Golden Heart thanks Las Ventanas for letting us share this beautiful afternoon with you. The Native Indian dancers were beautiful and fun to watch. There is a lot of stories behind each dance.
Author: ltcep2023
Golden Heart Supports the Alzheimer’s Association
Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to support the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Joyce Kreus, Golden Heart’s Community Liaison, organized the “Alzheimer’s Avengers” golf cart parade in support of the Alzheimer’s Association in Sun City Summerlin. Local members of Sun City decorated their golf carts and paraded through Sun City Summerlin to support the Alzheimer’s Association and raise money for the cause. There was a tremendous turnout and everyone had fun decorating their carts and supporting the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
If you have questions for Joyce, she can be reached at 725-266-0973.
Understanding How Loss Affects Seniors
Helping seniors process their feelings after a loss is a vital aspect of providing emotional support for the elderly. Seniors, like people of all age groups, experience a wide range of emotions when they face various losses in their lives. Understanding how they grieve about different types of losses can be instrumental in offering them the support they need. Here are a few considerations and how companion care at home can help.
Loss of a Spouse or Partner
This is often one of the most significant losses a senior can experience. Many have spent a lifetime with their partner and formed a deep emotional bond. When they lose their spouse or partner, they may experience intense feelings of loneliness, sadness, and even guilt. Loved ones and companion care at home aides can encourage them to share their memories and feelings while offering support.
Loss of Independence
As seniors age, they may lose their ability to perform daily tasks and rely on others for assistance. This can be a profound loss of autonomy. When this happens, they may react with frustration, anger, or feelings of inadequacy. It’s important to be patient and respectful of their need for independence, where possible. Both the home care team and loved ones can encourage them to engage in activities that can help them regain a sense of purpose.
Loss of Friends and Peers
Seniors often experience the loss of friends and peers due to natural causes or health issues. Their grief may manifest as a sense of isolation and a deep longing for social connections. It’s important to encourage participation in social activities and organizations and slowly help them build new friendships and connections.
Loss of Health
The deterioration of their physical health can be a significant source of grief, especially if it limits their ability to enjoy life. Seniors may experience fear, anxiety, and depression as they grapple with their changing health status. The first thing to do is to encourage a healthy lifestyle and regular checkups to increase the chance that any issue that arises is caught early. Additionally, offer emotional support and provide resources for counseling if needed.
Loss of Mobility
Loss of mobility can lead to a loss of freedom and a sense of confinement. Seniors may feel frustration and sadness at not being able to engage in activities they once enjoyed. Loved ones will need to support them in finding adaptive ways to pursue their interests and engage in physical therapy or exercises suitable for their condition. In addition, this is a good time to start or increase their services with the companion care at home team.
Loss of Cognitive Abilities
Cognitive decline due to conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s can be a challenging loss for both seniors and their loved ones. Grief may manifest as confusion, frustration, and sadness. It’s important to focus on providing a safe and supportive environment while navigating changes and creating a plan moving forward.
In all cases, it’s essential to listen, show empathy, and provide a safe space for seniors to express their feelings. Encourage them to seek professional help when necessary, and ensure they have access to support networks, such as family, friends, and support groups. Remember that grief is a highly individual experience, and the process may take time, so patience and understanding are key to helping seniors navigate these emotional challenges. Along the way, the companion care at home team can be a vital support.
Sources:
https://www.centerforgrieftherapy.com/older-people-grieve-differently/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1113122/
https://bluemoonseniorcounseling.com/stages-of-grief-in-seniors/
If you are considering companion care at home in Henderson, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.
Eight Tips for Staying Close While Being a Long-distance Family Caregiver
Family caregivers who don’t live near their aging adults may find it a lot more difficult than they expect to stay on top of what’s happening with their seniors. Staying informed as a long-distance caregiver means putting a few important foundational elements in place. Senior home care is a huge part of that plan.
Talk Often
Communicating often and effectively with seniors is a big part of making long-distance caregiving work. Family caregivers can tell a lot about how their seniors are doing just by paying attention to tone of voice and other variables that might not seem obvious to others. Ask how they’re doing and keep them involved in big decisions.
Create a Solid Care Plan
Work with seniors to determine their needs and to put that into a strong care plan. Understanding what seniors need helps to find answers that meet those needs. Talk with healthcare professionals as well and determine if there are other solutions that seniors need in order to be as safe as possible.
Use Technology to Help
Video calls and other technology can be a huge help for long-distance caregivers. Fitness trackers, medication management systems, and lots of other different technologies are all there to keep family caregivers informed and to make life easier for seniors, too. Elder care providers can help seniors to set up these technologies and keep tabs on how well they’re working.
Try to Visit
It isn’t easy, but visiting in person is important. Visiting when they can allows long-distance caregivers to get an in-person idea how things are going. Try to avoid making the visit all about “business,” however. Spend quality time together and make time for fun, too.
Get Local Help
As much as aging adults might not want to have someone else helping out, senior home care providers really do offer the hands-on help that long-distance caregivers might wish they could be there to offer themselves. Caregivers can also help to keep everyone involved on the same page about what is happening. Long-distance caregivers can feel a lot of peace of mind when they know for sure what is really going on.
Stay Involved in What’s Going On
Keeping up with medical and health changes is also crucial. Seniors may not want to burden long-distance caregivers with changes when they’re not feeling well. But it’s important to know when those changes are happening in case other solutions might help better.
Prioritize Self-care as Much as Possible
Long-distance caregiving is not easy. And if time zones are far apart, that can make things even more difficult. Instead of burning the candle at both ends, long-distance caregivers need to make sure that they’re taking the best possible care of themselves. Focusing on putting a solid care plan and help into place can help to make this possible.
Stay Flexible
Lots of things change when it comes to caregiving and those changes can happen in the blink of an eye. Long-distance caregivers often need to be as flexible as possible so that they can weather those changes with grace.
Long-distance caregiving doesn’t have to be frustrating for everyone involved. Bringing in senior home care and the right supportive tools can help make the situation easier.
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.
Golden Heart Employee of the Month For October 2023
Please meet Rene O. the Golden Heart Senior Care Employee of the Month for October 2023. Rene is an outstanding, fun loving caregiver. She always has a smile on her face. The clients and their families love her. Rene is originally from Houston Texas and has been married to her wonderful husband Ramon for 5 years. She has two Boston Terriers which are her babies. Hund and Segundo. Rene enjoys being a caregiver and loves helping people.
Please join us in welcoming Rene as our October 2023 Employee of the Month 🙂
Employee of the Month – September 2023
Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Sheila B. is our Employee of the Month for September 2023. Sheila is a native Las Vegan and has two wonderful sons and three grandchildren. Sheila took care of her grandparents when they were ill and then she decided to become a caregiver because “seniors need all the help they can get.”
Sheila says, ” I love being with the elderly no matter how old or sick they may be. You can always learn something new from seniors.”
Please join us in congratulating Sheila as the September 2023 Golden Heart Senior Care Employee of the Month!
How to Keep Your Senior Driving Safely
Just because your loved one has reached a certain age, it doesn’t necessarily mean she needs to quit driving altogether. Many seniors can still drive but they may just need to be a little more vigilant about ensuring that they are driving safely. When it comes time for them to hang up the keys for good, a home care provider can be there to offer transportation for your parent.
Let’s look at some ways your aging loved one can help make sure he’s still able to drive safely around town.
- Keep those eyes in good shape. If your loved one is driving, it’s more important than ever that he keep on top of his eyesight and get new glasses when needed. If the glaring sun is an issue, prescription sunglasses may be a must as well.
- Keep tabs on hearing as well. Hearing may not always seem to be a necessary sense for driving, but it is very important. Your loved one needs to be able to hear when others honk at him in warning or hear an emergency vehicle coming up from behind in order to move to the side of the road.
- Keep track of medication side effects. When a new prescription is filled, take the time to ask the doctor and pharmacist if the medication can be used while driving. You’ll want to know if causes sleepiness or a slow down in reflexes. If it’s a temporary medication and has those side effects, your loved one should look for help from his home care provider for rides while he’s taking the medication.
- Keep the car in tip-top shape. Help your loved one drive more safely by ensuring his vehicle is in the best of shape. Look at the tires to ensure the treads are in good shape for traveling on wet or icy roads. Check the windshield wipers to make sure they’ll be able to keep the windshield clear during an unexpected downpour. And check that all of the exterior lights are working and providing good illumination of the road ahead of him and behind him.
- Look at replacing his car. If your loved one needs a different car to help him drive better, you might want to consider a car that suits his needs better. Perhaps he needs to change from a standard shift to an automatic shift. Or you might want to look at a car that is easier to get in and out of.
- Finally, remind your loved one about safe driving practices. Knowing that responses often slow down as a person ages, it’s more important than ever to not exceed the speed limit, give plenty of space between him and the car in front of him, and turn off all distractions while driving.
Your loved one may need to make some adjustments so that he can still enjoy the road, but aging doesn’t mean he needs to completely give the wheel to someone else.
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.
Employee of the Month – August 2023
Golden Heart Senior Care is proud to announce that Erica L. is our Employee of the Month for Golden Heart Senior Care for August 2023.
Erica is from Jamaica, born and raised in London, England and in Germany. Erica has a beautiful daughter with two wonderful grand children. Erica was a travel consultant for 39 years and enjoyed working with people. When she moved to Las Vegas she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to work with seniors!
Erica says “being a caregiver provides satisfaction for the clients and making a big impact on them, putting a smile their face.”
Erica has a lot of love and compassion for all clients.
Please join us in congratulating Erica as being named our Employee of the Month for August 2023.
Understanding Anosognosia
Anosognosia is a complicated condition in which a person is unaware of or denies their illness or disability. Even though it is usually caused by nerve conditions like strokes, head injuries, and some mental illnesses, it can also happen to people with Alzheimer’s disease. It’s important to support seniors when this occurs. This can happen through having companion care at home and truly understanding what’s happening.
A Deeper Look at Anosognosia
In the case of Alzheimer’s-related Anosognosia, seniors may not realize their memory and thinking skills are worsening, even if there is objective evidence or feedback from others. This lack of acceptance can make it hard to deal with the changes that the disease brings. For example, seniors with Anosognosia caused by Alzheimer’s may refuse to get medical help, reject that they need help, or forget to take safety precautions.
It’s very important to tell the difference between Anosognosia and denial. Anosognosia is not just caused by ignorance or not trying hard enough. Instead, it is thought to be caused by changes in the brain’s nerve cells that come with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers aren’t sure what causes Anosognosia in Alzheimer’s, but a theory involves an issue with parts of the brain that are in charge of self-awareness and understanding.
Anosognosia can be upsetting, making giving seniors the right care and support difficult since they may refuse help or not realize their limits. Anosognosia can also be frustrating and upsetting for loved ones, who may struggle with how to support their loved ones best. With companion care at home, they can discuss their concerns openly, and the entire team can work toward a solution.
Healthcare workers and companion care at home use different methods to help people with Alzheimer’s deal with Anosognosia. Education and communication are two of the most important ways to help seniors understand their disease and how it affects their everyday lives. Companion care at home can also help them understand their limitations by giving them consistent comments in a kind and understanding way. Anosognosia can be hard to deal with, but getting help from the health care team and support groups can be very helpful.
Anosognosia Research
Researchers are also looking into ways to treat and help people with Alzheimer’s who have trouble remembering things. Techniques for cognitive rehabilitation, like reality orientation therapy and external cueing tactics, may help seniors understand their cognitive problems and become more self-aware. Also, pharmacological interventions that target specific brain parts involved in Anosognosia are being looked into, but more study is needed in this area.
When seniors have Alzheimer’s and Anosognosia, it can be hard for them and their loved ones to know how to help and care for them. It requires understanding, patience, and a personalized approach to support and care. Having companion care at home can help everyone with Alzheimer’s-related anosognosia deal with their condition and stay as healthy as possible by promoting education, communication, and using different strategies. Seniors and their loved ones who are concerned about the possibility of Anosognosia should talk with their medical providers.
Sources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22832-anosognosia#
https://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/key-issues/anosognosia
https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/what-is-anosognosia
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.