Q – I’ve started to notice strange behavior in my mother, and suspect she might have Alzheimer’s or dementia. What do I do next?

A – If you suspect that an aging parent or relative has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, verify your suspicions against the 10 Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease to verify that what you’re seeing in your mother could in fact indicate Alzheimer’s or dementia, rather than just old age. Some form of memory loss, or slower thinking is not an uncommon part of the aging process, and this is often the first thing that those caring for the elderly look at when they have Alzheimer’s suspicions. If your mom doesn’t recall a name, date or other piece of information immediately when prompted, it doesn’t mean she has Alzheimer’s, as long as she remembers at a later time. If she can’t recall the information, and is never able to remember it, it may be indicative of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

If you suspect Alzheimer’s in an elderly parent, you can also talk to friends and family members to get their perspective. Have they noticed similar signs and symptoms that have concerned them? If so, it’s probably time to get your mother to see their doctor, who might refer them onto someone who specializes in geriatric healthcare. Also try to monitor how the changes in your mother are impacting her ability to live independently, so her safety is not compromised, and make the appropriate changes in the home.

With awareness and knowledge, you can help your mother live with Alzheimer’s.

Sources:
1.    Caring.com
2.    Carol O’Dell Caregiving Blog

Those who provide care for their spouse face the same challenges as other family caregivers. However, in addition, they also have their own struggles which are unique to their situation. Caregiving for a spouse can cause changes in the relationship, based on reduced intimacy and changing roles in the family; so it’s important that seniors who are establishing caregiver relationships with their spouse maintain communication, try and separate their caregiver relationship from their emotional one, and have a plan for their future.

When caregiving for a spouse, both parties may need to adjust and take on new roles. While one spouse may have previously been responsible for financial matters, the other one may need to step in and take over as part of their caregiving responsibilities. While it is part of the caregiving burden, acceptance and communication during these role changes is crucial; but spousal caregivers also need to make a point to maintain elements of their relationship before they became a caregiver. In order to maintain an emotionally and physically intimate relationship, the relationship shouldn’t be allowed to turn into one of a parent and child. Ensure that you continue to do activities you once enjoyed together, and discuss your sexual intimacy.

Remember to plan financially, and have a backup plan should something happen to the care giver spouse so the care recipient receives the care they require. Both spouses should also understand that a level of caregiving stress is common, so a plan should be in place for respite care when the caregiver needs to step temporarily out of their role.

Sources:
1.   Caregiver-Connect
2.    Revolution Health

Q – What should be included in a living will and should all seniors have them?
A – A living will communicates a senior’s wishes with regards to their healthcare, to ensure that family and medical practitioners carry them out once they no longer have the ability to voice what they want. Every senior should prepare a living will before their health comes into question, because unfortunately illness just can’t always be predicted.

When creating living trusts and living wills during the process of estate planning, seniors should understand their options and clearly state their wishes when different medical issues occur. In a general statement, seniors can include treatments they would consider having or prefer should specific medical issues arise (for example, chemotherapy to treat cancer); while general statements are not legally binding, doctors will keep them in mind when determining the course of treatment. Advance decisions and advance directives also allow seniors to refuse specific treatments and actions by a medical doctor; for example, refusing life support under any circumstance. When creating a living will, seniors should also appoint an advocate, which can be a family member or caregiver, to ensure that medical wishes outlined in the living will are abided by.

Having a living will ensures that all seniors have a voice, and play a role in their own medical care; even when they are not physically able to communicate their healthcare needs.

Sources:
1.   CNNMoney.com Gerri Willis
2.   Directgov

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Knowing when your loved one is demonstrating signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s can be one of the first steps to establishing a medical diagnosis and determining appropriate senior care. Read on to determine if the senior in your life could be exhibiting symptoms of dementia.

1. Memory Loss – everyone has brief memory lapses; it’s not unusual to forget the occasional name or date and remember it later, however, seniors with dementia may forget pieces of information that they are never able to recall.
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks – seniors with dementia may forget simple tasks, like how to turn on the stove.
3. Problems with language – sentences formed by a senior with dementia may be hard to understand, they may forget words or substitute inappropriate ones.
4. Disorientation – seniors with dementia may get lost when close to home because they are disoriented with time and place.
5. Poor judgment – seniors may have trouble making decisions, or dress inappropriately for the weather.
6. Misplacing things in strange places – seniors with dementia may put the milk in the bathroom or their keys in the fridge.
7. Mood changes – often seniors with dementia have rapid mood swings for no discernable reason.
8. Problems with abstract thinking – dealing with numbers may be especially difficult.
9. Personality changes – seniors with dementia may become fearful, suspicious and paranoid or demonstrate behaviors unusual for them.
10. Loss of initiative – seniors with Alzheimer’s may lack motivation on a regular basis; getting out of bed or getting dressed may require prompting.

Check out this resource for more information on Dementia

Sources:
1. Northwestern University
2. Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Q – How is a family caregiver defined, and when should family members consider themselves caregivers for their seniors?

A family caregiver, or informal caregiver, is any family member that provides care or support to a senior relative. Family caregivers come in many forms, and many family members who provide support to a senior may not think of themselves as caregivers. While some family caregivers may either live in their senior relative’s home, or have their aging parent live with them, to be considered a family caregiver you don’t need to provide full-time or even permanent part-time care. Answer the following questions to determine if you should be thinking of yourself as a family caregiver.

•    Do you feel responsible for providing support to an aging loved one?
•    Do you help out an aging parent around the home, with cooking or cleaning, even if only on an occasional basis?
•    Do you take your senior relative out to run errands or escort them to medical appointments?
•    Would your family member call you in an emergency and expect your prompt assistance?
•    Do you provide support or assistance to an aging relative living in a long-term care or assisted living facility?

Sources:
1.    American Society on Aging
2.   Caregiver-connect.ca

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

In the modern age of medical care, people’s views on how to treat the chronically ill are shifting based on the exorbitant costs of hospital care and a greater emphasis upon the family’s role in caregiving. According to a recent study, published in the Commonwealth Fund journal Health Affairs 82% of the chronically ill patients surveyed admitted to going without care recommended by medical institutions, simply because of the high costs involved. Many chronic illnesses, however, can be managed at home by family or professional caregivers at a portion of the cost; since these expenses only relate to in-home medical treatments, and assisting the senior with Activities of Daily Living they are much less expensive than at a skilled facility.

Management of chronic illnesses, including the administration of medications and other treatments, can be taught to family caregivers by a medical professional from a hospice program, who, if necessary, can stop by during the course of the illness to assess and monitor any changes in condition and make recommendations with regards to treatment methods. By keeping a senior who is chronically ill at home, instead of in a community care setting like a hospital or nursing home, seniors’ health care costs can be drastically reduced; while their comfort in the care of family allows them to battle their illness in the presence of those they love, without any unnecessary expense.

Sources:
1.   Chronic Illness – Family Caregiving
2.    The Washington Post Steven Reinberg

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

When hiring a private home caregiver, without going through an agency, families, as employers, are often responsible for the costs of medical care if the caregiver is injured while performing their caregiver duties, unless the caregiver has comprehensive liability and workplace injury insurance. According to statistics, workplace injuries in private caregivers are substantial, with one in eight becoming injured on the job; 70% of which occur when lifting or physically supporting a patient.  If a caregiver does not have liability coverage, any task they are performing as part of their caregiver employment results in an injury, then families become legally responsible as employers to pay the medical bills. Workplace injuries for caregivers can include falls in the home, or even car accidents that take place when running errands for their elderly employer.

Since private caregivers not hired through an agency typically work as private contractors, many may not carry liability insurance; so when an injury occurs during senior care, medical bills may cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, plus in some cases, compensation for lost wages due to the injury. Private caregivers may also be a greater liability for senior care injuries, since they may not receive the same training in proper lift techniques and other safety measures when caring for seniors as their agency counterparts. When hiring a caregiver, families need to take liability into account; because while private caregivers may charge less by the hour, the expenses derived from liability might last a lifetime.

Sources:
1.    Strength for Caring.com
2.   Seniors Resource Guide
3.    Liebertonline

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Hearing loss is a hard reality for many seniors which can greatly complicate ease of communication with their family, friends, caregivers and other professionals. When communicating with a senior, don’t underestimate the benefits of using body language to ensure the older adult understands the message you’re delivering.  Visual cues and non-verbal forms of communication can help seniors better grasp the meaning in the conversation, since hearing impairments can make it to difficult to rely upon the spoken word alone.

When caring for the elderly or engaging with a senior in communication; talk with your hands and use expressive body language as visual cues. Point to objects you’re referring to; use thumbs up or thumbs down; use your hands to describe the size or location of objects; and laugh or smile so they can grasp the nature of the conversation. Make sure there is nothing physically in the way that stops seniors from interpreting your body language, maintain eye contact, and avoid fidgeting which could cause seniors to misinterpret your non-visual cues.

Remember caregivers and family members, while at times communicating with a senior who struggles with their hearing may be frustrating, the elderly are dealing with issues that can be life-changing.

Sources:
1.    Public Health Agency of Canada
2.    TenderLovingEldercare.com

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Talking to your senior parents about estate planning can be an uncomfortable subject, because many adult children don’t want to feel like they’re interfering with their parents’ personal affairs. Estate planning typically includes a legal will that outlines distribution of assets; a financial power of attorney which dictates who will look after a senior’s finances when they become unable; a medical power of attorney, the person responsible for carrying out a senior’s medical wishes; and a living will, which establishes a senior’s healthcare wishes if they become unable to speak for themselves. Discussing your senior parents’ estate early on with them ensures that you understand the role that they expect you to play after their deaths or during a medical emergency so that their wishes are carried out.

Talking to your elderly parents about estate planning becomes more important if they have not completed the necessary steps to protect their assets and secure their wishes. When approaching the topic of family estate planning, make sure that your siblings and immediate family members are involved so they don’t perceive your interests in your parents’ estate as self-serving. Ensure your parents understand you do not need to have the division of assets explained; it doesn’t matter how much they are planning on leaving you. What’s important is that they put the legalities in place to ensure they control what happens to their assets, even once they loose the ability to represent themselves.

Sources:
1. SeniorJournal.com Robert Valentine
2. FamilyEducation.com

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

As a family caregiver, one of the best ways to prepare for the safety and comfort of your aging family member is to think about caregiving proactively. Many in-home accidents occur when families and seniors exercise reactive versus proactive thinking. Instead of reacting to potential hazards after accidents have already happened, caregivers need to think proactively and anticipate potential dangers to seniors that are present in their home, by installing safety equipment, removing tripping hazards, and evaluating the day-to-day tasks that are difficult for a senior independently.

However, proactive thinking by a caregiver doesn’t have to stop at home safety; even before your elderly family member reaches a stage where home care, family caregiving or residence in a long-term care home is needed, family members can be proactive and begin to discuss the senior’s wishes with regards to care assistance. When involved with the care decisions of an elderly parent, you can learn what role they would like you to play in a crisis and you can assist them in preparing the necessary legal paperwork required for making senior medical decisions. As family caregivers and concerned family members, it is our job to help plan for our seniors’ futures; by arming ourselves with knowledge and thinking proactively, we can ensure that they receive quality caring throughout their elder years.

Sources:
1. StrengthforCaring.com

2. Answers4Families.com

3. AARP: (Olympia Dukakis)

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.