Golden Heart - Helping Seniors Enjoy Their Golden Years Safely and Independently at Home

Home Care Helps Seniors Remain Safe and Healthy at Home

Posted on June 16, 2023 by Craig Bass

Home Care in Henderson NV

An AARP survey of people 50 or older found that 77% want to age in their current home. Your dad is one of them. He made it clear that he doesn’t want to move.

How do you balance his wishes with your peace of mind? You want him to be safe and healthy as he ages, but he’s not very good at remembering to take his medications, eat a balanced diet, or go for daily walks. Have you considered the value of home care?

His Home Is Clean and Organized

With a caregiver helping out, your dad’s home is cleaned each week. His caregiver can vacuum his carpets, dust, take out the trash, and do the laundry. Once a week, his caregiver can change his sheets and towels and make the bed with clean sheets. New towels are hung for him.

As his caregiver is cleaning his home, surfaces like counters and sinks are cleaned and sanitized. That lowers the risk of foodborne illnesses and the spread of viruses that could make your dad sick.

He’ll Never Forget a Dose of Medication

As your dad’s health changes, it’s normal for him to start needing to take medications. If his doctor determines he needs medication for high blood pressure, he can’t forget to take his pills each day. What if he does?

With a home care aide, your dad has someone to remind him when to take his pills. He also has someone to offer the guidance he needs on how to take them. He might have medications he has to take with milk, water, or a meal. His caregiver can also help him recognize the best time to order refills.

He Has Home-Cooked Meals

With your dad’s caregiver around each week, he’ll have at least one home-cooked meal, but you could make the arrangements to have someone cook meals for him every day. He’ll talk to his caregiver about the things he wants to eat, and they can shop for missing ingredients together.

He Gains a Companion

With home care services, your dad has a caregiver joining him each week. He won’t be as lonely or feel isolated when someone stops by as scheduled. It gives him something to look forward to.

When his caregiver is there, he has company for his daily walks. Your dad’s caregiver can accompany him to stores and when running errands. He won’t have to drive, which is often one of the things older adults hate giving up as they worry about becoming isolated.

Don’t let your dad struggle to complete his daily tasks. With home care aides there to remind him, cook his meals, and clean his home, he is safe and healthy. Call a home care agency to learn more about the prices and services in his area.

Sources:
https://www.aarp.org/home-family/your-home/info-2021/home-and-community-preferences-survey.html

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.

Six Ways Home Care Helps With Meals

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Craig Bass

Home Care in Las Vegas NV

Your mom has a harder time cooking meals as she gets older. Arthritis pain and stiff joints make it hard for her to slice meats and vegetables and lift heavier pots and pans. Home care services can help her in six different ways.

Menu Planning

While visiting with her caregiver, your mom can talk about what she’d like to eat. You’ll share any dietary requirements your mom has and her caregiver will make sure her meals are low-sodium or whatever is needed.

Your mom’s caregiver works with her to plan a weekly menu. The caregiver will go through her refrigerator, freezer, pantry, and cupboards to determine what she needs for groceries. From there, a shopping list is created.

Grocery Shopping

Once there is a shopping list in hand, your mom and her caregiver can go to the grocery store. Your mom has a caregiver who can drive her and carry bags to and from the car.

If your mom has a hard time reading fine print on labels, she no longer has to struggle to decide what to buy. She has a caregiver who can read the label to check for hidden sugar, high levels of sodium, or unnecessary saturated fat.

Meal Preparation

When it’s nearing time for a meal or snack, your mom’s caregiver can slice and chop ingredients, cook the items, and plate it. The dishes are carried to your mom’s table or TV tray for her to eat. If she needs a drink, her caregiver will get it.

Company While Eating

One of the harder parts of living alone is eating alone. Eating alone can be depressing. Your mom has a caregiver there to join her for a meal. As she eats, your mom has someone to talk to, which can improve her eating habits.

Kitchen Clean-Up

After the meal, the caregiver will clean the kitchen. Dishes are washed or loaded into the dishwasher. Counters are cleaned and sanitized. The sink is cleaned out, and dishes that have been dried or completed the dishwasher cycle are put away.

Safe Storage

Finally, leftovers are stored on time and safely. As meats and items containing dairy need to be refrigerated to prevent bacterial growth, your mom’s caregiver makes sure they’re put away before they spoil.

Once a week, the caregiver can go through the refrigerator and make sure that nothing has spoiled. If anything has, the caregiver can compost the spoiled foods, recycle the container, and add the item to the grocery list if more is needed.

Home care aides ensure your mom has the groceries she needs and healthy meals. She’ll have company while she eats. That’s just a start of the reasons you want to arrange home care services. Learn more about meal preparation services and pricing by talking to an agency.

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.

6 Ways Home Care Helps Seniors with Cognitive Difficulty

Posted on April 14, 2023 by Craig Bass

Home Care in Henderson NV

Cognitive changes can be scary for the person experiencing them and for the family caregivers who want the best for their family members. One solution that can be really helpful is to bring in home care providers as soon as possible. These caregivers are experienced in helping aging adults have the best possible quality of life, no matter what challenges they’re facing.

Updating and Using Memory Aids

Memory aids are incredibly helpful for people who are having more difficulty with changes to how their brains are functioning. These are tools like calendars, big clocks, reminder notes, and more. Alarms can help seniors to stay on target with their daily schedules and routines, for instance. It’s often difficult for aging adults who have memory problems to remember to use these aids. Home care providers are able to help seniors to have updated tools consistently.

Offering Cognitive Stimulation

For seniors who are having trouble with brain health, cognitive stimulation is even more important than it is for other people. Cognitive stimulation can include activities like puzzles and games, but it also includes conversations with other people. Senior care providers can help aging adults to have the stimulation that they need all day, and in ways that are truly supportive for them.

Keeping Seniors Safe

Safety is always crucial when it comes to aging adults. For seniors with cognitive challenges, safety might mean attention to even more details. Home care providers are there to help seniors to have the help that they need, like assistance with daily tasks. But they’re also watching for safety concerns that could cause bigger problems, like tripping hazards. When seniors are experiencing brain illnesses, wandering might even be a concern. Senior care providers are aware of how to address those problems.

Offering a Friendly Face

Home care providers spend a lot of time with the people receiving care. That means that they’re also there to offer companionship and conversation to seniors during the day. This is tremendously helpful for seniors who might be isolating themselves a little bit more because of the cognitive challenges they’re having.

Assisting with Nutrition and Meal Prep

Seniors who are having cognitive trouble need to pay even closer attention to nutrition. Keeping the brain healthy involves eating a healthy diet that supports what their brains and bodies need. But meal preparation may be more than seniors can handle at this stage, so it helps to have elder care providers to handle those tasks for them. Caregivers can also help seniors to stay on target with mealtimes.

Helping with Personal Care

Personal care tasks, like bathing and changing clothes, can become a bigger problem when seniors are experiencing cognitive challenges. Sometimes seniors even become afraid to bathe, which becomes another potential health issue over time. Home care providers are able to step in and assist with these tasks, while also preserving dignity for the person receiving care.

Home care providers make a variety of daily tasks easier for seniors who are facing cognitive challenges. That help ensures that seniors are able to continue to age in place as independently as they can. It also helps family caregivers to experience more peace of mind about their elderly family member’s future.

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.

Does In-Home Care Really Boost Your Mom’s Independence?

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Craig Bass

In-Home Care in Las Vegas NV

Independence is critical to older adults. They do not want to feel like they’re a burden on their families, and moving into a retirement community isn’t always a desirable option. Have you considered how in-home care can boost your mom’s independence?

She’s Able to Shower and Dress With Ease

Your mom may have a hard time showering and dressing, but her caregiver can help her. Her caregiver is there to help her choose an outfit that suits the weather forecast. Her caregiver helps her get dried off completely and can assist with moisturizer if needed.

Your mom has help buttoning her shirt and pants, zipping zippers, and tying shoes. She won’t have shoelaces to trip on or be partially dressed because her fingers can’t manipulate the small buttons and fasteners.

She No Longer Struggles

When your mom has in-home care aides helping out, she no longer has to struggle to complete her daily tasks. Her caregivers can clean her home, doing only the cleaning chores your mom cannot do on her own. They can cook meals, do the laundry, change the sheets, and sweep or vacuum floors.

Her caregivers are also able to accompany your mom on walks, get her mail, and help her organize the junk mail from the bills. If she needs help remembering to pay bills on time, deposit checks, or dispute a bill, her caregiver can help. Caregivers can also remind her when it’s time to take her prescription medications.

She Has Friends

How social is your mom? Some older adults are simply unlikely to socialize as friends have moved to other states seeking warmer weather. Your mom’s caregivers become family friends. She has people around to talk to each week. If she likes having company while she watches a movie, she has it. If she wants a caregiver to play cards with, that’s an option.

When your mom has caregivers stopping by each week or every day, her social circle grows. It helps her socialize more. As she socializes, she’ll gain confidence, which may make her more likely to explore options like volunteering and joining community groups.

Her Caregiver Does the Driving

Your mom isn’t supposed to drive anymore, but her caregiver can. This enables your mom to get out of the house as often as she needs. Her caregiver can bring her to her appointments and wait in the waiting room with her. Her caregiver can take her shopping and help her run errands. If your mom wants to go on a scenic drive, she just needs to ask.

Learn More About In-Home Care

It’s time to make the arrangements your mom needs to maintain her independence. Talk to an in-home care specialist about your mom’s home life, health issues, and care needs. You’ll get answers regarding prices and schedules.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/keeping-seniors-safe-in-their-own-homes

If you are considering in-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 Can Your Senior Expect with Companion Care at Home?

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Craig Bass

Companion Care at Home in Summerlin NV

There are lots of different types of caregiving assistance available, including companion care at home. This type of care offers your senior the chance to build a relationship with friendly caregivers who are able to spend time with her talking or engaging in a variety of activities. For many seniors, this type of care is really beneficial. But what can your senior expect when you sign her up for this caregiving experience?

General Conversation and Companionship

Having someone to talk to for a couple of hours, even just once a week, can do so much for your elderly family member and her emotional well-being. Often seniors find that they are spending more and more time at home on their own, without as much contact with other people as they might have had in the past. This can lead to isolation, which can be a big emotional problem for your senior.

Social Engagement During Meals

Some aging adults find that it’s a lot more difficult to eat alone than it used to be. Having someone there with her during meals can ensure that your senior is eating regular meals and that she’s getting the nutrients that she needs. Just that one change can make a big difference for your senior’s overall well-being.

Encounters that Boost Quality of Life

Companionship does a lot to just enhance your senior’s overall quality of life. Social interactions seem to be light and inconsequential on the surface, but they meet some deep needs that every person has. When caregivers stop by and offer a friendly ear to your elderly family member, they’re helping to meet those needs and boost your senior’s quality of life.

Partnership During Recreational Activities

If your elderly family member enjoys activities like playing cards or board games, she might find that they’re a lot more enjoyable when she has someone there with her. Caregivers are able to spend time with your senior, help her to set up and play games, engage in crafting activities, or offer countless other types of support during recreational activities. This is also a great way to ensure that your senior is getting this type of cognitive enrichment.

Updates to Family Members

It’s also really important that you and other family members are getting accurate information about how she’s doing. This is even more crucial if no one lives near your senior to see what life is like for her firsthand. Companion care at home can help you to stay informed about what is happening so that you can make accurate decisions based on facts instead of guessing.
Every senior’s experience with companion-based caregiving is going to be different because every person’s needs are different. If your elderly family member does need a little more hands-on help, home care may be a better fit. Your elderly family member still gets the benefits of having someone there with her, but she also has the support that she needs in order to have a safe and happy life as she ages in place.

Reference
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/making-home-care-work

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.

4 Ways To Cheer Seniors Up This Holiday Season

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Craig Bass

Elder Care in Las Vegas NV

During the holidays, seniors may feel sadder than usual, especially when their family members live far away. If your senior is going to be alone this holiday season, consider these ideas to help boost their mood and holiday spirit.

Video Chat

Video chats may not be quite the same as a visit but they are a lovely way to spend time with a senior loved one. Your senior parent will really enjoy getting to see you and your family for the holidays even if it’s through a screen. You will be able to see how your senior parent is doing and make sure that they look healthy. You should be able to video chat with your senor parent on any smart phone so as long as they have a smart phone or a tablet video chat are possible. You can also video chat through services like Facebook.

Send Treats

Another way to cheer up a senior parent during the holidays is to send treats. Many seniors won’t treat themselves to things like fresh fruit, decadent chocolates, or delicious sausages, crackers, and breads. But you can send gift baskets full of fabulously extravagant treats that your senior loved one can enjoy. There are even options to send delicious foods that meet dietary restrictions if your senior loved one has a special dietary need like they don’t eat sugar because they have diabetes. Fresh fruit is always a popular gift for seniors because it’s healthy and delicious.

Give The Gift Of Elder Care

Elder care is another way that you can surprise your senior loved one this holiday season. Elder care is the gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. When seniors have elder care they have a companion that visits regularly as well as someone to help with things like cleaning, laundry, and cooking meals. When seniors have elder care they are getting the help they need to thrive at home where they can live happily in the home they love. What better gift is there than that?

Make A Surprise Visit

Of course, what your senior parent really wants is to see you. But that’s not always possible during the holidays. Weather, other obligations, and responsibilities like work can make it impossible to travel during the holidays. But you can surprise your loved one with a visit at another time. You don’t have to only visit during the holidays. Start planning a surprise trip to your senior parent’s home now so that you can get the best deals on travel. And then just show up for a birthday, a special day, or for no reason at all. Your senior parent will be overjoyed to see you and get to spend some quality time with you.

If you are considering elder 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.

How Valuable Can Home Care Be for Your Senior?

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Craig Bass

Home Care in Las Vegas NV

Home care is an essential service designed to help older adults age at home without risking their safety. It includes services that ensure the things your mom needs to do every day aren’t overlooked. Have you ever thought about the value of home care?

Your Mom’s Home is Clean and Organized

As her mobility changes, your mom is doing some routine household chores less often. She used to sweep her dog’s crumbs and fur each day, but now she’s waiting a week or two. You often do it when you’re there just to make sure it gets done.

Caregivers can dust, vacuum, and disinfect surfaces. They can water her plants, take out the trash and recyclables, and organize the mail. Her caregivers can also change her dirty sheets, make the bed with new ones, and do the laundry. Once clothing and items are clean and dry. They’re folded and put away, too.

Meals Are Prepared for Her

A recent news article came out stating that frozen pizzas are one of the worst dinners for people. The sugar content in the pizza sauce, processed ingredients in the crust, fat in the cheese and meats, and nitrates in items like pepperoni and sausage make it a poor choice. Yet, older adults also find pizza is a very easy food to make on their own.

If your mom has a hard time cooking meals for one and relies on frozen dinners, pizzas, and canned soup, it’s time to address her eating habits. Find out what she’d like to eat and arrange to have a home care aide make these meals each week. Caregivers can also plan her menu, take your mom shopping, and put groceries away.

Your Mom Isn’t Alone

Your mom often complains about feeling isolated and lonely. With her friends all moved to different areas to be closer to family, your mom’s social circle is non-existent. She relies on you and your sister to keep her company, but you both have jobs and families of your own.

Instead of leaving your mom alone all week, have home care aides stopping by to keep her company. While there, her caregiver can clean her home, cook meals, do the laundry, or take her out.

Your Mom Has Help Running Errands

Grocery shopping, post office trips, and pharmacy visits are hard to do for some people, and with your mom’s changing vision, they’re impossible. She can’t read paperwork, nutritional labels, or other important documents without help. A home care aide can join her and read forms aloud when needed.

Now that you see how home care helps your mom maintain her independence while aging, make sure she has the help she needs. Caregivers can support her by offering rides to stores, cooking meals for her, or cleaning her home. Talk to a home care specialist to get prices and a list of services in your mom’s town.

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.

How In-Home Care Providers Can Help Your Elderly Loved One

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Craig Bass

In-Home Care in Las Vegas NV

When a senior gets released from the hospital and goes home, it might be reassuring to see familiar faces. However, if no arrangements are in place to facilitate a seamless transition, it may be challenging. Seniors who do not get enough care at home are more likely to need hospitalization. They are not ill enough to need rehabilitation, but they are also not healthy enough to be left alone. In many circumstances, someone needs to check on them, support them in any manner, and be with them during this potentially stressful time. Here are some reasons why in-home care can be a great thing for seniors, especially after a hospital stay.

In-Home Care Provides Medication Reminders

Many caregivers will not be able to handle medications or give them to a senior; however, they can give good reminders to seniors. When a senior has prescribed medication, it can be perilous to miss a dose or forget to take it. This is why having someone who knows their schedule is crucial when a senior gets home from a hospital trip. Before a senior goes into surgery, it is going to be important to talk to the doctor and find out if they recommend hiring someone outside of a family member.

In-Home Care Provides Extra Safety

Sometimes seniors want to live on their own, which is perfect unless they are recovering from something or need extra help. Even if they need help around the house, that doesn’t mean they need to be moved into a nursing home. It means you need to hire someone to help around the house. In-home care professionals can help ensure a senior stays safe while at home. They can help them cook, clean, get dressed, and be a second set of eyes on your elderly loved one.

Home care allows elders to return to a more regular and less stressful lifestyle after hospitalization or rehabilitation. Laundry, food shopping, doctor’s visits, mild housework, and grooming are all taken care of. Someone is constantly there to offer a comfortable home environment and aid with mobility concerns such as walking or moving from a bed to a wheelchair, always watching out for the safety of your loved one.

Caregivers Provide Companionship

In-home care is one of the best ways to ensure a senior has someone around. It could limit the amount of loneliness they feel. Following hospitalization, your loved one’s emotional condition may be quite vulnerable. When you go home, having someone to speak to who would listen and offer the empathetic company is incredibly soothing. There is a lot of help, whether going for walks or other activities, playing games, or encouraging your loved one to pick up a passion again.

Elder Care Helps With Proper Nutrition

If your loved one is on a special diet, the caregiver can ensure that he or she is eating the proper meals. If necessary, your loved one’s caretaker can cook simple, wholesome meals. Advance preparation ensures that your loved one’s transition from hospital to home is as smooth as possible, with all essential requirements met.

If you are considering in-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 Do Overnight Caregivers Do While Your Mom Sleeps?

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Craig Bass

24-Hour Home Care in Summerlin NV

You’ve heard a lot about 24-hour home care services, but you have some questions. One of the most common is what happens when the client is sleeping. If you hire overnight caregivers for your mom, what do they do while she’s in bed?

Caregivers Are Not Asleep

It’s a common misconception that 24-hour home care aides are sleeping while their client sleeps. That’s not the case. A caregiver is not going to move into your mom’s home and sleep during the hours she’s asleep.

She’ll have a team of caregivers working in shifts. While she sleeps, her caregiver is awake and ready to help her. If your mom wakes up and needs a glass of water, her caregiver brings it to her. If she has Alzheimer’s and wakes up and tries to leave the house, her caregiver redirects her.

Overnight Caregivers Help in Many Ways

While your mom sleeps, what is her caregiver doing? The caregiver does anything that’s on the list of chores for the night. If your mom has medications to take in the middle of the night, her caregiver will wake her up long enough to take them.

If your mom has laundry or needs her home dusted, the caregiver can do that while she’s asleep. Her caregiver can start prepping vegetables and meats for meals. If your mom needs to get groceries, her caregiver can schedule an online order for pick-up.

Your mom has Alzheimer’s and often wakes in the middle of the night and wants to “go home.” Her caregiver is there to stop her from going outside and wandering away. With a home care aide to redirect her, your mom has someone to put on a movie, prepare her a snack, or help her get back in bed.

If your mom wakes up and doesn’t feel well, her caregiver can alert doctors if needed. If your mom’s dealing with nausea from medications she takes, her caregiver is there for moral support and to support her to prevent a fall.

Caregivers Work in Shifts

The number of caregivers depends on the caregiver. There are some who work six-hour shifts and others who work eight hours. If your mom’s 24-hour home care aides work six-hour shifts, she’d have four caregivers covering her daily needs. If they work eight-hour shifts, there would be three caregivers covering the full day.

When one caregiver’s shift is about to end, the next caregiver arrives. They’ll talk about what tasks have been completed and what’s left to do. The new caregiver takes over and the first caregiver goes home. This cycle continues.

Do you have additional questions? Reach out to an expert in 24-hour home care to learn more about this service and how it can help your mom.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/insomnia-awakening-help

If you are considering 24-hour 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.

5 Emotional Benefits of Companion Care at Home

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Craig Bass

Companion Care at Home in Henderson NV

If your elderly family member is generally okay with living on her own and keeping up with her needs, you may think that there’s no reason for her to have home care assistance. But if she’s spending a lot of that time alone, your senior may have emotional needs that aren’t being met by her current living situation. Bringing in companion care at home can make a difference in your elderly family member’s emotional health, so it’s an important option to consider.

Independence and Dignity

Your senior might be concerned that having help from companion care at home automatically means that she’s losing her independence. None of that has to be the case, however. Your elderly family member should quickly find that caregivers only offer the help that she actually needs and that they do so without making her feel bad about herself or her situation. Preserving both her dignity and her independence is crucial.

Friendly Companionship

There might be a big age difference between your senior and any caregivers who spend time with her, but that does not mean that they won’t develop a friendship that is just as real as any other friendship. Companion care at home can help your senior to discover new hobbies that she enjoys or spend time with her as she enjoys favorite activities. All while offering companionship.

A Comforting Presence

Comfort can be incredibly important for your aging adult, whether she realizes it or not. Having someone there with her can help your elderly family member to feel more at ease about a great many situations. This is particularly true if she’s not necessarily at risk of having a health issue flare up but feels nervous about what might happen.

Confidence that Keeps Growing

It can be difficult to maintain confidence as aging adults grow older. Your elderly family member may worry that small difficulties can be enough to mean that she needs to leave her home. The benefit of all types of home care is that having just the help that she needs reminds your senior that she can be confident in her own capabilities. That’s huge for her self-esteem in the long run.

Peace of Mind for You and Other Family Members

Wondering how your senior is really doing is never a good feeling. You don’t have to wonder when she has companion care at home there with her, however. They can help you to understand what your senior’s needs truly are and where her biggest challenges lie. That information can help you to make other decisions regarding her care plan.

Spending time with people who genuinely want to make sure that she is doing well is important for your elderly family member’s mental and emotional well-being. Conversation and engaging in friendly activities help to keep your elderly family member mentally stimulated and ensure that there is someone there for her if she does happen to need any assistance. You’ll all feel better knowing that your senior has some friends who stop in to check how she is doing.

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.