Tips for When a Grandparent Lives With You and Your Young Children
Many people often invite their elderly grandparents to live with them in order to care for them. This arrangement allows many generations of family to live together under one roof, which creates some tight bonds between the family members. That being said, this arrangement also comes with challenges. If you’re considering bringing your grandparents into your home to live and you have young children, here are a few things to keep in mind to keep things running smoothly.
Give Them Space
It’s important that you give your grandparents space for a number of reasons. It allows them to maintain their sense of privacy and individuality. It also keeps younger kids safe. The elderly often rely on prescriptions to maintain their health. In order to prevent your young children from getting into their medications, it’s a good idea to store medicine in child-resistant containers and keep them locked up and out of sight. Additionally, it’s best to exercise caution in everything. Even leaving medications in a purse can be harmful if a child gets into it. It’s best to leave any type of medication locked up safely and out of reach of small hands.
Keep Rooms and Walkways Clean
While medications might be a hazard for young children, small toys left on the floor can be a hazard for the elderly. Before your grandparents move in, create a system for keeping toys and other objects at bay. First, if it’s possible, keep your children and their toys on an entirely different level than your grandparents will occupy. Next, try organizing the toys by activities. That will keep each of the toys isolated in their own corners, so to speak. If everything is sorted into labeled containers, then less of the floor is likely to get cluttered. Finally, create a clean-up system and teach your kids to use it. It’s easiest if they learn to clean as they go. Though teaching them to do that may take some time, it’s definitely worth it.
Create Boundaries Ahead of Time
While this arrangement will likely be a blessing to everyone, it’s important for harmony’s sake that you set up some boundaries so that your home life is harmonious, according to Family Matters. Some of these boundaries will be physical boundaries, like instructing your small children to stay away from their grandparents’ quarters unless they’re invited in. However, some of the boundaries will be more emotional. It will be natural for your grandparents to want to step in and even possibly discipline your kids at times. This can be problematic if not handled right. Talk with them ahead of time about discipline and other matters. That way all of the adults in the home present a united front to the kids, while still maintaining harmony with one another.
It can be a wonderful experience to have your grandparents come to live with you. Your young children will get the opportunity to get to know them and to be around their wisdom. However, this situation can present challenges if it’s not handled correctly. It’s important for personal safety as well as emotional well-being that issues like medications, toys and personal boundaries be worked out before grandma and grandpa come to live with you.
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Don’t Let Them Think the World Is Cold: Helping Elders Avoid Loneliness and Depression
The elderly population is growing at an unprecedented rate. In the United States alone, the population aged 65 and up grew a whopping 33% from 2006 to 2016. However, as those golden years come for many senior citizens across the country, so can feelings of depression and isolation. There are ways to help your senior loved ones overcome loneliness, however.
Why Is Depression Common With Age?
Depression affects those of all ages, but seniors might be at a particular disadvantage. Seniors are at risk for depression due to family history, low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, or traumatic life events, such as the death of a loved one. As seniors age, the loss of spouses, family and friends becomes all too common. Those who are retired can feel a bit lost and unsure of what to do with their time, leading to depression that can become severe if not helped in its early stages.
Certain medication used to treat illnesses that come with age also can lead to depression. It can be very difficult for some seniors to swallow their pride and admit they need help. While depression can strike at any age, the symptoms do not always appear the same. Seniors may appear tired, irritable or confused. It is important to recognize these symptoms to help get your loved one the help they need.
Avoiding Isolation
As we age, it is easy to slip into a pattern of loneliness. Even the loss of hearing can lead to isolation. It is important to spend time with those seniors in your life who might be experiencing loneliness, particularly if they previously enjoyed an active social life and craved time with others. Carve out time in your week to have lunch or stop by for a visit.
When you cannot be around, help them get involved with a hobby. If they have friends who cannot drive, offer to pick them up and get them together. If your loved one is in a home, discuss the importance of making connections with the other residents. Unfortunately, elder abuse isn’t uncommon, made all the worse by isolation. If your parent or loved one has close friends and other family members visiting often, this is less likely to happen.
Encouraging a Healthy Lifestyle
Many seniors are stuck in their ways when it comes to the food they consume and how much physical activity they get each week, but health during the golden years becomes more important than ever. Not only are our bodies getting tired and more susceptible to health risks. Data is still forthcoming on the exact reasons a higher mortality rate is linked to isolation. However, experts believe it is due to the lack of help in going to and from necessary doctor appointments and checkups. When symptoms do develop, there is typically no one around to call for help.
Giving Them a Sense of Purpose
We discussed earlier how finding a hobby or a friend can help decrease the risk of loneliness, but it also can give your parent or loved one a sense of purpose. If they find a friend who falls easily, give them a job to call on that friend every morning and evening to check in. Even if your loved one is in a facility, there are tasks they can complete every day that make them feel as if they have accomplished something and are still important to others.
None of us like to experience loneliness. It can cause us to feel sad, isolated and even depressed. During a time when seniors need support more than ever, it is vital to find ways to engage with others and keep your loved ones close. If you are responsible for caregiving for a parent or loved one, help ensure their emotional needs are met along with their physical care.
Here is another article you might enjoy: https://www.welcomehomecare.com/2019/12/18/how-to-keep-your-home-permanently-pest-free/https://www.welcomehomecare.com/2019/12/18/how-to-keep-your-home-permanently-pest-free/
How to Keep Your Home Permanently Pest-Free
Pests creeping into your home can cause health problems, and no one wants their living space to be infested with these unwelcome guests. If you want pests to take a permanent vacation, make sure to follow these rules.
Proper Storage
Your trash can is a magnet for bugs. That’s why you should keep your trash in a sealed trash can that isn’t on your floor. All the food you throw away is an easy target for pests, so it’s best to make sure they can’t get to that food easily. It’s also important to keep your kitchen and eating areas clean. Wipe down counters and cabinets, and don’t leave food out in the open. Even a thin film of grime or grease is an invitation for pests to visit.
Dumpster Cleaning
It’s true that your main trash can or dumpster holds all of your trash. However, it doesn’t mean that you should allow it to remain filthy. Neglecting to clean your dumpster will leave a scent and residue that will attract pests. Clean your dumpster regularly to avoid bugs and bacteria that can grow from leftover food.
Don’t Ignore Fabrics
Pests don’t just make their homes on hard surfaces. They like fabrics, especially if any food crumbs are left behind. It’s important to vacuum and clean your rugs, carpet, and couches just like you would any other part of your home. Your bedroom sheets also need to be washed regularly to keep bed bugs away. If you believe you may already have carpet beetles or bed bugs, the sooner you act, the easier the pest removal process will be. Waiting allows the pests to breed and spread throughout your home.
Avoid Clutter
Paper and boxes that are left sitting on floors or surfaces offer hiding places for pests. It’s important to recycle unwanted papers and keep cardboard boxes neat and folded in one area. Roaches love to use them as hideouts, and you may not even know they are lurking since they are nocturnal pests. Clearing clutter will also make it easier for you to wipe down counters and vacuum floors.
Cut Off Entrances
Check the outside of your home and make sure you don’t need to close off entrances that pests can sneak through. Caulk around entrances and paint over areas where paint has chipped. This will make it harder for rodents and pests to find an entry point to your house.
It’s not impossible to live pest-free. Just make sure you store away food, keep your home clean, wash your sheets and vacuum, remove clutter, and prevent pests from getting in in the first place. Follow the steps above to ensure your home isn’t a welcoming environment for bugs.
If you or a loved one are struggling with basic everyday tasks, there’s hope yet! Welcome Homecare offers a variety of services without you needing to leave the comfort of your home.
What Are the Benefits of Preventative Health Services?
Preventative health services are what keeps you in good health. There are plenty of benefits to be had with preventative health services. Read on to learn more about preventive health services and how they benefit you.
What Is Preventative Health?
Before touching upon the benefits, let’s go over what exactly preventative health services are. Basically, preventative health services protect people from life-threatening emergencies. These services include testing for diseases and diabetes, counseling, screenings for cancer, such as a colonoscopy, and regularly scheduled checkups. Each of these services can help diagnose and provide treatment; however, they all specialize in a certain practice. This means that you can only use a certain service that can treat a specific issue. Preventative health care means striving to maintain optimal health before any problems occur or before they have a chance to progress. Routine screenings and overall good health practices contribute to overall health in a preventative way.
Healthy Living
Now that you have a general understanding of what preventative health services are, it’s time to go into some of the benefits that come with them. The first and most obvious benefit is being able to live a healthy life. Preventative health services are what keeps us from experiencing an illness that is life-threatening. Without checkups, we wouldn’t be able to know the condition of our blood pressure, for example. If we didn’t have cancer screenings, the death toll would reach unimaginable heights. In fact, seven out of 10 deaths in the United States are related to illnesses that may have been prevented if they engaged with more healthcare services. Preventative health care can catch illnesses and underlying problems before they’re beyond being treatable, which saves lives.
Keeps You Financially Stable
Another benefit that preventative health services give you is keeping you from going under financially. With the high price of medical care, it’s important that you ward off illness as much as possible. Granted, this is dependent on whether or not you have insurance; however, even the deductible can be expensive to pay. Preventative health care services help you keep your health in check so that you don’t have to pay an astronomical hospital bill or take extensive time off from work. Preventative health care services are what ultimately extend our life span. Without them, things would be a lot different than they are today. Being proactive in your healthcare is the best way to live longer and healthier.
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Care Facility for Your Elderly Loved Ones
It’s never an easy decision to take your elderly loved one to a permanent care facility. However, this is likely to be the safest option that you can consider when they are unable to care for themselves at home. If you’ve exhausted all other options for caring for your family member at home, you can start looking into locations that are near your area. There are several things to keep in mind when choosing a location.
Location
If you’re the primary family member who will be keeping an eye on your elderly loved one, you should try to pick a facility that will be a short distance from where you live. This will be convenient for you to visit, and it will also be beneficial if you have to head over to the facility in a rush. Of course, don’t compromise the quality of a facility just to make it a convenient situation for you. You should ensure that your loved one is getting all of the attention and care that they need, even if that means driving a little further to get there for each visit.
Cost
Cost is a big factor associated with the facility that you choose. Before you start budgeting for anything, give a call to the insurance provider that your loved one utilizes. They may be eligible for a certain amount of money toward a facility’s cost. You can then figure out how much money the facility is going to cost out of your pocket. You can also utilize the insurance provider to find out recommendations for locations. They have a lot of experience when it comes to providing these kinds of references.
Amenities and Layout
Adults older than 65 are most likely to sustain brain injuries from falls, so when choosing a care facility, consider one with a layout that’s easy to move around in where they won’t be at risk for falling. There should also be procedures in place for patients who are prone to falling. Preventing these falls at all costs is ideal. A facility with a living space that your loved one can safely navigate is the best choice.
Services and Therapies
In order for your loved one to function at their best ability, they should be receiving a few different services and therapies to keep their mind and body healthy. Physical therapy can help with keeping their body moving. It can help them retain their ability to walk. Occupational therapy will help them be able to continue with basic self-care needs, like using the bathroom, bathing, getting dressed and putting clothes away. Musical therapy and speech therapy are often used to help senior patients function.
There is a lot to consider when you’re trying to find the right facility for your loved one. It’s important that you don’t get overwhelmed by the process. Take your time to find the location that is perfect. You can enlist the help of other family members and friends if they are available to help.
Technology That Can Help the Elderly Continue Living a Full Life
One of the greatest risks to the health of senior citizens is loneliness and isolation. This often occurs as a result of the effects of aging — hearing loss, mobility loss, etc. They start being left out of conversations, and family members may even be less likely to visit. But with proper technological assistance, the seniors in your life can re-engage.
Hearing
While many elderly senior citizens wear hearing aids, these assistive devices may not be enough. For example, some seniors can hear enough to have a conversation but can struggle to catch dialogue on a television show. Products designed to give seniors citizens a personal boost of sound make it easy for them to enjoy a television program without setting the TV audio so loud that it’s disturbing to others in the vicinity. Hearing loss is a common challenge as we age. About 20% of Americans live with some degree of hearing loss. Hearing aids can’t bring back your normal hearing, but can improve it by amplifying soft sounds, helping you to hear sounds you might have had trouble hearing.
Mobility
A mobility aid can be as involved as a motorized scooter or as simple as a cane. However, each of these tools serves a single purpose: Avoiding a fall. One simple slip when carrying groceries or even using the bathroom can lead to a catastrophic injury to your loved one. Oftentimes, getting your loved one to use a mobility aid can be a challenge. They may not want to use a walker or a cane. To encourage the use of these types of devices, it can help to remind your loved one that such a device serves as a visual barrier to those around them. They’re less likely to be bumped by a shopping cart at the grocery store with the walker serving as a barrier between them and the general public.
Travel
For the elderly trying to live independently, there is a risk of wandering or getting lost. To keep tabs on a senior who may have trouble remembering directions, tools such as the MobileHelp GPS personal emergency response tool can provide peace of mind. Even if your loved one is unable to ask a question or communicate their challenge, they can be found and assisted. The system can be used in the home as a medical alert system, worn as a pendant, carried in a pocket on a walk or placed inside a purse for a drive.
Many seniors may feel that advancing technology is leaving them behind. However, technology can them get ahead. Many tech companies are focusing on the needs of the elderly and building ways to make their lives easier.
Homecare is another great way to help your aging loved one retain their independence while making sure that their needs are met. See how we can help.
It’s Cold Outside: How to Protect the Elderly During the Cold and Snowy Months
As the temperatures drop, the elderly are more at risk for health issues caused by or triggered by the cold. If you have elderly loved ones, friends, or neighbors, it’s important to check in on them throughout the winter, and especially after severe winter weather. Otherwise, these individuals run the risk of contracting an illness due to the cold or accidentally injuring themselves. Take these steps to protect the elderly during the colder months of the year:
Stay Warm
Older individuals that have arthritis, circulatory problems, or diminished cognitive function may have difficulty staying warm enough through the winter. Seniors are also at a greater risk of hypothermia because of lower metabolic rates and poor circulation. Elderly individuals may be on a fixed income, leading to difficulty keeping their homes at an appropriate temperature. If you notice that a loved one is struggling to stay warm, consider helping them find heating-assistance programs or weatherizing their home. Suggest supplemental methods of heating, like electric space heaters. Large cities often run warming shelters when temperatures drop below freezing as well.
Be Cautious
With it being winter, the weather isn’t always the best, so just be aware of the risks and dangers of slips and falls for older adults in order to keep them safe. After a snow or ice storm, it’s important to make sure that their walkways and stairs are cleared and that they have a safe pathway to get in and out of their home without falling. Slips and falls can cause broken bones for elderly adults and may even lead to permanent disability, so it’s important to prevent them during winter weather if at all possible.
Limit Snow Removal Risks
Shoveling snow is quite physically demanding and can lead to serious issues such as heart attacks. This is especially true if the individual doing the work is elderly or already has a weak heart. You can assist your loved one by making sure that the snow around their home is removed for them, either by doing it yourself or hiring a local company to handle the task for you. This will help make sure that everyone is safe through the winter months and limit the risk of severe health issues.
Snow, colder temperatures, and ice can all be dangerous for the elderly throughout the winter months. It’s important to be sure that your elderly friends and family members are safe in and around your home, especially if you live in a cold climate. Do your best to limit health risks caused by snow removal, limit slips and falls, and help them stay as warm as possible.
What Are Pressure Sores and How Can They Be Prevented?
Pressure sores are painful and difficult to get rid of. By being proactive, you can help alleviate much of the suffering your loved one or patient could unnecessarily be subjected to. Here are a few tips that can help you to make sure that you can prevent pressure sores from forming.
What is a Pressure Sore?
A pressure sore (sometimes called a bedsore) is an ulcer common to people who are bedridden or who spend extended periods of time sitting or lying in one spot with little to no movement. There are four stages of pressure sores.
Stage 1 is redness of the area, but the skin has not broken. Stage 2 is broken skin that begins to ulcerate due to constant pressure. Stage 3 goes beyond the upper layer of the skin and makes a “crater” in the tissue. Stage 4 is deep enough to reach the muscle and sometimes tendons and bone. The bony areas of a person’s body (usually the tailbone, hips, heels, and ankles) rub against bedding or other material until the skin is raw. Since the person is not moving very much, the area is not exposed to air, preventing it from healing.
Move Around
Ninety-five percent of pressure sores are preventable with multiple methods available to help do so based on an individual’s needs and capabilities. If possible, you can help your patient get out of bed or a wheelchair and walk short distances a few times a day. If walking is not possible, changing someone’s position in his or her bed or wheelchair can reduce pressure on delicate areas.
For a patient in bed, change is recommended every two hours. For an individual in a wheelchair, four times an hour is the recommendation. If your loved one is not able to change position at all — for instance, a person with a spinal cord injury—you can put small pillows under parts of his or her body that will lift the sensitive areas. You can move these pillows periodically to mimic more changing of position.
Good Skin Care
Keeping your patient’s skin lubricated goes a long way in keeping his or her skin supple and free from ulceration. A person might not experience serious pain until stage 3 or 4 of a pressure sore. It is in his or her best interest to get it under control well before it gets to that point.
Good skin care allows the affected area to heal more quickly. If the skin has not yet reached stage 2, where it has split open, gentle washing and drying along with as much movement as possible will help keep it from worsening. If the wound has reached stage 2 or more, a dressing will probably be used to keep out germs and hold in moisture. It is important to wear gloves and use sterile dressings when treating bedsores, as they are particularly susceptible to infection.
Pressure sores are often unavoidable. It is possible, though, to lessen the harm they do to your patient by following a few guidelines. It is important that all caregivers are familiar with wound care. Special classes may be given in your area, and certification could be required under certain circumstances. By doing all you can to protect your loved one, you can help them to be safe and comfortable.
How to Protect Your Eyes as You Age
Many people mistakenly believe vision problems are an inevitable part of aging. Although some vision problems are more likely with aging, other factors play a role, such as exercise, diet and exposure to sunlight. All three of these things are within your control, which means you can vastly decrease your chances of developing eye problems with age.
Get Regular Exercise
Studies have found that regular exercise decreases your chance of developing eye-related diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in patients over 50 in the United States.
Exercise indirectly protects eye health because it helps manage diabetes and blood pressure. People who have high blood pressure are at higher risk of eye disease. Those with diabetes may develop diabetic retinopathy. Easy forms of exercise include walking and swimming. Remember to always stretch before and after exercising to avoid pulling muscles or otherwise getting injured. If you have limited mobility, you can do knee lifts and shoulder retractions and lift weights.
Wear Sunglasses Outdoors
You should always wear sunglasses outside to protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays. Prolonged exposure to the sun increases your risk of developing cataracts. UV rays cause about 20% of cataracts cases. The sun’s UV rays can also cause macular degeneration and pterygium, which are growths on the eye. Choose sunglasses that protect against at least 99% of UVA and UVB radiation and wrap around the eyes.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet is important for all aspects of your health, including eye health. Zinc, copper, beta carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin C decrease your risk of age-related eye-health decline by up to 25%. Some of the best foods for improving your eye health are fish, nuts, legumes, chia seeds, flax seeds, leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, carrots, eggs, sweet potatoes and beef. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in oily fish, are supportive of eye health. Oily fish include tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout, anchovies, herring and sardines. Remember to drink at least eight glasses of water a day as well. Staying hydrated helps protect your eyes.
Exercising regularly, wearing sunglasses outside and eating a healthy diet significantly improve your chances of maintaining good eye health as you age. Even if you’ve already noticed a decline in your eye health, implementing these three things can help reverse some of the damage and prevent or slow down further decline.
Welcome Homecare offers a variety of services to make aging easier. Learn how we can help you or your loved one today!
Understanding the Potential Causes of Dementia
Facing dementia can be difficult, both for the individual who experiences it and for that person’s loved ones. Dementia impacts someone’s cognitive function, capacity for daily function, and ability to communicate. Coming to a more complete understanding of factors that may contribute to dementia can help you watch out for common catalysts and better prepare for the future. These are some potential causes of dementia.
Traumatic Brain Injury
One of the most common potential causes of various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is a traumatic brain injury. Just one traumatic brain injury may substantially increase an individual’s risk of dementia. Additionally, even mild brain injuries can noticeably increase the risk of developing dementia later on. The risk of developing dementia also seems to go up in proportion to the severity of the traumatic brain injury. A single severe traumatic brain injury can result in twice the risk of dementia development that a mild traumatic brain injury causes.
Genetics
Genetics also seem to have a significant impact on an individual’s likelihood of developing a form of dementia. Certain studies have found that people with a higher genetic predisposition toward dementia are more likely to develop it over time. While results vary from one individual to the next, genetic background and family history can serve as potential indicators of whether dementia is something for you to watch out for. If others in your family have shown a predisposition towards dementia, then you may have a higher genetic risk factor. The exact effects that genetics have upon an individual’s likelihood to develop dementia are complicated and include a huge amount of variance, which raises questions as to whether these effects can be countered by environmental factors.
Lack of Mental Stimulation
Speaking of environmental factors, your level of ongoing activity and mental stimulation has a huge impact on your likelihood of suffering from dementia. Even in the face of traumatic brain injury or a genetic predisposition towards dementia, staying active and regularly participating in mentally engaging activities can decrease your risk. You can think of your mind as being similar to a muscle: If you don’t use it regularly and keep it fit, it’s going to weaken and deteriorate over time. A bland, predictable, and boring environment that’s devoid of excitement and mental stimulation can greatly increase the risk of losing cognitive function. In addition to staying healthy overall by maintaining a healthy diet rich in brain-boosting antioxidant foods that provide great nutrition, you can keep your mind healthy by regularly engaging in hobbies, learning new things, and solving recreational puzzles.
A variety of different factors contribute to an individual’s risk for dementia, and some seem to be especially common. Even a single traumatic brain injury can dramatically increase someone’s risk of developing dementia, and medical history of brain injury should be taken as a strong motivator to be proactive by staying active and healthy. Genetic predisposition may also be a factor for some people, although an individual’s level of genetic risk may be somewhat offset by environmental factors. Make sure you prioritize mentally stimulating activities that engage the brain in order to decrease this risk.
