alzheimer’s-pulling back from work and/or social activities and essentially withdrawing from their network of family and friends. This is usually done out of fear that others will discover their failing memory. When confronting them on this issue, make sure to always be compassionate and empathize with what they’re going through.