Solutions for Seniors

Chealsea here with solutions for seniors podcast.

Before I get started toady I would like to thank Home Helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for seniors podcast. If you or your loved one lives in the Kankakee or will county area call Home Helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com

This week I’m going to be talking about how to spot functional decline in our aging loved ones. Functional decline is the decrease in physical and/or cognitive functioning and occurs when our aging loved one is unable to engage in activities of daily living. ADL’s or activities of daily living is a term used to collectively describe fundamental skills that are required to independently care for themselves such as eating, bathing and mobility.

After a certain age, some level of decline should be expected year after year. In your forties and fifties, this decline is gradual. It happens slowly, and while it can affect our physical and mental performance, most are still able to live their lives comfortably. But in our sixties and beyond, decline begins to speed up and can become a little more noticeable. Eventually, our aging loved ones can reach a point of functional decline, where care is required for our aging loved one to live comfortably and safely.

Unfortunately, it can be hard to spot functional decline. While decline accelerates in seniors, it still happens gradually enough that functional decline can go unnoticed. As a result, our aging loved ones who require elderly care in some form — either from family caregivers, in-home elderly care professionals, or facility living — end up without the support they need. How to Notice Signs of Functional Decline in Seniors.

To determine whether or not your aging loved one may need elderly care or another senior service, you need to know the signs of functional decline. Keep in mind that functional decline relates to physical and cognitive function, so you need to be aware of the signs of decline for both.

To help prevent this from happening, family members should be making a conscious effort to monitor their aging loved ones and track changes in their functional abilities. How to Notice Signs of Functional Decline in Seniors
One strategy is to take stock of the things your loved one has difficulty with over the course of a typical week or month. You can do this mentally, or you might consider taking private notes. This will allow you to compare how your loved one is functioning now compared to the past. Gradual changes become much more visible if you can compare how well they’re doing now to six months or a year ago.

Should you determine that your loved one is suffering from functional decline, you may wish to explore what extra care they will be needing now and in the future as their function declines. Finding recourse in your loved one’s budget and community can seem overwhelming but I’ll be posting a podcast here soon to help navigate through that.

Thank you so much for joining me this week. I hope this episode has helped you know what signs to watch for in your aging loved ones.

Again, I would like to thank home helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for senior’s podcast. If you are your loved one are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee
Join me next week for another episode on a common challenge we face while helping our aging loved ones. Stay safe and well.

Hello, Chealsea here With Solutions for senior’s podcast.

Before I get started today, I would like to thank Home Helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for seniors podcast. If you or your loved one are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee

What’s normal memory loss? We’ve all had it happen – forgetting someone’s name or not being able to find the right word at the right time. Maybe you’ve missed an appointment or misplace the TV remote. Some memory loss is only natural with age, but the question is often asked – is this just normal aging, or is it the start of something much bigger? Is it Normal Memory Loss or Dementia?
While minor memory loss is common with aging, it is not inevitable. Dementia, on the other hand, is generally a progressive condition originating in a specific disease or neurological disorder. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia.

So, when should we start to be concerned?

· Are they having trouble handling multi-stepped or ongoing tasks?

· Forgetfulness interferes with their daily life.

· They can’t seem to find the right words.

· They experience problems retracing their steps.

· They lose their sense of place and time.

It’s also important to listen to those closest to your aging loved one if they voice concerns about forgetfulness or mention that your aging loved one has asked the same question repeatedly. Is it Normal Memory Loss or Dementia?

Can you do anything about it?

1. Collect detailed information.

2. Encourage your aging loved one to keep track of changes in their communication, daily functions and memories.

3. If your aging loved one can accept the diagnosis or is aware of the dementia symptoms, be honest and supportive.

4. Start small.
5. Tell your aging loved one that you are on their team and that you want what is best for them.

Thank you so much for joining me this week. I hope this episode has helped you feel comfortable talking to your aging loved one if you notice any memory decline in your aging loved one.

Again, I would like to thank home helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for senior’s podcast. If you are your loved one are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee

Join me next week for another episode on a common challenge we face while helping our aging loved ones. Stay safe and well.

Chealsea here with Solutions for Senior

Before we get started today, I would like that thank Home Helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring Solutions for senior’s podcast. If you or your loved one live in the Kankakee or will county area call Home Helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/Kankakee

Hi everyone, on todays episode I’m going to be talking about way to help our loved ones with dementia feel connected to the holidays. The holidays can be a wonderful magical time of year but it can also be stressful and lonely for some. With the hustle and bustle of holiday gatherings, family members with dementia can easily slip to the sidelines. This may have us feeling disconnected with our loved one but most importantly this can make our loved one feel disoriented and disconnected. When our loved ones have those feelings can potentially cause our loved ones to have a behavior or even disconnect further.

While all family is visiting remember to remind everyone to resist the urge to correct our loved one with dementia. Correcting them offers no positive effect; run with what they are saying, that will create a meaning conversation for our loved one. In a conversation, the connection is what’s important, rather than the exact content of what’s being said. Having photos can provide amazing opportunities to facilitate a meaningful conversation. Photos can spark emotions and feelings associated with the particular point in our loved ones life. You can structure some conversations around an old family photo, rather than asking a specific question. Questions like ‘ What year was this taken?, Do you know where is photo was taken?’ Can confusing our loved one can they can get overwhelmed. Rather make observation about the photo such as, ‘ wow, I really like how the sun was shining that day or’ You always loved this photo.’ You can always aid your loved one by labeling the pictures with names of people, the place and the year.

We can always have our loved one help with food preparation. The kitchen can be a great place to enable our loved ones with dementia to take part in holiday preparations, helping them feel important and purposeful. Different foods and smells can also be very therapeutic, in addition to providing a nice positive memory trigger. Giving our loved one something simple to do – like, stirring provides a good range-of-motion activity. Having equipment ready and measure recipe ingredients in advance when cooking with our loved one can set you and your loved one up for success!

Music can have a way of magically connecting families. Watch a seasonal movie that’s part of your tradition and enjoy it as a family. Grab a blanket, get everyone comfortable, and watch the movie together.
We need to make sure our loved one has enough to eat and drink. Our loved one with dementia who is hungry might become agitated or emotional. If you’re in a new place or your loved one is having a hard time remembering because they haven’t been there in a while monitor for non-verbal signs that your loved one is having a hard time finding the restroom and consider pointing out where the bathroom is or placing a sign on the outside of the door.

During all of the holiday hustle and bustle don’t forget to take care of yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Enlist family to help weather it’s with the cooking or taking care of our loved one. If everyone is running on empty cups, then try making the holidays simpler by ordering a meal that’s already prepared. You can order the whole meal, or you can order the main parts of the meal and only have to worry about the smaller sides. Through it all don’t forget how special the holidays are and enjoy them.

Hello, Chealsea here With Solutions for senior’s podcast.

Before I get started today, I would like to thank Home Helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for seniors podcast. If you or your loved one are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-01-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee

Spring is here and what better thing to do then to spring clean and declutter! Aging loved ones in our lives might not nowhere to start when it comes to decluttering or they may not have the energy too tackle such a project alone. Now this might feel just as overwhelming for you, going into a house that is not yours and cleaning and decluttering. I’m here to help! After today’s episode you’ll feel motivated and confident in helping your loved clean and declutter.
Falls are a leading cause of injury-related deaths among Americans who are over the age of 65, and a disorganized home that is filled to the brim with excess stuff can increase the risk of such accidents.

If the aging loved one in your life who needs help with organizing and decluttering, you may be unsure of where to start. After all, asking someone to simply throw away a lifetime worth of treasured memories and prized possessions is both unfair and impossible. Good news, though, is that there are plenty of less drastic measures that can be taken to help our aging loved one organize and declutter their homes.

Tackle the Living Room First

Consider What to Do with Excess Furniture

Install Storage Solutions

Take Care of Cables

Create a System for Dealing with Mail

Clean Out Medicine Cabinets Regularly

All and all

When it comes to helping your aging loved one organize and declutter, their safety should always be the primary concern. Clutter poses a serious tripping hazard, and it can make it difficult for people with mobility issues to navigate their homes. Decluttering can be difficult, but, by starting with items that don’t hold a lot of sentimental value, you can help them downsize and clear out the excess.

Helping them organize is important, too, as it ensures that they know where everything is when they need it. From keeping daily medications close at hand to coming up with a system for dealing with the mail, taking small steps to improve organization can make a big impact in our aging loved one life.

With patience and understanding, you can make it easier for your aging loved one to remain in their own home as they age. Follow the tips talked about today. Listen to what the person you are helping has to say. They may have some good ideas to help and going down memory lane will mean a lot to them.

Thank you so much for joining me this week. I hope this episode has helped you feel confident and ready to help your aging loved one clean and declutter their home!

Again, I would like to thank home helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for senior’s podcast. If you are your loved one are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee

Join me next week for another episode on a common challenge we face while helping our aging loved ones. Stay safe and well.

Article By Halle Summers

Hello, Chealsea here With Solutions for senior’s podcast.

Before I get started today, I would like to thank Home Helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for seniors podcast. If you or your loved one are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee

The last couple weeks I’ve been talking about how to help your aging loved ones decide where to live weather they are able to age in place or move to a care facility. But for many seniors they are unable to age in place, they don’t have family to live with and they can’t afford to move into a care facility. What options do our loved ones have then?

For many seniors, they survive on Social Security from month to month. Their retirement years are challenging and enjoying the golden years and living comfortably is only a dream for them. And once they retire, they struggle. They are in survival mode.

When seeking care on the limited income of Social Security, there are a few options available for the personal help for our aging loved one or for additional income to pay for care. Here are a few ways we can help our aging loved ones to make that happen.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Medicaid

Medicaid Waivers Program

If your aging loved one can still live independently here are some option to help them look into

There are many affordable housing options available for low-income older adults, through both the government and the private market, and “affordable” doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality or a great lifestyle. By making the move to an affordable senior housing community, your aging loved one can build new friendships, enjoy the activities they love every day and stay in a community they can call home.

Here are six types of affordable senior housing options available to low-income older adults on a fixed budget.

Co-Op Housing

Public Housing

Virtual Retirement Communities

Housing Choice Voucher Program

Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)

Thank you so much for joining me this week. I hope this episode has helped you and your aging loved one find care on a fixed income.

Again, I would like to thank home helpers of Bourbonnais for sponsoring solutions for senior’s podcast. If you are your loved one are in the Kankakee or will county area call home helpers at 815-401-5527 for all your home care needs. You can also visit their website at www.homehelpershomecare.com/kankakee

Join me next week for another episode on a coming challenge we all face while helping out aging loved ones. Stay safe and well.