Caring for Visually-Impaired Seniors

 

Senior adults who are starting to lose their vision often need the support and assistance of family caregivers to help them with their daily routines. But if you don’t have experience with vision loss or blindness, it can be challenging to know the best way to provide elder care for a loved one who has a visual impairment.

First, you need to notice signs of low vision. These may include

• Glare or haziness

• Night blindness

• Blurred vision

• Difficulty with sight while driving

• Reading struggles

• Recognizing the faces of people

Your senior loved one may need regular eye exams to check for early warning signs of low vision. If you notice any changes in your loved one’s vision that may be causing problems, make sure to inform an eye care professional. 

Suppose your senior is suffering from low vision. In that case, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton suggests the following in-home senior care strategies to help reduce the risk of injury for visually-impaired seniors and make day-to-day life easier to navigate.

Senior Fall Prevention

Helping seniors avoid falls is a crucial element of elderly care. But when a senior is visually impaired or legally blind, the risk of falls becomes much more significant. Family elder care providers need to be especially careful to reduce the risk of slipping, tripping, and falling around the home.

If your loved one still has partial vision, there are steps you can take to make it easier for them to see their surroundings and avoid risky areas. Consider replacing lights around the home with higher-wattage fixtures and bulbs to make the space brighter. You may want to install new lights in dark areas or spots where your loved one is at a higher risk for fall or injury, such as stairs. You can also make stairs easier to see by applying brightly colored tape along the lip of each step.

Think about eliminating tripping and slipping risks; This means getting rid of clutter, keeping cords out of the way, removing rugs that could be stumbled over, and applying a non-slip coating to tile floors. Consider encouraging your loved one to wear rubber-soled shoes with a firm grip. 

For more tips on avoiding falls, please review our Fall Prevention brochure.

Using Vision Aids to Cope With Vision Loss

In addition to keeping your loved one safe, providing elder care at home for a family member with vision loss also means keeping them happy and comfortable. Unfortunately, vision loss can make favorite activities and day-to-day living much more difficult. As a caregiver, you can help your loved one cope with visual impairment by accommodating their vision loss in day-to-day life.

One of the simplest ways to do this is by helping them learn about possible vision aids. In addition, you can provide them with products that make it easier to cope with vision loss, such as books with oversized print or large screen TVs with high contrast images.

Keeping their home organized will be helpful so that it’s easy for them to find items by memory or touch. In most cases, it is best to keep things in familiar places. But in some cases — like a cluttered cutlery drawer — it can be better to organize items so that your loved one can easily pick things out by touch.

Elder Care for Vision Loss

As an elder care provider, you might be called on to help with everyday tasks. Your loved one’s visual impairment might prevent them from being able to cook, clean their home, do laundry, or any number of other activities, as well as shopping and errands. 

If you can’t always be there for your loved one, you might consider professional elder care services. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton caregivers regularly work with visually impaired seniors, offering a helping hand and fresh set of eyes around the home. Our case managers are happily available to schedule a free in-home assessment to discuss options with you to find the right care plan for your loved one. Contact us today at 617-795-2727.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning home care agency providing high-caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home senior care, respite care, elder companion care, live-in and 24-hour care, dementia and Alzheimer’s care, transitional aid, and in-home care services in Dedham, Needham, Stoughton, Brookline, Canton, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Natick, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Upper Back Bay, Watertown, Wellesley, West Roxbury, Westwood, and neighboring communities. The non-medical care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life.

 

Fall Prevention for Seniors

Each year, countless seniors break and fracture bones due to slips, trips, and falls. According to the National Safety Council, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths to individuals age 65 and older. Something as simple as tripping over a rug or slipping on a wet spot on the kitchen floor can be life-threatening. Hip fractures are a particular danger. The recovery period can take up to 12 months, may require transitional care, and comes with a significant risk of life-threatening complications.

Older adults are more prone to falling due to failing eyesight, hearing problems, stiff or painful joints, less muscle tone, and poor coordination, among other reasons. Heart diseases, diabetes, thyroid problems, blood vessel problems, and nerve damage can also affect their balance. Sometimes medications cause dizziness and can result in a fall.

Your senior loved one may wish to age in the comfort of his or her own home. It is crucial, then, to implement fall prevention measures to keep their living space safe.  Visiting Angels home care services has a Safe and Steady Fall Prevention Resource Guide that can help you identify risk factors in your senior loved one's home and take steps to reduce the risks of suffering a fall. It contains essential information about

·         Physical, emotional, and social impacts of falls

·         Environmental risk factors

·         Precautions you can take

·         Easy home modifications to reduce seniors' risk of falling at home

·         Lifestyle changes that can further reduce fall risks for seniors

Having a companion home caregiver can help your loved one stay safe and comfortable in their home, preventing falls and injury. The caregiver can help to maintain a safe and tidy home. He or she can lend a helping hand with day-to-day tasks. If your senior loved one's physical health puts them at high risk for falls, private duty care services could help with activities such as dressing, bathing, and mobility.

Fear of falling should not stop your senior from staying active. A home caregiver can engage your senior in an exercise program that's right for them, such as taking walks or gardening. Your loved one will get regular exercise to improve strength and muscle tone and keep joints, ligaments, and tendons flexible.

Home caregivers for seniors will provide peace of mind in the event of an injury or accident. In a worst-case scenario, a senior could fall and remain on the floor, be injured for several hours or days because they live alone, cannot move, or are unable to make a phone call. Professionally-trained caregivers regularly check in, call and visit elderly clients to ensure they are cared for and safe. Should a senior suffer a fall or accident, an HHA-certified home caregiver will be able to get help quickly.

For more information on fall prevention and home care services, please call 617-795-2727.

 

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning home care agency providing high-caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home senior care, respite care, elder companion care, live-in and 24-hour care, dementia and Alzheimer's care, transitional aid, and at-home living assistance services in Brookline, Boston, Canton, Dedham, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Stoughton, Watertown, Wellesley, Westwood, and nearby communities. The non-medical care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life.

Call us at 617-795-2727 to book a free in-home consultation with one of our knowledgeable case managers today!

Essential Elements of Senior Wellness

 Maintaining or enhancing one’s health and wellness shouldn’t stop at a predetermined age. It is universally beneficial to pursue a balanced mind and body by focusing on our physical well-being and happiness, fulfillment, and mental fortitude.

It’s never too late for your loved one to begin the path to living their best and most fulfilled life. With the assistance of family, friends, and professional in-home caregivers, seniors can successfully pursue the following seven elements of senior wellness.

Proper Diet

A proper diet is fundamental to good health. Without the right levels of nutrients, seniors will have trouble maintaining cognitive and physical energy. Here are a few nutritional recommendations:

• Flavor foods with spices and herbs, but use less salt: Seniors can lose the ability to taste salt in food, but don’t try to overcompensate. Too much salt can increase the risk of heart disease.
• Drink milk: Milk provides calcium and protein to promote healthy bones.
• Don’t depend too much on nutritional supplements: Vitamins and minerals in natural foods are always better than dietary supplements.

Sleep

According to research, most healthy seniors need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to feel recharged the next morning. Older adults may awake earlier in the morning due to body rhythm changes called advanced sleep phase syndrome.

However, this means older adults may need to go to bed earlier in the evening. Additionally, a range of physical conditions associated with aging can make it difficult for seniors to get enough sleep, causing sleep deprivation.

Here are some tips to help seniors get a better night’s sleep:

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in the evenings
• Go to bed and wake at the same time every day, even on weekends
• Don’t take naps longer than about 20 minutes during the day, if possible
• Ask a doctor if a medication or physical condition could be preventing sleep
• A trained in-home caregiver could help monitor proper sleep habits and assist with any discomfort.

Physical Activity

A lack of exercise quickly leads to many health problems in both body and mind. Seniors don’t have to break records at the gym to stay healthy and feel well. A moderate amount of physical activity each day will keep the body in good working order and lead to a clearer mind and a greater sense of fulfillment.

Consider the following recommendations for senior activity:

• Older adults should achieve at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
• Gardening, walking, and outdoor hobbies can provide proper physical activity
• Cardiovascular health workouts and muscle-strengthening exercises are recommended together to prevent the potential for falls, heart attacks and many of the most common causes of senior debility

Socialization

Loneliness is a silent killer for the elderly and contributes to dementia, depression,  obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other mental and psychological conditions.

Older adults must have social interactions with others regularly to maintain their emotional well-being. Community activities, games, and projects can foster a sense of interest, usefulness, and social bonding. Even a good conversation from time to time is a necessity.

For seniors living at home alone, an in-home caregiver would provide companionship and support. 

Purpose

After retirement and withdrawal from economic and political involvement, seniors may need to find something new to provide direction and purpose.

Volunteer work and other activities that help others are excellent outlets for seniors to find self-purpose. A Visiting Angels caregiver could assist with transportation to and from such causes.

Safety

Falling is one of the most significant safety risks for seniors. Making a senior’s home physically safe and secure to navigate is the first step toward wellness.

Seniors also need protection from scammers who prey on the elderly. Family caregivers need to take precautions ahead of time to prevent senior loved ones from falling victim to telemarketing and online scams.

A home health aide can supervise and ensure both physical and non-physical safety measures for seniors.

Identity

As seniors grow older, they naturally begin to reflect on their lives and achievements. Seniors want to pass along their knowledge and information to younger generations.

Family and friends can help foster their senior loved one’s sense of identity and accomplishment by encouraging them to tell stories, write down memories, and participate in society as a mentor and teacher. Seniors may often discount the scope of what they’ve achieved during their life, but recognizing and celebrating these achievements can be an important source of satisfaction and well-being.

If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones, contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton today.

Reasons to Hire a Professional In-Home Caregiver

When someone you love needs help to manage daily activities at home, it’s essential to take proactive steps to keep them safe, comfortable, and content. For many families, hiring a professional home caregiver is an effective and attentive way to promote their loved one’s health and happiness.

For older adults, mobility issues and other aspects of aging can lead to fears they’ll lose their independence and that they may have to leave their home and community. With the help of a professional home care provider, seniors who struggle with basic tasks, like cooking and grocery shopping, can receive the care they need and stay comfortably in their homes.

Benefits of Hiring a Certified Caregiver

Certified caregivers, such as an HHA or CNA, can assist with a wide range of day-to-day tasks while enriching your loved one’s life in the process. These tasks often range from preparing meals and cleaning up around the house to bringing your loved one to their appointments and making sure he or she keeps up with all of their medications.

Certified home caregivers can also provide discreet support with more intimate tasks like bathing, getting dressed, and using the bathroom. With this assistance, your loved one can maintain their personal hygiene — which is vital for their health and self-image — while minimizing the pain, discomfort, or risk of a fall.

While the concept of inviting a stranger into your loved one’s home may feel unnerving at first, the best care professionals are skilled at building warm, trusting relationships, so their clients feel at ease. That companionship can be crucial for seniors who have grown more isolated at home.

If you live in another area and aren’t able to visit your relative regularly, a professional caregiver can be there to provide daily support. Caregivers providing long-distance care can also give out-of-town family members regular updates about their loved one’s day-to-day life and condition.

Additionally, if you’re one of the millions of people across the country tending to a senior family member, hiring a caregiver can offer the relief you need to rest, recuperate, and keep up with other aspects of your life. Respite care allows you time to focus on your own needs while ensuring your family member has the support they need as well.

Visiting Angels can Meet Your Loved One’s Needs

As you approach this decision with your family, consider your loved one’s preferences alongside their care needs. Does your Mom want to remain at home as most seniors do? Which activities does she find more challenging to perform on her own? Are there times of day when she could benefit from more support than your busy schedule can accommodate?

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can help you address these questions during a free in-home care consultation. Then, we can work together to create a care plan and select the right caregiver(s) for your loved one.

We offer customized home care services that are available at any time, day, or night. Our caregivers assist seniors with a wide range of needs. These include:

• Walking assistance
• Medication reminders
• Grocery shopping and preparing meals
• Transportation to appointments and for other errands
• Laundry and other essential housekeeping duties
• Hygiene and grooming care
• Specialized care for dementia
• End of life and palliative care

Our compassionate caregivers are bonded and insured and have each undergone a rigorous vetting process to verify their skills and experience. Based on your loved one’s care needs and personality, we’ll recommend an in-home caregiver whom we believe will be the best fit.

If you're interested in more information about how in-home care can help your elderly loved ones, contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton at 617-795-2727 today.

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 the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our home Alzheimer’s care, dementia care, round-the-clock care, companion care, senior care, respite care, transitional aid, and home care services in Brookline, Watertown, Dedham, Needham, Westwood, Norwood, Canton, Stoughton, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life.

Contact us today at 617-795-2727 for a free in-home consultation!

Maintaining a Healthy Routine for Your Senior Loved One During COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused many unexpected disruptions in our daily lives, especially for elders dealing with isolation at home and social distancing. The older adult population continues to be most vulnerable to the disease, and family members and in-home caregivers are making necessary precautions to protect senior loved ones during the coronavirus.

While the sudden changes created by COVID-19 are preparing us all for a “new reality,” it’s also important to instill regular routines and schedules for seniors during this time.

Daily Routines are Important for the Elderly

It may be challenging to think of practical ways to maintain or enhance the well-being of older adults under these complex conditions. With some lifestyle changes, your elderly loved ones can reduce their risk of getting infected from COVID-19 and other viruses.

Making sure they stick to healthy routines and remain calm, comforted, and safe has never been more critical. Here are some tips you should encourage seniors in your life to follow as they adapt to new healthy routines:

Get adequate sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for senior health. Older adults become sleepless for different reasons, but their sleeping patterns may be thrown off during the coronavirus pandemic. Make sure they get at least seven hours of shut-eye per night. Visiting Angels’ caregivers can help your elderly loved one establish a nighttime routine that helps them relax and sleep easier and more peacefully.

Eat healthy meals

Specific foods can do wonders for overall health and wellness, especially for the elderly. If they have medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, or coronary artery disease, their physician may recommend specialized diets. With your help or an in-home care provider, your senior loved one can stick to a nutrition plan and schedule.

Stay active

It’s never too late to promote healthy aging for older adults. Regular exercise, including yoga, is an excellent way for seniors to remain active, particularly during social distancing and isolation related to COVID-19. Home health aides can ensure seniors stay active by assisting them with low-impact exercises.

Avoid dehydration

Does your senior drink enough water daily? Seniors lose water content in their bodies during the aging process. They can aggravate existing chronic conditions or create more severe health problems (kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and heat stroke) if they suffer dehydration. Many elderly individuals may not understand the importance of water due to mental lapses or issues. A caregiver must play a vital role in ensuring the elderly consume enough water to maintain healthy levels.

Keep up to date with medications

Seniors need to follow medication instructions from a doctor or pharmacist strictly. A regular at-home medication plan can provide proper daily routines for your senior loved one, especially if they have a life-threatening or chronic health condition. Visiting Angels’ home care specialists can provide older adults with much-needed medication reminders to ensure daily adherence and consistency.

Practice safe hygiene

Good hand hygiene reduces health risks for seniors. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the elderly must wash their hands frequently with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds each time) to prevent exposure to germs. If they need help with personal hygiene, home care aides can assist them with bathing, dressing, grooming, and more.

Connect with family and friends virtually

During isolation or social distancing, you can still see and talk with your elderly family members, even if they live a long distance. Routine calls or video chats are events they may look forward to and appreciate. There are plenty of creative ways for seniors to stay active and keep communicating while maintaining social distancing.

Hopefully, some of these tips can help your senior loved ones, and you establish a “new norm” that is beneficial, healthy, and safe.

Despite the pandemic, elderly in-home caregivers remain resolute in delivering safe and compassionate personal care that is essential to the health and well-being of older adults. If you are struggling and need assistance, respite care services are also available to provide a break for as long as you want. The home-care professionals at Visiting Angels can help you find the work-life balance you need while caring for your senior family member.

If you’re interested in more information about how at-home care can help your elderly loved ones, contact us today or call 617-795-2727.

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 the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our home Alzheimer’s care, companion care, elder care, dementia care, respite support, transitional aid, and home care services in Canton, Stoughton, Westwood, Norwood, Brookline, Watertown, Needham, Dedham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. While essential personal in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Contact us today for a free in-home consultation!

How to Talk to Your Elderly Loved One About COVID-19 Precautions

The Coronavirus is presenting a serious worldwide public health threat, and older adults and people with chronic health conditions are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus. The coronavirus pandemic has caused family caregivers to feel more anxious about their senior loved ones’ health and safety — especially when some senior adults are rejecting changes to their behaviors to protect against contracting COVID-19.

However, there are ways family caregivers can protect elderly loved ones and help them understand why coronavirus is a cause for concern.

Get the Facts About COVID-19 And the Elderly

Before talking to your older loved ones about COVID-19, you should arm yourself with facts and information from reliable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or state and local health departments.

Providing them with information from a healthcare provider or community organization is an effective way to boost credibility. You should also correct any misinformation that may be driving their inaccurate beliefs or behavior.

Understand Seniors’ Position About COVID-19

To help your elderly loved ones realize the seriousness of COVID-19, you need to uncover the reasons behind their behavior — and the best way to do this is by asking questions. You might start by asking them what they have heard about COVID-19, what they think about the pandemic, and what they have done to prepare.

What you learn might surprise you. For example, a senior who is coping with cognitive decline may not understand or remember information they hear about COVID-19 and forget to follow essential safety precautions.

Older adults may incorrectly believe the virus won’t affect them because they are in good health, aren’t THAT old, have “survived worse,” or never get sick. Some older adults may not understand how their refusal to follow public health guidance could contribute to the spread of the virus — or, they could simply be reluctant to take orders from the government or their loved ones.

It’s also vital for family caregivers to remember a senior’s reason for failing to take COVID-19 seriously could be related to other factors, such as fear of isolation, concern over changing routines, or anxiety over an uncertain situation.

Whatever the cause, learning more about the reasons behind your loved one’s stubbornness can help you develop the best persuasion strategy.

Make Your Case

When making your case, it’s critical to use the right tone and approach. Pressuring, badgering, or talking down to your elderly loved ones could make it less likely they will listen to your advice. Make sure you let them know you aren’t trying to upset them and are only concerned about their health and safety.

Make sure you address their specific concerns as much as possible. For example, if your loved ones are concerned about losing touch with family members, you could help them develop a plan to keep in touch and provide them with creative ways to communicate during social distancing. If they are concerned about missing their favorite activities, you could help them research safe alternatives or find new ways to stay active during the coronavirus pandemic.

If they have concerns about being able to take care of themselves or obtain supplies during lockdowns, you could arrange for qualified home care workers to provide essential services during the coronavirus if they need help with daily activities.

You could also mention the steps that you, or someone your loved ones know and respect, have taken to prepare or comply with public health guidelines.

Be Open to Two-Way Communication

No matter how your older loved ones respond, it is essential that you avoid harming your relationship. Simply let them know you will be available to help them and answer any future questions they may have.

Part of protecting your older loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic means doing your best to help them understand the seriousness of the situation and teaching them how to keep themselves — and others — safe.

If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care services can help your elderly loved ones, contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton today.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton:

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home living assistance to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our home Alzheimer’s care, dementia care, elderly companion care, respite support, transitional aid, and home care services in Stoughton, Canton, Westwood, Norwood, Brookline, Watertown, Needham, Dedham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. While primarily personal in nature, the senior home care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Contact us today for a free in-home consultation!

We are staying Diligent

As the confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to rise in our area, we are monitoring the situation and the advice from public health authorities. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton remains committed to our responsibility as your senior home care provider during this time. We recognize that our Visiting Angels home caregivers allow seniors to age safely and comfortably in their own homes, wherever that may be, and that some of our clients cannot get through the day or night without a home care aide. We want to assure you that we are communicating to our caregivers to follow best practices, including hand-washing, and staying home if they are feeling ill or have traveled to Level 3 CDC countries.

Home Caregivers Provide Essential Services for Seniors During COVID-19 Pandemic

Thousands of senior adults across the nation depend on in-home caregivers to help them manage everyday tasks, such as bathing, dressing, grocery shopping, medication reminders, and preparing meals – especially during the unprecedented crisis of the coronavirus pandemic.
As COVID-19 affects more and more individuals and communities across the U.S., home caregivers remain resolute in delivering safe and compassionate personal care that is essential to the health and well-being of older adults. Their efforts reassure families their elderly loved ones are doing well, emotionally, and physically, in their home.
Whether it’s shielding older adults from the flu or a harmful virus, home care providers practice proper hygiene to reduce health risks for seniors. They exercise frequent handwashing and disinfecting inside a senior’s household to keep contagious illnesses and viruses at bay. They also take special precautionary measures to clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces such as:

• Doorknobs
• Light switches
• Counters
• Cabinets
• Phones
• Remote controls
• Handles on toilets and faucets

Home Caregivers on the Frontlines in the Fight Against COVID-19

COVID-19 has caused significant public health and safety concerns for the elderly and those with underlying conditions. The virus has changed the way this most vulnerable population socializes, interacts, and communicates with family members, friends, and neighbors. As the nation tries to find answers, many elderly adults rely on HHA or CNA-certified home caregivers for physical and emotional guidance inside the comfort of their homes.

Visiting Angels’ caregivers have stepped up their everyday workload by helping their clients comprehend and practice social distancing. They also plan and discover new ways to reduce distress, boredom, and isolation for seniors during the coronavirus pandemic. Some of the techniques they are employing include:

• Maintaining a routine

COVID-19 has altered the way many people go about their day. Drastic changes to daily routines may upset some seniors, mainly if they are living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Predictable visits from an in-home caregiver can help seniors feel safe and comforted. Senior home caregivers also help maintain familiar routines as much as possible and ease the process of adapting to sudden necessary changes.

• Helping seniors to communicate with loved ones

Visiting Angels caregivers help seniors find new ways to connect with their loved ones. Whether setting up a new communication or virtual device or encouraging seniors to write letters, caregivers encourage clients to stay in touch with family and friends.

• Helping older adults “stock up”

Visiting Angels’ caregivers also help seniors obtain necessary household supplies by arranging for the delivery of life-sustaining medications, groceries, and other goods.

• Giving serenity to families

Visits from home health aides also provide peace of mind for families who are separated from seniors due to social distancing or because of long-distance caregiving. Through a partnership with Constant Companion, an Amazon Alexa-based system, Visiting Angels offers a useful senior home care tool that responds to voice-activated medical alerts and keeps seniors connected to their families and communities.

• Notifying family members

Visiting Angels keeps an open line of communication with an elderly loved one’s point-of-contact and new communication frequent updates. Caregivers continually check and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. If caregivers observe any disturbing symptoms, they will immediately alert the case manager as well as family members. In addition to monitoring a senior’s health and wellness, in-home caregivers watch for signs of depression and anxiety while looking out for changes in overall well-being.

Providing Safe, High-Quality Care the Elderly Deserve

Visiting Angels’ priority remains the health and safety of its caregivers and the elderly clients they serve every day. As an award-winning home care agency in Greater Boston, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton follows and adheres to the latest health and safety guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, in-home caregivers are fulfilling Visiting Angels’ mission of partnering with families to provide essential home care services for older adults.

Visiting Angels’ in-home caregivers continue to be homecare heroes on the frontlines, taking necessary steps to protect elderly loved ones and themselves as well as doing whatever it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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 the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our home Alzheimer's care, dementia care, 24 hour care, companion care, senior care, respite care, transitional aid, and home care services in Dedham, Needham, Westwood, Norwood, Brookline, Watertown, Canton, Stoughton, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. While essential personal in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Contact us today at 617-795-2727 for a free in-home consultation!

A Cure for Senior Loneliness

A recent study, the National Poll on Healthy Aging, found that one in three seniors is lonely. “Living alone, in particular, was highly associated with feeling lonely. Among those living alone, 60% reported feeling a lack of companionship, and 41% felt isolated.” In the report, in-home care services were listed as one of the solutions to help alleviate this problem.

The emotional impact aside, this research also showed that loneliness has significant repercussions on senior health. “Chronic loneliness can impact older adults’ memory, physical well-being, mental health, and life expectancy. Some research suggests that chronic loneliness may shorten life expectancy even more than being overweight or sedentary, and just as much as smoking.”

Loneliness is a condition that can develop over time. It may start with increasing geographical distances between families as seniors are often left behind when adult children relocate for job opportunities. Then, one by one their contemporaries begins to pass away. Those seniors who survive their siblings tend to feel more isolated. Medical problems or the death of a spouse can make seniors even less likely to engage, compounding their feelings of loneliness.

The study goes on to say that “encouraging and supporting meaningful social connections and more frequent interactions — through activities such as volunteerism, participation in community or religious groups, or home visiting programs — may help mitigate loneliness and its associated health challenges.”

This is one of the many reasons why adding professional home care providers to your loved one’s life can have such a positive impact.

Has Your Family Considered Homecare Assistance?

Many people are balancing children, a career, and managing a household. It can feel like there are not enough hours in the day when you don’t have an opportunity to stop by and visit your loved one. You start to wonder: Did they eat a nutritious meal for breakfast,  wearing their medical alert pendant? Did they remember to lock the front door and take their evening pills?

Being a family caregiver is a lonely road. Many people don’t understand the challenges until they have experienced it themselves. If you’re on this road, now may be the time to explore home care assistance.

Stephanie Cacioppo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, is also director of the university’s National Institute on Aging-supported Brain Dynamics Laboratory. She states, “The misery and suffering caused by chronic loneliness are very real and warrant attention. As a social species, we are accountable to help our lonely children, parents, neighbors, and even strangers, in the same way, we would treat ourselves. Treating loneliness is our collective responsibility.”

That’s where Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can be of assistance to you and your loved one. The responsibility you feel can be shared with our compassionate home care aides and your family. We are here to ease the stress you are feeling while also providing your loved one with friendly, joyful companionship.

Our home care assistance can include help with a wide range of tasks and activities. We can provide reminders to take medications, transportation to appointments or therapies, provide assistance with household chores, and help with personal care and hygiene needs. We’ll be there to ease your burden while helping to combat the loneliness your loved one may be feeling.

At Visiting Angels Newton/Canton of Massachusetts, we understand the power of a team when it’s focused on the same objectives. To request a free in-home consultation, and find out more about our home care assistance services, contact us today at 617-795-2727.

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 the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our Alzheimer’s and dementia care, respite support, companion care, transitional aid, and senior home care services in Norwood, Westwood, Natick, Wellesley, Needham, Dedham, Brookline, Watertown, Canton, Stoughton, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale and nearby towns. While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life.

Our caregivers are all CNA or HHA certified. They complete a full orientation training that includes a dementia care program that utilizes cognitive impairment simulation scenarios. We also offer specialized training opportunities for our office staff and caregivers throughout the year.

We have received the Best of Home Care – Leader in Excellence, Trusted Provider, Best of Home Care Provider, and Best of Home Care Employer by Home Care Pulse for six consecutive years. We have also earned Top Places to Work by the Boston Globe for five years, and are proudly accredited by the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts.

Gentleness Is Key to Personal Home Care Services

At Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, our personal care program is vital to the safety and well-being of seniors. Unlike companion care, which covers less intensive caregiving needs, personal care provides seniors with assistance for daily living activities such as dressing, grooming, and bathing.

Given the sensitive nature of these activities, personal care providers need special skill sets to perform these tasks. One particularly important quality—that is often overlooked is gentleness. And not just physical gentleness, but emotional gentleness, too.

Physical Gentleness

When you consider the activities personal care entails, physical gentleness seems like a given. After all, you don’t want to be rough when helping seniors in or out of the shower or when brushing their teeth. 

Gentleness may suddenly seem like a tall order. When you help a person into and out of the shower, it takes a great deal of physical effort, and your main priority is injury prevention, not comfort. Meanwhile, simple activities like tooth brushing can be tricky to get right. Even with the best intentions, home care aides may struggle to apply the right amount of pressure or use the proper brushing technique. A mistake in one direction can lead to oral health problems. An error in the other direction can inflict pain during brushing, especially to sensitive gums.

Without training or experience, caregivers can fail to strike the right balance when performing personal care tasks. And seniors who receive assistance may be unwilling or unable to speak up, causing them to endure pain and discomfort quietly.

That’s why it’s so crucial that personal home care providers perform their jobs well and gently. For example, they know how to safely transfer seniors into the tub or shower without causing discomfort or comb an elderly adult’s hair while navigating painful knots. In short, they know how to attend to their clients’ physical well-being without compromising physical comfort. 

Emotional Gentleness

In personal care, it’s not enough to be physically gentle. Caregivers must also exhibit emotional gentleness toward seniors who feel uncomfortable and sensitive when needing personal care, which makes sense when you consider many of the private acts personal caregivers provide. Few of us would feel comfortable dressing or bathing in someone else’s presence. These emotions are only compounded by the loss of independence that many individuals feel in these moments. 

Navigating these moments takes a great deal of emotional intelligence and compassion on the part of caregivers; it’s a critical part of the job. If a client receives care and feels embarrassed or powerless afterward, a caregiver has failed to impact their quality of life positively.

Compassionate caregivers understand this and take an equally gentle approach to the emotional components of personal care. They talk clients through care when appropriate, they stay quiet when silence is needed, and they remain attentive to the emotional sensitivities of caregiving. They also take time to check in regularly with their care recipient asking questions and seeking feedback to ensure they are not overstepping any unforeseen boundaries. 

At Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, we are passionate about providing in-home living assistance that is gentle, both physically and emotionally. Our caregivers are chosen because they share this same passion. We take the time to get to know your loved one personally, to understand their needs, and to put them at ease. Dignified, compassionate, gentle home care is always our top priority. 

Contact us today to request a free personal care consultation!

Our Caregivers

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has an outstanding team of Caregivers who work tirelessly to provide quality care to our Clients. Our Caregivers are CNA or HHA certified. They must provide three professional references and have professional experience in the home care field. We perform both the MA state criminal record check (CORI) and national background screening(s) on each potential employee. Caregivers must pass an extensive home care exam and are interviewed at length by two Case Managers. Our new Caregivers complete a full orientation training, which includes a specialized dementia care program.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton:

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our Alzheimer's home care, dementia care, companion care, senior care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior home care in Westwood, Norwood, Brookline, Watertown, Needham, Dedham, Canton, Stoughton, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns.

We are honored to have been awarded Top Places to Work by the Boston Globe for five years. We have also earned the Best of Home Care – Leader in Excellence, Trusted Provider, Best of Home Care Provider, and Best of Home Care Employer by Home Care Pulse. We are proudly accredited by The Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts.

While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Call us at 617-795-2727 for information.