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Author: Craig Bass

How Can Families Tell a Loved One is Lacking Companionship?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Whether seniors live far away from family caregivers or family members are just busy, it might not be obvious at first when seniors are starting to withdraw and feel lonely. For many seniors, it’s so important to stay independent and age in place, but they may not realize the emotional implications over time. Understanding what the signs are when seniors are spending too much time alone makes it easier to know that it’s time for solutions like companion care at home.

Increased Isolation

If it seems as if seniors are becoming more isolated, it’s time to look more closely at how that’s impacting daily life. When seniors have too few social interactions, it’s easy for them to start feeling disconnected from the world around them. As isolation increases, seniors are at greater risk of other problems, like depression and increased health problems. Spending time with elder care providers can be the first step in reducing isolation.

Withdrawal from Social Activities

When it’s been a common occurrence for seniors to engage in social activities, it’s natural to expect they’ll still do those things. Seeing them make big changes like no longer attending community events or dropping hobbies they love means that seniors may be having more trouble engaging with others for a variety of reasons. Companion caregivers make socializing easier because they come to seniors in their homes.

Trouble Communicating

Issues like cognitive decline or hearing loss can cause trouble communicating. As communication worsens, seniors may have more trouble maintaining social relationships and they start to withdraw. Recognizing that communication troubles are starting can let family caregivers know it’s time to look for solutions that can help.

Neglecting Home Maintenance or Personal Hygiene

Changes in basic self-care, like no longer bathing regularly, or neglecting home maintenance can be a sign of loneliness or depression. Coupled with an increase in isolation, this is a big sign that seniors are missing the connections they used to have with other people. Companion care at home can give aging adults a reason to want to tackle these tasks again.

Declining Cognitive Function

Changes in cognitive function can indicate a variety of different situations. Sometimes seniors experience increased memory trouble, confusion, or disorientation because of a medical issue like a urinary tract infection or because of cognitive illnesses like dementia. But depression and loneliness can also cause similar symptoms, so it’s important to get to the true cause.

Fear of Being Alone

If seniors start to share that they’re afraid of being alone or they feel hopeless about their situation, that’s a very big sign something is going on. Spending time talking with aging adults can help family caregivers figure out whether there’s an underlying health issue or if seniors would benefit from companion care at home. Solving that problem for them can help seniors rebuild confidence.

Companion care at home is a compassionate way for families to make sure seniors maintain their independence, age in place, and get the social interaction they need and want.

If you are considering companion care at home in Las Vegas, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616

Tips and Tricks for Embracing a Healthier Lifestyle

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

Seniors can improve their quality of life and ensure that they continue to be active, healthy, and happy by making the appropriate lifestyle modifications. For instance, engaging in regular physical activity enhances overall wellbeing by lowering the risk of falls and maintaining mobility, strength, and balance. At the same time, building stamina can be achieved by beginning with low-impact exercises like yoga, swimming, or walking and progressively increasing the duration and intensity. Finally, combining resistance bands or light weightlifting with strength training can maintain bone density and muscle mass. The key is finding enjoyable activities, as that makes it easier to continue with them. Once the right activity is found, senior home care can encourage seniors to get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week.

Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle Means Eating Well

A well-balanced diet boosts immunity, nourishes the body, and lowers the chance of developing chronic illnesses. In searching for the right balance, it is crucial to give whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats priority. For seniors, it’s also important to stay hydrated during the day by consuming lots of water, avoiding sugar-filled beverages, and consuming only moderate amounts of caffeine. Additionally, a healthy weight can be maintained by watching portion sizes and eating smaller, more frequent meals to help control appetite and energy levels.

Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle Is Connected to Mental Health

Leading a fulfilling life depends on mental health. The first step is keeping the mind active and busy, which helps prevent cognitive decline and improve moods. Frequent social interactions with family and friends, in addition to having senior home care’s support, can also improve mental health, as it helps prevent feelings of depression and loneliness. Plus, engaging in mindfulness practices like tai chi, deep breathing, and meditation can lower stress and improve mental clarity.

Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle Requires Frequent Check-ups

Frequent check-ups are essential for the early identification of health problems, which improves treatment outcomes and effectiveness. Important steps include making an appointment for yearly physicals, remaining current on blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer, and other age-related problem testing, and maintaining immunization records. Senior home care can provide pivotal support by transporting seniors to appointments when needed or helping seniors with telehealth visits.

Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle Requires a Good Night’s Sleep

For mental clarity, emotional stability, and physical health, getting enough sleep is crucial. Better sleep can be achieved by developing a pattern that includes going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, limiting stimulants like caffeine and electronic displays close to bedtime, and designing a cool, quiet, and dark bedroom.

Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle Requires Safety Modifications

Ensuring seniors are safe in their homes lowers the chance of mishaps and increases self-reliance. Safety can be increased by eliminating potential dangers, removing tripping hazards like loose rugs, adding grab bars to bathrooms, upgrading lighting, and, if necessary, utilizing assistive equipment like walkers or canes. Additionally, loved ones and senior home care can work with seniors to declutter areas that might cause potential issues to ensure they can freely move around their homes.

Living a healthy lifestyle can benefit seniors’ general happiness, mental clarity, and physical health. With the help of senior home care and loved ones, seniors can live longer and be more independent by implementing some of the tips above into their daily routines.

Sources:

https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2021/60-health-habits-to-try-now
https://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2017/09/18/11-simple-yet-powerful-ways-to-embrace-a-healthier-lifestyle-and-improve-your-business/?sh=7550f1c930f7

If you are considering senior home care in Whitney, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

How To Handle Your Senior’s Increasing Care Needs

Posted on by Craig Bass

Care needs evolve over time and as aging adults experience health changes. Home care assistance can be there when seniors first decide to age in place, helping them to establish routines and have companionship. As seniors need more help, however, elder care can also adjust to address those new situations. The key is to be as prepared as possible.

Establish Clear Communication

Open and honest communication helps everyone involved to share as much information as possible. This means also keeping seniors in the loop about care decisions and getting their interpretations of what needs to change and what doesn’t. This helps everyone stay on the same page and put the right care options into place.

Look at Current and Future Needs

While it’s not always possible to anticipate every single need, there are some situations that make it easy to see what might be coming down the road for aging adults. Working with healthcare providers to get an accurate prognosis helps a lot. It’s also a good idea to stay on top of what challenges seniors are facing, especially in terms of activities of daily living.

Gradually Increase Support

Most of these changes don’t happen overnight. Seniors might start out needing only a little bit of assistance from home care services. Companion care is often an easy first stage of support, and as seniors need more help the assistance can ramp up. It’s much better overall to gradually increase support as needs increase. This allows aging adults to get used to having help they can rely on.

Evaluate How it’s Going

Establishing regular timeframes to evaluate how home care assistance is going is another great idea. Time passes quickly, especially when everyone involved is busy. Knowing that there are set evaluation points can make it easier to keep track of whether things are changing more quickly than they did in the past.

Identify Milestones

If seniors are facing specific healthcare issues, there may be some significant milestones that indicate additional help is necessary from senior care services. Healthcare providers and other specialists can help family caregivers identify these milestones so they’re easier to spot. Changes in medications, behaviors, or overall health may necessitate that seniors have increased care options available quickly.

Add Resources as Necessary

Caregiving is a tough journey to be on and family caregivers need all the help they can get. In addition to home care assistance, social workers and other healthcare professionals can be part of the team. The more help, the better, especially when seniors are facing difficulties like coming home from the hospital or taking new medications.

Aging adults often don’t need a lot of help from home care assistance right away. In fact, working with home care services when seniors are still doing a lot of things for themselves can be really helpful when those needs change. It’s typically much easier to ramp up home care assistance to keep up with the changes, especially when aging adults have already developed routines around accepting help.

If you are considering home care assistance in Henderson, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Is Your Senior Mom Depressed?

Posted on by Craig Bass

When your elderly mom chooses to age in place alone, you may worry about the potential for loneliness, depression, and about her overall quality of life. This can be a challenging idea to accept, but if you’re worried about your mom or dad, you should talk to them about hiring companion care at home. These are professionals who can not only provide much-needed companionship, but they can help your loved one with daily chores and boost their quality of life. They may even help keep an eye on things like sadness and depression. So, what are some signs that your elderly mom is depressed? Here are some things to look for.

Sadness and Anxiousness

Here is the thing: your loved one can have brief feelings of sadness or bouts of anxiousness, and it may not be depression. However, if your loved one is experiencing sadness for weeks on end or even months, it can be a sign that something is deeply wrong. If your loved one has only been sad for a week, it may not be anything to worry about, but it is something to watch. If you are not always with your senior mom or can’t visit often, ask companion care at home to keep an eye on how sad your mom is. This will help you understand how long it’s been going on and whether it’s more than sadness.

Loss of Interest

Seniors should have hobbies no matter how old they are. Maybe it’s reading or journaling, painting, or going to museums. It doesn’t matter what they choose to do as long as they have something that makes them happy and something they look forward to doing. However, one of the biggest signs of depression is loss of interest in these activities. Your loved one may go out every week, and if they suddenly stop or hate the things they love, it can be a bad sign. Unfortunately, without living with your loved one, you may never know if they stop doing the things they love. This is something that companion care at home can help with.

Lack of Appetite

Your seniors should be eating regularly, and they should be eating a well-rounded diet. Your loved one should eat fresh food and vegetables and cook as much as possible at home. If your senior is lacking appetite or can’t seem to eat anything at all, this is another sign your senior mom is depressed. Companion care at home can help encourage healthy eating during a time when they may feel too sad to eat.

Less Sleep

One other big thing to look for is a change in sleeping. They may not be able to get to sleep because they are sad and anxious, or they may not be able to sleep for the same reasons. If your senior is lacking sleep, it can impact them in drastic ways, but it is also a sign of depression. Hopefully, by keeping a regular routine, they will be able to sleep well, but if it suddenly changes, it is time to encourage them to go to the doctor.

If you are considering companion care at home in Las Vegas, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Golden Heart Supports Las Ventanas

Posted on by Craig Bass

Golden Heart Senior Care had a wonderful morning at Las Ventanas at Summerlin. We provided the coffee and donuts for all the residents and staff in the courtyard.

A great big shout out to our caregiver Connie A. She is one of the dance instructors in “Hot Hula Fitness”.
The ladies performed for the residents and did an outstanding job.

 

If you are considering home care in Summerlin, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

 

Recognizing the First Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Posted on by Craig Bass

September is World Alzheimer’s Month. An awareness month is created to help people learn more about the disease, how to recognize it, how to live with it, and hopefully, someday, how to cure it.

There currently isn’t a cure for this progressive disease that slowly takes away a person’s memory along with their ability to cognitively function. The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is still not fully understood but is believed to be linked to several things that may occur in a person’s health.

  • Age-related changes. The brain naturally ages and with that comes shrinkage, inflammation, and blood vessel damage. All may lead to Alzheimer’s.
  • Genetics-related. If Alzheimer’s disease has been a part of your family history, the risk of developing it is higher.
  • Environment factors. Strokes, diabetes, obesity, and even exposure to pollutants can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

For many, the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s are hard to distinguish because they may look like normal aging. The key when reviewing the symptoms is to consider if your loved one has found the symptoms are interfering with her ability to function daily or if they are occurring with increasing speed. An occasional forgotten name, getting turned around in the store, or misplacing the remote control does on necessarily mean your loved one is developing Alzheimer’s.

Let’s look at the most common symptoms.

  • Memory Loss. While everyone forgets some things, look for signs that your loved one is forgetting recent occurrences that while they may not be remembered exactly, she should have some memory of it. For example, if your loved one forgot that her niece visited yesterday, that may be a sign of Alzheimer’s
  • Problems communicating. Forgetting a word here or there is normal, but being unable to complete a thought or communicate an idea is a problem.
  • Struggling to follow directions. Not being able to follow a recipe or remember simple directions might be indicative of the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Spatial judgment. At the early onset of Alzheimer’s, many people lose the ability to judge distance or decipher patterns.

If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she can still live somewhat independently for a while with the help of family or an Alzheimer’s care specialist. An Alzheimer’s care provider can come to the home to help with tasks and processes that your loved one can no longer do, such as preparing a meal or driving to an appointment. An Alzheimer’s Care provider is also skilled at recognizing when symptoms are getting worse and your loved one may need more assistance, whether that’s at home or in a memory care facility.

You will also need help on this journey, and the Alzheimer’s care professional can help you as well by providing a bit of respite from the 24/7 caregiving and assistance in finding other avenues of support. This is not a road you want to travel alone with your loved one. The more support you have will help you both manage her Alzheimer’s better.

If you are considering Alzheimer’s care in Summerlin, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Dietary Changes Can Help With Arthritis Pain

Posted on by Craig Bass

Your mom’s arthritis is worsening, and she’s struggling to do things around her home that used to be easy. Her doctor has recommended several things to help with arthritis pain and inflammation, and one of them is her diet. How will dietary changes help her? Find out more about how nutrition affects arthritis, and how elder care can help.

The Benefits of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The Arthritis Foundation recommends whole foods with minimal processing and healthy fats, especially extra virgin olive oil. For this reason, the Mediterranean Diet is ideal. The foods you focus on improve the gut biome that can help ease inflammation that triggers many common health issues, including arthritis flare-ups.

The foods to focus on in an anti-inflammatory diet include:

  • Cold water fish like anchovies, herring, sardines, and tuna
  • Heart-healthy oils, especially avocado, extra virgin olive oil, and walnut oil
  • Legumes such as chickpeas, kidney beans, and pinto beans
  • Nuts and seeds like almonds, pistachios, and walnuts
  • Produce including a variety of fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors, especially blueberries, broccoli, cherries, kale, and spinach. Nightshade vegetables like eggplant, red bell peppers, and tomatoes are also good
  • Whole grains, especially those that have gone through minimal processing like farro, hulled barley, and quinoa

When your mom is planning her meals, she should aim for her plate to be half vegetables and fruit, a quarter grain, and a quarter protein. She wants to eat more vegetables than anything else.

It might help her to have someone sit down and plan suitable meals and snacks all week. Once she has the menu plan built and posted on a fridge, corkboard, or online spreadsheet, she can build a shopping list. If she needs help shopping, get someone to go with her and make sure she chooses the proper ingredients.

Exercise Is Also Important

In addition to dietary changes, your mom should be getting daily exercise. A brisk walk for at least 30 minutes per day is a good start. If she can mix up the types of exercise she does, it’s even better. A bit of cardio, strength training, and Yoga or Tai Chi are good ways to get a variety while also developing breathing skills that help with relaxation.

What if she hates going outside for walks on her own? Arrange for a caregiver to join her on walks. Exercise helps strengthen muscles and joints, but it’s also helpful for weight loss. If your mom is overweight, losing some weight may help her ease arthritis pain in the ankles, knees, and hips.

Elder care services can help with arthritis pain that isn’t easing. Instead of struggling to do things on her own, your mom can have a helping hand with things like laundry, housework, and meals. Learn more about elder care by making a call.

Sources:
https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/nutrition/anti-inflammatory/the-ultimate-arthritis-diet

If you are considering elder care in Henderson, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

National Relaxation Day: Take a Break with Help from Alzheimer’s Care

Posted on by Craig Bass

Your dad has Alzheimer’s and it’s progressing into the more challenging stages where he isn’t sleeping, he becomes angry at small things, and he never sits still. It’s getting hard to complete everything you need to do. You’re stressed and anxious and don’t see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

August 15th is National Relaxation Day and time to focus on yourself. Take a break, and plan a day where all you do is relax. Here are some of the things you can do to de-stress and unwind.

Catch Up on Sleep

When was the last time you slept all night without having to get up to tend to your dad? He barely sleeps, so it’s been months or even years since you haven’t had to get up in the middle of the night.

On National Relaxation Day, sleep in. Catch up on the sleep you’ve been missing. As long as you have some water nearby to keep you hydrated, there’s no reason to get up at a specific time. Sleep in.

Read a Book

Find a quiet spot, fill up an insulated bottle with your favorite drink, set up a plate of cheese, crackers, and fresh fruit, and read. Don’t let worries distract you from the escape you get in a book. If the book you chose isn’t grabbing your attention, try another. With sites like BookBub, there are hundreds of free books you can download to your e-reader, laptop, tablet, or phone.

Head to the Beach

Find the nearest beach and pack a picnic lunch. Sit and listen to the waves lap the shore, watch your children play in the water, and go on walks to look for things like fish, turtles, crustaceans, shells, etc. Make sure it’s a day where you ignore your phone and focus only on enjoying time together and being outside in the sun.

If the beach isn’t appealing, choose a state park, a waterfall, or even your backyard pool. Just make sure you’re relaxing and not reading emails or checking messages constantly.

Go on a Trip for a Weekend

Pack your bags, book a hotel or cottage, and get away for a weekend. You don’t have to go far, but make sure you have a change of scenery. Spend that weekend, exploring historic sites, hiking in the mountains, touring museums, or trying the area’s different restaurants and food trucks.

Is It Time to Bring in Help?

Use National Relaxation Day to focus on taking care of yourself for a change. It’s easy to devote your full attention to your dad’s care needs, but you cannot lose yourself in the process. Take at least one day to relax, de-stress, and enjoy having time for yourself.

As you do, consider the benefit of Alzheimer’s care. Your dad’s care needs keep increasing, and it’s getting to be a lot to do each day. With Alzheimer’s care aides helping with the time-consuming, difficult care tasks, you’ll be less stressed, calmer, and more clear-minded. That ensures the care you give your dad is the best care possible.

If you are considering Alzheimer’s care in Henderson, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

5 Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Seniors

Posted on by Craig Bass

Three out of five adults aged 65 or older have lost some of their sense of taste. In addition, an older adult’s stomach empties slowly, so they feel fuller longer and may not eat as much. These are just two of many circumstances that can lead to nutritional deficiencies in seniors. Here are some of the most common vitamins and minerals that seniors become deficient in, and how senior home care can help.

B-Vitamins

The value of B vitamins lies in their help with cognitive function and mood. The three most common are folic acid, B-12, and B-6. Around 26% of older adults have a B-12 deficiency. Studies found that 61% of older adults had a B-6 deficiency.

Calcium and Vitamin D3

Calcium and vitamin D3 are necessary for bone health, yet estimates find that less than 1% of women get enough calcium and about 25% of men get enough. A high-sodium diet leads to calcium getting flushed out of the body faster.

Deficiencies are linked to osteopenia and osteoporosis. If your dad falls and doesn’t get enough calcium, there’s a higher chance that his bone is weaker and will fracture. While women are more likely considered for osteoporosis risk, men can also get the disease. It’s worth asking your dad’s doctor if he should undergo a bone density screening.

Iron

Iron plays an important role in the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. Iron helps form hemoglobin, which is the component in red blood cells that transports oxygen to your brain, lungs, etc. If you don’t have enough iron, anemia occurs and can make you easily exhausted, depressed, and impact cognitive function.

An estimated 15% of men aged 70 or older do not get enough iron and have anemia. Foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges and berries, help the body absorb iron, so that’s an important consideration if your dad’s doctor tested his blood and believes he should start taking iron supplements.

Protein

Around 30% of adults aged 60 or older are losing muscle mass because they don’t eat enough protein. It’s over 50% for adults aged 80 or older. Changing metabolic function means that aging bodies don’t generate muscle protein as quickly. Muscle mass decreases if protein intake isn’t high enough to provide muscles with the necessary protein.

Recommendations are that you eat 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. A 200-pound adult (90.7 kilograms) should be eating around 90 to 109 grams of protein per day. Spreading that protein throughout the day is better than getting it all at once.

Zinc

Zinc is essential when it comes to immune system function. Collagen production diminishes in older adults, and that impacts how much zinc is absorbed. Older men need 11 mg of zinc per day, yet just over half of older adults don’t get enough.

The Value of a Balanced Diet

The best way to avoid deficiencies is by eating a balanced diet throughout the day. This includes eating vegetables and fruits of every color, lean proteins like seafood, poultry, beans, and tofu, whole grains, and dairy.

If your dad can’t prepare meals that meet his nutritional needs, arrange senior home care. He can have caregivers available to help him plan and prepare meals that provide the nutrients he needs to stay healthy. Learn more about meal preparation services by calling an advisor in senior home care.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6971894/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3579689

If you are considering senior home care in Las Vegas, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Employee of the Month – July 2023

Posted on by Craig Bass

Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Carla W. is our employee of the month for July 2023. Carla was born in Arkansas and raided in California. She has lived in Las Vegas for 23 years and has been a caregiver for more than 14 years. Carla has always had love in her heart to help others and it’s her honor to know that she helped someone in need of assistance. Carla says a lot of people are alone and need physical help, a compassionate ear, a heart to listen to them, a hug, or just a friend. Carla enjoys spending time with seniors and tries to make a difference in their life. To Carla making a change in someone’s life is the most uplifting and completeness she can give to herself and others.

Please join us in congratulating Carla as the July 2023 Employee of the Month!