Senior Health

The Subtle (and Not So Subtle) Signs That a Senior Is Resistant to Care

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Senior couple at home in kitchen

You did the hard part. You had the conversations, weighed the options, and arranged home care for an aging parent. Now the caregiver is showing up, and your loved one is making it clear they want nothing to do with it. This is one of the most common situations families face, and it doesn’t mean … Read more

Hospice News: CareFor Unveils New Hospice Program

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We are proud to share that CareFor was recently featured in Hospice News, highlighting the launch of our hospice program. The coverage dives into our long-standing commitment to our clients, providing continuity of care to ensure their wishes are carried out until the true end. Read on to learn how CareFor Hospice came to life, what sets our approach apart, and what this means for the clients and families we serve.

How to Help Aging Parents Stay Independent at Home Longer

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You start to notice small things. The house isn’t as clean as it used to be. The mail stacks up on the counter. Your dad repeats the same story twice in one conversation, and your mom laughs it off when she mentions she “almost fell” last week. Nothing feels urgent. Nothing feels like a crisis. … Read more

The Silent Shift After the Holidays: Why January Is When Care Needs Become Most Visible

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Once the holiday decorations come down and daily life resumes, many families find themselves sitting with a quiet realization: something feels different. This is the silent shift after the holidays, and for many families, January is when senior care needs become most visible.

Exercise for Adults With Alzheimer’s: Ideas for Each Stage

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The countless benefits of physical exercise are obvious, but what is not as well known is that exercise for adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can be particularly helpful in a variety of ways. It can help lessen the risk for muscle weakness as well as other issues that arise from inactivity, can minimize the impact of psychological and behavioral changes, and even more. 

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Are the Benefits of Exercise for Seniors Comparable to Medicine?

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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.

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Home Care Improves the Transition From Hospital to Home

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Recuperating from an operation takes time, especially for older adults. Not only do older bodies take longer to heal, but there are extra factors that need to be considered: reduced mobility and numerous directions to follow for dietary restrictions, medications, follow-up appointments, and physical activities, just to name a few. 

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Try the SMILE Concept to Make Personal Care for Seniors More Comfortable

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sunflowers

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.

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Helpful Tips for Managing Aging Skin Care Issues

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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. 

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Fall Prevention Exercises Help Improve Safety at Home

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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. 

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Prevent Senior Falls with Simple Home Modifications

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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. 

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Is It a TIA or Stroke?

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Numbness on one side of the body. Slurred speech. Confusion. Appears to be a stroke, right? Then again, if those stroke-like signs subside rather rapidly and seem minor, they may be caused by a TIA (transient ischemic attack). But prior to breathing that sigh of relief and getting back to life as usual, it’s important … Read more

Caring for a Loved One with Dysphagia

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On a hot summer day, there is nothing more satisfying than a tall, cold drink, but for someone with dysphagia, this simple pleasure can be downright dangerous. Dysphagia – or difficulty with swallowing – affects millions of older adults, because of weakened mouth and/or throat muscles. Alzheimer’s, MS, cancer, and stroke are typical root causes … Read more

Tips for Reducing Family Caregiver Stress

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Family caregiver stress is inescapable, and in reality, not necessarily always a bad thing. Basically, as they say, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Yet especially for family caregivers, the level of stress can rapidly escalate and become overwhelming, and if not handled effectively, result in serious health concerns.

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Investigating Incontinence Myths and Facts

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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

Understanding Senior Incontinence

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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.

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You’re Doing Your Best: Tips for Managing Caregiver Guilt

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A lot of us are trying to juggle numerous assorted responsibilities, and for family caregivers, it can feel similar to juggling flaming swords and knives. It’s natural for family members to become overloaded and to experience feelings of caregiver guilt when wanting to provide the best care for a member of the family.   Guilt … Read more

Technology for Seniors: Tools That Help Promote Independence

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austin senior home care

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. 

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The Importance of Maintaining Senior Independence

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austin senior care

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. 

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‘Tis the Season to Celebrate: Holiday Tips for Seniors

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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. 

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Tips for Safe and Enjoyable Holiday Outings for Seniors

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georgetown home care agency

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.

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Senior Depression: Warning Signs

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sad-senior-looking-longingly

Most people go through times when they simply want to be left alone for a while with their thoughts, to sort out circumstances in their lives without distractions, or just to have some downtime. For older people, however, being isolated for an extended period of time may be indicative of a more serious condition: depression. If your loved one is facing senior depression, how will you know?

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The Hidden Risks of Common Sleep Medications for Seniors

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senior man waking up

Is there anything that feels better than waking up well rested after a good night’s sleep, feeling energized and ready to face the day? For some older adults – as many as one-third of them – getting sufficient sleep is something that only occurs in their dreams. And unfortunately, it’s a common assumption that lack of … Read more

Senior Health Tips: The Dangers of Pill Organizers

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One Week Pill Box

The average senior takes as many as 15-18 different prescriptions every day, so it’s no wonder that so many older adults end up missing doses or taking incorrect doses of their medications. And there are serious health problems that can result from these medication errors. A common senior health tip is the recommendation of a pill … Read more

Seniors Can Age at Home Safely with These Tips

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elder care austin tx

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

When Caring for Someone with Dementia Becomes Stressful for Family Caregivers

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family caregiver with senior loved one

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. 

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Enhancing Independence for Older Adults is Easier When Partnering with CareFor

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caregiver reading to senior man

As we get older, it is common to begin to encounter challenges with daily activities, including showering, dressing, planning and preparing meals, or even driving a vehicle. This can lead to concerns that these challenges suggest that we’ll have to give up not just our self-reliance, but our home as well. However, there is encouraging news for seniors: home care services, such as those provided by CareFor, can help actually enhance independence for older adults and help them continue living at home safely where they’re most comfortable. 

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Is Senior Socialization the Key to Healthy Wellbeing in Older Adults?

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family posing with senior loved one

It’s intuitive to most of us that interacting with others improves health and wellbeing. It keeps us connected to other people’s experiences, beliefs, struggles, humor, points of views, and various other human occurrences. However, now scientific studies are determining that socializing with others, and most notably seniors socializing with others, actually may boost the wellness of both mind and body.

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Benefits of a Heart Healthy Diet for Seniors

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healthy diet for seniors

Our senior care professionals in Austin understand that it’s tough to make the right dietary choices when guidelines appear to constantly change. We had been told that saturated fats from options like butter, red meat and fried food were harmful and could potentially impact a person’s odds of developing heart problems, but later research revealed there isn’t enough evidence that people who gave up these delicacies improved their heart health – and so, we went back to our old ways due to the go-ahead to opt for butter over margarine.

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Home Care Assistance Following a Hospital Stay

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Caregiver taking client's blood pressure

A priority for hospitals currently is decreasing readmissions for patients who are at high risk. Healthcare Financial Management Association’s article “Two Ways Hospitals Can Reduce Avoidable Readmissions” explains that effective initiatives from several hospitals with minimal 30-day rehospitalizations are, to a certain extent, the result of working together with inpatient and outpatient care providers, such as CareFor, which offers trusted home care assistance.

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Holidays With Seniors May Highlight Warning Signs That Home Care Is Needed

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Senior man eating a meal in the hospital

While of course we’d like to imagine enjoying a Norman Rockwell-worthy holiday celebration, with all of our family members spending quality time together and Grandma’s traditional holiday feast, the reality for some families instead consists of something unexpected: an E/R visit. As a matter of fact, studies show that emergency room visits for older adults jump about 10 – 20% over the holidays.

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What to Do When Seniors Experience Dementia Confusion

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Grandson and grandfather walking together outside

Dementia confusion, a typical occurrence in Alzheimer’s, can lead to recent memories being forgotten about or distorted, while memories from the more distant past usually remain unimpaired. This can cause prior periods of time to be more realistic to an older adult with dementia than the present. A person’s alternate reality can be his or her way of making sense of the present through past experiences.

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Anosognosia: How to Care for Seniors Unaware of Their Dementia

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CareFor offers senior care in San Marcos and nearby areas

If an aging loved one with dementia has voiced beliefs such as this, you may have thought to yourself that he or she was just in denial and reluctant to acknowledge such a concerning diagnosis. However, there may be another reason: anosognosia, or a person’s genuine unawareness that he/she is impaired by dementia.

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Simplifying The Complexities of Long-Term Care Insurance

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Friendly girl explaining some documentation to parent

Long-term care insurance can provide great peace of mind, but utilizing those benefits can wind up being a complex undertaking for seniors and their family members. To help lead families through the process, CareFor offers the following informative overview.

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A Senior’s Sense of Purpose: Feeling Useful Makes All the Difference

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Senior woman and her adult daughter cutting flowers

Look online for the phrase “activities for seniors” and you’ll likely find a number of memory stimulation puzzles, crafts, games, and of course, the requisite bingo. What you won’t find, unless you really search much longer, are the meaningful, philanthropic activities that provide meaning and purpose to our lives. Yet, if you ask older individuals … Read more

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