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April 9, 2020 by Kirk Brechbiel Leave a Comment

Social Distancing for Seniors: How to Prevent Loneliness

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, the term “social distancing” has become a part of our daily language. However, it’s so important to keep in mind that this is better described as “physical distancing” as social connection remains imperative, now more than ever.

Especially for our senior population, feeling social distant is a constant battle. As they are among the key population most likely to need serious medical care as a result of contracting COVID-19, this has led to less and less physical interaction from friends and loved ones. Even those who have professional care, whether this is in-home or in an outside care facility, physical contact has decreased as caregivers and medical professionals work to “flatten the curve.”

What we hope to share in this article are tips and solutions for maintaining a safe physical distance from our aging loved ones, at least until no new cases of COVID-19 have emerged, while still staying connected socially to ensure loneliness is kept at bay.

Utilize technology.

Everyone appreciates a phone call or text to check in, but don’t undervalue the need to see each other’s faces. It changes everything! You will feel so much more connected to your loved when one when you use Zoom, Face Time, Google Hangouts, Facebook’s Messenger App. Set a weekly (or even more frequently) time to connect and make it a priority.

Check in often.

We have ample tools to stay connected, but they’re not doing much good if we don’t make it a point to use them often. Commit to hearing from your loved one, ideally daily if you can. This ensures they never go more than 24 hours without a check-in. Hearing back from them daily will also give you peace of mind that all is well.

Become pen pals.

Now more than ever, people really appreciate receiving a good old-fashioned letter in the mail. Sure, it takes added effort than a phone all or text, and that’s the point. Become pen pals with a senior and you two can exchange letters that will serve as a beautiful memory you can re-read and look back on in the future.

Mail a care package.

Speaking of snail mail, take this one step further by sending a care package to an aging loved one. Consider including some activities or treats they enjoy, but may not be able to go out and get on their own. Many online retailers can bundle and ship such items to them directly and are taking all precautions to keep their items sanitary and safe.

Ask directly about how they feel.

Checking in is the first step, but the next important step is being sure to ask your senior friends and family how they feel. Are they feeling anxious, lonely, unwell, or depressed? It’s human to not want to openly share our emotions, especially if they are negative. Yet, when someone asks us directly, we are far more inclined to share the hard truth – which also provides an opportunity to get help.

Help answer their phone, app, or social media questions.

Adult children, you are so vital to your aging parents right now. In an effort to feel connected to the world during social distancing, they will turn to technology, much of which may confuse or frustrate them. Be patient and kind when helping them with their IT questions. This is one of the most loving gestures you can show.

Create something to look forward to in the future.

Finally, give both you and your aging loved one hope for the future and a time when things will feel normal again. Consider planning your first in-person get together. Ask them what they would like to do – and plan it out! Pick a location and an activity. Possibly make a day of it and also ask what you can help them do around the house that needs done. They will be so grateful for the thought, and for something to look ahead to.

Do you have an aging loved one struggling from the isolation and loneliness during this time? Consider implementing a few or all of the above tips this week to help them through the challenges so many of us are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most importantly, maintain safe practices for you and your family so we may all overcome this soon and get back to seeing one another in person. Stay well!

April 6, 2020 by Kirk Brechbiel Leave a Comment

How to Protect Our Seniors from COVID-19

Commit to not seeing one another in person.

This is a hard piece of advice, but one that must be followed to the best of all of our abilities. Unless you are providing essential care to your aging loved one, please commit to not seeing them in person during the quarantine. Even the best precautions can fall short and it would be devastating to feel as though you passed on the virus to someone for which you care deeply.

Reinforce social distancing and staying home.

When you do check in with your loved one (by phone or computer), take the opportunity to reinforce the importance of being serious about social distancing and staying home. You may find that they don’t understand the need to do so, or maybe are still going out and about to run their own errands. Be sure to communicate the facts and that your request to follow recommendations comes from a place of love.

Run errands for them.

While you are reinforcing the need for older adults to stay home and social distance, offer to run errands for them, if you are low-risk and able to do so. Try to combine this with your own errands. You can pick up their groceries and other necessities like medications. Doing so eliminates their need to leave the house and reduces risk of exposure.

Remind them often of the CDC’s recommendations.

As the United States learns more about COID-19, the CDC’s recommendations are evolving. Be sure to check in with your aging loved ones to ensure they have received the most up to date information and are following it. Also guide them to where they can go to review these recommendations first-hand, such as online or offer to mail them an article.

Help answer their questions and concerns.

Many people feel anxious during these times because they have questions and concerns that are not being properly addressed. When speaking with a member of our senior population, ask them if there is anything you can help clarify. You might be surprised by what your mom or dad don’t know or don’t understand. Use this as an opportunity to educate them with correct information.

Ensure they have professional help, if needed.

Finally and most importantly, when checking in with your loved one, be sure their essential needs are being met. Ask whether they have what they need to keep up with their personal hygiene, cooking, and cleaning and have the ability to do so without risk of injury. If you find your aging loved one cannot get by on their own, yet still wishes to remain living in their home, hiring a professional caregiver may be a solution. During the COVID-19 pandemic, home care agencies can provide professional caregivers who help seniors with their basic needs while taking every precaution to not spread the virus. This allows families to safely social distance while not worrying about the care of their aging relatives.

From our family at Ella Home Care, we hope you stay well and stay home during this time. Though this is among the hardest circumstances our world has ever faced, we thank you for doing your part to help keep everyone – including our loved senior population – safe and healthy.

March 9, 2020 by Kirk Brechbiel Leave a Comment

Myths vs. the Facts about In-Home Care

There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding the topic of in-home care provided by personal caregivers. To help you directly compare myths versus facts, we’ve compiled some of the most common sentiments and provided you with the facts. Take a look at what you should consider when exploring the option of in-home care or you or an aging loved one.

Myth: It’s too expensive.

Fact: The perception of the cost of in-home personal care is a very important topic, so let’s talk numbers. The national average daily cost for a private nursing home room is $253 dollars a day, according to a survey by Genworth Financial. The national average daily cost for in-home care services is $125 per day assuming 44 hours per week. Nursing care can cost nearly twice as much as home care. And while it can provide 24/7 services, many seniors residing at home don’t need that intensive level of round-the-clock support. In fact, many home-based seniors do not even need 44 hours of home care a week.

Myth: It will be awkward having a ‘stranger’ in the home.

Fact: While a personal care provider will be new at first, it’s just like meeting a friend for the first time. After a few interactions, you quickly learn more about one another and then there will come a time when you can’t remember not having them in your life. The same is true for a personal care provider working in your home or a home of a loved one. Yes, it will take some time and effort to forge a relationship, but given that they will be around frequently, and helping with essential tasks, it takes hardly any time to start to form a bond.

Myth: Home care is only for people who are very sick or terminally ill.

Fact: It’s important to not confuse home care for hospice. While each serve very important, and at times similar roles, they are different. In-home personal care works wonderfully for those who may only need assistance a few days a week to ensure their personal needs are met. In fact, these may be fairly mobile and independent people who simply need an extra set of hands or a regular check-in to ensure they are safe and well.

Myth: My parents are doing fine. It’s way too early to be thinking about this.

Fact: No one wants to believe that their parents are getting old and struggling to take care of themselves. As children, we want to forever believe our parents are as capable as they have always been. But the reality is this way of thinking is not helpful to our aging loved ones or ourselves. It’s important to be tuned into what’s really taking place. If your mom needs help remembering to take the correct medications at the correct times, or your dad is having difficulty balancing the check book, a personal care provider can help with all of this and more while enabling them to remain living comfortably in their own home.

Myth: We’re capable of handling this on our own.

Fact: Some families may believe they can fully handle the needs of their aging relatives on their own. And in some instances, maybe they can. But if you’re like most families, you have work obligations and other personal obligations that fill up most of your time. You wouldn’t want your mom or dad to become an added stress on your schedule or to be seen as yet one more item on your to-do list in a day. With an in home care provider, children get to remain children to their parents, even as they age. Sometimes being both a child and a caregiver can be too much and put a strain on a relationship that should be cherished.

Myth: My mom or dad are completely against it.

Fact: It’s perfectly naturally to be opposed to change, at least at first. There are many unknowns and misconceptions that can cause us to form a negative opinion without all the facts. If you find your mom or dad have expressed that they are against having a personal caregiver in their home, urge them to try it for just one week. What harm can it do? This will give them a chance to experience the benefits and really see that it’s like so they can make an informed decision based on experience and fact.

Myth: It will look like I’m putting my responsibilities on someone else.

Fact: First of all, who cares what anyone else thinks especially if you are acting in the best interest of your family? Second, seeking help for something that is beyond your ability is the most responsible thing you can do. It in no way reflects that you don’t care for your aging loved one. In fact, the opposite is true. It demonstrates your level of love and commitment to them by seeking out the best possible for of care to keep them safe and healthy as long as possible.

Are you or someone you know considering the help of an in-home personal caregiver for a loved one? We hope you found these myths vs. fact helpful and enlightening. If you should have additional questions or wish to explore your options for personal care, please do not hesitate to contact us today.

March 5, 2020 by Kirk Brechbiel Leave a Comment

Tips for Living Independently for as Long as Possible

For most people, our dream is to remain living independently, in our own homes for as long as possible. Many factors can impact the ability to do this including health, finances, and support. If you or someone you know are planning for the future, which includes a desire to live independently, consider these tips and tools for putting yourself in the best position to do so.

Plan Ahead

In the midst of everything else going on in your life, it can be hard to find time to plan ahead for the future. Often, this gets pushed to the back burner. But one of the best things you can do for your future self is to start planning for how you wish to live your later years in life. What does this look like? If you desire to stay in your home as long as possible, it’s important to consider what all this will require of you and your loved ones. Write down your plan and think through all the variables. Having this mapped out will help you out greatly down the road.

Communicate Your Wishes

Now that you have thought through what it will require to live independently as you age, you must make your wishes known to those who are likely going to be caring for you, to some degree, in the future. Quite possibly this is a spouse, family member, or even a friend or neighbor. Making it known early that it is your desire to remain living in your home as you age will help your loved ones adjust their expectations and be able to fully support you.

Get Your Finances in Order

There are costs associated with anywhere you live, whether that’s in your current home or in a retirement community. There are certainly pros and cons to each. Be sure to get your finances in order early. Not only will this help you throughout retirement, but it will enable you to live where you wish without a lack of funds dictating the care you do or do not receive. You may even wish to consider a long-term care insurance policy which can assist with costs like professional care in your home.

Enhance Home Safety

Another way to plan ahead for aging in your home as long as possible is to ensure that it is a safe space. Invest in your home with things like repairs, enhancements and safety features to make it a place where you can age safely. If you should need the assistance of a walker or wheelchair, can your home accommodate that? Can you arrange things to create a first floor bedroom to eliminate the use of stairs? Make time to carefully walk through every aspect of your home so that you are aware of things that may need to change in order to stay living in your home in your later years.

Consider a Professional Caregiver

Finally, and most importantly, you may want to consider how a professional caregiver can help you achieve your goal of living independently in your home for as long as possible. You may not need this assistance right away, but it’s smart to at least be informed of what options are available to you and the associated cost. Reach out to a trusted in-home care agency, like Ella Home Care, who can advise you of the services they provide and how they fit your needs and budgetary requirements.

If you or someone you know is hoping to remain living independently in their home as they age remember that with these tips and some additional professional help, it is possible! At Ella Home Care, we proudly provide options to help people live independently in their homes. We welcome you to contact us so we can discuss what might be right for your needs.

February 7, 2020 by Kirk Brechbiel Leave a Comment

7 Ways to Help Senior Adults Stay Mentally Sharp

As we age, our brain’s volume gradually shrinks causing some of the nerve cells to shrink or lose connections with other nerve cells. Blood flow also slows somewhat as we age. These age-related changes are thought to be behind the differences in cognitive function that many people notice as they age.

In most instances, this is a normal part of the aging process. But taking certain actions early on can also help to slow down this process and delay the undesired effects it can have on our mental function and quality of life. Promising research indicates that taking the following steps can help keep your mind sharp as you age. Let’s learn what they are!

Monitor your cholesterol and blood pressure.

High cholesterol and blood pressure have both been closely linked with an increased chance of heart attack or stroke, which are thought to contribute to developing certain forms of dementia. Be sure to see your doctor regularly who can help you monitor your cardiovascular health and recommend actions you can take to further improve it.

Maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

Proper nutrition is critically important at every stage in life; and it remains equally important as you brain ages. Researchers have found strong evidence that vitamin E, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids could help prevent dementia, along with avoiding saturated fat. Focus on incorporating these nutrients into your diet, or supplementing with vitamins.

Limit nicotine and alcohol consumption.

Both drinking and smoking regularly and excessively have been linked to dementia as you age. The lifestyle choices you make now, and kicking out the bad habits as soon as possible, put you in the best potion to reap the rewards of better mental health as you age.

Stimulate your brain daily.

Who doesn’t love a good puzzle or word search? Whatever you preference is for “brain teasers” make a conscious effort to incorporate such activities into each and every day. This can be as simple as spending 20 minutes each morning solving the paper’s Sudoku puzzle while you enjoy a cup of coffee.

Schedule meaningful socialization.

Making new friends or spending time with the ones you have might be good for your brain. A 2018 study published in Scientific Reports found that participants with consistently high or increased social engagement had a lower risk of dementia than those with consistently low social engagement. Especially for those who live alone, be sure to reach out to family and friends to schedule regular visits that will help you get the socialization you need to thrive.

Have a plan for getting regular exercise.

As you age, getting enough exercise can be a challenge. Maybe you have physical limitations. Or maybe it is not easy to get out to a community exercise class. There are still many other options to help you stay active, which in turn helps increase blood flow and brain function. Consider an exercise DVD you can do from home. Or find a neighbor who can be your walking partner. Just 20 minutes of elevated heart rate every day yields huge long-term health benefits.

Surround yourself with memories.

Not only are memories beautiful, they are also beneficial. Looking back through old photo albums, watching home videos, and even walking by photos of family and friends you have framed on your walls daily will all help to reinforce these memories and stimulate brain function.

If you or someone you know is entering their senior years, it is never too early to be thinking about how you plan to maintain your mental health. Try to incorporate even just a few of these tips into your weekly routine and set yourself up for improved mental health now and into the future!

Myths vs. the Facts about In-Home Care

Tips for Living Independently for as Long as Possible

7 Ways to Help Senior Adults Stay Mentally Sharp

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