Christopher and Kelsey, our oldest son and daughter-in law, got their second vaccination a week ago! They are educators working tirelessly in the Vail District ( Tucson) and needed to keep themselves and their students safe. Christopher is Assistant Principal at a huge high school and Kelsey teaches special needs kids. They are dedicated, devoted compassionate educators. We are so proud of them!
Author: Craig Bass
Golden Heart appreciates Tasha!
Golden Heart joined our team during January as our Lead Scheduler. Tasha brings years of home care scheduling experience. Tasha is knowledgeable, friendly and a delight to have on the team!
Golden Heart has Big News coming….
Laurie was happy to host Nicole P for some solid new service capabilities we will be announcing soon! Watch for it!
Developing a Care Plan
If you are the caregiver of an aging parent who is still living at home independently or living with you, you are responsible for most of the major decisions that need to be made regarding your parent’s immediate and long-term care. The day-to-day care of doctor appointments, taking care of bills, meal planning, and providing a social connection for your parent may make it difficult to find the time to draft up anything specific about future care. But having a care plan in writing that you can access when you need it, as well as having it available for anyone who might be helping you with caregiving – now or in the future – can provide a sense of security that your parent will continue to be cared for in the best way possible no matter what the future brings.
Once you’ve decided to draft up a care plan for your parent, you’ll want to sit down and discuss what it should all cover with the following people.
- Other Caregivers. If you are sharing the responsibility of caring for your elderly parent, whether it’s with a sibling, an adult child or spouse, sit down together at the very beginning to discuss what your care plan will cover. Not sure where to begin? Many websites have sample care plans that you can use to begin the process.
- Your Parent. If your parent is still able to have healthy conversations about his health, talk to him about what he would like in the coming years. Does he have specific treatments he doesn’t want applied to him? Does he have a favorite hospital or clinic he prefers to use? Does he have financial documents that he only wants specific people to have access to? When possible, honoring your parent’s wishes will make the process easier.
- Your Parent’s Physicians. Your parent’s doctors and specialists can help you navigate complex medical decisions and guide you to a place that you’re comfortable with in planning out your parent’s care. You can ask about treatments and medications that should be referenced in the care plan.
- Your Lawyer. If you are including items such as Power of Attorney in your care plan, you’ll want to make sure every part of this legal process is completed accurately. These types of forms are usually attachments to the actual care plan and can then all be kept in one place.
- Home care providers. It is essential in a care plan that the home care providers who will assist your senior loved one know what their wishes and needs are. From medication reminders to special diet needs and preferences for a daily routine, home care providers need to made aware of all that caring for your loved one entails. Family caregivers can do the best they can, but at some point it will be beneficial for everyone that home care providers be there for your senior.
A care plan can be as simple or complicated as you like. Sometimes, it’s simply a sheet that lists what is the best way to care for your parent in case you’re not around. It may list his primary treatment resources, along with medication doses and therapy appointments. It can also be in depth enough to include Power of Attorney information as well as an Advanced Directive or Living Will. The important thing is it sparks these conversations and gets them in writing before an actual emergency happens or someone needs to make some quick decisions. It prevents rash decision-making and helps you and all of your parent’s caregivers make decisions that are well informed and mutually agreed upon.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring caregivers in Mesa, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
March is National Kidney Month! Are Your Kidneys Healthy?
Tips for healthy kidneys
Download the National Kidney Month Checklist Here
The kidneys are important organs that affect many other body parts, including the heart. Follow these tips to keep them working efficiently:
Avoid extra salt
Eating a lot of salty foods can disrupt the balance of minerals in the blood. This can make it harder for the kidneys to work properly. Try swapping out processed foods — which usually have a lot of added salt — for whole foods, such as:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- lean cuts of meat
- nuts
Exercise
High blood pressure is a known risk factor for chronic kidney disease. Regular exercise, even for just 20 minutes a day, can help reduce blood pressure.
Stay hydrated
Drinking plenty of water helps the kidneys perform one of their most important functions: removing toxins. Learn more about how much water you should really be drinking every day.
Use medications with caution
Regularly taking certain over-the-counter medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can cause kidney damage over time. Occasionally taking them is fine, but work with your doctor to find alternatives if you have a condition that requires managing pain, such as arthritis.
Know the risk factors
Several things can increase your risk of developing a kidney condition. Make sure you regularly have your kidney function tested if you:
- have diabetes
- are obese
- have high blood pressure
- have a family history of kidney disease
The Facts About Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- 37 million American adults have CKD and millions of others are at increased risk.
- Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.
- Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD.
- Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best estimate of kidney function.
- Hypertension causes CKD and CKD causes hypertension.
- Persistent proteinuria (protein in the urine) means CKD is present.
- High-risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney failure.
- African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, American Indians and Seniors are at increased risk.
- Two simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine albumin and serum creatinine
How Can Home Care Help?
· Caregivers prepare nutritious meals and snacks.
· Medication reminders
· Meal Time Reminders
· Report Changes in well-being
· Water Intake Reminders
· Accompany to MD Appointments
RESOURCES and Information for this post:
Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale provides in-home care services for seniors in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas in Phoenix. If you or a loved-one want to learn more, call us at 480-284-7360. https://goldenheartscottsdale.com/
Medline: https://www.healthline.com/health/human-body-maps/kidney
National Kidney Foundation: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease#facts
Congratulations Osa on your Caregiver Award!
Golden Heart Senior Care is pleased to announce that OSA has been awarded a Caregiver Award for her excellent work and referral of a new client. OSA always helps the office and fills in. We are proud to have her on-board. OSA will receive a bonus for this award! Congratulations OSA AND thank you!
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring home care in Scottsdale, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Simple Healthy Eating Solutions for Your Elderly Loved One
When it comes to the way that your elderly loved one eats, it all matters. Being a senior citizen means the metabolism is slowing down and in some cases, it is more difficult for the body to process certain foods. This is why it is so important that you and home care providers help your elderly loved one to choose simple, healthy eating solutions. Here are some of the solutions that may work for your elderly loved one.
Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake
One of the most important things for your elderly loved one to do is to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat. Your elderly loved one should be getting 2 to 3 servings of fruits and 2 to 3 servings of vegetables every day. You and their home care providers can make eating these foods more enjoyable for them by making smoothies, putting fruit in yogurt, and steaming the vegetables.
Adding In More Calcium
Research shows that bones become more brittle as we age. One of the ways that you can help your elderly loved one to prevent fractures and breaks in their bones is to make sure they are getting enough calcium. You can do this by adding more cheese, milk, and other dairy products to your loved one’s diet. If necessary, you may need to ask your elderly loved one’s doctor if they can take calcium supplements.
Choosing the Healthy Fats
Many senior citizens suffer from low energy, feeling down, and memory loss. If this is something your elderly loved one is experiencing or you would like to help prevent this, you need to make sure they are choosing healthy fats. You and their home care providers should get more omega-3s for your elderly loved one.
More Proteins
It is also very important that your elderly loved one eats enough proteins. However, since their body may not be able to digest proteins as well as it used to, you need to make sure they are eating proteins that are easier for their body to digest. Chicken, fish, nuts, and eggs are all great options.
Conclusion
These are some of the simple, healthy eating solutions that you can offer for your elderly loved one. If your elderly loved one doesn’t eat healthy because they aren’t sure what to buy when grocery shopping, you or a home care provider can assist them.
Sources
https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring home care in Apache Junction, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Congratulations Holly on the Going Above and Beyond Award!
Golden Heart Senior Care celebrates Holly, our On Call Superstar!
We are pleased to announce that Holly, our evening and weekend On Call Manager, is awarded the “Going Above and Beyond Award.” Holly works tirelessly to ensure our clients are always covered.
Holly will get a bonus for this award. Holly is also fully vaccinated with both shots! Congratulations Holly and Thank you! Laurie and Rodney.
5 Things that Interfere with a Senior’s Sleep
There are many things that can affect a senior’s ability to sleep soundly and get the rest they need. Getting adequate sleep is very important for the body’s immune system, fighting infection and disease, physical health, mental functioning and coping with stress. If a senior isn’t getting enough sleep, it should be brought to the doctor’s attention.
1- Aging Naturally Changes Sleep Patterns
It’s common for seniors to naturally get tired earlier, wake up earlier, and sometimes wake up in the night due to natural changes in their brain as they age. As adults age, the brain’s “master clock center ” (the suprachiasmatic nucleus) leads to changes in the senior’s circadian rhythms, which influence things like when the body feels sleepy or alert.
2- Health Conditions
There are numerous health conditions that can interrupt a good night’s sleep. Sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and nocturia are just a few. Many seniors have multiple health conditions at once, which add up to a big risk for disturbed sleep.
3- Medications
A number of medications can interfere with sleep. Talk to the doctor or pharmacist about whether any of your medications may be interrupting yours.
4- Pain
Not only can pain contribute to sleeplessness, but sleeplessness can in turn, make pain worse, which can quickly turn into a vicious cycle.
5- Caring for a Loved One Throughout the Night
Being a family caregiver can be wonderfully rewarding, but when sleep is disrupted every night in order to care for your family loved one’s needs, it can severely impact your health.
How Elder Care can Support a Senior’s Sleep
Elder care services can help seniors and family caregivers who are struggling to get enough shut-eye to feel and function at their best.
Regular Exercise Support
Elder care aides can walk with seniors routinely, a practice that many seniors find enjoyable, motivating and reassuring. Elder care aides can help with transportation to the pool, gym or balance class, strolls through the park or out in the garden. Regular activity has been shown to promote better sleep, and getting outside for sunshine and fresh air only enhances the effect.
Consistent Sleeping Schedule and Bedtime Routine
An important step in good sleep “hygiene”, as they say, is to get up and go to bed at the same time each day. Many seniors find this to be much easier with the assistance of an elder care aide, who can show up at the same time each morning and assist with morning routines, personal care, walks, breakfast or other needs.
A bedtime routine can be especially powerful when you include a few soothing features to get your body and mind ready to rest.
- Allow time to wind down with the lights dimmed
- Listen to calming music
- Drink some chamomile tea
- Enjoy relaxing aromatherapy
- Take a warm bath
- Gently rub lotion on your back, legs or feet
Overnight Assistance for Loved Ones
Some families find that when elder care can take care of a senior’s needs during the night, the family caregiver is able to get much better sleep and find themselves in a much better health, spirits and position for caregiving. Savvy family caregivers may arrange for the night elder care aide to take care of the laundry, clean the cat box or put away the dishes while they are there, which can buy valuable time and energy for the next day.
Sources
https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/sleep-disorders-in-the-elderly
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/aging-and-sleep#:~:text=Mental%20and%20physical%20health%20conditions,and%20pain%2C%20such%20as%20arthritis
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring elder care in Phoenix, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Dementia or Normal Memory Trouble?
Forgetting a few things here and there is part of life, but for your senior, it can feel like an arrow pointing toward dementia. If your elderly family member is concerned that she may be developing dementia, it’s important to talk to her doctor about what she’s experiencing.
Try not to Panic Just Yet
The most important thing to remember if you or your senior are concerned about her memory is that there’s no need to panic just yet. There are a lot of reasons your elderly family member’s memory might not be functioning as well as she expects or wants it to work. Many of those reasons have nothing to do with dementia at all.
Get Some Details on Paper
You’re going to want to talk to your senior’s doctor, so that means compiling some information first. Can your senior remember when she started noticing memory issues that caused her to worry about dementia? If she can, you’re going to want to consider whether this was a sudden issue or something that happened gradually. Is she having trouble with ADLs like getting dressed or eating? These are just some of the questions your senior’s doctor will need answered.
Look at What Else Is Affected
What else is giving your senior a problem now? Is she showing signs of difficulty with judgment, such as making poor decisions? Or is she having trouble with concentrating and focusing? You’re also going to want to pay closer attention to your senior’s ability to communicate right now. If that’s a problem, there may be other factors at play.
Take Everything One Step at a Time
Whether your senior does or does not have dementia is something her doctor can help you to determine. Treatments, including medications, have come a long way and if your elderly family member is treating dementia early, she may have several more years of good health. If she’s not dealing with dementia, there may be other solutions that can lighten some of the stress load on your elderly family member. Senior care providers can help with household tasks, for instance, freeing up your senior’s attention and energy for other activities.
Remember that talking about memory issues can be really scary for your senior and she might avoid the topic. If you’re noticing memory issues and want to talk to her about them, tread carefully and open up the conversation gently.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring senior care in Cave Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!