Providing senior care for someone you love can easily turn into a long to-do list: meals to cook, prescriptions to manage, appointments to attend, and a household to keep running. When you’re trying to juggle all of this, it often feels more efficient to just take care of everything yourself. After all, the person you’re caring for has spent a lifetime looking after others. Isn’t it okay to let them relax now?
A car backfires down the street, and suddenly the person next to you stiffens. A whiff of smoke from a neighbor’s barbecue, and their whole demeanor shifts. For an older adult with a history of trauma, ordinary sights, sounds, or even scents can serve as jarring reminders of the past.
There’s a big difference between a minor illness and a life-altering health event. A cold might call for tissues and rest. But recovering from surgery, dealing with a chronic illness flare-up, or navigating a brand-new diagnosis? That’s a whole different challenge.
The doctor walks in, speaks in a blur of clinical terms, and before you know it, the appointment is over—and you’re left wondering what just happened. This is a common scenario when supporting a senior at medical appointments. You meant to ask a few important questions, but between trying to remember medications, recent symptoms, and instructions from other specialists, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
You’re juggling meals, medications, appointments, and blood sugar checks, all while trying to keep life running smoothly for someone else. Sound familiar? When you’re supporting someone with diabetes, the responsibilities can quickly pile up. And unlike a short-term illness, diabetes care never really takes a break.
The hospital doors have closed behind you, and now you’re standing in the living room, unsure what happens next. The IVs, alarms, and constant check-ins are gone, replaced with silence—and a growing list of questions.
Bringing Mom home from the hospital should be a relief. The hard part is over—she’s back in familiar surroundings, and recovery can begin. But instead of improving, she seems drained, anxious, or even weaker than before. Maybe she’s struggling with simple tasks, having trouble sleeping, or feeling overwhelmed. Instead of the turning point you expected, … Read more
When you assume the role of caregiver for an elderly relative at home, you frequently encounter situations that require you to aid them in navigating the house, rising from or sitting in chairs or wheelchairs, or transitioning from one spot to another. Mishandling these activities can significantly endanger both your safety and that of your relative, making it imperative to utilize effective techniques for safe lifting and transfers at home.
The fear and isolation brought on by COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the wellbeing of older adults, with nearly half of seniors surveyed in a Kaiser Family Foundation poll stating that their degree of stress and worry was negatively impacting their own health. It is crucial to remain in regular and frequent contact with senior loved ones, in order to watch for any signs or changes which might signify a mental health concern.
In our commitment to fostering compassionate and supportive spaces for seniors, the importance of cultural competence shines, especially concerning the distinct needs of LGBTQ+ individuals in their later years. Cultural competence transcends mere tolerance, requiring a profound understanding and respect for diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences. In the realm of senior care, embracing cultural competence becomes crucial to ensuring LGBTQ+ seniors receive the dignity and understanding they deserve as they navigate the complexities of aging.
As we embark on the journey of life, each individual’s story unfolds like a tapestry, rich with diverse experiences and vibrant hues. Among the threads of this intricate fabric are the narratives of LGBTQ+ seniors, whose stories often bear the weight of challenges that demand our attention and empathy. As a leading provider of home care services in Austin and the surrounding areas, we understand the significance of fostering inclusivity to ensure that every member of our community receives the support and care they deserve.
There was a period of time when Mom only needed assistance for a few hours, several times per week. Then, as her needs changed, it became more beneficial to have a caregiver present to help her most days of the week while you provided care for her on the weekends. Now, you’re realizing Mom would feel most comfortable at home if she had someone present around the clock to make sure her needs are met and to help with any emergencies that may occur.
Reflect back on your life for a moment. Is there anything you had to learn the hard way? Life doesn’t come with a guidebook, unfortunately. Yet we have something even better than an instruction manual: those who have walked a similar journey and hold the keys to a wealth of wisdom.
We all want to leave the world a little better than we found it. One significant way to accomplish this is by creating a legacy for the generations that follow. A person’s legacy becomes a timeless treasure, influencing the decisions of their children and grandchildren, who build onto that legacy and reach countless others in years to come.
Returning home for the holidays can be a joyous occasion, but it can also bring to light changes in the health and well-being of our aging loved ones. If you’ve recently visited your parents and are noticing care needs during the holidays, such as Mom is becoming increasingly forgetful or Dad is not moving as well as he did last year, you’re not alone. Many adult children experience a holiday reality check – a time when family visits reveal a need for care that may have been overlooked throughout the year.
The holiday season is often associated with joy, festivities, and quality time spent with loved ones. However, for some individuals, especially seniors, the fall and winter months can trigger a form of clinical depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This condition is more than just the winter blues; it can cast a shadow over the holidays, leading to feelings of sadness and nostalgia, particularly for seniors who reminisce about past celebrations with loved ones who are no longer present.
As a degenerating neurological disease, ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) can cause a wide range of physical obstacles that can trigger clinical depression. For individuals caring for a loved one with ALS, it’s difficult not to become stressed and uncertain about how to help the person live life to the fullest and stay positive. It requires understanding the nuances of the disease and implementing ALS care tips from those who have walked a mile in your shoes.
Receiving a diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease (also known as ALS) can cause plenty of questions and apprehensions, both for the individual diagnosed and their loved ones. What causes ALS? What symptoms might be expected in each stage of ALS? Where am I able to go for support?
Though many older adults acclimate smoothly when a new caregiver comes into the home, and begin to enjoy a higher quality of life, there are some seniors who may continue to feel threatened. At CareFor, we’re especially sensitive to the feelings of a senior who is resistant to care. We’re skilled in helping to ease concerns and restore peace.
As the top provider of professional senior care in Austin, San Antonio, and the surrounding area, we see firsthand every day the joy, companionship, and improved quality of life older adults receive from having a caregiver. Yet we also know that many older adults balk at the idea of caregiving. Understanding why seniors resist home care is key to overcoming these objections.
If you’re the adult child of an aging father or mother, you’ve likely listened to them explain their wish to remain at home versus moving to a nursing home. The truth is, most seniors want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible – for a number of reasons. Home is the place they have carefully created, so it’s where they feel the most familiar and comfortable. Living at home also brings purpose and meaning to a person’s life. Something as simple as looking at your belongings, reading the mail, or relaxing on the back deck are more significant at home than in a long-term care facility because it is the home that provides the framework of life. The comforts of home provide a sense of tranquility and privacy that cannot be substituted.
Conversations with an older adult struggling with all the difficulties of Alzheimer’s, particularly in the middle and later stages, could very well be discouraging – both for you and also for the person with Alzheimer’s. Brain changes affect the capacity to hear, process, and respond effectively to conversations, and it’s up to us to employ innovative ways of effectively interacting and communicating with a senior with dementia.
If you made a resolution in January to work out more this year, hopefully you’re continuing to stay with it! Adding extra physical activity to your everyday activities is one resolution we should all be putting into action. For seniors, many of whom take a variety of medications for various health problems, this is particularly true. As the top provider of in-home care services in Austin and surrounding areas, we’re excited to share research that shows new benefits of exercise for seniors.
Stop for a moment, close your eyes, and imagine yourself like this: You have spent most of your life taking care of and assisting others – as a mother or father, in your workplace, through volunteering in your community, and as a grandparent. After all that time spent living independently and being in control of all of your decisions, you have suddenly aged to the point that now you are the person in need of assistance with bathing and other hygiene tasks. Consider the sense of fear, loss, and vulnerability.
It isn’t a facet of senior personal care that is as commonly discussed as other tasks, but is essential to keeping older adults healthy nonetheless. Aging skin care issues can cause a variety of difficulties for seniors, including discomfort, bruising, dryness, itching, and more.
The CDC shares that as many as one in three older adults fall each year, and surprisingly, less than half of them discuss those falls with their physicians. When a senior falls, even if it does not lead to serious injury, they can develop an enhanced fear of falling, which can result in limited activities, reduced mobility, less exercise, and eventually, a greater risk of another fall.
Falls can be painful, but for seniors, a fall can cause catastrophic effects, such as a fractured hip, something that can lead to even more health concerns. As many as one in four seniors who experience a fractured hip lose their lives within six months of the injury – a terribly disturbing, yet preventable fact. For these reasons, it is crucial to take measures in the home to help prevent senior falls.
Urinary incontinence is an awkward issue for those who experience it. The stigma behind the condition commonly contributes to people having either a lack of facts or a belief in some common misconceptions about incontinence. The following are just a few incontinence myths and the facts to be aware of instead: Myth: Urinary incontinence is … Read more
Incontinence, or decreased bladder control, is a distressing and delicate issue, particularly for older individuals. It can trigger a variety of problems from skin sores to social isolation for individuals who are afraid to leave home in case of an “accident.” Yet, while bladder leakage causes approximately 25 million people in the U.S. to struggle with complications, the affliction hardly ever gets the attention and conversation it needs. With the lack of communication and facts about senior incontinence, many seniors and those who provide their care feel as though there is nothing that can be done about it.
When our parents were younger, telephones were affixed to walls, mail was only the paper variety, and if adult children lived far away from their parents, checking in on them was as simple as asking someone nearby to stop by to visit. If someone were unable to leave home as a result of sickness or frailty, isolation could rapidly set in. Social circles were smaller, and long-distance family members frequently felt powerless if they weren’t able to be there in person to help. But life has drastically changed since those times, and technology has evolved how we communicate and manage the everyday activities of living.
Throughout the course of life’s stages, our yearning for independence is fulfilled in a variety of ways. There are significant events, such as moving out of our parents’ home or getting married, and less significant occasions, like accomplishing a difficult task on our own. Later, as we age, preserving independence becomes the focus – the capacity to stay in our own home safely and securely. This wish to age in place at home is frequently the greatest desire for older adults, regardless of their state of health or ability to function independently, even in the midst of injury, sickness, or chronic health conditions.
Even though the holiday season is usually viewed as a time that is joyful, abundant with visiting loved ones who are near and dear to us and selecting the perfect gifts, for older people, it can be far from merry and bright. A combination of lost loved ones, memories of holidays past, health problems, and more can hit older adults with emotions of lonesomeness and sorrow.
The holiday season is loaded with get-togethers, celebrations, and parties. However, holiday outings for seniors may necessitate a little additional planning. Try these recommendations from the Austin senior home care specialists at CareFor to enjoy fun and relaxed outings with loved ones of all ages this season.
The great majority of seniors are set on staying at home throughout aging, rather than relocating to an assisted living facility or nursing home – close to 9 out of 10 of them, according to research done by AARP. And who can blame them? The comfort of familiar surroundings, the freedom to go wherever, whenever … Read more
Home is where we’re most comfortable, and it’s for that reason so many older adults make the choice to remain at home through their golden years. But oftentimes wheelchairs come to be a part of life when seniors or those with specific disabilities experience decreased mobility. This can be a unique challenge when it comes … Read more
Picture how it would feel to awaken in an unfamiliar location, not able to remember how you arrived there or even what your name is. Progressing into complete disorientation, then quickly leading to anger and fear, you might find yourself lashing out at the unknown person positioned beside your bed, talking to you in a quiet voice.