When your loved one is bedridden due to illness, ongoing disability, or age, care-taking becomes more challenging. Without proper care, many complications can develop, including deep vein thrombosis, bedsores, pneumonia, and dehydration.

While these risks are serious, many families have successfully cared for bedridden caregivers at home. But it’s a situation you don’t want to take on without fully understanding the weight of care that will fall on your shoulders.

Before agreeing to care for your bedridden loved one at home, it’s essential to speak to their doctors.

Learn exactly what specialized care your loved one will require. Have the nurses teach you as much as possible, so you are better prepared.

Taking care of your bedridden loved one

When your loved one is confined to bed here are some ways to provide the best care.

Create a space for your loved one

You will need a space in your home for your loved one and all of their equipment. You will need an accessible space, that’s not upstairs.

Think about your home, and brainstorm areas to use. Some families have an extra bedroom they use, while others partition off a portion of their living room with curtains to use.

Ideally this space will be close to a bathroom. This will be handy when dealing with bedpans or providing sponge baths.

Natural lights from windows can help emotionally. If this isn’t possible, ensure the area is well lit. Your loved one will appreciate the light and being able to see clearly makes care-taking tasks easier.

Ensure movement

Staying in bed is hard on the body. Muscles deteriorate from lack of use, joints stiffen, bedsores can develop, and constipation becomes likely.

To help alleviate some of these symptoms, your loved one will need assistance with movement. Speak to a physical therapist to see if there are any range of motion exercises your loved one can do. Learn how to properly turn your loved one to minimize bedsores.

Find backup

Bedridden patients need around the clock care. When they need to use the bathroom or soil a diaper, they need cleaned quickly so they don’t develop rashes or infections.

Providing this intense care is hard on caretakers, so it’s essential to have backup. You can utilize home care assistants to help. Some offer overnight care, which can allow you to sleep.

These services require their aids to undergo a background check, so you can feel confident leaving your loved one in their care.

If paid assistance isn’t in the budget, look for other ways to get a break. Are there other family members who could cover shifts? Do you have friends who are willing to help? Does your community offer any resources to cover these services?

Use the right bedding and undergarments

When your loved one is bedridden, it’s essential to keep their body dry. This means their bedding and clothing needs to be carefully selected for absorption.

Cotton clothing is a good choice, since it will absorb sweat and allow the skin to breathe. You want to select bedding that is soft, and breathable. You can buy absorbent pads to lay on top of sheets to help catch any urine leaks.

Obtain equipment

You will likely need equipment to provide adequate care. A hospital style bed allows you to elevate your loved one’s head and re-position them more easily. There is equipment to help with transitions, which can keep strain off your back.

Work with the doctors to seek insurance coverage on this durable medical equipment. The sooner you can begin using it, the easier your care-taking will be.

Do you know someone who is caring for a bedridden loved one? Please share this article with them.

How can I help my friend who is a caregiver?

Perhaps you’ve asked yourself this question. Perhaps, you have even asked your friend directly.

Caregivers’ minds are full. They’re juggling their own responsibilities, plus taking care of someone else. It’s a lot to think about.

When your brain is on overdrive, answering questions is hard. Especially tough ones like, “What can I do to help?”

The caregiver must give thought to what they need help with. But they also must decide what you’re willing and able to do. They also may feel guilty asking for help.

This means your answer will likely be nothing.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Caregivers need help.

10 ways you can help your friend who is a caregiver

Instead of asking your friend who is caring for their older parents what you can do to help, just pick one of the items below and jump in.

Make a list

Sit down together and brainstorm things she’d like to have help with. Sometimes this conversation takes some prompting to get the ball rolling.

Start with the practical things and move on from there. Tasks like laundry, picking up groceries, driving the parent to a doctor appointment, picking kids up from school, and making dinner could all go on the list.

Add as many as possible. Then your friend will have an answer whenever someone asks how they can help. Better yet, type up the list and email it to your friend’s friends and family members.

Deliver food

Bring your friend a freezer friendly meal once a month (or more frequently!) If you’re at the store, call and ask what you can pick up. Then make a quick stop to deliver it.

Cover a shift

Cover a care taking shift so your friend can get away some respite. Let your friend explain everything that’s involved and reassure her you’ll call if needed.

Share helpful resources

Many resources are available for caregivers. But the research to find those can be overwhelming.

Take time to research on your friend’s behalf. Look into government funded programs in your state. Research the specific condition your friend’s parent has and see if there are any organizations that help.

Learn what you can and share it with your friend without being a know-it-all. Also, write down everything so it doesn’t have to be remembered.

Communicate

Providing updates grows weary, so offer to help spread the word. Pick a form of communication and provide regular updates as you have them. This way your friend isn’t inundated with requests for information. You can update via:

Phone trees
Email lists
A private Facebook Group
Instant Messaging apps

Be a listening ear

Sometimes caregivers just need to vent. They get frustrated, scared, and annoyed. But these feelings often bring guilt as well.

Let them share the good, the bad, and the ugly with you. Be a listening ear and provide encouragement without judgement.

Care for the pets

With the added responsibility of elder care, pets can sometimes feel neglected. If your friend has a pet, come by and give them some love.

Take note of what brand of pet food they use, and bring some by. During hospitalizations, offer to take the pet home until life settles down.

Complete outdoor duties

Peek around your friend’s yard and mentally note what they need help with. Then do it.

Come over one Saturday and mow the lawn. Rake the leaves in the fall. Shovel snow in the winter.

Weed the flower bed. Harvest the garden and help put up the bounty.

Run errands

Getting out of the house when you’re caring for an elderly parent is difficult. Help your friend out by running some errands. Try:

Picking up the mail
Washing the car
Handling an oil change
Refilling prescriptions
Picking up and dropping off dry cleaning
Taking animals to the vet

10. Don’t give up on them

Life changes when you start caring for your aging parent. You start turning down invitations you’d have accepted in the past. Eventually people stop asking you to do anything, and you feel like you lost all of your friends.

Don’t let your friend feel like that.

Continue to talk to her and keep her in the loop. Think of ways to include her, and never make her feel guilty when she must decline.

Someday your friend will you again, so make sure she still has a friend when that time comes. Never give up on them!

Please share this article to your other friends, so you can all support the caregivers in your lives.

Are you contemplating a move for an older loved one in your life? Whether you’re moving mom into a nursing home or trying to convince dad to downsize, moving an older adult presents unique challenges.

This process can be both emotionally and physically straining. But despite the problems, moving an older adult is often necessary once they begin to need more assistance. To help make the move go more smoothly, it’s important to be prepared.

Here are 5 moving tips for older adults to consider.

1.Watch your attitude

Your loved one is facing a major life change. They’re going to be processing a lot of emotions during this time. Not all those emotions are going to be positive. There may even be a bit of whining, yelling, or complaining.

When your loved one gets discouraged, do your best to remain positive. Your attitude really does matter, and can be an encouragement to your loved one. If you find yourself getting frustrated, take a few moments to breathe deeply.

Try to exhibit patience, tact, and grace. These traits will help you both get through this transition with your relationship intact.

2. Communicate through all stages

Communication is key to a successful move with an older adult. Throughout each stage of the process, you need to keep your loved one in the loop.

Talk about benefits of the move. Go and visit the new home or watch online video tours together. Provide updates on the paperwork process, or financial implications.

Above all, take time to listen. Your loved one wants to feel heard during this process. They want to have a say about their future.

3. Provide choices

Making a choice is empowering, so whenever possible, let your loved one choose. This can be everything from selecting a home from a list of potentials, to deciding what color to paint the walls of a new bedroom.

When packing, listen to the wishes of your loved ones. They can help decide what to pack, and what to donate or trash. If necessary, go through the house together item by item, and let them choose what to do with everything.

4. Take time to reminisce

Your loved one is leaving a home full of memories, keepsakes, and mementos. To you it may be a house full of stuff, but to them everything is priceless.

Don’t rush the packing process. Take time to reflect and reminisce together. Let your loved one share stories and take a trip through memory lane.

If moving out of area, take time to drive to favorite spots one last time. Let your loved one get a solid sense of closure before leaving town.

5. Have a moving day plan

Moving day will be chaotic. Having a plan helps.

Think through the day. If your loved one will be there, give them specific jobs to do. This will keep them from wandering around or getting in the way of the movers.

It may be wise to have your loved one spend time away from the house while the moving truck is loaded. Consider having them leave early for the new location or spending the day with local friends or relatives.

No matter where your loved one is on moving day, here are some other tips to streamline the process:

Eat simple meals
Use disposable dishes
Have boxes packed before the truck arrives
Clearly label each box to make unpacking easier
Keep medications, valuables, and family heirlooms in a separate box to go in a personal vehicle
Gas up the vehicles before moving day
Gather friends and family to help clean the old house, or pay a housekeeper to do it

Do you know someone who is getting ready to move an older adult? Share this post with them to help make the move less stressful.

Prescription drug addiction in the elderly is a problem that’s on the rise.

According to the Substance Abuse Among Older Adults Study, prescription drug abuse for people over 50 will increase from around 2.8 million in 2006 to 5.7 million by 2020.

This is alarming and deserves everyone’s attention.

In this post, we will talk about what you can do to help an elderly loved one with a prescription drug addiction.

Prescription drug addiction in older adults-what you should know

The elderly are prone to prescription drug addiction for a couple of key reasons. First, they take more prescription drugs than many other age groups. The more prescription you take, the more opportunity you have to become addicted.

Also, as you age, your body doesn’t filter or absorb medication as quickly. This means the drugs are staying in the system longer, and it’s easier to become addicted.

Finally, the elderly often have memory troubles. What starts off as innocently forgetting that they took their medicine earlier can slowly pave the way to an addiction.

What prescriptions do older adults get addicted to?

While you can become addicted to any medication, two main categories of prescriptions often lead to addiction in older adults: opioids and benzodiazepines.

Opioids are pain killers. These include OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin. Taking too high of a dose or relying on prescription strength pain medication are common ways addiction to opioids begin.

Benzodiazepines treat anxiety and insomnia. Valium, Xanax, and Ativan are all benzodiazepines. Taking these drugs for an extended period of time can lead to addiction.

What are signs of prescription drug addiction in older adults?

If your loved one takes prescription medication regularly, it’s possible for them to become addicted. As a caregiver, you need to know what to watch for.

The following are all signs and symptoms of an addiction:

Mood changes, including becoming more irritable or depressed
Unexplained marks, cuts, or bruises on the body
Changes in energy levels, especially lethargy
Personality changes, including becoming angry
Staying up all night and sleeping all day
Having two different doctors write a prescription for the same medication
Appearing forgetful or confused, including losing track of time
Sneaking medication
Going to more than one pharmacy for prescriptions
Keeping extra medication in a pocket or purse
Obsessed with talking about a certain medication
Not following directions for taking medication
Have a history of drug abuse or addiction
Regularly taking medication with alcohol
Getting upset if asked about medication use

Many of these symptoms are also related to aging. This makes identifying an addiction problem a challenge.

What to do if you suspect an addiction

If your loved one has many of the symptoms above, and you suspect an addiction, it’s essential to speak to their doctor. An evaluation can help the doctor determine if there is an addiction.

You can also contact a drug addiction treatment center to help your loved one get the necessary treatment.

What does treatment entail?

Your loved one’s treatment plan for a prescription drug addiction will be tailored to address their needs. The drug they are addicted to, how long they’ve been abusing the medication, and side-effects of withdrawal are taken into account.

When working with your loved one’s doctor to form a treatment plan, counseling, medication, and inpatient facilities may be considered.

Do you know a caregiver who needs to know more about prescription drug abuse in the elderly? Share this article so they can help their loved one overcome the addiction.

Good nutrition helps fight off illness, provide strength, and fuel the body. Eating well is important for everyone. As a family caregiver, you keep track of what your loved one is eating.

But sometimes appetites diminish in the elderly. Your loved one may stop eating all together. It’s a heart-wrenching feeling when you realize your loved one isn’t getting the nutrients they need.

What You Can Do When Your Loved One Is Not Eating

When your loved one refuses to eat, what can you do? Here are five tips to help you inspire your loved one to eat again.

1. Rule Out Any Medical Problems

Whenever eating patterns change, it’s important to rule out medical problems. Ask your loved one about a sore throat, stomach aches, or any other pains that make eating difficult.

Be sure to mention the lack of appetite to the doctor and see if any tests are recommended. You may learn the change is due to a medication side-effect, or constipation.

In addition to the doctor, take your loved one to the dentist for a cleaning and exam. Tooth pain can make eating a challenge, so you want to make sure they aren’t dealing with cavities or gum disease.

2. Experiment with Flavors

Eating can be a pleasurable experience, utilizing multiple senses. People don’t just eat with their mouths. They use their sense of smell, sight, and taste to get the most out of mealtime.

As you age, it’s common for your senses to dull. This means food doesn’t taste as good as it used to.

To help overcome this challenge, experiment with flavors. Add bold seasoning to dishes. Try adding a squeeze of fresh citrus, or a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Your goal is to make the food as flavorful as possible, so it wakes up the taste buds.

You can improve the visual appeal of the food as well. Prepare a variety of healthy, colorful foods. Take time to plate them nicely.

Try to keep the food from all looking or tasting the same. This will keep mealtimes more interesting for your loved one.

3. Serve Easy to Chew Foods

Chewing can become more difficult with age. Sometimes eating tires an elderly person out.

If this is the case, prepare easy to chew foods. These soft foods will be easier to eat and may encourage your loved one to eat more.

Here are ten nutritious, easy to chew foods you can add to the menu:

Soups
Yogurt
Smoothies
Fruit
Shredded meat with gravy
Mashed potatoes
Macaroni and cheese
Eggs
Rice
Tuna salad

4. Ask Your Loved One to Help Meal Plan

Often, having a say in the food choice makes everything more palatable. If your loved one is able, ask what they’d like to eat.

You may discover they have a craving for a casserole their mom used to make, or a cheese zombie like they had in the elementary school cafeteria. Food memories are powerful and utilizing them can help encourage consumption.

5. Eat Together

Eating alone can reduce the appetite of your loved one. Eat together whenever possible.

If joined meal times don’t work because of your schedule, you may need to get creative. Is there someone else who may enjoy a meal date? Could your loved one occasionally eat at a community center or church meal?

Think of ways to turn mealtimes into a social affair. Being around others who are eating can help spark an appetite.

Switch Things Up

Don’t be afraid to change things up a bit if your loved one isn’t eating. Try eating later in the day or having a snack between lunch and dinner.

Check out recipes together, and pick something new to try. Head to an unfamiliar restaurant.

You want to do what you can to ensure your loved one has the necessary nutrition.

Do you know someone else struggling because their loved one isn’t eating? Please share this post with them so they can benefit from the tips.

Thinking of gifts for your caregiver friends this time of the year?

According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, over 43.5 million people have provided unpaid care in the past year. With so many people caring for loved ones, chances are high that someone on your list is a caregiver.

If you’re wondering what to get your caregiver friends this holiday season, this list has you covered. You’ll find seven different categories of gifts that caregivers would love.

These gifts also work as everyday gifts!

7 gifts to get your caregiver friends

If you’re wondering what you can give the caregivers in your life, here are seven types of gifts they’ll love!

1. Time Off

Providing care is hard, both physically and emotionally. Caregivers are on duty all the time. When their family member needs care, they selflessly provide it.

But all this care giving takes a toll. Your friend can use a break!

Could you head to her home and relieve her for a few hours a couple of time each month? Or provide overnight care once a month?

Think about how much time you could commit to and create a certificate sharing your commitment. It’s a gift that’ll keep on giving all year long, giving your friend a necessary break.

If you don’t live close enough to personally provide respite, or don’t have the desire to do so, you can still provide a break. You can pay for another caregiver to relieve your friend on a regular basis.

2. Relaxation

Self-care is so important, especially if you’re taking care of others. Give your friend the gift of relaxation, so they can fill their own cup a bit. Consider gifting:

A spa day
Quality coffee and a mug with an inspirational saying
A chair massager
Bath bombs in a favorite scent
Candles
A new book (a fun read, not related to care giving!)
Starbucks gift card
Subscription to a favorite magazine

3. Hobby Building

Providing care can be consuming. Don’t let your friend lose herself in her efforts to be the best caregiver possible. Give her a gift that encourages her to pursue her own passions and interests.

Hobby building gifts could include:

Painting supplies
Yarn and knitting needles
Online courses
A blog domain and a year of hosting
High quality camera
A kit with the necessary supplies to learn something new
Drawing instruments
A musical instrument, instruction book, and lessons

4. Food

Everyone needs to eat. Food preparation takes the time of a caregiver. Take this worry off your friend’s plate by giving the gift of food.

Meal delivery services make excellent gifts for caregivers. You can also make several healthy freezer meals and deliver them with clear instructions for how to prepare them.

Before giving the gift of food, make sure you ask about dietary restrictions for the entire household. You don’t want your friend to have to make a second meal because someone can’t eat what you brought.

5. Memory Holders

Caretakers realize that death can happen at any moment. Many of them desire to remember as many memories of their aging family member as possible. Give the gift of memories such as:

An interview journal
A couple’s letter book (for spouses providing care)
A memory box to put mementos in
Create a photo pillow featuring images of the caregiver and loved one
Enlist the help of other family members and friends, asking everyone write a note about their favorite memories. Compile these in a small photo album or box.

6. Household Help

Having a clean, well-maintained home can take a lot of stress from caretakers. Are there any household tasks you can help with or pay someone else to do? Think about:

Housecleaning
Yard maintenance
Cleaning the gutters
Doing minor repairs
Regular household maintenance

7. Care giving Supplies, Tools, or Subscriptions

Your friend wants to be the best caregiver possible. These items provide knowledge, support, and inspiration to make that happen.

Membership in an association related with their loved one’s condition
A book about caregiving, like How to Care for Aging Parents, The Conscious Caregiver, or Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s
A locked pill box for keeping track of medication
Wireless call button
Household cameras or alarms for doors
A guided journal
Caregiving calendar

There you have it, seven types of gifts the caregiver in your life will appreciate. Please share this post with others who are purchasing gifts for caregivers.

Need some gift ideas for your elderly loved ones this year?

We’ve got your back!

In today’s post, I’ll be sharing nineteen different gift ideas that are suitable for your elderly loved one this year.

19 Gift Ideas For Your Elderly Loved One This Year

Audio Books/Audio Book Subscription

Does your loved one like to read but perhaps it has become harder for them to see? Help them discover new worlds of books through an audio book subscription.

iPad/Tablet

An iPad or any other brand of tablet are an invention that are not going away any time soon. The ability to load it with useful apps and use it as a communication device may be a good reason why this is a good gift idea for elders.

Emergency alert system

If your elderly loved one doesn’t have an emergency alert system (an example would be the Life Alert system), this is a great gift idea. This is helpful if you live far away from your loved one and would love them to be able to alert someone immediately if they fell down and couldn’t get to a phone.

Voice controlled smart devices

Amazon Alexa and Google Home are still great gift ideas this season. You are able to program different instructions into these devices. This will be helpful if your elderly loved one has limited mobility.

Heated foot massage

Give your elderly loved one an in-home spa treatment with a portable, heated foot massage. Please note that this type of gift may not be advisable for people who have diabetes.

Facebook Portal

Facebook recently debuted their Portal device which is a hand-free calling video calling device. Place portal anywhere around your house and chat with your loved ones without having to hold it or even turn it in a particular direction.

Smokeless indoor grill

Have a loved one who likes to grill? This might be a fast indoor solution for them. Please be safe with such a device so that it does not become a fire hazard.

Gratitude/Journal Books

Get your loved one talking about what they are grateful for. Writing in a journal can be therapeutic and can become a historical family keepsake.

Paid for trips

Pay for a trip for your elderly loved one!

Gift card to their favorite restaurant

Where do they like to eat? Get them a gift card to the place.

Hand cream

The winter months are notoriously drier. Rich hand cream that is on hand is the solution to keeping skin nicely hydrated no matter the season.

Board games

Games keep our brains active and are a great tool for socializing.

At-home spa set

Right from home your elderly loved one will be able to pamper him or herself.

Barbecue Sauce Bucket

If you have a loved one who loves to grill, this could be the perfect gift for them.

Digital camera

Help them capture all the moments of life they want to capture. Perhaps photography is even a new skill they can pick up and learn.

Comfortable shoes

Nothing beats a pair of comfy shoes. Comfortable sneakers for walking around the house or orthotic shoes that help with a person’s health are great gifts to consider.

Stainless steel straws

Our environment is being poisoned by tons of plastic every single minute. One of the biggest culprits are plastic straws. Stainless steel straws on the other hand are friendly to the environment and will generate less waste than plastic. If you have an elderly loved one who uses straws, this is a great gift idea for them.

Pet toys

While buying gifts for them, don’t forget their pets.

Online learning subscription

Is your elderly loved one an avid learner? An online gift card or subscription to websites like Udemy, Coursera and Skillshare are a gift to consider for your avid learner.

Did any of these spark any thoughts for you?

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with someone else who will find it useful.

When is it never stressful as a caregiver?

Everyone is depending on you to take care of them. Of course, it can get overwhelming!

According to the National Alliance on Care Giving and the AARP, in 2015, 43.5 million American were unpaid caregivers for their loved ones.

Sixty percent of these people were female.

Older caregivers were more likely to be retired or unemployed.

Additionally, they were actively involved in communicating with the medical and nursing teams regarding the care of their loved one.

The responsibility of care-giving including financial responsibility impacts your physical health and mental health greatly as a caregiver.

Throw in the holidays and you have a perfect “stress” storm.

You don’t have navigate these waters alone.

Moreover, it is important that you realize that you are not alone in your situation.

Taking care of yourself as a caregiver is important because try as you may, you simply cannot give people clean water to drink if you’re constantly drawing out of a well that is dry.

The best caregivers take care of themselves.

In this post, we’ll talk about 7 ways you can bust through stress during this season.

7 ways to bust through caregiver stress during the holidays

Give yourself permission to enjoy the season

You have worked hard this year.

As a caregiver, it can be easy to forget to enjoy the season because you are trying to attend everyone else’s happiness. Give yourself permission to stop, take stock of how amazing you are and enjoy the time with your friends and family.

Leave it to the professionals

Need help during this season? Request a free consultation with us at Green Tree Home Care and we would be more than happy to step in!

We now serve clients in the Orange County area as well!

If you’re reading this and don’t live anywhere within our service areas, find out if a local home care agency in your area will be able to help out.

Ask for help

If you don’t ask, people will hardly ever volunteer.

If you need to take an afternoon off just so you can gather your thoughts, ask available friends or family to help out.

And if you need to prepare family meals and have a lot of gatherings you’re responsible for, ask for help here as well!

Get a good night’s sleep

A lack of sleep will cause your body to be tired and ultimately makes stress and anxiety worse.

Make sure you’re getting as much sleep as you can so you can be rested enough to provide the best care to your loved one.

Be patient with yourself

Nobody gets it right all the time.

Be patient with yourself. If you’ve made mistakes in your care-giving journey, forgive yourself, make a note of those mistakes and develop solutions that will ensure you don’t make them again.

Journal

Researchers from the University of Iowa showed that journaling about stressful events helped people cope more than if they didn’t.

Writing down how you’re feeling can help you think through solutions that might be helpful. So may for a gift this year, you could buy yourself a journal?

Talk to a therapist

Talking to a therapist does not have to always be the last resort. Just like you would go to your doctor regularly for check ups, routine checks for your mental health is important as well.

Don’t have a therapist? Here’s how you could find one.

It is likely your city has a local mental health department. Call them and ask them what programs they have available or how they could put you in touch with a therapist.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance will help you locate local support groups for people struggling with these mental health issues.
Are you a veteran? The Veteran’s Administration has mental health resources for veterans to help them cope with mental health issues. They might be able to help with a therapist too.

Caregiver stress is real. Holiday stress is real. Combine the two and you definitely have a recipe for disaster.

You don’t have to bear the burden all by yourself.

Seek the right help and give yourself a chance to enjoy your holidays to the fullest.

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Share it with someone else who needs it.