ElderAuthority.com

Choosing In Home Care

Aging in Place
Eighty-three percent of Americans want to age at home. If the elder becomes frail and requires part-time or full-time support,  In Home Care is one option.
There are a number of factors that should be weighed. The functional status of the person being cared for is the most important factor.  Can care be provided in the home that will allow the elder to live with a reasonably good quality of life?  You should begin by considering the home environment, caregiver… More

ALZHEIMER’S BEHIND BARS

BOOMER PRISON POPULATION DOUBLES
In addition to swelling the ranks of every other aspect of society, more baby boomers are also going to jail.  Between 1995 and 2010, the number of those 55 or older being sent to prison doubled.
With an aging prison population and older folks doing stunts to join them, prisons are now also grappling with an issue the rest of society is also struggling with: the increasing epidemic of Alzheimer’s.
ALZHEIMER’S STATISTICS
Alzheimer’s… More

APPLE CARE & COMPANION: CARE AT HOME SERVICES

AN AGENCY THAT CARES FOR AND ABOUT  ITS CAREGIVERS
Apple Care & Companion is a non-medical homecare agency that serves Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall and Tarrant counties in  North Texas.  They are licensed through the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) in the State of Texas.
There are many caregiving agencies out there, but this one is pretty special.  When I look for key differentiators between caregiving agencies, I research the experience… More

A SHIFT BACK TO HOME HEALTH CARE?

I admit to being old enough to remember when doctors actually made house calls.  Insurance, costs and culture pretty much ended that practice several decades ago.   But guess what’s coming back?
Healthcare costs in recent years have soared far beyond what most had anticipated, particularly when combined with the diminished government funding of Medicare and Medicaid.  Recognizing a shifting trend that is likely to become the future norm, some operators of nursing… More

COMPANIONS ON SENIORS’ HEALTH CARE VISITS

COMPANION AS COMMUNICATOR
My mother lost much of her hearing following a big stroke just before her 80th birthday.  Of all those around her, she could most easily understand and communicate with me.  Perhaps it was the familiarity of my voice and facial communications, or the lower tone of my voice, but for the years that followed, my caregiving duties for her expanded to helping her better understand and communicate with others around her.
Nowhere was this more important… More

HEALTHCARE AT HOME:MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE

BUY A BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR FOR HOME USE
Some people are anxious when they visit the doctor which can affect the accuracy of their blood pressure reading.  A more accurate method may be to monitor blood pressure at home.
Also, if your doctor says your blood pressure should be monitored on a regular basis, it will be more affordable to buy your own monitor and do it at home.  It is easy and painless.
STEPS FOR ACCURATE READINGS
Here are some tips to ensure accurate blood pressure… More

A+ HOME ELDERLY CARE ADVICE (video)

The following video about providing eldercare from home is absolutely excellent!  There is nothing in it that I would change.  NBC Digital Health Network has created five minutes of practical, useful information without ever lapsing into an infomercial.
Key points bear repeating.
CAREGIVING IS SERIOUS WORK

The family member who becomes the primary caregiver takes on serious responsibilities.
Caregiving requires patience, planning, and practice.
The most successful… More

BEST RX FOR CAREGIVER BURNOUT

YOU ONLY THINK YOU CAN HANDLE IT
I wish I had better news than what I am about to tell you.  My prescription for caregiver burnout is the last thing you want to hear. I wish it was a pill, a massage, eating right, or Me time.  Those all may help.  Sadly, the best way to manage care giver burnout is EXERCISE.  Sorry.  I wish you could simply flop on the sofa.
I took on the family caregiver role voluntarily. I had the ability to be to be calm, poised, and an ace in a crisis.  I never lost my… More

COPING STRATEGIES FOR STRESS–BY THE BEST

Wisdom and humor from the late, great George Carlin.  Caregivers: Print out this list and keep it where you can see it.

Throw out nonessential numbers:  age, weight, and height.
Keep only cheerful friends.  The grouches pull you down.
Keep learning.
Enjoy the simple things.
Laugh often and loud.
Endure, grieve, and move on.
Be alive while you are alive.
Surround yourself with what you love: family, friends, music, art,  pets, chocolates.
Your home is your refuge.
Cherish… More

FAMILY CAREGIVER: DON’T BUFFER SIBLINGS

Family caregivers have a hard enough job without buffering the family members who are not caregivers.  You have your hands full taking care of a dependent relative.
NO BACK-SEAT DRIVERS
Last week, I was talking to a girlfriend who, over the past year, has evolved into the primary caregiver for her elderly mother.  She has two brothers who are both married.  One brother and his wife actually work in a medical-related field.  Both siblings live about a five-hour drive away.… More