Adeste In-Home Care - Colorado

In-Home Care in Colorado

Why In-Home Caregiving Means Independent Living

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As we age, we tend to think of our lives on a linear path. We live in the comfort of our own homes until we can’t. Then it’s on to assisted living, possibly with a move to skilled nursing as we lapse.

As adult children, we’re even more unaware of the different choices. In most cases, decisions have to be made quickly. Mom falls … panic sets in … a quick decision needs to be made.

But not all choices are what they appear to be.

Sure, an assisted living facility may seem like the perfect choice from the outside looking in. And when you visit, they roll out the red carpet, showing you the vast amount of amenities. But once you move your parent in, things change quickly.

You discover the true cost of what these facilities charge every single month for the rest of your parent’s life. It only starts with the monthly fee. Then the “ala carte” charges begin to add up.

Sure, they might offer laundry services for your mom’s bedding. But it’s an additional charge if she can’t make or unmake her bed.

The three meals a day that sounded great in the beginning? They won’t look so great when your mom refuses to eat them and you have to pay extra to get her what she wants.

And that’s just the beginning. Everything that looked good about assisted living in the beginning will quickly become your biggest regret over time.

Instead, look at in-home caregiving instead.

In-home caregiving allows your parent to age in place. In the comfort of their own home. Where they are most comfortable and most at home.

But what it doesn’t sacrifice is care.

In-home caregiving brings the care to you. One on one care, so your loved one is getting all the attention. And that means your parent can remain independent longer because they have the ability to do what they most want to do.

Visit friends? Yes.
Eat what they prefer? That’s possible too.
Keep pets? Of course.
Ensure their homes are well maintained and cared for? You bet.

And because you aren’t paying for a facility – only the care – it’s a lot less than what you pay monthly for assisted living facilities. A LOT less.

Interested?

The best next step is to give us a call. We can help you make a decision about the next step for your loved one. It may be the best phone call you’ve made as you face this new path.

Take Control Of Heart Health as a Woman and a Caregiver

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Heart disease is one of the leading causes of deaths. Here in America, heart disease impacts one in three. By the time a person celebrates their 80th birthday, over 85 percent will have heart disease.

Women are particularly vulnerable because they are twice as likely to receive a wrong diagnosis, as well as being mistreated when they go in. Heart disease isn’t just a man’s disease. It’s just as prevalent in women. And because women are more likely to act as caregivers for spouses and parents, it means they are at added risks.

Heart disease refers to the whole spectrum of heart conditions. It can include congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, or hardening of the arteries. With age, they lead to heart attacks and strokes. While we think of them as old age diseases, nothing shines the light on heart disease more than losing a celebrity in their 40s or 50s of heart disease to bring to light how many this impacts.

Hypertension – also known as high blood pressure – impacts one in three, with nearly half of those diagnosed being women. This is where blood flows through your arteries at a higher pressure level than normal.

New guidelines have recently been released, meaning even more people are included in the risk factors. Healthy systolic blood pressure has moved from 140 to 130, meaning more people are at risk.

By keeping your heart in the healthy range, there is less strain on your heart. That means it keeps your body healthier, putting you at less risk for developing heart conditions, or other diseases associated with heart disease.

If you don’t know what your current blood pressure reading is, the best place to start is by tracking your results. There are many blood pressure monitors on the market today, many with online features that can help you make better choices for your health. They can also let you connect your results with your doctor.

You can use your results to start making healthy choices in your life. Exercise is crucial for keeping risk factors down. A good exercise program includes things like walking, hiking, jogging, or even aerobic exercise classes depending on your current heart condition. You should always work with a doctor to develop the right program for you.

Don’t forget strength training. Resistance training has heart benefits that can help increase muscle mass and help with weight control. This includes things like squats, lunges, leg lifts, and other core strengthening exercises.

Talk with your doctor about finding a gym near you. Many places today offer multigenerational approaches to health, and can include exercise classes for the one you’re caring for, as well as opportunities for you too.

The best way to take control of your health is to know where you currently stand.

Steps To Manage and Take Over Your Parents’ Finances

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Caregiving can be stressful for a family in many ways. Financially, it can take its toll.

Caregiving families (families in which one member has a disability) have median incomes that are more than 15% lower than non-caregiving families.

47% of working caregivers indicate an increase in caregiving expenses has caused them to use up ALL or MOST of their savings.

The average family caregiver for someone 50 years or older spends $5,531 per year on out of pocket caregiving expenses.

Whether you’re in the middle of caregiving for a loved one, or are exploring what’s next in your family’s journey, understanding as much as you can about family obligations can help your approach be less stressful. This guide can help you navigate this a little clearer and develop some strategies that may work for you.

Start By Talking With Your Loved One About Their Finances

This is never an easy thing to do. People often are very secretive about their finances; they’ve never had to share before. They may be overwhelmed by this current path in life.

But as a caregiver, you won’t know what’s available to you unless you have a clear picture of where you are. It’s not about your loved one losing independence; it’s about helping them keep what they’ve achieved in their lives. Things to talk about should include:

Do they have a durable power of attorney?
Do they have wills in place?
What insurance plans and long term care policies do they have?
What about account information – banks, investments, credit cards, and loans?
What about mortgages, annuities, safety deposit boxes, and real estate holdings?
Do they work with planners or advisors?
Where is everything? It’s easy to lose accounts if you don’t know where they are.

Create Your Strategy

After your sleuthing is complete, it’s time to start creating a plan. If your loved parents are willing participants, this is easier. If they fight it, it can take time to build trust. This is for their benefit. Don’t push. Instead, give them facts along the way to help them understand why this is important. If you have them on board, the process is easier.

As you find all information and documentation, create a binder or file to keep everything in one place. This will make things easier if and when you need the information.

Establish power of attorney if you don’t already have it. This will allow you to do every day things like pay bills, as well as make decisions in the event more major decisions need to be made down the road.

Then work to gain access to all accounts. Different institutions may have different rules, so it’s important to work through them one at a time. Don’t forget to check on Social Security benefits. Also, look into property and income taxes – a number of older adults simply forget to make payments. This can be a costly mistake.

When necessary, work with financial planners, lawyers, and other advisors to be sure you have expert advice. This is a new path for you and your parents; reach out to experts with all your questions, and rely on them for referrals too.

It’s just one of the things we do to help our clients too. We’ve been in the industry for years, and work with many experts across the Front Range. If you need a resource or two, just ask.

How To Balance Work and Caregiving Responsibilities

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Are you a caregiver? Are you also an employee? Just when you think life is difficult, the challenges can continue to mount. How do you fit everything in?

It’s a balancing act that never ends. How can you make it less stressful?

Research Your Rights

Don’t just sit back and stay quiet about your responsibilities. Instead, dive in and do a little research into what laws and regulations are in place to protect you.

The Family and Medical Leave Act – FMLA – allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of leave each year to care for a child, spouse, or parent. Workers are guaranteed a position of similar skill and pay as they held before they took the leave. It only applies to workplaces with 50 or more employees, and you must have been in your current position for at least a year. The leave is unpaid, so that can add to your stress.

Also, different cities and municipalities have passed their own laws regarding family leave, so it’s wise to check with your local government offices to find out what laws apply to you. Read your employee handbook. Check with your state labor office. And spend some time with Google to learn your rights.

Talk With Your Employer

In some cases, employees are nervous about speaking up about their situation. If this defines your approach, rethink your strategy. Transparency is a good thing. It can explain distractions and time away. It can also make employers more aware of your needs.

Being honest with both your supervisor and your human resources department gives them a better understanding as to what you’re up against. They will better understand when you call in sick, for example, and you’ll be able to talk more freely about what’s happening at home.

This also gives you a chance to think of ways you can create a win/win situation for everyone.

If you frequently need time off to bring mom to doctors offices, you can discuss how you can be available by bringing your own device with you wherever you go. Or maybe flextime will benefit you both – you can have off the mornings you need, while working late into an evening when nobody else chooses to work late.

Ask For Help

Help comes in all different ways. Hire a housekeeper to help keep your home clean. Hire an in home caregiver to help keep your mom company while you’re at work. By freeing up even a few hours each week, you’ll have a greater chance of feeling like you have more balance in place.

You should also ask your HR department what ways they can help. For example, some agencies offer financial help or leave sharing programs where employees who don’t use sick or annual leave can donate it to others in need. This can give you a chance to have a few less worries when you’re in stressful situations.

Reassess Your Work Life

Balance is always a question of what works for you. It’s not something that remains stable, it changes from day to day. The better relationship you build with your employer, the more flexibility you may have.

Can you work-share with another employee in a similar situation? Can you take a part time position instead of remaining full time?

Caregiving can be a profound experience, one that changes every day. This might be the perfect time to switch gears, spend time with the one you love, and reassess life’s path now and into the future.

Hypertension and Caregiving – You and The One You’re Caring For May Be Impacted

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In 2017, the American Heart Association changed its guidelines for high blood pressure and heart health. Under these new guidelines, if you 120-129 systolic blood pressure, it’s now labeled as elevated blood pressure. A reading of 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic is now considered stage one hypertension.

What do these new guidelines mean? In general, they will impact a broader population. More people will now require monitoring their blood pressure levels, and will possibly be in need of medication. With this reclassification, about 1 in 3 US adults has high blood pressure.

And that can have a significant impact on you and the person you are providing care for.

With these new guidelines, that means more adults are considered at risk for developing serious heart problems. The earlier you start watching your blood pressure numbers, the sooner you can make lifestyle changes that can impact your life.

Before the revisions, it was recommended a person start testing their blood pressure frequently around their 50th birthdays. But with the stresses in our lives, testing earlier can only increase your chances of catching things early and making changes that will impact your life for the better.

High blood pressure is treatable. By making changes to your diet, your exercise levels, and your stress levels, you can keep your blood pressure in check. If you start to see numbers frequently rise above the 120/80 threshold, it’s time to see a doctor.

The American Heart Association also recommends that you don’t wait for a doctors visit to check your blood pressure. Instead, make it a regular habit and check your numbers yourself. Keep a running log of your numbers. Better yet, invest in technology and create a log via your favorite app.

Wearable technology can make checking your numbers a snap. Tools like QardioArm and Apple Watch enable you to take your readings anywhere easily, any time. And because it’s light and portable, you can easily tuck it into your bag or your suitcase.

In the near future, it might even be possible your Apple Watch will be your blood pressure monitor. Just touch the screen with your finger, and your numbers are detected.

All of this means better tracking for you and your loved one. And staying healthy means a better life for the both of you.

Things You Might Not Know About Alzheimer’s Disease

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Alzheimer’s isn’t something any of us plans on having. It sneaks up on a person, and presents itself when we least expect it.

Knowing the truth can start you and your loved ones down the path of doing all you can to stay ahead of the disease. Learning more has the opportunity to change the face of Alzheimer’s forever. And what we really know is that if you or a member of your family has ever been diagnosed, finding a solution is the goal.

Alzheimer’s Isn’t a Normal Part of Aging

As we age, we all start joking about memory issues. Ever asked: Where are my keys?

But Alzheimer’s isn’t normal aging. Alzheimer’s stretches beyond just memory issues. While it primarily impacts memory, it also appears in other ways, such as a loss in communication skills, concentration issues, and decreased problem solving. You’ll often find poor judgment increases as Alzheimer’s worsens. You may also notice mood swings and a change in personality.

While it can take time to realize it’s not just normal memory problems, the average person will live four to eight years once the disease has been diagnosed, with some living as long as 20 years with known symptoms.

Some Are At Higher Risk

Women make up about two-thirds of Americans currently living with the disease. African Americans are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, while Hispanics are one and a half times as possible.

You Can Reduce Your Risk

While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, you can reduce your risk. Adopting healthy lifestyle choices not only helps prevent heart disease and cancers, but it can also help you manage your risk for developing Alzheimer’s. Your brain is equally as important to your health as your heart and your lungs. Make sure you’re adding brain-healthy choices to your lifestyle too.

If you or your loved one has been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, get support. Reach out and discover all you can about this disease. Ask for help. No one should go it alone.

Why A Pet May Bring Joy To Your Aging Parents Lives

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Pets bring a lot of benefits to our lives. Animals depend on you and provide companionship. They also help improve health, which can be especially beneficial as we age. Pets can:

  • Lower depression and anxiety
  • Reduce stress
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Improve mood
  • Boost activity levels and social interactions
  • Encourage a person to stick with a routine

Ultimately, pets provide purpose, and for an aging adult, it can be their reason for living.

We all need that feeling of being wanted, being needed. Pets can provide that, which is especially important if your aging parent lives alone. If you can’t visit them as regularly as you’d like, a pet can provide them with the love and support they need in their daily lives.

But having a pet only compounds the problems as problems arise. For some, a pet is equivalent to a child. Separating them can be as devastating as a loss. While aging parents have special needs, aging parents with pets up the ante on what it takes to thrive.

Create A Plan

Start by analyzing the situation, and updating your strategy on an as needed basis. Is your mom or dad able to care for the pet without any trouble? What’s needed to ensure both stay healthy? Does the pet need daily walks? How about cleaning up after them? Can your parents make it to the store to buy supplies? How about affording vet bills, haircuts, and other maintenance items? What your parents can’t do, you’ll have to rely on friends, neighbors, family, or services to do.

Find Services That Make Housecalls

The good news is a lot of pet services make housecalls. Find a vet who visits the home. Or a groomer who is on wheels. You can find people willing to walk dogs in a variety of places – how about a neighbor’s child who is a budding entrepreneur?

Invest In Pet Health Insurance

If your parent is on a budget, adding a pet can be a costly endeavor. Pet insurance might be an excellent choice to ensure yearly check ups and visits with health providers is affordable.

Choose Pets Wisely

Sure, puppies and kitties are cute, but they are also a lot of work. If you’re looking to adopt, talk with local rescue leagues who often have programs especially for seniors. They can find older, lovable pets that need a second chance. These pets can be especially loving, and perfect for your mom or dad.

What tips do you have for bringing a pet into your parents’ lives?

What To Do When Mom and Dad Won’t Listen

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The sandwich generation can be difficult at best.

On the one hand, you work hard each day giving your kids your all. You guide them as best as you can.

On the other, your mom and dad increasingly need your help. You make suggestions on ways to improve their quality of life. But they’re adults, and they won’t listen to you. They do things their way, and little you say influences them.

So stress builds. Accidents happen. And you deal with the consequences.

Sound familiar?

You see that they need a little extra help around the home. You notice the little things they miss. And while they really aren’t at risk for serious complications from their choices, you know their lives would greatly benefit if they accepted a little help.

Are there ways to make them listen?

Evaluate the issue

Before you push forward, decide just how crucial the argument is. Does it impact their safety or well-being? Or is it irritating but not that important? If it doesn’t impact their overall health, let them have their way and move on.

Put the blame somewhere else

There are lots of ways to make someone else the bad guy. For example, if you don’t want your mom smoking around your kids, explain to her how it impacts her grandkids health. If you’re the one making suggestions all the time, it can be easier to motivate them when the outcome effects someone else.

Accept their decisions

You may be able to see how much their lives could improve if they accepted a little help, but in the end, your mom and dad are adults. They have the right to do things their way. No matter what decision they make, accept it. Sometimes the only way to prove a point is to let them do what they need to do, and fail if necessary.

Let it go

Sometimes caregiving is like watching a train wreck – you can see it coming but can’t do anything about it. Your parents are going to do what they want to do, and you’ll be left with the clean-up. Accept it, and let it go. You can’t control their actions. And in most cases, you’ll be a part of the clean-up. Don’t beat yourself up about the process. If you need an outside source to share your feelings with, find a support group that will let you confide your worries and help you get through the situation with the least amount of stress as possible.

Exercise Routines You Should Include If You’ve Been Diagnosed With Parkinson’s

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Parkinson’s impacts people in different ways. But the symptoms do tend to get worse over time.

Symptoms include:

Tremors – shaking movements that are most noticeable when a person is at rest
Bradykinesia – this slows down coordination of movement between your hands and arms, and makes walking and standing more difficult
Rigidity – stiffness in the arms and legs
Instability – losing your balance

The adage of “use it or lose it” may apply. More and more evidence suggests that with a diagnosis, your exercise routines should change and increase right along with it. Exercise can help improve movement and muscle control. It can also improve cardiovascular and respiratory function.

But if you’ve had an exercise routine before, keep in mind that things will change. Exercise is essential, but it should include moving in the right way. Include:

Resistance training – this helps increase motor function
Aerobic training – this increases physical fitness, strength and functional performance
Flexibility training – this helps reduce and prevent contractures

While traditional forms of exercise like weight lifting are a great part of a routine, mix it up and look for new training programs too.

Rock Steady Boxing, for example, uses exercise adapted from boxing drills to improve agility, speed, muscular endurance, accuracy, hand-eye coordination, footwork, and overall strength.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t exercise the way you have before. Start slow. Don’t overexert your muscles or it could take days for recovery.

Also, never exercise alone. An exercise specialist can assess and help with a regimented routine that benefits where you’re at today. They can also work with you throughout the stages, to ensure all your needs are met.

What exercise routines have you found beneficial to help improve your lifestyle?

How To Live Longer With Heart Failure

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Diagnosis of a chronic condition is often difficult to hear. You start doing your research. You focus on the worst. And fear becomes a new daily norm.

Congestive heart failure doesn’t mean your heart isn’t working. It means your heart no longer pumps enough blood throughout your system, the way it once did. Think of diagnosis as a wakeup call. It’s a way of telling you to change your habits to stop the condition from worsening.

When you’re diagnosed with heart failure, the blood moving away from your heart slows down. Because the blood returning operates in a more normal manner, the blood in your veins begins to block up, causing congestion throughout your body. This can cause problems in a variety of ways, from swelling in your legs, to fluid buildup in your lungs.

According to a fact sheet put out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about one-half of all people diagnosed with heart failure will die within the first five years. The people that live longer after diagnosis are the ones that look for ways to manage the condition and make lifestyle changes to prevent it from worsening.

Once you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure, it’s important to realize that it is a chronic condition. It will get worse over time. However, you can manage it to the point it slows down the progression, and the symptoms reduce right along with it.

Millions of people are living active lives with heart failure. While you shouldn’t change everything about your lifestyle immediately, small changes over time can reward you with big improvements not only with the way you feel, but your outlook on life too.

The biggest change should be to get up and exercise. The American Heart Association recommends doing at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity at least five days a week. You should never feel breathless. Always check with your doctor before starting up a new routine. And then find something that’s fun for you to do. Look for a gym that offers wellness programs that cater to slower movement classes, something you can work up to over time.

You should also work to change your diet. Again, work with your doctor to decide the right steps for you. They may include lowering salt, reducing fat intake, reducing the amount of meat, adding more fruits and vegetables. You should also drink more water, and decrease your alcohol intake.

Other lifestyle changes should include:

  • Stop smoking
  • Getting adequate sleep
  • Reducing stress
  • Avoid sugar

For some, medication may also be a part of the routine. Be sure to discuss how any new medicines will work in conjunction with prescriptions you are already on. Watch for any changes in your health, and be diligent in working with your doctor towards reducing the amount of medicine you take each day.