Depending on the distance between you and your elderly loved one, the amount of free time you have and whether they require full-time care or not, you might be considering live-in care. If your elderly loved one requires constant assistance due to illness or age, the benefits of live-in care far outweigh those of any other elderly care option. Read on to learn more.
Preoccupied with their hectic lives, people with aging parents feel overwhelmed by responsibilities, especially if these include parenting. But although the world we live in might be far from the natural order of things, that doesn’t mean that we can’t give our elderly parents the love and attention they deserve. Here’s how!
Most caregivers tend to get extremely worried about their senior loved ones getting behind the wheel. And rightfully so. Seniors are often depicted as antagonists among other drivers and not without a reason. There are some serious concerns every time the elderly take the wheel, but the danger they pose is often to themselves rather than other drivers.
However, the leading Los Angeles Home Caregivers Services advise there are some measures family members can take to ensure seniors are safe on the road. The best way family could help is introduce their senior loved ones to vehicles that are designed to be safe to handle by anyone. Additionally, professional caregivers referred by A Better Way in Home Care can monitor their health condition and limit their access to their vehicle accordingly.
In our previous blogs, we talked about your senior loved ones’ health. And while we are quick to give advice such as modify your diet or exercise more with the best intentions, how many of us actually follow the same advice? When was the last time you exercised? What did you have for lunch?
However, working for a respectable company that offers senior care referral services in Los Angeles, we have seen firsthand how slightly adjusting the diet and introducing an exercise routine can improve the lives of most seniors. Something as simple as a stroll around the park can help the elderly battle various health issues and make them feel better about themselves.
How dangerous can not drinking water really be? Probably more than you think! During the hot, summer days as well as cold, dry ones in winter, being properly hydrated is imperative, especially for senior citizens. However, not all seniors are aware of how dangerous improper hydration can be. In fact, dehydration is among the most frequent reasons for hospitalization with the elderly. Professional caregivers referred by A Better Way in Home Care, premier Los Angeles home caregiver referral service, know how to monitor the signs and make sure senior citizens stay well hydrated.
1) Listen carefully how your loved one feels about the caregiver regardless of your personal opinion of the person.
2) Evaluate and get feedback from all of the caregivers don’t base your opinion on the feedback of just one caregiver.
3) Protect the finances of your loved one and make sure that there can be no abuse of their personal resources. This will also protect the wrong type of caregiver from your loved one.
4) Don’t feel comfortable just because someone has a good background. That is just the beginning and does not guarantee the caregiver will provide good care or be honest.
5) Frequently check in with your loved one to make sure they are doing okay.
6) If the caregiver is controlling or pushy get rid of them.
One of the most important decisions is finding the right caregiver for your loved one. To learn more about getting the finest of in home care in Beverly Hills or Los Angeles home care for your loved one call A Better Way In Home Care today at: (323) 650-2211.
The best caregivers have the skills and dedication to their work. Here are some attributes that a make a great Los Angeles caregiver.
Personality
The personality of the caregiver is an important factor. This person will need to have empathy and selflessness. General human compassion isn’t enough. There are some traits that need to be there, including a positive attitude, choosing to care, being able to empower others, being sweet and being able to handle those bad days.
Experience
Experience is important factor. With experience comes the knowledge of how to handle situations and help with different needs quickly and efficiently.
Experience also brings skills that they have learned along the way. It could be dealing with something specific, which helps the client, or how to deal with particular characteristics, emotions or outbursts. When someone is looking for care for a specific condition, hiring someone with little or no experience may not be the best option, even when they have the best of intentions.
Reliability
Most of the work that a caregiver does is unsupervised. There are all sorts of problems that can happen and they can turn up late or not show up at all. Sometimes the issues can be genuine, but other times the caregivers come up with new excuses. Reliability is a must. If they can’t be relied upon to turn up on time, can they be relied upon to do all the necessary tasks and really make a difference?
References don’t always help here. Most people refused to declare the negatives about someone because they don’t want to expose themselves to problems. They also don’t want to ruin the employability of a person simply trying to make a living.
Being Honest
This isn’t just about stealing. They need to be honest in their limitations and abilities. They often find themselves in charge of a person’s money, prescription drugs and supplies. At times your caregivers might need time off but they need to be honest about the time they will take and come back when they say they will. They need to give enough notice that time needs to be taken to make sure the client doesn’t lose out.
All of the factors above can help make a caregiver a good one. Not all humans have every single quality on this list and some don’t have the right personality. The personality of the caregiver and patient in the caring relationship needs to fit in every capacity. This is just as important as knowledge and skill. For more information on finding the best Los Angeles caregiver or general questions about senior care Los Angeles call us today at: (323) 650-2211.
Ask most elderly people and they will tell you that they are mostly afraid of losing their independence and not death as most would assume. It is easy to lose your independence when you experience health issues.
A recent medical survey showed that 62 percent of elderly people over the age of 65 have a fear of losing their independence or having to live in pain as they age. Surprisingly, only 7 percent of this same group had a fear of death.
As a result, elderly need quality care to help them so that they are not readmitted to the hospital on a frequent basis. In order to be independent and out of hospitals, many elderly receive quality senior care Los Angeles in their homes from an agency. A caregiver is there to help him with medication when needed. A relationship forms with your caregiver and you know they are always there to take care for you. To ask how you feel and make sure your home environment is safe and clean.
Most importantly, being at home makes elderly feel independent. This is very important as people continue to age. Many consider their Los Angeles caregiverto be more of his companion.
These days, there are about ten thousand Baby Boomers that reach retirement age on a daily basis. Most elderly people have a very positive view of what the future holds for them. When polled about their feelings about aging, 42 percent of this age group had a positive viewpoint when to comes to growing old. There were about 36 percent who were somewhat apprehensive.
Opting for using a Los Angeles caregiver agency will give you more options and keep your loved one feeling more independent. For more information and to get all of your caregiving questions call: (323) 650-2211.
For the last twenty years, people are living longer and are remaining healthier during the last years of their lives. Past research discovered that people usually have poor health during the last few years of their life, however, due to advancements in medicine and nutrition knowledge, people can now remain healthier into their later years. Working in the senior care Los Angeles arena for more than fifteen years we have learned some valuable insights. Here are some suggestions how to feel great and be healthier long into your latter years:
Diet. Ward off fatigue in the afternoon. Many adults have problems with fatigue during the afternoon hours. In order to avoid this, drink water and eat foods such as prunes that are filled with antioxidants. These types of foods can energize the body and jumpstart your brain.
Exercise Your Brain. Do exercises from the neck up. Finding ways to exercise the brain is very important for elderly adults. This does wonders for keeping memory loss conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia at a distance. Consider doing things like word game puzzles and memory exercises. For instance, walk around the neighborhood and look for seven blue items during your walk. Once you get home, try to remember where they were located.
Share meals. You will eat less if you dine with a partner. This is an excellent weight loss strategy. In addition, it keeps you social. This is simple for the person who lives in an elderly community setting. It would be wise for elderly adults who live alone to have more meals with their friends and family.
Experience the Unusual. Do something out of the ordinary. You tend to get brain tired when doing the same things over and over again. Change your eating habits and try something new. For instance, try eating fresh peaches instead of canned ones. Also, switch up your route when going to the grocery store.
Reduce salt. High blood pressure can decrease your cognitive function and lead to strokes. This is a condition that gets worse as you age. As you get older your sense of taste seems to change also. This makes you want to eat more salt as a result. Cut back on your salt and take up more exercises like dancing. Doing these things will help increase your cognitive function and help with your blood pressure as well.
Exercises. Start doing exercises that make you stronger and flexible. Add a few balance exercises to your lifestyle. Try doing things such as yoga, water exercises and anything that can increase your center of gravity.
There’s nothing better than being healthy in your senior years. For more information about healthy senior living contact our Los Angeles caregiving agency at: (323) 650-2211.
No matter what else you do in the process of hiring a caregiver, the most important thing to do is to trust your feelings, and go with whoever feels right. Use your intuition and don’t be afraid to trust it.
We interview hundreds of caregivers in Los Angeles each year and always give this advice to our clients. Common sense and research are always essential to make certain your Los Angeles caregiver is a good match. Once you have a candidate you like you need to use your intuition to make a choice.
Define What’s Needed in a Caregiver
There are specific skills that you need your caregiver to possess. These are must-haves in order to get to be considered. Make a list and review it with your caregiving agency and we will make additional suggestions for your consideration.
Reviewing Your List of Potential Candidates
You know what your needs are, so be ready when interviewing potential caregivers. It matters how much you like a person but you also need to sure they possess the right set of skills. The best way to be specific about your needs is to make sure all potential caregivers have a specific level of professional experience. Do not interview anyone who does not have the appropriate level of experience that meets your exact needs.
The Bottom Line – Trust Your Gut
Now that you have done your research, you now have a list of requirements so go with your gut instinct. You’re probably thinking that you should not make this type of decision just by following your gut instinct and check everything out. However, according to leading CEOs the best decisions come from following your gut. Use this to make your final decision and the results will hopefully be a success! One of the main advantages of working with a professional caregiving agency is the ability to change your caregiver if you are not satisfied. Simply call us and we can make this change for you to your complete satisfaction. For more information about choosing the perfect caregiver for you, contact our Los Angeles caregiving agency at: (323) 650-2211.
Home care in Brentwood consists of a range of services from which the elderly looking for caregiver can greatly benefit. Having been entrusted with taking good care of your elderly parent or relative, you must be considering the various options. Obviously, you want to act in their best interest and choose the best home care option.
