Like most life-changing decisions, the choice of whether to hire a caregiver for your senior is a difficult one. Many times, older loved ones are unwilling to admit to having trouble doing the things they used to do. They resist the idea of a caregiver, because for them, relying on someone else means losing their independence. This can present a problem for adult children because without the obvious signs, in some cases they have the burden of determining when their loved one needs help. In order to know whether to hire in-home care, there are a few things to look for. Many
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Posts by Freedom Home Care
5 Ways to Help a Family Member Living With Alzheimer's
With nearly 5.4 million individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, there is a vast number of families who are caring for loved ones with this disease. As awareness spreads and purposeful purple badges and ribbons become more plentiful this month, christened National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, there’s no better time than now to get proactive and learn how you can help. Here are some tips to help you and your family member living with Alzheimer’s: Educate and Engage The very first step to helping someone with Alzheimer’s is understanding what is happening and will change in the future—that this disease leads to
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Traveling Tips for Seniors During the Holiday Season
If you’ve ever tried to travel by plane, train or automobile during the holidays, there’s a good chance you may have experienced, missed flights, delayed routes or last minute car trouble. There’s no busier time to travel than now. And for seniors, it can be especially challenging to reach your destination when suffering from memory impairment, health issues or limited mobility. With a little bit of pre-planning, you’ll find there are safer and more convenient ways for your older loved one to travel this holiday season. Freedom Home Care offers several tips below to help make your senior’s trip more enjoyable.
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How To Make Thanksgiving Easier on Senior Relatives
As the season of gratitude nears and we plan festive gatherings, it’s of utmost importance to give special attention to the seniors in our families. Everything from meal preparation and house accommodation to family conversation plays a key part in how their holiday goes. Even a small thought or chat about these things with elderly family members can go a long way. It’s not something to stress about this season, just to pay attention to. Use and share these tips and make Thanksgiving easier for senior relatives, and yourself too! Make Plans That Make Sense Don’t get caught up in
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Tips to Make the Home of Your Loved One Safe
As more and more seniors are reaching the age of retirement, the number of older loved ones living alone continues to grow. That’s why it’s especially important that your senior feel safe around the house when friends and family are not around. There are a number of things you can do to help safety-proof your senior’s home. Freedom Home Care lists several tips below: Falls According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) one out of four seniors fall each year, one out of five falls result in serious injury and over 800,000 older adults are hospitalized due to a
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How To Help Seniors Cope With Cooler Weather
Anyone is prone to the effects of harsh winter weather, especially the elderly. Hypothermia, frostbite, cold/flu and broken bones are only a few of the health issues associated with exposure to cold. Before your senior loved one ventures out this season, be sure they are properly prepared for the cold weather. Here are a few things Freedom Home Care found that will keep your senior safe and warm as the temperature falls. Help Prevent Hypothermia During cold weather, the body’s temperature could drop below 35 degrees or less leading to hypothermia. Hypothermia can cause both multi-system injury and increased mortality.
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Halloween Activities for Seniors and Grandkids
It’s the time of year when ghosts, ghouls, and goblins come out for a hauntingly good time. It’s also a time when kids, parents and grandparents alike celebrate the season by dressing up, trick-or-treating, and carving jack-o-lanterns. What makes it even more special for older loved ones is the time they get to spend with family and friends. Help your senior get into the holiday spirit this year by planning some fun, safe activities for them to enjoy. Here are a few ideas that Freedom Home Care came up with that you and your older loved one can do together. Decorate the
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Top Qualities To Look For in a Caregiver
For many loved ones, there comes a time when they may need a little help doing the things in life they once did on their own. And one of the most difficult decisions you’ll ever need to make for your family member is trying to find the right person to help meet those needs. You know your loved one. His personality, disposition, wants, likes and needs. Because your caregiver would be spending many precious moments with your senior, understandably you’ll want someone who is compatible. While there are a number of different qualities you might expect in someone offering care,
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Most Common Warning Signs of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., with more than 255,000 estimated new deaths each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. After skin cancer, it is the most common type in women, with 100 times more cases that develop annually than in men. Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month many organizations are trying to educate others about the early warning signs of the disease. Prevention begins with knowing how healthy breasts look and feel. When doing a self-examination, they should be void of any clear lumps or masses. While it is common for some women
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Taking Your Medication Correctly is Important
With Talk About Your Medicines Month (TAYMM) in full swing, there is no better time than now to have a conversation about medications. This year for TAYMM, the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) is highlighting the importance of knowing how different foods and drinks may affect different medicines with the “Think Before You Drink” theme. While this is true with individuals of all ages, it is especially important in older adults, as aging increases sensitivity to alcohol and medications’ effects. According to NCPIE, there are at least 150 medications that will not work effectively when alcohol interacts
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