Boston

It’s dinnertime. Do you know what’s on the menu at your mom or dad’s house? If a senior is home alone, chances are he or she might not be eating a healthy meal at all.

According to research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care^® network, lack of companionship is the biggest mealtime challenge for seniors.

That’s why the local Home Instead Senior Care office in Boston has launched the Craving Companionship ^SM program. The program offers family caregivers tips and practical advice to encourage companionship and easy healthy meals.

Craving Companionship also features a recipe contest promote if speech is given during contest entry period of July 15 to September 15, 2011 that encourages family caregivers to dig into the family recipe box to find that favourite dish, and prepare and share a meal with their senior loved one.

Selected contest recipes and stories will be posted online as well as in the Homemade Memories^SM Cookbook, which will be available for purchase in time for the 2011 holiday season. Proceeds will go to the non-profit Home Instead Senior Care Foundation to benefit North American seniors.

For more details about the program including recipe contest guidelines and prizes, visit www.mealsandcompanionship.com.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Sport Activities on Father’s Day

Dads and children have always enjoyed cheering on their favorite sports teams together, and if this is something you used to do with your dad, this might be the perfect idea for a Father’s Day activity. It will be sentimental and a fun day, perfect for the celebration of dad!

1.    Check which teams are playing where – do you have a favorite team you used to watch together when you were a kid? Or a certain arena or sports field? See if anyone is playing on Father’s Day and take dad there.

2.    Take a trip – hop in the car and bring dad somewhere a bit different, a little adventure will be a great bonding experience!

3.    Make it an event – don’t just take dad to the game. Grab a meal before at a sports bar, and even pick up a few novelty items for your team to get right into the spirit!

4.    Invite Dad’s best buds over for a night of poker, movies, or sports.

5.    Avoid family conflict – if you’re planning on arranging something for just you and dad, talk to the other family members first so no one feels snubbed.

However you spend Father Day celebrating your Dad, let him know how much you appreciate him and all the effort he spent celebrating you. It’s his turn now, thank him for the memories and while you’re at it, make a special one for him this Sunday.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Senior Emergency Kit

Caregiving for aging family members can be very stressful but, luckily, there are numerous resources available online that can help. The Senior Emergency Kit by Homes Instead is a comprehensive checklist that contains any relevant information you would need in case of an emergency. The lists feature information pertaining to:

•    Relevant medical information.

•    Power of attorney forms.

•    Pharmacy and insurance company details.

•    Information on your loved one’s doctor.

Additional Resources Available Online

After you have completed your Senior Emergency Kit, you may have more questions about caregiving. Home Instead has compiled a list of additional caregiving resources that deal with everyday problems. Some of the sites featured on this list include:

•    Life Legacies (www.lifelegaciesandwishes.com) – This site provides tools to ensure that your loved one’s last wishes are carried out.

•    National Alliance for Caregiving (www.caregiving.org) – The National Alliance for Caregiving has resources for caregivers.

•    Stages of Senior Care (www.stagesofseniorcare.com) – The guide provides a plethora of information including costs, what to avoid, care options and more.

There are many other online resources available through Home Instead. To look into all of them, visit this page on CaregiverStress.com.

Smart Senior Savings Tips for Holiday Shopping

The holidays can really test a budget, especially for seniors living on a limited income in retirement. Seniors want to give the best to the family, but don’t need to go overboard when making purchases this holiday season. Families can use a few smart gift-giving strategies that will help members of all ages make a budget that they can stick to:

1. Setup a gift exchange – gift grabs and secret Santa gift giving can be used in families so each member of the family doesn’t need to buy for everyone. This can be done amongst the whole family, or just for the adult family members. With these gift giving structures, are family members get a gift (typically of equal value) and no one has to feel like they can’t afford to give

2. Set a limit – sometimes gift giving can become a competition amongst family members. Setting a limit, even if giving to multiple family members, can help to keep things under control

3. Buy family gifts – instead of choosing individual gifts, get something for the family. If they have a vacation planned, contribute something you know would be appreciated; or generally buy something that whole family would enjoy!

About.com http://grandparents.about.com/

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Grandparents who want to get involved with the grand kids fun at Halloween may find it fun and entertaining to do crafts together for the event. Here are crafts that can be done at home together to enhance your quality time.

1. Making decorations is inexpensive and fun. Kids love to color and paint, so grandparents can get in on this by creating cut out paper and allowing kids to decorate them. Then display them in and around the home.

2. Making a costume does not have to be difficult. Instead of sewing, try using fabric glue. Make use of old items, such as pantyhose and old t-shirts. With a little creativity, you and the child can create something great.

3. Carving pumpkins is always a Halloween favorite for kids. Make sure to save the seeds and bake them for a healthy treat that can be enjoyed while decorating. If there are multiple children, try a pumpkin contest to see who can make the best one. For younger children, simply allow them to paint faces on their pumpkin instead of carving.

Source: http://sdm3.rm04.net/servlet/MailView?m=3162624&r=MjEwNDA0ODQ3NzgS1&j=OTc2NTk3ODcS1&mt=1

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

How Seniors Make Use of Blogs

Seniors who make use of internet blogging can get many benefits from spending some time on the internet. There are some interesting and humorous blogs out there that have been written by seniors. These blogs will usually contain information on a topic that is of interest to many other seniors, so those who read and respond to the blog can interact with others and learn from other senior experiences.

1.    Blogging can be a great thing for seniors. It allows them to express their thoughts and feelings and it is a great way to reach out to other seniors. Many seniors even develop friends through blogs by getting responses to a topic they have posted and discussed.

2.    Some of the most common blogs by seniors include information on health issues and conditions. These can be a wealth of information, especially for seniors who are dealing with the same health problems.

3.    Some of the blogs are geared towards seniors who have recently retired. Here, seniors can meet others who are at the same point in their lives and discuss different things that happen when one retires.

4.    More seniors are becoming involved with blogs on the internet. The Ageless Project is a web page that contains a collection of blogs by seniors. This is a great way to express views and share some experiences that could make a difference in the lives of other seniors.

Source: http://jenett.org/ageless/

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Father’s Day Celebrations for Seniors

Seniors should have the opportunity to be honored on Father’s Day like anyone else, whether they are dead or alive. When you were a kid, I’m sure you showered your dad with homemade gifts that made him feel like you were thinking about him. Do not give up on that now just because you’re both older!

1. Give him a great meal – treat him to his favorite meal. Bring him breakfast in bed, out to his favorite buffet, go for a beer or to a fancy restaurant he loves. Remember, it ís all about him!

2. Give him something he wouldn’t get himself – your gift does not have to be expensive, but do think of something heíd never get for himself and skip the stereotypical gifts

3. Pay attention to his wants – if there is anything in particular you’ve noticed your dad talking about, try to make that desire a reality. The best part of the gift will be the recognition that you have  been paying attention!

4. Give him your undivided attention – it does not matter what you do, but make sure your time together is uninterrupted. Do not answer your text messages or phone calls unless it ís absolutely crucial!

5. Honor dad after death – if your father is no longer alive, you can still honor him on Father’s Day. Have a tribute to dad with other family members or donate to his favorite charity or cause

eHow.com

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Why Multi-Generational Households are the New Trend

In certain families and in many cultures, it hasn’t been unusual for multiple generations to live under one roof, but in more recent years, that has not been the trend in North America, at least not until a shift began to occur proving that it is in fact a growing trend. There are a number of reasons why there are various generations of individuals living together; from grandparents, parents, and grandchildren and all generations play a role in this.

1. The state of the economy – the economy has hit many people hard and families have to rely on each other for support. This has often been one factor that has influenced families in brining seniors into their homes to provide physical care as well as financial assistance across the board

2. There is a growing senior population – 16% of the American population lives in a multi-generational household. Numbers are increasing as there are more seniors living to older adulthood who may require care and support, or find it important to be surrounded by family

3. People are marrying later – younger generations on average aren’t starting families until their mid to late 20’s, so many people in their early 20’s remain at home which puts more adult generations under one roof

4. Focus upon independence – seniors and their families are no longer focused upon aging in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, so living with a family member can create a care option focused upon independence

Via: Pew Research Center

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend in Canada, if you haven’t shopped for a gift for your mother, it’s time to hit the stores. Older adults shouldn’t be forgotten about; it’s a time of life when they will be even more appreciative of a gesture that their child cares.  Coming up with ideas can be more challenging after decades of Mother’s Day gift giving, but here are a few!

1.    Expand her music collection – don’t just go out and purchase a CD or DVD that you know she enjoys now. Pick something that has sentimental meaning that she doesn’t own. If  there’s a particular type of music or album you used to listen to together, or even a movie you bonded over then get that as a gift as it will have meaning

2.    Setup a home garden – if your mom has recently moved from a house to an apartment or residential facility, she might miss having a garden. Home gardening is a popular trend; pick up some house plants, materials to create a small herb garden or something else she can grow inside!

3.    Help her decorate at home – if your mother has recently moved or just seems ready for a change, help her decorate her home. Pick up a few pieces with or without her help as a gift, and help her get her home arranged with the new items

4.    Give her items to entertain with – if your mother enjoys entertaining at home, new tableware or a unique cookbook would be appreciated. Or, you can have her over for a great Mother’s Day meal.

Mother’s Day Celebrations

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Home Care Boston enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

Often times, people do not think of Valentine’s Day as a holiday, but for many seniors, it is. It is a day of love, a day to tell others how you feel and what they mean. This is a great day to express to a senior your love, gratitude and thanks. Regardless of age, everyone loves to receive a Valentine’s greeting on this day. Below is a list of some ideas that are great for seniors.

1. Make handcrafted Valentine’s cards. This can be a great project for school classrooms as well as adult groups. Seniors would be very appreciative of any cards that were hand delivered. Taking the time to make and deliver something by hand can have a huge effect on seniors.

2. Small gifts provide a bit of cheer. For senior family members, use a heart shaped picture frame to display family photographs and present to your senior loved one.

3. Chocolates and cookies make great gifts. Be sure to check if the senior is on a restrictive diet before buying sweet treats. Many sugar-free chocolates are available and cookies that are made at home can also be made to suit a particular diet.

4. A “heart attack” is not always a bad thing! If you are able to decorate living spaces with hearts and other Valentine’s symbols, you will be giving a senior a positive “heart attack.” This can also be done through the mail by filling an envelope with heart shaped paper and confetti.

Source: aginggrandparents.suite101.com

Image Source: sxc.hu

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.