Caring for Senior Parents With Different Needs
As loved ones grow older, they begin to need additional care at home. You may feel overwhelmed and sometimes discouraged about providing for them appropriately — especially if they have different care needs. You might look to a live-in senior care facility as an option, but these facilities may separate your parents to address their individual care requirements. For a couple who has spent decades together, this sudden separation can be emotionally distressing and could lead to increased feelings of depression and social isolation. In-Home Senior Care Can Help Both Parents To help your senior parents age in place safely, comfortably—and together--Visiting Angels Newton/Canton offers a range of personalized programs to match each parent’s home care needs, including:
Get the Right Home Care Services for Both Parents Helping your senior parents age together safely and comfortably at home can be challenging, especially when each spouse has different care needs. If you need help finding the right at-home living assistance for each parent without separating them, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton’s senior home care is your best solution. Our care coordinators can provide a free home care consultation to discuss the best services and programs to help your senior parents with their personalized home care needs. If you're interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones, contact us at 617-795-2727. Providing Safe, High-Quality Care the Elderly DeserveAt Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, our priority remains its caregivers' health and safety and the elderly clients they serve every day. As an award-winning home care agency in Greater Boston, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton follows and adheres to the latest health and safety guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, in-home caregivers fulfill Visiting Angels’ mission of partnering with families to provide essential at-home living assistance for older adults. Visiting Angels’ in-home caregivers continue to be homecare heroes on the frontlines, taking necessary steps to protect elderly loved ones and themselves and doing whatever it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you have a loved one who could benefit from elderly care services at home, call Visiting Angels Newton/Canton today to schedule a free in-home consultation. A care manager will work with you to choose the best fit for your family member and you. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning local home care agency providing high-caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home dementia care, Alzheimer's care, respite care, live-in and 24-hour care, companion care, transitional aid, and in-home care services in Norwood and Boston area neighborhoods, including Brookline, Canton, Dedham, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Stoughton, Upper Back Bay, Watertown, Wellesley, West Roxbury, Westwood, and neighboring communities.
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The winter season is upon us, and we are already experiencing the effects of cold weather. Snow, ice, and low temperatures are especially hard on senior citizens. Snow-covered walkways and frigid gusts of wind increase the risk of falling. We have some winter safety tips that will benefit seniors throughout this cold season. It’s important for family members and caregivers to inform seniors of the temperature each day. Frigid air often has drastic effects on the environment, causing slippery ice to form on sidewalks and driveways. When your aging relative needs to leave the house, give them an update on weather conditions before walking outside with them. You’ll never regret taking the time to investigate the weather so everyone can be prepared and practice proper winter safety. Don’t forget to bundle up! According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, most elderly adults produce lower body heat due to slower metabolism. This means that they require more insulation to protect them from cold air. Remember to provide seniors with extra layers of clothing and coats to keep them from experiencing the harsh winter weather. One of the best ways to ensure winter safety is to remind seniors to take their vitamins and supplements consistently. This is especially important during hazardous winter weather conditions. Seniors are more prone to falling during the winter months, so it’s essential to keep their bones healthy. In addition to the temperature-related winter tips for seniors, you’ll also want to craft a thorough emergency plan for the real possibility of a fall. Even when you are extremely careful, slips and falls are a constant danger for seniors. Think of possible scenarios and create practical plans to help your elderly relatives practice effective winter safety strategies. If your loved one needs help around the house, please call Visiting Angels Newton/Canton. Our introductory meeting includes a free fall prevention analysis, and our caregivers can help your loved one live safely at home this winter. Winter safety measures for seniors should not be taken lightly. Winter is often one of the most challenging seasons for seniors, especially those isolated from others. Fortunately, proper preparation can alleviate most issues. We hope these winter safety tips help you and your loved one stay secure this winter. If you need help caring for a loved one, call Visiting Angels Newton/Canton to be connected with one of our home care companions. If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones, contact us today. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home Alzheimer’s care, dementia care, 24 hour and live-in care, companion care, senior care, respite care, transitional aid, and in-home care services in Watertown, Brookline, Stoughton, Canton, Dedham, Needham, Westwood, Norwood, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. The essential personal care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. We are staying Diligent
As the confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to rise in our area, we are monitoring the situation and the advice from public health authorities. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton remains committed to our responsibility as your senior home care provider during this time. We recognize that our Visiting Angels home caregivers allow seniors to age safely and comfortably in their own homes, wherever that may be, and that some of our clients cannot get through the day or night without a home care aide. We want to assure you that our caregivers follow best practices, including hand-washing and staying home if they feel ill or have traveled. Our staff and caregivers are vigilant about wearing face coverings, gloves, and other protective gear when working with clients or in our home office. How Caregivers Can Help Seniors Prepare For the Holidays and the Fall/Winter Seasons Change11/19/2020 Professional home caregivers can help seniors enjoy holiday fun and create meaningful memories in a well-tended home. As you look forward to Thanksgiving, Jewish holidays, or other celebrations, you may contemplate how to involve your elderly loved one in the festivities. Professional home care can make a positive difference and alleviate those concerns. One year, Lisa helped Norma host family members for a Thanksgiving meal at Norma’s home. “Norma shared her recipes, and I had her guiding me in making them,” Lisa says. At the same time, she arranged for Norma to help where she could, with tasks like shopping and prepping ingredients. Having a home care helper allowed Norma to shop for and prepare food and enjoy the day surrounded by family without leaving her home. Professionals who perform home care services can help your loved one continue family holiday traditions by putting up festive decorations around the house and planning menus or special foods. To make gift-giving more manageable, a professional caregiver can assist with shopping, either in local stores or online sites and help with gift wrapping. Sending holiday cards or notes could be made possible for your loved one with the help of a home care professional. These caregiving professionals could work with your senior to purchase cards and stamps, address envelopes and mail the cards out. Caregivers can help seniors attend virtual holiday religious services or other online activities by assisting them with setting up and using their smartphones or computers. Even a seemingly small thing, like helping your mom or dad find a familiar and favorite holiday show on television, can make your loved one feel connected to special times of the year. Holiday preparations and customs can keep seniors engaged with friends and family, give them events to look forward to, ward off loneliness and lift them out of their daily routine. They can also cement relationships with their professional caregivers and spend time reminiscing together about holiday memories and traditions. Remote visits with extended family can also be a time to check on your loved one’s overall well-being. On the other hand, if you are a family caregiver, respite home care allows you to take time off during the holidays to take care of your own needs. Home Caregivers Help Seniors With Seasons ChangeOf course, not every day is a holiday. Even mundane matters can be more comfortable for your elderly loved one with the help of personal home care assistance from a professional caregiver. With the change of seasons, new maintenance tasks often pop up around the house and outdoors. If you arrange for landscaping, furnace inspection, leaf raking, window washing, or snow removal for your loved one’s home, a professional home care provider can ensure those services are performed regularly and thoroughly. Helping your senior schedule, managing and paying repairers and service providers is also a responsibility that professional home caregivers can take on. At this time of the year, professional companion-care for the elderly can help your senior sort clothes, putting warm weather clothing away in storage, and pulling out seasonal coats, hats, and gloves. Any clothing that no longer fits or isn’t needed can be taken to a charity. Having your loved one involved in some housekeeping tasks can help him, or her feel productive and needed. Lisa asks seniors in her care to help her with simple chores like drying dishes or dusting. “It keeps their hands busy,” she says. “It’s like occupational therapy, too.” Fall is an enjoyable time for private home care aides to help seniors in their care enjoy some time outdoors before winter arrives. A walk or ride in the neighborhood offers seniors a pleasant view of fall foliage and provides the opportunity for them to feel like an active part of their community. Home Caregivers Prepare Seniors For WinterShorter days can make all of us–regardless of age–feel like hibernating. A professional caregiver can keep an eye on your loved one’s behavior as the nights get longer, watching for mood changes and helping him or her remain as active and engaged as possible during the fall and winter months. If you’re concerned about an elderly loved one during this time of year, contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton to find out if an in-home caregiver could help both you and your senior enjoy holidays and every day. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home Alzheimer’s care, dementia care, 24 hour and live-in care, companion care, senior care, respite care, transitional aid, and in-home care services in Watertown, Brookline, Stoughton, Canton, Dedham, Needham, Westwood, Norwood, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. The essential personal care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. We are Staying Diligent As the confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to rise in our area, we are monitoring the situation and the advice from public health authorities. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton remains committed to our responsibility as your senior home care provider during this time. We recognize that our Visiting Angels home caregivers allow seniors to age safely and comfortably in their own homes, wherever that may be, and that some of our clients cannot get through the day or night without a home care aide. We want to assure you that our caregivers follow best practices, including hand-washing and staying home if they feel ill or have traveled. Our staff and caregivers are vigilant about wearing face coverings, gloves, and other protective gear when working with clients or in our home office.
As communities reopen across the country, many seniors are looking forward to going back to the hair salon or barber, the grocery store, a relative’s house, or a favorite local restaurant. At the same time, many family caregivers are trying to determine how to protect their senior loved ones from COVID-19 when they are outside the home. Here are a few senior safety tips for public settings — and some information on how professional caregivers can assist you in protecting your senior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visiting the hair salon or barberHair salons and barbershops should follow all public health regulations, including capacity restrictions, staff mask-wearing policies, cleanliness and sanitization practices, and social distancing guidelines. You or your senior should call the establishment in advance of the appointment to ensure the staff is following the required safety protocols. Your senior should wear a mask at all times when inside the salon and should sanitize or wash his or her hands frequently, especially after touching surfaces such as counters, credit card machines, and door handles. It’s also a good idea for seniors to keep their distance from others and minimize time spent inside by waiting in the car until it is time to start the appointment. If necessary, an in-home personal caregiver can accompany your senior to their appointment and remind him or her to follow the establishment’s safety rules. Your senior’s caregiver can also make sure your loved one remembers to bring essential items, such as a mask and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. Shopping at the grocery store or pharmacyIf your senior needs to visit the grocery store or pharmacy, they must wear a mask and sanitize their hands as critical safety steps. Your senior should avoid close contact with other shoppers in store aisles and checkout lines. Be sure to stress the importance of following signs and markings in the store that promote social distancing. It may also help to make a list of items your senior needs before leaving home to reduce browsing and minimize the amount of time spent in the store. If he or she can avoid going inside the store in the first place, that is better. Consider using the drive-thru pharmacy, grocery pickup, or home delivery services whenever possible. In addition to meal planning/preparation and providing medication reminders, home health aides can assist with shopping — either by taking your senior to the store or going to the store on his or her behalf. Visiting a friend or relative’s houseSocial interaction has many emotional and mental health benefits, particularly for seniors who were isolated from loved ones during the height of the pandemic. However, resuming social visits to a friend or relative’s house should be carefully considered based on personal risk factors, the community transmission rate, and comfort level. You might also consider the following:
If your senior wants to social distance even though others don’t, support their decision to postpone in-person visits and offer to help them find alternative ways to connect with family or friends. A trained in-home caregiver can also assist in communicating with loved ones while providing companionship to the senior to alleviate boredom and loneliness. Dining at a restaurantYou can help keep your senior safe by contacting the restaurant in advance to find out what protective measures are implemented and making sure they follow all recommended guidelines. Close contact with large numbers of people in indoor spaces increases the risk of COVID-19 spread, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means outdoor dining with plenty of space between tables during off-peak hours would be less risky than dining indoors at a crowded restaurant with little social distancing. If your senior is craving a meal from a favorite local restaurant, a home care aide could accompany your older loved one and make sure he or she stays safe — or order and pick up take out. If you’re looking for some help keeping your senior safe as he or she resumes public activities during COVID-19, Visiting Angels caregivers are here for you. Our Visiting Angels case managers are available to discuss your loved one’s needs during a free in-home care consultation. If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved one, contact us today. Safe, High-Quality Care the Elderly DeserveVisiting Angels’ priority remains the health and safety of its caregivers and the clients they serve every day. As an award-winning home care agency in Greater Boston, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton follows and adheres to the latest health and safety guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, in-home caregivers fulfill Visiting Angels’ mission of partnering with families to provide essential at home living assistance for older adults.
Visiting Angels’ in-home caregivers continue to be homecare heroes on the frontlines, taking necessary steps to protect elderly loved ones and themselves by doing whatever it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home Alzheimer’s care, dementia care, 24 hour and live-in care, companion care, senior care, respite care, transitional aid, and in-home care services in Watertown, Brookline, Stoughton, Canton, Dedham, Needham, Westwood, Norwood, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. The essential personal care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging citizens to practice “social distancing” to slow the spread of COVID-19. To protect your senior loved ones from the coronavirus, the U.S. The CDC requests individuals keep at least a six-foot distance between people, avoiding crowds, canceling events, and staying away from sick people. Some states are even ordering residents to “shelter in place.” Although social distancing may reduce the risk elderly adults face from COVID-19, it can leave seniors vulnerable to social isolation. Feelings of loneliness and social isolation in seniors have been linked to depression, worsening physical health, and increased stress and cognitive changes. Conversely, seniors who are socially active receive many physical and emotional benefits. Although you may not be able to visit and spend quality time with your elderly loved ones, you can still stay in touch while protecting your loved one from COVID-19. There are plenty of creative ways for seniors to stay active and keep communicating while maintaining social distance, including: Phone and video callsCalling your elderly loved ones a few times a day can help reduce feelings of social isolation. Take time to share stories, tell jokes, solve riddles, play simple games, or read aloud with them. If possible, take advantage of video call apps like FaceTime or Skype and conference in multiple family members on the same call. Hearing loved one's voices and seeing their faces will help brighten your beloved senior’s day. Send lettersGive your elderly loved one a pleasant surprise by mailing letters. Let them know you are thinking of them and that they are dear to you. Remember not to limit yourself to just a written note. Receiving pressed flowers, burned CDs, printed photos, or even a grandchild’s art project can be a wonderful gift to open. Book and movie groupsPick a book or movie to read or watch, and then have a discussion about it over the phone or via video chat. Revisit a classic that both you and your loved one have enjoyed in the past or use this opportunity to try out a book or movie neither of you has read or seen before. Also, consider finding audiobooks or podcasts that you can both enjoy. Media is a great escape, and many seniors will relish the opportunity to exercise their minds by having an engaging conversation with their loved ones. Virtual group meetings, events, or classesIn recent weeks, many religious organizations, senior centers, exercise studios, and other businesses and community groups have converted to a virtual format. They are now hosting classes, events, and meetings using Google Hangouts, Zoom, FaceTime, YouTube, and other Internet-based platforms. Do some research and help your loved one connect virtually with his or her favorite activities or community groups — and consider participating together, if possible. In addition to providing some enrichment and entertainment, participating together will give you and your loved one something to discuss afterward. You may need to provide your loved one with verbal instructions over the phone to help them install software or apps, access websites, or get logged on. Although the technology may seem intimidating, it is essential to remind your loved one that keeping to regular routines as much as possible and having fun activities to look forward to will help to alleviate stress and promote a feeling of belonging despite not being able to participate in person. Have supplies deliveredWith many seniors staying home, running out of food or medications can be a real risk. Show your loved one that you are still thinking of them even if you are not able to be together right now by ordering groceries or meal deliveries to their home. Amazon Alexa and Constant CompanionVisiting Angels® offers Constant Companion, a proprietary system that uses Amazon Alexa to help seniors live a safe and independent life while staying connected to their communities. Constant Companion responds to voice-activated medical alerts and summons help ASAP. It does not require any wearable devices and can even be used to call or send voice messages to loved ones. Constant Companion also includes an optional video chat feature and can read audiobooks, play games, and give medication reminders to your loved one. Keeping seniors and other vulnerable populations safe through social distancing is vital as COVID-19 spreads. Although it can be tricky at times, there are plenty of ways to help older adults stay socially connected and not fall prey to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Feel free to call Visiting Angels Newton/Canton at 617-795-2727 if you have any questions about caring for your senior loved one. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton: Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our home Alzheimer's care, dementia care, companion care, senior care, respite support, transitional aid, and home care services in Westwood, Norwood, Brookline, Watertown, Needham, Dedham, Canton, Stoughton, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns. While essential personal in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Contact us today for a free in-home consultation! We are Staying Diligent As the confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to rise in our area, we are monitoring the situation and the advice from public health authorities. Visiting Angels remain committed to our responsibility as your home care provider during this time. We recognize that our Visiting Angels caregivers allow seniors to age safely and comfortably in their own homes, wherever that may be, and that some of our clients cannot get through the day or night without a caregiver. We want to assure you that we are communicating to our caregivers to follow best practices, including hand-washing, and staying home if they are feeling ill or have traveled to Level 3 CDC countries. |
AuthorVisiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning in-home care agency that provides high quality home care to seniors and disabled adults in Greater Boston, MA. Archives
July 2022
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