The average life expectancy in the US is now 79 years according to data collected by the World Bank.

Technological advances in healthcare and medicine have made this possible

This is a great thing!

And it also means that as a caregiver, you will have to help your elderly loved one manage one or multiple chronic health conditions which are notorious for showing up during the senior years.

In this post, I have compiled 6 of the most common senior healthcare problems and have included a brief overview of what you can do to help your elderly loved one overcome each one.

#1- Arthritis

Although arthritis can develop long before senior adulthood, it is more common in the elderly.

Arthritis is a painful joint disease. It happens when the cartilage between bones wear down and so bones rub against one another. Cartilage is a slick, cushion-like substance between your bones which among other things helps with the smooth movement or your joints. Once it wears down, movement is no longer as smooth.

Constant rubbing of bones together causes the pain, stiffness and swelling most arthritis sufferers experience.

What you can do as a caregiver

Arthritis can become disabling.

It is possible the in the middle to advanced stages of disease, your elderly loved one will find it difficult to move.

As a caregiver, your role in this situation is to provide assistance with mobility.

It is important to also reduce hazards in the home that can easily cause falls.

Assistance with daily activities like bathing and eating might become necessary.

Heart Disease

Like arthritis, heart disease can happen to anyone at any age.

But the risk for it does increase with age.

As a caregiver, your role in helping your elderly loved one with heart disease is going to center around lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle changes account for reducing the risk for heart disease by a large percentage.

In this study published by The Lancet, researchers found that lifestyle changes were more effective at reducing the occurrence of heart disease than lipid-lowering drugs (heart medications) were.

These lifestyle changes include:

• Regular exercise
• Eating a balanced diet with an emphasis on lean meats and vegetables
• Smoking cessation
• Stress management

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis literally means “porous bone.”

When you study the bone of an osteoporosis patient under a microscope, it is significantly more porous than the bone of a healthy individual.

This happens because the mechanism that creates more bone tissue in a person’s body becomes dysfunctional.

The bones become dense and weak and are easily broken.

Thus, for elderly loved ones who have osteoporosis, your main concern as a caregiver is preventing broken bones.

You can achieve this goal by:

• Discouraging activities that put your loved one at risk to break bones
• Designing or re-designing the home to reduce the incidence of falls at home
• Removing objects in walk-ways that could lead to falls etc

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that results from the deposition of proteins known as amyloids in the brain.

This leads to memory loss and severe and sometimes disabling dementia.

We have talked extensively about how you can help your loved one with Alzheimer’s/dementia in this blog post.

I’ll provide a brief overview here:

• Engage your loved ones in their preferred mode of communication
• Your elderly loved one is likely to easily forget simple instructions, their name or who you even are. Be patient with them when this happens. Remember that they are not crazy. They simply are no longer themselves.
• Engage them in activities that excite them.
• Play music they enjoy.
• People with Alzheimer’s and dementia may even forget how to perform daily functions like bathing and dressing up. They will need a lot of help here.

Diabetes

Diabetes happens when the cells in our bodies are no longer able to use the sugar we derive from eating food.

Insulin is chemical in our bodies that allows sugar from food to be absorbed by the cells from our blood in our body.

When it stops functioning, diabetes results and so there is an increased amount of sugar in the blood- this is why some people call diabetes “sugar diabetes”.

What you can do to help

• Monitor blood sugar levels using a glucometer. Glucometers are easily available at your local pharmacy. Health insurance may cover the cost for it in some instances.
• Administer insulin when it is needed.
• Help your elderly loved one keep up with their doctor’s appointments.
• Wounds heal slower in people with diabetes. If they are ignored, the wound could develop into a serious condition that requires amputation. Make sure you report any cuts and wounds to a doctor immediately so proper care can be taken of the wound.
• Watch your loved one for signs of both high and low sugar levels.

Depression

Depression is common in seniors because of the isolation elderly people feel as friends and family pass away.

Seniors also tend to think they are no longer relevant to society because of their age.

As a caregiver, you can help by:

• Encouraging them to talk to a mental health professional.
• Urging them to get involved in activities in your local community that allows them to use the skills and expertise they have gathered over the years.
• Encouraging them to pick up a hobby.
• Involving them and welcoming them to social events so they can feel included.

I know that getting over depression is a complicated process for many people.

Doing the things above in addition to seeking psychiatric treatment will help your elderly loved one overcome depression.

Closing Thoughts

As we all live longer, senior healthcare problems will arise.

As a caregiver, you can help your elderly loved one overcome these problems by applying the tips I shared in this post.

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Do you constantly find yourself looking for reliable caregiver resources that will help you become excellent?

In today’s post, I am listing 10 different resources you can use as references to help you on your journey.

Top 10 Online Caregiver Resources

The National Institute on Aging

Learn about the latest research studies on aging and care giving from the National Institute on Aging. The NIA is an arm of the National Institutes of Health.

The Alzheimer’s Association

Learn everything you need to know about Alzheimer’s Disease and information on how to care for your loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Medicare.gov

Find out if a service or test is covered under your elderly loved one’s Medicare plan by entering it on Medicare’s government regulated website.

You can also look up claims and appeals and drug coverage on their website

Green Tree Home Blog

It would be unfair to mention all these amazing resources and leave ourselves out right?

Well there it is! We have gone to the trouble to research and write some of the best content on the internet to help you become a stellar caregiver.

If you haven’t yet, check out some of our popular posts below.

Why elderly people lose weight and what you can do about it

Weightlifting for senior adults- Dos and Don’ts

What a Fiduciary does and why your parents need one

Eldercare Locator

The Eldercare Locator is a government website that allows you to search for different services for your elderly loved one.

You can find information on providers for services like:

1. Adult Day Care
2. Home repairs and modifications (for elderly loved ones who need their homes customized to accommodate their needs)
3. Food and Nutrition
4. In-home services

And so much more.

You can search for what you need by zip code or the name of your city.

Caregiver Forums

The caregiver journey can be lonely.

Sometimes you just want to be able to find a community of people who understand what you’re going through. Perhaps some of these people are going through a similar life phase or have to care for an elderly loved one with dementia like you have to.

This is where forums become an excellent caregiver resource.

Forums are also a good resource when it comes to finding out information on how to carry out certain processes.

Some of the most active caregiver forums out there are:

1. The Aging Care Forum
2. Patient Info
3. Caring.com Support Groups

Facility Reviews

Looking for a reliable source for long-term care and assisted care facilities?

The first place I suggest is Google.

Simply place the name of the facility in the search bar and in the top right hand corner you will see Google Reviews.

Read these reviews with a bit of reserve because most of the time people will post a review when they have had an unsatisfactory experience versus a good one.

Apart from looking for reviews on Google, you can check OurParents.com and  APlaceForMom.com for reviews as well.

AARP

From saving and investing, to movie recommendations to spotlights on seniors who are simply rocking the elder thing, the AARP website is a rich resource for caregivers and seniors alike.

Reddit Elder Care Thread

If you are a user and fan of Reddit, the Elder Care subreddit is worth checking out.

All the resources on this list should keep you going and well-educated for years to come!

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Taking care of yourself when you’re a caregiver can take a backseat sometimes.

After all, as a caregiver you might not only be taking care of an elderly loved one.

It is likely you are caring for younger dependents as well.

This can certainly put a lot of stress and strain on your body and affect your mental health.

However because most caregivers don’t want to feel like they’re not living up to their responsibilities, they are also likely to not prioritize their own self-care.

In fact, at least one in five Americans experiences a mental illness each year.

And the likelihood of these mental illnesses goes up the when there is more stress in a person’s life.

Here’s the reality: you cannot give the best care you can as a caregiver if you don’t take care of yourself.

It’s as simple as that.

So instead of feeling guilty about the whole thing, see caregiver self-care as as way to improve on your physical and mental health so you can take even better care of your loved ones.

7 Caregiver Self Care Tips For Your Mental Health

#1- Exercise

Most of us think about exercise when it’s time to lose weight. But exercise is good for more than that!

Exercise has long been known to release endorphins which interact with receptors in your brain that are responsible for giving you a sense of well-being.

Incorporating exercise into your day will also release tension in your muscles that builds up when we’re stressed.

Exercise will also help you get better sleep so you’re better rested.

#2- Take a day off

You probably think that taking a day off means you the world will fall apart, right?

Well, it might interest you to know that it is possible for you to take the day off and come back to find that things did not disintegrate.

Hire a highly skilled caregiver/sitter for a day.

Give yourself permission to take a day off. And go and do something that brings you joy.

Giving yourself at least one or two days per month where you go completely off-the-grid when it comes to your responsibilities will help you regain perspective and mental strength.

#3- Sleep more

We understand that caregiving sometimes requires that you wake up late at night to help your loved one.

This results in interrupted sleep.

The effects of interrupted sleep builds up over time and ultimately leads to fatigue, stress and mental health problems.

So as much as possible, try to get some sleep. Ask someone to hold down the fort for an hour or two so you can take a much needed nap.

#4- Set realistic goals

One of the reasons we get stressed out is because we have unmet expectations.

In the craziness of your day, it is likely you will not get everything on your to do list done.

Give yourself grace and realize that you are already doing a great job.

And this is where setting realistic goals comes into the picture.

#5- Talk to a therapist

Talking to a therapist does not have to be a last resort in your self care as a caregiver.

It can be an on-going practice that allows you to talk about challenges you’re facing.

Therapists are trained in helping you find solutions to these challenges because they cause mental trouble.

#6- Journal

Journaling has been shown in research studies to be an effective way of helping people become self-aware of mental problems.

In this study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, researchers reported that participants who wrote down their emotions in response to a stressful event, were more likely to be more self-aware than other participants.

Becoming self-aware of your own emotions will help you in seeking the aid you need when you need it.

#7- Set healthy boundaries by saying “no”

Saying no, even when we should, is difficult for a lot of people.

It is however important that you’re able to say no to requests from friends and loved ones if it is going to put added stress on you.

A few people may find it rude at first, but if you make it clear that the demand they are asking of you simply does not work for you, you will actually gain the respect of people.

Learn to say no. Thank me later!

Mental Health Resources You Should Know About

Where can you find mental health resources?

1. Your local city/town is likely to have free mental health resources you can take advantage of
2. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (Nami.org)
3. National Suicide Prevention Hotline. You can call or chat with someone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1-800-273-8255.
4. If you’ve ever served in the Armed Forces, you can also take advantage of resources for veterans. Check out what is available to you at http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/.
5. Find out if your local area has a support group for caregivers like yourself.

Your mental health as a caregiver is very important.

Make sure you’re not neglecting it in the process of taking care of everyone else.

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We all have experienced the unforgiving heat this summer.

Some areas that don’t even get as hot during the summer are hitting dangerous record highs.

And while the intense heat makes a dip in the ocean even better, the reality is that it can cause severe dehydration for anyone who forgets to hydrate.

Dehydration is worse in the elderly for several reasons.

1. A lack of physical mobility means they are less likely to go to the fridge to get a drink when they need it.
2. Their bodies are tend to be already more dehydrated because of the aging process. This is why it is common for the elderly to have loose skin.
3. Several medications they may be on cause dehydration. Blood pressure medications and antidepressants are well known to cause dehydration in the elderly.
4. Illness can also dehydrate the elderly.
5. Self-care activities like drinking water can be ignored when dementia sets in.

Throw in the intense summer heat and the possibility for dehydration moves up a number of notches.

What’s the best a caregiver can do?

That is what we discuss in this post.

The Benefits of Drinking Water

Water makes up 70% of our body weight.

Our bodies need water to function properly.

And while there is no set rule of how much water you should be drinking- a lot of health manuals over the years have suggested drinking 8 8-ounce glasses of water per day but this is not supported by research- drinking more water will help your elderly loved one in a myriad of ways.

1. Water increases energy and decreases fatigue. Because 90% of our brains are made up of water, drinking plenty water boosts brain health which in turn increases energy levels and wakefulness.
2. Water gets rids of toxins in our bodies. Most of the toxins that accumulate in our bodies are expelled through sweat and urine. Sweat and urine are water-based. Thus, it makes sense that the more you drink, the more capable your body becomes of getting rid of harmful toxins.
3. Drinking water boosts your immune system.
4. Keep your joints lubricated and reduces muscle sprains and strains.
5. Drinking water saves you money! Instead of spending money on expensive juices, drinking water is much kinder on your bank account.

And so for all these reasons, it is important that we help our elderly loved ones stay hydrated especially during the hot summer months.

How to Detect Signs of Dehydration In The Elderly

Signs of dehydration include:

• Confusion
• Difficulty walking
• Dizziness or headaches
• Dry mouth
• Sunken eyes
• Inability to sweat or produce tears
• Rapid heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Low urine output
• Constipation
• If it is severe enough, the person may become unconscious

An easy way to check if a person is dehydrated is to pinch their skin. In a person with normal hydration levels, once you pinch and release the skin, it should go back to normal immediately. If you pinch the skin and it remains in the “pinched” shape, the person is dehydration.

In severe cases, you will need to call 911 for help so your elderly loved one can get immediate help.

Treating Dehydration

As with any medical condition, prevention is better than cure.

As we saw above, encouraging your elderly loved one to drink more water even when they are not thirsty is a simple thing that to do to avoid dehydration problems.

On very hot days, talk to your elderly loved one about staying indoors and avoiding the harsh sun which dehydrates quickly.

If your elderly loved one is in a nursing home, check to make sure they have a hydration program and are encouraging fluids all throughout the day. A research study published in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing shows how inadequate staffing in nursing homes is a contributor to dehydration in seniors.

All the more reason to ensure your elderly loved one is getting everything they need, even if they are in a nursing home.

If water does not taste great to them, infusing water with fruits like strawberries, lemons and cucumber helps to enhance the taste and increase they likelihood that they drink.

Milk and juice are also good fluids to hydrate with.

In case of an emergency, medical personnel will give your elderly loved one intravenous fluids to resuscitate them.

Your elderly loved one may be admitted for 1-2 days for observation.

Closing Thoughts

Dehydration is a serious problem especially when we go through record-breaking heat-wave temperatures.

Our elderly loved ones are usually the ones most at risk for dehydration.

As caregivers and loved ones, we can encourage fluids and staying out of the heat as ways to prevent dehydration from happening in the first place.

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Depression in seniors is a serious public health issue issue that can be overlooked.

Because it’s overlooked so often, it is also common for elders not to seek the help of a mental health professional.

This happens because:

• Because most elderly people may live alone, there may not be anyone around consistently enough to notice the symptoms of depression.
• An older adult may assume that what they are feeling is simply a part of the aging process.
• Because most people in older generations were trained to not “air your dirty laundry”, many of them may feel reluctant to share what they are going through.
• People with depression sometimes complain of physical symptoms which don’t have an organic cause. An older adult may therefor assume that their “body just hurts” when in fact, they are experiencing symptoms of depression.

It is normal to feel sad when an adverse event occurs such as the loss of a loved one or even a deterioration in one’s health.

However, a person without depression will recover from these feelings and be able to using several positive coping mechanisms to keep on living.

If a person is however unable to recover from the feelings of sadness and hopelessness or is unable to cope after a long period of time, it is possible depression is at play.

How to detect depression in seniors

If you (an older adult) or your elderly loved one experiences any of the following symptoms continuously for at least two weeks it could point to depression.

• Persistently sad or anxious.
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities.
• Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism.
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness.
• Complaints of tiredness and low energy.
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions (This could also point to Alzheimer’s/dementia).
• Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping.
• Appetite and/or unintended weight changes.
• Thoughts of death or suicide and suicide attempts.
• Restlessness and irritability.
• Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and which may not go away even with treatment.

Risk factors for depression

People are more likely to face depression if:

• They are female.
• Have a chronic medical illness like cancer.
• Have a disability.
• Live alone or are isolated.
• Have a personal or family history of depression.
• Suffer from a brain disease.
• Have abused alcohol or drugs in the past.
• Have experienced multiple losses in a short amount of time. This is common for elders as they may lose many friends and acquaintances their age in a short span of time.

What you can do to help

If you notice these symptoms and they persist for two weeks or more, it is very likely depression is at play.

What can you do as a caregiver in this instance?

The best you can do is to have a frank conversation with your elderly loved one.

It is not uncommon for anyone to resist the suggestion that they need to see a mental health professional.

So you can expect this in the beginning.

The key here is not to force them to go see a professional. Your role is to talk through things with them to help them come to the conclusion themselves that seeing a mental health professional for proper diagnosis and treatment will be in their best interest.

• Ask open-ended questions that help your elderly loved one see that they are going through depression and that seeing a professional will be beneficial for them.
• Perhaps they are reluctant to seek help because of cost? Research community mental health resources that come at reduced costs and assure them that money should not be the reason they shouldn’t seek help.
• Listen and be attentive to things they say.
• Don’t ignore talk of suicide and wanting to die. If this happens, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

What Treatments To Expect

Treatment for depression depends on many factors.

If your loved one is taking certain drugs that interact negatively with a class of antidepressants, a doctor may not prescribe those.

However you can expect:

• Anti-depressant medication.Depending on the person, this could start working in as little as 1-2 weeks. Or it could take months to fully have an effect. As a caregiver, it is important that you also watch out for side effects of prescribed antidepressants. Some antidepressants might initially increase the thoughts of suicide. You need to be able to report these immediately to the doctor. Also, even if the person reports feeling better after a few weeks on antidepressant medication, it is important that they don’t stop taking their medication.

 

• Counseling sessions with a licensed therapist/psychiatrist. This is an old, tried and true method of helping people recover from mental health problems. As a caregiver, it will be your responsibility to make sure your elderly loved one is able to get to these sessions in a timely manner.

 

• Exercise might also be recommended as a complementary treatment for depression. Exercise releases endorphins which interact with receptors in our brains to give an overall feeling of well-being.

Closing Thoughts

Depression in seniors is real and should not be ignored.

In this post, I have provided tips on how you can detect depression and offer assistance as a caregiver.

People cannot just “snap out of” depression. It is a serious mental health issue that needs real treatment. The quicker you help your elderly loved one seek help, the better.

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

1. Medical and health insurance scams
2. Counterfeit drugs
3. Funeral and cemetery scams
4. Fraudulent anti-aging supplements
5. Telemarketing/phone scams- fake charity calls
6. Internet scams- this includes e-mail phishing scams
7. Investment schemes
8. Homeowner/reverse mortgage scams
9. Sweepstakes/lottery scams
10. 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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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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Check out these other posts:

Preventing caregiver theft- 5 best practices

5 practices of the best caregivers

A daughter’s guide to arranging home care