Seniors ETC - In-home senior, parent, companion care, hospice support in Colorado

One of the most difficult things to face is having a parent start to fail. Especially if you don’t live close enough to help on a regular basis.

Where do you go? Who do you turn to?

That’s why it’s nice to find resources in your parent’s community.

We’ve focused on senior care in the Colorado area for over 10 years now. We understand how important it is to have a trusted partner as you face the coming months. We also realize how important it is to have technology in place that allows you to find and connect with resources, no matter how far away you live.

As with most states, you have a variety of options available to you.

If its important to your parents that they remain in their home, in-home care may be your option. In-home care provides anywhere from 1 to 24 hour care every day of the week, depending on your level of needs.

If you need more skilled nursing care for a health concern like Alzheimers, there are many specialized care facilities with specific skills. Look for a place where both you and your parent will be comfortable.

Once you find an option that’s right for you, use them as a resource. Because they are local, they should be able to help you with any issue that arises.   

1. Help fix a nutritious breakfast, lunch or dinner.

2. Keep the kitchen cleaned and stocked with healthy food.

3. Provide light housekeeping.

4. Provide companionship and conversation.

5. Help your loved one with mild exercise - maybe just a walk around the block.

6. Transporting your loved one to and from doctors appointment.

7. Extra support after surgery.

8. A travel companion.

9. Shopping for daily needs.

10. Entertainment, including playing games or cards, or helping with craft projects.

11. Help with bathing and daily grooming needs.

12. Medication reminders.

13. Drop off and pick up prescriptions.

14. Arrange appointments and be there as a reminder.

15. Organize household tasks and deliveries.

16. Provide backup support for family members that care 24 hours a day for a loved one.

17. Provide an understanding ear for both the elderly and their family caregivers.

18. Organizing lunch dates with friends.

19. Supervise home maintenance and cleaning.

20. Give you peace of mind when you can’t be with your loved one.

As a caregiver, it’s not only important for you to keep your loved one in the best shape possible, it’s also important to take care of yourself as well.

Now there’s good news for women who follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. DASH is a diet low in animal protein, moderate in lo-fat dairy products and high in plant proteins, fruits and vegetables. According to a report in the April Issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, women on the DASH diet appear to have a lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

The study looked at women’s eating habits over the course of 24 years. Their scores increased when they ate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and decreased when they consumed red meats, sweetened beverages and sodium. The higher a woman’s DASH score, the lower her risk of heart disease and stroke.

To give yourself better odds, start a DASH diet today. And if you aren’t getting our newsletter, sign up today. Every month we provide a new recipe for you to try, helping you stick with your DASH diet.

Sign up today 

photosource:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/84059604@N00/348071332

Caregiving is an emotional rollercoaster that so many are facing; and so many have an opinion on.

Today I found a very interesting look at how others view caregiving. WGBH Lab out of Boston encouraged film makers to tell the story of caregiving through documentaries. Each created a heartfelt look at what caregiving means to thm.

According to a recent article in the journal, Brain, computers can now diagnose Alzheimer’s quicker and more accurately than experts. The sooner a diagnoses is made, the quicker action can be taken to increase treatment options. And without the biases of a human performing tests, it may soon be easier to to find the symptoms of Alzheimer’s in its very early stages. Giving good news to many with a family history of the disease.

In another article in Science Daily, a Purdue University researcher has designed a molecule that may stop some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Though in testing, the clinical results have been very positive.

ABC has created a new "Kitchen Table" series on researching elder care options.

They’ve also profiled one woman’s journey through elder care, and brings to light a growing problem with the sandwich generation. Not only are people finding themselves with the desire to save for children, a home, and retirement, but also being hit with the continual care of loved one’s in their lives.

Is there a balance between it all? Unfortunately for many people, the realization of the cost of long term care doesn’t hit until its too late to do anything about it.

Share articles like this one with your loved ones. While its often hard for a child to talk about finances with their parents or grandparents, giving them articles like this may open up your options.

Talk with elder care resource providers now. Find out your options, and discover what can make your job easier in the long run.

And as you discover things to help your loved one, consider changing your own life as well. Do you have your own long term care policy? Are you preparing for your own life as well?

AARP.com has just released it’s newest site in beta, AARP.org It offers a variety of resources, including a section exclusively for the 44 million Americans that are caregivers for a loved one. You can join and share your ideas, your experiences, your photos and your videos. It’s a great way to find others going through similar situations.

According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders, sleep problems are reaching epidemic proportions. It is now estimated to be the #1 health related problem in America. It costs $150 billion each year in higher stress and reduced worker productivity.

But what if you’re a caregiver? You can’t just change jobs, or sleep in when you are needed.

Carol O’Dell lays out some real solutions in her post 5 Signs of Dangerous Caregiver Stress and Sleep  Deprivation.

If you’ve ever found yourself zoning out, or not remembering why you entered a room, it may be time to change your sleep patterns.

Every year we start out with goals and resolutions for ourselves. But what about the one you are caregiving for? Start them out this year by making sure you have everything in place.

1. Do you have all of your new medical information together? December is a time for change; verify that you have all updated medical ID cards, and all medical and prescription program information together.

2. Are all of your loved one’s prescription purchased from the same place? If not, have a pharmacist review all medicines to help avoid adverse drug reactions.

3. Have your loved ones received their flu and pneumonia vaccinations? Its important to have these in place to prevent sickness during the next few months.

4. Have your loved ones received their annual checkups, both medial and vision? Make sure you request a hearing exam during their annual checkups.

5. Have your loved ones checked home security systems? Install fire and carbon monoxide alarms, check and replace batteries in existing alarms, and replace old alarms that are more than a few years old.

6. Is your parent’s home energy efficient? Have heating systems inspected and change air filters. Weatherize doors and windows. Install fluorescent light bulbs. Insulate pipes, both inside and out, and hot water heaters.

7. Is your loved one still driving? Verify when their driver’s licenses need to be renewed. Inspect their automobiles for safety and emission inspections. Verify auto insurance premiums and coverage.

8. Have your parents prepared and filed all necessary tax filings? Review all forms of income, and make sure you have everything in place for tax filing.

9. Are your loved ones on the DO NOT CALL registry? This is a good way to stop phone calls that may open up your loved ones to scam calls.

10. Have your parents completed a home inventory? List all important items and documents, and have the information in one secure place.

Currently over 20 million baby boomers are caring for their elderly parents on a part or full time basis, with dramatic annual increases forecast.

Are you one of them?

By 2010, over 40 million Americans will be over the age of 65. And a vast majority of them will either find themselves in a caregiving role, or requiring care.

The issues and choices each new caregiver will face is often overwhelming, and in some cases almost impossible to find answers for. Take a look at some of today’s top concerns:

In Home Care
As the population ages, the desire to help families and friends remain in their homes for as long as possible, or “age in place”, has created a dynamic industry and opportunities for home care and health care workers.

Three levels of in-home care are available: professional or skilled health care to help with medical needs after surgery or through rehabilitation; supportive care for people who need help with daily living items such as bathing, toileting or continence; and companion services for items like light housekeeping, meal preparation and transportation.

According to a study by MetLife of in-home caregiving concerns, over 1.3 million people were receiving some type of support in order to remain in their homes, and over 75 percent were living on a full time basis with their primary caregiver during the year 2000. This is one of the largest areas of expected growth because of the demand for being able to age in place.

Financial Assistance
The Silent Generation, or those born between 1933 and 1945 are bringing around a new way of looking at retirement. While they were born and raised to be fiscally conservative and employed at a time when many expected and received lifetime pensions, they are also learning from the Baby Boomers to value their lifestyles and independence.

With the Baby Boomers and future generations, no longer is pension and guaranteed retirement income within their grasp. Not only will the elderly be more strapped with rising costs, so will their caregivers face financial concerns related to their caregiving role.

Caregiving currently ranges anywhere from in-home companion costs of around $18 per hour, to adult day care fees of $61 per day, to hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month for assisted living facilities. As the costs mount up, financial creativity will become the norm.

Future trends will see creative financial planning that will continue to allow existing funds to grow, yet also fund immediate living and healthcare needs. Things like reverse mortgages will become even more popular.

Employer Care Packages
According to the National Family Caregivers Association, more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend during any given year. And because a great majority of these caregivers are also holding down a full time job, the effects on employers are changing as well.

Employers are now offering family leave for time needed to deal with a sick family member. They are also beginning to offer seminars as a resource for working caregivers, and finding ways to be more flexible with their employees’ time.