Adeste In-Home Care - Colorado

In-Home Care in Colorado

Putting Music Therapy Into Your Caregiver Toolbox

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Think back to your youth; what do you remember most? In many cases, your memory is attached to a song.

Music is a part of our lives. Our mother’s sing to us as tiny infants in their arms. We learn rhyming songs to help us learn common, everyday chores. If I say A-B-C-D-E-F-G, you probably start humming the rest of the song.

Why the brain and body processes music the way it does remains a mystery. We’re only starting to discover how important music is in our lives. But we do know that as long as people have been on this planet, music has been an important part of the way we live. Music allows us to storytell in an animated way. And while you may have trouble remembering everything you studied for a test the night before, chances are you can recall the words to your favorite music from decades earlier.

Maybe it’s because speech uses smaller parts of our brain than music. Scientists know that music fires off almost every part of our brain, stimulating responses from everyone who hears it. Even if you haven’t heard a song in years, you’re likely to associate it with an event in your past, triggering emotion based on that time in your life.

That’s the basis behind music therapy. In numerous clinical trials, therapists have great results when they play music to help patients with chronic conditions. Adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s show remarkable differences when introduced to music therapy, when compared to those who don’t.

Even with these chronic conditions, not all parts of the brain are impacted. The hippocampus, which controls memory and emotional impact, remains intact. When music is played, it often triggers long term memories, and can cause people that haven’t spoken in years to suddenly break out in song.

Research has also shown that making music is different than listening. Actively taking part in a song activates even more in the brain, and helps with balance and movement in cognitive and limbic areas. That’s why music therapy often starts with listening to old, familiar tunes, but quickly moves into production to get the body involved.

While music therapy isn’t a miracle cure, it can be good for both the caregiver and the one they’re caring for. Instead of witnessing loss after loss, they can suddenly experience something that brings their loved one joy. They can possibly sing or even dance together, helping them remember the good times once again.

Have you ever tried music therapy?

Why Caregivers Should Evaluate Mental Health Too

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We often notice the little changes in our loved ones first. A dent on a car. Laundry piling up. Bills left unpaid. A change in routine.

And as caregivers, we step in to get things done. We become fixers. We work to ensure our loved ones receive the care that they need.

But what we often overlook is their mental health.

As changes occur as people age, they may gradually accept help from their loved ones. They may internalize the changes without letting on how they feel. And that can come out in the form of depression.

A report put out by the Center for Disease Control has stated that 20 percent of Americans over the age of 55 will experience a mental health issue. That includes anxiety, depression, or other serious cognitive impairments.

It’s often difficult to recognize the signs. If your loved one is already experiencing complications from chronic conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s how do you recognize mental health issues above and beyond? That’s why it’s often misdiagnosed and left untreated even when seeing medical professionals on a regular basis.

If an older person expresses feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, has changes in appetite or sleep patterns, or frequently complains of aches and pains that don’t improve with treatment, it could be a sign of something more.

There are two ways to deal with this as a caregiver.

First, recognize changes in your loved one. If you notice mood swings and radical changes in behavior, bring it up at your loved one’s next medical visit. Medication management may be required to get dosages where it helps their outlook on life.

Second, work to improve quality of life. What brings joy into your lives? What little things can you do to have impact? What brought joy into their lives in the past? It’s the little things that matter most. And even small activities can have major impact on their health.

Happiness doesn’t have to go away just because we have chronic conditions or push age limits. No matter how old we get, we can appreciate everything we have, every day of our lives.

If you suspect your loved one might need help with mental health too, step in and find the help you need.

Is Your In Home Caregiver Making These Mistakes?

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Caregiving isn’t an exact science. Likewise, in home caregiving services aren’t all the same.

If you’re weighing your options, it’s important to remember that every caregiver takes their own approach. The critical part of the process is to keep communication lines open both with your caregiver and with the in home caregiving staff.

We find the mistakes people complain about the most can usually be cleared up with a quick conversation.

Multiple Caregiver Confusion

If you use round the clock care, you’ll have several caregivers providing for your loved one’s needs. Each caregiver will have their own approach, and it’s natural to prefer one over the other. The key is ensuring they all provide what’s needed the most in a way you desire. How will you keep all caregivers on target with needs? Who will be the point person for ensuring everything is completed according to the client’s needs and desires? When in doubt, ask. And find a solution both you and your caregiving service can adhere to.

Punctuality

Occasional lateness is human – we all get stuck in traffic once in a while. But continual tardiness can be an inconvenience and have a huge impact on caregiving needs. Instead of silently fuming, address lateness the moment it happens. You can get a pretty good feel for punctuality after a few days. If it appears to be a problem, discuss your concerns with the staff.

Inconsistent Care

We know a lot of caregivers haven’t received the same levels of training. Some in home caregiving services are merely looking for an individual they can send out on a job. Other services spend the time prequalifying potential caregivers using many different criteria. How is the service you’re considering evaluating their caregivers? Do they update their skills? Do they require further training? It’s okay to ask what skill sets a caregiver has, and how they approach further advancement.

Cultural Differences

We all have certain ways of saying things, and different standards for cooking our meals. It’s a family thing. It’s a cultural thing. And sometimes caregivers do things their way – it’s what they’re used to. Staying silent only exacerbates the situation. If you have needs and desires, voice them from the beginning.

In home caregiving is more than just caregiving; it’s the start of an intimate relationship. And like any relationship, good communication is mandatory.

Are you thinking about using in home caregiving for your loved one? The best place to start is with a complimentary consultation.

What If You Care Too Much?

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Feeling tired physically and emotionally? Facing burnout but struggling with the knowledge you can’t? Can’t quite put a finger on why you feel the way you do? You might have compassion fatigue.

Compassion fatigue is described as having physical and emotional exhaustion mixed with extreme decreases in your ability to empathize with the one you are caring for. It’s a form of traumatic stress, resulting in the build up of stress through helping or wanting to help those in need.

Compassion fatigue is often referred to as burnout. But they aren’t the same things. Burnout happens over time. Compassion fatigue is less predictable and comes on suddenly without warning. How do you know if it’s happening to you?

First, get educated

Caregiving is as much an education for you as it is for the one you’re caring for. The most common signs of compassion fatigue include: [Read more…]

How Much Do Your Feet Reveal About Your Health?

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How do you know if you have a health problem? It turns out, your feet might alert you to many of your problems.

Have you ever noticed dry, flaky feet? Tried everything to stop the peeling; even moisturizer won’t work? It might be a thyroid problem. When your thyroid stops working, it doesn’t produce the correct amount of hormones your body needs. This affects many things in your body, including tissue growth, blood pressure, and your nervous system development. If your dry skin has settled in around your feet, or if it’s worsened with cracks that won’t heal, it’s time for your doctor to check your thyroid and ensure it’s working properly.

Have your toes suddenly gone bald? It could signal poor blood circulation. Peripheral arterial disease – or PAD – is a buildup of plaque in the system. Its signs include thin or shiny toes, a decrease in hair on and around your feet and ankles.

Do you suddenly have numbness in your foot? It’s usually a sign of low blood flow. You’ve probably experienced this from time to time; it happens if you sit at a weird angle or sat in a position for too long. We often say our foot has gone to sleep. But if it happens regularly, don’t ignore it. It can be a sign of peripheral neuropathy that’s related to type 2 diabetes. [Read more…]

How Smart Homes Can Help Caregivers

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We live in a world filled with new technology. And some of it offers exciting opportunities to help you out with your day to day chores. Want a quick way to add to your grocery list? There’s an app for that. Want to keep up with family and friends? There’s an app for that too.

If you provide care for a loved one, there are many ways technology can lend a helping hand. Even if you can’t physically be present in their home, technology can give you the next best thing.

How about home security video monitoring?

Companies are rushing to market each day with a wide variety of options. In most cases, you can find small, inexpensive cameras that will allow you to easily connect up with your loved one no matter where you are. But before you start, ask one simple question.

Is the person you are caring for willing to be watched? [Read more…]

Caregiving Now: When You Don’t Bring The Same Person Home

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Sometimes caregiving brings up all kinds of eye-openers you never expected. Not all of them are easy to take.

When a loved one goes into the hospital, whether for a routine procedure you planned for, or an unexpected visit because of an emergency, you’ll never get the same person in return. The same dynamics no longer exist.

John went in for routine work on his knee. But the rehabilitation took longer than expected. Bouncing back in recovery was a long, drawn out process. Mary was exhausted from the experience of running to the rehab center each day. She couldn’t wait for John to return home. But once he did, she found it was even more challenging. John wasn’t the same as before he checked in.

John was in more pain. Their days were spent dealing with the after effects. More time was spent on personal care; less time on communicating about the things they loved to do together. Their daily walks were out of the question. And all of that began adding to the stress of their relationship.

As a caregiver, the entire process is difficult to take. Change can come so quickly, you barely have time to react. Planning is out of the question. What can you do? [Read more…]

Resolutions You Can Keep As A Caregiver

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This is the time of year people all over the world set new goals and intentions. The gyms are more crowded. You’ll find people ordering more salads than burgers.

And in just a couple of weeks, things will settle down. The goal list will be long forgotten as “life” kicks in and we all fall back to our normal patterns. One study shows that while as many as 41 percent of us make resolutions every year, less than 10 percent of those people feel they were successful in achieving those resolutions.

As a caregiver, you may be tempted to forgo a resolution list this year. Caregiving is a day by day experience in the best of times; why set yourself up for failure by trying to make resolutions come true. That might not be such a good idea. Caregivers face the highest health and mental related problems because of the stress. Putting YOU at the top of the list is more important than ever at this stage of your life.

If you haven’t written out your resolution list for the year, pick up a pen and start writing. Changing the focus may give you just the motivation you need to be healthier, be a better caregiver, and be a happier person. [Read more…]

5 Tips For Living A More Balanced Sandwiched Caregiving Life

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If you look up the definition of “sandwich generation,” you’ll find it is traditionally defined as someone caring for a living parent and a child under the age of 18. Hence, you are sandwiched together in your caregiving responsibilities, ensuring the care and safety for two very different people with two very distinct needs.

In reality, if this sounds like you, your “sandwich” is probably a lot “thicker” than what you care to admit. Maybe you are caring for both of your parents. Or your parents and your in-laws. Maybe you still have grandparents alive and in need of a little TLC. Maybe you have two or three kids going in all different ways. Maybe your job requires 110 percent, including overtime. And your spouse? Yep, they need a little attention too.

And unfortunately, something has to give. You simply can’t keep up with it all. What can you do?

Reprioritize

Ever laugh at New Year’s resolutions, wishing you could set a few priorities once a year and work on them all year through? Do you update your to-do list weekly with demands changing all the time? That’s the reality of many in a sandwich situation. Certain items require more commitment at certain times. And sometimes it’s a battle between which priority you work on first. Realize your priority list will never be completely checked off. You’ll never fit everything in. That means focusing in on doing only the things that are most important. That means letting many things go that don’t fit that bill. [Read more…]

Creating Your Holiday Caregivers Checklist

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Are you heading home for the holidays? Nervous about what you’ll find has changed with mom and dad?

We hear that a lot. Sometimes it’s difficult noticing a change in your parent’s’ behavior when you’re with them every day. But if you live too far away to visit more than once or twice per year, the differences can be striking.

How should you assess the changes? What should you do with the results? And where do you go from here?

 

Luckily, we have the answers. We talk with people in your shoes every year, and help them through this life-changing transition.

What should you do? As you spend time together this holiday season, use this checklist to assess your loved one: [Read more…]