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Author: ltcep2023

The Benefits Of Scrapbooking For Seniors

Posted on by ltcep2023

Scrapbooking is a great hobby for seniors to try. It gives them the chance to go through old photos and journals, stoke memories, and put together a family history that can be passed down through multiple generations. But scrapbooking can require a lot of precise movements that may be difficult for seniors who have trouble with their joints. Cutting, pasting, and writing can all be challenging for seniors who have poor dexterity or fine motor skills. Companion care at home can help seniors try a lot of different activities, including scrapbooking.

Companion care at home is specialized care for seniors who are unable to get out of the house frequently. Regular visits from a companion can prevent seniors from getting lonely and help them try new activities and games, like scrapbooking.

A companion can talk to your senior parent about family history and listen to their stories, providing the social engagement that your mom or dad needs. And they can help your mom or dad shop for scrapbooking supplies and pick up supplies from the store. Companion care at home helps your senior parent get the benefits of scrapbooking, including benefits like:

Memory Preservation

Scrapbooking helps seniors document and preserve precious memories and life stories. It evokes memories and can help seniors relive happy times of their lives. And it helps seniors create a family record that can be very important to future generations.

Cognitive Engagement

Scrapbooking is fantastic for seniors who need cognitive engagement, like seniors with Alzheimer’s. The activities involved in creating scrapbooks make seniors practice skills like problem solving, spatial orientation, and more. It’s a fun way for seniors to maintain their cognitive skills that doesn’t feel like a chore.

Stress Relief

Scrapbooking is a great way for seniors to reduce stress and manage anxiety. Studies show that making things or working with their hands can calm seniors. And immersing themselves in memories of people they loved and happy times can reduce loneliness and anxiety. Having a companion to help them scrapbook also provides important socialization.

Fine Motor Skill Practice

Scrapbooking enhances hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and arranging. It can be a form of occupational therapy for a lot of seniors. If your mom or dad has problems with their joints they may want to wear specialized fingerless gloves that help promote circulation and prevent joint pain when seniors are working with their hands.

Sense of Accomplishment

Scrapbooking gives seniors a sense of pride and achievement in creating something meaningful and beautiful. It also can give them purpose, help them express their creativity, and help them make friends.

Online groups for scrapbooking can help seniors by inspiring ideas, giving them a place to share their work, and giving seniors the chance to talk online with other seniors who love scrapbooking. Social media can also give seniors a wonderful way to share their creations. Your senior parent may even end up going viral for their artistic creations if they share them on social media.

Reference
https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/therapeutic-activities-alzheimers-disease

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.

Employee of the Month – July 2024

Posted on by ltcep2023

Please join Golden Heart Senior Care in welcoming Melanie Montano as its Employee of the Month for July 2024.

Melanie is a single mom with three daughters and also is a nursing student. She has been a caregiver for approximately 1 1/2 years. She likes caregiving because it contributes positively to society by helping those who cannot fully care for themselves..

Golden Heart is very fortunate to have such wonderful caregivers such as Melanie. Please join us in congratulating Melanie as “Simply the Best.”

Keeping Mom Safe on the Fourth of July

Posted on by ltcep2023

One of our nation’s biggest holidays is right around the corner, opening the door for lots of fun celebrations around the country. The Fourth of July is a great time to celebrate with friends and family by having a barbecue or going out and watching the fireworks. Depending on local laws, some families even decide to light off their own small fireworks or at least wave around sparklers in the air as everyone sings “The Star Spangled Banner.”

With any large celebratory event, there also comes risks, especially if your loved one has limited mobility or cognitive functions. Those age-related conditions can take a celebratory holiday and create a stressful day or evening for your loved one that may lead to fear, anxiety, and even injury.

Let’s take a look at some ways you can keep your loved one safe this coming Fourth of July. Many of these tips may also help you with the coming holidays as well.

  • Make sure your loved one has a companion nearby. If you don’t live near your loved one, or cannot be nearby during some holidays, having an in-home care provider is a great resource for your loved one and a wonderful peace of mind for you. An in-home care team will ensure someone is there with your loved one at all times so if your loved one starts to feel uneasy, they will have someone to calm their fears as fireworks explode in the night or the kids down the block let off their 20th package of firecrackers.
  • Celebrate but on a smaller scale. If your loved one still wants to watch the fireworks but can no longer walk to the viewing area or brave those crowds, an in-home care provider may be able to help by setting up an area outside to watch the fireworks off in the distance. Together they may even find a place to drive to and sit in the car and watch the fireworks from afar, making the time to exit afterward a lot less stressful.
  • Many families love a good cookout on the Fourth of July. If your elderly loved one always hosted the family for grilling hot dogs and eating potato salad, don’t have her do it alone this year. Ask someone else to be in charge of the grill and ask family members to help bring the food (and clean up afterward!) so your loved one can enjoy having family over without over-extending herself. An in-home care team can be another great resource for helping her set up for the party as well.
  • Forbid all home fireworks. While many may seem safe, even a simple sparkler can cause burns and possibly lead to a small fire starting. If your loved one is gathering with family, let them know they need to keep their fireworks at home and not bring them with them. The risks are not worth the reward.

Your loved one deserves the chance to celebrate our nation’s birthday while also remaining safe and having fun. You might find a few things will need to be done differently to allow her to participate this year, but she can still have fun while staying safe during the holiday celebrations. Don’t forget to take plenty of photos to keep those memories alive for generations to come.

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.

Golden Heart Supports The Alzheimer’s Association

Posted on by ltcep2023

Golden Heart is always proud to support the Alzheimer’s Association.  Recently, Lumina Memory Center had a “Buck for Pucks” event in support of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Golden Heart Supports The Alzheimer's Association

Saying Farewell to a Beloved Member of the Team!

Posted on by ltcep2023

Saying goodbye to Thana, our wonderful, hard working, talented caregiver and friend. She is moving with her family to Florida to start a non-profit soup kitchen. We all came together to wish her safe travels along with our gratitude. Someone in Florida is getting an AMAZING person on their team!

 

Saying Farewell to a Beloved Member of the Team!

Home Care Services Offer Vital Respite Care Assistance

Posted on by ltcep2023

Being a family caregiver isn’t something that comes easily for most people. There are lots of tasks to juggle and often lots of different responsibilities, too. It can be a lonely job, but it is also one that is rewarding. If family caregivers aren’t taking time away periodically, it’s all too easy to burn out. Home care services can step in and offer respite, but family caregivers need to actually take the time away.

Family Caregivers Have a Big Job

Caregiving might start out with a few responsibilities here and there, but depending on how quickly life changes for the aging adults they’re caring for, family caregivers often find themselves in over their heads quickly. Sometimes life changes overnight, like when a senior family member has a health emergency or accident. If family caregivers aren’t prepared to take care of themselves, they can face some big problems.

Balancing Caregiving and Other Responsibilities

Being a family caregiver can’t be the only thing in someone’s life. They often have other responsibilities, ranging from work and family to other obligations, like children or caring for multiple seniors. There’s a lot to keep in balance and that’s tough to do alone. Family caregivers need support, and home care assistance is a logical next step.

Respite Care Defined

Respite care is a type of care that allows family caregivers to take a break from caregiving duties. There’s someone else there, usually an experienced home care provider, who can handle whatever might happen. Family caregivers leave for a few hours, rest, recharge, and take care of themselves as much as possible. When they come back, they’re better prepared to keep going.

What to Do with Respite Time

One big question many family caregivers have is what they should do with respite time. The truth is that respite time doesn’t have rules. It’s time for family caregivers to spend however they need to spend it. Ideally, they would engage in activities that offer them relief and relaxation. Spending time with friends, pursuing hobbies, and even sleeping are all some ideas. But the most important part is that family caregivers do take time away and allow elder care providers to step in for them.

How Respite Supports Family Caregivers

Respite providers are experienced caregivers in their own right. They know what it’s like to take care of seniors who need extra help and they’re able to offer whatever help seniors might need. Their assistance is flexible, so they can help out whenever necessary. And when family caregivers are away, they have peace of mind knowing that their seniors aren’t alone and have assistance.

Family caregivers need to be able to take breaks, even if it’s just once in a while. Letting home care providers take over for them now and again helps to ensure that family caregivers aren’t burning themselves out or pushing themselves too hard. Taking breaks reduces their stress levels and helps them to be better caregivers to the people they love and want to help.

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.

Golden Heart Employee of the Month For May 2024

Posted on by ltcep2023

Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Giti B. is the May 2024 Employee of the Month!

Giti has been a Caregiver for more than 2.5 years and always wants to make a difference in the lives of her seniors. She particularly likes to provide a healthier lifestyle and atmosphere for her clients. Giti is definitely simply the best!

Please join us in congratulating Giti on her being selected the May 2024 Golden Heart Senior Care Employee of the Month!

Are There Signs of Loneliness and Social Isolation in Seniors?

Posted on by ltcep2023

Humans are social beings, although the individual needs do vary in terms of how much socialization is right for each person. When aging adults aren’t getting enough social interaction, there are signs, even if they might seem a bit subtle. Family caregivers can stay alert for these indications, which then allows them to put solutions in place, like bringing in companion care at home to spend time with seniors.

Physical Signs

Sometimes physical signs are the easiest ones to spot in aging adults. Seniors might experience changes in appetite or weight loss that they didn’t intend. Unfortunately, changes in eating habits can quickly lead to malnutrition, so this needs to get addressed quickly. Other physical signs might include reduced energy levels or fatigue. Some seniors may also start to neglect their personal hygiene or their appearance might change.

Cognitive Signs

For some seniors, loneliness and social isolation cause cognitive symptoms. That might look like confusion or forgetfulness that have increased over time. Or seniors might have trouble concentrating, making decisions, or solving problems. Sometimes seniors don’t realize they’re not getting enough social engagement and start to worry that these signs are related to true memory problems or cognitive illnesses like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Resolving the emotional issues, like the loneliness, helps to reverse these symptoms.

Emotional Signs

Many aging adults experience the emotional symptoms of isolation and loneliness. Some of these look very much like depression, including persistent sadness, irritability, or mood swings. Seniors may also appear less interested in hobbies or activities that they usually love engaging in. These signs often appear because seniors are frustrated by how they’re feeling and how much they miss social interactions.

Tips for Family Caregivers

Family caregivers are already doing so much. In fact, it’s so easy to overlook some of these signs when family caregivers are balancing caring for seniors with other obligations, like a career and caring for others. Taking the time to regularly communicate with seniors and really stop to listen can help. Non-verbal cues may say a lot more than seniors will verbally, too. It can be tough for anyone to admit that they’re lonely and that they need more companionship.

Companion Care at Home Can Help

Home care services are a great way to offer seniors hands-on assistance with tasks. But if what seniors primarily need is companionship, then companion care at home is the better solution. Companion caregivers drop in to visit with aging adults, spending time with them engaging in hobbies, building meaningful connections, and just talking with seniors. This is a powerful way for seniors to get the emotional support and social engagement that they have been missing. These visits can happen on a timetable that suits the aging adult, making it convenient for them and their needs.

Recognizing that there’s something missing is the truly important first step in solving the problem of social isolation. Companion care at home offers personalized emotional and social support, helping seniors to reduce their loneliness and isolation and promoting a fulfilling life.

If you are considering companion 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.

Employee of the Month – April 2024

Posted on by ltcep2023

Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Maria Christina Rona has been chosen as the April 2024 Employee of the Month.

Maria is spiritual and has three children. She has been married for 16 years. Her eldest daughter is in school studying nursing. Her youngest daughter is is high school and her youngest son is in middle school.

Maria has been a caregiver for 16 years, starting in California. She is a licensed Pharmacy Tech, but enjoys being a caregiver over a Pharmacy Tech. The majority of her family works in a field that care for others. Her moto is “just be a good person, love who you can, help where you can, and give when you can.”

Please join us in congratulating Maria on being chose the Employee of the Month.

How Does Home Care Help Families Stay Involved?

Posted on by ltcep2023

No one can do everything, and that includes even the most involved family caregivers. When family caregivers want to make sure that the seniors they love are getting all the help they need, home care services are often the best choice. Home care providers offer hands-on help that ensures seniors are getting their needs met and that family members are able to keep juggling all of their responsibilities.

What Is Home Care?

Home care services offer seniors essential support that helps them to stay independent and safe while they age in place, or stay in their homes for as long as they can. The types of help that elder care providers offer can include help with activities of daily living like showering, brushing their teeth, and changing clothes. Professional caregiver assistance is also helpful with preparing meals, mobility, and light housekeeping tasks, among other necessary tasks. Caregivers can also help with transportation, mobility, and companionship.

Involving Family Members in Care Plans

While elderly care providers have experience helping seniors with their daily needs, family members offer a different type of support. Family members and family caregivers know their seniors est. They understand a lot more about what seniors want to do with this stage of their lives and they want to do all they can to make those goals possible.

Effective Communication Is Key

Communicating effectively keeps everyone involved aware of what is going on, what challenges are cropping up, and how the senior’s needs are changing. Keeping family members involved in the care of the senior they love means ensuring that everyone is working toward the same goals. This leads to the best outcomes for the person receiving care.

Personalized Care Plans Work Better

Needs change and they’re unique from one senior to another. Home care providers are able to help families figure out what their aging adults need most and how to help them get those needs met. Keeping care plans flexible allows families to adjust as their senior’s needs, health, and even preferences change. Keeping up with those changes is a lot easier with experienced help from caregiving professionals.

Flexibility Helps Families Adjust

It can be tough for family caregivers to come to terms with how much life is changing for the seniors they love. So many family caregivers once relied on the seniors in their lives for their own care and well-being, and experiencing the changes in those roles can be tough to adapt to. Help from home care services and using flexible care plans gives family caregivers the time and space they need to come to terms with their new normal.

Seniors are always better off when they have family members involved in their care as much as possible. Home care services make it easier for family caregivers and seniors to find the support and resources they need to make the most of this experience. Overall, seniors benefit because they have support from dedicated home care providers and from the family members who love them.

If you are considering 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.