As my parents began to reach the age when they began to need my help with daily activities, I started to think about care givers and nursing homes, but then I discovered that there are now many different types of senior care facilities. Each elderly care center is now being geared towards the level of care needed. Retirement communities are basically 55 and older communities with all the amenities geared to an active lifestyle. They are mainly for those who need very little or no help with daily activities. Some have golf courses, fitness centers and organized daily activities and or more like a country club.
A lot of baby boomers and their 40 to 60 year old “children” are looking at assisted living facilities because assisted living facilities offer the best of both worlds, so to speak. They offer on staff, 24 hour professional medical care as well as life styles for seniors who are active but still need some assistance. I originally considered home care for my folks because I thought it would cost less. Home care would have allowed my parents to stay in their home but offered the advantages of a professional care giver. My research indicated that assisted living was a better fit.
Residential care homes are essentially an average home that is converted with the necessary amenities (ramps, handicap handles in bathrooms, etc.) to accommodate seniors needing various levels of care. After living in my neighborhood for years, I discovered that the home across the street and two doors down was a residential care facility. My guess is that it is geared towards Alzheimer’s care because I have never seen any elderly people walking outside. Alzheimer’s patients need constant, confined, around the clock care. The categories noted below are a concise summary of some of the types of care available. My thanks to Senior Living Mentor for giving me access to this information and enabling me to provide assistance for my parents. Their website was very concise, easy to use and gave me access to thousands of senior living facilities. I hope this information is of some help.
*ASSISTED LIVING. A more independent environment than a nursing home. They provide daily activities, health care and personal assistance.
*ALZHEIMER CARE. Often delivered in a completely separate area of a nursing home. Highly structured daily activities with closely monitored supervision.
*HOME CARE. Usually 24 hour support with bathing, cooking, transportation and bill paying, delivered to seniors who prefer to stay in their own home.
*NURSING HOMES. For seniors who need constant assistance and require consistent medical care. Sometimes operated within hospitals.
*RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES. A homelike setting similar to family living. For residents who require similar assistance to assisted living or nursing homes.
*RETIREMENT COMMUNUTIES. Mainly for independent seniors with few medical problems. Apartment type living with activities, fitness clubs and dining facilities.
homeinstead. com A video on fitness and how the Lord caregiver with Home Instead Senior Care in Riverside, CA to help seniors stay in their homes safely and independently.
Are you caring for an aging parent or friend in your home or in their home? The responsibility of senior care can be hard to bear alone. Caring for a loved one requires patience and extra time that you may not have. What you may not realize is that there are options for senior care assistance at home that will fit your needs and take some of the pressure off of you.
Senior care assistance is available to help you care for your loved one in the comfort of their own home or in your home. Non-medical senior care providers offer companion care and personal care services that are designed to take over or assist in the activities that elders need to be able to stay at home safely and with dignity.
How do you get started?
Ask your health care providers for recommendations on senior care home providers. Get recommendations from friends and co-workers for senior care home providers in your community. Always be sure to check references and interview the senior care provider so that you feel safe and secure. Reputable senior care providers require experience and do extensive checks on caregivers.
Next, along with your senior care provider evaluate your needs. Begin by reviewing your needs through discussions with involved family members; when necessary we consult with the physician(s) of the care recipient, social workers, hospitals, or nursing home staff. That will allow you to develop an individualized program to manage your daily needs.Match your needs to the best possible caregiver, bring them to your home and ask you to participate in the selection process. You manage the services and with your senior care provider you can add or change services on an as need basis.
Whatever options work best for your situation.
Senior care services options include:
Hygiene Assistance Meal Preparation/Diet Monitoring Light Housekeeping Errands and Shopping Joyful Companionship Live in, Live- out, Sleep-over Mornings, Mid-day, Evenings Temporary or Long term Senior Care Senior Care for Weekends, holidays Senior Care for Respite for Family Caregivers
You will see that getting the additional assistance you need to care for your loved one will take the pressure off of you alone. Senior care can be a full time job and one you don’t have to do alone. Contact a senior care home assistance provider and arrange the help you need.
Linda Dunkelberger is a freelance writer and editor. “Take the Pressure Off with Senior Care” is written to tell you that senior care options are available to help you care for a loved one so they can stay in their home or in your home.Visiting Angels is a non-medical senior care/living assistance service provider helping in homes in your community and across America. For more information on Visiting Angels see www.visitingangels.com
Elderly in home care can cause caregiver stress.Caregivers are expected to be strong and healthy, but what happens if the caregiver gets sick? As the Marketing Officer of a web based business that assists families to find care for their loved ones, I can always tell when a caregiver who is calling is at a breaking point. Their voices are very stressed amd they are almost in a panic. Often, as they describe their situation, I can hear the tears welling up inside of them. unfortunately, some people wait too long and the stress of being a caregiver has already taken its toll, but it does not have to be that way. If you are the primary caregiver of a person with Alzheimer’s,dementia,or other serious illness, you need to be very careful not to let the situation overwhelm you. While this sounds easier said than done, there are steps you can take to prevent burnout. Here are a few points that can help. 1.Look for help.Allow others to help and don’t feel that you have to be the one to do everything. There are numerous ways to get help for your loved one depending on your needs,location and financial situation. Here are a few: a.Contact the Office on Aging and ask about respite programs. Most counties have programs that will pay for a limited number of hours of home care services, free of charge. These types of programs are designed to give you a break and allow you to get out of the house. b.If your loved one qualifies for Medicaid, there may be programs available which would pay for either home care or adult day care services. c.If your loved one has a serious illness, consider using hospice. You don’t have to wait until the illness is at the ends stages to get help. d.Ask relative or close friends to help you out. 2.Get some exercise.Exercse can help you reduce stress, keep your body strong, strengthen your immune system and simply make you feel good. Some of the best exercises are walking or biking. These are easy to do, get your heart rate into the aerobic zone, burn calories and give you a chance to clear your head. Some excellent mind/body exercises include yoga, tai chi and Qi gong. Make time to exercise and you will reap the rewards. 3.Eat well.Like exercise, eating a well balanced diet helps you feel good, helps avoid being sick and gives you the energy you need to be a caregiver. 4.Learn relaxation techniques.Deep breathing, meditation and some of the mind/body exercises mentioned above can be tremendously helpful. An easy breathing technique is to inhale through your nose for a count of four,filling your belly with air, not your chest.Hold your breath for a count of seven and then exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.This can really help calm the nerves when practiced regularly. 5.Get an adequate amount of sleep.The fastest way to get run down is never getting enough sleep. If you find you are caring for your loved one at night, try to hire a person for overnight if this is possible. If you have siblings, ask them to chip in financially if they are not able to share some of the actual hands-on care. While it can be very difficult to do many of the suggestions listed above, you must understant that if you get run down and sick, the problem is greatly magnified. You must be firm in demanding time to care for yourself and most importantly, you must not feel guilty. You are doing a great and honorable thing by being a caregiver, but it must not completely take over your life. If you don’t know where to turn, consider hiring a professional geriatric care manager. While they can be a bit costly, it is often money well spent, as their years of experience are focused on helping seniors and their families when in nee
Patty Adams is the Marketing Officer of CareGrade. CareGrade is a free, web based referral service for families searching for senior care services such as home care or assisted living. For more information, go to www.caregrade.com or call 856-273-9980
So you thought aching joints was just for the elderly? Aching joints can be as common in young people today as they are in the older generation. You could be an athlete, a mother, a waitress, or a fitness enthusiast just trying to keep your body in good shape, but if you’re not taking care of your joints, it is possible that you can suffer from joint discomfort sooner or later.
Taking care of your joints may involve learning to re-do every day things in a way that consciously helps to lower stress on your joints. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Avoid excessive strain on joints. Avoid being in one position for too long. This is especially true when you’re caught in long traffic jams on your way to work! If it’s a long wait, it’s probably a good idea to get out of the car and stretch your muscles periodically. Keep an active lifestyle. Get a good night’s sleep. Use stronger joints more often. For example, you may want to use your shoulders to push open doors instead of your wrist and elbow. Use both hands to carry your shopping bags.
In fact, common reasons for some joint aches can be simple things we can avoid, such as using incorrect postures while lifting, prolonged sitting or standing in one place, or using incorrect exercise techniques. Many kinds of work that might force you into an “unnatural” position repeatedly can lead to joint aches. Take for example, sitting in an uncomfortable position, twisting a screwdriver, or gripping tools.
It’s hard to escape the jobs we do, but we can start taking some conscious steps to avoid unnecessary stress on joints that may gradually lead to joint injury. By taking care of our joints today, you might find that they will take care of you well into your senior years.
Tips for Taking Care of Your Joints
Exercise Regularly Exercise not only helps you keep generally fit, but regular exercise can help in many specific ways: It tones the muscles and strengthens them so that they are more able to bear the brunt of everyday movement. Exercise can help to keep joints mobile and flexible. Other benefits of exercise can include improved weight management, blood circulation, sleep patterns, balance and posture; it keeps the heart healthy, relieves muscle tension, and strengthens the bones. There are particular exercises that can help you increase mobility and range of flexibility, strengthen muscles and bones through weight training. These types of exercises include walking, swimming, hydrotherapy, Pilates, dancing and aerobics. As with any exercise program always consult your physician before beginning.
Avoid Carrying Excessive Weight Carrying too many grocery bags at one time into your home in order to avoid extra trips to the garage may tax your joints. Use both hands, carry bags from the bottom up and distribute the weight evenly, minimizing strain on any particular joint. If you are engaged in lifting weights, avoid lifting heavy weights repeatedly and overtraining. Vary your exercise routine with low and heavy weights and make sure to give your joints adequate recovery period between exercises. It’s important to get a good night’s sleep as well to allow your body to recover.
Manage Your Body Weight If you are overweight, you may be able to reduce a lot of stress on weight-bearing joints by losing weight and coming down to your optimal body weight. This is one of the best ways to take care of your joints.
Avoid on-the-Job Wear and Tear of Joints Joint injury can take place if you have a job which requires you to constantly perform repeated motions—this is known as repetitive strain injury (RSI). You can avoid trauma on joints by rotating such tasks with other tasks that do not place heavy stress on the joints. Take repeated rest breaks to break up monotonous and repetitive tasks. Take care of your posture while sitting or standing for long hours. Take regular breaks to stretch your muscles.
Eat Healthy Joint health requires adequate nutrition and proper rest. Lack of nutrition can lead to lack of sufficient nutrients required for supporting joint health. Without these nutrients, the cartilage may weaken and tear, synovial fluid in the cavity may become less, leading to progression in joint degeneration.
Joint Health Supplements Supplementing your nutrition with joint health supplements will help to give your joints the nutrients they need for long-term joint health. Joint health supplements containing glucosamine sulfate, hyal joint, Interhealth collagen type II and MSM provide nutritional support for joint health. When joints are stressed we need more nutrients to help keep them functioning well. Joint health supplements, like GoFlex, contain important nutrients to support all the 10 most stress-prone joints of the body. Nutrients combined with herbs that act as natural analgesics help to support joint health. GoFlex comes with a free fast-acting joint cream which contains an FDA-approved ingredient for pain relief, capsicum, for times when you need quick pain relief! Take nutritional care of your joints, and you’ll find they will take care of you well into the senior years of your life.
GoFlex is a scientifically-based, physician-approved joint health supplement containing herbal and natural nutrients that specifically support vital joint functions for maintaining mobility and flexibility. GoFlex includes a joint health supplement and joint pain relief cream containing an FDA-approved ingredient for fast-acting joint pain relief.
When it comes to choosing the best Senior Care Housing option for you or for your aging loved one, you want to be sure that you make the right senior housing choice. To achieve this, you need to know the different senior care housing options available in your community.
It can get overwhelming at first, but having a better understanding of all the available senior housing options, will help you decide in choosing the best senior care facility that fits you or your aging loved one’s lifestyle.
Here are the most popular Senior Care Housing options:
Assisted Living
Other common terms: Residential Care for the Elderly (RCFE)
Assisted Living Facilities are suited for seniors who want to live independently but need help with day-to-day activities. However, they do not require 24-hour supervision since they do not have any serious medical conditions.
Assisted Living Communities typically offer meal service, housekeeping, social activities, medication assistance, transportation for medical appointments and other pleasure trips for seniors. Additional services like laundry, assistance with eating, bathing, toileting, grooming, dressing-up and other personal care, which seniors need, may also be available in an Assisted Living Facility.
In general, assisted living communities are not required to have nurses and/or doctors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, although Assisted Living Facilities usually have medical staff on site or on call to be able to help seniors with their daily needs.
Nursing Homes or Skilled Nursing Facilities
Commonly referred to as SNFs, which is short for Skilled Nursing Facilities.
Nursing Homes or Skilled Nursing Facilities provide 24 hours a day, 7 days a week nursing care for seniors with serious medical conditions.
Nursing Homes offer services from a registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse and/or certified nursing aide are Assisted Living & senior care facilities in North Alabama, Maryville TN, Arizonaavailable 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to administer medical treatments and care prescribed to seniors by a doctor.
Majority of nursing homes offer short-term and long-term care depending on the degree of care the senior residents need.
Alzheimer’s Care
Other common terms: Assisted Living, Residential Care for the Elderly (RCFE)
Alzheimer’s Care Facilities are also known as memory care or dementia facility. This type of senior care facility specializes in the treatment and care of people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia as they have special needs.
The setting in an Alzheimer’s Care Facility is similar to Assisted Living communities. Alzheimer’s Care Facilities also provide personal services like help with eating, bathing, toileting, grooming, dressing-up, etc. Social services and programs tailored to provide senior patients with as much mental and memory stimulation as possible are also available for this type of senior care facility.
Alzheimer’s Care Facilities have 24-hour support, higher level of security to protect wanderers, and structured programs to meet the needs of people with dementia.
Board and Care
Other common terms: Adult Residential Facility (ARF)
Board and Care Facilities are commonly referred to as residential care or foster homes. This senior care housing option for the elderly provides 24-hour, non-medical assistance to perform day-to-day activities such as eating, toileting, bathing, grooming, walking and laundry. Nursing services and additional services may also be available.
Typically, this kind of senior care facility offers a home-like setting and provides private or shared rooms, private or shared bathrooms, meal service and an open door policy for the senior residents’ friends and family.
Adult Day Care
Adult Day Care Facilities are also referred to as an adult day center, which is another form of respite care. Adult Day Care is the ideal option for families who can still take care of their aging loved one at home, but are unable to during the daytime (i.e., due to career, etc.).
Seniors who participate in an Adult Day Care program are provided companionship and support throughout the day and returns home at night.
An array of health programs and social activities for seniors are offered for stimulation and socialization. Majority of the programs in an Adult Day Care, include meal and transportation service while additional services like counseling, dancing, exercise, education, evening care, health screening, personal care, therapies, social activities and a lot more may also be available.
Generally, Adult Day Care Facilities are open up to eight hours a day, five times a week (Monday through Friday), although some may be open on Saturdays for a few hours.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
Continuing Care Retirement Communities are typically referred to as CCRCs or life care retirement communities. This senior housing option is perfect for seniors who want to age in the same place as it offers flexible accommodations that are intended to meet the needs and wants of seniors which change overtime. Thus, not having to worry about moving.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities offer a long-term continuing care contract, usually for a resident’s lifetime. They provide appropriate level of senior care support for independent living, assisted living or nursing care all in one facility. Although expensive, this senior housing option is becoming one of the most popular choices today because it offers a wide range of programs, activities and amenities available to support the healthy lifestyle of seniors.
Independent Living
Independent Living Communities are also referred to as Retirement Communities. This senior housing option, is ideal for healthy and active seniors who want to live independently as they want flexibility with their day-to-day activities. Seniors who choose Independent Living typically do not need medical assistance.
Independent Living Communities are suited for seniors who are interested to participate in educational, cultural and other social activities for entertainment. Independent Living communities usually offer a wide range of optional personal services to seniors like: cleaning, laundry, transportation, group meals, fitness programs, etc.
About the Author: Catharine D. Allado- Writes articles for www.ladolceliving.com – the most trusted and comprehensive online directory of quality and affordable care homes in California, Florida and the rest of the United States. La Dolce Living- www.ladolceliving.com- is the most trusted and comprehensive online service helping seniors and their families find FREE and RELIABLE information from senior housing care such as assisted living and nursing homes, in-home care, articles and tips, health information, senior discounts and services, a senior online community, plus more…
Owning a franchising business can offer you brand awareness, trustworthiness and consistency that can take years to build up for any new business. It can be one of the easiest and most successful methods of entering the business world, however don’t think of it as an easy ride. A franchise takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make it a success and you have to find the right kind of franchise opportunity for you.
Many new businesses fail in the first few years due to a lack of commitment, dedication or knowledge, this figure is much lower for franchises with over 90% of them showing a profit within the first 3 years. The difference with a franchise business is that most of the problems have already been ironed out. Franchises are tried and tested by many others before you and have developed a system that, if you follow it to the letter, should be successful.
Risks normally associated with starting a new business are not as great with a franchise as it is already established and the business plan approved. Getting the right mix of marketing techniques, pricing strategies and a quality product or service are the main problem areas for any new business; as you are buying into a franchise all these have already undergone rigorous testing and the resulting system is achievable.
There are hundreds of different types of franchise opportunities, from advertising and computers to fitness, restaurants and home based franchises, choosing one that will suit you depends on your lifestyle and the areas you are interested in. New franchises offering excellent potential for growth are either a senior care franchise or senior assisted living services.
Nearly every country is experiencing a rapidly ageing population who are living longer due to better health care, and the baby boomer generation reaching retirement age in the next decade. It is forecast that the older generation will double over the next 25 years and a market is opening up for professionals to care for them. This has created a market for products and services specifically for the elderly.
The majority of people who would be interested in running a senior care or assisted living franchise are generally in that line of work already, nurses, health care workers or care assistants. It isn’t necessary to have a medical background or previous experience in the care field as long as you manage the facility by employing trained and qualified staff, a legal requirement when working with vulnerable people.
The health care sector is set to take over as one of the largest workforces over the next few decades and senior care franchises are seen as an emerging business opportunity that will grow with it. The advantage of these kinds of franchises is that the initial investment is modest when compared to other commercial franchises and is not subject to economic fluctuations. There is a lot of support offered by professionals to help you build your business, making this one of the best franchise opportunities available today.
The rewards you get from this kind of work are unlike any other kind of franchise, both personally and professionally. Professionally you will be managing your own business, but personally you will be making a difference in people’s lives. If you are interested in senior care franchise opportunities and home health care then carry out some research online and request information about senior care franchises and senior assisted living services before deciding on which business is right for you.
There was a time, not that long ago, when a senior citizen could plan on living with an adult child as the years took their relentless toll. Now senior retirement centers are popping up seemingly everywhere.
It’s a good idea to take a look at why these changes are taking place and how each of us can best fit into this new pattern of elder care.
The most glaring difference today is the prevalence of working women. Even a few decades ago, a full-time homemaker often had the time and energy to care for an aging parent in her own residence. Many homes boasted a “mother-in-law” apartment in the basement, over the garage of somewhere else on the premises. In many economic, social and religious groups it was a matter of pride to “care for one’s own”. In addition, there were few really appealing options beyond that ethic.
The reason there are so many senior retirement centers today is not just the lack of wives at home to take on the responsibility of geriatric care, there is also a preference surfacing in the seniors themselves. No matter how welcoming the environment is, a private home usually doesn’t offer the stimulation and peer relationships that the new senior retirement centers are providing. Many seniors frankly want to choose their own support-oriented residence.
If incomes are high enough, savings are adequate or HUD and Medicaid benefits are available, it can be a win/win situation. Full calendars and new friendships can replace the isolation that living in another person’s home can produce. Even the most loving adult child is usually busy with the demands of a full life of his/her own. What can ensue is mutual independence.
Not all senior retirement centers are supportive. Careful investigation needs to be done to find a match. However, the rewards that come from putting some serious time and effort into the search can be great.
As this cultural change develops, a surprising factor is surfacing. At one time, the dread of making such arrangements kept seniors from moving on until it was absolutely necessary. What we are starting to observe is a trend involving seniors moving into these new facilities earlier out of choice. Enthusiasm is replacing fear and years of active, support-oriented living can be the unexpected bonus.
Those who doubt the wisdom of selling their homes and moving into a senior retirement center are visiting friends who have made just such a choice. They often find that the pros outweigh the cons. As the new centers appear, competition is emerging and the units, amenities and perks become increasingly attractive. It’s getting to be a “don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it” situation with positive results.
Luise Volta’s life has included careers in nursing, teaching pre-school, interior design, Real Estate sales, insurance adjusting, and dairy herd testing. Visit for Aging Wisely.
If you’re responsible for providing most of the caregiving for an older adult, family member, elderly parent, or loved one, you may want to consider taking advantage of available respite care services. Respite care is short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family or loved ones at home, whose relatives would otherwise require treatment at a facility elsewhere. Without respite care, elderly or sick individuals would live in institutions or health care facilities.
Though families appreciate being able to keep their family members or loved ones in the comfort of home, the physical, mental, emotional, and financial burden they carry can often be overwhelming without respite or support. If you’re feeling exhausted facing the challenges of caregiving duties, a Respite Care Program may offer much needed temporary relief. Without valuable respite care programs, caregiving family members may suffer emotionally and financially as they face health problems, social issues, and stress associated with continual caregiving.
Respite Care Programs:
Sustain family caregiver health and well being Allow family members and loved ones to remain at home Reduce the likelihood of abuse and neglect
If you or someone you know is facing the challenge of caring for a loved one alone, Respite Care Services can offer a break, stress relief, and balance to your life. Providing care everyday for family or friends may be difficult, but there are Respite Care Service options and care strategies you may not be aware of. It’s good to consider all options to provide the best care for your loved ones and yourself.
Analyze your needs and the needs of your loved ones.Figure out which area you need help most:
Have I allotted enough free time for myself? Does my loved one need help with walking, eating, or other basic tasks? Does my loved one need help taking daily medication? Is my loved one getting a proper amount of exercise? Is my loved one getting enough mental stimulation?
These questions will help you figure out what further steps to take. Once you assess the type, frequency, and location of your needs, discover what a Respite Care Program can do for you and your loved one. Anticipating regular relief from Respite Care Services can be lifesaving; share the responsibility of caregiving with another individual and get help and support for yourself.
Erica Ronchetti is a freelance writer for Visitng Angels, the nation’s leading, network of non-medical, private duty home care agencies providing senior care, elder care, personal care, respite care and companion care to help the elderly and adults continue to live in their homes across America.Visit the Visiting Angels website to find out more information on Respite Care Programs.
The first thing you should know about arthritis care is that there is never one particular method of easing the pain and controlling the disease. Different things work for different people, and you may have to employ more than one method to reach maximum relief.
Cold compresses can lend a hand in dealing with day to day pain while working in the kitchen or doing house chores. You may need to apply some kind of cold compress like bags of ice or ice packs multiple times throughout the day, but by setting up a schedule that works for you will allow you the opportunity to take a quick coffee or reading break while caring for your arthritis.
Another option for arthritis care is to use a hot tub. Most people tend to use this method near the end of the day, where they can let their bones and joints soak until they’re relaxed enough to sleep well for the night. This method does not work for everyone and can be dangerous if you have additional health problems. For this reason, you will want to consult your doctor before using this method on a daily basis or making a part of your usual routine.
Stretching and exercising is another great way to care for arthritis, as it loosens the bones and joints I your body creating relief for many arthritis sufferers. Yoga is a popular daily routine for many with the disease, and easy aerobics is a close second. Just be sure not to be over strenuous as to harm yourself more than help yourself, and it doesn’t take a lot of time for this method to bring you relief. After about a week of exercising even 15 minutes per day to stretch your joints and muscles, you’ll start to feel serious relief that will help you make it through each day.
You can apply one or more of these methods for arthritis pain, excluding ones that prove not to work for you. These methods are designed to be used on top of medications or other doctor prescribed arthritis control, and should not be substituted from your doctor’s orders.
For More Information arthritis please visit
www.arthritisreliefhelp.info
Roger Thoompson writes on Arthritis for Website dedicated to pain relief information