When it’s time to hire a caregiver, most families are able to recognize the necessity. But for everyone, especially the senior family member in question it can be hard to get used to the idea and a long process to finding the right caregiver for an elderly loved one.
1. Talk about it – while family might believe a senior requires home care assistance, their elderly loved one might not feel the same. Talking about it gently is essential, and not all seniors are likely to simply accept the suggestion of help. A family counselor can intervene if necessary.
2. List the help needed – talk together and determine specific things that a senior care provider like Home Care San Antonio could assist with. Whether it’s grocery shopping, help with bathing and dressing, or other tasks.
3. Do research – talk to friends and family about home care agencies they’d recommend, but during that process as costs are addressed, it’s also essential that any funding or insurance coverage that may be available is investigated
4. Don’t jump into a decision – even once a specific agency is narrowed down, it’s okay to interview them and ask questions about their history and their policies. Ask if they’ll spend time with the senior first to assess comfort level, and also verify that a replacement caregiver will be provided if one doesn’t work out
Hiring a caregiver should include some extensive research. Seniors often need different services depending on their current medical and living conditions. Many agencies, such as Home Instead Senior Care in San Antonio offer qualified caregivers who will make life easier for a senior who needs some extra help. The hiring process should be taken very seriously. Below is a list that contains some useful information when looking to hire a caregiver.
1. Check local Home Care Agencies. These companies staff many caregivers. However, they do provide different levels of service, so take the time to make sure all services that are needed can be provided.
2. If the senior in need of a caregiver is approved for care that will be paid for by Medicare, the Health Care Agency must be Medicare certified. This ensures that the agency meets the minimal federal requirements.
3. If the senior only requires personal care or homemaking services, caregivers do not have to come from an agency that is certified for Medicare.
4. If there is no Medicare coverage, the cost of the caregiver will have to be paid by the person receiving services. These services can be expensive, but there are some low rates for personal care attendants, also known as PCA’s. They are typically paid by the hour at rates between $13 and $35.
5. Do not be afraid to contact multiple agencies. It is important to find the right caregiver that will provide all services needed by the senior.
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.
If you’re planning on moving a senior relative into your home, then their health and safety are probably your top concerns. Keep that in mind when you consider making much needed changes to your home that will further increase the comfort and safety of seniors, who have different needs than younger generations when it comes to living arrangements.
1. Install a lower peephole – particularly for seniors that live alone, a peephole is an important security measure. Osteoporosis can cause seniors to lose height, and causing them to strain to see out of a peephole is a danger
2. Reduce glare in the home – for the comfort of seniors, install blinds on the windows that can be adjusted depending upon the amount of light or glare coming into the home
3. Prevent falls with safety measures – put railings on stairs and in the bathroom, and to avoid slips remove area rugs
4. Control water temperatures of the faucets – seniors can scald themselves if they find it challenging to control water
5. Change door handles – seniors with arthritis often have trouble manipulating doorknobs; accommodate them by installing level handles or other assistive devices
6. Try to control clutter – whether a senior is moving in, or you’re trying to make their home a little safer, finding storage for all the extra items that are not regularly used is important to reduce clutter and increase safety
Family and professional caregivers have a lot on their plates, and organization is key in order to effectively manage their responsibilities without collapsing under the pressure. Even many seniors find themselves taking on a lot in retirement, so all generations can learn from organization and effective time management.
1. Prioritize – seniors and caregivers alike can prioritize their responsibilities. Not all tasks are of equal importance, and by starting with items that are crucial, they can work their way through, and if there’s just not enough time in the day, the non-priority items can wait so seniors don’t overburden themselves
2. Make a schedule – as part of prioritizing, plan out your day on a calendar, either by writing it down or using a calendar tool on your laptop or Blackberry. Seeing what needs to be accomplished visually, marked down hour by hour will help you set realistic goals for yourself whether you’re a caregiver or a busy senior
3. Don’t waste time – busy people known that time is of the essence, so while important goals and responsibilities should bet me, time shouldn’t be wasted on focusing on the things that don’t matter
4. Ask for help – as a caregiver, don’t be afraid to ask for someone else to step in and provide respite that way you can focus on other things that are important, like rest and relaxation for yourself. As a senior, if there are things you need help to accomplish, just ask!
As parents, we think we look forward to the day when our kids leave home and we’re left with freedom. But in reality, a sense of loneliness kicks in known as empty nest syndrome. Older adults might feel like they’ve lost their sense of purpose once they’re no longer parenting day-to-day. But empty nest syndrome can be combated and avoiding in the following ways:
1. Take time to yourself – while your life might have been about everyone else previously while caring for children, a spouse and a household, as an empty nester, appreciate and take advantage of the quiet. Enjoy the time you have to yourself instead of allowing it to remind you what you no longer have
2. Make new connections – finding yourself with an empty nest can feel lonely, so fill the void by reconnecting with family members and friends, and making new ones by joining social groups and activities available in San Antonio
3. Renew marriage vows – it might feel like your life has been all about the children for decades, but reconnect with your loved one and renew your vows to remind each other what brought you together in the first place!
4. Do something meaningful – being a parent is one of the most meaningful jobs , and finding a way to fill that void after the children have left home is a challenge. Do something else that makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something important; volunteer somewhere you can make a difference!
5. Get out there – with new found time on your hands, achieve the things you never had time to in the past. You can travel or take on a new hobby.
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
