May 2019 - Green Tree Home Care

Eczema is a common and yet misunderstood disease.

In today’s post, I will explain what eczema is and what you should know if you have a loved one with eczema.

What is eczema?

Eczema, which is also called atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin care condition.

Although, it usually begins when a person is a child, it can show up at any age.

Eczema is considered an autoimmune condition.

To understand what this means, it is important to understand how the immune system works.

The immune system of your body is able to fight off bacteria and yeast using various cell types.

Your immune system is able to do this because it recognizes certain unique factors about bacteria and other microbes that provides information to the cells that these are “the enemy”.

In certain instances however, your immune system becomes hypersensitive and will fight your own body because it is somehow recognizing it as “the enemy”.

And this is the underlying factor when it comes to autoimmune disease.

What causes eczema?

Although the cause of eczema is not fully understood, we know it is happens as a result of an overactive immune system like I described above.

Because it occurs commonly in children-10-20% of children in the developed world suffer from eczema- some scientists suggest that air pollution and less exposure to infections which “prime” the immune system and make it robust, could be causes of eczema.

Symptoms of eczema

The most common symptom of eczema is dry, scaly and itchy skin.

Most people with eczema usually also have another type of allergy.

For people who have severe eczema, scratching the itchy skin may cause the skin to break and ooze fluid.

Over time, eczema can lead to thickened, scaly and dry skin.

People with eczema regularly have “flare-up” periods where the condition gets worse. This could happen as a result of:

Sweating
Humidity
Fabric texture (eg wool clothing)
Temperature changes
Food allergies
Stress

Furthermore, for a lot of people, not only do they suffer physically from the disease, they might also be worried about their appearance.

Thus, it is not uncommon for someone with eczema to constantly cover up their skin or avoid events where they would have to uncover their skin.

How to manage eczema

As you can already tell, eczema is both physically and mentally difficult for the person who has it.

What can you do as a caregiver who has a loved one with eczema?

Or perhaps you have eczema yourself and are looking for tips?

Here you go.

If you (or your loved one) has never seen a doctor to receive a diagnosis about your skin condition being eczema, don’t guess. Using homemade treatments without the proper diagnosis can lead to issues along the line.

Avoid situations that could cause an eczema flare-up. This is not always possible because we cannot control weather conditions for instance. However, once you learn what triggers a flare-up for you avoid those triggers. Doing this is one of most effective ways to keep eczema at bay-especially now that summer is around the corner.

Ask your doctor for a prescription. Because eczema is a type of allergy, your doctor might most likely prescribe antihistamines. These work best for reducing itchiness. Find out from your doctor which one would be best for you.

If need be, speak to a mental health professional about how having eczema makes you feel. Stress is one of the causes of a flare-up. If you deal with that stress properly, you can prevent it from coming back for a long while.

Eczema is annoying.

And for some, it causes self-esteem issues.

The points I shared above should help you and your loved one understand and manage eczema effectively.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it.

If you live in Southern California, then you know that the weather has been uncharacteristic.

Nonetheless, summer is upon us.

And along with the sunny beach days, sips of lemonade and delayed night-time comes something more sinister: heat exhaustion.

It is common to hear about the elderly and children dying during these hot months.

These deaths are 100% avoidable when you take the right precautions.

In this post, I will share a little bit about heat exhaustion as a condition.

And then I will also talk about what you can do as a caregiver or senior to ensure that you stay safe during these hot months.

What is heat exhaustion?

Heat exhaustion happens when a person is exposed to excessive heat.

A person does not need to be doing a strenuous activity to experience heat exhaustion.

Strenuous activity in the hot sun increases the chances that a person will experience heat exhaustion.

If a home has poor ventilation, somebody in that home could experience heat exhaustion.

If a person is not well-hydrated during the hot summer months, they can experience heat exhaustion as well.

This is why it is necessary to stay cool and stay hydrated during the summer.

I will discuss more ways to prevent heat exhaustion below.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion

Somebody who is experiencing heat exhaustion will display the following symptoms.

Excessive sweating
Extreme thirst
Dizziness
Confusion
Decreased urination
Weakness
Clammy skin
Headache
Muscle cramps
Fainting

If you or your loved one begin to experience any of these symptoms, you are experiencing heat exhaustion.

Thankfully, heat exhaustion is something that can be treated without going to the hospital.

If a person faints however or the symptoms persist despite rehydration and cooling them off, it is helpful to report to the nearest emergency room so they can rule out any other condition.

Preventing heat exhaustion

Preventing heat exhaustion is easy.

Following these simple rules will keep you away from an episode of heat exhaustion.

Avoid staying in an enclosed place that gets heated up quickly and which has no ventilation. This includes staying in cars with all the windows rolled up.
Drink plenty of water during the summer. I know that some of us are not the biggest fans of water. However, water really is life. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, you can add flavor to it by cutting up limes, lemons, strawberries or your favorite fruit. The infusion of fruit flavors greatly enhances the taste and makes it more likely that you will drink.
In addition to drinking water, it is helpful to keep up with your electrolytes. Drinks like Gatorade contain essential ions and minerals that keeps your body at optimal performance. Infusing your water with fruits as well as eating fruits and vegetables are also effective ways to stay up on your electrolytes.
Ventilation is important. Open your windows. Turn on a fan. Turn on the air conditioning. Anything that cools your environment is helpful in keep dehydration and heat exhaustion away.
Use thick lotions on your skin (preferably with sunscreen) to avoid losing water from the surface of your skin.
Use a humidifier in your room at night if the air is dry.
On extremely hot days, stay indoors or in shaded areas and as much as possible avoid strenuous activity.
You can take over-the-counter pain killers like Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen to relieve any pain you experience from dehydration. If the pain persists, see a doctor immediately.
You can apply a lot of these rules for pets as well.

Heat exhaustion in the summer is real. Following these simple rules will ensure you and your loved ones stay safe.

So you want to hire a professional caregiver for your loved one?

But you are not sure what to expect? Or what to look out for?

In today’s post, I am going to outline nine things you can look out for when you are choosing a home care agency.

9 things to look out for when you’re choosing a home care agency

Company culture

In choosing a home care agency, it is important look at the culture of the agency.

There are a few ways you can do this.

Ask the staff. Do they have positive things to say about the agency? Do they say they are supported by their agency or do they feel alone working for the company? Staff who feel supported, are more likely to provide the best care.
Read Google and Yelp reviews. Yes, these can be biased sometimes and there have been instances where people pay others to give them good reviews. There are also those people who are never satisfied with anything and go around the internet leaving bad reviews everywhere. Thus, ignore those 5-star and one-star reviews and read the 4-star and 3-star ones. These usually give you better insight into what the company culture is like.

Does the agency seem organized?

When you call them, does somebody call you back as quickly as they say they will call you back?

When you submit paperwork, do they call asking you for the same paperwork over and over again although you have sent it over to them more than once?

Do they miss details you have already communicated to them?

An agency that is disorganized will exhibit these signs.

If they are disorganized, they could mix up schedules and you might have a day where no caregiver shows up at your loved one’s home.

If you see warning signs of disorganization from the beginning, heed them.

What standards does the agency use in hiring staff?

Does the agency perform background checks on people?

What training do caregivers receive before they are dispatched to go and provide care?

Is there on-going training for caregivers so they continually improve their craft of providing care?

These are important questions you can ask the agency and staff yourself.

Client/customer service

Are they polite on the phone or do they seem in a rush to hang up on you?

When you register a complaint, how quickly do they rectify or resolve the situation?

Field Oversight

Does the home care agency you’re planning to choose have managers come and observe caregivers in the field?

This is important.

Every job in the corporate world has managers who oversee workers to ensure that the highest quality of service is provided.

If the agency does not send out people to observe your caregiver and provide guidance where needed on how to improve caregiving, you should think twice about choosing them.

Do caregivers show up on time?

This is another place to check the quality of both the agency and the caregiver.

You have heard the phrase: time is money.

If you have to go to work and a caregiver is supposed to come and take your place but they are late, this could make you late.

Do caregivers genuinely care about your loved one?

This particular point ties back into company culture.

Yes, individual caregivers have different personalities but one thing that needs to be glaring is the fact that a caregiver genuinely cares about your loved one.

If a caregiver does not pay attention to the likes and dislikes of your loved one or leaves them in dirty underwear, for instance, when it is their responsibility, this is a serious red flag.

Do they respect individual needs, concerns and preferences?

One of the advantages of home care is the fact that it helps your loved one to continue to live in their beloved home while they receive all the help they need.

You and your loved one may have individual needs and concerns that you would like to be respected.

For instance, your loved one may be a stickler for making their bed every time they wake up.

It seems mundane but that is their preference. A good home care agency will train staff to respect the needs, concerns and preferences of your loved ones.

Transparency/Clear communication

An excellent home care agency is transparent and clear in their communication from the get-go.

If you cannot get that from an agency, they may not be the ones to choose.

At Green Tree Home Care, we are happy to say that we meet all these criteria. If you are in the midst of choosing a home care agency, we hope you will consider us.

If you live in the Greater San Diego or Orange County area and you need care for your loved one, we are more than happy to help with our 24/7 call service.

Give us a call today for a FREE consultation.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

As a caregiver, we realize that the responsibility can be tasking on your mental health.

It is therefore important that you take care of yourself as a caregiver.

Over the last year or so, we have written several posts on this blog to help caregivers thrive in their role.

Self-care is important to your mental health.

Here is how you can take care of your mental health during this period of awareness.

Mental Health Awareness Month-tips for thriving as a caregiver

When you are overwhelmed, acknowledge it.

Our culture has come to expect caregivers to be stoic and emotionally unbreakable in their roles.

This is an unhealthy expectation.

As a caregiver, you have to realize that you are a human being.

Indeed, you are a special human being, because taking care of an elderly loved one and all the responsibility that comes with it, is no ride in the park.

However, pretending you are not overwhelmed when you are is a set-up for massive failure.

Admit that you are overwhelmed and tired.

Find somebody to talk about what you are feeling.

Let that person-preferably a mental health professional-help you work through those emotions.

Find out from your employers if they have mental health resources for you

If you work in the corporate world, find out if your workplace offers mental health services.

These services maybe discounted or even included in your benefits as a perk.

If your workplace doesn’t have this, you can find out if your work insurance will cover visits to see a mental health professional.

Look within your local community for mental health resources

Several cities around the United States have local mental health services.

Look them up and use the services where it suits your needs.

Take a break

When you need a break, you need a break.

This is where hiring a professional caregiving service like what we provide at Green Tree Home Care becomes essential.

Don’t do this alone.

An alternative would be to ask friends and other family members if they could give you some help for an hour or two during the course of the week.

This break will help you relax and regroup so you can be a better caregiver.

Get enough sleep

Sleep affects your mental health immensely.

If you are not getting enough sleep, chances are that you are building up stress.

Stress is notorious for being the root cause of both mental health and physical illnesses like heart disease and high blood pressure.

One of the best ways to relieve stress in your life is to get as much sleep as possible.

This might mean getting rid of the television or even going to bed early.

Join support groups for caregivers

Sometimes, knowing that there are other people going through the same experiences is therapeutic.

Find out if your area or an association you belong to (e.g. church) has support groups for caregivers and participate in them.

Release tension by having fun

Caregiving is usually serious business and most people would not find the “fun” in it.

Sometimes, a change in perspective could help to inject some fun into the experience.

And can we all agree that having fun is the best stress-reliever of all time?

Taking excellent care of your mental health put you in a better position to provide excellent care.

Are you thinking of summertime activities for your loved one with dementia?

Summer is a mere few weeks away.

The kids will be out of school soon and the days will be long and full of sunshine.

If you have a loved one with dementia, you are wondering what activities you can do with them.

You are in luck.

In this post, I will share 10 summertime activities you can do with your loved one to keep them engaged.

Let’s delve right into it.

10 summertime activities for adults with dementia

Reading

Reading is a quiet time activity that works well for people with dementia.

If you know what some of their favorite literature is, this is even more helpful because chances are that they will remember several passages very well.

Reading is also a nice activity to do when those warm summer evenings are winding down.

Music/Dance

Researchers have shown that music therapy is an effective way for dementia patients to interact with the world around them.

Some good old music and dancing could be just what the doctor ordered.

Take the board games outside

Take board games outside for a change.

If there is a board game your loved one played for a long time, chances are that they have “muscle memory” of the game.

They will engage when they play those games.

Hot Tub Fun

If you have a hot tub this could be a fun summertime activity for your loved one as well.

Caution: make sure you or someone is with your loved one as they take a dip in the hot tub to prevent drowning.

Walking/Hiking

If you choose walking or hiking as an activity to do with your loved one, it is important to watch out for your loved one’s energy levels.

If you notice they are too tired when they walk long distances, cut down on the distance but still make it an enjoyable experience.

Take a drive

Have scenic route in your city or state? Taking a drive down on an iconic or scenic route can be a great memory jogger for adults with dementia.

If the memory associated with the route is a good one, this could be a good way to spark conversation.

Watch an old movie

Do you have movies that are a tradition?

If so, summer nights are a great time to binge watch.

Lay in the grass and watch the stars

Summertime is famous for having clear nights.

Thus, these are always a great time to lay in the grass or sit on the porch and watch the stars twinkle.

Go on a picnic

Instead of eating lunch indoors, how about taking lunch outside for a picnic?

Plant a garden

Gardening is yet another great summertime activity to get your loved one involved in.

There is always something to do with a garden and so they will never be a dull moment.

Which one of these summertime activity ideas was your favorite?

If you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with someone else.

Family vacation season is upon us!

And perhaps you are thinking about traveling with a loved one who has dementia.

If you have never done this before, it is overwhelming.

However, with the right preparation and resources, you should be able to travel with your loved one.

In this post, I will discuss 8 tips for traveling with a loved one who has dementia.

8 tips for traveling with a loved one who has dementia

First and foremost, you will have to determine if traveling with your loved one will be safe and the best idea for them.

For someone who is in the early stages of dementia, they may be able to handle traveling.

For a more advanced patient however, traveling with them to an unfamiliar location is not advisable.

So determine if they are up for traveling before you make the travel plans.

Contact TSA beforehand

If you have a loved one who is disabled or has dementia, you can contact TSA beforehand and let them know that you have a special situation.

In most cases, they can speed up the check-in process.

Alternatively, you could sign up for a service like TSA Pre-check.

This also gets you through TSA lines quickly and without hassle.

Contact the airline ahead of time

Airlines will also accommodate your needs if you call them ahead of time.

It is not uncommon for airlines to assign special seating and even provide wheelchair transport/assistance for families who need it.

Consider a medical escort service

If it is in your budget, you can consider a medical escort service.

These are caregivers who will travel with your loved one and will help you take care of them on your trip.

Identification

An identification bracelet that has your loved one’s name and who to contact is a must-have when you travel.

You can take it a step further and have name tags sewn into your loved one’s clothing.

Budget for extra time to get to things

If you will need to get places while on vacation, make sure to budget for extra time so you can arrive on time.

This is an especially helpful tip for when you need to catch a plane on time.

Choose a location closer to home

Long travel times will make anyone antsy.

For your loved one with dementia, being confined in a plane for 5 or 6 hours will be uncomfortable.

Choosing a vacation spot that is closer to home will cut down the discomfort.

Carry important documents and medication with you

Carry important medical records and medication with you.

They will still need to take medication on the trip.

And should there be a need to go the the hospital while on vacation, you will be ready.

Once you arrive, help them familiarize themselves with the place

Even though your loved one may not always remember, it is helpful if you orient them to the place one you arrive at the vacation location.

At the very least, show them what is available to them in their room and who they can call for help if they need it.

Closing Thoughts

Traveling with a loved one who has dementia is no easy feat.

But depending on the progression of the disease, it is possible to travel if you plan ahead and use the tips I just shared with you.

If you found this helpful, make sure to share it with someone who needs advice on traveling with a loved one who has dementia.

Are you caring for a loved one who has recently been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease?

We understand how tough it can be.

Perhaps, you have landed on this page because you are looking for dementia care resources.

You are in the right place.

This post is a compilation of our best posts on dementia care.

In each post, you will gain valuable insights on how best to care for your loved one.

10 dementia care resources for your loved one.

What are the warning signs that signal dementia? Here are 5 warning signs that your loved one may have dementia.

How to keep a loved one engaged when they have Alzheimer’s Disease. How do you communicate with your loved on who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s? What can you do to keep them engaged and involved with everyday life? Learn how to that that in this post.

Dementia comes with personality changes. For a caregiver who has loved with their loved one for a long time, these changes can throw you for a loop. Learn how you can deal with changes you will notice in your loved one with dementia.

One of the hallmarks of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease is memory loss. This is usually devastating for everyone involved. In this post, we give you 8 tips for helping your loved one who is going through memory loss.

Yes, you can become an expert dementia caregiver. Here is how you can achieve that feat.

One of the best ways to keep your loved one engaged is to get them involved in activities. Here are 5 fun activities that are great for people with dementia.

In a viral YouTube video, an organization called Music & Memory showed how a male Alzheimer’s patient who had been non-verbal came to life after they played music from his younger days.

So how does music therapy work? Help your loved one cope with music therapy.

Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news. However, it is a reality that disasters happen. Hurricanes, blizzards and fires claim lives and millions of dollars in property each year. Here is how you can help your loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease prepare for a disaster.

For how to keep your loved one safe during fires, check out this post.

And if you are looking for even more tips on how to keep your loved one safe around the house, here are 21 ideas.

Closing Thoughts

There is no denying that taking care of a loved one who has dementia or Alzheimer’s is hard.

In fact, it is possible that in addition to dementia, your loved one has other health issues.

This no doubt compounds matters even more.

We want you to know that we see you. And we celebrate you.

And these dementia care resources are our way of supporting you on the journey.

If you need expert home care services for your loved ones, Green Tree Home Care is just a phone dial away.

Found this list helpful? Share it with somebody looking for dementia care resources.

senior-couple-shaking-hands-with-financial-advisor-picture-id1029343906-1024x683.jpg

What is companion care?

Why should you care about it?

And when does your loved one need it?

What is companion care?

You might be the adult daughter that has to live apart from Mom because that is the nature of your job.

Or perhaps, you are caring for your spouse but still have 50 other things you have to accomplish in a day.

You want to be there for your loved one but doing so is just difficult with all your responsibilities.

On the other hand, your loved one is mobile and can do most things for themselves.

They can cook, bathe themselves and get dressed.

But you still feel somebody should be around to help them.

This is where you might start to think about companion care.

Companion care provides services that promote independence for your loved one.

They are there to help with those chores that your loved one could do but might need some help completing.

Here are a list of ways a companion can be helpful to you and your family.

Services

Light housekeeping. Dusting, mopping, laundry, pet care, plant care, bathroom cleaning, kitchen cleaning, washing dishes. These are just a handful of examples of what a companion could help with.
Transportation. Companions can help with transportation. If your loved one needs to go to the store to pick up groceries or needs to go to the doctor, this is an area where companions can help.
Meal preparation. Companions can help your loved one make meals too.
Communication assistance. Companions can help your loved one make calls and communicate with love ones and essential service providers like electricians and plumbers as needed.
Companionship. Several psychological and sociological studies provide show us that, human beings need other human beings. Most older adults live by themselves. It is easy to feel lonely with all the children and grandchildren gone. A companion, in addition to all the services listed above, could also provide your loved one with friendship; somebody to go shopping with and converse with.

How is companion care different from regular home care?

The biggest difference here is that most people who choose companion care, can still do a lot for themselves.

Like I mentioned earlier, they are still able to perform activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing up.

They just need an extra hand to help them get everything done.

Complete home care on the other hand, helps people who are dependent on other people for their daily activities.

Home care aides will care for loved ones who have been discharged from the hospital or who need mobility assistance.

In both cases, companion care and home care allow your loved one (especially an older adult) to stay home successfully.

At Green Tree Home Care, we provide both companion care and home care depending on your needs.

And in either case, you will not be disappointed.

If you live in the Greater San Diego and Orange County areas, we are a simple phone call away.

Did you find this post helpful? Share it with someone else who is exploring companion care options for their loved one.

Over the last two years, we have worked really hard to come to you with information-packed posts that will help you become a better caregiver.

In today’s post, I am aggregating our best posts on care-giving.

At Green Tree Home Care, our goal is to provide you and your loved ones with a memorable caregiver experience.

If you need care for your loved one and you live in the Greater San Diego area or Orange County area, we’re just a phone call away.

An so, here are 22 resources that will help you become a better caregiver.

22 Resources That Will Help You Become A Better Caregiver

Taking care of yourself as a caregiver

As a caregiver, you have to take care of yourself. In fact, I argue that if you don’t take great care of yourself, you will find yourself failing in your role as a caregiver.

Not sure how to get started? Here are some posts to help.

Caregiver Self-care-7 ways to take care of your mental health

Caregiver stress – 5 self-care tips for the family caregiver

Loved one in hospice care? How to prepare yourself emotionally.

Moving parents in with you/Discussing home care

Are you in the middle of discussing home care options with your loved one? Or planning to move them in with you? Here are a few considerations to make.

5 caregiver strategies every caregiver should know

How to care for a family member you don’t like –Dealing with a difficult parent or loved one? Learn how to navigate those waters.

When parents move in-Learning to live with Dad again – You may have grown up with them, but people change and life is different now.

5 rules every adult child should consider while living with elderly parents

Private caregivers vs agency caregivers

What to do when your loved one is not eating

Mom is resisting home care-How to ease the transition – The conversation around home care is a difficult one for many. Learn how to navigate it.

Financial issues

Money has the ability to tear families apart. In order to become a better caregiver, you have to know how to handle your loved one’s finances. It is also important that you don’t become a scammer yourself.

Senior Scams-Is your loved one at risk – Learn the signs of senior fraud so you can protect your loved ones!

Financial elder abuse-How to spot it and deal with it

When adult children become responsible for handling parent’s finances

Health Conditions

Learn what is common when it comes to common elder healthcare problems.

Caring for your loved one with early-stage Alzheimer’s – Your loved one can still do a lot for themselves during the early stage of Alzheimer’s.

Dealing with Hallucinations in Elderly People

7 diabetes complications every caregiver should know about

Kidney stones in the elderly-what every caregiver should know

6 Common senior healthcare problems you should be aware of

How to detect signs of dehydration in the elderly

Depression in seniors-what you can do to help

Discharge planning-what to do after your loved one has been in the hospital

Elder Abuse

Know it so you can report it or deal with it.

How to spot elder abuse as a caregiver

Want to give the best care you can? Browse this library of posts and we have no doubt that you will.