Resources for senior citizens | Take My Hand At Home

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.

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!

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?

Gathering with family? Here’s how to spot whether older loved ones need assistance

December 23, 2021 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

With the holiday season is in full swing, you might be visiting older loved ones for food, fun, and frivolity.

Perhaps it’s the first time you’ve seen your loved ones in a while, and they’ve changed as they’ve grown older. You will want to be on the lookout for ways to help or for signs that your older loved ones might need additional assistance in their day-to-day lives.

Here are some things to look for:

Physical ability

It’s no surprise that as we age, our ability to do things for ourselves diminishes. Walking without assistance, for example, can become a difficult or even dangerous task. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year, one in four older adults will experience a fall, making falls the leading cause of injuries and death from injury among the elderly.

What to look for: Watch your loved ones walk across the room. Are they shuffling or dragging their feet? Are their feet spread far apart to aid balance? Does it take a long time? Are they steady walking and sitting down? According to the AARP, these can be signs that a loved one might need assistance walking.

What you can do: Take steps to prepare your loved one’s home for aging in place, including removing barriers and simplifying the furniture arrangements. Call an at-home care provider such as Take My Hand for assistance with daily activities and mobility.

Mental health

Like physical decline, cognitive lapses can occur with regularity among older adults. According to the CDC, subjective cognitive decline affects roughly one in nine people. As you gather with your loved ones this holiday season, there are things you can do to gauge whether dementia, Alzheimer’s or a similar brain decline might be at play.

What to look for: Increasing forgetfulness, difficulty understanding directions and increases in impulsivity can be signs of cognitive decline in an older loved one.

What you can do: Reach out to Dementia Support Northwest in Bellingham for a memory screening. The organization has a mobile unit that can travel anywhere in Whatcom County. Contact Take My Hand or another at-home care provider for assistance. 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 elsewhere in the county.

If you want an expert to evaluate whether your loved one needs extra assistance, please reach out to us at Take My Hand At-Home Care for a no-cost and no-obligation evaluation. You can reach us at 360-543-5777 or info@takemyhandathome.com.

We can help in many areas, including medication monitoring and reminders, help with ambulation to prevent falls, light housekeeping, personal hygiene, cooking, grocery shopping and much more.

How to identify strokes — and help prevent them — in an elderly loved one

May 6, 2021 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

As we age, our risk of stroke increases. According to the Mayo Clinic, those older than 55 have a greater likelihood of stroke than do younger people.

Are you concerned about the risk of stroke in a loved one? Here’s how to spot them:

An older man in a hat looks off into the distance outdoors.

You’ve probably heard the acronym FAST, from the American Stroke Association. The acronym is a great way to help identify the symptoms of a stroke in a loved one.

F: Face drooping. If you spot face drooping and suspect a stroke is occurring, ask your loved one to smile. If the person is having a stroke, his or her smile might be uneven or lopsided.

A: Arm weakness. Ask your loved one to raise both arms and check whether one arm drifts downward.

S: Speech difficulty. Ask your loved one to repeat a simple sentence. Stroke victims often will have slurred speech that is difficult to understand.

T: Time to call 911. If you see any of these symptoms — even if they go away — call 911 and take your loved one to a hospital immediately.

To help prevent strokes, there are a few things you can encourage your loved one to do:

An older woman in a hat looks off into the distance in a diner.

Get good sleep. According to Senior Living, elderly people who sleep poorly — those who wake often and have erratic sleep patterns — are more susceptible to developing hardened blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow to the brain and lead to strokes. The avoidance of strokes is one way in which good sleep can promote good health. If an elderly loved one has Alzheimer’s or dementia, working to manage sundown syndrome also can help promote better sleep.

Pay attention food and drink. Cholesterol, which sticks to the insides of our blood vessels and restricts blood flow, can increase stroke risk. Sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which is a major stroke risk. Diet soda, too, can be harmful. And then there’s fatty food. Trans fat, in particular, can contribute to strokes (not to mention obesity, cancer and heart disease). Spend some time researching the value of good nutrition and make changes in your loved one’s diet to maximize the benefits of great food.

Exercise. Research published in the journal Neurology found that higher levels of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of silent stroke.

If you’re concerned that a loved one might experience a stroke or other medical issue with nobody around to help, consider setting up a schedule with family members or seeking a nurse for hire to be with your loved one when you are unable. A home attendant caregiver can help offer peace of mind that someone will be there for your loved one — while also helping out with many other personal care tasks, including shopping for healthy foods. Take My Hand At-Home Care provides licensed caregivers throughout Whatcom County to help the elderly live safely at home.

Five simple ways seniors can lower cholesterol

April 6, 2021 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

Many of us, during our regular checkups with our doctors, are told we need to lower our cholesterol. LDL cholesterol (often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, as opposed to HDL, or “good” cholesterol) can increase our risk of heart disease or stroke because it sticks to the insides of our blood vessels and restricts blood flow.

As we get older, our bodies tend to produce more cholesterol, so our cholesterol levels are especially important to keep an eye on.

There is no magic way to maintain healthy cholesterol levels without putting in hard work, so if you have high cholesterol, you’ll need to make a few lifestyle changes. Here are four simple things you can start doing today to achieve healthy cholesterol levels:

Lose weight. Extra weight contributes to high cholesterol. Each day, find small changes you can make to take steps toward weight loss. For example:

Instead of snacking on potato chips, grab a couple carrot sticks.
Every 30 minutes, get up from your chair and walk around the room (even standing up periodically has benefit).
Drink more water.

Small changes can lead to the formation of good habits that can pay large dividends over time in lowering cholesterol levels.

Exercise. Moving your body regularly can help increase the LDL cholesterol in your body while also helping you lose weight. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day for a healthier heart. Whatcom County offers many wonderful walking opportunities.

Adjust your diet. Specific changes to what you eat can do wonders for heart health. Saturated fats — appearing in such natural products as dairy and meat — can be eaten in moderation, but reducing their levels in your diet is a great step forward. Another step is to eliminate trans fats; when shopping, check labels and avoid buying anything containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. On the positive side, increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids can help lower blood pressure, and eating more soluble fiber can help keep cholesterol from entering your bloodstream. Eat more fruits and vegetables, eat less sugar and fat.

Don’t smoke. Nicotine reduces LDL cholesterol levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, your risk of heart disease one year after quitting smoking is half that of a smoker. What’s more, it takes just three months after quitting for your blood circulation to improve and lungs to work better.

Seek assistance. Helping you along your path to achieving the above goals is one way an at-home caregiver can be of service. Caregivers can accompany you on walks, cook heart-healthy meals and help you remember to increase your water intake. They also can accompany you to doctor visits as you attempt to learn more about treatment options. To learn more about how caregivers can help, give Take My Hand At-Home Care a call.

How to identify elder fraud scams — and help those you love

March 3, 2021 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

In today’s world, money scams that prey on the elderly are prevalent.

Fraudsters often use telephones and email to conduct their scams, capitalizing on seniors’ trusting natures and unfamiliarity with technology. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has opened new opportunities for criminals, and some classic in-person scams still are being used regularly.

On its website, the FBI lists common elder fraud scams. Among them are the grandparent scam, in which criminals pose as a relative — usually a child or grandchild — claiming to have an urgent need for money, and the home repair scam, in which criminals appear in person and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement services that they never provide.

Other scams include the COVID-19 charity scam, in which criminals claim they are collecting donations for families hard-hit by job losses during the pandemic but are keeping the money for themselves. Here in Whatcom County, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center has warned of a COVID-19 scam in which fraudsters call the elderly under the guise of COVID-19 contact tracing and attempt to acquire private information.

Email scams sometimes take the form of blackmail, with fraudsters demanding payment in exchange for not releasing sensitive information they claim to have about you.

Here’s how you can help keep elderly loved ones from falling prey to scams:

Review common scams, especially those that target the elderly, and familiarize yourself with how they work. That will help you recognize when criminals might be using one of these methods to target a loved one. The list provided by the FBI is a good place to start. SeniorLiving.org has a great list of scams as well.
Educate your mom, dad or elderly loved one on the potential for scams. Make sure they know to contact someone if anything seems fishy. If they get a threatening email or receive a strange phone call, have them reach out to you or a trusted friend to discuss the issue. In addition, explain potential scams to help them identify what’s happening should a scam artist contact them.
Research scams online. Most scams have been used many times. An internet search with details of the scam — for example, with some of the specific language used in a threatening email — can help you determine whether this is a common scam attempt.
If your loved one is a victim of fraud, report the scam to the FBI or to your local police. Try to capture and share as many details as possible, including names, dates, methods of communication, descriptions of the fraud claims and — if money has been sent — how it was sent and to whom. Reporting scams can help protect not only your loved one but also any future victims the criminal might plan to target.

Fraud is a story as old as time, but with some research and foresight, we can learn to identify potential scams and help protect ourselves and others.

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

December 10, 2020 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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?

November 7, 2020 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

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.

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.

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

September 1, 2020 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

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.