Craig Bass, Author at Golden Heart Summerlin

How Well is Your Dad Doing Living Alone?

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

When was the last time you gathered as a family to catch up and see how your dad’s doing? It’s time to have that dinner. Many families are only available to gather once a year, and in a year’s time, a lot can change. As you gather, here are some of the things you need to be watching for in your dad’s home. Once you’ve taken stock of his current situation, you can begin to asses if it’s time to bring in senior home care to help out.

How Are His Food Inventories?

How much food does your dad have on hand? Is he shopping regularly and stocked with healthy food options? If he’s ordering takeout regularly and not doing the shopping, ask him why. Is he able to drive? Does he find shopping overwhelming?

Is He Taking Care of Himself?

Does your dad shower a minimum of every few days? If you notice body odor and he’s not very active, he may be avoiding showers. Find out why. If he fell coming out of the shower, he may be fearful of being alone when he washes himself. A shower seat and grab bars can boost his confidence.

See if your dad has seen his doctor in the past year. Is he going for two dental cleanings per year? He should be seeing his doctor and dentist that often, or possibly more often if he has a chronic health condition or gum disease.

How is His Mobility?

As you watch your dad, see how well he moves around. Does he seem unsteady when he first stands up from a sofa or chair? Does he shuffle while he walks? How is he on the stairs?

When he’s moving around or standing in one space, does he seem to hold onto items for support? If so, it could be time to invest in a cane to provide some support while he’s walking. Talk to him about it, and make sure he knows that there are some amazing canes now. He could have one with built-in LED lighting to illuminate a hallway while he walks.

How Clean is the House?

How clean is his home? Does he have mounds of laundry that he can’t get downstairs to the laundry room? Is he re-wearing clothing rather than washing it? Does he wash items in a sink rather than make the trip to his laundry room?

Does your dad vacuum stairs or are they building up pet hair and dust? Is he able to carry and push his vacuum around or is it too difficult?

Talk with Him About Senior Home Care

Take time once a month or as often as you can to have family meals. Use this time to see how your dad’s doing and judge whether it’s time to have someone helping him with household chores or personal care.

As you talk to him about his safety and needs as he ages at home, make sure he realizes he’s in control. Senior home care isn’t about taking away his independence, it’s about the helping hand he needs from time to time to remain independent. Involve him in talks with a senior home care specialist when you make the call.

If you are considering senior 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.

Healthy Food Options for Seniors with Tooth Loss

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Craig Bass

Elder Care in Henderson NV

Full or partial dentures are a common dental aid for the elderly. Your elderly loved one may be having difficulty chewing and swallowing after receiving new dentures. While your loved one’s new dentures may make them feel awkward at first, there are certain things they may do that may help.

It might be challenging to encourage a senior to eat more if they experience discomfort while doing so. If you’re too busy to shop for groceries or prepare meals for your elderly loved ones, or if you’re concerned about their safety in their own home, it may be time to look into elder care options. Even dentures can guarantee your aging loved one is eating well and receiving enough to eat.

It is possible for seniors who have lost all of their teeth to still eat healthily. It’s important to remember that many healthy soft meals can taste great. Incorporate these items into your elderly loved one’s diet if poor tooth health prevents them from eating normally.

Yogurt Is Healthy, Affordable, and Nutritious for Seniors

Yogurt is versatile, serving as either a breakfast or snack item. For example, its taste may be altered by adding pureed fruit or honey. It’s a good source of protein, which elderly people who have trouble chewing tough meat may not receive enough of in their diets. To make this lunch as healthy as possible, choose yogurt with a low-fat and a low-sugar option.

Eat a Scrambled Egg Breakfast

Eggs are a fantastic way to add protein to your family’s diet. To make the eggs more manageable for consumption, you may modify their consistency. You can serve eggs on their own, but they’ll have more nutritional value and taste if you add some softened veggies, such as bell peppers, in little bits or pureed before you scramble them.

Make a Soup for Dinner

Seniors on a soft-food diet may get dissatisfied with their diet out of boredom. Soups are fantastic since they allow you to regularly surprise your loved one with various tastes. Alternate nights of minestrone and chicken noodle soup. Keep in mind that you’ll need to cut the components for the soup even smaller than you would if you were eating it by yourself. Using a hand blender will help the soup mix into a smoother consistency, making it more straightforward for your loved one to swallow. The best thing about soup is elder care can help make it and then freeze it to eat later on.

Baked Fish with Rice

Fish is a great way to add healthy fats and protein to your family’s diet, and it is also much more tender than other varieties of meat. Soft-meat eaters are better off with salmon and cod than swordfish or mahi-mahi. Crunchy breading should also be avoided, so look for a recipe that employs citrus juice or fresh herbs instead.

Oatmeal is Great for Seniors

Breakfast cereals and granola bars may no longer be an option, but there are other ways to ensure that your loved one is getting enough whole grains in their diet. Oatmeal, like yogurt, is adaptable because of its flavoring options. Instead of sugar, you may use applesauce to sweeten the oats. You may add nut butter to your oats to make them more flavorful.

Source
https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics/tooth-loss/seniors

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.

Employee of the Month – June 2022

Posted on June 30, 2022 by Craig Bass

Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Cynthia F. is our Employee of the Month for June 2022.

Cynthia is from Birmingham, Alabama, she is married with three children, 12 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Cynthia has been a caregiver ever since age of 17. She enjoys her job because of all the wonderful people she gets to care for and the families she gets to meet.

Her personal quote is ”Jesus is love and love is the greatest gift of all.”

Thank you Cynthia for having a “Golden Heart” and being our June 2022 Employee of the Month!!

Caring for a Loved One with a Frontotemporal Disorder

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Craig Bass

In-Home Care in Summerlin NV

People that have a frontotemporal disorder often have a range of symptoms. This can include difficulty walking, trouble communicating, emotional issues, and unusual behaviors. Family caregivers are often faced with having to deal with day-to-day care, along with handling the medical needs of their elderly loved one. They are also in charge of managing social and family relationships for their elderly loved one, too. In-home care can help lessen the burden for family caregivers who are overwhelmed.

If you are caring for your elderly loved one who has this disorder, there is some care information that you might want to know.

Recognize the Illness

One of the things that you need to do is to recognize the illness instead of just the behaviors. By recognizing what is going on and not taking things so personally, that can help a great deal in the way that everything is affecting you.

Treating Language Issues

If your elderly loved one has this type of disorder, they are going to experience language problems. When this happens, it is important that you, other family caregivers, and in-home care providers speak clearly and slowly. You should also use simple sentences, ask for clarification if something needs to be repeated, and wait for a response. You should not push your elderly loved one to answer you quicker as that can cause more frustration on both ends.

Manage Movement Issues

FTD causes issues with movement, too. This can affect your elderly loved one’s swallowing, walking, and balancing. You may need to hire in-home care providers to help them get around. You can also get your elderly loved one occupational and physical therapy.

Find the Best Treatments

If you are a family caregiver for someone with frontotemporal disorder, it would be a good idea to look into the best treatments for them. That way, you have more information when you get ready to speak with their doctor. You will also be able to better understand which treatments your elderly loved one is getting if you do the research on the treatment options.

Get Yourself Support

Another thing that you should do if your elderly loved one has FTD is to get yourself support. It can be extremely difficult having to deal with everything you are facing with your elderly loved one. You may feel scared, overwhelmed, alone, and irritated. These are just a few of the many different things that family caregivers often feel when their loved one has FTD. If you join a support group, however, that can help to reduce some of these negative feelings.

How In-Home Care Can Help

This is some of the most important care information for those with a frontotemporal disorder. If your elderly loved one has FTD, be sure to work on researching their condition. You should also talk to their doctor and consider in-home care providers to help with their care. If you do these things, along with following all the other tips mentioned here today, you can provide the best care possible for your elderly loved one.

Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/providing-care-person-frontotemporal-disorder

If you are considering in-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.

Honor Your Dad on Father’s Day With These Gifts

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Las Vegas NV

Father’s Day falls on June 19th this year. What are you planning to do or give him? Here are some of the best gifts for the father who has everything. You could even gift him with the many benefits of senior home care.

A Gaming System

Your dad loves to fish, but he can’t walk up and down streams, shores, or through the woods by himself. You’re not around enough to take him fishing. Fulfill his passion for fishing when you’re not round by investing in a gaming system.

There are fishing games with controllers that vibrate and jerk around when the virtual fish is on the line. The Nintendo Switch has a fishing pole controller. It’s not exactly the same as fishing, but it’s a good way for him to engage in his favorite activity when no one is available to take him fishing.

Your dad could also play golf on his gaming system. If he’s into golf, he can play it from the comfort of his living room when you’re not around.

A Doorbell Camera

How about a doorbell camera? If someone is at the door, your dad and you can view who it is and talk to them without opening the door. It adds a layer of protection against scammers and door-to-door sales.

A Chromebook or Laptop

How about a small laptop that doesn’t need virus protection updates? A Chromebook protects against viruses in a different way, so your dad doesn’t have to run antivirus all the time. If he wants a laptop for communicating with his family via chat or video chat, this is a good option.

If he’s able to update and run security suite software, any laptop will work. It comes down to how technologically minded he is.

A Smart Speaker

Does your dad have a smart speaker? It is a handy device for older adults as it can read the news and weather out loud to him. It can help him turn on and off lights if you pair it with the right light bulbs. It can also play music, find his favorite show or movie, and play games.

A Pet

If your dad is lacking companionship and has talked about getting a pet, consider taking him to an animal rescue this Father’s Day. A cat can be lower maintenance than a dog, though it will still require some care. If he’s not up for a lot of grooming and maintenance of his pet, a fish tank may be a better option.

Senior Home Care Services

When it’s not a holiday or special event, is your dad alone? Should he be? This year, pay for a few weeks of home care services for him to try out.

He can experience what it’s like to have someone helping with meals, housekeeping, and transportation. He may find he loves it and wants to make it a permanent part of his life.

Senior home care helps your dad around the home without taking away his independence. Call a specialist in home care to learn more about the services that are available.

Source
https://www.fatherly.com/gear/best-gifts-for-dads

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.

What Are the Signs that it’s Time for Alzheimer’s Care?

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Craig Bass

Alzheimer’s Care in Summerlin NV

It’s estimated that 6.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and that number keeps increasing. Around three out of ten adults with Alzheimer’s are below the age of 75, so it’s common for their children to still be raising families and working full-time jobs. Your mom has Alzheimer’s disease, and you’re not sure what to do. You want to help her as much as you can, but you have a full-time job and aren’t close to retirement age. How do you know when it’s time for Alzheimer’s care for your mom? Here are a few signs to look for.

She Fails to Take Her Medications

Here’s one of the most alarming aspects of the disease. Your mom forgets to take her Alzheimer’s medications, vitamins, and antidepressants. Or, she takes them and doesn’t remember taking them, so she takes more. Soon, you find she’s taken four antidepressants in one day because she couldn’t remember.

Alzheimer’s care aides can keep her pills locked in a cabinet and get them out for her to take. If she tries to take more, they can redirect her and assure her she’s already taken them.

She Can’t Drive

When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the memory care team will recommend giving up the keys early on. You don’t want your mom driving around the city with no idea how to get back home.

When she has to stop driving, she doesn’t have to stop going out. She can have Alzheimer’s care services for transportation that accompany her to appointments and when running errands.

Your Mom is Wandering

You arrive to visit your mom and find she’s left her home. An hour passes and she’s not back, so you’re worried. You set off and find her wandering the streets. She didn’t recognize her home and had no idea how to get back. She needs someone with her 24/7 if she’s wandering.

Your Mom Forgets Food is Cooking

Your mom sets off her smoke detector because she forgot she’d started cooking scrambled eggs. When the smoke set off the alarms in her home, the eggs were on smoking. Thankfully, your brother was in the home and prevented a kitchen fire, but you worry about her doing this again.

She’s Becoming Incontinent

Often, people with Alzheimer’s lose track of simple things like when their bladder is full. They may not remember how to get to the bathroom in time. Incontinence is normal in the later stages of Alzheimer’s. It helps to have a caregiver to offer cues that your mom should go to the bathroom and help her get to the toilet and use it in time.

Once you know your mom’s care needs, talk to an expert in Alzheimer’s care. It’s not a disease that progresses the same with everyone. Some will slowly progress for years, while others seem to rush from one stage to the next. Pay attention to your mom’s abilities and arrange Alzheimer’s care as soon as you notice she’s struggling with self-care and housekeeping.

Sources:
https://www.alz.org/media/documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf

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.

The Best 4 Things Senior Men Can Do To Stay Healthy

Posted on June 3, 2022 by Craig Bass

Home Care in Henderson NV

June is Men’s Health Month and now is the time to talk to your senior father about how he can stay healthy as he gets older. Senior men tend to minimize their health risks and conditions which can leave them open to developing more serious problems as they get older. One way that you can try to get your senior dad to focus on his health is to hire home care for your dad. Home care will help him make some healthy lifestyle changes that will improve his health now and in the future like:

Quit Smoking

Convincing a senior man to quit smoking can be a real challenge, especially if he’s been smoking for decades. The excuse that most senior men give for why they won’t quit is that it doesn’t matter at their point in their lives anyway. But it does matter. Within weeks of quitting smoking the lungs will start to repair themselves and create healthy cells. It is never too late to quit smoking. If your senior loved one needs help to quit make an appointment with their doctor. The doctor may be able to prescribe medication that will help your senior loved one quit smoking.

Exercise Daily

Exercise has been compared to the fountain of youth when it comes to aging. Senior men should be getting at least 30 minutes of exercise at least five days each week. It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise but going for a walk, riding a bike, playing tennis, or playing golf are all excellent ways for senior men to be active. If your dad isn’t someone that likes to exercise you should help him find an activity that he likes to do so that he will want to be more active. The more active he is the healthier he will be as he gets older.

Limit Alcohol

Alcohol in moderation is fine, but men have a tendency to overdo it when it comes to alcohol. Having a beer after dinner watching TV is not problem but drinking in excess or drinking every day could start to impact his health. If your dad enjoys a drink you should talk with him about how much alcohol is healthy and how much alcohol isn’t. If your senior dad can limit his alcohol consumption to just once and awhile or if he drinks only small amounts at one time it can help him avoid some serious health problems in the future.

Get Regular Medical Checkups

Men are less likely to see the doctor regularly and that can significantly hurt their chances of staying healthy. Catching age-related illnesses early can make a big difference in how long your father lives and what his quality of life is like. Get your dad started seeing his primary care doctor on a regular basis and getting regular cancer screenings so that if he does develop any serious health problems the doctor can start treating the problem as quickly as possible.

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

How to Encourage Your Senior Parent to Eat Healthy Foods

Posted on May 27, 2022 by Craig Bass

Personal Care at Home in Summerlin NV

It can be so hard to encourage your elderly loved ones to make healthy life choices, especially if they grew up not focusing on health or eating right. Diet and health have gone through many trends and if your parents grew up a certain way, they may view health differently than you. A few generations ago being skinny meant you were too poor to eat. Now that mindset could not be any more wrong as obesity rises among US citizens.

It is crucial to help your senior eat healthily but how can you do that when you don’t live with your senior full time? If you notice your senior is struggling to eat on their own, going for quick foods, they may need help eating or cooking and this may require something like personal care at home.

As you become older, the concept of what constitutes a healthy diet shifts. You require fewer calories as you age since your metabolism slows down. Certain nutrients are also required by your body in larger amounts. As a result, it’s now more critical than ever to eat foods that are high in nutrients and fiber. Here are some good tips for getting your senior to eat healthily.

Understand What a Healthy Meal Looks Like

If you’re familiar with the USDA’s food pyramid, you’ll recognize this new method of determining what individuals should consume each day: You may find it under the name MyPlate. This straightforward diagram demonstrates how to properly arrange the five major food categories on your plate. For a healthy diet, these are the essentials. If you don’t know what a person should be eating, it can be hard to tell your mom or dad what to do.

Always Read the Label

A senior may not have grown up in a time when food had extra chemicals or was ever so processed. This means they may not know that they should be reading the nutrition label and sometimes this job will pass on to you. The nutrition label will help you understand how many servings should be eaten, what exactly is in something, how many calories, and how much sodium and carbs are in something. This information can be crucial when trying to make healthier choices.

Focus on Hydration

Seniors may not feel thirsty like they did when they were younger and because of this, they are at a higher risk of dehydration which is incredibly unhealthy. Drinking water is an essential nutrient, as well. Drink little quantities of water often throughout the day to avoid becoming dehydrated. Maintain a low intake of sugary and salty fluids, unless in cases when your doctor has advised you differently.

Personal Care at Home Care Help

When a senior chooses to age in place, it can be challenging for a family who works full time to help. This is another reason why personal care at home can be so useful. They will help your senior bathe, get dressed, and eat throughout the day. This can also be a way for seniors to feel like they have more independence rather than relying on their adult children.

Source
https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html

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

What Does Home Care Assistance For Seniors Include?

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Craig Bass

Home Care Assistance in Las Vegas NV

If you have a senior parent that wants to continue living at home, you may have already starting talking with them about options for home care assistance. Even if your senior loved one is managing fine on their own now, in the future they may need help in order to live comfortably in their home. Starting the process of finding out more about home care now will help you and your senior parent make a smart choice for their health and safety. The most frequently asked question about home care assistance is what does home care include? The answer to that really depends on what kinds of care services your senior loved one needs. Home care can include services like:

Housecleaning

Many seniors need a little extra help cleaning up as they get older. Keeping the home free from clutter will lessen the risk that your senior parent will fall. And chores like dusting and vacuuming are essential to maintain a healthy indoor air quality. Home care assistance often includes light housekeeping so that seniors will have a safe and healthy environment to live in. Care providers can do things like vacuum, dust, mop, do the laundry, clean the kitchen and bathrooms, and make sure that the house is orderly,

Meal Preparation And Cleanup

It’s also common for seniors to need a little help preparing meals. Opening food packages can be tough if your senior loved one has poor grip strength. So is lifting dishes or heavy pots and pans. People with tremors may not be able to safely use the stove or carry glasses. Home care assistance can help seniors prepare meals by opening packaging, measuring things, chopping and dicing, and stirring things for them. They can also help with cooking and clean up the dishes and pots and pans after the meal. Seniors enjoy the company of a care provider who will eat meals with them as much as they enjoy not having to clean up after the meal.

Medication Management

Often seniors benefit from having a trained care provider oversee their medications and make sure that those medications are organized. A care provider can make sure that your senior loved one is getting the medications they should be taking every day. It’s also helpful that they can go to the pharmacy so that your senior loved one doesn’t run out of the meds they need.

Help With Shopping And Errands

Doing the shopping and running errands can be difficult as seniors get older. They may find that they don’t have the energy to walk around a bunch of stores like they used to. Or they may be easily confused by shopping lists or by handling money. With a caregiver accompanying them on shopping trips, your senior will be able to confidently handle all of their errands.

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

May 2022 Employee of the Month

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Craig Bass

Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Roxana M. is our May 2022 Employee of the Month.

Roxana is originally from El Salvador and is married with two boys. Roxana has been a caregiver for two years with experience as a CNA. She enjoys working and helping people who can’t help themselves. She puts herself in their shoes and tries to understand what they are going through and how they are feeling.

Roxana is looking forward to returning to school sometime in the future and continue her education in the medical field.

We want to thank Roxana for being a valued Golden Heart employee!