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Give dad what he really needs this Father’s Day

May 12, 2022 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

Father's day visit with grandson

Ties are great. Wallets are swell. But your dad probably doesn’t need or want those things anymore. If you want to show your love for dad this Father’s Day with something he truly needs, try these three great options:

Time. The circumstances of life can make time a rare luxury as your father ages. Older dads typically have children who are in their busiest years — kids in the home, tons of responsibilities at work, etc. People in this situation are referred to as belonging to the “sandwich generation” of people, typically in their 30s or 40s, who are caring for their own children while also ensuring that their aging parents have the care they need.

While you might have little time on your hands, it remains nonetheless important to spend some with your dad. This Father’s Day, your dad would probably love nothing more than time with his children and grandchildren.

Father's day visit with granddaughter

Attention. If you’re going to spend time with dad, you might as well make the most of it. Ideally, time spent with dad would be quality time, and that means giving him your full attention. Put down the phone (and have the kids do the same) and engage in quality conversation. Perhaps you could play a fun guessing game together, like “my father works in a grocery store,” or listen to an informative senior-focused podcast. Maybe it’s a good time to talk about important documents, such as advance directives and wills.

Giving dad your attention not only will help ensure that you have a great time hanging out with your father, but it also can help you determine whether your dad might need a little extra help. When you get together, pay attention to his wants and needs — and how they’ve changed over time.

Help. The odds are high that your dad doesn’t get by quite as well as he used to. This father’s day (or any time of year), at-home care assistance is an out-of-the-box (literally) gift idea that can improve your dad’s quality of life. If he needs help shopping for groceries, remembering to take medicines or any of a million other activities of daily living, at-home care could be a real blessing. Contact Take My Hand At-Home Care for a complimentary in-home assessment of your dad’s needs.

Help for dad can be a gift for children, too, because it can help lessen the stress of worrying whether he gets all the care he needs to remain safe and happy. If you have any questions or need help, please reach out to Take My Hand At-Home Care.

Filed Under: Caregiving, Elder loneliness Tagged With: fathers

Simple bathroom safety updates for older adults

April 19, 2022 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

Each year, more than one in four adults 65 or older will experience a fall, with 20% of them resulting in serious injury. This is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which also notes that not only can falls cause immediate injury, they can instill a fear of falling, causing people to limit their activities, thus lowering their quality of life. Thus, it’s no surprise that some of the best ways to improve bathroom safety for older adults involve making changes that help reduce the likelihood of a fall.

Below are 10 simple changes anyone can do to help improve bathroom safety for older loved ones.

Clear the clutter. Crowded bathrooms are likely to present a trip hazard. Consider removing rugs, plants, magazine baskets, toilet paper stands and anything else that isn’t strictly needed in the room.

Install grab bars. Strategically placed handholds can dramatically lessen falls in the bathroom. One just inside the room, for example, can provide balance while the other hand is used to shut the door. Note: Do not use a towel rack for this purpose, as they are not designed to support human weight.

Put non-slip decals in the tub. This is especially important if the tub also is used as a shower (and if that’s the case, consider converting to a walk-in shower instead). A porcelain tub is extremely slick when wet and soapy, contributing to falls for even the most sure-footed people.

Install a raised toilet seat. It takes much more effort to position oneself on a lower seat, and of course getting up is that much more difficult, too. A raised seat makes the process easier.

Buy toilet safety rails. Like a raised seat, safety rails can make it much easier to sit on and get up from the toilet. Plus, they help provide balance in case your loved one begins to feel unsteady on the seat.

Get a stool for the shower. A tall stool in the shower will help your loved one rest tired legs while bathing and provide a steadier perch than attempting to stand on a slick, soapy floor.

Lower water heater temperature. The CDC recommends that water heaters be set at 120 F or lower to prevent burns. Even 110 F or 115 F should be warm enough.

Install brighter lightbulbs. Increasing the brightness of bathroom lighting can help older adults better see any obstacles that might be in the room.

Install lever-handle faucets. Knob-style faucets can be difficult to operate for those with arthritis or similar conditions that limit dexterity.

Ensure easy access to and from the bathroom. Check the hallway outside the bathroom for obstructions. Is there an end table there that could be removed? Is the transition from the hall carpet to the bathroom in good repair? Is the hallway lighted adequately, and is the light switch easy to access?

Take My Hand At-Home Care provides loving, attentive home care service throughout Whatcom County. If you’ve tried the above fixes but still aren’t confident that your loved one can navigate the bathroom safely, please give us a call. We would be happy to help.

Filed Under: Aging in place, Resources for caregivers, Resources for senior citizens

5 podcasts for senior wellness 

March 15, 2022 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

The vast array of podcasts – i.e. internet radio shows – in today’s world is enough to make anyone’s head spin. From true crime storytelling to politics and health, there’s a podcast out there for practically any topic, taste or age range. If you’re of a certain adult age – or have a senior family member – it might interest you to know there’s plenty of podcasts that promote senior wellness.

Aging not just gracefully, but safely and healthily, is part of Take My Hand At-Home Care’s mission. With that in mind, here’s a sampling of some terrific podcasts with the senior set in mind:

“Aging in Full Bloom” – Hosted by Lisa Stockdale, this senior-focused podcast features a wide range of topics and guests, including an episode featuring Alzheimer’s caregiving advice from Patti Davis, daughter of President Ronald Reagan.

With engaging 15- to 30-minute episodes about everything from elder law to retirement advice and heart health, “Aging in Full Bloom” is a friendly, engaging choice for listeners.

“Better Health While Aging” – Another podcast with practical advice health advice both for seniors and those who care for them, this show is hosted by Dr. Leslie Kernisan, a board-certified geriatrician. On the show, Dr. Kernisan discusses such topics as when to know if your aging parent needs help and how to discuss it with them.

More than 100 episodes of “Better Health While Aging” are available, so there’s no shortage of knowledge to consider here, whether the topic is bladder health or how to survive the holidays with several generations of family.

AARP’s “The Perfect Scam” – Hosted by Bob Sullivan, the podcast shares stories of people duped by scammers, including a woman who donated land to a disabled veteran’s charity only to learn it wasn’t real.

Part of the AARP Fraud Watch Network, “The Perfect Scam” includes interviews with fraud experts, scam victims and even some of the professional con artists who perpetrate them, providing insight into how these grifters operate.

“Stay Wealthy” – A Forbes Top 10 retirement podcast hosted by Taylor Schulte, a certified financial planner, “Stay Wealthy” provides a variety of episodes focused on what seniors need to financially live their best retirement.

Topics in each 15- to 30-minute episode include how to reduce tax liabilities, make smarter investments and conduct other retirement income strategies. All information is delivered in a relatively easy to understand way.

“New Tricks for Old Dogs” – A podcast aimed at engaging the fun part of the baby boomer brain, this show co-hosted by veteran comedian Paul Menzel and voice actor Jim Conlan is a celebration of senior living. Each episode is chock full of fun conversation about aging challenges, not only, but also features such elements as offbeat news items, adventuring tips, and interviews with seniors staying engaged in life.

And of course, there’s no shortage of shameless humor. The “New Tricks for Old Dogs” podcast website also features a ton of great website links for seniors, including everything from daily laughs to travel savings to healthcare.

With the plethora of great podcasts aimed at seniors, the medium offers an excellent way for older adults to stay up to date on health, wellness and lifestyle trends. We hope you find something on this list you enjoy. And if you want to recommend a wonderful senior-focused podcast that’s not on this list, please let us know!

Filed Under: Caregiving, Elder loneliness, Resources for caregivers, Resources for senior citizens

How to reduce stress, avoid chronic disease

February 22, 2022 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

Isn’t it ironic that stress has such a strong relationship with disease? The more stressed we are, the more chronic diseases can attack our bodies — which, naturally, tends to stress us out even more.

“Your body is hard-wired to react to stress in ways meant to protect you against threats from predators and other aggressors,” writes the Mayo Clinic in an article about stress management. “Such threats are rare today, but that doesn’t mean that life is free of stress. On the contrary, you likely face many demands each day, such as taking on a huge workload, paying the bills and taking care of your family. Your body treats these so-called minor hassles as threats. As a result, you may feel as if you’re constantly under attack.”

That feeling, in turn, can lead to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, digestive problems, depression, memory impairment and more.

That’s enough to stress anyone out, right?

There is good news, however. You can fight back.

Here are four things you can start doing today to reduce your stress:

Take care of yourself physically. Engaging in regular exercise, getting plenty of sleep and eating a healthy diet will set your body up for success. Are you or an older loved one having trouble sleeping? Here are some tips to improve your sleep.

Take care of yourself mentally. Practicing mindfulness techniques can help break the “cycle of worry,” says one expert, which in turn can put you back in control over your life. What’s more, mindfulness can lead to cognitive improvements and other benefits, especially in older adults.

Pursue your passions. When you take time for hobbies and other things you enjoy, you are lowering your stress level. The Annals of Behavioral Medicine found during one study that when pursuing hobbies, participants’ moods were more positive, and they had lower stress and heart rates. What’s more, stimulating social and mental activities are known to keep our brains sharp as we age.

Learn more: Activities to support brain health and memory in seniors

Get the help you need at home. Among the people we talk with regularly here at Take My Hand At-Home Care, a major stress point is the care of older loved ones. Family caregivers bear an enormous amount of stress in ensuring that their mom or dad are getting the support they need as they age. Contracting with a company like Take My Hand can help reduce the burden of stress through trustworthy, reliable care at home. We work in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and throughout Whatcom County to help families lower their stress and ensure their loved ones are well cared for.

Call us today to get the at-home help you need.

Learn more: Is now the right time to choose at-home care?

Filed Under: Caregiving, Elder loneliness, Long-term care, Memory loss, Resources for caregivers, Resources for senior citizens

How to help older loved ones sleep better

January 12, 2022 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

Good sleep is critical for people of all ages, given its importance to weight loss, concentration, heart health, healthy metabolism, mental health and more. 

As we age and our health needs change, a good night’s sleep remains a critical need, as proper sleep has significant positive impact on concentration, memory and immune health among the elderly. In addition, a poor night’s sleep can lead to debilitating fatigue throughout the day, making it difficult to perform regular activities of daily living. 

What’s more, when our elderly loved ones sleep poorly, they aren’t the only ones affected. Poor sleep can not only negatively impact their health, but also the health of the family caregivers who perhaps lose their own sleep because of it. 

What can be done to improve sleep among the elderly? 

While many elderly with nightly sleep issues end up with a prescription drug aid, doctors say drugs usually are not the best solution. Instead, doctors recommend making simple lifestyle changes — improving “sleep hygiene” — to boost sleep. 

Sleep hygiene improvements can help ensure that time in bed is more fruitful; among them are sticking to a regular bedtime, avoiding screens before bed, bathing before bedtime, getting plenty of exercise throughout the day (but not within four hours of bedtime), and avoiding afternoon caffeine and spicy foods. 

Hiring an at-home caregiver can help an elderly loved one manage many of these important tasks. A caregiver can assist with walks and other activities and can help with bathing and timekeeping tasks to ensure that bedtime can be consistent. A caregiver also can help manage food and drink in the afternoon to ensure that loved ones can keep consistent. 

If nighttime pain is preventing sleep, a caregiver also can help with medication management, ensuring proper and timely dosage. 

Caregivers also can monitor other potential causes for sleep interruptions and work with the family to find solutions to specific issues, such as sleep apnea, a sleep disorder marked by repeated interruptions to breathing. Caregivers also can help family members in determining, with guidance from the family doctor, what changes to sleep patterns are a part of normal aging. 

Take My Hand At-Home Care works with families throughout Whatcom County to care for their elderly loved ones. Whether you need four hours in the afternoon to help prepare for bed or a 12-hour shift to assist with bedtime activities and monitor sleep, Take My Hand can help. Just give us a call to discuss your needs. 

Filed Under: Aging in place, Caregiving, Resources for caregivers

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Recent posts

  • Give dad what he really needs this Father’s Day
  • Simple bathroom safety updates for older adults
  • 5 podcasts for senior wellness 
  • How to reduce stress, avoid chronic disease
  • How to help older loved ones sleep better

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Give dad what he really needs this Father’s Day

Ties are great. Wallets are swell. But your dad probably doesn’t need or want those things anymore. If you want to show your love for dad this Father’s Day with something he truly needs, try these three great options: Time. The circumstances of life can make time a rare luxury as your father ages. Older dads typically have children who are in their busiest years — kids in the home, tons of … [Read More...]

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Take My Hand At-Home Care is fully licensed, bonded and insured and has been locally owned and operated since 2012. It is currently owned by Matt … Read More...

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Recent Posts

  • Give dad what he really needs this Father’s Day
  • Simple bathroom safety updates for older adults
  • 5 podcasts for senior wellness 
  • How to reduce stress, avoid chronic disease
  • How to help older loved ones sleep better

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