In the past, tech-savvy wasn’t necessarily a descriptor attached to those in the 65-plus age group. That term was reserved for the younger generations who were delving into the latest and greatest online tools. That is, until now. As we here at Freedom Home Care have mentioned in previous blogs, older Americans are taking the Internet for a test drive, and what they’re finding is that it’s an incredibly valuable way to stay in touch with family members and friends – and the entire world around them. For seniors who haven’t already hopped on the World Wide Web express, there
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Archives for in home care hinsdale
Determining the level of care your aging loved one needs
When the people closest to us in life begin to show signs of aging, it’s natural to question what that means for their current and future well-being. And when those questions arise, open lines of communication should quickly be established. In an earlier Freedom Home Care blog post, we looked at PBS’s Caring for your Parents web page, which said that “ideally these conversations should happen before there is a crisis.” If an elder's ability to do certain things begins to diminish, it’s important to talk openly and soon, keeping in mind that often, they will be relieved to talk
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How to be at ease with a new in-home caregiver
Family members will often take on the added responsibility of taking care of an aging loved so as to not bring a caregiver into the home. Often the burden can be too great, but because of apprehension surrounding potential in-home care candidates, family members feel that they do not have any other choice. essay writing By understanding the demographics of the caregiver community, however, and by knowing the high level of standards placed on Freedom Home Care during the hiring process, we hope to diminish some of those uncertainties. As we here at Freedom Home Care have explained in past
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Six tips for delivering safety in the bathroom
In yesterday’s post, we here at Freedom Home Care discussed the importance of creating a safe at-home living environment for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. And we started with the kitchen, one of the home’s top locations for accidents to occur. Bathrooms, however, can also provide special challenges for caregivers. Therefore, we’re delivering some of AgingCare.com’s best tips for how to create an enhanced level of safety in the bathroom. Here they are: 1. Whenever possible, bathtub and toilet areas should supply adequately anchored grab bars in both bathtub area and around the toilet. 2. Products such as raised toilet
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Asking the right questions regarding in-home care
Communication is truly the key to a successful in-home-care environment. As we mentioned in yesterday’s post, developing a plan before the need arises can ease the stress involved with transitioning into one’s twilight years. Therefore, creating an open forum for discussion within the family is essential when it comes to the specifics of everyday care. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, the first step in exploring care options is identifying what is most important to your aging loved one. “Projecting into the future is difficult, but it is important to educate yourself about choices and communicate how you feel about
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The NCOA debunks the myths of older adult falls
The National Council on Aging is a great resource for older individuals as well as for the people who take care of them. Therefore, we here at Freedom Home Care tend to visit the NCOA’s website with a fair amount of frequency. When we stumbled on the article, “Debunking the Myths of Older Adult Falls,” we knew we had to share it with the regular visitors of our blogs. We hope you find it to be as enlightening as we did: Myth 1: Falling happens to other people, not to me. Reality: Many people think, “It won't happen to me.” But
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Feel comfortable and confident with your loved one's caregiver
When your loved one opens his or her home to a new caregiver, the No. 1 hope is for that individual to become not only an aid but a friend, as well. A recent study, however, revealed that hiring a caregiver can open up the unfortunate opportunity to a host of concerns. The study, recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and funded by the National Institute on Aging, revealed poor hiring and screening practices by home-care agencies around the nation. According to an article published by NextAvenue.com, which summarized the study’s findings, including the responses of 180
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Competing in the 2012 Olympic Games at age 71
Hiroshi Hoketsu of Japan, pictured here, is 71 years old and is, believe it or not, competing at the 2012 London Olympics in the individual dressage for Japan's equestrian team. According to an article recently published by the Huffington Post, Hoketsu isn’t just the oldest athlete to compete at London 2012; he's the oldest one to do so in the last 92 years. As we have come to understand, staying active at a later age in life is not just important; it is imperative. And physical activity isn’t just good for aging individuals; it’s good for people of all ages. Simple
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Three straightfoward questions to ask a potential caregiver
When it comes to choosing a caregiver for your aging loved one, there are a lot of options. And we here at Freedom Home Care understand that it is not an easy decision to make. Therefore, to make the transition easier, we offer free in-home consultations in order for you to learn more about our services and to do so face to face. During the meeting – or while interviewing any potential caregiver – it’s important to ask the right questions. TodaysSeniors.com, a website dedicated to providing tips, news and advice plus reverse mortgage and Medicare tools for seniors and
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Getting assistance for your aging loved one
At some point in time all children will be faced with the realization that their parents are getting old – and perhaps too old to care of themselves on their own. Before that day comes, it’s worthwhile to prepare. And thankfully, there are many outlets to take advantage of so that you don’t have to go it alone. These 10 programs (compiled by AgingCare.com) can offer so much and really require so little. All it usually takes is filling out an online application. So before you become overwhelmed with the financial and mental obligations that come with helping to care
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