Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

Caring for an aging parent who currently lives in their household is difficult. That is never more true than when the parent has serious health issues that need continuous care. Regardless of what age a person is, it is not easy to give up self-sufficiency. That is why it is hard for children to talk to their aging parents about home care services. It is crucial to find ways to take a look at care services with parents in a mild tone that does not feel intimidating to them.

Feeling guilty- Children find it hard to come to parents about caregiver stress they have been going through since taking on the project. Children often feel ashamed over pondering care for their parents because their parents raised them and the children feel as though they are letting their parents down if they need to bring in home care. The option for these cases may be to employ respite care to come to the home and assist for the short term. This will help test the waters to see how the parent does respond to having in-home care. The parent may voluntarily approve the offer of respite care to support in routine elder care. This can instantly rid the children of a guilty feeling that is not necessary in the first place.

Dealing with it Head-On- Beating around the bush when intending to talk to an elderly parent about elder care will conclude in not conversing about it at all. Have all the important information necessary to describe to the parent what is necessary and all the points that it is a useful strategy to hire elder care. The facts gathered should include costs as well as possible options to cover the costs if insurance does not cover it. A number of elderly people are on a fixed income and that is an issue that children should consider before communicating with their parents about respite care. Be easy but forthright when working with the subject.

Truth- The Authenticity of a parent that needs an in-home caregiver is important to stress during the dialogue. Parents should be told that the children work full-time professions, have kids to care for or everything else that raises caregiver stress levels. Stress results in bad communication skills and ultimately resentment and bitterness over having to take on the extra obligation of caring for an elderly parent. When children take on the obligation of caring for an ill parent, the rapport often suffers greatly because of the stress related problems.

Fears- Be open and truthful with the elderly parent when he or she has issues. The fears might seem like complaints or excuses, but they are real worries that the parent is feeling and should be addressed rather quickly. Two of the main worries the parent might have are cost and having someone in the home who is a stranger. Do not make pledges that cannot be sustained, but offer suggestions gained by talking to a specialist about it.

Adult children who are looking after of their elderly parents learn early on that it is a daunting process at best. There are duties involved in caring for an elderly parent that are very hard to handle. Children and parents shouldhelp each other when they can. There is a time to realize that an in-home caregiver is the best remedy. Be ready to take on the extra cost if the elderly parent cannot take care of the cost themselves. Some insurance companies will cover the cost in certain circumstances. Otherwise, arrangements have to be made financially if an in-home caregiver is the only answer.

Alzheimer’s Caregivers Caregivers in Orlando, FL at Partners in Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are a senior care agency providing Elder Care in Orlando.

Elder Care Orlando, FL: Elderly Alcohol and Substance Abuse

September 27, 2011 @ 12:09 am
posted by mandie

Alcohol and drug abuse is being labeled as a national epidemic. It is presumed that ten percent of our population in this country abuse alcohol. However, Hays, L. et al. discovered that 2.5 million older adults and twenty-one percent of older patients in hospitals have alcohol-related problems.

There are two general groups of elderly people who abuse alcohol that can be categorized into two groups: the “hardy survivors”, or those who have been engaged in alcohol abuse for many years and have reached sixty-five, and the “late onset” group, those who begin alcohol abuse later in life. The latter group began alcohol abuse due to changes in life such as separation from a family member – possibly a spouse, retirement, death of a pet or friend, health concerns and more.Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications can also cause serious problems, especially when combined with alcohol and laxatives that may cause diarrhea that can cause sodium and potassium imbalance and cause heart rhythm problems such as fibrillation. Some other drugs such as Librium and Valium have such long effectiveness in older adults, and combined with the effects of alcohol, might increase the hazard of falls and fractures.Due to their addiction and boredom, tobacco dependence is also a serious problem among those who are advanced in years. The use of nicotine early in life readies them for morbidity and mortality from this addiction. More than 400,000 people in the U.S. die each year from smoking-related illnesses. These smokers continue to make their respiratory systems more vulnerable and are more apt to die from respiratory diseases. Products to replace nicotine work quite well in this group, especially when mixed with behavioral, supportive and other therapies that are often administered by caregivers. The problem of older citizen’s substance or alcohol abuse may be difficult to detect for families, however, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment published the following list of cues that may signify an alcohol or medication–related problem in this group:• Change of Sleeping habits
• Unexplained bruises
• Sadness and depression
• Unexplained chronic pain
• Desire to stay alone most of the time
• Failure to bathe – cleanliness
• Trouble concentrating
• Not staying in touch with family or friends
• Lack of interest in usual activitiesFamily caregivers must give attention to the older family member’s life, which can be very helpful in noticing medical or social problems. Something else to consider might be to help the elderly family member get involved in activities and social interactions. Seniors’ groups that get engaged in volunteer work are ways to meet more people, find friends, companionship and self esteem.

Clinical treatment might also need to be reviewed as well as pharmacological interceding as a possible supplement to clinical treatment. Naltrexone seems to work well in the seniors as it does in other groups of alcohol-dependant patients to lessen the craving and seemingly euphoria that comes with using alcohol.

The Twelve-Step, self-help and support participation in a group should be contemplated.

Alzheimer’s Orlando Home Care counselors at Partners in Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are a senior care agency providing Elder Care in Orlando.

Elder Care Orlando FL: Engage parents in planning for old age

September 19, 2011 @ 11:25 pm
posted by mandie

It’s the age-old question: When and how do we have “the talk?”

No, not that one, but the dialogue on the other side of the lifetime spectrum, often just as difficult and delicate – the one about an aging family member’s driving abilities, housing transitions, costs of long-term care and even end-of-life instructions.

Most of us, on either side of the discussion, would rather chew on nails than delve into these subjects. Yet as more and more baby boomers step into senior citizen territory and life expectancies continue to increase, such issues loom large.

Even so, these talks don’t always have to be harrowing. While each individual, each family, each situation is different, most in the field of geriatric care agree the process is easier the earlier you start – when all parties are fully engaged – and say you should approach loved ones with respect and compassion, appreciating an individual’s need to retain independence.

read more 
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/awkward+talk+Engage+parents+planning/5143659/story.html

Alzheimer’s Orlando Home Care counselors at Partners in Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are a senior care agency providing Elder Care in Orlando.

Weathering Flu Season

December 19, 2010 @ 8:53 am
posted by hcharpentier

Arm yourself with the right stuff to combat that pesky little flu bug this year.

By Noel Alonso, MD, FAAP, After Hours Pediatrics Urgent Care

With the winter season upon us again, influenza, or “the flu”, will be back and ready to infect all in its path. The flu is still a common cause of disease in the population, particularly to the young and old, as well to those with impaired immune systems.

The flu virus is usually acquired through contact with an infected individual and presents with stuffy nose, sore throat, a hacking cough, muscle aches, headaches and high fevers. Its incubation period, from exposure to onset of symptoms, is about 24-48 hours.

For most people, the flu is no more than a bad cold, and symptoms usually improve within 4-7 days. For some, the cough may last up to 2-3 weeks. Treatment is usually geared toward improving the symptoms: for fevers, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) may be used and saline nose-drops may be given for stuffy nose.

Click here to view the complete article: http://floridacrossroadsonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55:fluseason&catid=18:online-extras&Itemid=15

Moral Support: Parent’s Bill of Rights

December 1, 2010 @ 5:15 am
posted by nickelmedia

If you feel like you need permission to be the parent you are (or want to be), today is your Independence Day.  Take these inalienable rights and let freedom ring!

By Ellen Seidman

We, the parents, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure tranquility (and sanity) and promote the general welfare of our families, do ordain and establish this Bill of Rights

For the complete article please click here:  http://floridacrossroadsonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30:moral-support-parents-bill-of-rights&catid=18:online-extras&Itemid=15

Health Care Checkup

November 30, 2010 @ 9:28 pm
posted by nickelmedia

Certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act went into effect in September. Do children with disabilities have more options?

By Christy Taylor

The Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress and signed into law in March 2010, and now portions of the Act’s “Patient’s Bill of Rights” have started to go into effect. At the top of the list are new provisions that pertain directly to children and kids with pre-existing conditions.

For the complete article click here: http://floridacrossroadsonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56:healthcarereform&catid=18:online-extras&Itemid=15