Q – My elderly mother lives in Chicago and I think she’s starting to struggle to manage in her home. I don’t think that she can keep up with the responsibility of maintaining a home, and I fear that she’s going to have an accident due to her declining mobility. I know she would hate to end up in a Chicago nursing home or assisted living facility, is there any way to keep her at home but get her some help?

A – There are professional in-home caregiving agencies throughout Chicago that would be perfect for your mom’s situation. While many people do believe that the only answer is to move a senior to nursing home or assisted living facility, seniors today do have options. Suggest hiring a caregiver to your mom to help her out with the tasks she struggles with, so that she’s not overextending herself to the point than an accident might occur. This may feel like a loss of independence itself, but when seniors can maintain their lifestyle, many are more receptive to in-home caregiving than the other options available. Contact an agency and try it out, nothing is forever, so if she’s not satisfied with the help she’s receiving, there’s no obligation to continue with it!

Sources:

1. Senior Journal

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

It’s no secret that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be life changing for Chicago seniors whose worlds as they know it are about to be turned upside down. But the affects of Alzheimer’s don’t stop with those who suffer from the physical symptoms of the disease; it spreads to those around them and can have the gravest impact on their family caregivers.

Caregivers spend day after day dealing with their seniors who are going through the changes that Alzheimer’s brings, and while often the senior is unaware of how they’re changing, family caregivers experience it all. They see how their loved ones skills are declining, they might not be recognized by someone who has been in their lives for decades, and they are forced to cope with the changing moods which aren’t always pleasant. In addition to those affects of Alzheimer’s upon a family caregiver, there are of course the many responsibilities that come with caring for a senior with Alzheimer’s which can be incredibly trying and stressful at times.

In order to reduce the stress that comes with caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s, family caregivers should educate themselves about the illness in order to be prepared for what’s to come. It’s also important that they take time out for themselves, so they are in a better emotional state to provide care to their senior. Help is available in Chicago for seniors with Alzheimer’s; home care agencies can provide the respite care that caregivers need in order to take the time to care for themselves too.

Sources:

1. Health and Age
2. ProQuest

pro.corbis.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Q – We recently hired a home caregiver in Chicago to help our elderly mother out at home, and she’s asked for some suggestions on activities that my mom might like doing with her. I have made a few suggestions, but I’m wondering if there are any activities that you’d recommend for a senior with limited physical mobility?

A – Think about suggesting digital photography as an activity that can bridge the generational gap (if there is one) between your elderly mother and her senior home caregiver which is also appropriate for seniors of any mobility level. Digital photography combines a technological educational element, combined with creativity. They can choose to photograph just about anything, and can even get creative by taking pictures of things found around the home at different angles and with different lighting. Or they can venture outside to use important people in their lives as subjects; even taking action shots while watching the grandchildren enjoying themselves outside this summer.

With digital photography, the opportunities for things to take pictures of are endless, and seniors and caregivers can come together to enjoy a mutual hobby that surpasses the generations.

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. eHow

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

The elder care industry is making a big transformation, from a structure where seniors were removed from their homes when they “got too old” to live on their own, to one where seniors are encouraged to maintain their lifestyles by seeking the help at home they need to do it.

Home care is the new and trendy way to care for seniors with Alzheimer’s, and there are some great reasons for it. First of all, it allows seniors to maintain something that’s familiar to them at a time when many of their loved ones and once familiar surroundings are becoming unrecognizable to them. This can be incredibly beneficial to their quality of life and even the progression of the disease. When choosing home care for a senior with Alzheimer’s, like those services offered by Home Instead Senior Care, seniors are offered comfort and safety, through receiving assistance with tasks that have become too challenging or that compromise their health and safety. Family members are also provided with a sense of reassurance, knowing that their loved ones are safe at home, and that their every need is cared for regardless of the limitations presented by their disease.

Alzheimer’s doesn’t need to cripple a senior’s lifestyle and quality of life, with the right help, they can keep on living their life as they’ve always planned to!

Sources:

1. Alz Info
2. Home Instead Senior Care

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Having had to go through the decision of bringing a senior home care provider into my father’s Chicago home when he was in the 70’s, I know just how hard it can be to know when it’s the right time. While I’m sure that every situation varies for each senior and their family, there were a few factors that made me determine it was the right time to help my dad by providing him with in-home care. For one, after recovering from an injury, I knew I wouldn’t be able to be there for his every whim once he returned home from the hospital, and I really wanted him to focus on his recovery, and didn’t want him to overdo it by trying to keep up with things around the house. Since I couldn’t be there all the time, I figured that an in-home care provider for seniors would be able to fill in the gaps.

Even after his recovery, we decided it was a good idea to keep the professional caregiver, because his doctor recommended that since his injury probably impacted his reflexes, he give up his car keys. While I had no problem arranging to drive my dad around to run errands, I knew that with my immediate family and my career, that I wouldn’t be able to accommodate him every time he needed me since I’d need to work around my schedule.

I would say, that anyone who sees their elderly parent or relative beginning to struggle, should consider home care to fill in the blanks.

- Stephanie, 45 Chicago

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is loosely defined as the heart’s inability to pump enough blood as required by the body to function properly. There are many potential causes of this often deadly disease, many of which seniors are more susceptible to contracting due to the natural aging process. Conditions that may result in heart disease can be silent killers, as they often are not detected until damage has already occurred. Causes of heart disease include both heart related problems, and diseases which may appear unrelated to the heart but can have severe consequences.

Heart Problems Causing Heart Failure

• Coronary Artery Disease – most common form of heart disease and the most common cause of heart failure.  Occurs when there is a build up of fatty deposits, which narrows the arteries. This can deprive areas of the heart muscles of oxygen creating greater weakness.
• Heart attack – plaque formed by fatty deposits in the arteries rupture, creating a back flow of blood clots to the heart.
• Faculty heart valves – healthy valves are forced to work overtime to make up from the lack of blood flow from the faulty valve.
• Cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle) – diseases, infections, alcohol and drug abuse can all damage the heart muscle.
• Myocarditus (inflammation of the heart muscle) – often caused by a virus.
• Congenital heart defects – valves or chambers in the heart may not form correctly at birth, which requires the healthy parts of the heart to work overtime.
• Heart arrythmias – the heart beats too fast, which creates extra work.

Aging Factors and Other Illnesses Causing Heart Failure

• High blood pressure (hypertension) – requires that the heart work overtime to pump the blood through the body.
• Diabetes
• Severe anemia
• Hyperthyroidism
• Emphysema
• Lupus
• Hemochromotosis
• Viruses that attack the heart muscle, severe infections, allergic reactions, blood clots in the lungs, and certain medications might cause acute heart failure.

If you or an important elder in your life have a family history which includes any of the above diseases or ailments, ensure these issues are discussed with your family doctor so your risk of heart failure can be assessed and treated. The potential for heart failure doesn’t have to be a looming fear, with proper diagnosis and treatment, effects can’t be reversed but severe damage can be prevented. Remember, a healthy life means a healthy heart, so take care of yourself through a well-balanced diet and regular exercise, and you will be rolling in the benefits.

Source: www.Mayoclinic.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

To encourage their safety behind the wheel of a car, senior drivers need to consider factors that take place both on and off the road. Overall health can have a great impact upon a senior’s ability to safely operate a vehicle, and since aging causes some decline in hearing, eyesight and reflexes, it’s important that older adults receive regular checkups by a doctor as well as frequent eyesight and hearing examinations.

Anytime new eyeglasses are prescribed, the adjustment period can cause changes in vision and occasional disorientation; so until the elderly have become fully adjusted to their new prescription, they should hang up their keys. It’s also crucial that they understand the affects of any medications that they take regularly, both by reading what it says on the bottle and understanding how taking it affects them. A senior should never drive when their prescription states that it’s “not safe to operate heavy machinery” or “it’s unsafe to drive a vehicle”; however, just because these warnings are not present, doesn’t mean that a senior shouldn’t take the time to evaluate how the drug impacts their perceptions on the road.

While seniors should exercise extra care when on the road, the elderly’s approach to getting behind the wheel shouldn’t be so different from younger generations. Seniors also need to have a firm grasp upon the rules of the road, and be proactive while driving defensively. Those who find their confidence has declined can take a driving class or refresher course through the AARP, AAA or National Safety Council. It’s also okay for older adults to adjust their driving based on their comfort levels, by avoiding driving at night, through unfamiliar areas, in heavy traffic or when there is bad weather.

Families can help encourage their Chicago seniors to drive safely, by reminding them of these basic driving tips:

• Wear a seatbelt

• Watch all the traffic around, including those entering the road from curbs, driveways or businesses and keep eyes moving

• Use rearview and outside mirrors often

• Never assume you can take the right of way, always enter an intersection with caution

• Maintain a minimum three second following distance

• When driving in the rain or in winter, reduce speed and increase following distances

• Avoid prolonged hours of driving.

• Keep windshields and rear windows clean inside and out

• Avoid looking at the headlights of oncoming vehicles

• Do not drive when emotionally upset

• Minimize background noise; keep radio volume, air conditioning and heater blowing units on lowest settings

If you believe that an important senior in your life is exercising unsafe driving, be encouraging and talk to them about their options; having the ability to drive allows them an element of independence that cannot be replaced, so help them maintain it, but make sure that safety comes first.

Sources:  Safety Council

American Geriatrics

Image Source: humansshouldntdrive.wordpress.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Today we continue our discussion about how to organize the bedroom for an elderly loved one. In the past, we’ve focused on bathroom safety to help prevent injuries, confusion or falls, today we will focus on bedrooms.  The goal here is to maximize functioning, so that your elderly loved one can take out and put away clothes, dress and do other daily functions in the bedroom for as long as possible.

Solutions for the Family:

1)Only use drawers at waist level for easy access.  If possible, latch them to the chest so they cannot tip all the way out.

2)Make sure the closet clothes bar is at chest level for easy access. Encourage your senior to fold items over the bar if they can no longer use hangers.

3)Limit the amount of clothing in the closet and in drawers.  This avoids confusion.  Store less frequently used items in another room.

4)Encourage a spouse who shares the bedroom to put their personal items in a different room to reduce  confusion.

5)Store items they like to use in drawers with easy access.  Bed rails are usually unsafe for someone with memory problems, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease because they may try to climb over them and possibly fall.

6)Put a railing along a wall beside the bed if this would help them get in or out.

Source:  Home Instead Senior Care - Alzheimer’s CAREGiver Training Program.

Image Source: www.belmontgrange.co.uk

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

A major component of Chicago home care involves ensuring that a senior remains safe in their own home, and since stairs present a major risk for in-home falls and accidents, this is one area that should be focused on for immediate senior safety. When looking at stair safety for the elderly, Chicago family members should focus on both the hardware and structure of the stairs, as well as the décor and lighting that surround the area. Complete the following checklist to ensure that your elderly loved one will be safe on their stairs. For more help with your senior’s safety contact Home Instead Senior Care in Chicago at (773) 784-4024.

Safe Stair Structure Checklist:

• Steps are at least 11 inches deep and each step is even

• Steps are not slanted or loose

• Stair surfaces have slip resistant treads

• Handrails are on one side of the stairs, if not both sides

• Handrails are strongly fastened and supportive

• Handrails and banisters are no thicker around than 6.25 inches so they can be easily grabbed

• Indicators installed on handrails let seniors know when each step is coming to an end

Safe Stair Surrounds Checklist:

• Stairways are well-lit

• No objects are present on stairs

• Tops and bottoms of stairways are free of rugs and mats that might slip

• Assistive devices have been considered to help with mobility on stairs where appropriate

Sources:

1. Ezine Articles (Daryl Lanhker)

2. Canada Safety Council

Image Source: www.ehow.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Organizing a senior’s home if they have memory problems, dementia or Alzheimer’s, is an important task to accomplish in order to keep your elderly loved one safe and comfortable.  We’ve given tips on changes to make around the bathroom where a lot of confusion and accidents can take place - this post will focus on the kitchen. If you need help organizing your aging parent’s home in the Chicago area, please call us at (312) 348-7238.

Here are some great home safety ideas for the kitchen:

1)Store dangerous items in another room or put safety locks on drawers- anything that is sharp or could be confused as something to eat or drink that is toxic.

2)We often see medications spread out on the kitchen counter - these need to be put out of sight to avoid being taken mistakenly.  Many people with memory problems over medicate because they have forgotten that they actually already took their dosage for the day.

3)Install a hidden on and off switch in a cabinet for an electric stove or remove handles and knobs.

4)Avoid the stove, oven, electric coffee pot or toaster - anything electrical-when they are in the kitchen.

Source:  Home Instead Senior Care - Alzheimer’s CAREGiver Training Program

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Image: stovesupply.com