Category: Caregiver in Abington MA

A New Year’s resolution list can help caregivers make positive changes.

by lachanceWeb

We either love them or avoid them, but no matter what our stance on New Year’s resolutions, there is something incredibly refreshing about stepping into a whole new year, providing us with a clean slate and the chance to make any modifications we want to improve total well-being or to accomplish a brand new goal or dream.

For family caregivers, New Year’s resolution lists tend to be particularly significant, mainly because they affect not merely the caregivers themselves, but their senior loved ones. It’s important, however, to keep resolutions sensible. Resolving, for instance, to get a full eight hours of sleep each night, while caring for a family member who has problems with sundowning issues in Alzheimer’s, could be setting yourself up for disappointment.

Try instead to think about one of the following resolutions especially developed with family caregivers in mind:

  1. I shall reach out for help and support, and take assistance when offered.
  2. I give myself permission to say “no” to requests to prevent dealing with more than I am able to handle.
  3. I will make my own health (both physical and mental) a priority, making sure that I set up and keep medical-related checkups and appointments.
  4. I will remind myself that self-care is not selfish, and that by taking good care of myself, I’m able to take better care of my loved one.
  5. I will take note of my energy level, and make a plan in order to avoid allowing myself to reach the point of exhaustion, burnout, or depression.

 

Starting with a no-cost in-home consultation, we will listen to the particular needs and challenges of your loved one, and develop a customized plan of care to fulfill those needs, through many different services such as:

  • Help with personal hygiene, dressing, ambulation and transfers
  • Running errands, such as buying groceries and picking up prescriptions
  • Accompanied transportation to medical appointments and enjoyable outings
  • Light housekeeping and laundry
  • Meal planning and preparation, according to any prescribed dietary plans
  • Engagement in conversations, reminiscing, games, and exercise, along with other pastimes that are of interest to the older adult
  • And many others
Caregiver in Abington MA: Senior Moving

Is it Time for Your Senior to Move? 

by Francineglide Victoria

Your elderly family member may not be able to age in place for as long as she wants, no matter how stubborn she is about it. Asking some of these questions can help you both to determine if it’s time to consider moving now.

How’s Her Health?

If your elderly family member’s health is not doing as well as it was in the past, then moving may be necessary for her. Whether she moves in with family members or moves into an assisted living facility, she may need far more care than she can get by living in her own home. This may be one of the biggest factors involved in deciding whether it’s indeed time for your senior to change her residence.

Is She Safe?

The next most important thing to consider when your elderly family member is still aging in place is whether she’s safe where she is. If her safety is in question at all, then it’s time for you and her to talk about other options. She may have difficulty navigating from one floor to another, for instance, and that can be a huge factor in finding a single-story home for her.

Do You Need Her to Live with You?

For so many reasons, you may need your senior to live with you. There may be other obligations that require you to stay where you are and your senior has the space and safety with you that she needs. This isn’t a decision to take lightly, of course. If you’re not in a position to be able to move your senior in with you or she truly doesn’t want to live with you, you’re going to have to find another answer that does work for both of you.

Does She Want to Move?

If your elderly family member doesn’t want to move, there might not be a lot that you can do. Her immediate well-being and safety are under your control, but the last thing you want to do is to fight with her to make sure that she’s safe. You may have to talk to her about the logic involved in your suggestion to move, but ultimately she has to buy into the idea herself.

Aging in place may be possible with the help of home care providers and your devotion as a caregiver. But those two solutions may not be enough to overcome your senior’s environment.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Abington, MA, call the caring staff at Rivers of Hope today at 508-857-0629. Providing Independent, Dependent, and Companion Care Services in Brockton, Boston, Braintree, Avon Randolph, Abington, and the surrounding areas. riversofhopes.com