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Companionship is Good for Heart Health
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One of the greatest benefits of in-home care for elderly or disabled people is the companionship that is a basic part of the experience. But it is more than a quality-of-life issue. There is strong evidence that feelings of loneliness increase the risk of developing and dying from heart disease.
Several studies have demonstrated the negative effects that loneliness has on the cardiovascular system. There are physical changes in the body that decrease its ability to fight inflam-mation, leading to atherosclerosis. Other researchers have found that feelings of loneliness dramatically shorten a person's life span following certain types of surgery. Attentive in-home care not only speeds recovery, it helps the patient's heart. And ongoing companionship can literally extend a person's life.
READ MORE »
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Dear Katy
By Kate Dougherty, Certified Senior Advisor
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Dear Katy - How can I check the quality of care my mom will be getting from her caregivers? Any tips? A.T., San Franciso CA
Dear A.T. - My biggest piece of advice is to be involved in your mom's care. Get to know the caregivers and the supervisors at the agency. If you see anything in the home that concerns you, report it immediately no matter how insignificant your obser-vation may seem. Try to make visits to your mom's home to get a true understanding of what is occurring on a daily basis. (If you live out of the area, find someone you trust to make the visits.) Ask your agency if they do unscheduled supervisory visits, an important aspect of quality assurance. If they do not, find out how they manage their caregivers. Lastly, the agency should provide a chart book, and the caregivers should be noting all important information for you to review.
Dear Katy - My 85 year old dad is quite sharp, but moves slowly these days. How do we prepare for or anticipate his care needs? D.P., Layton UT
Dear D.P. - The best way to anticipate your father's needs is to keep in contact with his doctor. While he is sharp mentally, it sounds like his physical health is declining. If your father is otherwise healthy, the doctor can give you an idea of how his ability to care for himself will decline over time. Now is the time to start discussions with your dad about getting some help for him. If you haven't already had the conversation, this might also be a great time to talk to him about finances and how or where he sees himself in his final days.
(Submit your questions to kdougherty@professionalhc.com. Follow her on twitter.)
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5 Fun Things to Do with Your Grandkids
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Summer is here, and everyone is thinking about activities to keep the little ones busy and happy. Try some of these ideas from grandparents.com:
1. Lay down outside, looking up at the clouds. Make up stories
about what you see.
2. Build a birdhouse. Find designs by searching online.
3. Paint watercolor portraits of each other - the sillier the
better.
4. Borrow mysteries from the library, and take turns reading
chapters out loud under the stars.
5. Go on a nature walk, pointing out bugs, trees, and birds.
Bring binoculars and magnifying glasses.
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Tracking Devices for Alzheimer's Patients
There are a number of companies that provide devices to help deal with wandering behavior. SEE LIST »
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"After thirty, a body has a mind of its own."
Bette Midler, singer and actor (1945 - )
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For New Non-Medical Home Care Clients
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