Blog - Page 18 of 22 - Green Tree Home Care

No matter what age you are, downsizing is a difficult transition.

There is therefore no doubt that downsizing your elderly loved one’s home in preparation for a move to live with you or a move to live at a nursing home is difficult.

In this post, we will go over how you as a caregiver, can make downsizing a home as painless as possible for your elderly loved one.

Downsizing a Home – How to Make it as Painless as Possible

Downsizing and moving a home you have lived in for 20, 30 or 40 years is not a light issue.

When you add in a sense of a loss of control, things get sticky quickly.

As a caregiver, it is important for you to realize that no matter how you slice and sautee it, downsizing will take an emotional toll on you and your elderly loved one.

Have an open discussion

The road to an efficient downsizing and moving transition is paved with discussion.

If there is enough time to prepare, I recommend that the conversation starts at least 3 months before the actual event.

People do need time to grieve losses. Getting rid of items that have sentimental value and moving out of a home triggers a sense of loss in many ways.

First, there is the loss of the physical items.

And then, there is a fear of the loss of the memories those items represent.

Last but not least, there is a sense where the elderly adult begins to feel a sense of loss of control over their very lives.

Those are heavy emotions to navigate.

Having an open discussion will help them come to terms with what is happening and give them an opportunity to psychologically let go.

During the discussion:

Mention clearly why downsizing and moving have become necessary for them. Perhaps they currently struggle to move around or they are forgetting to take their medication. Be kind but clear that you have their best interests at heart.
Ask them how they feel about downsizing and moving. As I mentioned already, the introduction of this topic will already make an older adult feel like they are losing control over their life. It is therefore important they their input is taken seriously during this discussion.
Discuss a plan with them. Once you have their input, it is time to discuss a plan. I’ll expand on that below.

The plan to downsize (PLUS A CHECKLIST)

Having the discussion ahead of time also gives you a long period over which to spread downsizing.

Chances are that you will have to go through a number of possessions that have been accumulated over the years.

Giving yourself time to sort through and get rid of things reduces the stress felt by everyone.

You can print off the checklist below to make sure you help your loved one downsize efficiently.

Make a list of what your loved one would absolutely love to keep. It makes it easier when it comes to getting rid of sentimental items. Have a notebook where you make important notes on what they want to keep.
Set a firm date for completion of the downsize and/or move. This gives everyone a deadline to work towards.
Start by going through the house room by room. It helps to make the de-cluttering and clean up process easier.
Get rid of the unimportant things first. Expired food, drinks and medications in shelves can cabinets can be tossed first.
Get rid of or donate old clothes and books. Goodwill, churches/places of worship and The Salvation Army are good places to start donating.
Alternatively, you can help your elderly loved one start a yard/estate sale to make some money off their old items.
Shred old/cancelled checks, banks statements older than 7 years or any other document that is outdated but which has sensitive information on them. Avoid senior scams!
Locate and collect important documents like wills and Advance Directives. These need to be stored securely if possible in a safe deposit box until it is needed.
Keep de-cluttering for a few hours each week and remember to keep things lively and stress-free.

Selling the home, vehicles and changing addresses

Do they need to sell their house? You will need to speak with a real estate agent and make arrangements for listing, showing and finally selling the home.
File a change of address at the post-office for your loved one so they don’t miss any important mail. You may also have to change their address directly with banks, financial institutions (if they have investments), insurance companies and publication subscriptions. This is a good time to cancel any of these mailings your loved one will no longer need.
Vehicles can also be donated or sold.
If there are pets involved, make sure to have plans for them too.
Cancel utilities like gas and water.
If it is financially feasible, get in touch with professional movers. Otherwise, get the help of friends and family to help with the final move.

Items that have sentimental value

Because sentimental items can be a point of contention, it is best if you do this last.

If you have already made a list of items they want to keep, this should make things easy.

But do expect resistance against getting rid of certain items like heirlooms and even things as simple as particular clothing their children wore.

Closing Thoughts

Downsizing your elderly loved one’s life to a few suitcases and boxes is an immensely difficult decision.

Having a candid discussion and a solid plan ahead of them makes the transition easier.

In this post, I gave you a check-list you can print out and use to help your loved one downsize and move with grace and dignity.

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Caregiver stress is more common than you think.

As a family caregiver you are like a frog in a pot of water. The heat keeps rising but you stay put taking on more and more stress and responsibility.

When do you get a break as a caregiver?

Does the cycle ever end?

Caregiver Stress-The Statistics

According to the National Alliance on Caregiving 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.

And they were actively involved in communicating with the medical and nursing teams that might be involved in the care of their loved one.

As you can already see unemployment (and hence financial difficulty), old age and the responsibility of making sure the other person is alright are just “tip of the iceberg” catalysts for caregiver stress.

Thankfully, you don’t have to navigate this alone.

The best caregivers take care of themselves.

Check out these five tips for staying sane and taking care of yourself as a caregiver.

Give yourself permission to do something for yourself

Have you ever thought you are the only person who could possibly provide your loved one with the best care?

Or felt guilty that you took an hour to enjoy something for yourself?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are that you are experiencing caregiver guilt.

Caregiver guilt is an underlying reason for caregiver stress and it is important to recognize it when you begin to feel it.

It is alright to take a day off from care-giving to do something you love.

It could be:

Enjoying the company of a friend for a few hours
Taking a walk to the park to enjoy the outdoors
A hike on a nearby trail
A trip to the mall

It could be anything, really.

The point here is that you as a caregiver need to find something that gives you a relaxing outlet; something which takes your mind off your responsibilities for at least a few hours.

A relaxed mind and body will be rejuvenated and you will be able to give your loved one the best kind of care after you’ve done that for yourself.

Get help

Taking a day off your care-giving responsibilities is possible if you get help.

Do you need to hire home care assistance for a day or a few days each month?

If your insurance plan allows for it, go for it!

Research community resources

Tied into the point above, you should research community resources that allow you to take sometime to care for yourself.

So many local and state resources for the elderly go unused each year.

You might find out that there is a locally-sponsored adult day-care, opportunities for respite care- a local professional comes to your home for a few hours to relieve you of your duties.

A website that is handy when it comes to finding these types of resources is is Eldercare.gov.

Master your mental health

Mental health of caregivers is a serious topic that we don’t talk about often.

Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental health problems among caregivers.

Just like you take care of your physical body by eating healthy foods and drinking more water, it is important to take care of your mental health.

Some common signs that you’re struggling with your mental health include:

Loss of energy
You lose interest in your environment: people, events, work and even everyday tasks you used to enjoy no longer excite you.
Sadness that lasts beyond two weeks. There is legitimate grief that happens with a major loss such as a death in the family or the loss of a job. If the sadness you are experiencing lasts beyond 2 weeks and begins to interfere with your daily activities, you need to speak to someone.
You have problems concentrating.
Start noticing changes in your sleep pattern.
Changes in sex drive
Persistent thoughts of harming yourself and/or others
The inability to handle daily problems and stress. For instance, crying over an issue that is easily solvable but which now becomes overwhelming due to the presence of a mental illness
You begin to have thoughts of harming yourself and others.

The moment you begin to experience one or two of these symptoms that lasts more than 2 weeks, you should talk to a mental health professional

A mental health professional will be able to help you navigate your feelings and will provide you with the best course of action for your particular situation.

Mental health resources

Here are some free mental health resources you can check out.

Check to see if your local city as a mental health department. If they do, call them up.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance will help you locate local support groups for people struggling with these mental health issues.
Daily Strength provides an online support forum for people who have thoughts of harming themselves.
Are you or a spouse a veteran? The Veteran’s Administration has mental health resources for veterans to help them cope with different difficulties.

Manage your physical health

Last but not least, it is important to manage your physical health as a caregiver.

As we’ve established, a stressed out, tired and not to mention sick vessel cannot be of much help to anyone else.

Thus, it is essential that you are exercising on a daily basis, eating healthy food and checking in with your personal doctor often.

Exercise for instance releases a group of chemical in your brain known as endorphins.

Endorphins interact with your brain cells to provide you with a sense of well-being.

And when your mind and body are in the right place, you can indeed be the best type of caregiver for your loved one.

Closing Thoughts

Caregiver stress is real.

Never feel like you are being selfish for wanting to take care of yourself so that your loved one can in turn get the best care.

You work hard and you absolutely deserve it.

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When your loved one is admitted to the hospital, it is a stressful situation for you and them.

Hospitalization is sometimes unavoidable, however.

There is an event that happens when the hospitalization over that should be taken seriously.

That event is discharge planning.

In this post, I will go over why you need to take discharge planning seriously. And how you can work to create a discharge plan yo and your loved one will follow through on.

Discharge planning: Why it is so important

You should take discharge planning seriously because a proper discharge plan and follow-through will increase the chances of your loved one staying out of the hospital.

When your loved one is hospitalized, chances are you will have to miss work which makes you less productive. Hospitalizations are also expensive and can cause financial stress. And let’s not forget hospital-acquired infections which happen just because your loved one was admitted.

Needless to say, one hospitalization is enough.

As a caregiver or family member, one of your goals after hospitalization is to keep your loved one out of the hospital as much as possible.

In fact, there is research to show that excellent planning and good follow-up can improve patientsʼ health, reduce readmission, and decrease healthcare costs.

Not all hospitals are good at discharge planning. Because of staffing issues, discharges may be done hastily. Important issues are missed when this happens.

This is why you cannot leave discharge planning entirely to hospital staff.

The truth is that while there are standards set forth by the American Medical Association and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), not all hospitals follow through with these standards.

It is therefore up to you to take up the charge.

Discharge planning done right

As I said, you cannot leave discharge planning entirely to hospital staff.

As a caregiver/family member, you are most familiar with your loved one’s medical history.

This knowledge is invaluable when it comes to crafting a discharge plan that suits your loved one’s needs.

Thus, the first step to ensuring a smooth discharge panning process is to discuss the discharge plans with the medical team at the hospital.

Topics that you can discuss with the medical team at the hospital include:

Your willingness or ability to take care of your loved one after discharge. Perhaps you have a full-time job and you will not be able to provide hands-on care after discharge. Make sure you discuss this with them. Hospitals have social workers can connect you with home care agencies who can step in.

Your financial situation is something worth discussing with the discharge team. If you work outside the home and have to hire help, this is an additional financial cost. Social workers at the hospital can connect you with community resources you can take advantage of if money is an issue.

Special medications or herbs that your loved one takes at home. If there are medications, natural remedies or herbs your loved one takes at home, it is important to discuss this with the discharge team. Dangerous chemical interactions can occur between a prescribed drug and a natural remedy. The last thing you want is for a serious injury or death to occur because of a dangerous drug interaction after discharge from the hospital with a prescription. Medscape has a detailed list of dangerous drug interactions you can look up here.

Special considerations during discharge planning

If your loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia, you will need to be present for all discharge instructions. These conditions will also affect discharge instructions and so need to be discussed so that the best care suitable for your loved one is provided.

If they underwent surgery and so have a wound that needs to be cared for, ask for clear instructions on how to do this. If possible, ask that you practice this at the hospital at least once before your loved one is sent home.

As a caregiver and family member, you are entitled to ask any questions during this time.

Don’t be shy or feel stupid about asking any questions.

A seemingly “stupid” question could save the life of your loved one.

Some of these questions you can ask include:

Are there side effects of prescribed drugs?
What can I expect after this surgery/treatment?
Causes for alarm. What should I watch out for?
Are there any follow-up appointments? Where do we set those up?
Can they have people visiting them starting today?
Will we need a hospital bed at home?
Can I get a print-out of the instructions you have just given me?
Should we be avoiding certain foods?
Do we need special instructions because my relative has Alzheimerʼs or memory loss?
What is a number I can call if I have additional questions?

Asking these types of questions ensures you get tailored answers for your loved one’s situation and decreases the chances of them being readmitted.

If your loved one is being discharged from the hospital to a rehab facility, all these questions are still necessary. Getting these questions answered means that you can ensure the next facility is doing the right thing while your loved one is there.

Closing Thoughts

Discharge planning after hospitalization is important. It is best if you take the lead in ensuring the best discharge decisions are made for your loved one.

This reduces costs. It also prevents readmission.

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San Diego palliative care. What is it?

A serious illness does not just affect a person physically.

It can adversely affect a person’s sense of self-worth and what it means for them to be productive members of society.

A serious illness can affect a person’s ability to eat and enjoy family events. It can affect the ability to do the basic activities of daily living like using the bathroom, taking a shower and putting on clothes.

These serious illnesses are debilitating and can leave individuals feeling depressed.

That is where palliative care comes in.

Palliative care is care that is given during a serious illness to help the person feel better physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

The ultimate goal with palliative care is to provide comfort that helps improve a person’s quality of life throughout the course of the serious illness.

Serious illnesses that may require palliative care include:

Cancer
Heart disease
Lung disease
Kidney failure
Dementia
Alzheimer’s Disease
HIV/AIDS

While receiving palliative care, people can still receive curative care for the disease from a regular doctor.

Occasionally, palliative care is confused with hospice.

Although palliative care and hospice care are similar concepts, they are not the same thing.

Palliative care is provided for people to receive comfort during their serious illness, as we established above.

On the other hand, hospice care is provided to people who are expected to live for 6 more months or less.

Who provides palliative care?

Different aspects of palliative care can be provided by a number of healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, physical therapists, registered dietitians and social workers.

Home health and home care agencies can also provide you and your loved one with palliative care.

In San Diego, you can rely on GreenTree Home Care for palliative care if need be.

Does your loved one need it?

Determining if your loved one needs palliative care is a collective decision.

You cannot force it on your loved one.

The decision to start palliative care however is made simpler if there is an advance directive.

An advance directive is a legal document that states what decisions should be made during a serious illness. Palliative care measures can be included in an advance directive.

In the case where the advance directive names a healthcare proxy- the healthcare proxy can decide if palliative care is right.

*A healthcare proxy is a person who is appointed in an advance directive to take crucial healthcare decisions should the seriously ill person become incapable of making healthcare decisions. Such an instance includes if the person becomes unconscious because of their illness.

If an advance directive does not exist however, and the person is conscious, you can have this important conversation with them.

During this conversation, it is important not to force your will or ideas on your loved one.

If a family doctor is present during this conversation, this is great.

The doctor will be able to explain the healthcare implications of receiving palliative care.

It is also important to listen to what your loved one is saying during this conversation.

Not everybody wants palliative care. Even though, research shows that it is beneficial.

If your loved one communicates this to you, respect it.

On the other hand, if they decide to go for palliative care, you can make arrangements with the healthcare practitioners taking care of your loved to start care as soon as possible.

How to pay for San Diego palliative care

One of the reasons people never even look into palliative care is because they are afraid of facing more financial responsibilities.

You will be glad to know however that palliative care is covered by Medicare Part B and Medicaid.

Some private insurance companies cover it too.

You can reach out to your insurance’s customer service or you can reach Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE and Medicaid at 877-267-2323.

Find out what the options are to pay for palliative care from these sources so your loved one can receive the quality care they need.

Closing Thoughts

Choosing palliative care does not mean a person has given up on life.

Nor does it mean a person is going to die.

Choosing palliative care can in fact be the reason why a person with an otherwise debilitating disease gets to enjoy life in spite of their serious illness.

If you found this post helpful, make sure to bookmark it and share it with someone else who is asking questions about receiving palliative care.

You know you should have advance directives drafted as part of your estate plan, but what do they address?

Learn why they are essential essential estate documents and what protections they provide.

What is an advance directive?

According to the National Library of Medicine, an advance directive is a legal document that outlines your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time.

An advance directive allows you to to tell your family, friends, caregivers and healthcare providers exactly what you want when you cannot make your own healthcare decisions.

In fact, there is research that shows that people who document their end-of-life care in an advance directive are more likely to receive the kind of care they want at the end of their life than people who don’t.

When should you think about advance directives?

Advance directives are not for aging adults only.

The truth is that a medical crisis can hit at any age.

Thus, you can draft an advance directive at any point in your life and you most certainly have permission to change it around as you please.

However, since this blog focuses on the elderly and helping them live their best lives, a lot of the information here will pertain to that.

Decisions that could require advance directives

Decisions that require an advance directive come up when emergency healthcare decisions to keep you alive come up.

These would include:

The use of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). If you stop breathing suddenly or you are found with a low or irregular pulse, you may receive CPR. During CPR, emergency technicians and other healthcare professionals will have to push repeatedly on your chest to get your heart beating again. A side effect of CPR include broken ribs. CPR is also usually less effective in older adults who have multiple health conditions.

The use of feeding machines which will deliver nutrition to your stomach mechanically when you are in an unconscious state.

Ventilator (life machine) use to help you breathe while unconscious. A tube is connected from the life machine to the patient down the throat and into the trachea. Because this is uncomfortable, the patient will be sedated with medicine. If a patient is going to be kept on a ventilator for a long time, a tracheotomy will have to be performed. During this procedure, doctors will create a small hole in the neck and into your trachea (breathing tube).

Comfort care during end of life. Comfort care is anything you would like done to relieve discomfort during end-of-life care. This includes administering pain medicine.

Organ or tissue donation. You can draft an advance directive that communicates what you want to happen to your organs after you die. People with peculiar conditions have sometimes donated their organs to research to advance the quest to find effective treatments.

How to draft advance directives (and what should be in them)

First, talk with your doctor

Now let’s talk about how you draft an advance directive.

The first step is to think about what kind of care you would like to receive in an emergency medical situation.

I advice that you have this conversation with your doctor and another loved one present. This will ensure that you understand the underlying medical reasons for your advance directive.

Medicare or your private health insurance may cover advance directive planning appointments like this.

During this chat with your doctor, your medical history as well as your family medical history will help in the decision-making process.

Consider what is important to you

During your advance directive planning, it is also important to consider your values and what is important to you.

Perhaps during a medical emergency it would mean a lot to you to kept alive as medically possible because you want to attend a grandchild’s wedding.

Or perhaps you would like to take a picture with your great-grandchild before it’s all said and done.

You are absolutely allowed to include this in your planning process.

As a caregiver or loved one, it is important that you listen

The truth is that none of us like to think about death.

Planning for it is even more uncomfortable for a lot of people.

As a caregiver or the loved one of an elderly person, while the conversation surrounding advance directives is uncomfortable, I encourage you to listen.

Don’t become critical or think that end-of-life care talk will somehow hasten the death of your loved one.

Paying attention to their wishes communicates that you care about a subject your loved one cares about and will help them draft an advance directive they are happy with.

Once the discussions are done, put everything in writing

Time to write everything down.

And as a matter of fact, an advance directive comprises of a few documents.

A living will
A durable power of attorney
Other advance care planning documents

A living will is the document where you communicate your choices and preferences concerning healthcare decisions if you are unable to make them.

A durable power of attorney is the legal document where you declare who your healthcare proxy is. A healthcare proxy is a person makes healthcare decisions on your behalf. You can declare a healthcare proxy in addition to or instead of your living will.

Other advance care planning documents could include anything from the decision to not resuscitate (DNR) in particular instances versus others.

A lawyer can help you create these documents but it is not necessary.

Some states have their own advance care planning documents you can download and fill out.

You can also use the Eldercare Locator website- this is a government website- or call their number at 1-800-677-1116 to help you locate advance care planning services in your locality.

It is best to have this document witnessed and stamped by a notary public for extra authenticity.

The advance directive should then be kept in a safe place.

Don’t forget to let a trusted friend or loved one (possibly your healthcare proxy) know where you have your advance directive kept.

Closing Thoughts

Talking about death is uncomfortable.

However setting up an advance directive that spells out your wishes for end-of-life care will avoid confusion and conflict later on.

If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it with someone else.

Dementia care is about meeting a person’s emotional needs where they are.

Check out these dementia care activities to engage your loved one and create fun!

Why Activities Help

Dementia can cause people to withdraw from activities and shrink back from daily life and interaction.

As a caregiver, we understand that it can be challenging to get older adults with dementia to mingle or get involved.

While getting your elderly loved one involved in activities does not necessarily slow down the rate of dementia, activities will improve their quality of life.

Games, housework and some of the other activities we will discuss in this post will help with:

Lessening agitation
Reducing the chances of depression
Get them moving so they don’t get pressure ulcers or circulatory problems from sitting in one spot all day

So even if your elderly loved one seems to be declining because of dementia, getting them involved in activities will enhance their lives.

Factors To Consider In Designing Dementia Care Activities

As you design fun dementia care activities for your loved one who has dementia, you will realize that some activities stick better than others.

You should expect this and plan more activities that revolve around those that bring your elderly loved one joy.

Here are 5 factors to consider as you begin planning out activities.

Consider their old habits. Research shows that we form habits in a primitive part of our brains called the brain stem. In fact, in a series of studies by researchers at the University of California- San Diego, they found out that a patient with severe dementia was still able to carry out activities he had practiced for years even though he was not sure how he was doing them. Those old habits were still stored in the patient’s brain. It is a very likely situation for your loved one as well.
Make activities failure free. If your elderly loved one is always “losing” at a game and you point it out, it could make for awkwardness and unwillingness to participate in anything.
Keep the activities simple. Too many people or too much noise could be frustrating for a dementia patient.
Select the best time of day for activities with your loved one. Are they more energetic in the mornings? A physical activity may be more appropriate then. Reading a book or watching a movie together may be more appropriate as an evening activity.
Choose the activities they enjoy. As I mentioned before, find the dementia care activities that stick and create a routine around them. This makes for more predictability.

5 Fun Dementia Care Activities

1- Exercise

Exercise has benefits no matter who you are.

As a caregiver, you can help your elderly loved one take a walk or lift weights (with caution and perhaps with lighter weights).

Whatever activity you settle on must be safe and not place them in physical danger.

Because dementia patients can be unaware of self, it is important to keep physical activities safe.

2- Crafts

Browsing Pinterest will give you an endless stream of ideas for crafts.

If there was already a craft they were into because of habits they have built over the years, reintroduce those crafts to see if your loved one remembers.

Even if they have forgotten, it is likely they can be taught that activity again with ease as compared to a brand new activity they never did before.

Craft ideas include:

Painting with watercolors
Doodling
Coloring pages
Knitting simple patterns
Paper crafts

3- Gardening

Repetitive activity is great for dementia patients.

Turning over the soil, pulling weeds, planting seeds and watering and all repetitive activities when you’re gardening.

And of course, there is the added benefit of seeing all that hard work pay off when the seeds planted grow and flowers or vegetables or harvested.

4- Talk about the things they remember

For most people with dementia, while they may not remember most things, you will realize that they are able to describe events from their past with impressive detail.

If these memories are the kind where they talk about those events with joy, you can engage your elderly loved one in a discussion that gets them to talk more about those events.

5- Perform daily tasks together

Daily activities like cooking, baking, cleaning up after dinner and putting the dishes away can be a another fun activity for patients with dementia.

BONUS ACTIVITY: Music

There is now research that shows the effectiveness of music therapy.

According to this article published by the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, several studies have successfully shown that music therapy does in fact improve the mood and behavior of people with dementia.

To make it even more fun, play music from the era your elderly loved one grew up in.

Closing Thoughts

It is no doubt difficult to have a loved one go through dementia.

While they may not remember certain people or events, they can participate in fun dementia care activities.

These activities will improve their mood and enhance their quality of life.

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According to the National Council on Aging, the most common types of senior scams include:

Medical and health insurance scams
Counterfeit drugs
Funeral and cemetery scams
Fraudulent anti-aging supplements
Telemarketing/phone scams- fake charity calls
Internet scams- this includes e-mail phishing scams
Investment schemes
Homeowner/reverse mortgage scams
Sweepstakes/lottery scams
Grandparent scam- callers pretend to be a grandchild or younger relative who has fallen into an emergency

All these are especially concerning if your senior loved one lives far away from you and you don’t have the opportunity to observe or oversee interactions they may have with potential scammers.

In this post, we’ll talk about the signs of potential senior scams and how you as caregiver/child/loved one can take steps to nip it in the bud.

What you should know about senior scams (According to the FBI)

According to the FBI, scammers target seniors for the following reasons.

Senior citizens are likely to have a “nest egg,” to own their home, and/or to have excellent credit. All of these things make them attractive to con artists.
People who grew up in between the 1930s and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. Unfortunately, scammers exploit this because they know they are less likely to hang up on them over the phone.
Seniors are less likely to report a scam because they don’t know who to report it to. They may also be too ashamed that they got scammed and so not report it.
Victims of senior scams may not report crimes because they are concerned that relatives may think they no longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs.
Scammers know that even when a senior reports a crime, they often make poor witnesses. Con artists know the effects of age on memory, and they are counting on elderly victims not being able to supply enough detailed information to investigators.
Seniors may realize they were scammed weeks or months after the fact. This gives the scammers more time to escape and never be caught.

Seniors are more interested in and susceptible to products promising to boost brain function or improve any aspect of their physical health. Scammers will try to sell them health remedies that are not proven or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

All these factors are the reasons why scammers find it so easy to dupe seniors.

How to spot a senior scam

Scammers commonly use the following tactics.

Your senior loved one tells you that they received a phone call or letter telling them they were a winner of a lottery and that they just need to send in their bank information to claim their winnings.

If the caller is asking for sensitive personal information, 99% of the time, a scam is afoot. Scammers will ask to receive date of birth information, addresses and bank information.

Scammers tell seniors that the offer is “secret”. They will encourage them not to share this “secret” with anyone.

They also provide very little written information. Essentially, if you cannot look up a company website, verify them on social media or find them in online business listings, it is very likely they are scammers. Even if they do have all these in place, it is important to be wary of all the other tactics scammers use.

Scammers like to pressure people to act quickly or “lose the chance of a lifetime”.

If it seems too good to be true, it is. Scammers are sweet-talkers. They are overly nice and will try to sweet-talk seniors into taking their “deal”.

What to do when you spot a senior scam

First of all, the simplest way to avoid a scam is to educate your senior loved one before it happens.

Prevention is always much better than a cure.

Thus, an open discussion with your senior loved one about scams and why they are easy targets for them is the first step to preventing the issue.

Secondly, you can encourage your senior loved one to check with you before they enter into any agreements or contracts with companies they have never dealt with. Offer to be a “second pair of eyes” for them to protect their interest.

It is important to report the case immediately to the police.

These scammers tend to work in a series and it is likely that if they have done once, they have done it before and will do it again. When you report quickly, it increases the chances of their arrest.

Last but not least, hiring the services of a fiduciary is very helpful when it comes to elders managing their funds.

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Few things are more synonymous with the finer things in life than a delicious meal. If you grew up in a household where home cooked meals were a cornerstone of comfort, it can feel jarring when elderly people lose their appetite altogether.

Often changes in appetite set in slowly. Family members may not notice eating changes until there is a health consequence or drastic weight change. Changes in appetite occur throughout life as we age. Some changes are good like moving away from hotdogs and instead choosing broccoli. But, when elderly people rapidly lose weight, there may be underlying health issues that affect nutrition. Malnutrition is the elderly population is a problem. There are things you can do to help your loved one who has lost her appetite.

Visit Your Doctor

When you notice your loved one is not eating or has lost weight, it is time to schedule an appointment with your loved one’s primary care doctor. Changes in cognition or acute illness can suppress appetite and cause drastic weight loss. You doctor may be able to address these physical illnesses and get to the root of what is causing your loved one’s loss of appetite. Your loved one’s doctor may also be able to make nutrition suggestions. Your doctor can also order medical services like home health which may include the support of a nutritionist. You may also want to schedule an appointment with your loved one’s dentist. Poor fitting dentures can cause discomfort and can lead to a decrease in nutritional uptake.

Contract with a Meal Service or Home Care Provider

There are many meal services that cater specifically to the homebound senior community. Some of the meal services have free or reduced meals depending on the financial needs of your loved one. Meals are delivered regularly. Senior centers often have meal programs. These programs meet an important need because they offer nutritious meals and socialization. Some of these senior centers offer transportation services as well. So, even people who have limited transportation can participate. Home care companies like Green Tree Home Care send caregivers into the homes of clients to help with tasks like meal preparation. Depending on the wishes of the client and family caregivers can prepare home cooked meals to the clients task. Caregivers can also dine with clients to encourage eating and socialization.

Plan to Eat Together

Eating is a social event! Sometimes elderly people lose their appetite when they feel lonely or depressed. Sometimes, the simple act of sharing a meal will perk your loved one right up and bring a lackluster appetite back to normal. Arrange family and friend visits around meal times and offer to bring favorite foods. If you aren’t close by skype or call your loved one. Set a virtual lunch date or offer a gentle reminder to eat. Help get your loved one involved in groups and organizations who regularly get together to socialize and eat.

Simplify the Plate

If your loved one is suffering from dementia or cognitive decline. One noticeable symptom is a decline in appetite. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, people who have dementia may experience perception changes. These changes include difficulty recognizing food and distinguishing between food and non-food items. Keep the plate orderly and limit the number of foods on a plate to reduce confusion. Do not clutter the table and give plenty time for your loved one to eat.

Make Food Easily Accessible

As people face reductions in mobility and stamina they may struggle to prepare food for consumption. This can lead to a cycle of decline. Put nutritious food within easy reach. Make sure your loved one can open bottles and heat meal. Sometimes pride and embarrassment keep people from asking for help. Instead they turn to more convenient foods that may have poor nutritional value. Grocery delivery services can ease the burden of shopping. You can help your loved one set up regular deliveries. There are also online services that deliver entire meals to the door in cooled boxes.

Wrap Up

A wide variety of physical and environmental circumstances can cause elderly people lose their appetite. Without addressing the root cause of changes in appetite elderly people are at increased risk for decline and malnutrition. You can follow these five suggestions to help your loved one get her appetite back.

Is there a difference between agency caregivers and private caregivers?

Learn the bottom line facts when it comes to private caregivers vs agency caregivers.

Private Caregivers Vs Agency Caregivers

When it comes to providing home care for our senior loved ones, we all want the best value for our financial situation.

Thus, it is easy to pick one kind of caregiver over the other because of personal stories we have heard.

It is important however, to consider if private caregivers are better for your specific situation or not.

This is not a post against private caregivers as they are some gifted caregivers out there who don’t work with agencies.

However, the points we raise below will help you think through your decision when the time comes to either go with a private caregiver or an agency caregiver.

Private Caregivers May Not Have an Insurance Policy

Depending on which state or local vicinity a private caregiver is operating from, they may or may not have an insurance policy.

If an injury occurs on their watch, you are left vulnerable.

You could be paying for unexpected hospital bills out of pocket.

In order for any senior care home care agency to exist, they have a legal obligation to register and insure their company.

This insurance plan does not exist to protect the agency alone; it is meant to protect your senior loved one as well.

Do They Have Proper Training?

A private caregiver may not have the necessary training to provide the highest quality of care to your senior loved one.

While hiring a private caregiver may help cut the corners on cost, the life of your senior loved one is arguably more valuable than that.

If you’re going to go this route, at the very least make sure they have basic life support training that covers first aid and CPR.

You will also have to make sure that they are familiar with medical conditions your loved one has so they provide the most appropriate care.

Do They Have Reliable Recommendations?

Does your private caregiver have reliable recommendations or did you find them through a Craigslist ad with no evidence that they have done this before?

At Green Tree Home Care for instance, we have an eight-step interview process for our caregivers to make sure we choose the best.

As a company we want to give the kind of home care that helps your senior loved one live a productive life.

Thus, making sure your caregiver has recommendations is important.

Coverage When Something Happens

Life happens.

If your private caregiver does not show up for work one day, do you have a back-up plan?

When a caregiver does not show up, it throws a wrench into your daily plans.

When you work with an agency, they provide coverage when a caregiver calls out sick or does not show up for some reason.

Your plans should not be interrupted just because a caregiver didn’t show up.

Supervision

Private caregivers typically work for themselves. This usually means that they answer to nobody about the care they provide your loved one.

Caregivers working for a home care agency on the other hand, work as employees or independent contractors.

There is supervision that is provided through the home agency office.

This supervision ensures that plans of care specific to your loved one are executed.

Depending on the agency, supervision may require that a caregiver clocks in and out through company-monitored software.

Caregivers may be required to check specific tasks within that software during their session.

Their session may require that somebody in the home signs off on their reporting.

At Green Tree Home Care, we use a use a tool called Family Room that allows anyone who cares about your senior loved one, (example, your siblings who live across the country) to log in and follow along with the care we provide.

This type of care transparency may not be provided by a private caregiver.

All these checks and balances are important to make sure the highest quality of care is provided and ultimately to protect your interests as a paying client.

Closing Thoughts

Working with an agency may require that you jump through a few processes.

You may even view these processes as “hoops”.

These processes exist however to protect you as a paying client.

Most importantly, they are there to protect your senior loved one from preventable untoward events.

Please take all the essential steps to make sure you protect your interests when you’re choosing a private caregiver.

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Living with elderly parents is about providing care for their changing needs.

But, have you considered how living together might create tension?

Practice these 5 rules to keep the peace.

5 Rules Every Adult Child Should Consider While Living With Elderly Parents

Understand that Your Experiences are Different

People who grew up in the days of the Great Depression have different views on money than say a millennial.

These views extend to a number of things.

Everything from how children should be raised, how a home should be run down to how spouses talk to one another is heavily influenced by the era a person grew up in.

Conflicts easily arise because of these generation gaps and it is important to know that as you move your parent in, you will run into these types of problems.

Being ready for it will reduce the number of things you disagree on that are based on the different eras you both have experienced.

Consider Your Own Code of Behavior

We all deal with people we would rather not interact with everyday.

It could be at your local grocery store or it could be at your workplace.

In these instances, we always have a code of conduct we adhere.

Remembering your own code of conduct when you have to deal with difficult people will help you keep the peace with parents who have difficult personalities.

Yes, it is possible to co-exist peacefully with people you don’t like. Even if those people are your own parents.

Communicate Clear and Reasonable Boundaries

Set clear but reasonable boundaries that accommodates both of your needs.

It’s a well-researched fact that when boundaries are not clearly stated in a relationship it leads to conflict.

Since your elderly parent is moving into your house, it is important to communicate respectfully exactly what the rules are at your house and what the consequences are of breaking those are.

Perhaps you have a family and you like to get your children into bed by 8 pm.

This requires that the house is nice and quiet by a certain time.

If your parent is a night owl who has the television blaring into the wee hours of the night, it is important for you to communicate to them that you would appreciate it if they lowered volume of the TV after a certain time to allow your children to receive enough rest.

They may break the rules a few times, but staying firm with what you want and doing so in a manner that appeals to the sensibilities of your elderly parent goes a long way to keeping the peace.

Face the Reality: You Cannot do it all on Your Own

While a lot of us like to masquerade the world like we are superheroes, the truth is that nobody accomplishes great things on their own.

Taking care of your elderly parent is tough.

Moving them in with you is yet another bold move.

If your elderly parent has dementia, Alzheimer’s, urinary tract infections or any other health conditions, it throws an extra wrench into the whole situation.

It is understandable that you get burned out in these situations.

And it is almost inevitable that you will lose your cool and become very annoyed with your parent.

You’re not alone.

Caregiver burnout and stress is more common than you realize.

As a matter of fact, according to this study published by the American Psychological Association, there is a correlation between caregiver stress and elder abuse.

On top of that, being stressed out as a caregiver is not good for your own health.

Stress is related to problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.

One of the ways to reduce your stress as a caregiver is to get help.

This could involve enlisting the help of siblings or other family members to help with caring for your parent

Alternatively, you could source help from a home care agency like Green Tree Home Care.

Have the “Money Conversation”

Money is a common cause of contention for many families.

It is important to have the “money conversation” at the very beginning of living with elderly parents.

Your parent may still be collecting pension payments each month or may have financial investments they are benefiting from currently.

Having the money conversation with parents is not an exact science.

However, what you do want to avoid at all costs is the accusation that you are mismanaging your parent’s funds.

In the case where your parent has money that needs to be handled, getting the help of a licensed fiduciary can ease conflicts about money.

(Read more about fiduciaries and how they can help your parents with finances here.)

If your parents have no funds and all financial responsibility of taking care of them relies on you, it is also important that you settle this fact within yourself and where applicable, with your spouse and children.

It is not fair to remind your parent constantly that you are paying their bills and taking care of them financially.

Closing Thoughts

Living with elderly parents can be a pleasant experience with the right rules in place.

In this post, I’ve shared 5 rules you should consider while living with your elderly parents.

Implementing these rules especially at the beginning of cohabitation will ensure peace prevails in your home.

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