Receiving a diagnosis that a member of your family has Alzheimer’s can be shocking and it can turn your world upside down. Whether you’re a family caregiver, relative, or friend of a senior with Alzheimer’s, you will experience a whole range of emotions and challenges, and while you might feel like you have no right to acknowledge them because you’re not the one forced to live with the disease, it’s important to understand that sometimes it can be about you. Phoenix seniors living with Alzheimer’s may not be aware of the changes taking place in them as they progress with the disease, but as the people closest to them, you are forced to face them head on and that can seem unbearable. It’s not easy seeing someone you love transform before your eyes; losing independence and skills, unable to recognize the significant locations and people in their lives. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the need to focus on the senior; their needs and their emotions, but think about you as well. Step back when you need a break from providing care by hiring a home care agency when you need to get away from the affects of Alzheimer’s; join a support group for families living with Alzheimer’s; and most importantly, acknowledge and deal with your feelings. It’s not selfish to worry about yourself when a loved one has Alzheimer’s; to provide adequate care and the emotional support that they require from you, you need to take care of yourself as well.

Sources:

1. Health and Age
2. ProQuest

Image Source: pro.corbis.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.

Q – I have thought about home care for my aging mother in Phoenix; but how do I know when it’s the right time?

A – There is no cut and dry answer for when it’s right to bring home care into the life of a Phoenix senior like your mother, but there are some life situations that seniors can encounter which makes home care ideal for them.  If your mother finds herself experiencing one or more of the following scenarios, then it may be time to consider home care for her.

• She’s struggling with Activities of Daily Living – seniors who struggle with dressing, bathing, preparing meals, taking their medications, or keeping up with chores around the home are ideal candidates for in-home senior care

• Her mobility is declining – seniors who are having changes with their balance and mobility may be at a greater risk of falling or having an accident in the home when trying to perform ADLs . By hiring a caregiver, safety issues can be addressed and prevented through additional help

• She’s given up driving – seniors who no longer drive for whatever reason, would greatly benefit from the help of a caregiver who can take them to run errands or to appointments

• She doesn’t have family nearby – seniors who have the above problems but do not have family nearby to help them can benefit from in home care when there’s no one else out there to help them

• She’s recently come out of hospital or rehab – after seniors have been released from the hospital or rehab program and are in recovery, it’s better for seniors to have the help of a caregiver so they don’t put too much of a burden on their bodies by trying to care for themselves or their homes

• She suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia

Sources:

1. Elder Issues

Image Source: pro.corbis.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.

Digital photography is a growing trend, and it’s expanding into the senior care industry as more home caregivers are using digital photography as a fun activity to keep their elderly care recipients entertained while exercising creativity. Of course, when introducing digital photography to a Phoenix senior, it’s important that they have access to a digital camera that is suitable for their abilities and the type of technologies that they have available that way photography is enjoyable, rather than becoming a frustrating experience.

When shopping for a senior-friendly camera in Phoenix consider the following:

• The senior’s technological experience – if it’s limited, choose a camera with more basic features so they’re able to work it without assistance

• Access to a computer – does the senior have a computer? Is their operating system compatible with the camera?

• Ease of use – a senior with sight issues would benefit from a large display screen, while an older adult with dexterity problems would benefit from large, well spread out buttons

• Instructions – make sure there’s someone who’s willing to help a senior learn how to use their camera; a caregiver can help with this if it’s an activity they’ll do together!

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. eHow

Image Source: www.co.monmouth.nj.us

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.

With many home care agencies, you never know who’s going to turn up on a Phoenix senior’s doorstep each day of their scheduled care. But what this means is that seniors never have the opportunity to trust, bond and form a friendship with their senior caregivers. At Home Instead Senior Care, we know that the right caregiver is one that a senior can get to know, begin to trust with their home and their care, and someone who will become an important companion. Every day a senior has home care scheduled, we send the same caregiver to provide consistency and because through our process we ensure that the caregiver sent is one that meshes with the senior’s personal needs and personality.

When we send a new caregiver to a senior’s home for the first time, we complete an in-depth assessment to evaluate the needs of the senior and the type of caregiver who would be best suited for the role. However, just because a senior has been sent a caregiver, doesn’t mean that they’re stuck with them forever. If a senior or their family is not satisfied with the caregiver, we will be happy to send a replacement that better meets the request.

Once the right caregiver has been matched with a senior, you’ll never be able to separate them!

Image Source: happyhippy.vox.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.

Reverse mortgages are not a panacea – they may not be appropriate in many situations:

* You don’t need money or a credit buffer. If you don’t need money or a credit buffer then why get a reverse mortgage? For that matter, why get any mortgage? Make sure to take a long view of your possible future income and expenses though.
* You don’t plan to stay in your house at least another four years. Closing costs on reverse mortgages are higher than on forward mortgages. The closing costs become smaller compared to the interest the longer you hold the loan. After four years or so, the loan starts getting very cheap but up to then it can be expensive.
* You are unlikely medically to be able to stay in your home another four years. You must look realistically at your physical health and weigh the advantages of using the reverse mortgage proceeds versus the possibility of experiencing a condition that would require you to move out of your home early (ending the loan).

Reverse mortgages may be appropriate if any of the following are true:

* You have a negative cash flow (expenses more than income)
* There is a significant chance your expenses will rise in the future causing a negative cash flow
* There is a significant chance your income will decrease in the future causing a negative cash flow
* You have some other use for the money. Some people want money to take vacations while they still can get around decently.

Dave Parker - ParkerInReverse.com

602-750-8166
At The Lending Company

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.

Phoenix families often ask what the benefits are of hiring a senior caregiver to provide home care in order to understand why they should do it. The benefits are endless, so the question really should be more, why shouldn’t you hire a senior caregiver? Hiring an in home caregiver gives seniors the option of remaining in their own homes, and maintaining some level of independence they might not otherwise have if they were to move to a nursing home or assisted living facility.

Home caregivers for seniors can also change the lives of family caregivers, who can find themselves devoting their lives and their time to care for a loved one. Family caregivers don’t need to give up their responsibilities, but with the help of a senior caregiver, can get the break that they need from someone who is able to allow a senior to maintain their chosen lifestyle, schedule and routines rather than have their world turned upside down just because they’re getting older.

Hiring a senior caregiver to help a loved one at home is about providing them the independence they deserve and allowing them to age with dignity while maintaining the way of life that they’ve chosen for themselves. Giving it all up would be too grave a loss, but with the option of home care, it doesn’t have to come to that for Phoenix seniors.

Source:

1. Caring.com

Image Source: portlandinhomecare.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.

40-70 Rule Wins Major PR Award, Silver Anvil

On June 4th, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) selected “The 40-70 Rule” as the best program in the Marketing and Consumer Services category, awarding it the Silver Anvil Award.  The Silver Anvil, symbolizing the forging of public opinion, is awarded annually to organizations which have successfully addressed a current issue.  Winning programs are founded upon sound research, planning, execution and evaluation as it is the pinnacle of achievement in the PR world.

The award was accepted in front of 500 PR professionals by Tom Albers, from Albers communication, on behalf of Home Instead Senior Care.  It was a proud moment for him and for all at the Home Office, but the key to this moment and the success of the program were the franchise owners, according to Jim Beck, Director of Public Affairs.

“We knew that 40-70 had great potential from the beginning, but the extraordinary engagement of our franchise owners truly made it an exceptional program.  We were able to touch hundreds of thousands of families and lives through the brochures that were distributed and visits to the website.”  Currently, there are 250,000 booklets in circulation and more than 50,000 unique visitors to the www.4070talk.com website; these statistics are what Jim Beck believes led the judges to their ultimate decision of crowning “The 40-70 Rule” winner of the Silver Anvil Award.

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.

Image: www.independent.com

Q – Can stress have an impact on the health of Phoenix seniors? Is the expression “stress kills” true? And if so, why?

A – Stress kills; it’s true. For the American elderly in particular, stress can have a grave effect on health. Chronic stress can have an impact upon the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health of a senior, not to mention the psychological effects that can include severe anxiety and depression. For seniors, inadequate stress management can have very serious consequences including death.

A recent study has proven exactly why stress has a negative effect on health, and the culprit is a hormone called neuropeptide Y (NPY), which prevents proper hormone functioning. According to Professor Fabienne Mackay, lead researcher on the study, “During periods of stress, nerves release a lot of NPY and it gets into the bloodstream, where it directly impacts on the cells in the immune system that look out for and destroy pathogens (bacteria and viruses) in the body,”

Sources:

1. Medical News Today
2. Medicine Online
3. The American Institute of Stress

Image: www.gettyimages.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.

We asked our readers in Phoenix to share their worst doctor’s experiences when bringing their senior care recipient in for a medical consultation, and discovered that many caregivers have gripes about the doctor’s inability to speak to them in a language they understand. To help decipher medspeak, there are a few great online resources like The Medical Library Association and MedicineNet which define common and atypical medical terms in a way that’s easy to understand. To help take control of your senior’s medical care and understand the health information presented by a doctor, consult the above resources; but for now, enjoy one of our reader’s humorous horror stories about a visit to her mother’s doctor and a breakdown in communication.

Last year, I escorted my elderly mother to her family physician to have a rash looked at. During our first visit, the doctor was uncertain of the source of the rash; but by the second visit, she began to refer to it as “static”. Until we returned to the office the next time, we thought the doctor was blaming my mom’s rash on static, it turns out she was trying to refer to the fact that the condition of the rash had not changed. Meanwhile, I was trying to find a fabric softener that would reduce the static in my mom’s clothing!

Julie, 53

Sources:
1. Medical Library Association
2. MedicineNet

Image: pro.corbis.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.

The decision to become a family caregiver for an aging parent in the Phoenix area can be one of the most challenging and rewarding choices you’ll ever make. Naturally, when taking a dive into elder home care you want to ensure that your senior loved one receives the best care available; so how do you prepare to become a caregiver? Start by arming yourself with information; use the internet, like you are now, and other home care resources to learn how to deal with the emotional aspects of caregiving.  Seek out additional resources within your local Phoenix community; including caregiver support groups, transportation services, adult day cares and local medical centers. Whether or not you and your senior will require some of the services today, it’s wise to have an understanding of what’s available when you need them.

It’s also important to work with your parents to have all the legal and financial documentation prepared and available should you need to assist them in managing their affairs. Ask them to put together a list of important account numbers and contacts and keep it in a safe and secure place. You don’t need to be savvy to the information today, but it’s a good idea to have it available. You should also ensure that your parents have a living will prepared, so that you can ensure their medical wishes are carried out appropriately if at some point they are unable to speak for themselves.

Sources:

1. Associated Content

2. Adsense Blog

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.