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August 9, 2019 Uncategorized0

Reducing your risk for heart disease is not just for the young.

As an older adult, there is a lot you can do to reduce your risk for heart disease so you can enjoy your loved ones longer.

In today’s post, I’ll be sharing guidelines from the American Heart Association that will help you keep a healthy heart.

8 ways to reduce your risk for heart disease as an older adult

Get active

If you get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity, this is enough to keep heart disease at bay.

This translates to 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week.

It doesn’t matter what you do.

You could dance, walk, run or swim. It’s really up to you.

So if you’re getting at least 30 minutes of exercise into your day, you are doing great.

Eat healthy

The key here is to keep your plate colorful.

Vegetables and fruits will help you achieve this goal.

And there are so many ways to prepare your vegetables beyond just eating a salad.

You could saute them and turn them into a stir-fry dish.

You can pair them with your favorite meals so they are more palatable.

Personally, one of the ways I’ve been ensuring that I get my daily dose of vegetables is to prepare a green smoothie out of them.

I will usually combine spinach, celery, an apple and a bit of ginger to make a smoothie that tastes great and gets me on the healthy bus.

Bottom line: you can get creative with vegetables and fruits so you don’t get bored and give up on them.

Control cholesterol

Cholesterol is called a silent killer for good reason.

There is no way to tell if a person has high cholesterol or not just by looking at them.

In fact, there are people who have high cholesterol because of their genetics.

The best way to know your cholesterol levels is for you to check with your doctor.

In those results, you want to see if your LDLs (low density lipoproteins) are high or low. If they are high, it’s important to pay attention to that.

One of the best ways to reduce cholesterol is to eat foods that are low in cholesterol.

Eating fruits and vegetables are an excellent start.

Including foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, salmon, herring, oysters and anchovies are a good start as well.

In some cases, your doctor may also prescribe cholesterol-reducing medication for you.

Stop smoking

If you smoke, this is a good time to quit. Smoking is linked to several heart diseases and quitting reduces your risk of heart disease.

If you’re having trouble quitting, talk to your doctor about medication that could help you on the journey.

Lose weight

It goes without saying that if you’re eating well and exercising, you will lose and maintain a healthy weight.

Control your blood sugar

Blood sugar is important for your body.

However, if it cannot reach the cells and organs of your body-a situation that happens in diabetes, it can affect your heart.

Sticking to several of the activities on this list will help to reduce and control your blood sugar.

Where necessary, your doctor will prescribe insulin or another diabetes medication to help you control your blood sugar.

Control your blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against your blood vessels.

Stress and unhealthy eating are strongly linked to high blood pressure.

You can control it by eating well, exercising and reducing the amount of stress you put your body through.

Get enough sleep

Even Superman needs sleep.

Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night is essential to keeping your heart healthy.

 

Did you enjoy this post? Share it with someone else looking to improve their heart health!


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April 9, 2018 Uncategorized0

As dementia affects more and more senior adults, expertise in dementia care will continue to be a very valuable skill for professional caregivers. But what does it take to become an expert at providing care for elders with dementia?

In this post, we will uncover 5 skills you can develop to become a dementia care expert!

But first, let’s take a moment to fully understand what dementia is.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It simply describes a constellation of illnesses that cause a general decline in memory and other thinking skills. These changes commonly alter how a person behaves and interacts with his or her environment.

Alzheimer’s Disease accounts for 60-80% of all cases of dementia whereas a vascular dementia – a condition that arises usually after a stroke is the second most common root cause for dementia.

Your loved one who has dementia is not “out of their mind” or “crazy”.

Dementia is an illness that can affect anybody regardless of their socio-economic status or educational level.

The symptoms of dementia include:

  • Memory loss
  • Problems communicating or finding their words
  • Difficulty reasoning or problem-solving
  • Difficulty handling tasks they used to be able to handle easily. They might forget how to start a car for instance even though they have driven for years
  • Agitation
  • Paranoia
  • Hallucinations

Understanding the basis for why dementia happens will make a caregiver more empathetic and understanding of the person you are providing care to.

Practice the Art of Living Where the Patient Lives

As mentioned above, with dementia comes memory loss and distortions of reality.

Your elderly loved one may suddenly start talking about things that happened years ago as if they happened yesterday, Or, she may not recognize you and call you by a different name.

Redirection is the practice of using non-confrontational language and tasks to change your loved one’s direction or behavior. Redirection may simply involve bringing up a beloved family member, or talking about a favorite hobby or pastime.

Your loved one may drift in and out of reality and current time and place. Focus on maintaining your loved one’s independence while creating an environment that is safe and easy to navigate.

Develop unending patience. The person is not the illness but it is important to care for both.

Engage Your Loved One in Their Preferred Mode of Communication

If she doesn’t want to use regular words, but wants to sing out her sentences, sing out the sentences with her! If she is now non-verbal, learn non-verbal ways to communicate with her.

Sometimes old songs can trigger advanced communicatio. If your loved one responds to music, play it often. Comfortable communication is the key to caring for your loved one with dementia.

It can feel frustrating when she will not speak or communicate with you the way she used to. But using these tactics, will make communication and completing daily tasks like bathing and dressing much easier.

If you are a brand new caregiver, who is new to a particular dementia client, it is important to talk with family members and perhaps other caregivers who are familiar with their case to get a feel for what works and what does not with a particular client.

Whether verbal or non-verbal, everyone craves connection. Therefore,finding the best way to communicate with someone struggling with dementia is immensely important.

Plan Activities

Dementia does not mean a person can no longer participate in activities. As an expert dementia caregiver, you will plan activities that allow encourage social interaction.

What did your loved one or client love to do before dementia set in ? If they still enjoy those activities, e.g they liked to play cards and can still play, incorporate those activities into their weekly schedule.

For some patients, activities they used to enjoy may no longer be things they want to be engaged in. If that is the case, find out through trial and error and observation, what their new preferred activities are.

Practice Redirection

Instead of vehemently disagreeing with a dementia patient about what is true or not, practice redirection. The art of redirection is not always easy but you can master it over time. Here are a few examples of something you could say to redirect someone with dementia.

Example #1

The lights are off at night and the client or your loved one says, “It is dark. The monsters come at me when the lights are off.”

Instead of stating that the “monsters” are not real, a reassuring redirecting statement would be “I see. You know what? We will turn the lights on so you feel safer.”

In this statement, you are not reinforcing the fact that there are monsters.

You are however providing a solution that may solve the concern your loved one is trying to communicate – she is afraid of the dark.

Example #2

She mentions she would like to fix her 1979 Crown Victoria so she can take it out for a ride this weekend. The reality: she hasn’t owned that 1979 Crown Victoria for 10 years and currently doesn’t drive. A non-combative, redirecting statement would be “Well, let’s see what we can do about that tomorrow.”

For a lot of dementia patients, disagreeing with their reality can lead to anger, agitation and frustration. As much as possible, avoid confrontation.

Redirection allows you to acknowledge the need of the client/loved one – which makes her feel understood – while averting attention away from the subject or addressing the real issue behind her communication.

Use Supportive Touch

Last but not least, as an expert dementia caregiver, use supportive touch.

Massage and touch no doubt help people relax. A gentle touch is a universal sign of interaction and affection.

Great dementia care will involve you as a caregiver providing as much supportive touch as is necessary to help the person feel loved and cared for. Supportive touch also involves caring for your loved one’s body by keeping it clean and encouraging regular motion.

 

Closing Thoughts

Caring for a dementia patient is no doubt a challenge for any caregiver. However, it is still possible to give great care to people struggling with dementia. You can also enlist San Diego community resources, and home care support.

In this post, we have uncovered 5 ways to expertly care for people with dementia.

If you enjoyed this post, please make sure to bookmark it or share it with someone who needs it.

 


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April 6, 2018 Uncategorized0

Medicare provides valuable coverage for medical expenses for the elderly population, but does Medicare pay for home care?

In today’s post, we will find out what home based services will Medicare pay for, and which ones are not covered. We will also explore ways to pay for your home care that reduces financial strain on you and your family.

Sometimes people use the terms home care and home health care interchangeably. They indeed complement each other. They are different services and Medicare treats them as such.

The long and short of it : Medicare pays for health care costs that are associated with a doctor’s diagnosis and prescriptions. Medicare does not cover home care services. Medicare does not consider home care services part of medical care.

While both Home Care and Home Health Care are home-based, Home Health provides medical services whereas Home Care does not.

Home Care services include :

  • Light housekeeping
  • Transportation
  • Errands
  • Personal Care
  • Meal Preparation
  • Medication reminders
  • Companionship for appointments
  • Phone support
  • Care for bed bound individuals
  • Assistance with walking and transfers

As you can see from this list, home care focuses on services that support daily living needs.

Home Health services include :

  • Intermittent skilled nursing care
  • Speech pathology services
  • Physical therapy
  • Occupational therapy

Home health services may also include medical social services, part-time or intermittent home health aide services, medical supplies for use at home, durable medical equipment, or injectable drugs.

Typically, a home health care agency will coordinate these services based on a doctor’s orders/prescriptions. Medicare only covers services provided by a Medicare-certified agency. It would also mean that you saw a doctor or nurse practitioner face to face for your diagnosis and they certified that you are homebound.

It is important to note that your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or, they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, you will have to pay some or all of the costs.

Ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services, whether Medicare will pay for them and even if they are absolutely necessary.

This document which was prepared by the government will give you and even deeper look into how Medicare works for your home health care.

If Medicare does not cover my non-medical home care costs, how can I afford to have home care ?

Here are the main ways you can pay for home care services.

Private pay:

This is where you or your loved ones pay for home care out of pocket. While you can get significant assistance from some the programs we are going to list below, it is very likely that if you intend to work with a home care agency, you will pay all or part of your costs out-of-pocket. It is important to think of this so you can plan for it as much as possible.

Long term care insurance :

If you have long term care insurance, your policy may cover some or all of your home care cost.

State/local government assistance :

Your state or local government may have assistance programs for seniors or individuals who are homebound. A quick search online or a phone call to your state’s health department will help you find those details.

In the state of California for instance, the Family Caregiver Support Program which is administered by the California Department of Aging provides educational material, assistance with gaining access to services, counseling, temporary respite and limited supplemental services to help family caregivers.

There is no income requirement for the Family Caregiver Support Program.

The following requirements need to be met as well :

  1. Family caregivers of older adults must be 18 years of age or older.
  2. Care recipients must be:
  • Age 60 years or older, or individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorder with neurologic and organic brain dysfunction.

You can learn more about this program for Californians by calling 1-800-510-2020.

Veteran eligible for VA Pension :

If you are a veteran who is eligible, VA Aide and Attendence may cover some of your home care costs. To qualify, a physician must diagnose you 50% disabled and you have to be over 65 years old to get home care financial assistance. Get in touch with your local VA to find out more about your benefits as a senior veteran.

Medicaid benefit for low income seniors :

In some cases, if you or your loved one is on Medicaid, there are Medicaid waivers that will pay for a limited number of hours for home care services per month. It is worth checking with your Medicaid representative to see if this benefit is available to you.

Closing Thoughts

While Medicare does not cover home care costs, other programs may offer home care benefits. In this post, we have shared alternate ways for you to explore when it comes to paying for home care costs.

Did you find this post helpful ?

Please bookmark and share it with someone else who will find it helpful.

 


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April 4, 2018 Uncategorized0

Bed bathing is a great way to ensure a bed bound individual stays clean and healthy. The thought of a bed bath may conjure images of sopping sheets and soapy bowls. But, bed bath time can be an elegant service more like a massage than a shower.

Pro bed bathers know that bed bath time is often the most interactive time for an individual who is no longer able to get up. Your loved one may not look forward to bathing time now, but with a few expert tricks, bath time can become a favorite activity for you both.

Get Your Loved One Comfortable

A bad bed bath feels like a hurried, jostled assault on the frazzled senses of your loved one. Some people have physical issues that make bathing extremely difficult and painful. It is important to cultivate a slower, attentive bathing experience. Everyone is different, so work with your loved one to find a comfortable position.

Prepare your space. Take inventory of what you need and gather your supplies before you involve your loved one. Make sure the room is comfortable and reduce distracting sights and sounds. Regularly check in with your loved one to make sure she is still comfortable.

Temperature Control

Every movie shower scene starts with a person starting the hot water to get the right temp and make the room inviting and comfortable. The same rules apply for bed baths. Increase the temperature in a chilly room. Remember how quickly damp skin feels cold. Elderly and ill people are more susceptible to changes in temperature, so take extra care with temperature control.

Remember to keep your loved one covered to maintain comfort. You can use a large beach towel or a special bath time blanket that you wash after the bed bath. Of course, regular towels make good covers and absorb water well. Your loved one might appreciate a quick tumble in the dryer to add warmth and loftiness.

Remember, people who are bed bound may have fragile skin, and difficulty healing. Bed bound individuals are also more likely to have communication limitations, so practice mindfulness when it comes to heat and comfort.

Check the temperature of any products and water you use. Cold water on warm sensitive body parts is shocking and unpleasant. Water cools quickly and may feel colder to your loved one than you realize.

Using the Right Products

There are several lines of products created specifically for bed bathing.  Hospice companies may supply personal care supplies made for bed bathing. And, you can find products via Amazon or at your local drug store.

Some of the most helpful products are no rise personal care products. You can find no rinse shampoo caps. These fantastic tools heat in the microwave and fit over your loved one’s hair. You simply massage the scalp through the cap and wipe away the residue for a waterless shampoo.

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You can also find disposable body wipes. A wipe warmer comes in handy to keep wipe temperatures comfortable.

Good Drying Techniques

A great bed bath is often determined by the quality of your drying. If you have ever tried to pull a pair of pants up over your damp skin, you know the sensation is unpleasant and difficult. Areas that are left warm and damp are susceptible to irritation. You want to protect your loved one from an itchy damp skin, and practice careful drying. Here are tips to make you a drying pro:

  • Use a dry towel, and replace often
  • Be gentle – dab, don’t rub
  • Be thorough – dry under skin folds and between toes, look for damp skin
  • Make sure hair is dry before removing protective layers

Assess the Body and Clean Thoroughly

Bath time is the perfect time to evaluate the health of your loved one’s skin. People who are bed bound are especially prone to skin break down, rashes, and swelling. Pressure sores develop from long term pressure. They often appear as areas of discoloration and will turn into open ulcers if not address.

If you notice areas of discoloration, work with your loved one to find positions that avoid the area. Skin cleanliness and care play a role in bed sore prevention. Common sore areas are on the butt area, back of arms, and heals.

Check feet and toes for swelling and toenail growth. Foot care is regular maintenance. Make note of swelling and changes in body appearance, and pay attention to small areas like armpits, behind ears, and eye areas. When you are washing your loved one start from her head and work your way down. Thoroughly clean every area and then recover body part with towels or blankets.

Wrap Up

You have the opportunity to luxuriate over your loved one during bath time. Prepare for bath time by collecting your supplies and ensuring your loved one’s comfort.

Try to put yourself in the shoes of your loved one. If you were receiving the bed bath, what kind of treatment would you want? Would you feel comfortable with the temperature and techniques? Sometimes care responsibilities feel like check-list tasks. Try to look at bed bath time as a bonding gift for you both.


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April 2, 2018 Uncategorized0

We have all heard stories of elderly loved ones losing thousands at the hands of unscrupulous people. Or, meet families torn apart over disputes about “mom’s ring”. Someone has to manage the finances and property of the disabled or departed. That is where professional fiduciary services shine. Fiduciaries are licensed pros who are legally bound to put the needs of their clients above their own.

Conflict is a part of any family. But, conflict that occurs during an highly emotional time like a serious illness or death can leave lasting scars. Using professional fiduciary services offers some very real benefits.

Fiduciary Services Serve as an Impartial Third Party

While you may be a whiz at managing your own life and money, there is a steep learning curve to managing the life and finances of another. When you manage another person’s personal business a lot of legal and ethical considerations appear. Inexperienced trustee’s and POA’s might feel overwhelmed by the time consumption of these roles. The pressure rarely lets up as the level of care increases and after a person passes significant work still remains.

Fiduciaries are required by law to act in the client’s best interest. Because they are licensed professionals, and have no interest in the inheritance, they administer assets according to the client’s wishes. Professional fiduciaries reduce the risk of conflict and legal disputes.

When your loved one begins to make plans about his final wishes, he may feel uncomfortable sharing intimate detail about personal finances and final wishes. A professional fiduciary can have these pointed discussions without the history of conflict and expectation family members may have.

Fiduciaries are Skilled at Managing Finances

According to Bryan Fiorito, fiduciary at Exclusive Estate Administration, “Great certified licensed professional fiduciaries have great systems in place to ensure client’s interests are protected. Because asset inventory is so important, the best companies will use a third party to create detailed asset reports.”

You can image the chance for abuse when the same person inventories, manages, and accounts for assets. Great fiduciaries focus on creating accountability.

Fiduciary services often include bill pay and trust and estate administration. These duties can get complex. Choosing a licensed, insured, and bonded fiduciary offers more protection. You want someone experienced in trust administration. Naturally, you wouldn’t want to go to a first-time hairdresser or mechanic. You can see how education, license requirements, and experience make a big difference in asset and money management.

Help Lighten Care Responsibilities for Adult Children

Serving as a trustee and power of attorney can create the equivalent of a full-time job.  By naming a licensed fiduciary to serve in these roles, this removes the burden from your children.

When a fiduciary fills the management role, you can focus on quality time with your loved one. You can avoid sensitive subjects like finances, budgeting, driving restrictions, or selling of large assets like a house to afford assisted living/memory care.

Most fiduciaries are experienced with aging. They work with trusted companies to address any needs that arise. Fiduciaries take the spotlight off of one adult child appointed as the trustee and/or power of attorney. This simple transfer of responsibility from appointed adult child to professional fiduciary protects the family from additional conflict between siblings.

Fiduciaries Fulfill a Person’s Wishes After Death

A fiduciary, by law, is required to act in a client’s best interest.  It is her job to ensure her client’s wishes are carried out exactly as intended. Fiduciaries work with clients and their families to ensure there is a funeral pre-plan in place. And, they ensure the distribution of assets in accordance to the client’s wishes. Sometimes people wish to leave their legacy in different ways via charitable giving. Fiduciaries carry out the wishes of thier clients.

Fiduciaries Can Help Arrange Health Care

Sometimes people need someone to manage health care decisions. If you live out of the area, a fiduciary service ensures your loved one’s needs are meet without your travel and direct oversight during every event. Fiduciaries can enforce a person’s healthcare wishes including advanced directives. They can help arrange home care and health services as needed when appointed as conservator of the person or power of attorney. Fiduciaries often work with care managers to ensure optimum wellbeing of thier clients.

For more information about San Diego home care check out this article: San Diego Home Care – Everything You Need to Know.

Wrap Up

When you work with fiduciary services, you create a crisis prevention and management team. Fiduciaries offer guidance, legal protection, and expert support. They are especially important for people with complicated estates, health conditions, or little local support. Consider bringing a fiduciary onto your team.

 


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March 30, 2018 Uncategorized1

Providing excellent care for another person is not always an easy task.

However, the good news is that there are simple practices you can incorporate into your daily routine that will make you an even better caregiver. These are also traits to look for in caregivers you will work with from any home care agency.

In this post, we will uncover 5 practices of the best caregivers.  This should help you spot the best caregivers for your loved one. 

1. Lifelong Learners

Acting as a lifelong learner takes many forms. The best caregivers know that there is no end to learning new skills and care techniques. Research in the medical field around caregiving and its’ best practices constantly changes and evolves.

You don’t have to read voluminous research articles to keep up to date on these new advances. The US News and Health Report for instance has a Senior Health section you can refer to for up-to-date and yet simplified information on advances in senior care. A quick daily skim of the headlines in such publications should keep you abreast with the best knowledge.

Another way to learn is to take continuing education classes. Find out if your local community college, fire department, public health department or even your favorite in home care provider has continuing education classes that help you sharpen your skills as a caregiver.

2. A “Can Do” Attitude

Growth happens when we are willing to move outside our comfort zones.

In a study by Angela Duckworth , she found that talented school children who lacked what she calls “grit” – passion and perseverance to follow through with an original goal – were more likely to not reach their highest potential. Children who were less talented yet possessed perseverance to overcome obstacle often performed better.

This idea of “grit” does not apply to children alone !

Having an attitude that says “we can overcome any challenge we face” puts a caregiver in a state of mind to keep learning and trying new things. It is also this kind of grit that allows you to work with your family and home care agency as a team to arrive at the best care solutions for your loved one.

3.  A Great Communicator

The best caregivers are also great communicators. It is imparitive a caregiver share observations and communicate changes in your loved one’s behavior, physical, or mental conditions.

It is a best practice to keep a daily note log to record activities, medication reminders, and important observations.

PLEASE NOTE : If you are not the primary caregiver, then it is extremely important to look for this particular trait in your in-home caregivers. Great communication could save the life of your loved one.

4. Proper Lifting Techniques

Improper lifting techniques lead to a myriad of life long health problems. If you have a loved one who has impaired mobility, it is important that you learn proper lift and transfer techniques so that you do not inadvertently injure yourself trying to help him.

Use a transfer or gait belt to help you transfer or lift your loved one. Here is an overview of how to use one.

  • Put the gait belt around the client’s waist over his/her clothing and buckle it properly in the front
  • Ensure the belt is snug with just enough room underneath to maneuver your fingers
  • Keeping your back straight, bend your knees and grip the belt tightly
  • Lift or move the client using your arm and leg muscles
  • Transfer client into the appropriate position
  • Remove the gait belt once the transfer is complete

Practice lifting with your knees and elbows and the proper use of your center of gravity. You want to avoid lifting with your back muscles.

If you decide to purchase a Hoyer Lift to assist with movements, please make sure to receive proper training on the equipment to avoid any accidents. If your loved one is on Medicare, part of the cost of a Hoyer Lift may be covered if prescribed by a doctor.

Practicing better lifting techniques protects you and your loved one.

5. A Caregiver is Completely Dependable

Reliability is a key attribute of the best caregivers! Often, people who receive care cannot be left alone. Dependable caregivers communicate possible schedule conflicts ahead of time, and make sure the wellbeing of their charge is first priority.

Great caregivers never want to cause stress for their clients or client’s family members. They understand others depend on them, and need to count on scheduled times.

Closing Thoughts

In this post, you have been introduced to the 5 best practices for caregivers: whether that is you or a hired caregiver.

Did you find this post useful ? Bookmark it or share it with someone who might need it.

 


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March 21, 2018 Uncategorized0

Caregivers as a whole are loving and generous people who feel called to serve the elderly population.

Unfortunately, seniors are at an increased risk for fraud and theft. Of course, you would only hire someone you like and trust.

However, setting up your loved one’s home correctly helps protect your loved one and his caregiver.

It is not uncommon for people with dementia to misplace items or forget conversations and gestures of kindness. This also makes them easy to exploit.

The bad news is that caregiver theft is real.

The good news? There are proactive steps you can take to protect your elderly loved ones against caregiver theft.

In this post, we will go over 5 safeguards that will help in preventing caregiver theft.

1. Protect Your Financial Information and Interests

When working with a caregiver, make sure that payment, hours, and job responsibilities are clear and agreed upon at the beginning of the caregiver-client relationship. This ensures that there is no confusion about when and how a caregiver is paid.

It will also eliminate grey areas that might lead to feelings of unmet expectations. Good communication and expectation setting goes a long way in preventing caregiver theft.

Alternatively, if you work with a caregiver through a home care agency like Green Tree Home Care, the agency assumes the employer relationship. The agency pays the caregiver and provides a framework for job roles and responsibilities.

A second precaution here is to never share access to bank accounts or security questions – no matter how much trust you may have built with the caregiver. Bank account usernames and passwords written on notes and checkbooks lying around the house are also a big no.

Thankfully, bill pay products that allow bills to be paid automatically each month are easily available through the bank. Setting up bill pay for your loved one through their bank (or yours if you are the one paying) will ensure that utilities and services keep running while financial information is protected.

If you are unable to personally handle finances for your elderly loved one and they are currently mentally incapable of doing so, in the state of California, you can hire a professional, licensed fiduciary to handle that.

Keep Housing Interests Separate

It is important to not roll housing into the compensation plan of a caregiver. This blurs compensation lines and creates legal issues should the caregiver-client relationship go sour.

In California, the law heavily protects renters. This means that in a situation where the relationship has gone bad, you may have to go through a costly and long eviction process. If housing is offered at all, there should be a clear agreement or contract that is signed by both parties as to what that entails. There should also be a second contract that outlines the caregiver agreement.

The bottom line here is to ensure that financial lines not be blurred during the relationship with a caregiver.

2. Do Not Keep Precious Items or Cash on Hand

If you currently live apart from your elderly loved one, it is advisable to inventory all precious/expensive items and check them into a bank safety deposit box.

Large amounts of cash should also be kept away or deposited at the bank. If your loved one prefers cash, it is important to keep a ledger and track outgoing cash regularly.

Alternatively, you can use an in-home safe to store some expensive items and cash.

3. Consider Installing Cameras

Installing in-home surveillance cameras can help deter theft. Cameras also help when following up on concerns and missing items.

4. Practice a “No Guests” Rule

Insist on a no guest rule at the beginning of your caregiver-client relationship.

Friends and family of the caregiver who are not a part of the caregiver-client relationship should not come into the home under any circumstance. You trust the caregivers you work with, but limiting the amount of traffic is important in preventing caregiver theft.

Another safeguard you can employ is to have caregivers log visitors who come into the home. Information should include guests’ name, the time they came in, and the time they left. You may also want to record the reason for the visit if it isn’t too intrusive for your loved one.

5. Have Oversight from an Agency 

The beauty of working with a home care agency is the added oversight the agency provides over their caregiver employees.

You also have the opportunity to discuss any safety concerns you may have with the home care agency. At Green Tree Home Care for instance, you can reach somebody on the phone 24/7 if you have any concerns.

Occasional visits by a caregiver supervisor is also helpful to ensure that concerns are addressed, and caregivers are changed if need be.

Closing Thoughts

This post is not meant to undermine the great work many caregivers do across the country for their clients. In fact a peek into our testimonials will show that most caregivers have the best interest of the client at heart.

Unfortunately, a few bad nuts have made it such that precautions have to be taken to prevent caregiver theft.

In this post, we provided five best practices to reaching this goal while maintaining a healthy caregiver-client relationship.

Did you find this post helpful?

Bookmark it in your browser or share it with someone so we can all prevent unnecessary losses.

 

 


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March 16, 2018 Uncategorized0

Mom is always losing her keys. Dad keeps forgetting when his Doctors appointments are.  Everyone has moments of forgetfulness. But, when should you feel concerned your loved one is experiencing more than just your average mind lapses.  Below are 5 warning signs of dementia your loved one, and it might be time to bring the topic to light.

  1. Your Loved One has Trouble with Short Term Memory Recall

Often, short-term memory loss is one of the first signs of dementia. While we all forget little things, a person with dementia risks life threatening lapses in memory. Stoves left on, plastic in the oven, or the inability to find home can lead to unsafe incidents. Your loved one may struggle with communication. Sometimes people struggle to recall everyday words. If your loved one is becoming a little forgetful, don’t rush to conclusions. Forgetfulness happens, it is a concern when it affects your loved one’s safety or ability to care for herself.

  1.    Your Loved One Has Out of Character Anxiety

Dementia affects everyone differently. But, there are some commonalities people share. Changes in behavior such as aggression or increased confusion may happen toward the end of the day. This behavior is referred to as “sundowning” or “late-day confusion.” If you notice behavior changes in your loved one look for time patterns, and shifts in regular routines.

  1.    Your Loved One is Withdrawing

Your loved one has started to show signs of social withdrawal. They have lost interest in activities or hobbies they once loved. They are not engaging with the world around them and they are sleeping more. Dementia patients can show signs of withdrawal for many reasons. Depression, loss of verbal communication skills, confusion, and feelings of isolation can all play a factor in you loved one withdrawing. Sometimes people withdraw because location changes and gatherings feel overwhelming and difficult to keep up with.

  1.    Your Loved One is Asking the Same Question Repeatedly

Your loved one continually repeats or ask the question over and over again. Repetitive behaviors are common in dementia patients. They may repeat the same story, ask the same question, or even continually perform the same task. Short term memory loss is common in people with dementia, and may increase repetitive behaviors.

  1.    Rapid Weight Loss

A lack if interest or difficulty in eating is a good sign that something has changed with your loved one’s health. With dementia, rapid weight loss can happen as the illness progresses. Dementia related weightloss may have many factors. The mind does not read the cues the body tells it. Your loved one may feel depressed and no longer have an interest in eating. He may not remember to eat or when he ate last due to short term memory loss. There may be cognitive changes in how he recognizes food as appetizing.

Who to Call

Loved ones suffering from dementia can display many signs. If you are concerned that you loved one showing these five signs of dementia you should consult with her Doctor. While an occasional mental hiccup be normal, it is a good idea to speak with a medical professional if your loved one has several of these tendencies.

 

For more information on services available for helping take care of your loved one suffering from dementia please click here.


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