Helping Your Senior Loved One Battle the Holiday Blues

For many, the holidays are the best time of year filled with family get-togethers, feasts and fun traditions; but for seniors, this can be the most depressing of all seasons as they pine for lost loved ones. And in a lot of cases, with family miles away, seniors struggle to decorate, shop, and prepare a meal. They struggle with feeling sad that they can’t move around as easily as they did when they were younger.

Visiting Angels, one of the largest in-home senior care companies in the nation, offers local families the vital service of hiring senior loved ones a holiday companion. Don’t know what to get Grandma or Grandpa for Christmas? How about a friend, or better yet, an angel - a Visiting Angel that is! A holiday companion is also a priceless gift that adult children can give themselves this year – Visiting Angels can provide them with a professional caregiver to tend to their senior loved ones’ every need as they prepare for a house full of guests or holiday event.

Roughly one in four seniors (age 65 or older) suffers from depression. More than 70 percent of older Americans feel isolated and lonely*. And, nearly one-third of all non-institutionalized older Americans live alone** (more depression information included below).

“The holidays can be tough on seniors because many have lost people they loved. Plus, they aren’t as mobile to visit friends and family or even decorate or shop,” says Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting Angels. “Our caregivers socialize with seniors, take them visiting and keep them engaged instead of sitting at home feeling isolated and depressed. Plus, our caregivers give families the heads up about their senior’s state-of-mind, to differentiate between the holiday blues and full-blown depression.”

The Holiday Blues vs. Senior Depression

The holiday blues are often temporary and dissipate when the season ends. The holiday blues are also associated with the time change – as daylight hours become shorter. If the blues continue after the season, it could be a warning sign of depression.

Senior depression is often mistaken for other age-related issues. In fact, stress-related events such as the holidays may trigger half of all depressive episodes, according to the U.C. Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
 
Common signs of senior depression include***

• Lack of appetite
• Extreme fatigue – excessive sleeping. The body shuts down to escape from the outside world.
• Problems concentrating
• Anti-social – may stop doing normal things such as going to church.
• Older adults may not express sadness (unlike kids with depression).
• Abuse of drugs or alcohol
• Being angry – sarcastic and criticizes others’ joy of the season.

How Angels Help Seniors Beat the Holiday Blues

Encourage seniors to exercise – Various studies reveal that staying physically active not only makes people feel good, but it has the same effect on mood and brain chemistry as antidepressants.

Keep alcohol use to a minimum – Alcohol is a known depressant. Visiting Angels caregivers can create some other festive drinks such as eggnog or a flavored hot chocolate to help seniors cheerfully toast to the season.

Don’t feel obligated to buy lots of gifts – Giving certainly can make you feel good but in times of financial despair, giving gifts can create a lot of stress. Instead, Visiting Angels caregivers can help seniors write and send personalized cards to family and friends.

Stay connected socially – Volunteer at a soup kitchen (or other organization) with a caregiver – giving back greatly improves people’s moods and increases their sense of self-worth. Caregivers can also teach seniors how to use computers or cell phones to stay socially connected with family and friends. They can take seniors to a local coffee shop or to look at Christmas lights for some holiday cheer outside the home.

Be a good listener – Sometimes all it takes to help a senior with the holiday blues is to simply listen. Through conversation, caregivers can help seniors live in the present (instead of dwelling on “the good old days”) and keep their holiday expectations realistic.

Caregivers also cook, clean, drive seniors to doctors and stores, and even help decorate! Get a professional caregiver for your senior loved one today!


*University of Michigan study, 2005
**Administration on Aging (2010 data).
***Gottlieb Memorial Hospital and Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton senior home care agency provides high quality in-home care services to seniors and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our dementia home care, Alzheimer’s care, companion care, respite support, transitional aid, and elderhome care services in Wellesley, Natick, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood and nearby towns . The services provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton will be sure to make a big impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Call us today at 617-795-2727 for more information.

It’s Your Turn to Take Care of Mom

There’s nothing like a mother’s love. Whether she was making your school lunch, giving you a pep talk after a disappointment, acting as your biggest cheerleader, or spoiling your kids, Mom was always there for you.

Perhaps that’s why it is so difficult for grown children to accept the fact that they are not always able to take care of an aging mother themselves. In a perfect world, you would be able to take care of your aging parent in your home or theirs, relying only on family to help you. But the reality is that caring for an aging or ill parent is a full-time job that can take a toll on the caregiver; add to that the demands of raising a family, working, and other responsibilities, and chances are you’ll need a little assistance along the way.

That’s where Visiting Angels come in. A national network of franchised non-medical senior homecare agencies, the company provides senior homecare to help elderly and older adults continue to live in their homes. These caring, experienced home caregiversprovide up to 24-hour care in the comfort of the client’s own home.

Unlike most elderly care service agencies that assign staff and schedule appointments with little input from their clients, Visiting Angels representatives begin by meeting with potential clients in order to get to know them. They also talk with involved family members, and when necessary, a person’s physician or social worker in order to develop an individualized program to manage the particular daily needs of each care recipient. Clients participate in selecting their own caregivers, and the client and her family have the final say in the selection process, ensuring that the match will be a good one.

You can be confident that your caregiver is qualified and has excellent references. “Character counts,” says Richard Bitner, of Visiting Angels. “We build relationships with families and hire only experienced caregivers who pass a rigorous screening process.”

“The families schedule is our schedule”. The company also emphasizes the intangible traits of the caregiver, such as a caring personality. Many of the company’s caregivers are former hospital staff who have grown tired of budget cuts taking over healthcare and who appreciate the opportunity to do one-on-one personal care.

“We want our clients to look forward to a visit by their caregiver,” says Bitner. “That’s why the client is in complete control from start to finish.” After the caregiver has been placed in your home, the company continues its personalized contact through telephone check-in and home visits to make sure you and your caregiver are a good match.

Although Visiting Angels are non-medical caregivers, they can provide a vital link in patient care. In cases where seniors are coming home from the hospital or a nursing home, the agency will consult with doctors, nursing home staff, social workers, physical therapists, and of course, the family, to establish each client’s personalized needs. In addition, although Visiting Angels do not dispense drugs, they can help monitor whether the patient is taking their medication.

Because caregivers have access to a great deal of health information about their clients, Visiting Angels is one of very few national non-medical senior homecare providers to be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). “Such information is very sensitive, and all of our clients deserve the protection that HIPAA compliancy can provide,” says Bitner. Many families request we take their Mother’s to their Doctor for scheduled appointments, so we can keep the family in the loop.

In addition to offering joyful companionship, Visiting Angels will also do light housekeeping, run errands, prepare meals or do shopping — other ways they can provide a respite for families dealing with the care of a loved one.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton senior homecare agency provides high quality in-home care services to seniors and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our dementia home care service, Alzheimer’s care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and elder home care services in Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Natick, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood and nearby towns . While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a big impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Call us today at 617-795-2727 for more information!

Take the Pressure Off with Respite Senior Home Care

Summary:  There are many responsibilities when caring for an aging loved one and sometimes family members cannot be there all the time.  Senior home care services from Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can provide a much-needed respite for families.

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Many adult children are finding themselves in the role of primary caregiver for their aging parents (and other family members).  There tends to be a great struggle to find the balance between juggling their own families, careers, and the responsibilities of caring for their parent(s).  When at all possible, it is advised to seek support and ways to incorporate personal time and wellbeing into the caregivers’ schedule.  Visiting Angels Newton/Canton respite senior home care is helpful with daily tasks, overnight support, and live-in care.

A home health aide can take over tasks such as household maintenance and daily chores. Your Visiting Angels Newton/Canton caregiver can assist with bathing and grooming, changing of linens, and laundry, preparing meals, and helping your loved one prepare for bed. Having the help of a home health aide brings a substantial difference and much-needed balance and piece of mind to the family and senior receiving the care.

In addition to chores and keeping up with household duties, maybe a challenge is overnight care, or even being responsible for someone who lives out of town.  It is not unusual for loved ones to live in other states and countries, making transition challenging and decision making an immediate priority.  If the adult child who is responsible for their parent lives out of town, how will their loved one get to a doctor’s appointment, have a companion to check in on them, or take their proper medication?  Hired elderly home care is available, offering caring, secure, and trained caregivers.  You may only need home care at night, so your loved one is not alone and has assistance as needed.  Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can provide overnight coverage as well as live-in caregivers, offering 24 hour a day, seven days a week coverage. 

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton provides caring, at-home caregivers offering respite for families, alleviating the stress of trying to balance career and family. Using Visiting Angels Newton/Canton’s services can assist with learning how to function in a new and unfamiliar role as caregiver to a parent.  Our caregivers allow the maintenance of a family’s schedule while providing personalized home care to their loved one. 

If you are looking for home care services in Brookline, Watertown, Newton, Canton, Wellesley and nearby areas, call Visiting Angels Newton/Canton at 617-795-2727 for a free in-home consultation. 

Everyday Eldercare Needs

Summary: Routine tasks and responsibilities, such as housekeeping, personal grooming, and health maintenance may become overwhelming for a senior.  In-home eldercare can help with these chores and be the support one needs to remain in their homes. 
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Many seniors are able to live independently, but there are some daily tasks that may become too much for them.  In their younger days, one would take for granted the ability to do the laundry or clean the kitchen. To an elderly person, with perhaps some physical limitations, these tasks are daunting and overwhelming.  In-home caregivers are great supports for families who need help with a loved-one with these tasks.    

Statistics are showing more and more seniors choosing to age at home (1). The goal is to be able to live on their own with support, as needed.  The continuation of their routines in their homes and communities is good for their physical and mental health.  A family may consider a nursing home or assisted living facility when a parent starts having trouble with basic responsibilities. In some cases, this may be necessary, but with some daily assistance with their routines, aging at home is becoming achievable to more and more seniors and people with disabilities.    

Some everyday routines that loved-ones may need assistance with are meal preparation, housekeeping and errands. The choice to have specialized meals prepared, daily exercise routines, cognitive health exercises and monitoring and reminders on which medications to take, can, in some cases, enhance someone’s life and well-being.  Perhaps tasks like getting dressed and basic grooming and hygiene are a challenge for an individual, but with assistance, these tasks can be accomplished with little stress.  Having a daily grooming routine has been shown to improve mental health and elevate a person’s mood (2). A companion can assist with these chores and more while allowing a person to remain in their homes.    

An in-home elder care service provides loving and secure caregivers to help with shopping, light cleaning and food preparation.  They assist with tasks of which an individual may no longer be capable, day or night; therefore allowing them to stay in their homes safely and happily.  An in-home elder care service can be an alternative to an assisted living facility or nursing home, and their caregivers are available part or full time.   

1. https://www.inclinator.com/5-benefits-aging-in-place/
2. http://miamihomecareservices.com/blog/personal-hygiene-and-its-importance-for-seniors/ 
 
 About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton:
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our dementia care, Alzheimer's care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior home care services in Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Natick, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood and nearby towns . While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a big impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Call us at 617-795-2727 for information!

Why Choosing the Right Caregiver is So Important

As the number of seniors in the U.S. continues to grow—indeed, the first “Baby Boomers” will turn 65 in 2011—so does the market for non-medical senior homecare services.  Chances are, you will at some point be looking for a caregiver for an elderly family member.  Visiting Angels is one of the nations leading providers of non-medical senior homecare, with over 170 locations nationwide.
 
According to Barney Freiberg-Dale, co-owner of Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, Massachusetts, “At Visiting Angels, we are dedicated to working with clients and their families to ensure the best possible non-medical home care services.  Nothing is better than providing the quality care that allows an elderly client to stay in the comfort of their own home.”  
 
“Today’s seniors wish to maintain their independence and quality of life as long as possible,” states Barney Freiberg-Dale.  “At the same time, their adult children are often sandwiched between taking care of their own offspring and helping their elderly parent, who may live hours away.  That’s why our non-medical home care agency has become popular in the Newton, Canton and nearby areas.”
 
“Many seniors do not require a nurse, but simply need the assistance Visiting Angels provides helping with the tasks of daily living,” continues Barney Freiberg-Dale. 
 
Visiting Angels’ services include, meal preparation, basic household chores, personal hygiene, shopping, companionship and, in some case, providing a respite for family caregivers. In addition, for clients who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia, Visiting Angels provide caregivers who are trained in dementia care techniques, and we provide guidance to family members, so they have tools and skills to assist with their loved-ones as well. Our Alzheimer’s home caregivers and dementia home caregivers always treat clients with dignity and respect.
 
Due to the increased need for such assistance, many non-medical homecare agencies are sprouting up across the landscape. However, not all agencies are alike, and it’s important to understand the differences.
 
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton understands that each client has unique needs. Therefore, we design a personalized care plan for each client, based on the results of an initial in-home consultation by one of our case managers.
 
Then we carefully choose the right caregiver for the client, considering factors such as technical skills, personality traits, and experience.
 
Our home caregivers are professional, experienced and always treat clients with respect and dignity. They are trained with the use of Hoyer lifts, gait belt or other transfer equipment.

We are on call 24/7 at 617-795-2727, always ready to provide help to your loved one. And, we have a large pool of back-up caregivers. Your loved one will not be alone if your regular caregiver cannot provide service due to unexpected circumstances.
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Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice, Leader in Excellence and Employer of Choice from Home Care Pulse for years. Our quality is recognized! If you loved one needs senior home care assistance in Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Canton, Watertown, Brookline and nearby areas, please call us at 617-795-2727 for a free consultation.
 

Let an Angel Help You Care for Your Loved One

In a perfect world, you would be able to take care of your aging parent in your home or theirs, relying only on family to help you. But the reality is that caring for an aging or ill parent is a full-time job that can take a toll on the caregiver. Add to that the demands of raising a family, working, and other responsibilities, and chances are you’ll need a little assistance along the way.

That’s where the angels come in. Visiting Angels is a national network of franchised non-medical senior home care agencies providing senior homecare to help elderly and older adults continue to live in their homes. These caring, experienced home caregivers provide up to 24-hour care in the comfort of your own home.

You can be confident that your caregiver is qualified and has excellent references. “Character counts,” says Richard Bitner, of Visiting Angels. “We hire only experienced caregivers who pass a rigorous screening process.” The company also emphasizes the intangible traits of the caregiver, such as a caring personality. Many of the company’s caregivers have grown tired of the Medicare model taking over healthcare and appreciate the opportunity to do one-on-one personal care for elders.

The staff at Visiting Angels works with each family to develop an individualized program to manage the daily needs of the client. They then match those needs to the best possible caregiver; caregivers are then introduced to the family, who has the final say in the selection process.

“We want our clients to look forward to a visit by their caregiver,” says Bitner. “That’s why the client is in complete control from start to finish.” After the caregiver has been placed in your home, the company continues its personalized contact through telephone check-in and home visits to make sure you and your caregiver are a good match.

Although Visiting Angels are non-medical home care providers, they can provide a vital link in patient care. In cases where seniors are coming home from the hospital or a nursing home, the caregiver will consult with doctors, nursing home staff, social workers, physical therapists, and of course, the family, to establish each client’s personalized needs. Although Visiting Angels do not dispense drugs, they can help monitor whether the patient is taking their medication.

In addition to offering joyful companionship, Visiting Angels will do light housekeeping, run errands, prepare meals or do shopping. They can also serve as a respite care provider for families dealing with the care of a loved one.  They can also provide special assistance for adults who need Alzheimer's home care or dementia care.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning senior home care agency serving Wellesley, Natick, Newton, Needham, Canton, Watertown, Brookline and nearby communities. Since 2004, countless families have benefited from our dementia home care, Alzheimer's care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior care services. If your loved one needs home care assistance, please contact us at 617-795-2727 for a free in-home consultation!