On Monday, we kicked of our series on helping your aging loved get ready for spring by outlining several springtime events to look forward to, as well as health concerns to be aware of.

Spring is a time that many people“including seniors“look forward to, as it signifies the coming of summer (and warm weather) as well as the many activities that go along with that weather, which we outlined in our previous post.

But as with winter, there are many things we need to do in order to get ready for the season. And one seasonal activity that occurs for most people around this time of the year is spring cleaning.

We thought we would give you and your aging loved ones a few tips to consider in order to help you get your spring off to a nice start. For today, we’ll focus on indoor spring-cleaning tips.

Take a look below:

Create a checklist. Before you begin, it’s a great idea to create a checklist of the tasks you’d like to get done. Ask your aging loved one what they’d like to see cleaned, and prioritize the list in terms of importance. It is also a good idea to divvy up the tasks and try your best to stick to the task list. This prevents the possibility that your parent may take on a task that is either too difficult or hazardous for them to do.

 

Remove the clutter before you clean. Once you’ve made a checklist, then it is time to remove any clutter that may prevent you or your loved one from cleaning. This may include extra blankets from the winter, emergency winter kits, shovels, throw rugs, cords, junk mail, or trash that they couldn’t throw away during the winter months. Doing this will prevent any unwanted risks of falling, due to tripping on objects that may get in the way of cleaning.

Take over on hard to reach projects. Dusting and window/curtain cleaning are just a few of the tasks that are commonly associated with spring cleaning. Because these tasks typically require step stools or ladders, it is best to take over these tasks yourself in order to avoid falls.

Handle the mopping and scrubbing. Not only can mopping and scrubbing increase the risk of falling due to slippery surfaces, it can also put a lot of strain on your aging loved ones body because it often requires a lot of side to side motion, as well as bending over. Therefore, it is suggested that you handle these tasks yourself or reserve them for an able-bodied-person, in order to eliminate the risk of injury.

On Friday, we will finish off our series with some outdoor spring cleaning tips. In the meantime, what are you and your aging loved one looking most forward to this spring season? Let us know by connecting with us on Twitter!

Physicians Choice Private Duty“currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa“provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit us today..”

Throughout this series, we’ve discussed various aspects of caregiver stress, from statistics regarding depression and anxiety, why it occurs and its effects, to the signs that may indicate you’re suffering from caregiver stress.

Now that you have a better understanding of its causes and effects, we’re going to discuss a few steps you can take in order to help relieve caregiver stress. Take a look below:

Ask for help. This is a point we really like to stress: there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help. For many, it can already be hard enough to take care of themselves. As a caregiver, though, you find that those responsibilities double as you begin to take care of your loved one, as well.

In turn, more often than not, you end up giving up many of your own personal responsibilities, leading to health complications, both mental and physical. Avoid this by asking for a helping hand as often as you can. Whether it is from a close friend or family member, or even a respite care program, there are plenty of options out there to help lessen any potential burdens.

Take a break, daily. Take a moment for yourself throughout the day. Even if it is just a brief half hour, taking the time to distress and gain your bearings will help you improve your attitude significantly, as well as help you feel in control of your own time.

Make time for yourself and for friends. Above all, it is important to take a moment and make time for your own life. Never sacrifice or put on hold your health, hobbies or friendships, because when the caregiving ends, you don’t want to force yourself to pick up things where they were left off.

Use these things as a form of support to help carry you through your aging loved one’s journey. In the end, it will help make things much easier for you.

Stress seems like an inevitable part of caregiving due to the passion we put into caring for our loved ones. But caregiver stress is not something any caregiver should have to accept.

Having an understanding of what caregiver stress entails and the steps you can take to help relieve or prevent caregiver stress will not only help you stay in good health, both mentally and physically, but also ensure that you are able to provide the best possible care for your loved ones for many years to come.

At Physicians’ Choice, we understand that the caregiver is the backbone of senior care. As always, if you ever have any questions or concerns about the information we’ve outlined above, please feel free to give us a call. We are always here to help.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

As a caregiver, you dedicate your life to taking care of others but what about when it comes to taking care of yourself?

Caregiving is a difficult job; at times, it can require a lot of physical strength as well mental endurance. As such, it can be pretty easy to burn out if you don’t take care of yourself properly.

Throughout this series, we’re going to talk about caregiver health, specifically focusing on mental health from the basics, to how you can detect if you or a caregiver you know is suffering from stress, to ways you can take care of your well-being.

To start, we’ll outline some basics on why it is important to consider your own mental health. Take a look below:

Some statistics

On depression

• According to the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), a community-based nonprofit organization that focuses specifically on caregiver support, studies have shown higher levels of depression and mental health problems among caregivers compared to non-caregivers.
• The FCA also reports that between 40 to 70% of caregivers show symptoms of clinical depression, with approximately 25-50% of these caregivers meeting the level of major depression.

On anxiety

• It has also been reported that caregivers experience a high amount of stress and anxiety, with about 16% of caregivers stating that they feel emotionally drained, and 26% stating that taking care of a patient or loved one can be hard on them emotionally, according to one report.

Why this occurs

Reasons for why depression and anxiety occur among caregivers may vary, though there are a few more common reasons:

• The passing of a caregivee (related or non-related)
• Dealing with a difficult patient/family member
• Watching the decline in health of a loved one or patient
• Feelings of failure or regret for sending a loved one into a nursing home after trying to take care of them
• Lack of progress in care

The effects of poor mental health

Poor mental health (i.e., depression and anxiety) can lead to a number of risks for the caregiver, with about one in ten (11%, to be exact) of caregivers reporting that caregiving has caused their physical health to get worse. Here are just a few of the effects of poor mental health:

• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and high blood pressure
• Symptoms of chronic illness such as acid reflux, headaches, and pain
• Increased risk of obesity and diabetes
• Increased risk of cancer
• Overall, a decrease in immune response

Higher mortality rates for caregivers

Perhaps one of the greatest risks that caregiver stress poses is an increase in mortality rate. The FCA reports that elderly spousal caregivers (aged 66-96) who experience caregiving-related stress have a 63% higher mortality rate than non-caregivers of the same age.

Caregiver stress is not inevitable

Caregiver stress is common, however, it is not an inevitable part of caregiving. With diligence and self-awareness, caregivers can fight off stress and fatigue, in turn ensuring that they’re able to provide the best health possible to their loved ones without sacrificing their own health.

On Wednesday, we’ll discuss ways to tell if you or a caregiver you know is suffering from caregiver stress. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call. We’re always here to help!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

 

 

On Monday, we opened our series on making new friends as we age, outlining why we lose friends, and the importance of making new friendships in order to ensure better mental/physical health and overall well being.

As your parent ages, you might begin to notice that their close group of friends is becoming smaller and smaller, yet your parent may not feel ready to branch out and meet others. As a result, they may begin to feel alone and perhaps experience elderly depression or possibly a decline in health.

So to help, we’re going to discuss a few ways you can take initiative and help your parent maintain the friendships they already have and perhaps make new friends as well. Take a look below:

Take your aging loved one out of the house

Helping your aging love one get out of the house is one of the best ways to introduce them to others, as well as keep them in contact with their friends. Show them your support by offering to take them out to lunch, the library, or possible senior community events where they can meet with old friends and possibly make new ones. This is also a great opportunity to grow closer to your loved one and solidify your relationship, something that many parents would love.

Use technology to communicate

In this day and age, technology has given us more opportunities to communicate instantly with others with the just the click of a mouse and keyboard. Take a moment to help your parent learn a few simple tricks that will allow them to use the computer to communicate with others. These include:

• Email pen pals. Pen pals have been around for a long time, making this the most familiar form of communication for many parents. However, with email, contact is almost instantaneous and of no extra charge if your parent already has internet and computer access.

• Online social sites. Sites like Facebook are very easy to use and can give your aging loved one the opportunity to stay in touch with friends and family, allowing them to feel more acquainted with the lives of their loved ones. When setting up their account, it is a good idea to customize their privacy settings in order to avoid any unwanted solicitations from people they do not know.

• Video chats. Applications like Skype or Facetime make it easy for your aging loved one to communicate with friends or family who are no longer live close enough to visit, and adding a visual element to these conversations can help to make them feel much closer when talking to them.

Check back on Friday when we discuss what your aging loved one can do to help make new friends. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you have. We are always here to help.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

As a senior, every step counts when it comes to taking care of your body, which is why it is so important to make sure you have a basic understanding of the essential body parts such as your heart.

Throughout this guide, we’ve covered a wide variety of topics from the basics of heart health to the causes and effects of cardiovascular diseases. Now that you have a better idea of the causes and effects of cardiovascular disease, we are going to outline several ways to maintain good heart health. Take a look below:

Battling Obesity

Obesity can lead to a number of health complications such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, all of which put you at risk for heart disease. One way to battle obesity is by committing yourself to a healthy lifestyle. Here are two ways you can start:

• Change your diet. Committing to a healthy diet can help to reduce your risk of heart disease. Try eating a heart-healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), which are rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat sources of protein such as beans, fish and lean meats. It also important to limit certain fats, such as saturated fats (red meat, dairy products, coconut and palm oils) and trans fats (deep-fried foods, baked goods, and processed foods).
• Get physical. Along with a healthy diet, getting active can do wonders for your health. Reducing body fat can help to decrease your blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of diabetes. For more information, you can check out series on the benefits of exercise.

*As always, remember to consult with your doctor before committing yourself to any drastic lifestyle changes in some instances, they may be able to create an diet/excercise plan that is specific to your needs, preventing any risk of injury.

Other tips

Don’t use tobacco products. As the Mayo Clinic points out, smoking or using tobacco of any kind is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Harsh chemicals in tobacco can cause damage to your heart and blood vessels, leading to the narrowing of the arteries. Studies have shown that those who quit smoking can reduce the risk of heart disease to almost that of non-smoker in about five years, significantly improving their health.

Check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Regular check ups with your health professional can help you gauge the state of your heart health, as well as give you a better idea of what you can do to reduce the risk of heart disease. Your blood pressure can be checked about anywhere these days, from your doctors office, to your local pharmacy, or even at home. For better results, please consult with your doctor as to how often you should check your blood pressure.

As for cholesterol levels, it is suggested that you have your cholesterol measured at least once every five years.

As we age, it becomes even more important to make sure that we do our best to take care of ourselves. The heart is just one of many essential body parts that need to be monitored in order to ensure overall great health doing so can make all the difference in the world. As always, if you any questions or concerns about any of the information we’ve outlined in this series, please do not hesitate to call. We’re always here to help.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!

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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”