Caregivers- More Than Assistance- Senior Home Care Lake County IL

Many of us have aging parents that may be living alone. In today's society, families are often very busy with their own lives. At times, it may be difficult for families to understand how their aging parent may be feeling. Elderly people are often not encouraged to discuss their feeling, or may be reluctant to ask for emotional support or any assistance.

Today, more and more seniors are choosing to remain in their homes instead of placement in assisted living or nursing facilities. It is important then to make sure that they are still living healthy social lives. Caregivers can ensure that mom or dad still can play a vital role in the society. feeling useful and important can alliviate feelings of sadness.

Many elderly people may live alone, with no family support system whatsoever. Feeling isolated, many elderly people may become depressed. Often, even doctors may misdiagnose the signs of depression. Doctors, in my opinion should often take the time to encourage seniors to talk about their feelings as well as check their health. I feel that a doctor is the first and most important link to families in being able to notice any changes in a seniors mood or behavior. Especially if the doctor has been the primary health provider for a long time. Preventing depression should be very important to health providers when it comes to the elderly. Everybody seems more concerned with an elderly person staying physically healthy. But mental health is crucial to physical health.

A family member should take the time to speak to the doctor on behalf of their aging parent. Ask the doctor to take a few extra minutes to discuss mom or dads mental well-being and encourage them to express their feeling.

Many circumstances may play a role in an elderly person feeling depressed. Sudden loss of independence. Mobility issues. Sudden illness. On-going health issues. Worry over financial problems. Death of a spouse or isolation can all contribute to feelings of depression.

Sometimes we may just not realize or take into consideration how mom or dad may be feeling. We assume that everything is fine. Here are some signs of depression or changes to look for:

Loss of appetite

Weight loss

Loss of interest in daily activities

Loss of interest in family and friends

Loss of interest in going out

Sadness

Irritability

Increased sleeping habits

Difficulty sleeping

Poor Hygiene

Some elderly people may become depressed because they physically cannot do regular household tasks anymore and are reluctant to ask for help. Doctors should also discuss these issues with their aging adult patient and their family to help provide assistance and make life easier for their patient. Elderly people seem to listen to their doctors better than anyone else.

Providing a caregiver or assistance early on can be very important for elderly people to maintain their independence and continue to live a better quality of live. A caregiver can provide the assistance an individual may require as far as housekeeping goes. But retaining a qualified caregiver for mom or dad provides many important factors and plays a major role in an elderly persons live.

Today, caregivers are not just for assistance. A caregiver can help stimulate and keep mom or dad's mind and body to remain active. Having someone to participate in simple conversation and current events helps prevent the isolation that many elderly people feel. All of us, at any age want to feel important. We all want to know that we matter to someone. Eating alone is not as appetising as eating with someone. A caregiver can prepare nutritious meals and may sit and enjoy the meal with the elderly person. This ensures that the senior is eating healthy and eating. caregivers provide encouragement. They show an interest in the elderly persons life. Making sure that mom or dad keeps their medical appointments is an important part of a caregivers role. Caregivers are an important link between physicians, seniors and their families. They can encourage the elderly person to let their physician know how they are feeling or help explain their feelings or issues to their doctor. A caregiver provides moral support, a better sense of well-being and encouragement through any difficult times. Caregivers can help maintain mom or dads favorite interest, outings, acivities and keep them socialized. Statistics show that when assistance is provided to elderly people recuperating from a hospital stay, the rate of recuperation is quicker. The most important thing that families can do for their loved one in difficult times is to give the gift of a caregiver.

Hearts of Gold Preserving Dignity Providing Senior Home Care In Lake County Illinois

As we age, all of us reach new stages in our lives. We take on different roles. First we are children being cared for by our parents. Then we are teenagers. Learning , growing coming into our own. All of a sudden we are adults living our own lives, working, raising our own children, managing our own home life and stress. Sometimes our lives take a turn and we must reverse our roles. All of a sudden we are parents to our children as well as our parents. Life at this point becomes very challenging not only for the children but also for the aging adult. Families can manage and balance their lives and still care for mom or dad.

Allowing our parents to have choices and remain in a structured home environment of their choice instead of placement in a facility can preserve their dignity. Encouraging mom or dad to retain as much independence as possible is very important to their self-esteem and well-being. Having the time to provide choices and care can become overwhelming at times. Having control and choice over your own life is very important to the health and well-being of aging adults as well as their children.

Taking on the responsibility of care provider, feeling overwhelmed by this new stage in your life, trying to handle work, family, children and private time for yourself can remain balanced by enlisting home care assistance services. Home care services give you options and choices to help everyone retain a better quality of life. It provides and promotes dignity and independence for both families and aging adults.

Hearts of Gold Senior Home Care Lake County IL Giving You Options!

Since starting our home care business, it has been our mission to promote and provide dignity, independence, safety and the highest quality of in home care services in the Lake County Illinois area.

Fulfilling our mission means fulfilling our clients requirements and encouraging choice, independence, dignity, support, guidance and the health and well-being of all aging adults. We have the highest standards
for all our caregivers. Only the most compassionate, qualified and trained candidates are handpicked and screened to be able to provide care for our clients. Your satisfaction matters to us.

Not all home care services are the same. It is not easy to find qualified people, but that is our job. We find, interview, screen, train and manage the kind of people that we will feel comfortable with when they come into your home. The most important thing is that you are satisfied with the person providing your care. We never rotate caregivers. That means the person you choose is the same person that will be there each time you need assistance. When you enlist our agency to manage your care we follow up by in-person weekly home visits with all of our clients. Not just a phone call. We are available 24/7. You become a part of our family as well as we become a part of yours. That is what care is all about. That is why our clients keep coming back week after week. Because we earn it everyday.

Allow us the privilege to earn your loyalty. Collaborating with many organizations such as senior centers, health care providers, home health agencies, and businesses allows us to provide a more independent, better quality of life for all our clients. Clients and their families come to depend on us because of our integrity, caring and the highest quality of senior in-home care that we provide.

If you have been deciding about your options for care, or about joining the hundreds of American families and aging adults who have found independence, choices, better quality of live in the comfort of home by turning to a professional in-home care services- or if you are not satisfied with the service you are presently using- allow us the privilege to earn your loyalty and call us today! We are available for supplemental assistance services in assisted living or nursing facilities as well. The choice is yours. www.heartsofgoldhomecare.com

The Silent Issue-Alzheimer's Disease

When it comes to health care issues, policy makers need to look at a very serious issues that is affecting American families everyday. The cost and toll that providing care for a family member diagnosed with Alzheimer's/Dementia has on families across America. Having personnally experienced first hand in providing care for my father who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, I feel that policy makers are not doing enough to help families ease the burden financially for those that are care providers. Policy makers are ignoring the inevitable. We are ignoring our seniors the right to better quality care. Not every family chooses or can afford to pay for a facility to provide long term care for a parent or spouse struggling daily with Alzheimer's Disease. When children have to provide care for a parent, financially things become very difficult.

The fastest growing segment of our popualtion is over the age of 80. And as life expectancy continues to increase, the problem will only get worse. In America today there are 4.5 million American men and women diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Generally, the other spouse takes on the responsibility of providing care. The caregiver then is greatly affected in their own health and emotional well-being. With so much pressure placed upon them, they start to neglect their own needs and health. In turn the care provider can become ill as well.

In-home care, which is more cost effect than a facility, can provide families and caregivers with much needed breaks away from the stress of caregiving. To be able to regroup and have time for caring about their own health and well-being. To be able to live their own lives without the guilt because they feel overwhelmed. To alliviate stress that families feel in providing daily care. For the children providing care to their parents, being able to continue their own lives on a daily basis knowing that mom or dad is well taken care of and safe is worth everything. Not missing important things in their children's lives because becoming care provider for a parent has taken over their life. Once a person is diagnosed with this disease, he or she will spend the rest of their lives fully dependent on their families for their needs. The pressure and tension that is placed on families quickly becomes extemely difficult and overwhelming.

In trying to provide a better quality of life for their parent, families lose their own quality of life. Across America families are stuggling daily to balance their own lives, working, taking care of their own children while providing care for their parents as well. Never having their own quality time.

Families should have the choice and financial help if they choose to care for a parent at home. Policy makers need to look at this isuue and realize that more and more seniors are opting to remain at home and not be placed in a facility sometimes prematurely. Familie are realizing that they need financial assistance to provide care for their parents. In America, we should have the choice for our care. Policy makers need to address the issue that financially in-home care can be more cost effective when it comes to health care for seniors and families. Everyone deserves the best quality of care. Our parents are what made America strong. They have been our backbone. They have worked hard all their lives.
They do deserve that choice of remaining in the comfort and privacy of their own home. To be able to live in a dignified manner. To be able to age in place. But also to financially be able to alliviate the burden on their own children or spouse.

Senior Home Care- Coping With Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease is a disease of the brain that affects the memory. It is also the leading cause of dementia. Dementia may affects individuals with following directions, remembering, thinking and being able to perform daily activities. Everyone is affected differently by dementia. But the people who are most affected by the disease are the families that will have to provide the care and make the decisions for their loved one. Sometimes, the subtle changes are difficult to recognize. When trying to discuss the issue with mom or dad, they may pretend that nothing is wrong. That is why it is very important when families feel something may not be right with their loved one, to enlist the help of your doctor. An early diagnosis may provide benefits from treatments that are available today. One day mom or dad may have a loss of appetite, mood swings, difficulty in making decisions, slight forgetfulness, loss of interest in activities, loss of interest for proper hygiene, wearing the same clothes, not opening mail, confusion, personality changes and sometimes problems with communicating with others. These may be some signs that something is not right. The onset of Alzheimer's/dementia may be subtle so an early diagnosis is very important as the disease will progress.
When dealing with a loved one that has been diagnosed with this disease, try to allow them to be as independent for as long as possible. Provide a safe, quiet environment. Communicate with the individual as an adult, not as a child. Set up a daily routine so that your loved one will know what to expect. Do not allow too many choices to prevent more confusion. Always be patient. Allow them their dignity at all times. Always praise the individual for the things they can do. Be patient. Since changes or new places often confuse the person more, so try to minimize any changes in their routine or activities. Allow them the benefit of the doubt and let them try to do things on their own, and always offer praise for a job well done. When undesired behavior may occur, redirect the behavior promptly by changing the conversation, or tone. Controlling the behavior may be worse than redirecting it. Play soft music. Offer a snack. Suggest an activity, reminisce. By gently distracting the individual the behavior may stop. Since people feed off of each other, individuals with Alzheimer's/Dementia may be more sensitive to the stress and anxiety that they see you may be feeling. So always try to be patient and loving when dealing with the individual. When speaking use a mild voice and always make sure you are speaking directly to the person. If possible, allow your loved one be stay involved in daily activities like folding laundry, helping you prepare meals if possible, engaging them in conversation about things they like, making cookies, gardening, doing simple crafts. Give direction and encouragement. This will make your loved one feel useful. Always match the activity to their interest and ability. Allow them the time to perform the activity at their own pace, and always offer praise for what they still can accomplish. Being a care provider for an individual with Dementia is emotionally and physically draining and overwhelming. Especially when the care provider may have their own children, or job. This can compound the daily responsibilities and stress of everyday life. Care providers need to take care of themselves at all times. First, understand the disease. Contact your local Alzheimer's Association. Try to join a support group. Eat healthy meals. Get enough rest. Take time out for you and the things you enjoy. Do not feel guilty and let other family members know when you are feeling overwhelmed. Enlist a schedule with family members for care options, so that you are able to get that much needed break. Taking care of yourself will allow you to take better care of your loved one. Remember, your life is just as important. Don't loose your spirit. Your emotional well-being is just as important as your loved one's. Take it one day at a time. If you or someone you know may be in need of respite or any assistance providing in-home care for a loved one please feel free to visit us at http://www.heartsofgoldhomecare.com/