After a long life of independence and the freedom to take control over their own lives, many seniors dread getting older and getting to a point where they need to accept help from a family member or professional caregiver. Agreeing that help is needed is a big step for Phoenix seniors, and it can take a while to help get your loved ones to that point, even when their health or safety is at risk.

Here are 7 ways that you can convince your senior to accept home care help:

1. Remember change is difficult for everyone – their resistance might be frustrating, but think about how you would feel in the same situation

2. Give him/her time to come around – introduce changes slowly, but don’t force them. Eventually, the changes if for your senior’s benefit will be more accepted, once they get past denying they need help

3. Keep on trying – if you try to introduce a change and it’s not accepted, wait and try again. Sometimes even 15 minutes can make a world of difference

4. Keep them involved in decisions – let your senior know he/she does have a say in making decisions about care. However, do try and be persuasive about introducing care options

5. Offer a trial period – if they are resistant, persuade your senior to give your suggestion a try. A trial period with a home caregiver or with you helping around the house may help them to realize how much it can ease their burden

6. Present it as help for them – when suggesting you help them out or hire a caregiver, don’t present it as a result of their limitations, tell them it’s to have someone available to clean up around the house so they don’t feel obligated, or to help with moving of heavy objects

7. Know when to stop pushing – remember, that despite your concerns, your senior is still someone who is capable and allowed to make their own decisions. If you have tried the above to no avail, no when to stop pushing otherwise you might risk your relationship

Via: National Caregiver’s Library

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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.

As a caregiver, I’ve always felt that it’s my duty to keep my care recipients in the best health possible, so I try to encourage activities that promote health. I have always encouraged resistance training and weight-bearing exercises in order to prevent bone density loss, but recently after reading some new information, I’ve had to reconsider whether or not that’s the wisest idea; because apparently the positives don’t actually outweigh the negatives, at least not as it was once believed. With everything there’s obviously a chance of injury, and while I don’t believe on steering clear of things just because there’s a potential risk, there better be a good reason to take that risk. Apparently, with resistance training for bone density, the potential bone loss can only be increased by up to 3%, and the required exercises can result in serious spinal problems that can be more crippling than even the effects of reduced bone density or osteoporosis.

So as a caregiver, I’ve had to think long and hard to determine what’s better for my Phoenix senior. While doctors may say that resistance training is the way to go, others aren’t so sure. Of course, these decisions aren’t up to me alone; my senior has a mind of her own when it comes to her health, and her family is always looking after her well-being as well. But as her primary caregiver, I choose the activities that we do together, and it’s up to me to encourage or discourage activities like resistance training. After speaking with my care recipient’s doctor and her family, we’ve decided that we’ll keep resistance training as part of the routine, because the benefits are still there, and after years, the potential risks have yet to show themselves to us. But it is interesting, how as caregivers, we need to constantly re-evaluate techniques and methods as information and opinions are constantly changing.

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. Mayo Clinic

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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.

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder home care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602.265.8228 or 480-991-3959.

Caregiver Stress in Phoenix - Signs that you are stressed out about senior care.

Debbie Seplow, invites you to learn how Home Instead Senior Care Greater Phoenix helps family caregivers cope with elder care stress.

Many people who care for their loved ones adapt to naturally giving a huge amount of time and energy for the sake of the one you love. If you are one of these people, do you ever stop to wonder if you are giving too much? How would you know if you are finally reaching the point of not caring about YOU anymore?
Some signs of stress are:

• Withdrawal - You may find yourself withdrawing from family and/or friends. Also, not participating in the hobbies you once enjoyed is a sign.
• Difficulty sleeping - If you are having a hard time falling asleep and/or staying asleep.
• Exhaustion - Feeling tired from everyday tasks and the feeling that there is not enough time to get things done.
• Lack of Concentration - Feeling overwhelmed by the tasks at hand and what needs to be done.
• Weight Loss/Gain - Loss of appetite, or eating to comfort yourself is indicators that you are under stress.
• Drinking or Smoking - If you find yourself turning to this as an outlet, realize it isn’t a healthy way to deal with your feelings.
• Head Aches and Stomach Problems - You can start to feel physically ill if you are stressed out.

Sick More Often - If you are stressed out, your body can’t fight off illnesses and viruses as well.

When you start to identify with these signs, you know it is time to sit back for a minute and evaluate your situation. In this series, we will go over a number of techniques to help you cope and conquer senior home care stress.