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Author: Craig Bass

How to Create a Senior Home Care Plan for Your Parent

Posted on by Craig Bass

Your mom is getting older, but she has always planned to stay in her home. Senior home care is one way to ensure this happens, but how do you get started? What steps should you take to create an effective care plan for your senior?

Gather Family Members for Input

Have your siblings, cousins or other extended family spent more time with your mom than you have? Their input is important as they’ll know what they’ve noticed she cannot do on her own. They’ll know where they have to help her each week.

Ask Your Mom

Ask your mom what she needs help doing. Where does she feel she’s fine on her own? What does she find to be too hard to complete? As she shares information regarding her care needs, use her comments and requests to build a care plan.

Consult With Your Mom’s Doctors

If your mom has health issues, ask her doctors what to expect. For example, in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, she can do a lot of stuff on her own. But, a few months from now, she won’t be able to drive. She’s going to need someone to take her shopping, drive her to appointments, and make sure she gets to social events on time.

Ask her doctors what care she needs now and in the future. You’ll use information like this to build a care plan to cover her needs now. As that changes, you can adjust her arrangements with home care.

Build a Care Plan Using This Input

You have a lot of input from different people. Now is the time to build a care plan that matches your mom’s current needs. Consider the tasks she cannot complete without help on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis and create three lists.

For example, she may not be allowed to drive. She’s going to need someone to take her shopping every week or two. She may have monthly appointments, and she’ll need to pick up prescription refills each month. She needs a driver for all of this.

Once a week, she needs her carpets vacuumed and her laundry done. She may need a caregiver to drive her to a laundromat if she doesn’t have a washer or dryer.

Every day, your mom needs someone to remind her to take her pills, help her get dressed, and assist her after she takes a shower. She might need help in the shower.

She needs someone to cook meals for her, so she’d need a caregiver with her each day from breakfast through dinner. Your mom may want to help her caregiver cook, or she might prefer to have the caregiver do the cooking and then join her for the meal. All of these preferences need to be noted and shared with a home care specialist.

Senior home care is designed to support your mom as she ages at home. Sit down as a family and talk about the things that would help her remain independent. Once you have some ideas of what she needs, call a senior home care agency to arrange those services.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior 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!

Thank You, JCB!

Posted on by Craig Bass

I would like to say congratulations to JCB. As readers of the Golden Heart Newsletter, you know that we like to catch people doing the right things. I would like to report that JCB, whom is pictured here, was caught doing an excellent job with her client by one of our hospice partners. The partner commented on how patient JCB is. The partner commented on how knowledgeable JCB is about how to do certain things. She followed up by saying JCB simply has a high skill level for taking care of seniors. Thank you JCB for being awesome. Enjoy the 2000 Bonu$ Reward Point$ we are adding to your account. Thank you.

Incorporating Activities and Hobbies into Companion Care at Home

Posted on by Craig Bass

As your elderly family member’s health and other variables change, she may not necessarily need a lot of help, but she may need companionship. One way to help your senior to have the social connection that she needs is to bring in companion care at home. These caregivers are able to spend time with your senior while she simultaneously enjoys hobbies and activities, which can greatly enhance her experience.

Finding the Right Activities

Has your senior avoided hobbies and activities for a while? Lots of seniors do, for a variety of different reasons. If part of the problem is that your elderly family member needs someone else there because the hobby or activity requires another person, then companion care at home is a perfect answer. It’s also important when considering activities that they fit into what your elderly family member is currently willing and able to try.

Making Activities Easier for Your Senior

Caregivers offering companionship to your senior can do a lot to help make these hobbies and activities easier for your senior. They might help with setting up, for instance, or with cleanup afterward. If there are other challenges your senior faces while she’s engaging in these activities, there is someone there with her who can help out. Depending on the types of activities, they may just be there to offer a watchful presence so that you know your senior is safe. Whatever else they can do to make your senior’s life easier at the same time is a bonus.

Establishing Routines that Support Your Senior’s Needs

Having companion care at home visiting with your senior can quickly become a routine for her. Routines are incredibly important for aging adults for a variety of different reasons. Reminders that keep your senior on schedule with things like eating at regular times can also be a part of these visits. That helps your elderly family member’s day to have the structure necessary to help her to stay healthy and happy. When your elderly family member doesn’t have solid routines, she might not be meeting all of her goals for her life. Missing some of those goals can quickly lead to her needing to look at other options, like leaving her home, and that might be something she really doesn’t want to do.

Offering Companionship Along with Gentle Help

Above all, companion care at home is about someone spending time with your senior. They can offer gentle help, of course, but if your senior needs assistance with household tasks, home care providers can tackle that bigger group of tasks for her. Caregivers offer your elderly family member gentle assistance and companionship, both of which keep her living her life on her own terms.

Incorporating activities and hobbies into companion care at home for seniors can help ensure that seniors are able to stay active and enjoy hobbies in the comfort of their own homes. Aging in place and having the emotional and practical support to do so is essential for your senior’s long-term wellness. Companion care at home can be a huge part of the plan that covers all of her needs.

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home 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!

Brightening Someone’s Day!

Posted on by Craig Bass

Hello Senior Community. I hope everyone is off to a fantastic holiday season. The best part of my work is brightening someone’s day or doing something that makes them smile. This is one of those times and places. HIPPA won’t allow me to say whom. But, visiting our clients always brightens my day. This picture illustrates one of those visits for me. Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Great New Year’s Resolutions for Seniors

Posted on by Craig Bass

No matter a person’s age, New Year’s Eve is a great time to evaluate how the last year went and then to decide if there are things that could be done differently in the upcoming year. Your aging loved one may be wondering if there are areas in her life that she could make resolutions regarding. It doesn’t matter how old she is, she can also strive to have a better year going forward. That’s what gives a person hope and purpose.

Here are some simple ideas to get the creative juices flowing for new year’s resolutions.

Health

Health encompasses a large number of different factors but as your loved one looks back at 2022 and looks forward to 2023, what areas would she like to feel more healthy about and what kind of choices can she make to arrive there?

If eating right is her goal, then it has to start before she’s hungry. Poor eating choices often happen because of fatigue and the need to immediately satiate hunger pangs. Having a home care provider come into the home and prepare healthy meals, or even prep healthy snacks, can be one way to help your loved one eat better in 2023. Home care can make sure there is a fresh pitcher of water in the fridge for drinking and some veggies that are cleaned and prepped for snacking. They can also help by prepping healthy meals that your loved one can easily reheat for a meal instead of a frozen pizza.

If getting more physical activity is your loved one’s goal for 2023, start small with plans to increase activity routinely. Even adding a simple 15-minute walk around the block twice a day can be a great way to begin. Being more active has so many health benefits, that once your loved one starts, she won’t want to stop.

Social

One way to have a great 2023 and have things to look forward to is to increase your loved one’s social circle. Elderly people are often lonely as they have seen many of their loved ones leave or pass away. They can have a hard time creating new connections. A home care provider that comes into the home for a weekly game of chess could be one way to increase the socializing your loved one does. Or she could look at joining a local club or organization that is focused on something she loves.

Money Management

Your loved one may have discovered that she struggles with money management. 2023 may be a great time to hire a financial planner or even have a trusted family member review her finances, bills, and incoming income. She may be paying for things she no longer needs or there may be ways to consolidate some debts. It can always be helpful to have a second pair of eyes review her financial situation.

No matter what your loved one chooses, help her to stay committed to her resolution throughout the year by offering gentle and gracious accountability. Small changes can make a big difference in the quality of life.

Source
https://ncoa.org/article/the-life-changing-benefits-of-exercise-after-60

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

Thank You, Summit Hospice!

Posted on by Craig Bass

Hello Senior Community. There are lots of people who need medical and non-medical help. One of our partners is Summit Hospice. Summit Hospice has been serving the valley tirelessly for some years. Their medical teams and non medical teams really place a high value on recommending what’s right for the client. Summit Hospice, thank you for your efforts in the community. We appreciate your tireless work.

Happy Holidays from Golden Heart Senior Care

Posted on by Craig Bass

Hello Senior Community. While attending a charity event, these carolers where outside singing Christmas Carols. Even though, you can’t hear them, I thought it would be nice to share the picture. Their costumes were beautiful. Their voices were angelic. And, their songs were full of Christmas Cheer. Happy Holidays to you and yours from Golden Heart Senior Care.

Bridgewater Assisted Living Mixer

Posted on by Craig Bass

When someone in the senior community does something for seniors, we all come out to support. Thank you Bridgewater Assisted Living for hosting this mixer. You have a beautiful facility.

How to Help Your Senior This Holiday Season

Posted on by Craig Bass

Although you may like the holidays, it is not always easy for your senior to get in the holiday spirit. This may be a time they used to love to spend with their partners and family, and not all seniors have their family. However, whether you are an elder care provider or an older adult child, there are some things you can do to help your loved one enjoy and get through this season.

Involve Them in Plans

Even if you don’t live with your elderly parents, you can still involve them in things like holiday plans and preparation. You can invite them over to celebrate advent every Sunday, decorate for Christmas together, and plan other Christmas activities for your senior. Your senior may have physical limitations making this holiday season feel more unenjoyable, but you can still find things for them to do or have elder care help them do these things.

Modify Your Traditions for Your Senior

Everyone wants to have family traditions, but when you start caring for a senior, you need to be flexible. Seniors with dementia may not be able to do everything when they want, even with the help of elder care. Help them remember what traditions they love and what you want your kids to grow up knowing but don’t be afraid to change or shorten traditions. You have to be flexible when you start caring for your loved one.

Help Minimize a Seniors Stress

Holidays can have a ton of pressure on the whole family, especially when you can’t be flexible. You not only need to help them de-stress, but you also need to learn to relax. Seniors can pick up on the moods and feelings of other people. This means when you are stressed, your senior will likely experience it too. When you start to feel overwhelmed, take a step back, focus on your senior, and ensure they are feeling okay. When you need extra help, it is important to find the right home care specialist to help your family.

Focus on Creating Memories

Your senior will not be around forever, so getting them involved with your family is crucial. This is time to allow them to spend joyous moments with the grandkids and snap photos of everything you want to remember. The holiday season allows your seniors and kids time to spend together and gives your kids memories they will cherish forever. Put your senior first, especially if they are alone during this time.

Take Them Out

Not all seniors can drive, and even with the help of elder care, they may not get out often. You can take them out to Christmas events and ensure they have something to do with your family. This is the time to see a local Christmas tree lighting or even stroll around to look at the neighbor’s Christmas decor. Your senior can do many easy things with your family, but you may have to pick them up and take them to do these things.

If you or an aging loved one is considering elder 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!

What are the Benefits of Compression Socks?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Hello Senior Community. Compression socks can help with a lot of health issues. Compression socks can help with blood flow, can help prevent ulcerations, can help with pain or swelling and can help reduce incidence of thrombosis. Putting them on can be a challenge. They are often worn incorrectly. Wearing compression socks incorrectly can have a very negative effect on blood flow and cause problems. It is important to be sure NOT to have folds or bunching of material when wearing compression socks. To learn more about compression socks, either phone Golden Heart Senior Care at 480.622.3557 or visit this link.

Thank you for being a caring person. Have a safe and happy holiday season.