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Author: Craig Bass

Four Ideas for Making Bathroom Issues Easier

Posted on by Craig Bass

There’s a lot happening when it comes to the bathroom. Your senior may have some specific needs that are changing quickly. Here are just a few ideas for helping her to keep up with what she’s experiencing.

Hydration Is Non-negotiable

Often when someone starts having issues with incontinence or other problems related to toileting, the knee-jerk reaction is to reduce hydration levels. But that’s going to cause many more problems than it ever resolves. Your elderly family member absolutely needs to be drinking plenty of water each day to keep herself as healthy as possible. She may want to look at the timing of her beverages throughout the day to make sure that she’s not drinking a lot of water late in the day.

Prioritize Bathroom Safety

Safety in the bathroom is absolutely key to helping your elderly family member as much as possible. Look at whether handrails would be a good addition. Focus on whether lighting, particularly a night light, might be a good idea, too. Anything that allows your senior to feel more secure while she’s in the bathroom is really important.

Make the Bathroom as Easy to Find as Possible

Finding the bathroom might be more of a challenge if your senior is having trouble with cognitive illnesses, like dementia. In that case, make sure that you’re making the bathroom really obvious so that she doesn’t miss it. Posting signs can help, as can using signs in other areas of the house, pointing toward the bathroom. You might also want to consider moving or rearranging furniture that might get mistaken for a toilet in an emergency moment.

Find a Nighttime Solution

At night, all bets might be off in terms of what works during the day for your elderly family member. Some of the nighttime solutions that might work for her could involve a bedside toilet or nighttime incontinence underwear. Waterproof mattress pads and sheets might also be a good option. These tools can help your elderly family member to feel more comfortable sleeping at night and can help with cleanup if an accident should happen.

It’s embarrassing to rely on someone else for something this personal, so don’t be surprised if your aging family member is resistant to help at first. Something that can help is to bring in elderly care providers. They know just what to do and how to help your senior without adding to the embarrassment.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring elderly care in Queens Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Congratulations Shaun on your Caregiver Award!

Posted on by Craig Bass

Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Shaun is receiving a Caregiver Award today for doing work above and beyond. Shaun is highly skilled; compassionate and always ready to help out the Office Team! We appreciate that Shaun brings his wonderful smile and joy to our senior clients! Shaun will receive a bonus for this award. Thank you Shaun! We are so happy you are on the team!

Strategies for Handling Personality Changes with Dementia

Posted on by Craig Bass

If your elderly loved one has dementia, they are going to experience personality changes. At the early stages of this disease, you might not notice a lot of changes in your elderly loved one. However, as time goes on and the disease progresses, your elderly loved one will have more personality changes. With this being said, you might need to know how to handle the personality changes that your elderly loved one experiences. This guide can help you with this process.

Checking to See What Needs Aren’t Met

Some of the personality changes that your elderly loved one experiences might be related to unmet needs. There could be a wide range of things that your elderly loved one needs. Some of the things that you or the senior care provider should check for include the following:

  • Infections
  • Medication side effects
  • Pain or discomfort
  • Social structure changes
  • Emotional needs
  • Psychological needs
  • Hunger and/or thirst

If you and/or the senior care providers have met all of your elderly loved one’s needs, but there are still issues, you can also check for triggers.

Checking for Triggers

With dementia, there is often something that is triggering the personality changes. There is a specific way that you and senior care providers can check for triggers with your elderly loved one. This process includes the following:

  • Describing what is happening or has happened (this might tell you what is going on)
  • Investigating potential causes (based on what has happened, what may have triggered the changes)
  • Creating a plan (after determining the trigger, what plan can help?)
  • Evaluating that plan (Go through that plan to ensure it will, in fact, help your loved one)

If you go through this process, you can help to determine what triggered your elderly loved one’s personality changes.

Harmful Changes

In some instances, the personality changes that someone with dementia experiences are harmful. For instance, if they become severely depressed, this could increase the risk of suicide or other harmful behaviors. If you or the senior care providers suspect that your loved one’s personality changes are harmful, it is important to get them the help they need as soon as possible.

Conclusion

These are some of the strategies for handling personality changes with dementia. If your elderly loved one experiences personality changes, be sure to follow these tips. By doing so, you could help your elderly loved one to feel better.

Sources
https://alzheimers.med.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Personality-and-Behavior-Change.pdf

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring senior care in Mesa, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Congratulations Patty on The Gold Nugget Award!

Posted on by Craig Bass
Patty Wins the Golden Nugget Award
Patty Wins the Golden Nugget Award

Golden Heart is proud to announce Patty with the Office Team, has been awarded a Gold Nugget Award. Patty manages all scheduling including the delicate dance of serving clients’ needs and caregivers’ desired schedules. Patty does a great job of making things happen. Patty will receive a bonus for this award. Congratulations Patty!

 

Long-Term Care Planning Month: Do Your Parents Have a Plan for Years to Come?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Many “national month of” events take place in October. Long-Term Care Planning Month is one that your family should talk about. If your parents haven’t talked to you about future plans with aging in place, you need to sit down as a family and talk about it.

Are There Legal Concerns to Address?

One of the first places to start is with legal permissions. When it comes to medical and financial matters, it can be hard to take over bill paying, account management, or help with medical decisions without powers of attorney in place for finances and medical.

Your mom and dad’s doctors cannot discuss medical tests and information without HIPAA permissions in place. Make sure your parents have set things up so that you are legally able to help out. Get legal permissions in place to make sure there are no issues with future care.

Could Their House Become Too Much for Them?

Do your parents have a one-level home or an old farmhouse with multiple floors? If they have multiple floors, how would they get up and down the stairs if mobility was impacted after a fall, stroke, or another health issue? Talk about their desires for aging at home.

You may be able to move a bedroom downstairs to the main level. If the bathrooms are upstairs and the kitchen is on the main level, there could be an issue that’s better resolved by adding a stairlift or downsizing to one-level living.

Is There a Family History That Puts Them in Risk of Certain Chronic Conditions?

If there is a family history of diabetes, that increases the odds that your mom or dad will also have diabetes. If there’s a family history of breast cancer, there’s the chance that your mom will also face it. If she does, you need to have come up with home care plans during her recovery.

How Is Their Overall Stamina and Strength?

For now, your parents’ mobility and energy levels may be fine. It may not stay that way. They may start to have a hard time walking up and down the stairs. They may have a hard time standing for 30 minutes while cooking dinner. As abilities change, the need for assistance increases.

Who Is Nearby For Emergency Situations?

Does anyone live close enough to help out? If not, are your parents willing to let caregivers come to their home and help?

Caregivers are an important tool in aging at home. Your parents have a caregiver to rely on for assistance with daily activities. You don’t have to quit your job, ignore your own needs to provide that care. Talk to a specialist to discuss the many ways caregivers can help your parents in the coming months and years.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring caregivers 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!

Meet Laurie Malone | Managing Partner & CEO – SHOUTOUT ARIZONA

Posted on by Craig Bass

Laurie Malone has been recognized by Shoutout Arizona! https://shoutoutarizona.com/meet-laurie-malone-managing-partner-ceo/

Congratulations Fatima On your Caregiver Award!

Posted on by Craig Bass

Golden Heart is very pleased to announce that Fatima has been awarded the coveted Caregiver Award! Fatima’s clients rave about her care; she cheerfully picks up extra shifts and works very well with the Office Team. Fatima will receive a bonus for this award. Congratulations Fatima and thank you for your hard work!

4 Important Things You May Not Know About In-Home Care

Posted on by Craig Bass

Many people are not fully aware of the various aspects and features of in-home care, including who usually needs it, options available with it, how it can be paid for, and other benefits. At Golden Heart Senior Care, we offer a range of elderly care services for our clients, including respite care, assisted in-home care, and more.

A Break for Family Caretakers

Respite care is one of the features of in-home care that gives one or more caregivers within the family the opportunity to rest and get replenished from taking care of their loved one. During this time, a professional in-home caregiver can provide the necessary care. This arrangement also benefits the recipient of the care when his or her primary caregiver has received the relaxation and rest needed to provide assistance and care once again.

Reduces Hospital Readmissions

Much evidence indicates that individuals who receive care in-home are less likely to experience a serious health event while receiving care at home as opposed to in a critical health care environment. This helps reduce the level of readmissions to the hospital.

Flexible Options Are Available

When receiving in-home care, it is important to have a customized plan to meet your loved one’s individual needs. A unique in-home care plan can cater to a person’s specific preferences, condition, and abilities. The caregiver needs to listen to the client and be a good match. This involves asking the client what matters to them, what they need, what they like to do, and other pertinent questions to help assess the type of care required. From this information, an experienced in-home care service can provide the flexibility to deliver a care plan that will meet the client’s care needs.

There Are Many Ways to Pay

It is possible to pay for in-home care outside of using your personal savings. Veterans and spouses of veterans have access to benefits that may cover in-home care. Some life insurance and long-term care insurance may also cover the services. A family member may be able to receive payment from a Medicare recipient as part of providing caregiving services. The various payment options can be complicated to research, but taking advantage of a program that minimizes the stresses on the recipient of the care and the caregiver can certainly be worthwhile.

For information about the home care services we offer at Golden Heart Senior Care, give us a call today at 623.748.3301 or complete our contact form.

What Are the Warning Signs of a Stroke?

Posted on by Craig Bass

A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or interrupted. When the brain doesn’t receive enough blood, it also doesn’t get the oxygen and nutrients it means. As a result, brain tissue can be damaged or even destroyed. While a stroke can be deadly, more people are surviving them today thanks to better medical treatments and greater awareness of stroke symptoms. When family caregivers know the symptoms of stroke, their older family members can receive treatment faster. The sooner treatment is received, the more likely it is that the outcome will be a good one.

Signs of a Stroke

To help people remember and recognize the signs of stroke, the American Heart Association uses the acronym F.A.S.T. The letters mean:

  • Face Drooping: When you look at your older family member, does it appear that one side of their face is drooping? If you’re not certain, ask them to smile. If their smile looks lopsided, they could be having a stroke.
  • Arm Weakness: During a stroke, one arm may feel weak or numb. Ask them to raise both arms. When one arm drifts downward, it is a sign of stroke.
  • Speech: Stroke can cause slurred or garbled speech. Ask your older family to repeat a simple phrase back to you to check for speech problems.
  • Time: If you see any of the above signs of stroke in your older family member, call 911 immediately. Even if the symptoms go away, they should go to the hospital since they may have had a mini stroke, which can be a sign that a bigger stroke is coming.

Preventing a Stroke

The most effective way of preventing a stroke in an older adult is by helping them to live a healthier lifestyle. This includes exercising and eating a healthy diet. Other steps you can help your aging relative to take are:

  • Managing high blood pressure.
  • Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.
  • Managing diabetes.
  • Quitting smoking.
  • Drinking alcohol only in moderation.

Elderly care can assist older to reduce their risk factors for stroke. For example, an elderly care provider can prepare healthy meals and encourage the senior to be more physically active. Elderly care providers can also help with managing high blood pressure by reminding your loved one to take their medications and cooking low salt meals. Should the older adult have a stroke, an elderly care provider can call 911 to ensure they receive the immediate help they need.

Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/signs_symptoms.htm
https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/stroke-symptoms
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20350113

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring elderly 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!

Four Reasons for Your Senior to Consider Exercising in Water

Posted on by Craig Bass

Any time your senior is planning to exercise, you should talk to her doctor. One type of exercise that her doctor might recommend could be water exercises. These are thorough workouts that can help your senior to be safer in a variety of ways.

The Water Keeps Exercise Low Impact

Low impact exercise is typically more comfortable for a greater percentage of people. The buoyancy of the water helps to support your senior and even if she’s not very strong yet, she can do a lot more in the water than she might be able to do on land. She’s also using the resistance of the water to help to build her muscles.

She’s Far Less Likely to Injure Herself

Part of why this is such a great way to exercise is that your elderly family member is less likely to injure herself while exercising in water. The risk of falling when she’s actively exercising in the water is very small. She’s also far less likely to overwork her muscles or to put herself in a positions where she might cause injury in other ways.

There Are So Many Choices

Your senior may only think about swimming when it comes to exercising in the water, but there are lots of other types of exercise that she might be able to do in the water. Water aerobics are common, but there are also other types of movement, like weightlifting in water, jogging in water, and even yoga in water. All of these different options give your senior a chance to try something new while being supported by the water.

She Might Meet New Friends

The social benefits your senior might experience are just as important. It’s likely she’ll meet other people who have similar interests as her own and that she’ll have a lot of fun with them. Often classes have a social element to them when people are able to move freely and talk a bit. Your elderly family member may find that this is a great way to engage with others while she takes steps to move more regularly.

Moving more doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t have to feel dangerous to your senior. Most water exercises are offered at a community pool of some sort. If your elderly family member doesn’t feel comfortable driving, home care providers might be the perfect way to help her get there safely and ensure she’s got what she needs.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring homecare 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!