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Our Blog

An ongoing series of informational entries

10 Reasons to get a Caregiver

July 5, 2023

10 Reasons to Get a Home Caregiver

Here are some of the top reasons why seniors and their families prefer home caregiving:

1. Dementia: It’s often difficult to care for a loved one with dementia. Families usually don’t have the skills or experience to understand the disease or know how to care for someone with dementia. It’s also very painful to see loved ones deteriorate and families may need emotional support and guidance which a home caregiver can provide.

2. Improved quality of life: There is nothing better than home. When seniors can stay at home, they can often carry on with their lives as before, which improves their quality of life.

3. Needing help caring for an elderly spouse or parents: It can be stressful for families to care for their loved ones and can affect their own health as they often want to give too much of themselves to make their loved one more comfortable. This often creates strained relationships. A home caregiver can take over many daily caregiving tasks, which means families can spend quality time with their loved ones. Caregivers can also give guidance on how to handle challenging situations.

4. Extends life: Some studies have found that people who are opting for home caregiving often live longer. The specialized care and physical, medical, and emotional support help seniors stay healthier for longer.

5. Convenience: Personal caregivers can give their clients one-on-one care – something you won’t get in a caregiving facility. Seniors don’t need to go out for minor treatments which are especially convenient for people with limited mobility. When seniors need to go to doctor’s appointments, the caregiver is there to help their client get to the office safe and on time.

6. Preserve a sense of identity and independence: When staying at home, seniors have the ability to lead a meaningful and independent life. They can carry on with their daily tasks as before, have friends over whenever they want, and do activities they enjoy doing.

7. Promotes healing: People recover more quickly in the comfort of their own home as opposed to a house for the elderly.

8. The comfort of the home: Staying in your own home is more comfortable and familiar, whether you can sit in your favorite chair, spend time in your garden, or enjoy your breakfast on the deck like you always did. A familiar environment allows the senior to be surrounded by loved ones, furniture, neighbors, and amenities they’re used to.

9. Security and peace of mind: A professional caregiver can keep the family up to date on the wellbeing and health of their loved one. The senior won’t catch infections from other seniors which is commonplace in a caregiving facility where they are constantly surrounded by chronically ill seniors. In the case of an emergency, there’s always someone nearby to help, give CPR, or call 911 if needed.

10. Companionship: We always try to match caregivers and clients according to their interests and often the senior and caregiver become trusted friends. Having a friend around can avoid unnecessary loneliness or depression

Decrease Falls 

June 1, 2023

Steps to take to prevent falls

Stay physically active. ...

Try balance and strength training exercises. ...

Fall-proof your home. ...

Have your eyes and hearing tested. ...

Find out about the side effects of any medicines you take. ...

Get enough sleep. ...

Avoid or limit alcohol. ...

Stand up slowly.

Malnutrition 

January 15, 2023

1. As saliva production decreases, so does the ability to make stomach acid that easily digests our food. Dietary changes may be needed to ensure that nutrients are still being processed.

2. Senses deteriorate with age, including the ability to taste and smell. This can mean overuse of salt and sugar in some diets since the flavors are not as easily detected. Too much salt and sugar can lead to other health problems such as type 2 diabetes.

3. It’s important to keep a stable body weight and not over or under eat. If the caloric intake is not adjusted for the decreased physical activity, then people easily put on weight and this can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes and other illnesses. Not eating enough can lead to osteoporosis, memory loss and other conditions.

4. Eating alone can be depressing for some people, so they might often forgo preparing or eating meals for one.

5. Many medications can affect appetite and taste for certain foods. Always check with a medical professional to see if medicine may be affecting your diet.

Proper Hydration

Fluids help nutrients flow through the body and do their job. Hydration is an essential part of a healthy diet, and Dr. Remig points out that many older adults have a “decreased thirst mechanism” and may not realize that they are thirsty. In home caregivers, individuals and caregiver agencies should remind seniors to drink plenty of water with meals and throughout the day.

Proper Nutrition

Specific nutritional needs evolve as bodies age. For example, although 85-percent of adult bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys, older adults need more calcium and Vitamin D in their diets to maintain healthy bones.

A healthy diet should include protein from eggs, dairy, fish, meats and poultry; whole grains and other carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables; fiber; healthy fats that are found in fish, oil, nuts and foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

Nutritional and Dietary Support

Many of the challenges to maintaining good nutritional habits for the elderly can be finding the right in home caregiver or caregiver agency to help with buying groceries and delivering groceries and meals.

“Being able to drive to the supermarket, to afford groceries every week, and having an appetite are the biggest challenges for the elderly population,” said Elizabeth Tscholl, a registered dietician at Cherry Creek Nutrition in Denver.

Other obstacles to a healthy diet for seniors can include illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. “People with Alzheimer’s forget what their favorite foods are, that it’s time to eat, and tend to like really sweet foods,” said Ms. Tscholl. Often the only way to get them to eat is to sweeten up foods, such as adding honey or brown sugar to a bowl or oatmeal with fruit and low-fat milk.

For additional information about nutritional guidelines, visit the American Dietetic Association’s website at www.eatright.org.

Malnutrition and the Elderly

Some studies estimate 5-10% of elderly people living in a “community setting” are malnourished; about 60% of hospitalized older adults and anywhere from 35 to 85% in long-term care facilities are experiencing malnutrition. With people age 65 years and older now the largest population segment, these numbers are likely to increase. To help, the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition sponsors Malnutrition Awareness Week, Sept. 26-30, with two days devoted to discussing the topic of malnutrition in older adults.

“Despite increasing awareness of malnutrition and its effects, one in three patients continue to be malnourished with an annual cost of $156.7 billion for disease-related malnutrition in the U.S.,” the organization explains on their website. “Malnutrition is not just contained within the parameters of the hospital or in a certain population. It is also becoming a leading cause of hospital re-admissions for the aging individual.”

During this week, there are webinars about nutrition, including two days devoted to malnutrition in the older adult population.

Malnutrition: What & Why

Basically malnutrition is the condition that occurs when a person’s body does not get enough nutrients. When it comes to seniors, malnutrition is not as simple as eating enough calories or the right kinds of foods.

Older adults are more likely to have underlying medical conditions, such as dementia, that can lead to physical difficulties with eating. The senses can become diminished—eyesight, taste, smell—and decrease appetite or ability to feed one’s self. Medications can also play a role in appetite or how the body absorbs nutrients. According to the Mayo Clinic, other factors can also contribute to malnutrition:

· Restricted diets, such as a low-salt diet or low sugar diet, might alleviate one medical condition while decreasing nutritional intake.

· Living on a limited income might affect how much food someone buys and therefore lead to not getting enough nourishment.

· Loneliness can cause a person to stop eating when they are alone and cannot enjoy cooking or eating a meal with loved ones. When someone is depressed, it can also make them lose interest in food.

· Dental hygiene issues that cause pain when chewing.

Impact

Home Care and Staffing

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