Home Care in Falls Church VA: Depression & Your Senior

Depression is treatable.

It can be helped with therapy, medications, or a mix of both. Left untreated, depression may make it hard to function and can lead to suicidal thoughts. Don’t let this happen to your mom or dad. Don’t ignore the signs of depression.

What Are the Signs of Depression?

More than 6 out of 10 men and women over the age of 65 admit they don’t know much about depression. Some of the key signs are a change in appetite, sleeping pattern changes, and a constant feeling of sadness.

Someone who is depressed may withdraw from friends and family.

Refusing to get out of bed is common. A senior citizen with depression may be restless and irritable. It can be hard to concentrate. Often, the senior will feel worthless and even feel physical pain for which doctors can find no reason for that pain.

Feeling blue once in a while is normal. If the sadness lasts for weeks and weeks, it could be depression. If you suspect something is wrong, call your mom or dad’s doctor to ask for advice.

Caregivers Can Help Ease Depression

One of the things an expert in depression may suggest is to make sure your mom or dad gets out of the house often. Your parent will benefit from finding a new hobby, daily exercise, and plenty of socialization. This can be hard to get at home when you live alone and no longer drive.

With a caregiver available throughout the week, your mom or dad has a ride to the local senior center for social activities. There’s a caregiver on hand for companionship. Your parent can go on walks with the caregiver and feel safe while walking down the street or along a trail or path.

Diet also helps ease depression.

Fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help balance the brain chemicals. Elder care services include things like meal preparation, grocery shopping, and even menu planning.

Talk to an elder care agency today to get started. You arrange the services and times that best meet your parent’s needs. Involve your parent from the start and help them avoid fears of losing independence by asking for help. Call now.

If you or a loved-one are considering Home Care in Falls Church, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081

Sources:

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/

However, snacks are a key part of successfully managing diabetes, especially in the elderly. Family caregivers that are responsible for an aging loved one with diabetes must learn about the advantages of healthy snacks as part of their elderly relative’s diet and how successful snacking can actually help them stay healthy and energetic.

Senior Care in Arlington VA: Snacks for Diabetic Seniors

Diabetes and Seniors

Elderly adults have a high risk of developing diabetes especially if they have a lifetime of poor eating habits and a family history of the disease. Other risk factors include a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and age. In fact, 1 in 4 elderly Americans over the age of 60 have developed diabetes. It occurs when the body no longer produces insulin to control blood glucose levels. Diet, exercise, and medication are the only ways to control it.

If diabetes is not properly treated, it can lead to serious health problems. These include high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart disease, blindness, circulation complications and in some cases, a coma. The best hope for elderly adults with diabetes is to develop a healthy lifestyle that includes diabetes-friendly snacks that keep blood glucose levels stable.

Diabetes-Friendly Snacks

When it comes to diabetes-friendly snacks, not just any food will do. Medical experts recommend snacks that are high in protein and fiber and low in sodium and sugar. Seniors should eat snacks every few hours and pair them with plenty of water to drink. Elderly adults that depend on family caregivers and senior care providers to do the grocery shopping and meal prep should make sure the snacks are the best choices for controlling diabetes symptoms.

Here is a list of diabetes-friendly snacks that are ideal for seniors with the disease:

• Fresh fruit, not canned
• Nuts and legumes
• Peanut butter whole wheat toast
• Plain yogurt with fresh fruit
• Raw vegetables and dip
• Trail mix
• Protein shakes
• Fruit smoothies (no sugar)
• Tuna or chicken salad and wheat crackers
• Carrots or celery and hummus
• Veggie chips
• String cheese
• Beef sticks
• Baked sweet potato

The types of snacks to avoid include those with lots of sugar, fat, sodium and carbs.

Highly processed food is also unhealthy and bad for diabetics. Family caregivers should keep portion sizes in mind, even for the healthy snacks because too much of any food isn’t good for seniors with diabetes.

There are so many things that elderly adults can eat for healthy snacks that will keep blood glucose levels stabilized. Family caregivers need to educate themselves and their aging loved ones on the right kinds of snack, as well as when and how much to have so that they can successfully manage the effects of this devastating disease.

If you or a loved-one are considering Senior care in Arlington, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081

Source:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

Elder Care in Manassas VA: Lewy Body Dementia

Key Symptoms and Patient Difficulties

The main symptoms and issues caused by Lewy body dementia are:

• Aggression
• Bladder and bowel problems like incontinence and constipation
• Depression
• Difficulty perceiving depth, direction, and orientation
• A difficulty with movements due to stiffness in limbs
• Hallucinations
• Inability to regulate body temperature and/or blood pressure
• Increased risk of falls
• Memory loss
• Mood swings
• Problems sleeping

Not every patient experiences all of the symptoms. Abilities will worsen over time. Lewy body is rarely diagnosed before the age of 50. Your parent may be okay alone at first, but as the disease progresses, caregivers become necessary to help with activities of daily living.

Things Your Parent Will Need

-Difficulty walking is one of the common symptoms. Your parent may become unsteady and fall while trying to get from the bed to the bathroom or in and out of the bathtub or shower. You or a caregiver need to be on hand for these transfers to help prevent a fall.

-In the more advanced stages, loss of bowel and bladder control can happen. Your parent may need to start wearing adult diapers. Diaper changes and a quick sponge bath to prevent infection will be needed every day. Assistance with bathing and grooming will both be necessary. It can be awkward for an adult child to offer that to a parent, and it can also be awkward for your mom or dad. It’s worth discussing to get their feelings on the subject.

-Your parent won’t be able to drive. You’ll need to drive your mom or dad to the store, appointments, friend’s houses, adult day programs, and senior centers. Balancing your work schedule with your parent’s transportation may require the help of senior transportation services.

-Companionship is essential to someone with Lewy Body. Depression and mood changes may cause your parent to want to withdraw and become isolated. Don’t let that happen. Spend time with your parent when you can. Hire caregivers to fill in gaps where you, family friends, and other family members have other obligations.

Discuss the range of services available to your parent. Call a home care agency and ask about caregivers today.

If you or a loved-one are considering Elder Care in Manassas, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081.

Sources:
Nia.nih.gov

Senior Care in Fairfax VA: Surgery Aftercare

Post-Op Behavior is Important for Recovery

There are many reasons why an elderly person might need to have surgery. Some of the most common are hip or knee replacements, varicose veins, inserting devices like pacemakers, removing cancerous or non-cancerous tumors, taking out infected tissue, and routine surgeries such as for cataracts. Family members are usually part of the support leading up to the surgery and even for the day of the surgery. It’s the days and weeks that are after the surgery that make a real difference to recovery.

During the time after returning home from surgery, seniors must abide by the doctor’s orders for treatment and recovery. Usually, post-op patients need to take medicine and avoid sitting around all day. If they don’t get up and move a little, they could develop bed sores, nerve damage or blood clots in the legs. Post-surgery seniors will also be unable to do a lot of things for themselves, such as pick up prescriptions and medications, shop for groceries, prepare meals, bathe, dress and clean the house. If your aging mom or dad is unable to do all these things, their recovery could be in jeopardy.

Home Care Aides Bring Peace of Mind

Post-operative assistance for elderly adults can mean the difference between a fast and full recovery and one that is slow and full of complications and setbacks. Many family members find that hiring a home care assistant is the best way for their aging relative to have their needs met while they are in the recovery phase. As much as you might want to be around to help your elderly parent for the six to eight weeks after a surgery, your other responsibilities will certainly get in the way.

Hiring a home care assistant for an elderly adult recovering from surgery can bring peace of mind for both family members and the elderly patient. It can be very challenging for a senior to keep track of all the medicine they need, as well as what doses and when to take them. They may need assistance with daily care tasks like bathing, dressing, and toileting. It’s important that they get up and walk around several times per day according to the doctor’s recommendation.

If you are worried about your elderly parent making a full and complete recovery after a surgery, look into hiring in-home care services Being cared for by a professional home care aide allows elderly adults to focus on recovering instead of worrying about taking care of themselves.

If you or a loved-one are considering Senior Care in Fairfax, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081.

Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3073675/

Elderly Care in Lorton VA: Nail Changes With Age

Appearance of Aging Nails

Fingernails usually grow thinner and more brittle as the body grows older. This is natural and can be minimized by using plenty of moisturizers to restore some flexibility to the nails. They can also become discolored, usually yellowed or grayish. A lifetime of bad habits, like malnutrition or smoking can also affect the texture and color of fingernails.

Toenails, on the other hand, often get thicker with age, not thinner. They can turn yellowish as well, and they are more likely to harbor a fungus that can turn the toenails blackish. It’s not unusual for toenails to change their shape or curvature, and ingrown toenails can become more of a problem in elderly people. Fingernails and toenails grow more slowly than they did when the body was younger. They may also develop vertical ridges instead of being smooth. They can be gently filed down to restore a more polished appearance.

All these nail conditions are a normal part of aging, and with the right care and attention from family caregivers and senior care assistants, elderly people can enjoy healthy nails and minimize the effects of aging.

Health Concerns in the Nails

The appearance of the fingernails and toenails can be a warning sign of health problems elsewhere in the body. Family caregivers and senior care aides that assist in helping elderly people take care of their nails should point out any changes they notice. It’s important to see a doctor or dermatologist if there are any sudden changes to shape, color or texture.

One of the health conditions that can be reflected in the nails is a vitamin deficiency, resulting in brittle nails, which is also a symptom of hypothyroidism. Kidney disease or liver disease can produce side effects in the nails by causing the fingers to swell and the nails become rounded up. When the nails have little pits in them, it could signal psoriasis. Other health issues include horizontal ridges, which can indicate poor nail development because of an illness somewhere else in the body.

It’s definitely worth paying attention to an elderly relative’s nail health because they require slightly different care than in younger adults. Since they are also a good health indicator, frequent inspections and assessments can help keep them in good health overall.

If you or a loved-one are considering elderly care in Lorton, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081.

Source:
http://www.health.com/beauty/nail-health

Elderly Care in Arlington VA: Senior Cancer Stress Management

Use these tips to help your senior manage their cancer-related distress:

• Reassure them that they are not alone. A diagnosis of cancer can make your parent feel isolated and alone. Reassure them that this is not the case. There are approximately 14 million people throughout the United States who are currently living with cancer, and the network of people caring for those sufferers is even larger

• Look at coping skills. Virtually everyone has coping skills that they use to help them through difficult situations. Look at the coping skills that your senior has used successfully in the past and encourage them to rely on those to help them through. This can include using relaxation techniques, meditation, exercise, spiritual guidance, journaling, or any other means that allows them to approach and manage their distress in a healthy, constructive way.

• Focus on the small picture. There are going to be days when your parent feels better than others, and there are going to be days when they feel worse. Encourage them to see each day as what matters and to focus on getting through that individual day. Seeing too much into the future can be overwhelming and frustrating. Instead, celebrate each day and each milestone.

• Stay organized. Feeling out of control and confused about what’s happening will only increase distress. Help your parent feel in control and anchored throughout the experience by staying organized. Keep records, write down questions and answers, maintain files of information and test results. Make these easily accessible to your parent and talk about them with your parent and their doctor whenever needed.

How can elderly care help?

Starting home care for your aging parent can be an exceptional way for you to support a higher quality of life as they age in place. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your parent on a customized schedule designed specifically to address your elderly parent’s individual needs, challenges, and limitations.

These highly personalized services help your parent stay healthy, safe, comfortable, and happy while also encouraging as much independence as possible. Services ranging from safe and reliable transportation, meal preparation and eating assistance, help with personal care needs such as bathing, toileting, and dressing, companionship, and help with caring for their home can encourage your parent to maintain a more fulfilling lifestyle and support greater motivation and mental, emotional, and physical health and well-being as they age in place. As their family caregiver, this can give you confidence that they are getting what they need both when you are able to fulfill their needs and when you are not.

If you or a loved-one are considering hiring elderly care in Arlington, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081.

Source:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/thyroid-cancer/about.html
http://www.thyca.org/how-to-help/awareness/september/
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/emotional-side-effects/distress/what-is-distress.html
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/emotional-side-effects/distress/coping-tips.html

Home Care in Annandale VA: Family Meeting Tips

Set an Agenda from the Beginning

If you’ve got an agenda, it is so much easier for you to avoid trouble. The agenda lets you know what needs to be covered and how much further you have to go until the meeting concludes. That way if you get distracted or nervous, you have a way to keep yourself on track.

Keep the Past in Mind

While it doesn’t do anyone any good to remind people of their past mistakes, it does help if you can remember that some parts of the past don’t always rest easily. Your elderly family member might not have a great relationship with everyone in the family or there may be some family members who have to find blame everywhere. These facts help you prepare.

Stick to the Focus of the Meeting

When it’s time for the meeting, make sure that you stick to the main focus as much as you can. Some family members might try to derail the conversation or get into topics that just aren’t important right now. Gently steering the conversation back where it needs to be can do wonders.

Allow for Opinions from Everyone

Give everyone time to speak, but avoid allowing them to control the entire meeting. Some ways to do this are by setting a timer or even by calling on individuals to speak for a few minutes at the end of the meeting. Some family members may simply want to ask questions. For example, they may not understand what an elder care provider does, so they may not get why hiring one is important.

Keep Alcohol out of the Equation

This can be a touchy suggestion for some families, but consider whether having alcohol available would hurt your goals here. If it would lead to disagreements and conflict, it’s best to avoid having alcohol available at all.

Even if your family meeting does run into a problem or two, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a success, so keep trying. It’s far better to have a family meeting that went a little off the agenda than to stop having them at all.

If you or a loved-one are considering hiring home care in Annandale, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081.

Senior Care in Alexandria VA: Alzheimer’s Patients Hospital Visit Tips

Working with Hospital Staff

It’s important to keep in mind that not everyone who works at a hospital will have the same knowledge of and experience with dementia. As a family caregiver, you are your family member’s advocate. Be patient with those you come in contact with, but don’t be afraid to speak up and let them know the type of approach that works best. You may find it helpful to create a personal information sheet for your loved one that you can give to the staff.

A personal information sheet should include:

-The name the person likes to be addressed by. For example, some older adults find it rude when someone they do not know calls them by their first name, so they might prefer to be called “Mrs. Smith.” Or, if the person had a professional title, they may feel more respected when it is used, such as “Dr. Jones” or “Rev. Johnson.”

-The normal routine. Even though being in the hospital necessitates a change in routine, knowing what the person’s day normally looks like can provide insight into what is normal for the person. If possible, the staff may try to stick to as much of the routine as possible, too.

-How the person acts. Include some information about personal habits, what the older adult likes and dislikes, and how to recognize signs of discomfort. Also, information about what triggers problem behaviors can help the staff to avoid them.

Coping with Emergency Visits

An emergency visit is usually more stressful than a planned visit, so it’s especially important to think about how caregivers will handle the situation if it arises.

Here are some ideas for handling a trip to the ER:

-Have someone come with you or meet you at the hospital. That person can stay with the dementia patient while you answer the doctor’s questions.

-Immediately inform the ER staff that the person has Alzheimer’s disease.

-Try to remain calm and comfort the older adult. Keep in mind that they may pick up on how you are feeling, so keeping your own feelings in check is essential.

-Be patient. Remember that lab results can take time and there are many other patients in the hospital, so it’s likely you will have to wait. It may be a good idea to bring something along that your family member enjoys and that will distract them from the wait.

Family caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s disease face a lot of challenges. Certainly, visits to the hospital are one of them. Knowing ahead of time what you will do once you get there and how you can best advocate for your loved one will make the situation easier.

If you or a loved-one are considering hiring senior care in Alexandria, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081.

Sources
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-challenge-of-taking-someone-with-dementia-to-the-emergency-room
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/going-hospital-tips-dementia-caregivers

Caregiver in Manassas VA: Knowing Your Senior And Her Health

It’s time to really stop and think. How much of your mom’s health history do you really know?  As a child and into your teen years, you probably never stopped to think about your mom’s physical health.  As you had your own kids, you were probably too busy to pay attention.  You should make sure you know as much as you can, and here’s why…

For one woman, not asking questions never seemed that big a deal.  After all, medical privacy is constantly pushed.  Every time she went to the doctors, she was having to sign a HIPAA form.  Years later, her mom was diagnosed with dementia.  Suddenly, she had questions and needed her mom’s input, but her mom could no longer remember enough to answer.

Problems She Faced

One of the bigger issues this woman faced was her mom’s experiences with menopause.  As she started reaching the early stages of menopause, she wanted to know what it was like for her mom and even grandmother, but her mom couldn’t answer.  The entire experience was an unknown.  She had to go by the average experience and question things that seemed outside the norm.

She found her doctor asking questions that she couldn’t answer.  She knew her grandfather died in his 40s, but she had no idea why other than it was a form of cancer.  Her doctor said she was the right age for certain screenings.  Without knowing which cancer affected her grandfather, she wasn’t sure she wanted to pay the costly co-pay on a test that may not be necessary.

Are You Prepared to Hunt Down Doctors?

If your mom approved you to access her medical records, you may be able to get answers from a doctor. Not every doctor has the time to go back years to look things up.  Plus, your mom may have switched doctors.  If that’s true, it can be hard to get the answers you need.

Don’t Ignore Your Own Needs

There’s one more thing you need to think about as you and your mom both age.  Your mom is going to need more help around the house.  She’s likely to rely on you.  Family caregivers often ignore their own health care needs to care for an elderly parent.  Are you doing that?

Make sure you focus on your own health too.  Senior care services help free up some time so that you can get to appointments.  While you go to the doctor or dentist, a caregiver comes to spend time helping your mom.  Call a senior care agency to find out more about the range of services.

If you or a loved-one are considering hiring a caregiver in Manassas, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC.  Call today 703-910-7081.

Home Care Services in Springfield VA: Senior Grief or Depression?

Depression and grief can look very similar from the outside.  People who are grieving can be extremely sad, but that may not be actual depression.  Determining the differences between these two conditions can ensure that you get the right help for your elderly family member.

Grief Can Lead to Depression, but They’re Different

Grief involves loss, whether that’s loss of a person or some other type of loss.  Depression can be a result of a loss, but it’s still quite different from grief.  Depression is more a pervasive sadness that takes over your aging adult’s life.  Sometimes it’s not so easy to tell the difference between the two.

Grief Is All the Emotions

When your elderly family member is grieving, she’s going to have good days and days that aren’t so good.  She may also experience a wide range of emotions from some of the highest highs to the lowest lows.  During the grieving process, your elderly family member might choose to go through her happy memories, before the loss, and there are emotions associated with that.  It’s a constant up and down of all of the emotions.

Depression Is More Constant

Depression, on the other hand, is much less like a roller coaster.  It’s fairly even-keeled if a little bit of a downer.  In fact, that’s the source of depression’s name.  Your aging family member’s entire emotional aspect is depressed and held low.  She’s likely to be feeling extreme sadness, all the time, as opposed to having good days and bad days.

Seek Help for Your Aging Adult

If you’re witnessing your elderly family member dealing with either grief or depression, talk to her doctor about what you can do for her.  There may be medications or other types of treatment, such as talking to a counselor, that your elderly family member is willing to try.  But ignoring the issue won’t help at all.

Whether your elderly family member is experiencing grief or depression, make sure that life is simple for her now.  Consider hiring elderly care providers to take over some of the tasks that are becoming difficult for her.

If you or a loved-one are considering home care services in Springfield, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC. Call today 703-910-7081.