November 2019 - Green Tree Home Care

Mom is moving in with you.

And you know there are probably adjustments you need to make to your home to accommodate her and keep her safe.

But you’re not sure which adjustments you should make?

In today’s post, I am sharing different home adjustments you can make if you have an older loved one moving in with you.

First of all, it’s important for you to know that as people grow older, they are more likely to fall and injure themselves because of that fall.

Each year that costs millions of dollars in hospitalization costs and can become a financial burden for most families.

Thus, the suggestions I’ll be making in this post will center around keeping your aging parent safe.

Let’s get into it.

5 home adjustments to consider before mom moves in

Ramps

Does your elderly loved one uses a wheelchair or walker? Consider building a ramp to the house so it’s easier for them to come in and out of the house.

Ramps can vary in cost.

Here’s a video on how to create a simple accessible ramp.

Stair lift

If you plan on having mom in an upstairs bedroom, you might want to consider a stair lift that helps them move up and down the stairs.

Bathroom railings

People are more likely to fall in the bathroom. Life-threatening injuries can happen as a result of these falls.

Therefore, anything you can do to make your bathroom more safe is always welcome.

If your bathtub or shower doesn’t have railings, consider building 1-2 railings in the bathroom that your loved one can hold on to.

A bathroom or shower chair is another helpful piece you can have in the bathroom to prevent falls.

Night lights

We’ve all woken up at night to use the bathroom only to bump our toes painfully against the edge of the bed.

Or worse, step on a child’s toy!

These seemingly innocuous accidents could prove dangerous for a loved one.

So having night lights that come on when your loved one gets up to use the restroom is helpful.

A better lit pathway will reduce the probability of a fall.

Consider a downstairs bedroom

If trekking up and down the staircase will be a problem, you might consider building a downstairs bedroom.

This is an expensive undertaking but could be helpful for your loved one.

Found this post useful?

Share it with someone who needs to prepare before Mom (or Dad) moves in with them.

Preparing to live with aging parents?

Your parents are not getting any younger.

And you’d like to keep them out of a nursing home. Or perhaps, they want to continue enjoying their family while they can.

And so the choice is clear: your parents will be coming to live with you.

How do you prepare for something like this?

What can you expect?

In today’s post, I will share how you can prepare emotionally to live with your parents in their old age.

How to prepare emotionally to live with your aging parents

Discuss your differences openly

The reality is that we are all individuals with personalities as different as each snowflake in a snow storm.

This is important to come to grips. It is common for children and parents to butt heads about opinions and how things should be done.

Secondly, you and your parents come from different eras.

The ways things were done in the 60’s is very different from how it’s done now. It doesn’t always necessarily make a thing right or wrong.

And so having an open discussion with your parent or parents about these differences in tastes, personality and choices is something you might want to do before and during the time your parents live with you.

Settle past squabbles

Life is hard enough.

Add in a constant quarrel or unresolved matters and it gets even more complicated.

Almost every person on the planet has had a disagreement with their parents that didn’t go well.

If your parents are coming to live with you, now might be the time to hash the issue out and let forgiveness reign.

This sounds that a lofty goal but I promise it will reduce a lot of stress once you’re living with your parents.

Speaking to a counselor may help in some instances.

Talk about money

Do your parents have outstanding debts to pay off?

Do they have money in a retirement account?

Life insurance? Assets you don’t know about?

Now may be the time to talk to them about finances.

It’s important to know about all of these for several reasons including:

These finances could help pay for certain home care and medical needs your parents have. This will reduce financial stress on you.
If your parents have outstanding debts, it will give you the opportunity to talk to them and perhaps the financial institutions involved on a how to resolve it.
If there are still bills your parents are paying off, it will help you and them make decisions when it comes to paying those bills.

Health conditions

If your parent is coming to live with you with a medical condition, this is something to prepare for as well.

Cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia can take a serious toll on family members.

Educate yourself as much as you can on the condition your parent has.

Look in your community for resources like support groups for people who are dealing with similar conditions.

Looking for community resources can also lead you to find resources that will help your parents as well.

For instance, you may find an adult day care center or a service that offers respite so you can take time off for yourself.

Take it one day at a time

Remember the phrase: Rome wasn’t built in a day?

Well, it is true of many situations and preparing to live with your aging parents is one of them.

When you walk into a new situation, realize that things could be difficult at first.

However, as the days go by and you get better at caring for your loved one and hiring the necessary help as needed, things will get better, overall.

So give yourself space and time to grow into this new situation of living with your aging parents.

Did you find this post helpful?

Share it with someone as they prepare to live with aging parents.

Do you have a loved one who is now bedridden?

In today’s post, I am going to talk about 7 ways you can provide excellent care of your bedridden loved one.

7 ways to take excellent care of your bedridden loved one

Personal hygiene is a must

Personal hygiene is an absolute must when you have a loved one who is bound to their bed.

Giving a bed bath everyday is important and in this post, we go into details on how to give the best bed bath.

In addition to bed baths, oral care is important. Bring a toothbrush, toothpaste and a basin to the bed side so your loved one can brush their teeth. Keep mouthwash handy so they can wash their mouth in between meals.

You will also have to make sure your loved one has clean clothes they can wear everyday so they don’t feel uncomfortable throughout the day.

Turn them and help them move about in bed everyday

Obviously, one of the biggest challenges for someone who is bedridden is the lack of movement.

Thus, it’s up to you as the caregiver to help your loved one move about in bed.

Moving will help with blood circulation and will keep muscles from atrophy.

Muscle atrophy happens when people don’t use their muscles groups and so those muscles become weak and the cells begin to die.

You can help your loved one with range of motion exercises where you move their arms and legs for them.

If they can sit up in bed, you could help them sit up and help them turn from side to side.

Helping your loved one move about in bed is also important because it prevents bed sores from happening.

Bed sores are notoriously hard to treat and so the best way to treat them is to prevent them.

Help them get the best nutrition

While they’re bedridden, it’s important that your loved one gets the best nutrition.

Like I mentioned above, lying down in bed makes a person more likely to have muscle atrophy and increased the likelihood of bed sores.

Making sure your loved one eats a balanced diet and gets the dietary supplements they need will improve their overall health.

You also want to make sure they are drinking enough fluids so they’re not dehydrated.

Ventilate the room and keep it clean

It’s hard to be in one place all day everyday for weeks.

You can help your loved one overcome the feeling of being cooped up by making sure you keep the room well ventilated. This is especially important during the warmer months.

Open up the windows. Use bright curtains to add color to the room. Adjust the temperature as needed so they’re comfortable.

It’s also important to keep clutter out of the way and have a room that so generally clean to live in.

Music can create a happier environment

Music therapy is an interesting emerging field that seems to improve people’s health.

In fact, music therapy might even be useful in improving the emotional and social responses of people with Alzheimer’s Disease.

So play your loved one’s favorite music in their room to keep the environment cheerful.

Get the whole family involved

Involve the grandchildren and any other family member who is willing in caring for your loved one.

This can be a way to bring the family closer. And your loved one will get to continue to enjoy being a part of the family unit.

Home medical supplies

Your local home medical supply store can provide you with everything you need to take excellent care of your loved one at home.

Read this post to learn which home medical supplies you should have on hand.

Make sure to take care of the caregiver too

As a caregiver, taking care of a loved one who is bedridden is hard.

Perhaps you may not even be able to work because of the situation.

And so emotionally and financially, this can be taxing. Make sure you’re taking care of you as well.

For tips on how to take care of yourself as a caregiver, read this post.

Enjoyed this post?

Consider sharing it with someone caring for a bedridden loved one.

Staying active as you age is crucial for many reasons.

First of all, it can delay cognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Secondly, it helps to keep your heart healthy which can also mean you stay at a healthy weight.

And then of course, staying active is really great for your mental health as well. Scientists show in several studies that endorphins are a group of brain chemicals released when we exercise. These chemicals interact with your brain cells to give you a sense of well-being.

This is why you usually feel great after an exercise regimen.

Additionally, staying active could be a great way for you to meet new people. Every human being needs meaningful human interaction to thrive.

Retirement and getting older usually means kids have moved away and you’re not talking to as many people any more during your day.

This is where staying active could fill in the gap and have you meeting people throughout your day.

So how exactly can you stay active?

Let’s explore some of those ways.

Staying active as you age – Tips and resources to help you get it done

Volunteer

Ah, you thought I was going to suggest some type of exercise first, huh? That will come later but I first wanted to talk about volunteering as a way to stay active.

When you no longer have to dress up and go to work, it can feel that there’s something missing in your life.

It’s common to see people become depressed and even develop health conditions that had been at bay right after retirement.

The truth is, we all need a sense of purpose.

And even though we don’t like to admit it, for most of us, a job gives us a sense of purpose.

If you treat volunteer opportunities like a job, it can become the thing you look forward to when you wake up each morning.

Apart from that, volunteering is a great way to meet new people and build relationships.

And let’s not forget the impact you’ll be making with your volunteer work!

Looking for volunteering ideas? Check out this post I wrote on volunteer ideas for seniors if you live in San Diego.

You could volunteer for/at:

Local events – They usually need help setting up and tearing down and all kinds of odd jobs. You can help here.
Hospitals are always looking for volunteers to fill in various roles.
Some cities have volunteer police departments that are staffed by seniors
Your local church, community center or charitable organization.

Sign up for an exercise class

A local gym or community center near you may have exercise classes you can sign up for.

Some of these places have deeply discounted prices for seniors. You might even find that these classes are free for seniors.

Signing up for a class that will start and end on specific dates will give you something to put on your calendar to look forward to.

Sign up for a local sports team

Are local sports teams looking for team-mates to play?

You can stay active by joining a local sports team.

Start a new hobby

Knitting and gardening are not the only hobbies out there.

Have you always wanted to learn to play an instrument?

This is your chance. Learning something new creates new pathways in your brain and can contribute to your cognitive health.

With more people getting online and at older ages, there are people who will appreciate your perspective if you started a blog, YouTube channel or podcast!

Join or start your own book club

Love books? Join or start your own book club around a genre of books or just any type of book in general.

The conversations that are stimulated around reading books can be very stimulating.

These are just a handful of ideas for staying active as you age.

Did any one of these spark some ideas for you?

Share it with someone else looking to stay active as they age.

You’re worried about Mom or Dad living alone.

You live far away and have a job that won’t allow you to provide the care they need.

And they want to be able to continue in the home they’ve known for years.

How do you reconcile all of these?

One of the best ways is to work with a professional and licensed home care agency.

But just like anything else, it’s important to count the cost before you hire a home care agency.

And perhaps you’re reading this because you’re worried that home care will be expensive.

If this is you, you’re in the right place.

In this post, I’ll go over 5 ways you could get the money you need to pay for home care.

5 ways to pay for home care

Medicaid

Depending on the state and whether your loved one meets income and medical needs requirement, Medicaid could pay for home care.

In those states where Medicaid does pay for in-home care, your loved one may have to have severe physical or mental limitations to qualify.

If you think your aging loved one meets these requirements, you can call Medicaid directly to find out what you’ll need to get that assistance.

Long term insurance

Ask your loved one or investigate to see if they have long-term health care insurance. This could pay for some of your home care costs.

The PACE program

PACE stands for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

It is a Medicaid and Medicare program that is aimed at keeping the elderly out of nursing homes.

In order to qualify, your loved one has to “in need of nursing home-level services”.

If you live in an area where PACE is offered and your elderly loved needs to meet the following criteria to be eligible.

You must have Medicaid or Medicare to join PACE
Age must be 55 or older
Must be able to live safely with the help of PACE
And as I mentioned above, they must need nursing home-level care

PACE will cover:

Home care
Adult day care
Nursing home care
Nutritional counseling
Occupational therapy
Physical therapy
Prescription drugs
Preventative services
Social work counseling

So if your loved one already has Medicaid or Medicare

Veterans Benefits

If your loved one served in any section of the United States Armed Forces, they may qualify for services including home care services.

Call the Veteran Affairs Administration directly for details on how to access those benefits.

State and community-based services and waivers

Your state or local community may have services that allow your aging loved one to continue to thrive at home.

This can include financial assistance.

Your state’s and local department of health and human resources can help you locate these services.

Do you need home care? Or is it home health care you need?

Even though people have historically used these terms interchangeably, they are not.

You are probably doing the research and finding it overwhelming.

Which one do you need? What does each entail?

You’re in the right place!

In today’s post, we will look at home care versus home health care, what each one of them means and what you can expect depending on the path you need.

The Difference

Home care

Home care focuses on helping you or your loved one to age in place. As more people age and more choices become available, people want to be able to continue to stay in their homes instead of going to live in a nursing home or assisted living community. The benefits of choosing a professional home care agency that sends home care aides to your home include:

- You receive personalized care and assistance. Nobody is rushing off to help someone else.
- You can get help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing up and toileting.
- Depending on the home care agency, you can also get transportation assistance.
- Light-housekeeping is also something you would be able to enjoy with the right home care agency.
- Companionship – Need to go to the store, a home care aide can help with that.

And so essentially, home care allows you to enjoy your life they way you’ve lived it for years…but with extra help so you can get it all done.

It is important to know that while home care aides typically have some training, they are not medical professionals and so cannot perform those duties.

If there is a medical condition for which you or your loved one needs the corresponding medical care, home health care is the choice you would make.

Home Health Care

Home health care is an excellent choice for you or your loved one if you have a medical condition that requires it and a doctor prescribes it.

That’s right.

In most states, you need a doctor to prescribe home health care in order to get it.

In this instance, you will most likely to be interacting with healthcare professionals such as registered nurses, physical therapists and certified nurses’ aides.

With home care, you can expect the following types of care:

Medication administration
Wound care
Physical therapy
Medical equipment monitoring
Nursing care – a registered nurse under the direction of a medical doctor will set up a plan of care for people recovering from an illness or who need in-home medical monitoring
Occupational therapy
Speech therapy
Medical social services – A medical social worker may be assigned to a case to be the case manager. In this case, they will help to coordinate all the services you or your loved one needs.
Nutritional support
Pharmaceutical services

And this is just a handful of services you can receive when you receive home health care.

As you can see, home health care is involves a lot more than home care.

How do I know if I need home care or home health care?

If you have recently been admitted to the hospital or had surgery and need extra care at home to help you recover, you will most likely need home health care.

Home health care is usually a short-term solution unlike home care which could be a long-term arrangement.

On the other hand, if you just need the type of care that allows you to continue thriving in your home and need minimal medical assistance, home care is the choice for you.

I hope this will be helpful to you and clarifies which type of care; home care and home health care; you might need.

“Check on your friends who are caring for their aging parents. We are not okay.”

This was a post a Facebook friend of mine created recently.

This friend is in her late twenties and is currently caring for her parents.

Her statement made me sad, however, her situation is very common.

According to the National Alliance on Care-giving and the AARP, 48% of caregivers are between the ages of 18-49 years old.

You’d like to enjoy your youth but at the same time, you have the responsibility of taking care of a loved one who depends on you.

What should you do?

How do you cope?

In today’s post, I’ll discuss some of the steps you can take to ensure you’re taking the best care of yourself while caring for your loved one.

Caring for the caregiver – Tips for younger caregivers

Join a support group

Whether you realize it or not, we all need support. We all do.

And especially when the responsibility of caring for an aging loved one is one you bear.

So look for support communities both online and offline where you can interact with other people going through the same things.

You will find resources in these communities you never knew about.

Plus there is the potential to form meaningful relationships that will help your mental health.

Speak to a counselor or therapist

Seeing a counselor or therapist does not mean there is something wrong with you.

Just like you get regular check ups for your physical body, it is good to get regular check ups for your mind as well.

This is where a trained mental health professional like a counselor or therapist can help you.

While there are several frameworks a mental health professional can guide you through, it does help to know that there is someone you can chat with about what you’re going through emotionally.

Look for resources from your local and state governments

Your local and state governments may have resources you can tap into.

As a caregiver, your ability to take certain jobs could greatly affect how much money you can make.

This can definitely put a financial strain on the family and be stressful.

Your local and/or state government may have resources like respite (so you can take some time off for yourself) or financial incentives for people like you. It’s worth doing your research on these types of resources.

Discuss your situation with your boss

It doesn’t hurt to discuss your situation with your boss and come to an agreement about what your work hours and responsibilities should be.

During this time, you may still need to depend on your job for an income to support yourself and your loved one.

Remote work is becoming more and more acceptable in the workplace.

If your work is something you can carry out from home, discuss it with them.

If remote work is not something they’re willing to consider, how about switching your hours?

Here’s the deal: if there is anything that can be done about your work situation to support your caregiver role, don’t hesitate to ask.

You just never know what could come out of that conversation.

What financial provisions does your aging loved one have? Find out.

Do they have a retirement fund? A savings account? Some other financial investment that could support your care-giving role?

How about healthcare plans like Medicare and Medicaid?

Ask your loved ones and work with them so that you can use this money to support them as well.

Take time out to do things for yourself.

I know.

This suggestion is a difficult one.

Between your work life and taking care of your loved one at home, where are you supposed to find the time to take care of yourself?

This may require some creativity on your part.

You may ask a friend or another family member to help out.

You could depend on respite services for help.

Or you could hire a professional home care service like our care aides at Green Tree Home Care to help you out.

Whichever path you choose, you have to realize that doing things for yourself will rejuvenate you so you can be a better caregiver.

Those are my tips for younger caregivers.

Are you a younger caregiver? Do you know someone who is? Did you find these tips for younger caregivers useful?

Share this post with someone so they know they’re not alone.