Aging in Place: Technology Solutions for Seniors

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An elderly woman is using a smartphone. Whether you’re attempting to tune a guitar, study a new language, or just add cats’ ears to a selfie, there is an app for that! And for seniors who elect to age in place, technology may be an essential element in improving safety, comfort, and overall well-being.

Take Amazon’s Alexa, for example. Whereas its current benefits for seniors are many, including the ability to track glucose levels, make doctor appointments, and research information related to a specific medical condition, it is actually positioned to dive even further into the medical care arena – perhaps even detecting heart attacks and helping doctors get precise diagnoses.

The following are some additional ideas for technology for seniors you might like to consider:

  • Home Security: A motion-detecting security system delivers peace of mind pertaining to crime prevention, yet often can perform a lot more; for example, warning when sensing smoke, broken glass, or temperatures in the home that are too high or low, just to name a few. They’re also beneficial for those diagnosed with dementia who can be at risk of wandering, to alert to an older adult’s movements around the home.
  • Telehealth: Save a trip to your physician’s office by making use of one of a variety of apps which allow for remote consultations from board-certified physicians, psychologists, and psychiatrists, a lot of whom are available 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
  • Fall Prevention: One of the top contributors to senior falls is insufficient lighting. Smart lights use motion detection to boost lighting in areas of particular concern, which include between the bedroom and bathroom, or on exterior walkways, when set off by a person’s movement.
  • Fraud Protection: Senior con artists are unrelenting and consistently changing their tactics. Older adults can boost security through apps that keep track of financial activity and neighborhood crime activity, reduce robocalls, identify any use of a person’s Social Security number, and so much more.
  • Health Care: Multiple healthcare needs can now be met without leaving home, including video chats with physicians to avoid a visit to the office, medication ordering, and medication management to ensure meds are used at the proper times as well as in the correct doses.

Contact Responsive Home Care for more suggestions for improving life at home for older adults – whether via technology, our specialized in-home care assistance, or both! We’re always here to help set up and explain technology for seniors, and also to provide you with the tried-and-true, hands-on assistance in the home that enables older adults to live their best lives. Call us now at 954-486-6440 for an in-home consultation to learn more about the best home health services Pembroke Pines and the surrounding areas have to offer!

Broward County Family Caregiver Common Stress Point: Making a Mistake

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Partnering with an agency like Responsive Home Care can reduce the trepidation and anxiety in managing care at home successfully.

“Of course Grandma can move in with me!”

Increasingly more family caretakers are making this commendable choice every day, signifying the beginning of lifestyle changes they can only truly have an understanding of once immersed in them. And even though the positive aspects of providing care for an older parent are immeasurable, they’re not without a variety of dilemmas as well.

It might seem second-nature to take care of daily activities for a senior loved one; yet it’s not quite as intuitive as it seems initially. As an example, helping a senior in the shower or bath the wrong way may lead to a fall. Poor incontinence care could cause skin damage and infection. Noncompliance with a prescribed dietary plan can lead to a variety of health problems.

It is not a surprise that in a newly released report shared by AARP, “Home Alone Revisited,” a lot of family caregivers mentioned anxiety over the possibility of making a mistake in the care they provide. The study features responses from a survey sent to over 2,000 family caregivers, who revealed that although they believed their care was making it possible for their family members to stay at home instead of moving to an assisted living or nursing home setting, they expressed anxiety over their experience to do the tasks needed.

Respondents in the study divulged that the most emotionally frustrating element of caregiving is incontinence care. And, nearly ¾ of family caregivers surveyed are regularly performing medical duties in relation to pain management – tasks for which they wished they had obtained better training and recommendations from the senior’s medical care team.

Heather Young, dean emerita at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at the University of California, Davis (and co-author of this report) explains that, “Too often (family caregivers) are unprepared and do not get the support they need to assume these important roles.”

Asking for help and training in unfamiliar tasks is critical for family caregivers. Those who partner with an established in-home care provider, such as Responsive Home Care, can reduce the trepidation and anxiety in managing care at home successfully. Our team in home health care in Coral Springs, FL are professionally trained in the countless intricacies of aging care, and can provide family members with valuable guidance and education. We also offer trusted, reliable respite care services that make it possible for family caregivers to step away from their care responsibilities while knowing their senior loved one will be safe and well cared for.

Call our team in home health care in Coral Springs, FL at 954-486-6440 or contact us online for a free in-home consultation to find out more.

Top Tips for Supporting Someone With Dementia

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Senior women at home.

If you’re supporting someone with dementia and feel like you’re in uncharted territory, use these guidelines from our Sunrise elderly care experts.

At times, the greatest lessons in life come from going through them firsthand; yet the information we can discover from those who’ve traveled a similar course before us is priceless. If you are providing care for a loved one with dementia and beginning to feel a bit bogged down in this uncharted territory, the guidelines below might help: Read more

Senior Care Strategy: Incorporate “Play” to Strengthen Both Mind and Body

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home care coral springs

Happy and funny senior couple playing hulahoop in park

Do you remember that feeling as a child when the school bell rang, indicating the end of arithmetic and the start of the best part of the day: recess? There was a tremendous sensation of freedom dashing out onto the playground, leaving behind the pressure of school work for a quick period of unstructured play. Read more

What Kinds of Add-ons Can Be Helpful for Your Loved One’s Lifting Chair?

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Senior Care Pompano Beach FL

Senior Care Pompano Beach FLLifting chairs themselves are incredibly useful for your senior loved one as they are, but there are add-on accessories that can make the chair even more useful. Determining the right accessories for your loved one can often mean simply assessing her needs.

Heat and Massage Functions

If your senior loved one has joint pain, arthritis, or other issues, heat and massage can help her quite a bit. Having a chair that has these functions built into it allows your loved one to use those features whenever she needs them. The best options are massage and heat functions that offer several different settings so that your loved one can truly customize the experience.

Folding Tray Extensions

Trays that fold or slide out of place can help your loved one to engage in all sorts of activities from her chair. Smaller trays are perfect for holding a book or a set of cards while larger trays can allow your loved one to eat meals in the comfort of her lifting chair. When you’re looking for this kind of addition, make sure that the tray slides easily without much effort from your loved one and that it has a way to lock into place.

Storage Compartments

Many lifting chairs offer storage compartments in the arms or in the sides of the chair. These are perfect for holding the chair’s control, the remote controls for her electronics, and any other items that she likes to keep close to her. Double check that the compartments are easy for your loved one to access while she’s seated in the chair.

Motorized Foot Rest

Traditional recliners often use either a lever on the side of the chair or a pressure system to raise and to lower the footrest. If your senior loved one is interested in a recliner option with her lifting chair, it’s a good idea to find one that has a motorized foot rest. This is especially helpful for senior loved ones who don’t have the strength to move the foot rest otherwise.

Let your loved one’s senior care providers and other family members know where to find the instructions for the chair in case she runs into trouble and needs extra help.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care Services in Pompano Beach FL to provide companionship, compassion and motivation, please contact the caring staff at Responsive Home Care. Call today 954-486-6440.

Questions to Ask Before Your Parent Leaves the Emergency Room

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Home Care Tips For Florida Families

Senior Care Tamarac FLFor many senior adults, visits to the emergency room are more frequent as they get older. Changes in their physical and cognitive functioning, increased fall risk, higher instance of physical health concerns, and lower immune systems can all contribute to older adults visiting the emergency room more frequently than they might have when they were younger.

This frequency, however, does not make these situations any less serious. Whether your senior loved one visits the emergency room less than once a year or several times a year, as their family caregiver it is essential that you are there for them to help ensure that they get the most benefit out of the care that they receive, and that they continue to receive this benefit even after they are discharged.

One of the most important elements of this is asking the right questions before your parent leaves the emergency room. By asking these questions you can get the information that you need to structure your care approach and keep your parent on the right track toward recovery and management of their health and well-being.

Some questions that you should ask before your senior parent leaves the emergency room include:

• What is their diagnosis?

• What types of treatments did they receive while they were in the emergency room?

• What is the prognosis for this particular issue?

• What types of prescriptions did they receive?

• What are the instructions for these prescriptions?

• What are the potential side effects for these prescriptions and how can they handle them effectively?

• What type of care will they need after returning home?

• What changes do they need to make to their lifestyle because of this issue?

• What should you look for to determine if they need to return to the emergency room?

• When and with whom should they follow up after discharge?

Considering bringing a notebook with you and taking notes about the answers to these questions. This will allow you to reference these notes later if you have any questions or unsure of what needs to be done.

If your senior loved one has recently spent time in the emergency room, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting senior home care for them. Regardless of the issue that brought them to the hospital, the time after they return home can be integral in protecting the future of their health and well-being. This is the time when hospital readmission becomes an issue and your loved one will also need to focus on recovering from the illness, injury, or other concern that had them seeking emergency medical attention.

The highly personalized services of an in-home senior care provider can ensure that they get the care, support, assistance, and other services that they need to manage their individual needs and challenges, prevent readmission, and maintain the quality of life and lifestyle that is right for them.

If your parent is at risk of needing additional care or the medical team has given you specific instructions as to what to look for in ensuring that they are recovering properly, this care provider can be especially beneficial. Being with your parent ensures that they are able to detect changes or issues that might be concerning so that they can alert you and your parent can get the continued care that they need.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Hollywood, FL to provide companionship, compassion and motivation, please contact the caring staff at Responsive Home Care. Contact us today 954-486-6440.

Checking for Health and Safety in Your Parent’s Bathroom This Holiday Season

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Home Care Services Pompano Beach FL

Home Care Services Pompano Beach FLIf you are like many family caregivers, one of the elements of the holiday season that you look forward to the most is getting to spend quality time with your senior. This is particularly true if you are a distance caregiver who does not have the opportunity to spend as much time with your loved one as you would like. Your holiday season visits are a chance for you to reconnect with your senior and spend more time with them, as well as check in on them and ensure that they are still doing well as they age in place.

Take some time during your visit to check areas of their home to identify any risks or indications that they might be struggling with challenges and issues. One area of the home that is particularly important to check is your parent’s bathroom. Simply by its nature, this room tends to be more dangerous than others and can be a strong indication of how your parent is doing.

Some things you should check for in your parent’s bathroom to gauge their health and safety include:

• Loose towel rod. Take a look at your parent’s wall-mounted towel rod and give it a wiggle. If the towels look disheveled and it feels loose, it could be an indication that your elderly parent has been using it for physical support when navigating the room. This is not only a sign of potential challenges, but also a danger. Towel rods are not designed to withstand such weight, and it could simply collapse, causing your loved one to suffer a serious fall.

• Soap scum buildup in the shower. If your parent has always been neat and clean and you notice that their shower is not clean, it could be an indication of serious issues. They could be suffering from cognitive functioning decline that prevents them from cleaning up the home, or mental health issues that minimize their motivation. They could also be suffering from physical limitations that prevent them from being able to handle the actual task of cleaning.

• Issues with brushing their teeth. Visit your aging parent while they are brushing their teeth and pay attention to how they are doing it and their response. If they are brushing gingerly, avoiding flossing, or you notice even a little bit of blood in the sink, it could be an indication of dental health problems that could put the well-being of their entire body at serious risk.

If you have noticed that your aging parent is dealing with challenges, limitations, and other issues that threaten their safety and well-being as they age in place, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting home care services for them. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your parent on a customized schedule tailored for their individual needs, challenges, and limitations, but also for their personality, lifestyle, and goals. This means that they can enjoy a more active, engaged, and fulfilling quality of life while also staying safe and healthy. As their family caregiver, knowing that there is a home care provider with your parent can give you confidence that they are always getting the care, assistance, and support that they need whether you are able to be with them regularly or if you live at a distance and are not able to visit with them frequently.

When it comes to helping your aging loved one stay safe and healthy in the bathroom, this care provider can evaluate your loved one’s needs, provide physical support and assistance, and help guide them in keeping the room clean and neat to reduce risk.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Pompano Beach FL to provide companionship, compassion and motivation, please contact the caring staff at Responsive Home Care. Call today 954-486-6440.

What Are the Best Ways to Help a Loved One with Dementia Get Over Reluctance to Bathe?

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Home Care Tips for Coping with Alzheimer’s

Elderly Care Sunrise FLIf your elderly loved one has dementia and is refusing to bathe regularly, you may find yourself frustrated by the problem. This is unfortunately common for loved ones who have dementia, but the situation is still resolvable.

Take the Process a Tiny Step at a Time

Sometimes when your loved one is reluctant to take a shower or a bath, it’s the full idea of the process that is scary to her. One way around this is to take the bathing process one small step at a time. You might start with offering to wash her hair or washing her arms. Once you gain some ground, you can try the next tiny step.

Make the Bathroom as Comfortable as Possible

For some elderly loved ones, the bathroom can feel like a sterile, cold place. That can make her even more reluctant to bathe. Consider making some small changes to the bathroom to make it much more comfortable for your loved one. Switch out older towels for fluffy, luxurious towels. Consider using a towel warmer or at least sending the towels through the dryer before bath time. Ask your loved one what would make the room and the experience cozier for her.

Pay Attention to Specific Fears or Objections

Sometimes elderly loved ones who have dementia have very specific fears or reasons that they are reluctant to bathe. Some are afraid of falling, for example. If that’s the case for your loved one, devise solutions that ensure that she won’t fall, such as non-slip rugs, grab rails, and shower chairs. Other elderly loved ones with dementia may fear their reflection in a mirror because it appears to be someone else watching them. Solving that problem could mean removing or covering mirrors in the bathroom until the bath is over.

Enlist the Help of Someone Else

For many elderly loved ones, having a family member bathe them is too embarrassing to contemplate. Your loved one may feel so strongly about this, in fact, that she puts off bathing completely. Having someone else to help her, such as an elder care provider, can be exactly the right solution for your loved one in that case.

Keep track of the days that your loved one has bathed on a calendar so that you can show her if she needs a little more convincing.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Sunrise FL to provide companionship, compassion and motivation, please contact the caring staff at Responsive Home Care. Call today 954-486-6440.