Our Boston Caregivers enable seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
Seniors with food allergies need to be especially careful when they eat. A food allergy could trigger a serious and life-threatening reaction. There are different types of food allergies and many people are allergic to more than one. The list below provides some helpful facts on the types of food allergies and how seniors can manage their allergy issues.
1. Food allergies are the most common types of allergies. These could include an allergy to fish and shellfish, eggs, milk, peanuts and tree nuts, soy and wheat. If a senior has an allergy to one of these foods, they need to know how to manage that allergy and how to deal with the possible reaction if they are exposed to it.
2. There are more than 160 foods that are known to cause allergic reactions. However, 90% of all food allergies are to the foods listed above.
3. Wheat, soy and milk allergies are the most difficult to deal with. This is because these ingredients are in almost everything we eat. Those with wheat allergies need to be on a gluten-free diet. Potato bread is a great substitute for other breads that contain wheat. Soy is in most processed foods, so this allergy is especially hard to manage.
4. No matter what the food allergy is, seniors should make sure that everyone is aware of the allergy. This is important when others are preparing food.
Boston Senior Care enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
In order to provide effective services to a senior, caregivers must remain healthy. This applies to mental and physical capacities. If a caregiver neglects their own health, they will not be able to provide the necessary services to a senior. The list below contains a few tips that will help caregivers stay on track and keep healthy so that they can carry on providing those important services.
1. Caregivers should remember that they are not alone. The role of a caregiver can be stressful, exhausting and demanding. Many times, caregivers suffer from depression. While it may seem like the caregiver must do this alone, family and friends can offer much support and make a big difference.
2. Caregivers need to know their strengths. It is important to reward yourself for a job well done. Knowing your strengths as well as your limitations will help you become a better caregiver.
3. Many caregivers neglect their own health because they are so preoccupied with caring for a senior. Your personal health should be your number one priority. Never put aside your own health needs.
4. It is ok to ask for help. If you begin feeling overwhelmed, there is no shame asking for help. This could be as simple as words of encouragement. Family members may also be able to help you care for an elderly relative. This can make a huge difference because you will not be responsible for every aspect of care. It is ok to take a break!
5. Caregivers need to be an advocate for seniors. It is important for every caregiver to know their own rights in addition to the rights of the senior receiving assistance or treatment.
Home Care Boston enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
Many times seniors will make a resolution that will affect their over-all health. While these resolutions provide great outcomes, they are often difficult to keep. There is no harm asking friends and family for a little help as you try to make some small changes in your daily life. The list below provides some useful tips for seniors on how to keep their resolutions.
1. Have a support network, Friends and family can provide emotional support. This can be beneficial if the resolution included some drastic changes to daily living. If you have made some tough resolutions, you may benefit from being in the company of others who are also making changes to their lives. This can help seniors stay on track. Positive support groups are essential.
2. Resolutions can be difficult to keep, depending on what they are. Many seniors choose to lose extra weight or start an exercise program. The key to being successful with these resolutions is to just do them. If you have a new diet, stick to it. If you have a new exercise regime, make time for it each day. These changes can greatly improve health and mood, so stick with them regardless of how it feels at the time.
3. If you slip up on your resolution, do not quit completely. Many people make little mistakes. This does not mean the time you have already put into keeping the resolution needs to be thrown away. Just count that day as a loss and pick up where you left off.
Home Care Boston enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
Hiring a caregiver for a senior can be as complicated as you make it. There are many agencies to choose from, each offering a staff of caregivers that provide various services. Once you have determined the type of service needed, you will have narrowed down the playing field. Then it is time to make some choices as to who the best caregiver will be. This is a serious decision and should not be made in haste. Below is a short list of tips that will help finding a caregiver less of a chore.
1. Check local Home Care Agencies. These companies staff many caregivers. However, they do provide different levels of service, so take the time to make sure all services that are needed can be provided.
2. If the senior in need of a caregiver is approved for care that will be paid for by Medicare, the Health Care Agency must be Medicare certified. This ensures that the agency meets the minimal federal requirements.
3. If the senior only requires personal care or homemaking services, caregivers do not have to come from an agency that is certified for Medicare.
4. If there is no Medicare coverage, the cost of the caregiver will have to be paid by the person receiving services. These services can be expensive, but there are some low rates for personal care attendants, also known as PCA’s. They are typically paid by the hour at rates between $13 and $35.
5. Do not be afraid to contact multiple agencies. It is important to find the right caregiver that will provide all services needed by the senior.
Home Care Bostonenables 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.
Getting older comes with many trials and tribulations that can really bring seniors down, so as friends, family members and caregivers, it’s up to us to try and lift their spirits and keep them happy when we notice that their emotions seem to be getting the best of them.
1. Encourage physical activity – exercise releases hormones which can help stave off depression. Instead of sitting around at home during a visit with a senior, go out for a walk or pick another activity that’s well suited to the senior’s physical capabilities.
2. Create social situations – the best way to boost senior morale and prevent loneliness is to get them involved in social situations. Invite your senior to a party or encourage them to join a social activity.
3. Help maintain a healthy diet – studies have proven that a well-balanced diet can prevent depression, so keep your senior’s fridge well stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables.
4. Offer support – if your efforts just don’t seem to boost your senior’s morale or they continue to struggle with elderly depression, make sure they know you are willing to listen to anything on their mind. If they aren’t comfortable talking with a friend or family member, encourage them to speak with a counselor or join a support group for seniors.
5. Encourage their hobbies – while some seniors may withdraw from activities they enjoy, encourage your senior to keep them up or find some new things that interest him/her.
6. Improve the living space – if your senior spends a lot of time in his/her home, even if it’s in an assisted living facility, personalize the space to help them feel comfortable. Photos, décor in their favorite colors and other personal comforts will help seniors feel like they belong there!
It may not be a common topic of discussion, even among senior care providers and those involved in the elder care industry, but elder abuse is taking place all around us in Boston and across the United States. It’s been estimated that between 5%-10% of older adults suffer from abuse or neglect, often at the hands of their own care providers; however, since many of these cases go unreported it’s hard to get a grasp on exactly how many seniors find themselves victims. Of course, the lack of reporting regarding elder abuse also has additional consequences; seniors, unwilling or unable to speak up about their abuse, suffer in silence and allow the situation to continue. As a result, it’s important for family and friends to be on the look out for signs that a senior might be a victim of abuse, and if they’re detected, to speak up and give the senior a voice.
• The senior is showing physical signs of injury, including bruising, sprains and cuts
• There are bedsores on the senior’s body, which may show signs of neglect
• The senior seems to be tense and argumentative around his or her caregiver
• The senior has withdrawn from many social activities that they once enjoyed
• The senior’s general attitude has changed
• The senior refuses to seek treatment for any issues with drugs, alcohol or depression
• The senior tries to avoid the topic of his/her care
• The senior appears to be losing excessive amounts of weight
• The senior’s caregiver seems “too good to be true”, if you get the impression, that may very well be the case. A good caregiver should be open and honest about their dealings with a senior.
