In every community, both good and bad care is being delivered, but there are things anyone can do to improve your health and health care. Here are nine tips to improve the care you receive: Care About Your Care
Talk with your doctor or nurse. Care About Your Care
Share your beliefs and preferences for care. Make a list of all the questions you want to ask. Bring the list to each appointment and write down the answers. If you don’t understand, ask again until you do. Care About Your Care
Don’t go alone. Care About Your Care
Take a friend or family member along to medical appointments. They can listen, take notes and help you remember what was said.
Learn about the best treatments for your condition.
For many conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease, clear standards for treatment exist. Become familiar with what works for your condition. Learning more will help you understand what your doctor might look for or recommend, help you follow those recommendations and assist you in identifying what questions to ask during your appointment.
Find and use information on the quality of care provided by local doctors and hospitals to make health care decisions.
Use information in publicly available reports to make decisions about doctors and hospitals. Look for a doctor who appears to provide the care you want for you and your family and is willing to work with you to make decisions. Look for a hospital that is highly rated by consumer groups or other organizations and has experience treating your condition.
Have one doctor or nurse coordinate your care.
With one doctor or nurse who knows about all of the care you’re getting, you’re more likely to get the care you need and not get care that might be duplicative or harmful.
Create a medication list. Care About Your Care
List all medications and supplements you currently take, including over the counter medicines, prescriptions, vitamins and herbal remedies. Bring this list with you to every doctor’s appointment.
Ask your doctor or nurse if they use health information technology – or Electronic Medical Records – to track and share information with your other health care providers.
Tracking information electronically means all the information about your health is available to all your doctors, every time, no matter where you are. This reduces errors and unnecessary tests.
Know the difference between more care and better care.
Sometimes, getting more care can actually do harm or expose you to unnecessary risks. If you think you may be getting more care than you need, protect yourself by asking: How will this help me? What will we find out from this test?
Take responsibility for your health care.
Learn about quality care. Talk with your doctor and follow their recommendations.
For more information and to get the tools you need to improve your health care visit www.CareAboutYourCare.org.
The decision to move your older parents into your home is a big one to make. Your home is your refuge from it all. Caregiving is hard, and having it so close to you can make it harder. Does that mean you shouldn’t move your parents into your home? No, not necessarily. Many people decide to have their parents stay with them and it ends up being the best decision they could have made. Just take time to consider the following before you start packing up and moving your parents into your home. Before Moving a Parent into Your Home
Do you two get along well enough? Before Moving a Parent into Your Home
Everyone argues, but you have to decide if you get along well enough to keep the peace in your home. It might be good to try it out for a trial run by going away on vacation together or having your parents stay with you for a week or so before you make the final decision.
Is your home safe for someone with disabilities?
If your parents have any disabilities, is your home safe? You may need some handles in the shower, a ramp to get into your home, or enough room for them to move about your house. You may need to consider the stairs in your home and the location of their bedroom.
What type of care do your parents need?
If your parents need around the clock supervision, another setting may be better. Care in your home may just include having meals prepared, help with getting dressed, and getting to places. Those who need attention medically and physically often need nurse supervision.
What are your expectations?
If you have conditions or expectations of them living in your house, you may want to reconsider. Problems often arise when people expect something and then don’t get it when the time comes. It’s best to go in it just wanting to help your parents with nothing in return. If you can do that, having your parents move in with you might be good for you.
Will you be taking care of all expenses?
Taking care of someone is hard work and you have to spend money on it. If your parents will compensate you, it will probably feel better and prevent resentment. However, if they are not willing or do not have the money, be aware that you may start to feel taken advantage of as you get into the thick of caregiving. Before Moving a Parent into Your Home
How do other family members feel about it?
Hold a family meeting to determine how everyone else feels about it. Everyone in the home will be affected by it, so it’s good to consider their thoughts and feelings.
You may want to check with siblings and other family members who want to lend a hand in caregiving. You may need to discuss a plan on how to best care for your parents if they stay in your home.
Making the decision to move your parents into your home is one that takes time and serious thought. If you need help with making the decision, consider personal consulting services by Kendall Van Blarcom. He can help you figure things out and come to a conclusion that will make you and the people around you happy.
Home care services can make a huge difference in an elderly loved one’s quality of life. But many families feel like they’re without a road map when starting out with in-home senior care. Talking with Home Care Services Providers
As America’s choice for home care services, caregivers from Visiting Angels understand these feelings better than almost anyone. We know how important it is to feel comfortable with a home care agency and your loved one’s caregiver or caregivers. Talking with Home Care Services Providers
In the words of our CEO and President, Larry Meigs, “Great home care services come down to trust between each care recipient and his or her caregiver.” Talking with Home Care Services Providers
Open Conversation = Trustworthy Home Care Services
One way that top home care agencies promote comfort and trust is through having clients meet with caregivers before starting care. This is a great opportunity for you, your loved one, and your family, allowing you to learn more about a particular caregiver and whether or not they would make a good fit for your loved one.
But if this is your first time hiring a home care services provider, you might not be sure how to handle this conversation. Never fear – our team is here to help.
What to Ask a Home Care Services Provider
To help you through this conversation, we’ve put together a short guide to give you some idea of what to expect and how to prepare. Use the following questions as guidelines for the subjects you’ll want to cover when speaking with your home care services provider.
Are they licensed? Most, but not all, states require licensing to provide home care services. Find out if your state requires licensing. If it does, make sure that a prospective caregiver can prove he or she is licensed.
Are they experienced? At Visiting Angels, we focus on hiring caregivers with two years or more experience. Other agencies or independent caregivers might not be able to guarantee that kind of experience. So ask your caregiver to detail their experience in senior care.
Are they compassionate? Pay close attention to the way your caregiver talks about their work and past clients. The best caregivers treat their clients with kindness, warmth, and compassion. Look for red flags, such as talking about their work as if it’s a chore, or – worse yet – badmouthing their previous clients.
Can they meet your needs? Spend time before meeting your home care services provider thinking up all of the potential situations they might run into during care. Write these down, then ask your home care services provider how they would handle these situations.
What is their availability? At Visiting Angels, we offer 24/7 scheduling availability and after-hours emergency response. But we know that this isn’t possible for all home care service providers. Your interview is a good time to discuss your caregiver’s availability – both for regular scheduling and urgent situations.
Does it feel like a good fit? A caregiver can check off all the right boxes but still give you or, more importantly, your loved one bad vibes. If the fit doesn’t feel right, voice your concerns to the agency. Or, if you are interviewing independent home care services providers, consider expanding your search.
Visiting Angels is proud to offer professional in-home care services throughout the United States. Get in touch with your local office today for a no-cost care consultation. Talking with Home Care Services Providers
Caring for someone with cancer is a stressful job. While doctors handle the cancer treatment, caregivers often manage their patients’ everyday needs — transportation, food, recreation, medications and visits with friends. All the while caregivers must deal with feelings of helplessness and frustration as they watch their loved ones fight battles in which they cannot help. Many people feel guilty if they focus any attention on themselves. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, studies have consistently reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and mental health problems among caregivers than among their non-caregiving peers. Cancer Caregiver Tips
But caregivers can learn to manage their stress. For example, talking with a trusted friend or counselor can help caregivers reduce stress, feel less helpless and understand how to respond to their loved ones. Cancer Caregiver Tips
Many of the same methods that help caregivers can apply to anyone facing a stressful situation. Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) offers the following tips:
Find a treatment center that will help. CTCA’s mind-body medicine team work closely with both patients and caregivers to listen and provide support. CTCA also helps ease stress by coordinating appointments, providing transportation and scheduling travel arrangements and hotel accommodations.
Ask for and accept help. If another family member is willing to help out, let them ease your burden. Depending on the source of your stress, you should also seek out additional community resources. For example, cancer caregivers can find support groups for both themselves and patients.
Know your limits. Determine what you can and can’t handle, based on your responsibilities to your family and professional life. If adding another obligation is too much, either say, “No” or find someone with whom to split duties.
Take care of yourself. Sufficient sleep will help you manage challenges more easily. Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Start exercising — regular activity can help reduce irritability, fatigue and overall stress levels.
Make time for yourself. Relaxing or doing something that you enjoy — even for a few minutes — can go a long way towards lifting your mood. Caregivers should set aside at least five minutes a day to meditate or simply be still and relax.
The Joys of Professional Caregivers & Senior Care Franchise Owners
One of the greatest pleasures in life is knowing that your work is making a positive impact. In few industries is this felt as much as when you work as a professional caregiver or run a senior care franchise. By helping the elderly find comfort and contentment at home, caregivers bring more happiness minute-by-minute into other people’s lives than almost any other kind of professional.
At Visiting Angels, our work in the home care industry has taught us that as well as anyone. As the #1 rated senior care franchise in Franchise Business Review’s 2015 Satisfaction survey, we’ve helped countless entrepreneurs, senior care experts, and professional caregivers discover the satisfaction that comes through delivering high-quality senior care.
Here are some of the joys that our team and our caregivers have found in over 18 years of professional caregiving…
Little Gestures, Lasting Happiness
When it comes to senior home care, sometimes even the littlest gestures bring out the biggest smiles. Every one of our senior care franchise owners has some story of a tiny moment that delivered lasting memories. As people age, they grow to cherish the little things more and more. A cup of tea at the right moment. A steadying hand walking up the front steps. Someone to share a fond memory with. By being there with a helping hand and a sympathetic ear, you’ll discover how the small things lead to lasting happiness.
A Link to the Past
When you work with the elderly, you’re given a first-hand window into history that no other line of work can afford. Many of our senior care franchise owners pass along the stories their own clients have shared with them. From major moments in American history to small-town family memories, caregivers often see a side of the past that they never would have otherwise.
Aging Made Graceful
It’s no secret that aging can be difficult. As we grow older, our bodies and minds sometimes fail us, leaving us feeling vulnerable, weak, or embarrassed. As a professional caregiver or senior care franchise owner, you’re able to relieve these feelings of helplessness. Often all it takes is a supportive reminder or a little bit of help with a common household task. You might not notice it at first, but the relief that comes in these moments can be immense for the care recipient.
Extraordinary Relationships
Unlike any number of other industries, caregiving leads to close relationships. When you become part of a senior’s life, you can’t help but form a bond. For many of our clients, senior care franchise owners, and caregivers, these relationships are a two-way street. Our elders are often sources of great warmth and great wisdom, and many caregivers find that they receive just as much from their care recipients as their care recipients receive from them.
A Far-Reaching Impact
From the outside, a caregiver’s work might seem like it has a limited impact. But any caregiver or senior care franchise owner can tell you that senior care helps more than just individual seniors. In many cases, our work is a lifeline for busy, overburdened families. For children and other family members of elderly persons, the difference made by high-quality senior care is tremendous. At Visiting Angels, we’ve received open appreciation from so many of our clients’ families – thanks that we truly cherish.
To discover more about the joys of professional caregiving, listen to Visiting Angels franchise owners talk about the joys of being a senior care franchise owner/operator.
Visiting Angels YouTube.com/user/VisitingAngels1 https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsCorporate
It’s no surprise that many people want to do all that they can for an aging parent or relative. But life sometimes gets in the way. From work, to family, to the difficulties that aging brings about, its rare that you can do it all on your own. When that happens, you may need at-home assistance from a senior care professional. When Is At-Home Senior Care Necessary?
At Visiting Angels, our caregivers provide high-quality at-home senior care to families in need, so we know what kinds of situations make senior care necessary. We’ve helped countless families navigate the decision around senior care, and we can do the same for you.
Are you concerned that a parent or relative may need at-home senior care? If so, the following signs may let you know whether or not you and your loved one can benefit from professional care:
You Find Yourself Overwhelmed
Does caring for your parent or relative eat up most of your free time? Do you regularly find yourself tired, overworked, or exhausted from the burden of caregiving? Are you finding it hard to make time for work, family, or relationships due to the time you spend caring for your loved one?
If so, at-home senior care may be exactly what you need. Professional caregivers provide much needed respite for overwhelmed family members charged with the care of a loved one. One option you may wish to explore is part-time care, which will allow you to manage the amount of time, effort, and energy you spend caring for your parent or relative.
Your Loved One Is Starting to Struggle
Often, the need for at-home senior care stems from challenges and difficulties related to advanced aging. Generally, these challenges fall into one of three categories: physical, mental, or emotional.
Physical Challenges. As your loved one ages, they may begin to struggle with movement, balance, everyday tasks, or bodily functions. These kinds of challenges can be tough to deal with. Sometimes you may feel physically overmatched. Other times, your loved one may be embarrassed to ask for your help and would prefer the help offered by a non-family member.
Mental Challenges. Problems with memory can occur naturally with aging, making it difficult to leave a loved one unattended. Even bigger challenges are posed by memory disorders like dementia or Alzheimer’s, which can be tough to handle without the help of a professional and are often particularly taxing on family members.
Emotional Challenges. Aging can sometimes trigger feelings of depression or loneliness. Blue feelings can be brought about or made worse by the death of friends or the loss of a spouse. If you find that your loved one is struggling with mood or emotional issues, you may find that a service such as companion care can help.
You Worry About Leaving Them on Their Own
You can’t be in two places at once, so it can be tough to make sure someone’s there to look after your loved one. If you find that you worry about leaving your loved one at home alone, then at-home senior can help. A care provider will be able to watch over your parent or relative throughout the day, ensuring someone is always there in case anything happens.
Distance Is Getting in the Way
In today’s world, many of us live miles and miles away from our loved ones. While phone calls and emails can keep you connected, they’re not enough when your loved one starts to struggle with day-to-day living. In this case, you may wish to explore long distance at-home senior care. Long distance care programs help families look after and regularly check-in on aging loved ones – all without the need for a red-eye flight or several hours on the highway.
If you find yourself in need of at-home senior care, contact your local Visiting Angels office. Our at-home senior care providers help the elderly and their families make aging at home easier.
Visiting Angels YouTube.com/user/VisitingAngels1 https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsCorporate
Caregiving is a very hard job. The Center for Disease Control has reported that caregivers end up suffering a lot because of all they do.
35% of caregivers believe it’s hard to find time for themselves
29% suffer emotional and physical stress
54% report that their health is worse
29% have a hard time finding a work life balance
Since caregiving is so incredibly hard, many people decide to take advantage of respite. Senior Respite Helps Caregivers
What Is Respite?
Respite care is often offered by assisted living communities. They provide short-term stays for seniors whose caregivers need a break. They take care of seniors for that short time, so caregivers do not have to worry.
Does this sound like something you would like to take advantage of? If so, I recommend doing it. You work so hard for your older loved one, so take some time to pay attention to your care.
Actually, the National Respite Network advises that caregivers use respite before they become exhausted. This is what prevents burn out and stress related illnesses and diseases.
Some caregivers find respite care to be better than having someone come to their loved one’s house because it’s a different environment. A change of pace can do wonders for your loved one, especially when he or she can meet some people. Not only is this a benefit for you, it’s a benefit for your loved one.
How to Get Respite Care Set Up for Your Loved One
All you have to do to set up respite care is contact assisted living facilities around your local area. Not all of these places offer respite, but many do, so find the ones that do and arrange an interview. During the interview, you can ask questions about how their respite care services work. You can take a tour of the community, and then decide if it’s something your older loved one would like. If possible, bring your loved one with you. This way he or she can have a say about which one is better.
When you’re ready to use respite care, contact the director and arrange the stay. You will need to bring everything that the assisted living facility has requested. If you do not have something, ask if that is okay before you go to drop off your loved one. Sometimes, facilities will not care for your loved one without all of the items needed because of licensing requirements.
Additional Help Is Available
Do you need more help with your caregiving? Kendall Van Blarcom can help you. Offering information about respite care is only one of the ways that he helps people like you. He genuinely cares about you and wants to help you. By talking about your problems, he is able to help you solve them in the ways you want to. Learn more about his personal consulting services. It may just be what you need to turn your life around, so you and your older loved one can be happier and healthier.
Kendall Van Blarcom
www.KvanB.com
Taking care of senior parents is not easy, so it’s normal to become frustrated sometimes. The problem is that the frustration can sometimes take over our choice of words. This is when we say things that we probably shouldn’t, and that causes some relationship issues that make the situation worse. The following are some of the things you probably shouldn’t say, even out of frustration. It’s hoped that by having this fresh in your mind, it will help you preserve your relationship. What NOT to Say to Senior Parents
#1: Don’t you remember?!
It’s likely your parents do not remember it, and probably not a lot of other things. When people say this, it’s almost saying the person is inadequate for not remembering.
It’s better to say, “Let me tell you what happened.” You can also just take the queue from the confused look on your parent’s face and go ahead and clue him/her in.
#2: Don’t say you can’t because you can. You just need to try.
I know…you’ve probably said it and you didn’t really intend on it turning out the way it did. It’s okay. The good thing about life is that you can move on with new knowledge and make different choices in the future.
What you can say instead is, “Why don’t we do it together?” or “Let me help you.” You can then gauge how much he/she can do and step back if he/she needs less help.
#3: Ugh…I just showed you yesterday. Here…I’ll show you AGAIN.
You may have showed your senior parent countless times how to use the remote, but he/she still doesn’t get it. It’s okay because that’s normal. Taking the time to teach them again means that you’re teaching him/her a little more each time.
What might be good to try is to write down the instructions. This way your parent can refer to it when needed.
#4: That has nothing to do with what I just said.
Seniors often have a difficult time focusing on conversations. Sometimes, they want to say something before they forget, which means it could be out of context. Try to go with the flow and if possible, bring up what you were trying to talk to him/her about later on in the day.
#5: You already told me that story a billion times.
Many people (not just seniors) have a hard time remembering who they told what. Seniors, especially those with dementia, have a more difficult time.
Instead of telling your parent he/she already told you, it’s better to say, “Oh yes, I remember. That was so funny!” You can also just go ahead and listen. Patience is a virtue.
#6: This is what I want when you die.
Some people don’t see anything wrong with saying this, and some even see it as a compliment. However, it does hurt some seniors to hear that loved ones are waiting for them to die. It’s best to keep this to yourself, even if you are coming from a good place with it.
Let Go of Guilt and Move On
If you’ve said any of these statements, don’t worry. Do not beat yourself up over it. We are all human and as humans, we make mistakes. Learn from those mistakes and live a better life.
As a personal consultant, I often help caregivers deal with senior parents. If you need help, please contact Kendall Van Blarcom for a personal consulting session. He can help you and your senior get along and make this stage of life an enjoyable one for both of you.
Kendall Van Blarcom
www.KvanB.com
Caregiving is a selfless job. You provide support to someone who desperately needs it from you. You give, give, give and give some more. However, when does that giving get to be too much? When does the giving cross boundaries? Healthy Boundaries When Caregiving
Why Crossing Boundaries Is Bad
The reason crossing boundaries is bad is because it can burn someone out quickly. This can make them overly tired, grumpy, and resentful. It can also lead to illness. Usually, this is because the person puts the other person’s needs before his/her own. This just leads them to feeling worse than what the person receiving caregiving felt before.
“Over attachment” is something caregivers and seniors need to pay attention to when they are in a situation such as this one. It’s not healthy because each of them depend on one another. When something happens and they are not able to be around each other, there’s a feeling of loss. It is incredibly bad when this happens and the senior passes. The caregiver is left feeling as though all that he/she was living for is gone.
How to Establish and Maintain Boundaries
Establishing and maintaining boundaries isn’t as difficult as you may think. You will need time away for yourself regularly. This time should not be committed to something else such as work, family, or friends. It needs to be time in which you can reflect and recharge. You may spend this time doing something you enjoy such as painting, drawing, or some other hobby. It might be time to write in a journal, scrapbook, or just read. This time should be solely for you, so you know how to spend quality time with yourself.
When you first start doing this, you will feel weird. You will feel as though there is something missing. You may even feel guilty. This feeling is normal and it is a sign that you were becoming overly attached. Give yourself time to adjust. Do it for as long as you can, and then go back to life as you normally live it. As you do it more, the break will start to feel better. Over time, you will start to enjoy it, and you may even get to a point where you will look forward to it. Yes, it doesn’t seem as though that is possible right now, but it really is…
Once you have established boundaries, the next obstacle to overcome is maintaining them. Things will come up that will make it difficult to keep those boundaries intact. You may feel as though you are being pulled in many different directions, and giving up your time will feel as though that is the easiest option. Do not allow yourself to do that. You don’t need to give yourself up. It’s best to find some other way to deal with the situation, so you still get your time. If that means you have to say no sometimes, or have someone step in and take care of your loved one, that’s okay. You do not have to feel guilty about it. You are taking care of your loved one, but you’re also taking care of yourself.
Need More Help?
If you feel as though you have a lack of boundaries with your loved one as a caregiver, but you can’t see yourself establishing boundaries and maintaining them, consider turning to a personal consultant. Kendall Van Blarcom is a professional personal consultant who can help you improve your life as a caregiver, so you can continue to love what you do for your loved one. Contact him now for more information on how personal consulting can help you through some of the struggles that are common for caregivers.
Kendall Van Blarcom
www.KvanB.com