Adeste In-Home Care - Colorado

In-Home Care in Colorado

6 Steps To Make Long Distance Caregiving A Little Easier

by Leave a Comment

When you live far away from your parents, you’ve probably established a routine. A phone call one day a week to check in. You share everything that’s happened during the week. You assume they do too.

But then you start noticing subtle changes. They become vague. They aren’t as willing to share.

Then you visit and find expired food in the fridge. Maybe a small dent on the car.

Then things escalate quickly. You receive a call about a minor car accident. Or a call from one of their friends saying they are in the hospital. And suddenly your world escalates out of control. You have a new job on your hands and it’s anything but exciting. What do you do now?

Change your line of communication

As you start to discover little things, it’s easy to put them aside and ignore them. But when you live hundreds or thousands of miles away, you don’t have that luxury. Bring up the things that concern you. Bring up things that seem out of place. Even if your mom or dad push it aside and won’t open up, it sets the dialog for the future. It gives you a chance to show your support.

Find your allies

When you visit, will your loved one allow you to go to doctors appointments? Can you attend the meetings and events they go to on a regular basis? Find allies in the people closest to your parents. Leave your contact information with people that will help you stay in the loop. Your mom might leave out the fact she was in an accident. But a trusting neighbor might give you the heads up as to how bad it truly was.

Put together a care book

The next time you visit, put together a file or notebook filled with the most important information in your loved one’s life. Add in medical information, financial advisers, lawyers, friends, and neighbors. Include all prescription information, including the pharmacies they use, and the dosage of each medicine. Gather all information about your parents’ income and assets, including where they bank, what credit cards they have, insurance policies, even passwords they use to complete phone and online transactions. The more information you have on your end, the easier it will be to handle any situation as it arises.

Get authority

Are your parents willing to let you have power of attorney? Are they ready to release all information to you and allow you to help in certain situations? This is something that may have to grow over time. Start small. Talk about it frequently to get your parents comfortable with the idea.

Coordinate with the rest of the family

Do you have siblings that also share in responsibility? Or maybe another family member that can take on part of the responsibility? It’s important to have a family meeting and decide who takes care of what. Nothing can be more frustrating to all of you, including doctors and other professionals, is having to repeat yourself again and again. Who will be in charge of what? You should also set up regular meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page. Can’t agree between yourselves? Find a mediator who can help.

Line up home services

For many adult children, they rarely learn about their options before they need them in an emergency situation. Assisted living or nursing care is usually all they understand. But there are many options out there that can help your loved one stay strong and independent for as long as possible. In home care gives your loved one the individualized attention they deserve while staying in the comfort of their home. It also gives you peace of mind.

What questions can we answer for you as you go through this new phase of life?

What If You Care Too Much?

by Leave a Comment

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?

by Leave a Comment

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

by Leave a Comment

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…]

How To Encourage Your Loved One’s Independence

by Leave a Comment

As a caregiver, it’s easy to jump in and do everything your loved one needs.

But jumping in and doing too much can create its own set of problems.

For example, if you’re mother has mild dementia, you might assume taking over many of the household duties will help her out. Cooking dinner several nights a week, straightening out her living area, even helping her plan out her days can seem like a good idea. You’re a loving daughter, and you want her to stay as independent as possible for as long as she can.

She sees it as interference. You’re in her personal life, and she doesn’t like it.

And she lets you know it.

How do you find balance? You know without help, she could never remain on her own. Yet helping her too much causes stress on your relationship. Where do you draw the line? [Read more…]

In Sickness and in Health – A Caregivers Journey

by Leave a Comment

Marriage – It’s something we do willingly when we’re young and in love. We take our vows with the thought of a long and happy life. The idea of growing old together fills us with joy. We picture ourselves traveling in our retirement years until eventually, we come to rest in matching rocking chairs on the porch of our home.

The picture is vivid. Until it all is thrown out the window due to sickness.

Suddenly the picture you’ve painted no longer exists. One of you needs care, and the other is “forced” to give it. You didn’t ask for the job. You don’t really want it. But you do it out of love.

Unfortunately, there is never an opportune time for caregiving. It isn’t something you plan for or schedule on your calendar. It happens, and you deal with it. It changes everything, often in a split second. [Read more…]

10 Things Not To Say To A Caregiver

by Leave a Comment

If you’ve been a caregiver for any length of time, chances are you’ve experienced your fair share of unsolicited advice. While the person usually means well, it can hurt when they speak out of turn. When all you hear is criticism, it’s hard to turn the other cheek, smile, and move on.

I had to laugh as I read through this list of 10 things caregivers don’t want to hear:

10. Doesn’t Medicare (or your insurance) pay for that?
9. It must be hard to work and take care of your husband, so why don’t you just quit your job?
8. Your mother belongs in a nursing home. OR: I could never put my mother in a nursing home.
7. You have to take care of yourself; your husband (mother, father) needs you.
6. Why don’t you get your family to help out more?
5. I don’t see what you’re complaining about. Dad seems fine to me.
4. I don’t know how you do it. You must be a saint.
3. Just call me if you need some help.
2. I know just how you feel.
1. God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.

See yourself in any of these? Ever had to bite your tongue holding back a not-so-nice response?

While sometimes it is appropriate just to hold back and move on, if you find a continuing pattern of criticism or “suggestions” from the same person, it might be time to correct their behavior.

1. Acknowledge their concern and ask for suggestions

Many siblings fight over differences of how to care for mom or dad. “You let mom eat that?” or “Why didn’t you let dad do this?” It can be frustrating, especially when they don’t contribute as much time for caregiving as you do. The next time they make a comment, acknowledge their concern and ask for suggestions. [Read more…]

6 Ways To Deal With Long Distance Caregiver Guilt

by Leave a Comment

 

Caregiving is difficult. But when you add in trying to perform the duties required from hundreds of miles away, the struggle is amplified. You start to question everything.

Am I visiting enough?
Am I doing enough?

Even your parents can contribute to these feelings, sometimes unknowingly, by complaining or sounding pitiful on the phone. “Oh, you know me, I’ll be just fine.”

Even in the best of circumstances, caregiving is accompanied by a sense of guilt. But when you’re not present for all that is required on a daily basis, these feelings quickly escalate. However, it is important to understand that it’s okay to have these feelings. It’s how you address them that impacts your experience as a caregiver. [Read more…]

3 Ways To Help Elderly Parents Stay Independent At Home

by Leave a Comment

They argue with you. They tell you they are fine. They hide things so you won’t worry. They avoid questions even when you “see” the answers right in front of you.

You don’t want to pull them from their home. But what can you do?

It’s difficult witnessing the deterioration of someone you love. The feelings can be completely overwhelming as you think back to all the care they’ve provided you all your life. And now the situation is reversing. What can you do?

Studies show that over the next 30 years, the number of Americans who will reach 65 and beyond is going to double. The baby boomer generation has finally reached a point where they must be conscious of flipping from caregiver to the one needing care in the coming years. And like anything, it’s one they are going to do in their own ways. They want independence. They want to preserve their active lifestyle.

And as their kids, that can be difficult for you.

The good news is there are a lot of new services popping up that make independent living that much easier. With technology, we can do more with the touch of a button. [Read more…]

What Is In-Home Health Care?

by Leave a Comment

There are many ways for you to help your parents or loved one remain in their home indefinitely. Not every person is required to move to assisted living and beyond.

Remaining at home gives your loved one peace of mind. However, for you to have peace in your life, it’s important for you to get the required care your loved one needs and not attempt to do it all on your own.

That’s where a lot of people mistake the differences between in-home care and home health care. Both are required. Both offer a variety of options and distinctions.

In-Home Care

In-home care is provided by caregivers who are trained to understand the daily aspects of home care. In-home caregivers provide a wide variety of services usually associated with daily living. In-home care is classified as personal care or companion care, and is considered “unskilled” or “non-clinical”. [Read more…]