One of the options, that many people have taken, is to place their elderly loved ones in a nursing home. This can have a negative impact on the elderly family member; being displaced from their home can upset the balance of their lives and lead to depression. The House Government Reform Committee Special Investigation Division found that in a three year period, from 1999 to 2001, that 9,000 instances of elderly abuse, and neglect were reported.

Most claims cited neglect as the reason for complaint, unsanitary conditions, bed sores going untreated, and deficient hygienic practices. Some of the reports were much more severe. Physical, and sexual abuse were found in a smaller number of cases. These reports cause grave concern for those who are considering a nursing home for their elderly family members. While the findings do not mean that all nursing homes are bad, it does give family members cause for concern.

Another option that people are seeking out more frequently is home health care. A caregiver can provide individual service to an elderly family member, in the comfort of their own home. This allows them some level of freedom that a nursing home would lack, and does not cut them off from the rest of the world.

The elderly family member also has free contact with other members of the family, in cases where neglect, or some other offense may occur. For more and more seniors, home care is making their life easier, and families can form a relationship with the caregiver, allowing them to know that their loved one is being taken care of. Choosing a caregiver as opposed to a nursing home may be a much more comfortable solution to the problems that come up concerning an elderly family member.

Two types of arthritis are commonly seen in the elderly population. The first is osteoarthritis, or OA, a condition in which the cartilage between the joints has broken down, and pain is caused by the rubbing of bone on bone. OA is often seen in the back, knees, hips, and hands, making movement painful, and sometimes nearly impossible.

The second type of arthritis home care workers will come in contact with is Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA. RA is an autoimmune disorder which causes swelling in the joints, and other parts of the body. RA is a symmetrical disorder, which means it attacks both sides of the body.

Both types of arthritis are very prevalent among the female population, and can lead to accidents, and health complications in elderly people. A caregiver should be alert for signs of either type of arthritis in clients, and the things that can be done to help them.

While there are no cures for arthritis, of either type, medical science has provided some methods to help fight against it. In the past narcotic pain killers were often used to treat the symptoms of arthritis. Studies have revealed that there may be non-narcotic ways to combat arthritis. Glucosamine, an amino sugar, has been shown to help the body produce cushioning fluid around joints. Omega 3 fatty acids have shown success in helping treat people suffering from arthritis, and other ailments. Chondroitin, a substance found naturally in both human and animal cartilage, has also been shown to help the body produce cushioning fluid around the joints.

Treating elderly patients can be much more difficult than treating younger people. While the flu, or a common cold can be easily treated in the younger population, they can quickly turn deadly for geriatric patients. Often times older patients have compromised immune systems, due to their advanced age, and must be treated differently than their younger counterparts.

When working in the home care industry, it is always best to attempt to find a doctor who specializes in geriatric medicine. This is not always possible; the next best thing is a general practitioner, with several years of experience, who is well versed in dealing with elderly patients. Many doctors who are fresh out of medical school lack any working experience with elderly patients This lack of experience can turn deadly, so choosing a doctor who has been in the medical field for a few years is highly recommended.

A medical journal, know as Academic Medicine, recently published a list of basic geriatric procedures. Many of these focus on preventative practices, such as avoiding fall hazards, and dealing with common diseases in the elderly. It is important for caregivers to understand what they can do to prevent medical complications. Another study published, by the Institute Of Medicine, in 2008 called “Retooling for an Aged America”, urged caregivers, doctors, and people working in other aspects of the home care industry, to become acquainted with basic geriatric care.

While it can be difficult for a caregiver to find the right doctor for their situation, it is one of the most important things they can do to help their clients. They need to find a doctor that both they, and their client can trust, who is well versed in situations which might arise when dealing with geriatric patients It is also important for home care workers to understand the basic things that they can do to help prevent accidents, or other medical incidents.

Social Interaction

By staying at home instead, you can have the same social life you have always had. There are no visiting times within your own home so family and friends can come and go as they please. If you feel like preparing a dinner then you can do so in your own kitchen and invite guests over. There is no reason to lose sight of your social circle.

Finance Management

If you are choosing to live in your own home then there will be no need to sell it and go through the lengthy and sometimes difficult sales period. This can be very troublesome for the elder and family due to the economic situation in your country and concerns over fluctuating market values.Why sell a home to only then move into a different one?

Freedom

If you choose to stay at home instead then you will have more freedom. Care homes, due to the amount of people they have to look after, are very regimented and timings play an important part of the daily routine. At home you can eat when you want, get up when you want – in fact your life is your own.

Mental Well-being

Many people can not handle such a drastic change in circumstances, such as moving into a care home, so late in life. The change in the sights, sounds and smells, all the new faces, rules and regulations, etc, can all be overwhelming to the strongest person.

Better Health Care

It is an obvious fact that if you choose to stay at home instead and receive individual care then you will be under a better umbrella of care, on a one-to-one basis, than if you were at a care home mixed in with a group of people, all with different ailments and needs, etc. A caregiver is your own private medical team who knows you and your conditions, your likes and dislikes, someone who becomes a friend.

Not only are the timings of our ‘visiting angels’ flexible – per the clients requests – so are the duties performed. All manner of care is given to the client, so they can rest comfortably in their own home.

Friendship comes naturally between the elder and the caregiver and as they work together a bond of trust builds up. This is very important for times when the elder needs someone to confide in or has to go through moments where their dignity must be maintained, such as personal hygiene assistance, dressing and bathing.

Running your own home is difficult enough when you are young and fit, however when you are a senior receiving home care your caregiver can help you organize the home, prepare your meals and help with light housekeeping duties and laundry services.

Mobility and transport as you become older become more difficult, especially if walking aids are needed and/or you have given up your right to drive. The ‘visiting angels’ are there again to assist you getting ‘out and about’. Lack of mobility does not mean you have to spend all the time indoors, it just means you have to be more careful when you do want to go out. A caregiver will always make sure you have all your necessary aids with you and can organize transport. Even a day out to nearby local attractions can be planned.

If you know of someone, a family member, friend or loved one, who is considering their options with regards to their health care management and their housing make sure they know there is the option to stay comfortably and safely within their own home and have one of our ‘visiting angels’, a caregiver, come round and take care of their every need.

Having a major modification to a house can be a very expensive and uncomfortable situation, but having small changes done to the house can be as effective yet not as expensive and it will improve your loved one living conditions. Here are some of the changes that can make life easier:

Appliances

• Can the client easily get to the appliances?
• Are control buttons marked and in good working order?
• The temperature of the water, is it comfortable for the client? Is it easily accessed if the client requires to make a change?
• Is the air conditioning system easy to access and working properly ?
• Is the freezer handle at a reachable level?
• Are the appliances likely to overturn?

Lighting

• Is the light in every room adequate?
• Do hallways have automatic night-lights?
• Can light switches be reached easily by the client?
• Are electrical outlets easy to reach?
• Are the outlets safely grounded in order to prevent electric shock?
• Extension Leads running from the outlets may cause a fall, are there any that could constitute a fall hazard for the client?

Other

• If there is an alarm system, is the alarm control panel at a level the client can reach?
• Does every room have installed smoke detectors?
• Does the most-lived-in room have a telephone?
• Does the client know how to operate the remote control of the TV?

Home Layout

• Security: how to lock doors, windows or set an alarm system
• Where to find operating manual for electrical devices: dishwasher, washing machine, etc.
• Where would they find the household supplies.
• Where to find the things needed when cooking.
• Where to find phone lines in the home.
• Where to find clean bedding, towels, etc.

In Case of an Emergency

• Phone number and address of the client’s GP
• Which hospital to go in case of an emergency, phone and address.
• Family members, friends or neighbors’ contact information: phone numbers, address.

Information about the Client

• The diet they have to follow or food allergies.
• Their preference concerning food, activities or even clothing.
• Where to find the patient’s clothing, shoes, etc.
• If needed, information about devices that will help the client’s mobility, such as wheelchairs.
• Information about any pre-existing medical condition.
• Let the caregiver know what the client is not allowed to do unassisted; go out own their own, cooking or bathing.
• Their need for eyeglasses, or contact lenses and information or instructions about them.
• Things they should do; exercises, or any daily routine they need to follow.
• Any other information the family think is important to let the caregiver know beforehand.

To thoroughly interview home health care agencies may help to dissipate any doubts they might have. It is essential to know important question to ask them and what answers to expect. The former will help you to decide whether or not the home health care agency meets the standards you are looking for.

Here are some suggestions on what should be asked to a home health care agency.

How do you select and train your employees?

It is imperative to know that your loved one is going to be taken care of by a qualified caregiver. How is the selection process to hire their staff? Are applicants’ background checked? It also important for agencies to stay up-dated on the latest methods while training their employees to provide clients with the best home care possible. Some other agencies keep their staff permanently attending training courses, but this might not be the best option since they may not offer the best care possible when compare to a better trained caregiver.  The choice will be yours.

How is quality control monitored and ensured within the home care agencies?

To avoid accidents, poor care or even abuse is why agencies should be periodically monitoring the employees services. Through this monitoring process home health care agencies can ensure that elderly people under their care are well cared for.

Can you have access to a list of references to know more about the agency?

If so, are they also willing to present you with the information once you ask for it? You have to know that as much information they are willing to share with you the more you can find out about that specific agency. Any agency with a bad background, such as a history of complaints, might not be willing to show you information since that can turn you away as a new client.

In the end the decision of which home care agency you choose is down to you, trust your instincts and of course look for the basic niceties in the staff – polite, well dressed, educated, etc.

Exercising out minds with challenging activities is imperative to maintaining cognitive function at any age. This is especially important during advanced age, when mental capacity begins to decline. As with any other part of the body, if the mind is not exercised or challenged on a regular basis, it begins to get soft and not function as well as it once did. Coupled with other mental conditions that often plague the elderly, this can be extremely detrimental to their overall health. To keep this from happening, there are some simple ways that caregivers can mentally engage their elderly charges to keep their brains stimulated. When we provide home health care here are a few examples of activities that our caregivers try.

Word association

This is a very basic game with a simple concept, but it can be very useful in improving mental function. The way to play it is for one person to say a word and the other person says the first word that comes to their mind. For example, a caregiver might start the game by saying tree and the elderly client may answer leaf, to which the caregiver may reply autumn.

Matching games

Matching games, although very elementary, are great ways to improve short term memory. Memory games are usually comprised of a deck of cards, matched in pairs. The cards are mixed up and placed face down on a table. Players take turns turning over two cards at a time until they find a matching pair.

Counting games

Games that employ counting skills as well as sorting skills can be very beneficial in strengthening the body’s mental faculties.

Strategy games

Games of strategy are also a good way of maintaining cognitive function. The planning involved in playing the game challenges players to use more of their brains, thereby increasing the benefits it provides. An example of an easy, but effective game of strategy is checkers.

Home health care needn’t be a case of being visited, made sure you are ok and then left alone…. our caregivers want to engage you in conversation, play games with you and see what it is that you would like to do during your time together.

The home care provider is an essential part of this visiting process. Communication between the doctor and the patient, as well as possibly liaising with family members is an important role as is providing support and companionship during the visit. There are some instances when the caregiver will assist the patient through the process of the physician’s appointment and can take notes about the aspects mentioned through the visit.

In the case that the senior is visiting the doctor independently, the care provider can ask for notes which can be delivered to the family and support group. This way, the notes can be an accurate depiction of the visit in the chart or the case of the patient.

There are times when the caregiver will be solely responsible for getting the patient to the office of the health care practitioner. It is important that any care provider be sure to arrive at least fifteen minutes early and plan for any scheduling issues that may occur between the office of the physician and the patient.

The care provider should take measures to ensure the comfort of the client while waiting. Bring a book, magazine or knitting to do through the visit to occupy the patient and reduce the anxiety which is associated with waiting. Provide companionship for patients that are anxious about their appointment or about test results that may be displayed and listen to any concerns that the patient may have.

A caregiver that is willing to act as part of this team will see more success when it comes to their career and more importantly the well being of the senior under their care. Here is a summary of the techniques caregivers can use to ensure the most success with the client:

• Be attentive and listen to the concerns of the client, ask the client if he or she would like these concerns relayed to the doctor.
• Take notes if you are included in the doctor’s visit and have these notes or progress reports ready to give to family members and other members of the support team.
• Draw the client’s attention away from any anxious thoughts before an appointment through distraction, conversation and other activities.