Stressed? Who isn’t, really. But it you’re a working caregiver, then you really know what we’re talking about. With caring for an elderly family member, maintaining a household of your own, and also balancing a career, it can feel like you’re barely holding it all together. Put yourself back on the radar with these caregiver survival tools to reduce the stress you feel:

1. Take care of yourself with diet and exercise – eat well throughout the day, and no matter how busy you are, don’t skip meals, otherwise your energy levels will drop. Exercise at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes, and pick something that you enjoy doing (walking, biking, aerobics class)

2. Walk away – you won’t walk away permanently from your care responsibilities, but you can take a step back when you need to. Take a break, even if just for a few minutes, or have someone else step in to provide respite care

3. Seek help – 72% of caregivers refuse to receive outside help with their responsibilities; don’t be one of them. Ask a family member to step in and help, or hire a professional home caregiver to give you a break. Also, don’t be afraid to lean on others when you’re stressed, even if it means joining a support group

4. Spoil yourself – reward yourself for all of your hard work, once a week or once a month, go get a massage, have a manicure, go to a movie, or take a hot bath with a glass of wine. Do something that helps you rejuvenate!

5. Don’t neglect your health – remember to get yourself to the doctor regularly, especially if you’re feeling ill. You’ll be better help to a senior when you’re in one piece!

Via: Caregiver Stress

Image: chopra.com

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

It’s November, and whether you’re a senior who receives care from a family member, or someone who has an elderly relative that’s cared for another member of the family, now’s the time to show the caregiver just how much you appreciate their efforts for National Family Caregiver’s Month, and here are some great ways to do it:

1. Give them a break – offering to provide respite care or hiring someone to step in can allow caregivers to relax or reconnect with friends and family

2. Remind local businesses what this month means – then encourage them to offer freebies or discounts for family caregivers in the area!

3. Lend them a hand with holiday preparations – the holidays can create added responsibility, so help a caregiver decorate for the holidays or put stamps on their cards

4. Get them laughing – go see a funny movie with them, or pick up tickets to a local comedy club. Laugher IS the best medicine!

5. Take over holiday hosting responsibilities – caregivers already have a lot on their plates; host Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another holiday celebration so the caregiver can simply focus on enjoying the company!

6. Sign the petition – there’s a petition to establish a stamp that recognizes family caregivers; sign it in their honor!

7. Create something personal – a personalized gift, like a calendar with family photos, will help them feel like they’re appreciated, and it will help them stay organized

8. Send them a token of appreciation – a bouquet of flowers or a card might not be a big gesture, but it will make caregivers feel appreciated and special

9. Connect them with caregiving resources – free seminars and other events take place to keep caregivers better informed and help them manage stress

10. Lend your support – give them an ear to talk to, or help them find a support group

Via: The Family Caregiver

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Recent Study Shows Planning For Senior Care - Out Of Sight And Mind For Most Adults

PHOENIX - Phoenix area seniors and their families are invited to attend a free public seminar designed to explain the many care options available for today’s aging population. The presentation will be hosted by Paul Hogan, co-author of the recently released book Stages of Senior Care: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Best Decisions. The presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, 101 Shea Blvd in Phoenix on Wednesday, November 18.

A leading senior care expert, Hogan will review a number important topics including: financial planning for senior care, being a caregiver to an elderly parent, insurance options, and the state of senior care in America.

“With more than 78 million Baby Boomers on the verge of retirement, America is facing monumental social and economic challenges in the ways in which we care for our seniors.” Hogan said. “If families are not prepared, navigating the care continuum can become a complex process that sometimes involves misinformation and injects unwanted stress into our most important relationships.”

A recent Home Instead Senior Care survey showed that planning for senior care is out of sight and out of mind for most adult children and seniors alike. In fact, half of all seniors ages 65 to 75 have not thought about their own future care needs, and nearly a quarter of 35- to 64-year-old’s could not name a single senior care option available today.  Even more startling: both seniors and adult children have the misconception that Social Security and Medicare will pay for senior care, while many are unfamiliar with the costs of today’s care options.

“Senior care options have expanded almost beyond recognition in the last 20 years, yet most Americans are still only familiar with nursing homes or family care at home,” adds Hogan. “With tens of millions of Boomers starting to retire, it’s critical that people start thinking about this.”

Hogan is providing the free lectures in conjunction with the release of a new book, Stages of Senior Care: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Best Decisions (November 2009/McGraw-Hill/$18.95). The book serves as a comprehensive guide for the ever-expanding world of senior care, breaking down the process by addressing the shared concerns of seniors and their family members. Featuring more than 30 sources from the most credible major healthcare organizations, universities and nonprofit organizations, the book thoroughly explains each and every aspect of senior care, including the array of available care choices, being a caregiver, planning for your own future, aging in place, family and professional care options, how to chose an option and what to look for, financing care, insurance, legal matters, dealing with stress, communication and family relations. Proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation, which provides financial support of activities designed to improve the quality of life of seniors.

Via: stagesofseniorcare.com

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Family caregivers take on a lot, and they make many sacrifices to help the people that they care about most. They’re the type of people who are unlikely to ever ask for anything, so it’s up to us to show we appreciate the sacrifices that they make and everything they do. There’s no better time than National Family Caregiver’s Month to start doing that, and here are some ways we can show our appreciations:

1. Give them a break – offering to provide respite care or hiring someone to step in can allow caregivers to relax or reconnect with friends and family

2. Remind local businesses what this month means – then encourage them to offer freebies or discounts for family caregivers in the area!

3. Lend them a hand with holiday preparations – the holidays can create added responsibility, so help a caregiver decorate for the holidays or put stamps on their cards

4. Get them laughing – go see a funny movie with them, or pick up tickets to a local comedy club. Laugher IS the best medicine!

5. Take over holiday hosting responsibilities – caregivers already have a lot on their plates; host Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another holiday celebration so the caregiver can simply focus on enjoying the company!

6. Sign the petition – there’s a petition to establish a stamp that recognizes family caregivers; sign it in their honor!

7. Create something personal – a personalized gift, like a calendar with family photos, will help them feel like they’re appreciated, and it will help them stay organized

8. Send them a token of appreciation – a bouquet of flowers or a card might not be a big gesture, but it will make caregivers feel appreciated and special

9. Connect them with caregiving resources – free seminars and other events take place to keep caregivers better informed and help them manage stress

10. Lend your support – give them an ear to talk to, or help them find a support group

Via: The Family Caregiver

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

You never know when you’ll find yourself in need of a snack or a meal to pick you up and revive your energy.  Ignoring your body’s signs that you need to eat can put your health in jeopardy, so make sure that you’re always prepared with healthy foods that you can eat on the go!

1. Fruits – fruits are easy to pop into a bag or purse to take with you wherever you go. Try an apple, orange, or banana; these don’t bruise as easily and are easily transportable without mess. You can also take mixed berries in a small Tupperware container.

2. Dried fruits and vegetables – dried items really can go anywhere with you, and they offer the same nutritional benefits as the fresh variety. Take raisins, cranberries, banana chips, vegetable chips or other dried produce items

3. Take trail mix – trail mix is designed for snacking on the go; you can either purchase one ready-mixed that is low in sodium and sugary content or make your own with mixed nuts, dried fruit, cereal, and even dark chocolate chips

4. Enjoy fresh vegetables – slice up some raw vegetables like carrots, cucumber, celery, mixed peppers and other vegetables that won’t begin to turn brown right after they’re sliced

5. Carry crackers – make some crackers (whole grain) with peanut butter or cheese for added protein, that will give you needed energy restoration during the day

6. Take a thermos – using an insulated thermos will allow you to take soup, or cold drinks out with you

If you have any other healthy emergency snack ideas, please share them with us!

Via: Associated Content

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Since a great deal of communication takes place online these days, through email, instant messenger and social media, caregivers who lead busy lives have already discovered more efficient methods to communicate. But, if their typing speed is slow, they’re wasting precious moments with these forms of communication; time that could be spent doing something else! To improve your typing skills and regain some time in your day, try these tips for learning how to type properly and type faster:

1. Choose a comfortable keyboard – a comfortable keyboard that is well laid out for your hands is crucial to learning to type well and type quickly. If you have a laptop, using a laptop keyboard is okay if you’re spending no more than a couple of hours a day typing, but any longer and it can do damage to your hands

2. Get in position – make sure you’re seated comfortably when you sit down to type. The keyboard should be at the right position for your hands, and you should sit up straight. Proper positioning of your body will reduce errors and therefore decrease the time it takes you to type

3. Learn hand positioning- if you’ve never been taught proper keyboard position, now’s a great time to start. Learning finger positioning will help improve your typing speed vastly when you no longer need to look at the keys or type with just a couple of fingers at a time. Software programs and online tutorials can help you learn!

4. Practice – once you’ve mastered the above, you need to practice to improve your speed, but eventually you’ll find you could cut hours off your day!

Via: WikiHow

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

There’s no way to make a day longer, at least not chronologically, but you can make more time in your day by increasing your levels of productivity in everything that you do. It doesn’t matter how old you are, whether you’re a teenager or a senior, a baby boomer or a caregiver, you probably don’t have enough time in your day. Over the next couple of weeks we’re going to teach you how to make the most of every moment so you can take back time:

1. Sleeping for productivity

2. Eating your way to a 36 hour day

3. Learning to multi-task effectively

4. Organizing your way to success

5. Learning how to get it done faster

6. Learning while multi-tasking in your free time

7. Using technology to increase productivity

8. Turning off

9. Asking for help

We’ll discuss the above strategies and techniques in more depth, to improve your productivity and give you more time for the things that you enjoy most.

Via: Gaia.com

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Many people think of Powers of Attorney the same way they think about their Will – something they will get done “eventually” because it will not be needed until “later.”

A Power of Attorney lets you pick the person (your “attorney-in-fact”) who will make decisions on your behalf if you cannot make or communicate them for yourself. While we often think this will happen toward the end of life, anyone, at any age, can have an accident or contract an illness that prevents him or her from making or communicating their decisions for a period of time. Without Powers of Attorney, a Court may choose someone – a Guardian for personal matters, or a Conservator for financial matters – to make those decisions for you. Not only might that be someone you would not have chosen, but your affairs might be in quite a bit of disarray before this legal process is completed.

Read the full article on Powers of Attorney

Marsha Goodman
Marsha Goodman, Attorney, PLLC
13236 N. 7th Street, Suite 4-238
Phoenix, AZ  85022
602.513.0300

Marsha Goodman Elder Law Firm

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

If you read our previous post on the mistakes boomer women make when it comes to financial planning, the next step is to understand the right things to do in order to be financially secure for your future. As a strong, independent, boomer women here are a few tips in  financial planning to ensure that you are even prepared for the unexpected:

1. Let go of the idea that it’s too late – you might feel that as you approach your senior years, it’s too late to get yourself out of any financial mess you’ve made or learn new methods when it comes to managing your finances. When it comes to financial planning, it’s never too late to start!

2. Learn about money – this may sound obvious, but start doing your homework and research about all things finance. Learn about investment options, about financing available, about interest rates, and about anything that’s likely to apply to your situation before you even make your next move. Books and the internet are both great resources

3. Talk to a financial planner – you can hire a personal money adviser or speak to one that’s already available to you at your Phoenix bank (although someone independent might be more impartial) in order to keep you informed and help you make financial decisions

4. Support yourself – if you don’t have the means to save, invest or pay off debts, you might need to get a job. Find something you love, but ensure you have a set goal for earnings that will help you reach your financial goals

5. Pay off debts – don’t put it off, find a way to start paying off credit cards and loans right away

6. Save and invest – put money away every month without fail, every little bit will help you reach your financial goals and bring financial security

Via: Let Life In

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

It’s supposed to be exciting when you’re planning a vacation, especially when it’s one that you’ve been waiting for retirement to make. But there’s a lot that goes into planning a trip and it can be extremely stressful; to help you enjoy the planning process there are a number of websites that can take away some of the stress:

1. Kayak (http://www.kayak.com/) – in order to find the lowest price fare available for their destination of choice, seniors can browse flights at this website. This is also a way for seniors to read about the various destinations and traveller reviews to make a decision about their trip. This saves the hassle of having to check fares and flight times at multiple airlines, and seniors can book directly with this travel site or use it simply as a resource

2. Away (http://www.kayak.com/) –if you’re traveling at a destination you’ve never been to, it’s hard to know what there is to do there, and leaving it until your arrival can require you to be perhaps more impulsive than you’d like. Seniors can login to Away and browse the destination they’re traveling to in order to find activities. This resource can also be used before a destination is settled on to help determine where to go!

3. Hotwire (www.hotwire.com) – when seniors are planning a trip ahead of time, they can setup to receive email alerts when there are sales on trips to a destination they’re considering, and prices are available for flights, accommodations and all aspects of travel

4. Orbitz  (www.orbitz.com) – seniors who are thinking about taking a cruise or a different kid of trip, can look at Orbitz before booking to compare prices and also receive travel insurance

Via: Associated Content

Image - www.mgmtravels.com

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.