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How to spot cognitive decline in a loved one

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Cognitive lapses are fairly common among older adults, with subjective cognitive decline affecting roughly one in nine people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s natural to be concerned that a loved one might experience dementia, Alzheimer’s or a similar brain decline in older age.

How can you tell whether cognitive decline might be happening to someone you know and love? Here are four things to look for:

Increasing forgetfulness. If you’ve noticed that your mom or dad tends to have increasing trouble remembering routine tasks, or if you’ve seen that more and more appointments are being missed, advancing cognitive decline may be a factor. You also might notice that your loved one is forgetting recent conversations or events. “Some cognitive decline can occur as adults age,” according to the CDC, “but frequently forgetting how to perform routine tasks, for example, is not a normal part of aging and can affect a person’s ability to live and function independently.”

Difficulty understanding directions. After a visit to the doctor, for example, your loved one might struggle to follow instructions about taking pills. Getting lost more easily can be a sign, too — like getting “turned around” more often in the grocery store.

Increases in impulsivity. Perhaps your loved one has been buying things online that he wouldn’t have in the past or is showing other signs of acting without thinking.

Changes in hygiene, appetite or organization. Becoming increasingly messy at home or disorganized in how tasks are conducted can be another symptom. Decreased hygiene and reduced appetite also can be warning signs.

It’s important to remember that signs of cognitive impairment may be mistaken for other issues, as experts at Emory University have detailed. Some medications, for example, may cause side effects like drowsiness or mental slowness. Hearing issues can make it harder for people to follow along in a conversation, and arthritis or other pains can cause problems with concentration.

If you see any of these signs in an elderly loved one, reach out to Dementia Support Northwest here in Whatcom County for a memory screening to get a better handle on what might be the issue.

And if you do find that a loved one needs ongoing assistance, hiring an at-home caregiver can be one way to assist loved ones who might need increasing levels of support. Caregivers can devote as little or as much time as is needed to ensure the proper amount of attention and support for loved ones in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and the rest of Whatcom County.

How to practice thankfulness — and how it can improve your life

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Giving thanks can make you happier and healthier.

In a world that seems crazier by the day, how can you ensure your brain and body remain in good shape? Research shows that one way to do this is by practicing gratitude.

According to Harvard Health, the act of being thankful “helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”

The more we spend time thanking others, thinking positive thoughts and compiling our own lists of things to be thankful for, the less we spend time experiencing aches and pains and visiting the doctor. Grateful people also might have better sleep and healthier hearts, according to the University of California, Berkeley.

The upshot of all the research is that if you’re interested in improving your health, being more thankful is a great way to go. So, how can you practice gratitude here in Whatcom County? Here are five simple ways:

  1. Keep a gratitude journal. Each day, write down something you’re thankful for. Some days, it might be just a word, and other days it might be several paragraphs or more. Think back on things that have happened recently and recall why you are thankful for them — maybe a stranger holding open a door for you, a package that arrived earlier than expected, a kind greeting from the pharmacist at the drugstore, etc. The point is to find things to be thankful for and write them down.
  2. Write and send thank-you notes. A thank-you note is a personal connection that can improve two lives — yours and that of the person receiving your note. Perhaps you could send a thank-you card to your doctor or leave a note thanking the driver in the space next to yours for not dinging your car when you parked a little crooked.
  3. Pray or meditate. If you’re religious, be sure to work gratitude into your daily prayers. Mindfulness meditation, too, can be a refreshing way to incorporate thankfulness into your routines.
  4. Create visual reminders of the things you’re thankful for. One of the biggest reasons we’re not more thankful is that we simply forget to be. Creating visual reminders — a sticky note on the mirror, perhaps, or a visual cue on the dining room table — can help us enter a state of thankfulness as we go about our day.
  5. Simply say “thank you.” Whenever you have the opportunity, say “thank you” to those around you. At the store, on the phone, while driving (a friendly hand wave will suffice!), in a conversation with your at-home assistant.

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude can work wonders in your life. Let’s get started!

Does your elderly loved one need a healthcare advocate?

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As COVID-19 lockdowns and mask-wearing requirements continue here in Whatcom County, an increasing trend we are seeing is that the elderly are having difficulty at medical appointments.

With masks being a requirement, it is difficult for many people to correctly understand what doctors and nurses are telling them. Many elderly people do not hear well and are unable to read their providers’ facial expressions or lips from behind their masks. For many older adults, this is extremely isolating — and even scary. Not only do they feel unable to communicate about important life-related needs, but they often can’t even acquire a good understanding of what they are supposed to do (how to take medications, when to return for a follow-up appointment, how to process potentially life-changing health information, etc.).

For those reasons, it is prudent to ask whether older loved ones need a healthcare advocate to accompany them to medical appointments in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County.

Not only can assistants help with basic tasks like setting appointments, driving and picking up prescriptions, but they also can help digest important information from healthcare providers at appointments and can help explain how and when to take medications.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when so much is confusing and far beyond ordinary, having a kind, calming person to assist with tasks related to healthcare can be an enormous relief.

Some seniors avoid going to the doctor because they feel like they don’t understand what they are being told or they are scared of the outcome, even though not every visit leads to bad news. There may be important prevention information to learn or wellness tweaks to make that can help extend their lives. Having a healthcare advocate at their side can make all the difference.

Related: How to visit loved ones
during the COVID-19 pandemic

Plus, in addition to health-related support, an advocate also can help with such responsibilities as ensuring that bills are paid, transporting people to and from appointments, shopping for groceries in Bellingham, cooking meals and liaising with important Whatcom County community services.

If you think your mom, dad or other loved one could benefit from having a healthcare advocate at an upcoming medical appointment, please give Take My Hand At-Home Care a call. We would be happy to discuss your needs and opportunities.

ADUs can be part of cost-effective option for eldercare

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As we age, the options for health care and assistance only get more expensive. Nursing home care, for example, can cost $90,000 to $100,000 per year in Washington state. Assisted living can cost approximately $50,000 per year and up.

However, one option for caring for aging parents and loved ones is to add an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, to your property to aid in the provision of at-home care. Doing so allows families to keep their aging loved ones nearby, not only being able to oversee their care but also to spend more time with them as they age.

ADUs have been around the Whatcom County area for a long time. The rules for ADUs — whether free-standing structures or finished basements or attics — can vary depending on your location, so it’s important to check with your local jurisdiction before getting started. The rules in Bellingham are different than the rules in Lynden, Ferndale and unincorporated Whatcom County.

In general, here are some options you might consider when thinking about adding an ADU to your property to help care for an aging loved one at home:

  • Refinish a basement or attic. Especially after children grow up and move out, homeowners often find themselves with extra space inside their homes that can be remodeled to accommodate a loved one. Adding a bathroom and small kitchen to a finished basement, for example, can turn unneeded storage or play space into important living quarters for a loved one.
  • Buy a prefabricated ADU to place behind your house. As ADUs become increasingly popular, more and more companies are offering prefab ADUs — built to your specifications — that can be sited on your property with minimal construction costs and delays. At a cost of less than one year in a nursing home, a gorgeous prefab ADU could provide years of comfortable living. A prefab accessory dwelling unit can provide some autonomy and privacy while also keeping loved ones nearby.
  • Convert a shed or detached garage to a “granny flat” or cottage dwelling. Do you have a shed or garage on your property that’s just storing unused junk? Converting it to an accessory dwelling unit could be a wonderful way to reclaim that wasted space.

No matter what type of ADU you decide on as an alternative for assisted living, remember to check your local government’s website or put in a phone call to find out exactly what rules and regulations govern the construction of an ADU on your property.

You’ll also want to consider how to get your loved one the help he or she needs. Will family members be providing the care, or will you hire part-time help to assist with activities of daily living, such as grocery shopping, transportation to doctor visits, cooking and more? For information on how Take My Hand At-Home Care might be able to help provide care in your new ADU, please feel free to give us a call.

Should I take my parent out of assisted living during COVID-19?

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Assisted living can be a wonderful way to ensure that loved ones get the care they need as they age.

Many assisted living and skilled nursing centers offer a robust level of care while also doing what they can to ensure that those who live there are able to retain some independence and live life as “normally” as possible.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered how assisted living facilities can operate. State and federal guidelines regarding the management of care centers have severely restricted visits with family members and even hampered how much residents can see and talk with each other within the facilities.

In fact, these restrictions have led many families to think about removing their mom or dad from long-term care to help ensure that loved ones aren’t isolated and lonely while they wait out the pandemic.

Is removing a loved one from assisted living during COVID-19 something you have been considering? Or maybe you’ve been thinking about placing mom or dad in assisted living, but during the pandemic you’re not certain it’s a good idea?

Here are a few questions you might want to ponder:

  • If you take a loved one out of long-term care, how will he or she receive the necessary care? Regular visits from an at-home care provider could be one way to ensure that your loved one’s daily needs are met during COVID-19. Or perhaps you will be providing the care yourself. Either way, you’ll want to have a plan in place before you decide to move mom or dad — and one that includes where your loved one will stay.
  • Are you worried about your loved one’s state of mind? Loneliness can have drastically negative consequences for older adults. If you fear that your loved one spends too much time alone due to COVID-19 restrictions, bringing them home — where kids and grandkids can pop by any time for a socially distanced visit — might be a good choice.
  • What are your long-term care facility’s policies? If your loved one is currently in assisted living, check to find out what policies and procedures are currently in place regarding visitation, infection prevention and other issues. This article from NextAvenue includes other great questions to ask a current or prospective long-term care facility.
  • Do you have a long-term lease set up? If you’re locked into an agreement of any kind, you’ll want to think about the potential costs of leaving early. You’ll also want to consider whether your loved one can be readmitted to the assisted living facility down the road.
  • What will you do when the pandemic is behind us? When COVID-19 has run its course, or when governments allow the return of some of the freedoms of yesteryear, will your loved one continue to live at home? Will you need to line up a long-term home or apply for admission to assisted living? Will you continue to make use of at-home care to provide for your loved one in the comfort of home?

The pandemic and its related lockdowns haven’t had nearly the effects on at-home care that they’ve had on assisted living centers. Here at Take My Hand At-Home Care in Lynden, we certainly are being cautious to avoid spreading COVID-19, but we’re generally able to continue as before, caring for people in their homes and helping them conduct essential duties throughout Whatcom County. Government restrictions on health care facility operations, on the other hand, have forced larger changes.

Are those changes big enough to cause you to consider caring for a parent or loved one at home? The choice is yours, and we hope this post has given you a few good considerations to ponder.

Related: What are the differences between communal living and at-home care?

Caregivers: nursing home vs. at-home care

Of the 1,000 adults polled in a recent survey, 75% said they would prefer recovering at home instead of in an institutional setting after a serious health event.  According to the report, the COVID-19 pandemic has only solidified this opinion: “As consumers live through the ongoing public health emergency and read about the dangers of … [Read More...]

ABOUT US

Sue Sorensen became involved with Whatcom County eldercare and aging-in-place services in 2009. She launched Take My Hand At-Home Care in January 2012 … Read More...

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Phone: 360-543-5777
Fax: 360-255-7564
*If you need immediate assistance for a loved one please contact us by phone.