Tag Archives: grandparents

Dec16

Simple Tips When Caring For Elderly Relatives

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Simple Tips When Caring For Elderly Relatives

Looking after the people you care about is always a priority in life. Whether young or old, you want to make sure that your family is in a good position, and there are plenty of ways to achieve this goal. As the people in your family get older, the types of care they might need will become clearer. This can create challenges, especially if your loved ones need permanent care, but there are tips that you can follow to make this easier for yourself. Let’s take a look at some of your options to get you started:

Emergency alarms:

Having an emergency alarm to use when they desperately need help can make caring for your loved ones much easier. This will take away the stress of checking on them all the time, giving them the freedom they want while enabling you to maintain a normal life. Tools like this can prove life-saving in certain circumstances, with just about every care facility in the world providing them. You can buy special pendants that can either connect to your phone or a special operator that will be available at all times.

Assistance:

Sometimes, you may not be able to be there for your elderly parents all of the time. This issue typically occurs if you still work full time or perhaps live too far away to drop everything to visit. As much as you can fill their home with upgrades and accessories to make living alone as a senior easier and safer, you can also explore at home care services to check in with your parents when you’re unable to reach them.

Walk-in baths:

Being able to clean themselves is a key element of your family member’s independence. Having a wet room can be perfect if they are disabled, making it easier for them to clean themselves and for carers to do parts of the job for them. Walk-in tubs are better for those with more mobility, but who would still like to be able to get into the bath or shower without assistance. Walk-in bath tub installation isn’t too expensive, especially when you consider the difference it can make.

Ramps:

Even when you’re not dealing with someone with a disability, you’d be surprised at how useful ramps can be when used in the right circumstances. Small steps can get harder and harder to climb as someone gets older, but ramps ease this process, giving your loved ones the chance to make their own way into their homes. Stair lifts can be good for full sets of stairs, though this can be quite pricey if you want an option that will last for a long time.

Key safes:

Being able to access the home of your loved one is crucial if you want to be able to look after them. Key safes are a great way to be able to give access to a group of people without having to have loads of keys to keep track of. If you need a doctor to visit when you’re not there, for example, you can have them use the key safe to let themselves in if there isn’t an answer at the door. Like an alarm, this can prove to be invaluable.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to make your life caring for your loved ones a little bit simpler. There are more options out there to help with this, making it well worth doing your research before you decide which you will choose.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

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Sep26

Making Every Family Dinner Special

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Making Every Family Dinner Special

If you want to spend more quality time with your family but you’re struggling to figure out how to do it, one way is to start making your family dinners special. If you all sit down for dinner and ignore one another while scrolling on your phones or watching TV, of course it’s going to feel like you don’t have enough quality time together.

Similarly, if you all eat dinner separately, then you’re missing out on a great opportunity to catch up with one another. It might not be possible to do this every day, but there are all kinds of benefits to having dinner together each night. If you want to make the family dinners that you do have together more special, then read on for some advice:

Make It A Ritual:

Start by making it a ritual. Try to do family dinners at the same time, wash up beforehand, and name three things you’re grateful for before you begin to eat. Of course, your ritual may differ – but it’s definitely worth coming up with one that means something to you.

Set The Table:

Set the table for your dinner with nice plates and cutlery, place mats, a tablecloth, and even candles. Make it look fancy. This is especially important if you don’t get to have many family dinners together. Setting the table nicely can make a huge difference to the atmosphere.

Have Themed Nights:

It can be really fun to have themed dinner nights together. You could have Mexican nights, Italian food nights, and even nights based around Porter & York meats. Having themes can keep family dinners exciting and give some structure to your week if you have one every few days.

Turn Off The TV:

Ban phones from the table and don’t watch the TV, either. Enjoy one another’s company. Listen and concentrate – these could be the most meaningful moments of your day! This is so much better than spending hours sitting together while not really concentrating on one another at all.

Prep Together:

Involving your family in the preparation of the dinner can help everyone to get more invested in the meal and bond beforehand. This is especially great for younger members of the family, as they tend to enjoy helping and will learn a lot from it. They are also far more likely to eat different foods if they have had a hand in making them!

Find Something To Celebrate:

It doesn’t need to be a special occasion for you to find something to celebrate. Has somebody in the family achieved something? It doesn’t matter how small – find something and celebrate it! At the very least, this will make each dinner a cheery event and teach everybody to look for the good, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant!

Family dinners are tons of fun and helps bring you and yours closer together. Bon appetit!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Sep4

Tattoo You: Family Portraits Edition

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Tattoo You: Family Portraits Edition

Hello!! This past month, I treated myself to a tap out tattoo session AKA nine hours straight of getting work done. I prefer this method, as I can get a lot done at one time and my tattoo artist, Emily, completed nine tattoos and some touch ups during our time together. I love everything I got but I am particularly enamored with these family portraits I got on the side of my lower leg. Check it out:

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A lot of my tattoos are from comic books that I love but I also find inspiration when I’m scrolling through social media and see something cool. At some point, someone on my Facebook timeline posted the example picture that my tattoos are based on and I fell in love. I decided that I would like to do something similar with my own family and my tattoo artist made the perfect depictions with just lines and patterns.

My tattoos are in the following order:

  • Grandma, Grandpa (Dad’s side)
  • Grandma, Grandpa (Mom’s side)
  • Mom, Dad

Emily told me that the hardest part of sketching out these tattoos was making each silhouette look like the person despite not having a face. I say that she knocked it out of the park and I can see the likeness of all of my loved ones perfectly. In my parent’s house, all three of these pictures have been on the shelves in the living room for as long as I can remember and they have always been some of my favorites. I am proud to have something so beautiful to commemorate each family member and I have not been able to stop looking at my legs since I got the tattoos!! (PS: If you are considering getting tattooed, here is some useful information on: Which places hurt the most when getting tattooed).

Do you have any tattoos? Which one is your favorite? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep1

Staying In Your Own Home As You Age

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Staying In Your Own Home As You Age

If you’re planning to stay in place and remain at home as you age, then the key is to plan ahead. Many things change as we get older and new challenges that we need to overcome start to present themselves. Here are some things that you may want to consider if you want to age in your own home rather than entering a care facility:

Make your wishes known:

If you have decided that you want to age in place, then the first thing that you should do is to make your wishes known to your friends and family. By letting those close to you know your intentions, they can start to think of ways in which they can best support you. If you fail to let your relatives know your wishes, then you risk them fighting you when it comes down to making the decision.

Start looking at the support you have available:

It is never too early to start familiarizing yourself with the home health care services and aged support available to you in your area. How about getting started by checking out www.careforfamily.com.au/ ? You can get virtually any kind of help you need at home, though you should be aware that most of these come at a cost. If you know the cost of aging in-state early, then you can begin saving for these expenses to help you afford them. Don’t forget to research the benefit schemes that may also be available to you and to look into other funding sources such as equity release.

Identify areas in which you may need help:

If you already have an existing medical condition, then plan ahead to try and identify areas that could potentially prevent you from aging at home. Are you worried about your mobility? Do you struggle to keep up with the housework? Do you forget things? By identifying these potential issues early, you can put safeguarding measures in place that will allow you to stay safe in your own home.

Start socializing with other local seniors:

One of the biggest issues with choosing to age at home is the isolation that it can cause. People who choose to move into a care facility often have access to group activities, other residents, and the company of staff, but if you choose to age at home, then these may not be available to you. To prevent loneliness and boredom, try to get involved with social clubs and to make friends in your local area that are around the same age as you.

Boost your security:

Last but not least, although no one wants to think about people preying on the elderly, you need to ensure that your home security is robust enough to keep you safe. You may want to consider installing CCTV, a monitored alarm, or additional outside lighting to deter intruders and to notify the authorities if someone tries to break into your property.

Most people would like to stay in their own homes for as long as possible while they age but are let down by a lack of funding and pre-planning. By thinking ahead and budgeting for the cost, you can ensure that your wishes become a reality!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jun3

Caring For Your Senior Loved Ones During Lock Down

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Caring For Your Senior Loved Ones During Lock Down

Lock down has been tough for many of us. As the days and weeks roll on, life has become rather mundane, and in some ways, quite stressful too. Not only do we need to find new things to do with our time (after binge-watching the entirety of Netflix), but we have had to cope with the mental effects of lock down too.

Times are hard indeed, but if they are hard for us, they will be especially difficult for our senior loved ones. If they are living independently, they might well be suffering from the effects of loneliness and stress themselves. So, consider what you might do to care for your aging parents or your grandparents. Here are a few suggestions:

Ensure they have health support:

If they need support with any health-related issues, now is the time to make sure your senior loved ones have everything they need. It might be that you need to collect any prescriptions for them or you might need to contact their doctor to refill them. Specialist home care services, such as those provided by Serenity Home Health, can offer support to the elderly, so get in touch if your loved one hasn’t yet accessed such support. And speak to your loved one’s neighbors, and ask those that can be trusted to keep a socially distanced eye on your family member.

Stay in touch:

If your senior loved one is living alone, you should make an extra effort to get in touch with them. A daily phone call might make their day, although you could also use Skype, Zoom, or social media to stay in touch with them too. And when you talk to them, be reassuring. The last thing they might need is your stressed-out tones if you’re worrying about lock down, as they might have similar worries themselves. Instead, be encouraging and reassuring, and do nothing to exacerbate their fears. Let them talk to your kids, share stories that will make them smile, and answer any questions they might have if they do share any concerns with you.

Offer practical support:

We have already suggested picking up their medications, but there are other ways to offer practical support too. You might arrange food deliveries for them, for example, or you could take food parcels to them. Maybe you can help them stay on top of their garden and you could drop off books, DVDs, knitting supplies, and anything else that will give them something to do while they’re restricted at home.

Share ideas with them:

If your senior loved ones are unable to exercise outside, share these 10-minute chair exercise ideas with them. If they are experiencing anxiety, research breathing exercises, and go through them with your loved ones on the phone. And if they have any other needs that could be met through your research, do what you can, and provide them with the solutions to the problems they are facing.

Your extra care to your elder family members is just what they need right now. Use our suggestions and research other ideas online to meet their particular needs during this crazy time.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jun25

“Elderspeak” Done Right

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“Elderspeak” Done Right

The elderly population of America is growing these days. The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) report entitled “Aging in the United States” revealed that the number of Americans aged 65 and above will more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060. The group’s share of the country’s total population will rise to nearly 24 percent. Which means, it’s time everyone learns how to talk better to the elderly, particularly to their aging loved ones.

Elderspeak: A New Trend?

In an article, The Chicago Tribune talked about the proliferation of “elderspeak,” defined as a specialized type of speech younger adults use to communicate easily with their elders. According to the writer, Cindy Dampier, describes it as a “sugary tone” that mimics how people talk to pets or small children. It might seem like a harmless form of personal communication. After all, you’re trying to help aging loved ones by adjusting to their communication levels. On the contrary, it’s not always a good idea.

They’re Still Adults:

If you’re trying to open a conversation about Wichita hospice care or other important matters, refrain from talking to them in elderspeak. Keep in mind that the person you’re talking to is an adult who has more experience in life. They’ve raised kids, served their country, directed board meetings, and more. They are still adults who deserve to be treated (and talked to) like adults.

Words Can Have Consequences:

The popular children’s rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is untrue, especially with older adults (particularly those who are emotionally sensitive). A number of researches reveal that elderspeak can affect an elder’s mental and emotional welfare.

A study from the Yale School of Public Health reported that elders who experienced negative stereotypes associated with aging were more likely to have balance and memory problems. While the researchers didn’t study elderspeak in particular, the participants of the study encountered condescending communication styles from family, doctors, nurses, and other people in the community.

Kristin Willams, RN, Ph.D., of the University of Kansas also conducted a study on the effect of elderspeak on an elder’s health. She reported that aging individuals with Alzheimer’s disease became more resistant to care when people use elderspeak around them.

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There’s a Better Way to Talk:

Communication with aging loved ones can be challenging, especially if they are experiencing physical and mental problems. Still, there are better ways to talk without switching to baby talk for adults. First, be mindful of your tendency to speak down to elders and make a conscious effort to use a tone and words that echo dignity and encouragement.

Second, speak calmly and clearly without raising your voice. Always use a gentle and relaxed tone but talk at a slightly slower pace so that your loved one will understand you. Finally, exercise patience. It’s easier said than done because how the elderly respond to you is out of your control. How you respond to them, however, is in your hands.

There are always better ways to talk to your elderly loved ones. Instead of getting frustrated or subjecting them to elderspeak, a good rule of thumb is to interact with them in a way you would want them to treat you if the tables were turned.

Sep25

Protecting Your Nearest And Dearest From The Pitfalls Of Ageing

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Protecting Your Nearest And Dearest From The Pitfalls Of Ageing

When we were young and vulnerable, our adult loved ones cared for us, fed us, and clothed us, and it is the way of life that we look after them as they proceed through the aging process. However, caring for an ageing relative can be something riddled with pitfalls and difficulties. To find out more about these and how to avoid them, read on:

Declining Health: Declining health is the most obvious pitfall that you want to protect your ageing loved ones from. So what can you actually do to help them stay in tip-top condition in their twilight years? It’s going to take a partnership between the both of you for the best results.

First, you will need them to take as much responsibility for their health as possible by eating well, exercising sensibly, and keeping up with medical appointments. You can help by being there to support and educate, if necessary, when they need it.

Something else that you can do to have a more direct role in helping is to look at websites like medicalert.systems with them. This is where you can get some information on medical alarms. These can really assist in keeping your loved ones safe if they have a medical emergency and you are not able to be there immediately to help.

Declining Mental State: Unfortunately, it’s not just physical health that can decline during your nearest and dearest’s twilight years. It’s also their mental health. This can be in terms of things like Alzheimer’s and dementia, which you can find out more about at webmd.com. As well as more general mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, which are sometimes brought on by isolated living conditions and going through the aging process.

Remember, as their physical health declines and people around them are passing away or moving into sheltered accommodation it can be very easy for your older relatives to become more isolated in their own home.  Seeing fewer people as time goes on can make it more likely that they will struggle with mental health issues as discussed at onlinelibrary.wiley.

To help in this situation, you can provide a regular schedule of contact for your ageing relatives, so they know that they will get to go out and see people that are important to them at least once a week. You can also encourage them to get involved in community programs, which will help to minimize isolation and allow them to make new friends.

Dementia isn’t quite such as easy of an issue to deal with, though. The best course of action here is to seek medical assessment and get some specialist help as soon as possible. As a residential setting may be the safest option.

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Those Seeking To Take Advantage: Sadly, there are those in the world that seek to take advantage of the frailties of your loved ones as they age. This means that protecting them is a vital part of helping them to work through the pitfalls of ageing.

Help them keep up to date with the latest scam techniques, such as the ones mentioned on itv.com, both in the real world and online. Do be sure to do it in a sensible way that doesn’t scare them and feed into the isolation that is mentioned above. Offer too, to be around whenever they have consultations for work on the home done or a sale’s pitch so that you can help protect them against unscrupulous salespeople or con artists.

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Pixabay Image

Aging can be a sad and difficult process, but the above tips can help ease some of those hardships to make it all around more enjoyable for you and your loved one.

Featured Image By: Pixabay