When family caregivers begin the care planning process with their elderly loved ones, it can be hard to know where to start. But putting it off doesn’t do anyone any favors, because it can cause the family to scramble resulting in potentially inadequate care due to rushing. Plan ahead and plan early so that quality care remains a priority.

1. Look at all resources –in order to help a senior plan for the future, take a look at all of the options by considering family who may be able to provide help, finances and other assets that could contribute to an aging loved one’s future

2. Understand that plans can change – when planning early, a guideline might be put in place. You might decide with the senior in your life that you will be a full or part-time caregiver. But, by the time they actually need help you might not be in a position to follow through. Accept that plans can change, be flexible, and have backup plans in place

3. Enlist help – a geriatric care manager or a senior care provider can help evaluate the future needs seniors may have to aid in planning

4. Organize the legal aspects – encourage your elderly relative to create a will, draft an advanced directive, establish a power of attorney, and go through the estate planning process

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

In many cultures, it’s an expectation that families will take in their elders in older adulthood; but in others, it’s a gesture of concern and caring. Families might offer for seniors to move in with them, but it doesn’t mean that it’s an arrangement that works for everyone. If your family has suggested you come live in their home, evaluate whether or not it will work for you and the lifestyle you envision for yourself in older adulthood by asking these questions:

• What specific responsibilities will I have? Will I be expected to contribute to household chores or care for any of the grandchildren in the home? If so, how often and when?

• Will I be provided with my own space to maintain my independence? Will I have a room, or a bathroom that’s off limits to the rest of the family?

• What will become of my assets? How will we handle the sale of my home and finances I have in my bank accounts?

• Can I bring my pets to the home?

• Will changes be made to areas of the home to provide for my comfort and safety?

• Will I be a part of family decisions, such as vacations, travel, and hosting of events in the home? Or will the other family members make these decisions?

• Am I able to invite my friends to the home and entertain? What if I want to use the space without the grandchildren?

• What arrangements will be made if I need care assistance? Will someone in the home be able to help, or will we hire senior home care?

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

Image source: sxc.hu

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

Almost everyone is searching for a way to save money, especially when traveling. The good news for seniors is that this is possible! The following list will provide you with some tips when planning a vacation. It is important to start planning as soon as you can. This will help when trying to find the best deal. Working with a travel agent is the best way for seniors to book a vacation and find the best available price.

1. Make sure to know personal preferences before contacting a travel agent. These requests should be made in advance. Some common requests for traveling seniors include aisle seats on airplanes, morning flights and non-smoking accommodations.

2. Be sure to deal with a travel agent directly. Many travel agents have personal assistants that relay messages. If possible, try to arrange to speak with the agent directly.

3. If there are time constraints, make sure to have a back-up plan. Use a calendar to plan for schedule changes. Often times, a change in time could mean a greater discount.

4. Inquire about car rentals and hotel rooms. Your travel agent may be able to book a complete package which would offer additional savings.

Source: www.ehow.com

Image source: sxc.hu

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

If you ask most older adults today, they’ll tell you that they have no plans of retiring outright when they reach age 65. Some love their jobs, others need the money; and the good news is, regardless of the motivation, there are benefits to senior health for seniors who remain in the workforce. The greatest benefits are for those seniors who transition from a full-time career to part-time job, temporary job or work at home job, rather than retiring outright. These seniors have better physical and mental health overall:

Benefits of Work on Senior Health:

• With a transition period from full-time work into retirement with part-time work, temporary work or work at home, seniors find it’s less of a shock to their mental health. Seniors who immediately retire from full-time work can find that feelings of loss of purpose can cause anxiety and depression

• Seniors who remain in the workforce longer, even part-time are more functional, and often have greater mobility while remaining active members of society

• Instances of high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, lung disease, heart disease, and stroke are some of the common medical problems that are reduced in working seniors

Via: Home Instead Senior care

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

I know what you’re thinking, starting a diet isn’t one of your retirement goals, but it is the first step in ensuring that you can live out your dreams in later life. Focusing on a healthy diet ensures that you’ve got all of the energy in the world to do all of those things that you’ve hoped to accomplish during your senior years; whether it’s to travel, interact with your grandchildren, or simply take up some new hobbies. A diet might not have been one of your retirement goals, but it’s time to start making it a priority, and here are some tips to get you started:

1. Eat raw foods – some nutrients can be best digested when in raw form and they are rich in fiber. Make sure that at least one of your daily servings of vegetables are consumed raw either on their own or in a salad

2. Choose whole grain carbs – unprocessed carbs that are whole grain provide energy , choose brown rice, and whole grain breads and pasta. White carbohydrates are starchy and can make you feel tired and bloated

3. Stick to lean proteins – limit red meat and instead go with lean sources of protein like poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts which will give you the fuel to get through you day and are also very health conscious

4. Incorporate low fat dairy items into your diet – calcium is crucial for senior health so drink low fat milk, and make sure you stock up on yogurt and cheese

5. Don’t avoid all fat – there are some good fats that should be part of your diet; make sure you get the positive benefits of healthy fats and oils through olive oil, avocados and nuts

6. Stay hydrated – remember to drink plenty of water and choose foods that have a lot of water content

Via: HelpGuide

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

As my mom and dad approached their senior years, we were waiting for them to say that they were finally read to put the suburban home where they had raised us as kids on the market in lieu of a lifestyle more suited to seniors. But, overtime it became apparent that they just weren’t planning on giving up their roots in the community despite the challenges they’d need to overcome to make their home in the suburbs work for them as they aged. Here are the steps that my parents took to ensure that they could keep their home, their independence and their roots into their senior years that any senior who wants to stay in the suburbs can learn from:

1. Address financial restraints – consider a reverse mortgage to fund any additional financial needs of the home like maintenance, renovations, or any remaining amount on a mortgage loan

2. Make the home safe – suburban homes aren’t necessarily designed for senior living. They are often 2 stories, and are not compatible with those who need to use wheel chairs or other assistive devices. To make the home accessible and safe, install safety bars and hand-rails, improve the lighting in the home, and have ramps or other assistive devices incorporated into the home as needed

3. Get help – for older adults, keeping up with the routine maintenance of a home can be challenging, but that doesn’t need to be a reason to give it up. Hire services to clean and keep up with the yard work, or get an in-home caregiver to cook and provide basic assistance with other tasks as needed

4. Look into transportation – walking to get to shops and other areas in the suburbs may not be convenient. Seniors who don’t drive can use transportation services available, or hire a caregiver that can help them get around

Via: CSA Connections

Image: seniorcarehomesmidwest.com

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

No matter what your age, it’s never too late to achieve your dreams, and if that’s to see the word or establish yourself in a different lifestyle overseas, there’s no better time than your retirement. Here are some tips for when you decide to get away from San Antonio to a more exotic, international destination.

1. Consider the cost of living – the cost of living varies from country to country and city to city, so make sure you do your research and choose one that has a cost of living that is lower and well-suited to your retirement budget

2. Find out the regulations for living in a country where you’re not a citizen – in countries like Mexico, retired seniors can receive residency permits that can be renewed annually; or for those with their own homes there, with a monthly pension of $1000 a permanent residency status can be granted

3. Think about your health – the climate and environment of various places abroad can have an impact on your health. Also look at the type of health care system in the countries you’re considering retiring to; some developing countries do not have the same standards as those we’re used to in the US while others have even more comprehensive health care systems

4. Choose your lifestyle – depending on what you’re looking for from your retirement, different destinations can meet your requirements. If you dream of senior years on a beach, Mexico, Spain or Italy might be a good choice; but if you want a historical experience look at Greece or England

Via: Retirement Story

image: heritagecommonssl.com

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.