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What Are Your Elderly Loved One's Biggest Fears Around Aging?

Elderly Care Brooklyn NY

Elderly Care Brooklyn NY

Aging can be frightening, particularly when it comes to the situations that are out of your control. Those situations could be among the ones that your elderly loved one fears the most about aging.

Losing Her Independence
Losing her independence is likely a huge concern for your loved one. This can cover a lot of ground, too. For your loved one, independence can be tied into her ability to drive or it could be tied into being able to continue to live in her own home on her own terms. If this is a fear that your loved one has, do what you can to sort out what exactly makes her afraid.

Losing Her Health
Your loved one may fear that her health, although in good condition now, can fail her at a moment's notice. She might express this fear by being overly concerned about her health or even by seeming to not care about it at all. The reality is that none of us know how our health will change over the years. If you can help her to eat healthy foods and exercise regularly, she stands a better chance of maintaining her health.

Having No One to Take Care of Her
You may know that you'll always be there to care for your elderly loved one, but does she know that? Sometimes the things that you think are already expressed aren't really if you haven't said them out loud. Your loved one may need to hear from you that you're planning to be there for her.

Being All Alone
Even if she knows you love her and you want to care for her, your loved one may still fear that she'll spend the majority of her time alone. If you have your own responsibilities, such as a career and a family, that fear might be grounded in fact. One way to help relieve those concerns is to make sure that elder care providers are available for your loved one when you aren't.

Being Unable to Make Decisions about Her Own Care
Your loved one may not be worried about having people around to care for her, but the problem could be that she fears she won't be able to participate in her own care at all. Reassure your loved one that she'll always be able to have a say in what happens with her care.

Once you know what your elderly loved one is afraid of, you can do a better job of reassuring her about those concerns.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Brooklyn NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Helping Your Parent Cope with Their Emotional Response to a Disaster

Home Care Services Manhattan NY

Home Care Services Manhattan NY

Being involved in an emergency or disaster situation can be extremely stressful for your elderly adult. These events can be frightening and put your parent in circumstances that leave them feeling insecure, unsafe, and out of control. Even after the disaster itself ends, the emotional response can continue, leaving your parent at risk of mental, emotional, and even physical health consequences related to this response. As their family caregiver, one of the most important things that you can do after your parent is involved in an emergency or disaster is to help them to cope with their emotional response. This is about confronting what happened and helping them to move forward through it so that they can get back to the lifestyle that they desire and deserve as soon as possible.

Use these tips to help your parent cope with their emotional response to a disaster or emergency:

• Talk about it. Do not just assume that your aging parent is doing alright if they have not mentioned that they are facing difficult emotions. Many times older adults will struggle with challenging emotions and stress but not talk about it because they do not want to seem like a burden, or like they are being overdramatic. Be willing to talk to your parent about what they are going through and encourage them to tell you how they are working through this experience so that you can be there to help them. Do not push them, but rather make sure that they know that you are available to talk to them and want to give them any support and assistance they need

• Admit your own feelings. Often the most effective way to encourage someone to talk about how they are feeling about a particular situation is to admit how you are feeling yourself. When you are upfront and honest with your loved one about what you are going through, you show them that it is fine for them to be going through an emotional response, and even natural for them to have such a reaction. You are making yourself vulnerable so that they can feel safe being vulnerable to you

• Start home care services for them. Working through the emotions that come after a disaster or emergency situation are not ones that your parent will just suddenly "get over". Instead, they will need to work through them gradually, progressively confronting and resolving emotions until they feel able to move forward again. Having an in-home senior care services provider in the home with them is a fantastic way to give them the emotional support, companionship, and encouragement that they might need to work through these emotions effectively. This care provider can encourage your parent to stay active and engaged, help them to confront the damage that might have occurred so that your parent is able to process through it, and help them to see that they can move forward with their life and enjoy a more satisfying lifestyle as they age in place.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Manhattan NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Health Benefits of Ginger for Older Adults

Home Health Care Long Island NY

Home Health Care Long Island NY

Ginger is one of the most versatile spices on the market. Not only can it be used to enhance the flavor of your food, but some people even add it to drinks. It contains numerous bioactive compounds and nutrients that have been proven to boost brain power and memory.

Improving the health of the brain is not the only health benefit found in this spice. It can also be used to ward off a wide range of diseases and illnesses. There are a wide range of reasons ginger should be added to your loved one’s grocery list, including the following:

Keeps the Bones Healthy
One of the changes the body makes when we get older is the loss of bone mass, causing the bones to become weaker and more prone to breaking than in our younger years. That is why many seniors suffer from osteoporosis. Fortunately, adding a little ginger to their diet should keep them strong and healthy. The reason for this is because ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can lower joint pain and keep the bones healthy.

Prevents Cancer
Ginger has gingerol, which is an organic compound that may be able to prevent the development of cancer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan found that it can also be used to treat ovarian cancer. They discovered that when ginger powder was applied to cancerous ovarian cells, the deadly cancer cells were killed.

Can be used to Treat the Flu
A small amount of ginger can do wonderful things to help stop the symptoms that are associated with the flu. For example, it can be used to stop high levels of prostaglandins, which cause a fever, cramps, and a headache. Ginger creates a calming reaction in the body that is triggered by damage to the cells that are supposed to protect the body from the flu and other illnesses. That is probably why most people turn to ginger ale when they are ill.

Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease
This spice can be used to reduce blood sugar levels, while also lowering the risk of developing heart disease. A study was conducted with 41 participants who had type 2 diabetes. They gave these participants 2 grams of ginger powder per day, resulting in a 12 percent blood sugar reduction, a 10 percent reduction in HbA1c, a 28 percent reduction in ApoB/ApoA-1 Ratio, and a 23 percent reduction in oxidized lipoproteins.

Ginger can easily be added to smoothies, salad dressings, tea, lemonade, and any other favorite foods or drinks. Your elderly family member may benefit from having someone help them try new recipes with ginger. If you or other family members are not available to do so, an elderly home health care provider can help your loved one add this spice to their diet.

Source:   https://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger/

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Health Care Services in Long Island NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Ensuring that Your Parent Understands Their Cancer Diagnosis

Senior Care Hicksville NY

Senior Care Hicksville NY

Facing a cancer diagnosis can be one of the most frightening experiences that a person can go through in their life. As a family caregiver, if your senior parent has recently received such a diagnosis, it is your responsibility to help them through the situation in the best way possible. This starts with making sure that they truly understand their diagnosis and what it means for their health and wellbeing. By knowing the reality of their situation they can feel more confident evaluating their options and making the decisions that are right for them.

Use these tips to help ensure that your parent understands their cancer diagnosis:

• Educate yourself. Before you can help your parent understand their diagnosis, you must understand it. Take the time to talk to your aging loved one's doctor about the diagnosis and what exactly it means. You should know the actual type of cancer that they have, what area of the body it impacts, and how it generally progresses. This will help you to better talk to your parent about their diagnosis and answer basic questions.

• Encourage questions. Asking questions is the way that your aging parent is going to better understand what is happening to them. Encourage your parent to ask any questions that they might have about their diagnosis, what it means, and what options they may have. Answer what you can and write down any that you are not able to answer confidently. You can then bring those questions to their doctor to discuss them further so that you can provide all of the information that your parent needs.

• Find a support group. Even with all of the information that you can give your parent about their disease, it can still be difficult for them to really understand what they are facing. Look for a support group tailored to people dealing with their specific cancer. Participating in this group will introduce your parent to others who are going through the same thing that they are. This can help them to feel more connected to the experience and realize that it is not just a disease that happens to "other people", enabling them to come to terms with the diagnosis and start to work toward not only understanding it, but working through it.

If your senior parent has recently been diagnosed with cancer, now may be the right time for you to consider senior care for them. A senior care provider can give your parent the personalized support and assistance that they need to handle their cancer diagnosis in the way that is right for them. This can mean being there to offer them companionship and emotional support, encouraging them to make good lifestyle choices to improve their health and help them to respond to their treatment in the most effective way, and provide reliable, safe transportation to doctor's appointments as well as other personalized services. This will help to support mental and emotional health and encourage them to live the highest quality of life possible as they age in place and cope with this diagnosis.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care Services in Hicksville NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

How to Help Prevent Dehydration in Your Elderly Loved One

Elderly Care Nassau County NY

Elderly Care Nassau County NY

Dehydration can be a tremendous problem for your elderly loved one and as her family caregiver, it can be tough to win the water battle. Try some of these ideas for increasing your loved one's water intake.

Keep Water Available All Day
If you can keep a bottle or glass of water near your loved one all day, that can be enough to help remind her to drink more often. Keeping the water chilled can also help since many people prefer water to be cooler than room temperature. If that's the case for your loved one, try using two different water bottles and swap them out in the fridge as one warms up.

Try Offering Sparkling Water or Adding Citrus
Some people really have a difficult time with the flavor of water. If that's the case for your loved one, adding a little bit of fresh lime or lemon juice can help. You may also want to try sparkling waters now and again for a little bit of variety. Try to avoid flavored waters that add a lot of artificial flavors or sugar since those aren't really what your loved one needs in order to stay hydrated.

Opt for Foods that Contain Plenty of Water
If your loved one really doesn't like drinking water and it's becoming a fight, look for foods that offer plenty of water. Soups that have a base of mostly broth are a good choice as are fruits and vegetables that have high water content, like cucumbers, watermelon, lettuce, and tomatoes. You can also try making frozen treats from pureed fruits and vegetables to see if those inspire your loved one a bit.

Prompt Your Loved One Often to Drink
Your loved one may need some occasional prompts throughout the day to remember to drink. It's difficult for people of any age to remember to drink water when they're busy and the same can be true for your elderly loved one. Try making a game out of drinking water or setting up a reward system for drinking a set amount of water.

Offer Extra Water with Medications
When your loved one takes oral medications, make sure that you offer her a full glass of water. This not only helps to ensure that her medications are easy to swallow, but it's an excellent way to get another glass of water into her system.

As your loved one gets more accustomed to drinking plenty of water, it becomes easier for her to continue drinking water regularly.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Nassau County NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Can Your Elderly Loved One Self-manage COPD?

Elder Care Little Neck NY

Elder Care Little Neck NY

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a scary diagnosis for a loved one to receive. With a few lifestyle changes, though, your elder parent can self-manage COPD for many years.

Keep up with Doctor's Appointments 

The most important aspect of helping your loved one to self-manage COPD symptoms is to keep up with those doctor's appointments. Although your loved one may take medications, having regular monitoring of lung function can help your loved one to know when it's time to try additional treatments. This can also help your loved one to avoid infections or to start treating them early, before debilitating symptoms start.

Do Breathing Exercises Regularly 

Breathing exercises are essential for people who have COPD. The breathing exercises and techniques that your loved one learns from his doctors and his respiratory therapists can help him to strengthen his lungs and to make breaking easier and more efficient. Your loved one may need to start out slowly with some breathing exercises and build up stamina for them to be effective.

Keep Airways Clear

Some people with COPD have significant trouble with mucus clogging their breathing passages. If this is the case for your loved one, then learning how to keep those passages clear can make a world of difference. Drinking plenty of water can help to thin that mucus so that it doesn't create quite so troublesome an obstruction and your loved one's doctor can show him how to keep his airways clear.

Maintain a Healthy Diet 

Eating healthy foods gives your loved one's body the fuel that it needs in order to fight off infections and to keep his lungs and entire body healthier. Aim for plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Your loved one's doctor may recommend a specific diet or even supplements that can help his breathing.

Avoid Air Pollutants 

Air pollutants are particularly damaging for someone with COPD, so it's important that your loved one avoids them as much as possible. Smoke, smog, and other types of pollutants don't just smell bad, they can also be a vehicle for germs and bacteria to get into your loved one's lungs. They also irritate the sensitive tissues of your loved one's lungs, potentially leading to more coughing and difficulty bringing in oxygen.

Be sure to let other family members and your loved one's elder care providers know what your loved one is doing to help manage COPD.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elder Care Services in Little Neck NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Understanding Your Parent's Risk for Heart Attack

Home Health Care Massapequa NY

Home Health Care Massapequa NY

Each year more than 730,000 people throughout the United States suffer from a heart attack. For the vast majority of these people, more than 525,000 of them, this heart attack is the first that they have suffered. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death among both men and women throughout the United States. As a family caregiver it is your responsibility to help your aging parent understand the risks for suffering a heart attack and make choices in your home health care journey that reduce those risks and help protect your parent from this potentially devastating medical event.

Some of the risk factors associated with heart attack include: 

  • Getting older. The majority of people who die from a heart attack are over the age of 64. As women get older, they are more likely to die of a heart attack within a few weeks after the initial attack than men are.
  • Being male. Though heart disease is the leading cause of death among women as well, men are more likely to suffer from a heart attack than women are. They are also more likely to experience a heart attack at a younger age and to suffer from more serious health complications associated with it.
  • Genetics. People with a family history of heart disease and heart attacks are at a much higher risk of suffering these themselves. Though the death rates are largely equal, studies have shown that blacks are at higher risk of heart disease and heart attacks than whites, as are people of Mexican descent.
  • High cholesterol. It is vital that your parent get their blood cholesterol checked regularly in order to detect changes that could put them at higher risk of heart disease and heart attack. High blood cholesterol is a leading risk factor for heart disease.
  • High blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are at a much higher risk of suffering from a heart attack than those with normal blood pressure. This is because high blood pressure causes the heart to work harder, thickening and stiffening the muscle and reducing effectiveness.
  • Being overweight. Being overweight or obese is one of the most pressing risk factors for heart attack. This increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, and forces the heart to work harder. Physical inactivity is also a risk factor for heart attack on its own, but also contributes to being overweight.

If your parent is at high risk of suffering a heart attack, hiring home health care may be a great option for helping them to overcome these risks and live a healthier lifestyle. An in-home senior care services provider can offer attentive, personalized care that is tailored to their specific needs and challenges so that they can focus in on the risks that they have and effective means of reducing them. This can mean evaluating the dietary guidelines offered to them by their doctor and helping them to choose and prepare healthy foods, getting them more active so that they can strengthen their heart and lose weight, or give them the emotional support and encouragement that they need to help them overcome habits that increase their risk of heart attack such as smoking.

Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/UnderstandYourRiskofHeartAttack/Understand-Your-Risks-to-Prevent-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_002040_Article.jsp#.V5N3ELgrLIU

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Health Care Services in Massapequa NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

 

Could Elder Care Help You Simplify Your Life?

Elder Care Jamaica NY

Elder Care Jamaica NY

August 1 through 7 is Simplify Your Life Week. This is the idea time for you to evaluate your own life and determine if there are ways that you can make managing your tasks and challenges easier and less stressful. If you are a caregiver for an elder adult, one of the ways that you can do this is starting an elder care relationship for your parent.

Some of the ways that an elderly home care services provider can simplify your life can include: 

Transportation. Many elder adults are no longer able to drive. This can be due to cognitive limitations, physical challenges, vision loss, hearing loss, or other issues. When this happens, however, it means that your senior is no longer able to handle some of the basic tasks of their life on their own. Instead they have to rely on you to help them either by bringing them to places like the grocery store or doing these errands for them. An elder care provider can offer reliable transportation so that your parent can manage these needs on their own, encouraging their independence and freeing up your schedule.

Household tasks. Some activities of daily living become challenging for older adults. Physical limitations or cognitive challenges can make it difficult for your parent to deal with tasks such as keeping the house free from clutter, doing laundry, or taking out the trash regularly. These tasks are very important, but they can take up a tremendous amount of your time. A care provider can offer assistance for these light housekeeping tasks so that your loved one can continue to enjoy a clean, comfortable, and healthy home, and you do not need to feel stressed about fitting the time to manage these tasks into your schedule. Because they have more time in the home with your loved one, this care provider can also find ways to modify these tasks so that they are more accessible to your parent, encouraging your loved one to stay active and independent as they age in place.

Personal care tasks. One of the greatest challenges that many adult children face when caring for their elderly loved ones is having to handle potentially sensitive personal care tasks. These are not only physically demanding, but they can also have a negative emotional impact on both you and your parent. Your senior may be modest and feel uncomfortable accepting help with tasks such as toileting or bathing from their child, but feel more comfortable accepting help from a professional. Likewise, you may want to do everything that you can to make your parent's life as healthy, comfortable, and safe as possible, but struggle with the reality of these sensitive tasks. Having an elder care provider available to handle these tasks in an effective, efficient, and respectful way can reduce your stress and allow you to focus more energy and effort on other care tasks for your parent as well as for your children.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elder Care Services in Jamaica NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Would Your Parent Benefit from Having a Geriatrician?

Home Care Services Bronx NY

Home Care Services Bronx NY

There are plenty of seniors who get through life with their general practitioner and specialists for whatever specific conditions they may have. Still, others rely on the help of an aging specialist, more formally known as a gerontologist or geriatrician.

Having a geriatrician in your corner may be important, especially since some medical issues become more common or worsen as one ages. Such a person can also be useful if your parent has a complicated medical history, or suffers from more than one condition, requiring them to see several different doctors. When it comes to senior care, there are other things that a geriatrician can also help you and your family with.

  • They can make certain that your parent’s medications are interacting as they should, or that they’re not interacting negatively.
  • They can provide in-depth assessments covering areas of health, finances, housing, family, local resources, advocacy, legal issues and crisis intervention.
  • With those things in mind, they can help your parent and you maneuver through the various complex, often-complicated home health care and social services system, including Medicare, Medicare and Social Security. That even includes providing resources to you and your parent in locating any legal or financial assistance that your parent might require.
  • Because they are specially trained and examine a person’s overall health, they may notice or discover some otherwise undiagnosed health problem.
  • They can help your parent or you sift through the various medical concerns your parent has and prioritize them.
  • They can be a problem-solver, especially in the event of disagreements between your parent and you, or other family members whose opinions on what’s best for your parent differ from those of your parent. They can be a neutral third-party who works out a solution that makes all parties happy.
  • Geriatricians can also be a great resource for family caregivers, mainly because they understand the importance of the role caregivers play, as well as the benefit of seniors remaining in their home for as long as they can. But they realize how taxing and overwhelming caregiving can be, so can help you manage your stress and caregiver responsibilities, too.
  • While some offer primary care, others specialize in cardiology or oncology.

If you and your parent decide that a geriatrician would be a nice complement to the other providers, or could allow you to eliminate some, make sure that whoever you pick is board certified or accredited. You may want to consider getting referrals from other family members or friends who have used aging specialists in the past.

If there are no geriatricians in your parent’s area, you may be able to find a geriatric care manager. This is someone who usually is a social worker, psychologist, or nurse, or has training and knowledge in different areas of elder care. And if no one like this exists in your area, a good primary care physician can often help with many of the things listed above.

Resource: www.agingcare.com

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Bronx NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Nurturing Important Relationships While Caregiving

Caregiver Brooklyn NY

Caregiver Brooklyn NY

When you are a family caregiver, your relationship with your loved one who you are caregiving for is a very important one.  For many caregivers, this relationship can take a majority of your time and effort and become the top priority.  This is especially true if they depend on you for many things such as transportation, cooking, maintaining the house, bathing, and more.  While it is always a great idea to nurture this important relationship, it is also important to still maintain the other important relationships in your life.  When you have strong relationships with your spouse, friends, and children, you will feel more supported as a caregiver and less likely to feel stress and depression.  So, even if you feel that you are very busy each week, it is still important to take time and foster these other important relationships in your life.  Staying close and staying connected doesn’t always have to be difficult.

Read on for some helpful tips for nurturing the important relationships in your life. 

Maintaining a Great Relationship with your Spouse: 

  • Schedule in time each week to be alone together without distractions.  Eat a meal out or just take some time at night to converse.  Watching T.V., using smartphones, or reading on a tablet may be things you both enjoy, but communicating is essential for any strong relationship.
  • Remind your spouse that you love and care about them, too.  If you spend a lot of your energy on caregiving, they may feel left out or ignored, so it is important for you to express your feelings for them.

Maintaining a Healthy Friendship: 

  • Even if you don’t consider yourself a social butterfly, having a trusted friend is important.  Try to make time to catch up with your close friends over the phone or in person, if you are able to.
  • Talking to a friend can be a great way to get emotions off of your chest, but be sure that you are a good listener, too.  Be a good friend by giving them support and encouragement when they need it.

Maintaining Healthy Relationships with Your Children 

  • Whether your children are young or grown, they need you to be there for them. Even if your schedule is hectic, make time each week to spend with them talking or doing an activity that they enjoy.
  • If your children feel left out, consider involving them in caregiving.  Even younger children can be a big help when it comes to caring for an elderly loved one.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Caregiver Services in Brooklyn NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.