I just wanted to take a moment to thank our team. We have added 4 new clients and 6 new caregivers in the last two weeks. Congratulations to our office staff who works so hard to make sure we can take care of any senior who needs or wants it. Great job Golden Heart Office staff. We heart you and your efforts. Thank you. – Rodney
Author: Craig Bass
What Should You Know as a Caregiver from the Start?
If you’re new to being a family caregiver, that feeling that you don’t even know what you don’t know can be overwhelming. What you might need to do is to sit down and ask yourself about some of these topics. They can help you to figure out how to proceed so that you do the best job you can, and when it’s time to bring in companion care at home.
How Much Time You Have for Being a Caregiver
You know you want to be a caregiver for someone in your life, but how much time can you devote to caregiving, really? You may not have as much time as you think you do, especially if you have a career, a family, and other obligations. Will you have to rearrange anything or figure out a different plan for certain areas of your life? It’s important to know that as soon as possible.
Who All Needs Your Time and Your Energy
This is slightly different from the last question, but it might look the same. First, you’re looking at your bigger blocks of time and what your different roles are, such as caregiver, friend, parent, employee. But now you’re looking at who specifically needs your time and energy the most. Which people, pets, and entities need your time and energy? That detail matters.
What Your Limits Are
You’ve got additional limitations, too. Your own health factors into these decisions and what you need in terms of time for yourself and time to devote to pursuits that matter to you. If you need a great deal of sleep, that’s important to consider, because as a caregiver you may find that interrupted more often than you are comfortable with. Think about as many variables as you can, like what you are comfortable helping you senior with and what you aren’t. Companion care at home is great in this regard since there isn’t a family connection that can make personal care tasks awkward.
If You’re on Your Own with This
Will anyone else be helping you? Many caregivers have other family members who can help, but all too many have no one in the family who can help them. If you can lean on friends for help, that might be something to consider, too. You’re never completely on your own as a caregiver, but if you don’t establish your support system early on, you can start to believe that you are completely alone.
How to Incorporate Companion Care at Home
Your senior parent might be reluctant to accept outside help, and that may be the reason why you feel obligated to be their family caregiver. If you have asked yourself the above questions and determined that it would be impossible to me a caregiver on your own, it’s time to have an honest conversation with your parent. Helping them understand the many benefits of companion care at home and how it can help them age in place is vital. Consider having a companion care provider make a short visit to talk with your parent and get to know them.
All of this is important for you to consider early on in the caregiving process. If you don’t start to think about some of these details, you might feel as if you’ve gotten blindsided along the way.
Source
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/family-caregiving
If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Tempe, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
How To Pick A Great Cat For Your Senior Parent
June is National Adopt A Cat Month and it’s a wonderful time to find a new feline friend for your senior parent. Cats are great companions for seniors. They don’t need to be walked and they love to cuddle. The purr of a cat can be very soothing for seniors with anxiety. And seniors who have dementia often find comfort holding and stroking a patient cat. There are many cats who need homes, so adoption is a better option than buying a cat. If you’re worried about your senior parent’s ability to care for a cat, remember that home care can help seniors look after pets.
A home care provider can fill food and water bowls and make sure that the cat goes to the vet when necessary, if those things are too difficult for your senior loved one.
But not every cat is going to be a good fit for a senior. Ultimately your senior parent will need to spend time with any cat that they are considering adopting, but there are some things you can do to weed out any unsuitable cats before they meet your senior parent. In general cats that are a good for seniors are:
Seniors
Senior cats are the best cats for senior people. A senior cat is any cat over the age of nine. There are many senior cats in shelters and adoption centers that were left there when their families replaced them with kittens. But kittens are not a good fit for seniors. Kittens are too high energy and their little teeth and claws can cause injuries to seniors who usually have thin skin. Adult cats can sleep for up to 18 hours per day. Senior cats who prefer to sleep all day rather than run around are a good match for a senior’s lifestyle.
Tolerant
Just like people cats have their own unique personalities. Some cats are very high strung and don’t like to be held, picked up, or petted. Those cats aren’t great for seniors. A good cat for a senior should be “bomb proof” and one that doesn’t mind being handled, picked up, hugged, and petted. That way you will know that the cat will be a loving companion for your senior parent and won’t mind getting tons of attention from your senior parent.
Healthy
Cat with chronic health conditions can live a long time with proper treatment so in general people shouldn’t disqualify adopting a cat with health issues. However, for seniors it may be too much to handle a cat with a chronic health problem. For example, a cat with diabetes needs regular blood sugar monitoring and insulin injections daily. That could be too much for a senior that is struggling with their own health. Look for a senior cat with a clean bill of health who really wants to live a quiet life of pets and snacks. That’s the ideal cat for a senior, and there are lots of them just waiting to be adopted.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home 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!
In-Home Care Helps Seniors Focus On Their Mental Health
Seniors need to pay just as much attention to their mental health as they do to their physical health. But often seniors neglect their mental health because they think that being sad or “blue” is just part of the process of getting older. But it isn’t. Seniors can stay happy and healthy well into their advanced years if they spend some time developing healthy mental wellness habits. In-home care helps seniors focus on their mental health by taking care of the many day to day living tasks that can be tough for seniors. When seniors have in-home care to help with various tasks, they can focus on having fun and living their best lives. A few of the ways that in-home care can help seniors improve their mental health are:
Getting Better Sleep
Seniors who have in-home care overnight will be able to get better sleep, and that will result in better mental health. During sleep is when the brain clears out the clutter and resets. But often seniors don’t get the kind of restful sleep they need. It’s easy for seniors to become anxious at night or be lonely which can make them have poor sleep. Having someone in the house with them at night can make seniors feel less anxious and help them relax enough to get the quality sleep they need.
Eating Healthier Meals
Very often seniors aren’t eating the healthy meals they should eat. Whether it’s because they don’t want to cook for just one or they have trouble doing things like shopping or preparing food they may be relying on take out food or microwave meals. In-home care means that seniors will have someone to help them prepare delicious nutritious meals. And they will have company to share those meals with. A caregiver can also prepare healthy meals in advance so if seniors do need to microwave a meal it will be a healthy homemade meal.
Getting More Exercise
When seniors have a friend that visits regularly they more likely to be active. With a caregiver they can go for walks or bike rides, take exercise classes, or even just put on some music and dance. When seniors are more active their mental health will improve. Exercise kick starts the production of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are what makes people feel happy. So the more exercise your senior loved one gets the happier they will be.
Not Worrying About Their Home
The home environment can have a big impact on your senior loved one’s state of mine. A lot of seniors become anxious or depressed when they can’t keep their home clean or when the laundry piles up. Seniors may feel inadequate if they can’t carry the laundry like they used to or vacuum like they used to. In-home care can do all the household chores and make sure that the house is clean and tidy can really improve a senior’s mental health by making sure they have a tidy and organized house.
If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Fountain Hills, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Golden Heart is hiring an Office Manager!
Golden Heart Senior Care is looking for a new Office Manager. We are growing rapidly and need a person with the following qualifications:
- Strong management skills
- Home care experience a plus
- Mac technical proficiency
- Willing to work in office (101 and Thomas) M-F 40 hours per week, plus weekend phone assistance to on call
- Recruiting experience required
- Must be fully vaccinated (we are a fully vaccinated company- no exceptions)
- Must be a non-smoker
- Self motivated “go getter” who can take charge
Call (480)330-1191 for an immediate interview
We serve 94 zip codes in the East Valley (East of I-17)
#goldenheartscottsdale
Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce Caregiver Rewards POINT$!
A very BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE GOLDEN HEART TEAM!
GOLDEN HEART CAREGIVER REWARDS POINT$ is LAUNCHED NOW! When you login, you will see your starting point balance. Redemptions will be managed every 2 weeks. You can request anytime. We will be adding more to this regularly. Please be sure your email is correct in SmartCare! You earn points FOR EACH SHIFT WORKED ; ON TIME SHIFTS: EACH HOUR WORKED; PICKING UP EXTRA SHIFTS when management designates them. POINT$ have no cash value. POINT$ are non-transferable; POINT$ expire when you leave the company; Management reserves all rights regarding the program! This program is for employees in good standing. CONGRATULATIONS TEAM! We are the ONLY AGENCY IN THE VALLEY WITH THIS PROGRAM! Log in and see your points today! Laurie and Rodney
Golden Heart Thanks YOU VALERIE!
Most of the times when I post about Golden Heart Senior Care business stuff it refers to client experiences and honoring our team. Also, of big importance too also is Community Service.
But TODAY, I want to honor Valerie, who we have had the great privilege of working with on our marketing, etc for many years. Valerie has directly impacted what we do and how we do it.
Today, our meeting revolved around some questions we have; new offerings and tweaks both of us should consider. Smart, fun and laser focused. It is wonderful to know her as a friend and colleague! I stole this picture from her page ( sorry not sorry). Thank you Valerie for all you do! We are grateful! Laurie and Rodney
#goldenheartscottsdale
#approvedseniornetwork
#servingseniors
Golden Heart Senior Care visits Banner Alzheimer’s Institute! A great day!
A Wonderful Morning at Banner’s Alzheimer’s Institute! Thank you Katharine for the introduction! We found awesome resources for our clients dealing with all forms of Dementia-this week alone Rodney and I have met with families with Parkinson’s with Lewy Body Dementia ; a new client who has Frontal Temporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s in another new client. These are all different and require a different understanding of care.
We also discovered additional training and podcast resources for the Golden Heart team caregiving team.
Our primary job is to serve and educate. It is a high honor and privilege to sit with families under the most extreme stress and be able to provide some relief. A blessing to do this work.
#seniorcare
#dementia
#goldenheartscottsdale
If you or an aging loved one is considering 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!
7 Reasons Personal Care at Home is Right for Your Senior
After his stroke, your dad’s ability to take care of himself has changed. If you haven’t stopped to consider the benefits of personal care at home, now is the time. These are seven ways caregivers help your dad take care of himself.
Standing Up and Sitting Down Seem Impossible
Your dad needs a walker to move around his home now. Even after weeks of physical therapy, he cannot walk if he’s not supported by his walker.
Because of his limited mobility, one of the areas where he struggles the most is getting out of bed each morning. He cannot do it without help. Personal care at home can be there to offer ambulatory assistance when needed.
He also has a hard time standing up from his favorite chair or spot on the sofa. Again, caregivers can help him with ambulation and transfers.
Your Dad Can’t Feed Himself
A stroke usually affects movements on one side of the body. Your dad’s left hand doesn’t grip well. It’s made it impossible for him to hold a fork or spoon. He can’t feed himself anymore. Personal care at home can do the feeding initially, and help your parent use methods an occupational therapist has taught them to try and re-learn how to feed themselves.
It’s Time for Toileting Assistance
Using the toilet isn’t easy for your dad anymore. He needs reminders to use the toilet. Once there, he needs help sitting down, standing up, and cleaning up after going to the bathroom. With personal care services, he has the help he needs.
Help Getting Dressed
Your dad has to have someone helping him choose outfits for the day. He finds buttons and zippers impossible to manage. Personal care at home ensures he has help getting dressed in clothes that are suitable for the day’s weather.
Skin Care Routines Are Hard to Manage
Your dad’s skin is dry and thinner than it used to be. Since his stroke, he’s unable to do simple things like shave and apply moisturizers. Personal care can make sure he’s shaved and that moisturizers are applied to his skin.
Help With Oral Care
Your dad’s caregivers can brush and floss his teeth for him. If he has a bridge or dentures, the caregivers will help him take care of them, too. If any issues arise, his caregivers alert you to them so that you can schedule appointments with your dad’s dentist.
Assistance With Baths and Showers
Your dad needs a lot of help with his daily shower. He can’t get in and out of the tub or shower on his own. He needs help getting into the shower area and sitting down on the shower seat. Then, he needs help washing his hair and body before rinsing off.
Once he’s clean, he needs help drying off, styling his hair, and getting ready to start his day. His personal care attendants can help him with bathing and showering.
Make arrangements for your dad’s care as soon as you know what will help him. Talk to a specialist in personal care at home to learn more.
If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home 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 Lisa on the Great Golden Heart Spirit Award!
Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Lisa J. has been awarded the “ Great Golden Heart Spirit Award’! Lisa is a recent addition to the office team in the last month and is a huge help. She assists everyone on the team… always saying “ I am down to help with anything.” Lisa anticipates needs before they happen. Please join Rodney/ me and the entire Office Team in saying “ THANK YOU LISA!” Lisa will get a bonus for this award! Thank you!