Three Common Senior Ailments That Make Caregiving Harder

Many seniors struggle with chronic medical conditions that must be carefully managed, not just by health professionals, but also by professional caregivers. We spoke with several professional caregivers about common ailments among seniors that can complicate caregiving and how you can help improve the quality of life for your aging loved one.

Mobility Challenges

Limited mobility poses more challenges to caregiving. Arthritis affects several adults over the age of 65, making it one of the most common chronic conditions seniors must manage. Osteoporosis, another common diagnosis in seniors, can increase the risk of fractures or falls, leading to significant disability. Falls caused by weak bones or arthritis can make it painful or difficult to complete day to day tasks and prevent your loved one from being physically active.

Seniors with mobility problems are particularly at risk for injury inside the home. Keeping the house free of clutter or other potential hazards should be the first step to keeping your loved one with mobility challenges safe.

Staying active is also essential for health and well-being for people of all ages, but this may be challenging for those with pain or difficulty moving. Consider speaking to your loved one's doctor to come up with a plan for staying physically active. This may mean a referral to a physical therapist or exercise physiologist who specializes in working around mobility difficulties.

Swallowing Difficulties

Did you know that as we age, it is more common to have difficulties with chewing or swallowing? Missing teeth or poorly fitting dentures may cause chewing problems. Swallowing difficulties, called dysphagia, can happen when the esophagus becomes weak, or other physical changes occur.

Nicole Keels-McGruder, a professional caregiver, states that caring for seniors with swallowing or chewing difficulties can cause significant challenges. She recalls a senior she cared for, “who could not drink thin fluids and all of her foods had to be pureed. A thickener had to be added to her drinks. Making sure that she was properly elevated during meals was also something that I learned the hard way. Because of her condition, I stayed in the room with her for an additional 30 minutes to make sure that all of her food was down.” Nicole added that the time it took to prepare, puree, thicken, and ensure proper positioning was much more demanding of her time and energy.

Getting help with food preparation or supervision of meals can help your loved one if they have been diagnosed with dysphagia. A home health aide can help relieve some of the pressure in caring for and supervising a loved one with dysphagia or other swallowing concerns.

Infectious Diseases

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, older adults are more susceptible to infectious diseases. Common contagious illnesses that can impact the elderly include urinary tract infections and digestive and respiratory diseases, like pneumonia and influenza. It is also more challenging to diagnose people over 65 because they don't always present with typical symptoms. Instead, they can experience more generalized symptoms like loss of appetite, a change in mental status or incontinence. A difficulty with a diagnosis can lead to prolonged discomfort and a higher risk of hospitalization. 

For family caregivers, it is essential to understand the signs and symptoms of common infections to start treatment as soon as possible. Look for sudden changes in behavior, confusion, skin infections, chills, difficulty breathing, cough, fever, digestive disturbances, or lack of appetite. These symptoms should be evaluated immediately by a medical doctor who can determine the best course of action. An annual flu shot is also recommended for all seniors.

Home Care Demands a Village

All this is to say that you should genuinely consider your role in your aging parent's in-home care. Ailments like these are so common among the elderly, the degree of care your loved one needs is sure to evolve. While you may be able to handle things initially, are you genuinely ready to juggle a parent's worsening ailment with your own family and responsibilities?

Many of these conditions that impact older adults are chronic and require regular management. Getting help from a senior home care agency can be instrumental in ensuring your loved one’s quality of life.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Choosing the right home care provider is a difficult decision, and you want the best for your loved one. Our experienced and compassionate home caregivers have served countless seniors and disabled adults in Greater Boston with dignity and respect for over 14 years. As a result of our exemplary home care service, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best of Home Care Leader in Excellence Award; the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice Award; and the Best of Home Care Employer of Choice Award from the national client satisfaction survey firm Home Care Pulse five years in a row. We have accreditation by Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts and have been awarded Boston Globe Top Places to Work.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton offers dementia home care, Alzheimer’s care, companion care, respite support, transitional aid, live-in care and other elder home care services in Wellesley, Natick, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Water-town, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood, and nearby towns. The services provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton will be sure to make a positive impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Call us today at 617-795-2727 for more information.

When Your Senior Loved One Needs Help in the Bathroom

As we age, our muscles may weaken, our dexterity may suffer, and in some cases, we deteriorate mentally. If you have aging parents, you may experience this first-hand as your parent begins needing additional help with everyday tasks around the home. Maybe you don't mind helping if Dad needs help cleaning, cooking, or getting dressed. However, what happens when your aging parent needs help in the bathroom?

​Risk of Falling in the Bathroom

Routine activities like bathing or showering and getting in and out of the tub can cause slips and injuries. People over 85, especially if suffering from any incontinence, which is common in Alzheimer’s patients, are more likely to injure themselves on or near the toilet because they often have to rush to get in the bathroom, placing them at higher risk for falls.
​
Moreover, sadly, the consequences of senior falls can be severe. Over 27,000 seniors in the USA die as a result of falls every year. If Dad is getting unsteady on his feet, it may be that bathing unsupervised is no longer an option. If you’re the only one capable of helping out, you may need to prepare yourself to enter the bathroom with your aging parent. 

Overcome the Embarrassment

Going to the bathroom is a personal, private experience, so helping a friend or family member use the toilet can be embarrassing for both you and your loved one. Some seniors may be ashamed to appear so vulnerable in front of a family member, and it may be hard for you to see the person who raised you in such a state. However, overcoming the embarrassment can lead to positive outcomes. Studies have shown that seniors who feel supported by a family member to achieve daily activities, such as using the toilet, feel more independent and in control of their lives, which in turn offers health benefits. Your loved one may come to realize that receiving bathroom help is better than the alternative, which could include leaving home for a nursing home or assisted living facility and losing independence. 

​Make it as Easy as Possible

If using the bathroom is difficult for Dad, it may be possible to remodel his bathroom to make it easier to use. Installing grab bars could help him to get on and off the toilet; nonslip decals are easy to apply to tubs and tiles to minimize slip risk. Senior-friendly walk-in tubs with doors can provide easy access, although they can be expensive. In general, ensuring that everything is within his reach, and there are minimal obstacles will be a great start. 

Offering Physical Help

Unfortunately, sometimes even a remodel might not be enough to allow every senior to use the bathroom alone, some will need a person there to help. The Family Caregiver Alliance offers tips on how to aid a senior loved one in the bathroom:

• If the senior needs help to remove clothes, move slowly, and encourage him to help.
• Don’t rush the senior; if it takes a little time, it may be better to sit him down, walk away, and come back when he is finished.
• If your loved one needs help to wipe, wet wipes may be easier than toilet paper.
• Assist with pulling up pants as pants that are not pulled up correctly can become a trip hazard.
• Provide as much privacy and modesty as possible.

According to some home caregivers, a sense of humor can be an essential tool in helping a senior loved one to use the toilet – laughter (not at the person, but with the person) can help to release the tension of the situation for both of you. After all, you both know what's going on, and there is no harm in merely acknowledging it. 

​Consider Professional Help

It’s possible that through no fault of your own, helping your loved one use the toilet may not be something that either of you is ever comfortable with as part of a routine. In this case, you could consider professional home care services. A professional caregiver can visit your loved one and help with personal care. A professional caregiver could assist with most of your loved one’s needs, including helping walk to the toilet, getting undressed, getting into the tub, washing, and even using the bathroom.
​
Even if you are both comfortable with you helping in the bathroom, a professional caregiver or home health aide could offer another crucial point of assistance. Although some seniors may keep to a reasonably regular bathroom schedule, most could need to use the bathroom at any time of the day or night, which means you could be on call 24/7. Getting respite care services from a home care provider would allow you some time off while ensuring that your loved one's bathroom needs are adequately addressed.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton senior home care agency provides 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 elder home 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 positive impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Call us today at 617-795-2727 for more information.

What to Look for in Senior Care

If you have never cared for an elderly loved one, you might think that anyone can provide home care services. However, if you have cared for a parent or grandparent, you know that high-quality care takes a unique mix of skill, patience, and experience. It’s an essential point for anyone hiring home care services: high-quality senior home care means experienced senior home care.

To most people, that means hiring a caregiver with a proven background in senior services. While important, this is not all you should look for in senior home care. It’s just as crucial that you’re choosing a qualified, well-respected agency. If the agency is a part of a more extensive network, you’ll also want to consider their experience as an organization.

Trusted & Proven Company-Level Reputation

America’s most trusted caregiving companies are well-established names with proven track records. Usually, the easiest way to find qualified senior home care is to look for companies with a history of high-quality care.

The best home care companies earn their reputations by sharing resources, knowledge, and experience at every level of their organization. They also set and enforce rigorous caregiving standards, giving clients and their families peace of mind.

Families choose Visiting Angels for skilled elder home care. As a company, Visiting Angels has more than 20 years of caregiving experience. Over the years, it has created a rigorous support network for its local offices, allowing them to share knowledge and expertise. Every office is provided with the systems, tools, and educational resources needed to deliver truly exceptional care.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has been a member of this franchise since 2004. Our excellent customer feedback has enabled us to win Best of Home Care from the national client satisfaction survey firm, Home Care Pulse five years in a row.

Local Knowledge and Experience

If you’re hiring a caregiver through a local home care agency, you should evaluate the agency carefully. How long have they been in business? How are their relationships with their clients? Which systems and standards do they use to ensure high-quality care?

An experienced senior care agency will have rigorous staffing and screening standards, reducing the risk that you’ll be assigned an unqualified or untrustworthy caregiver. They will also have systems in place to measure and monitor caregiver performance.

At the same time, a great agency can help you make sure that your loved one receives the right kind of care. Every senior who receives home care has unique, individual needs. If elder care services aren’t adequately tailored to these needs, their quality of life can suffer. An experienced senior home care agency will work with you to customize a plan to best support your loved one. They will also help you plan care around your loved one’s schedule and your family’s financial situation.

Knowledgeable, Compassionate Home Care Providers

Knowledgeable senior home care depends on skilled home care providers. Prior caregiving experience makes it easier for caregivers to juggle various tasks, attend to seniors’ physical and emotional needs, recognize early signs of age-related decline, and build a rapport with their clients. HHA and CNA certification also helps to ensure a standard level of competence.

At Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, we place tremendous value on caregiver knowledge. We’ve developed rigorous recruitment guidelines to find the most qualified, most knowledgeable, and most trustworthy caregivers possible.

To ensure you find the right fit, we also allow you to Select Your Caregiver®. This way, you can be sure that your loved one is matched with a home care provider who can meet their needs and who will have a complementary personality.

Are you looking for senior home care in Newton, Wellesley, Natick, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood, or nearby towns for your loved one? Contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton today to request a free consultation.

How to Save Money on Senior Care

With America’s population aging, billions of dollars are spent each year on senior care expenses. But with economic worries affecting many families, cutting costs has become more important than ever. With a little creativity, seniors and their families can save a substantial amount of money.

Compare Prices

Family members and caregivers can help seniors out by comparison shopping for goods and services online. Changing homeowner’s insurance policies alone can save hundreds of dollars each year. Review all bills and find out if it is less expensive to bundle services like phone and cable.

Take Advantage of Existing Services

The fall prevention alarms advertised on television can be a great tool to help seniors prevent serious injuries from falls and other medical emergencies, but most of them come with a costly monthly monitoring fee. Look for a personal alarm system that can connect directly to 911 and charges no monitoring fees and has no service contracts.

Consider Home Care

According to a 2007 MetLife survey, the average annual rate nationally for a private room in a nursing home is $77,745 and is steadily increasing each year. The annual base rate for an individual residing in an assisted living community is $35,628. The average annual cost of home care can be half the cost of nursing home care.

An organization like Visiting Angels Newton/Canton provides a cost-effective alternative to assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Caregivers provide up to 24-hour elderly assistance in the comfort of the senior’s home. Homecare services makes it possible for seniors to remain in their homes and maintain their independence by providing help in areas such as light housekeeping, bathing and dressing, errands, transportation and mobility assistance.

Choosing a home care agency is an important decision. You would want to hire a professional home care aide who is professional, experienced and compassionate, one who always treats the client with dignity and respect. This is all the more important when your loved one suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Specially-trained Certified Dementia Practitioners (CDPs) can offer more specialized care that will make a difference to the well-being of your loved one.

Reverse Mortgage

Many senior citizens have owned their homes for decades and can take advantage of a reverse mortgage -- a loan that allows a homeowner to convert a portion of their equity into cash. Unlike a traditional mortgage, repayment of a reverse mortgage is not required until the borrower no longer uses the home as their principal residence.

Buy in Bulk

Seniors often use the same products, such as personal care items or incontinence supplies, month after month. Purchasing such nonperishable items in bulk online or from a warehouse store can save a great deal of money. Also consider signing up for automatic monthly delivery for health and personal care products. Auto delivery ensures products will no longer run out and shipping is often free.

To find out if home care is right for you or your loved one, please visit https://www.VisitingAngels.com/newton.