We strongly believe that staying at home is the best place for Mom and Dad. The home is a familiar environment to them, the sights and smells they have lived with. Ornaments and pictures line the walls that they themselves had chosen and placed there.

A home is place to welcome friends and family and to entertain guests. It is their choice of color and decoration.

Whilst at home should a loved one feel hungry they can eat, no need to wait for dedicated meal times. Should they wish to stroll around the garden then they can do so at their own free will. The word is freedom.

Another reason that home is the best place for Mom and Dad is that whilst they are receiving care they have a single dedicated caregiver watching them, not a team of staff whose attention is spread over many individuals. Also, who is to say that your Mom and Dad will enjoy being with these new people.

What about the location? Where your parents live now is of their choosing, if they are to be relocated will they be nearby, so family and friends can visit them easily.

It has been proven that financially home care beats many other forms of care for the elderly in affordability.

Hearts at Home Senior Care believes the home is the best place for Mom and Dad and is dedicated to keeping them there.

For caregivers, and family alike, there is a shared responsibility to protect the elderly from scams and con jobs. Home care workers, and family members should pay close attention to transactions posted to bank accounts, and credit cards of the elderly. Home care providers are often in the best position to catch people attempting to pull off scams on the elderly. Their proximity to the potential victim makes a caregiver a good first line of defense against these scams.

Educating the elderly on the nature of some of these scams can help reduce their vulnerability. If the client is often on the internet, or frequently makes purchases online, it is wise to check to see if the website encrypts the data being sent. This is usually easy to spot, as a small lock will appear either near the top search bar, or in the lower right corner of the screen. This lock, usually gold in color, denotes that the site uses data encryption to protect user information.

Make sure that the client understands the dangers associated with giving out personal information to people on the phone. No reputable financial, or charitable institution will ask someone to confirm account numbers over the phone. Most of these establishments will also have some kind of literature which can be sent through the mail, this means that most charities will avoid telephone solicitation.

If they feel they have been the victim of a scam let the senior know how important it is to report the activity, and help them in any way possible. This can help protect not only the client, but people everywhere.

As a home care provider the responsibility is part of the job. When working as a caregiver someone is watching out for more than just a clients health. They must help their client avoid anything that may have a negative impact on their lifestyle.

For the elderly population, the summer heat can be more than just uncomfortable, it can be deadly. Many of our elderly live on fixed incomes, and the rising costs of energy can deter them, or even make it impossible, for them to use air conditioning during the hottest parts of the year.

In many larger cities, when the heat rises, television and radio will make the point of how dangerous the heat can be to the elderly. In many communities, however, there is little information on how to help those who are most affected by the dangerous heat of summer.

For families, and caregivers who take care of the elderly, finding ways to protect them from the summer heat is one of their most important tasks. While it may not always seem easy, checking the local newspaper, or keeping an eye out for public notices about local activities can help protect the elderly, as well as provide them with entertainment during the summer months.

In many communities there are day time programs designed for seniors. These are often all day events, and in most cases are hosted inside community centers, or other large public buildings. Many of these programs offer a respite from the summer heat, as well as crafts, meals, and games. A large majority of these programs are free of charge.

Other good places to escape the heat of the day for seniors are malls, and libraries. Most libraries are designed to deal with handicapped visitors who many be using mobility aids. Audiobooks and reading groups offer a variety of activities for people who may have impaired vision.

Most shopping malls are also handicapped accessible, and they are usually located along public transit routes, making them a cheap way to get away from the day time heat. During the summer many malls host special events, such as car, boat, and fashion shows which can provide entertainment, and keep people out of the heat.

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.

What does the agency do when an employee is absent?

If the caregiver is absents from his/her work it is important to know what the agency is going to do about it. Make sure to find out if the absent caregiver will be replace for another one or would the agency wait until the caregiver is back.

How long has the home health care agency been in business in the community?

The period of time an agency has been in business will either indicate a good or a bad performance. New agencies have not got the chance to accumulate enough feedback so for you to decide whether it is a good agency or a bad one.

Does the agency create a plan for each client’s care?

Tailored plans for each client shows the interest of the agency to meet each client’s needs, showing the individuality of each case as unique. On the other hand, agencies that do not follow a specific plan for each client might overlook important aspects that should have been taken into account which can have negative results in the care of the elderly person.

Does the agency have a current license to operate in their state or city?

This is an issue that is not commonly taken into account but still a very important piece of information to investigate. People might think that only because an agency is operating as such it is a certified one. In some cases agencies might have had a license to operate as such but due to some complications it might no longer have one. Making sure the agency your are planning to hire has got a license is a key point to make your decision.

How does the agency handle liability issues?

If a client under the care of a caregiver suffers an injury whether it was an accident or intended. Is the agency responsible for it? Agencies which state full responsibility in black and white are more selective when it comes to hire and train employees.

This issue is also very common in elderly communities and home care situations around the world. Even though this group concerns grown ups in the developed world their bodies and minds are in decay like the third world children we see on TV. There are several reasons why this condition might develop, among them: depression, undernourishment or disease.

If we compare our bodies to a plant and take into account that no matter a what stage the plant is at it will need water, sunlight, attention and fresh air. So why should we believe that because we reached an adult stage we no longer need nourishing. All the things we need to thrive will help us to remain healthy and sane. The following points are ways caregivers can help seniors who are receiving home care to keep nourish.

Balanced diet

A poor diet can keep the body from getting essential nutrients. Making sure the elderly person eats a balanced diet will help them remain healthier. If the former is not possible the doctor can prescribe food supplements and vitamins to fill in the gaps.

Communication and Interaction

Elderly people should be able to do things they enjoy doing. Keep in touch with family members and friends or even to start up a hobby will make them feel happy. Establish a good communication system, by listening to them when they speak, asking questions to find out about their likes, dislikes, needs or even fears will help them to feel better.

Activities

Visit landmarks or shopping venues, going for walks to the local parks are good ideas for outings. Find out about easy but fun exercises elderly people can practice at home. Promote activities and exercises every time possible.

If you are going through the effort to keep a loved on at home with home care services like ours, it is obviously better to make their time at home more enjoyable.

Medications

For elderly people with serious health conditions, the medications that they are taking can sometimes be the difference between life and death. For this reason, it is especially important to have on hand all of the medication they may need before embarking on an extended trip. If possible, a backup supply of each medication should be taken, packed in a separate location from the regular supply. This way, if luggage is lost or misplaced, caregivers will still have one set of the medication on hand. It is also prudent to investigate how easily it will be in the destination location to get prescriptions replaced and refilled, if the need should arise.

Medical Equipment

Medical equipment such as glucose meters, heart monitors, and oxygen tanks should be thoroughly inspected by a qualified professional for any problems before being taken on an extended trip. An adequate supply of necessary accessories to this equipment, such as tubing, cords, and test strips should also be ready accessible. When receiving home health care it is easy to build up a huge range of vital equipment, so suitable transport needs to be considered as well.

Physician contact information

When traveling any distance with a person who is under a doctor’s care, it is always prudent to have detailed contact information for their health care professional in the event of an emergency while out of town. If possible, this information should also include any colleagues of an elderly patient’s regular doctor who may be practicing in the travel destination. Having this information handy travel can go a long way in providing peace of mind to the caregiver travel companions.

Medical history and information

A brief, but detailed medical history should always be on the list of things to pack when traveling with an elderly person. The history should include, of course, a complete list of medications they are taking, but also any known food or drug allergies and the name and extent of any medical conditions that they are currently under a doctor’s care for.

Taking a vacation, even whist receiving home health care, is vital to rejuvenating oneself both mentally and physically.

One way of adding variety to our time spent receiving home health care  is by keeping abreast of new technology. Trying to learn and become comfortable with all the gadgets available on the market today can be overwhelming to some people – especially those in the elderly age bracket. Computers and electronic devices can often seem like more trouble than they are worth. However, computers can offer a wide array of mental health benefits to people of all ages and can be especially helpful to the aged population. Here are some ways that being computer literate can greatly improve the mental health of an elderly person.

Learning opportunities

Computers bring the world to our fingertips. With a few keystrokes, we can easily transport ourselves to places and into cultures that we might not experience otherwise. Learning about new people, places, and things is a great way to keep the mind healthy and active.

Staying informed and involved

News travels fast and this has never been more true than in the age of the Internet. The websites of local and national media outlets are continuously updated with new and important information regarding current events. Keeping abreast of what’s going on in the world around them can be very helpful in keeping the elderly from feeling isolated, which often leads to depression.

Keeping in contact with family and friends

Computerized mail, also known as e-mail, allows us to instantly send letters and pictures to anyone anywhere in the world within seconds. For elderly people who may be living far away from their family and friends, e-mail is a great way of keeping in touch with their loved ones when it would be difficult for them to do otherwise.

Games and entertainment

Computers can also provide the elderly with games and activities that challenge all of their mental skills at once. Right brain thinking, left brain thinking, short and long term memory recollection, strategic planning, and utilizing deductive reasoning are just some of the ways that playing computer games can exercise the mind while keeping us entertained.

If you would like more information on home health care and how we ourselves use computers to give you an excellent service why not contact us for a chat.