Caregiver Matters - Tips for Caregiving
 Seniors are no different than the rest of the world. Young and old alike, we love to hear and be heard. It can be challenging when there are so many factors that can fight against those two needs. It takes a ton of work and intentionality to make sure that our seniors are truly being listened to, and that we're actually hearing and processing what they are saying to us!
There are lots of obvious hindrances to good communication. It's a simple fact that as most people age, they begin to have various types of hearing problems. There could be loss of hearing in one or both ears, diminished hearing that is being supplemented with hearing aids, or a condition like tinnitus that produces ringing sounds, whistle noises or pulses in the ear to the senior. All of these contribute to the problem with clear and effective communication. Others might have had a history of chronic exposure to loud noises, causing damage to the ear drum. Many seniors struggle with keeping their ears clean, leading to a build up of excessive earwax, and increasing the chance of ear infections. Signs and symptoms of hearing loss may include one or more of the following:
In some instances it may be the "talker" or the "listener" who are the problem. If those talking are not speaking clearly, or not facing the individual while talking to them it makes it difficult for the listener to hear or understand. In other situations, either a chronic condition like autoimmune ear disease, acoustic neruoma or physical injury to the head could cause hearing loss. In addition, there are some medications like ototoxic meds that can contribute to hearing difficulties. Whatever the causes or causes of hearing loss, it is a frustrating issue for everyone involved. Take these simple steps to help diminish the effects of hearing loss.
Communication Matters, it really does! Do everything you can to help your senior stay connected to you and others by addressing any hearing problems in thorough, loving and practical ways!
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 As we age, many times those things which were easy or mundane might become difficult or unsafe for us to do. Driving is one such task. Lots of seniors began driving a car even before they were of legal age, so they might have 50, 60 or even 70 years experience in driving!
 Seniors are living longer, and families are increasingly called upon to provide some type of caregiving assistance in the home to protect their health and well being. As they are called upon to assist with personal care needs, as well as the various Activities of Daily Living, these family members can feel the pinch and pressure of their already full calendars. The "Sandwich Generation" can quickly find more on their plate than they are able to handle!
When the need for care becomes more than the family can provide, it's a safe bet that something has to change. While some families opt for moving their loved one to a Assisted Living or Long Term Care facility, others enlist the aid of a Home Care Agency. These agencies are able to provide trained, licensed and qualified staff who can provide assistance to seniors in their home. Many seniors can safely stay in their own homes with 12 to 20 hours a week of help from a caregiver. This is not only an option, but it's both a healthier and less expensive option than facility care. Seniors who stay in their own home tend to live longer, healthier and happier lives than those forced to move into a care facility. If the individual needs a minimal amount of homecare, it is much, much less expensive than facility care. While home care for 20 hours per week can cost between $25 to $30 per hour, ($500 to $750 per week), the cost for assisted living can cost between $3,500 to $5,000 per month! At Visiting Angels, we pride ourselves on our rigorous hiring process! We do a five panel drug test with all applicants, and perform a nationwide fingerprint based background check! Our staff are covered by Workmen's Comp, as well as a million dollar liability insurance policy! Families who hire private caregivers run the risk of being financially responsible if the caregiver is injured on the job, or there is a problem with the caregiver in any way. Research agencies... check out their reviews on Google! See what other people are saying about them, and make your decisions accordingly! Don't wait until you are totally burned out to ask for help! Allow a good agency to send help, and then you go be the "son", "daughter" or family member! Click here to find out more information! www.visitingangels.com/tulsa  Today is my daughter's birthday... She is my oldest, the first one to make me a "daddy". I love my two sons just a much, but there's something special about a "daughter/daddy" relationship. The same goes with my boys and the relationship they have with their mom. Today I took her out for a birthday lunch, just the two of us. We will do the family birthday dinner tomorrow night, but it was a great time for her and me to just hang out.
One of things I have on my repeating task list is to periodically ask my kids about their "bucket list". I've challenged each one of them to dream- about things they would like to own, places they would like to visit, things they would love to experience, and so on. I want to visit with them about their dreams so I can dream with them, and help support them in their pursuit of those dreams. That means planning for the future, setting priorities and sometimes making hard decisions in life. Why do I do it? I mean, I really do have enough on my own plate to keep me busy, and they are grown adults! I do it because I love them, and I want the very best for them. In a nutshell, isn't that what it means to discuss, plan for and engage the topic of home and health care with aging parents? We love them, and we want the very best for them. For a quality future, living where THEY want to live, it does require planning for the future, setting priorities and yes, sometimes making hard decisions. Why go through all of that? You know the answer to that question. Because you love them, and LOVE MATTERS! There are so many issues when it comes to caring for aging parents! I'd love to recommend a great resource for your consideration. Check out "Taking Care of Mom & Dad: A Beginner's Guide to Caring for Your Parents" (click link to check this out on Amazon). This fantastic resource was authored by 17 different Visiting Angels Franchise Owners from around the country, most of whom have a decade or more in the home care industry! Love is fulfilling, it's exciting and it's a part of who we are when we are at our best. But more than that, Love Matters, and love is worth the time and effort it takes from us to do it well. So get out there, and if your parent or parents are still living, have some of those conversation! Love Matters!  Today is my daughter's birthday... She is my oldest, the first one to make me a "daddy". I love my two sons just a much, but there's something special about a "daughter/daddy" relationship. The same goes with my boys and the relationship they have with their mom. Today I took her out for a birthday lunch, just the two of us. We will do the family birthday dinner tomorrow night, but it was a great time for her and me to just hang out.
One of things I have on my repeating task list is to periodically ask my kids about their "bucket list". I've challenged each one of them to dream- about things they would like to own, places they would like to visit, things they would love to experience, and so on. I want to visit with them about their dreams so I can dream with them, and help support them in their pursuit of those dreams. That means planning for the future, setting priorities and sometimes making hard decisions in life. Why do I do it? I mean, I really do have enough on my own plate to keep me busy, and they are grown adults! I do it because I love them, and I want the very best for them. In a nutshell, isn't that what it means to discuss, plan for and engage the topic of home and health care with aging parents? We love them, and we want the very best for them. For a quality future, living where THEY want to live, it does require planning for the future, setting priorities and yes, sometimes making hard decisions. Why go through all of that? You know the answer to that question. Because you love them, and LOVE MATTERS! There are so many issues when it comes to caring for aging parents! I'd love to recommend a great resource for your consideration. Check out "Taking Care of Mom & Dad: A Beginner's Guide to Caring for Your Parents" (click link to check this out on Amazon). This fantastic resource was authored by 17 different Visiting Angels Franchise Owners from around the country, most of whom have a decade or more in the home care industry! Love is fulfilling, it's exciting and it's a part of who we are when we are at our best. But more than that, Love Matters, and love is worth the time and effort it takes from us to do it well. So get out there, and if your parent or parents are still living, have some of those conversation! Love Matters! It seems no matter what part of the country you live, the winter time is famous for it's "mood swings"! Especially in Oklahoma, you may wake up to a day with an expected high of 60 degrees, with a forecast for sleet, snow and a 15 degree high the next day! Those kinds of temperature swings can wreak havoc in the lives of our seniors if we are not diligent in helping to protect their health with the best clothing choices. Obviously it is very important if the weather is chilly (for many seniors, that's anything under 70 degrees) that you will need to make sure they dress in such a way to keep them warm, both inside their home, or outside when headed out to do various errands. Encourage them to dress in "layers", so that should they become to warm they can easily shed part of their outfit. For instance, wearing a comfortable shirt or blouse, layered with a light sweater, and then a coat on top of that if the trip takes you out into cold weather. Once you arrive at your destination it is easy to remove the coat and/or the sweater so that they don't become too hot or too cold. Remember "HHF"... that stands for Heads, Hands & Feet. It is vital to keep these three areas warm AND dry. The head may need a scarf, hat, beanie or other warm head covering. The popularity of gaiters (stretchable face coverings) can also be a good choice as long as it doesn't inhibit their breathing. There a variety of styles and types of gloves or mittens one can choose from to keep the hands warm. Finally, it's important to keep those feet warm- whether that means wearing socks and slippers in the home, heavier socks for wearing outside in cold weather, or even the need for galoshes in the event you will be tracking to rain or snow. One final note... as a caregiver it is important for you to remember that our wonderful seniors not only want to dress in a way to keep them healthy, but they also like to look good doing it! Make sure you give attention to their appearance, and assist where needed so they are happy and proud of their appearance, whether at home or in public!   It is an real but sometimes unpleasant fact of life. As we age many of the things we were able to accomplish with ease in years past have now become more difficult. Everything from opening a jar to remembering where we parked the car or stored a special item is more of a challenge than it used to be! Recently I co-authored a book with the directors of Visiting Angels of Tulsa, Visiting Angels of Bartlesville and Visiting Angels of SWOKC called "Life Hacks for Seniors: Tips and Tricks for Older Americans!" This book is chocked full of fun and creative ideas to make the lives of the seniors we care for a little easier to navigate. There are sections that focus on the unique challenges of dealing with a senior who has Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. There are also sections on Dressing Hacks, Exercise Hacks, Health Hacks, Kitchen Help Hacks, Memory Issue Hacks, Bathing/Toileting Hacks and a large section on Miscellaneous Life Hacks! These tricks and tips are simple, easy to do and/or explain and promise to make the life and activities of your wonderful senior less stressful! For the caregiver who is working as a CNA, Home Health Aide or personal caregiver this book can be an invaluable tool. The simple and fun techniques contained within this resource will create less challenging ways for dealing with the natural consequences that come from aging. As a bonus, the tips in this resource are fun too! You can click on the link below to order the resource from Amazon. If you enjoy it, we are happy to have made your life as a caregiver better, and to have increased the quality of life for your wonderful senior! As you discover new tips or tricks, pass those along to other caregivers to help them out! CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS RESOURCE! Page Cole Visiting Angels of Tulsa Visiting Angels of Bartlesville Visiting Angels of SWOKC  Anxiety for both seniors and those who care for them is a very real and difficult challenge many people face on a daily basis. It comes as a result of so many different forces that impact daily life. It is critical that caregivers involved in the life of seniors help them successfully face and deal with these issues that cause anxiety, as well as managing their own issues.
Major life changes are a primary source of anxiety. Moving residences can be extremely stressful. Although aging in place is preferable, many seniors need at some point to transition to an assisted living facility, a skilled care facility, retirement community or move into the home of a loved one. Although this might provide a safer environment, a move from familiar surroundings into new living arrangements can be frightening or stressful. Caregivers are not immune to this kind of stress. Whether they are a family caregiver or a paid professional, the rigors and stress of daily living needs can be a major stressor as well. Another issue that brings stress are changing health concerns. Seniors and their caregivers alike are aging every day, and with age comes new health challenges and limitations. Things like failing eyesight, changes in medication and even the loss of a loved one to death can produce tremendous anxiousness. Changes in blood pressure or blood sugar, advancing dementia or other chronic conditions all carry stress as a side effect of those ailments. Although family is a great source of strength for many, it has the exact opposite effect in other family dynamics. Adult children from the Baby Boomer generation are nicknamed "The Sandwich Generation", because many times they find themselves "sandwiched" between the lives and schedules of their own children and caring for their elderly parents. Seniors can become anxious because they feel like they are being a burden. Caregivers stress because their time, energy and resources are being pulled in multiple directions. There are so many other stressors on the lives of seniors and their caregivers. Death of friends, worries about the future, financial pressure and even stress related to the pets in their lives can weigh down on seniors as well as their caregivers! With all of the anxiety and stress in the world, what can be done to help? Here are some basic suggestions for helping with anxiety:
Anxiety is a part of life. There is nothing we can do to avoid it. Together we can face it and diminish it's affect on our lives! If you need the help of a professional caregiver who is both experienced and trained in helping anxious seniors, why not give Visiting Angels a call? We would love to help! If you are a professional caregiver and would love to be a part of our team, assisting us in caring for seniors, we would love to hear from you too! Page Cole Visiting Angels of Tulsa Visiting Angels of Bartlesville Visiting Angels of SWOKC  Millenials are experiencing with more frequency the challenge of serving as a caregiver for family or friends. The multitude of challenges include meal prep, medication management, transportation and more!
Check out this great article for more information to help Millenials navigate these incredibly difficult waters! CLICK HERE! |
AuthorPage Cole is a leader in home care in Oklahoma. He has published the following resources for Seniors- Archives
August 2022
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