Long Term Care | Adeste In-Home Care - Colorado

Caregiving Innovation – What Our Future Looks Like

January 26, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Caregiving Innovation

Want to know what caregiving looks like here in America? According to a AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving study, there are nearly 40 million unpaid caregivers across the US providing care for loved one who are elderly, disabled, or otherwise in need of assistance. A quarter of them are millennials, and half of them are under the age of 50.

This is an issue that touches all of our lives in some way. Whether you personally are in a caregiving role, or are impacted by friends and co-workers around you, caregiving is no longer a small issue we can ignore. And in fact, its one that growing all the time.

By 2020, it’s predicted that 117 million Americans will be in need of some kind of caregiving skill, yet the overall number of unpaid caregivers will only reach 45 million. With that variance, we’ll need a variety of resources and tools to make up the difference. And we’ll be looking for new technologies to bring help in many different areas of our lives.

The Daily Essentials

As a society, we’ll continue to need the most help in the way we live our daily lives. Food preparation, personal care, home repair, delivery options, transportation services, even day to day contact are all a part of helping keep us active and well. And when the person you are caring for requires extended help, it cuts into your daily routine as well. Any service that can add more time to your day can be a welcome relief. An extra set of hands to help get the chores done should always be at the top of your list. In home caregiving skills will top the list in many aspects. [Read more…]

What To Expect When Hiring an In Home Caregiver For The First Time

November 10, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

An estimated 12 million people currently receive long term care on some level, with over 8 million of them receiving support from an outside source. And while many of them are elderly – 67 percent are over the age of 65 – there are varying degrees of disabilities that impact all age groups and require a certain level of care throughout the day.

When faced with a caregiving role, most families start by providing for needs as a family. A spouse usually steps in and helps their spouse; siblings usually step in to help a parent.

But that level of care can only go so far. Caregiving 24/7 week after week, month after month, year after year can take its toll. And it’s why more people are turning to in home caregiving as a way to supplement care and help the entire family manage care effectively.

Select An In Home Caregiving Provider You Can Trust

An in home caregiver will not only have access to your home, but also have daily contact with the person you love. You should find a company you trust and feel comfortable with from the very beginning. [Read more…]

5 Reasons Why The Elderly Need An Advocate In The Hospital

October 20, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

If you are caring for a parent or a loved one, you know that every day brings on something new. And in most cases, somewhere along the way will be a hospital and/or rehab center visit. While those moments can be stressful to you, they can also be the point of major set backs for your loved one.

Hospitals and rehab centers are efficient machines. They do the same things over and over again. But in many cases the “machine” gets a little to routine, and the personnel overlook the basics that may cost your loved one a lot.

Being there 24/7 while your loved one transitions through is often not possible. And when you’re not there, that’s when your loved one is most vulnerable.

They don’t have to be alone. That’s where in-home caregiving can help.

When you hire an in-home caregiver for your parent or loved one, their goal is to make sure they receive optimal care. That may be in their home, it may be a trip to the doctor, or it may be a several week stay at a rehab center. They are the eyes, ears and voice of your loved one when they need it most.

Imagine your father spending a few weeks in rehab, attempting to get stronger to return to his home. You check in before work in the morning, spend an hour or two at night before heading home to your own family and responsibilities. That leaves your father vulnerable more than 20 hours of the day. What if a new assistant misreads his chart and gives him the wrong medication? What if he doesn’t get the right therapies because the proper instructions didn’t make it from the hospital to the rehab center? Because you are there such a short time frame, it may take you days to find the problem. Which can cost your father a lot in time, money and energy.

That’s how an in-home caregiver benefits you the most. They benefit you in a variety of ways, and as an extra set of hands when you’re in a challenging situation like rehab, it can truly be a lifesaver.

1. To be there when you’re not

The biggest benefit to having an in-home caregiver as your loved one’s advocate is they can be there, representing you, when you can’t. Because their sole responsibility is the care of your loved one, they will make sure they are receiving the right treatment at all times. [Read more…]

Hidden Costs Of Caregiving

October 6, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Caregiving isn’t a new endeavor; we’ve been providing care for each other since the beginning of time. What is changing is the impact it has on our society.

As our population continues to age, more time is being devoted to caring for the older generation. Most older persons with long term care needs rely exclusively on family and friends for support. All of which the estimated value is in the neighborhood of $188 billion a year.

In most circumstances the caregiving role falls to a family member or friend because they believe it is the most affordable method of caregiving. After all, hiring a caregiver or placing a loved one in assisted living or a nursing home can be quite expensive. So the do it yourself option must be more affordable.

From a payout perspective this may be true. But there are many hidden costs of caregiving that a family should consider before finalizing their approach to caring for a loved one long term.

Lost Wages

Family caregivers often take on the responsibility of caregiving at the cost of their jobs. Many will quit to provide full time care. More will reduce their hours or ignore promotion potential. Even more will retire early, no matter what the overall cost truly is. And while it may seem like the best opportunity in the present, just a few years down the road can show the impact. Women who are family caregivers are 2.5 times more likely than non-caregivers to live in poverty and five times more likely to receive government assistance. And this will continue to impact a person as they age and require caregiving and assistance of their own. [Read more…]

Normal Aging vs Dementia, What’s The Difference?

September 8, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

We all have those moments where we begin questioning our memory. It usually starts with simple things like asking yourself where you put your keys. You may forget the name of a friend – it’s on the tip of your tongue, but you can’t quite remember the name.

But how do you know when it becomes something more? When should you start to worry?

Dementia is not normal aging. Instead, dementia is characterized by multiple cognitive failures, including memory impairments. They include:

Functioning problems
Language problems
Short term or working memory
Spatial memory
Verbal memory

In general, there are usually multiple impairments, both socially and independently, that cause a diagnosis of dementia to occur. Symptoms vary from person to person, but in general will include: [Read more…]

7 Tips To Help Prevent Wandering

June 2, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Caregiving is stressful. But if you are a caregiver for a loved one with cognitive problems, the stress can increase tenfold. Creaking boards in the middle of the night can have you jumping out of bed in worry about where your loved one is. A simple outing to the mall can cause instant fear if you lose sight for even a moment. And when you aren’t home to keep constant watch over your loved one, your mind is always wondering if your loved one is safe and secure.

Wandering is associated with many conditions, including dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, strokes, head injuries, and autism. Even as a caregiver, it’s impossible to watch over someone 24 hours of the day. But by following a few simple tips, you can boost the safety of your home and feel a lot more confident about how your loved one lives on a day to day basis.

Secure the home

The first place to start is by creating a secure environment at home. Start with the locks. Install locks on all doors and windows that are more difficult to open. You can also install a good security system with motion detectors that will alert you whenever a door or window is opened.

Put up a fence

Think of it as a second layer of protection. A fence with a secure gate can allow a loved one to be outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air while giving you a little bit of freedom to relax.

Make sure your loved one always has ID

There are many ways to carry an ID. A wallet is a good place to start, but wallets aren’t connected, and therefore will often be left at home. Invest in medical jewelry that can be worn 24 hours a day. You can also sew identification in jackets. Or consider temporary tattoos; you’ll find kits available that help you include pertinent information in a place readily available in case of an emergency.

Use tracking devices

With today’s technology, you can easily find a variety of services available that will allow you to track your loved ones movements. Most tracking devices come in bracelet or necklace format. Some are short range and designed to give a caregiver monitoring help at home. Others are service based and can track your loved ones movement no matter where they go.

Build a strong community

While your busy lifestyle may have prevented you for socializing with your neighbors in the past, use this as a way to meet your neighbors. Introduce your loved one to people in the community so they can recognize his face. Then tell them he is prone to wandering, and if they see him by himself, reach out and connect with you to get him home safely. People often don’t act unless they are emotionally involved. This is a great way to give people a reason to care.

Increase daily activity

Wandering can sometimes be caused by excessive energy. Is your loved one getting enough exercise in the day? Are they stimulated with many different types of activities? Wandering may also occur at night when a loved one hears strange sounds, or wants a snack or a glass of water. If you see patterns, solve the problem by ensuring he has everything he needs within reach. A glass of water on the bedside table may be the answer.

Provide direction

Sometimes a simple sign can motivate your loved one in the right direction. Consider putting signs on the places your loved one frequents – the bedroom, the bathroom. Place Do Not Enter signs on the outside doors. Simple deterrents often work the best.

Every person presents a unique situation; no two persons will ever respond in exactly the same way. The key is looking for patterns and finding creative ways to eliminate the problem before it begins. If you would like other help to make caregiving less stressful in your daily life, give us a call.

How To Live With and Care For Someone With An Invisible Disease

March 24, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Its easy to see when people are living with a visible disability. A wheelchair, a walker, a cane, they are all signs that a person is living with a particular challenge. We accept it and we offer help with things like handicapped parking spaces, or automatic doors to make entry easier.

Then there are invisible diseases that make disabilities not so apparent.

For people with Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, symptoms change on a daily basis, and can even change throughout the day. Symptoms that appear in the morning may change or even be gone by the afternoon. What allowed you to be active in the afternoon may be completely gone and draining by the evening.

While living with a visible disability has its own stereotypes and often leads to living with negative stigma, invisible diseases often come with a much higher cost. Because they don’t come with visible signs of a problem, its often more difficult to get access to services that can make your life easier. If you don’t have a visible sign of what ails you, many will accuse those who suffer of simply vying for special treatment.

With Parkinson’s for instance, accessibility can become an issue. A handicapped parking permit can put you closer to the action, and allow you to participate more fully in an activity rather than draining your energy by walking in. Yet without a physical ailment, the dirty looks can being and even questions can follow on whether you really need to park in a spot meant for people with visible problems.

Living with an invisible disease is hard; caring for someone with an invisible disease can be equally difficult. As a caregiver, finding resources to make life easier and more comfortable is often the best use of your time. Here are a few tips to help you move forward. [Read more…]

How To Get The Best Care For Rheumatoid Arthritis

October 14, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Rheumatoid arthritis can bring you to your knees, making even the simplest of tasks excruciatingly difficult. It can leave your feet painfully swollen, your joints to painful to perform daily routines, and leave you with fatigue and exhaustion unlike anything you’ve experienced before.

While any one of these symptoms can leave a person with zero motivation to move forward, that is the very thing to do to take control. People who are on top of their care tend to do better overall.

Start A Journal

Even with regular care, you won’t visit your doctor more than a few times a year. And its difficult remembering every detail when you’re sitting in his office. To remember the details, start a journal and record your daily activity. Things like morning stiffness, your pain level, how inflamed your joints are, can all show patterns in your care. Also record symptoms that occur periodically, such as when medication causes a side effect such as an upset stomach. If you can’t afford the medication and take it on an irregular basis, a doctor can put you in touch with resources that can help reduce your out of pocket costs.

Describe Pain Through Details

Pain is one of the most difficult things to describe because its subjective. When talking with your doctor about pain, try and describe it in ways that he or she can understand. Talk about your limitations, or when you notice pain more than at other times. For instance, things might be more painful in the morning, or you may have trouble holding small items such as a pencil. Quantifying the details can help pinpoint the problem. [Read more…]

What You Need To Know About Long Term Care

October 7, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Its Long Term Care Planning Month, and as we believe its important to keep you fully aware of the resources around you as a caregiver, we wanted to take the time to educate you on the benefits of Long Term Care.

Long Term Care. Its one of those concepts that we hear about, maybe even think about from a general sense, but always tend to push it aside until “later”. The problem with “later” is its usually too late. By the time you need long term care, you are already in crisis mode and its hard to make a well-informed decision that’s right for your family situation.

Right now, studies show that here in Colorado in 2014, the average one bedroom assisted living facility costs $39,750 a year. Need more services? A semi-private room in a nursing home costs $79,205, with a private room topping out the list at $91,980 a year.

Yes, those prices can be quite shocking if you’ve never thought about it before. Which is why many people turn to family caregiving for as long as possible. It is a great option for as long as possible. But even as a family caregiver, you’ll need support from outside resources. And that costs money.

Enter long term care. [Read more…]

How To Overcome The Four Biggest Fears We Have With End Of Life Issues

September 9, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

How To Overcome The Four Biggest Fears We Have With End Of Life Issues

Chances are you’ve had many opportunities at starting the conversation for end of life care … you just didn’t know how to proceed. Because each of us finds ourselves in a position of thinking about our wishes and expectations, we just never have the opportunity to voice them to the people that really matter.

Kids and parents always remain in the kid/parent roles. We don’t like to talk about the uncomfortable topics. But these are the people you trust the most, these are the people you should start a conversation with. Sooner rather than later.

Instead of waiting for the inevitable to happen, think about how you want your life to proceed in any situation, then take the time to make your wishes known. If you are the parent, schedule time to go over your wishes with the entire family at once so you can fully discuss your wishes and make sure each family member understands. If you are the child, you can even begin to make plans of your own and share your choices with your parents. A friendly nudge may be just what they need to begin the process themselves.

When it comes to end of life care, people typically have fears in one of four areas. By thinking about them now, you can fully plan and have the required paperwork in place to make sure your wishes are known. Here are a few ways to overcome them.

Fear #1 I don’t want to end up in a nursing home

The thought of entering a nursing home sends fear down the spines of all middle aged people, especially when they visit a relative and see reality from an inside view. In reality there are many ways to live outside of nursing homes and hospitals as end of life approaches. Look into all your home care options, so you are more prepared when the time comes. [Read more…]