One of the biggest decisions that families need to make relates to choosing home care for an elderly loved one who is beginning to exhibit signs of requiring assistance to remain independent at home. Families first need to understand the various types of home care available, but from there they can begin the process of finding help:

1. Talk about it – while family might believe a senior requires home care assistance, their elderly loved one might not feel the same. Talking about it gently is essential, and not all seniors are likely to simply accept the suggestion of help. A family counselor can intervene if necessary.

2. List the help needed – talk together and determine specific things that a senior care provider like Home Care San Francisco could assist with. Whether it’s grocery shopping, help with bathing and dressing, or other tasks.

3. Do research – talk to friends and family about home care agencies they’d recommend, but during that process as costs are addressed, it’s also essential that any funding or insurance coverage that may be available is investigated

4. Don’t jump into a decision – even once a specific agency is narrowed down, it’s okay to interview them and ask questions about their history and their policies. Ask if they’ll spend time with the senior first to assess comfort level, and also verify that a replacement caregiver will be provided if one doesn’t work out

Via: The Family Caregiver

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

When you hear the term “assisted living facility” what’s the first thing that enters your mind? I bet you, like many American seniors think that it refers to a nursing home. An assisted living facility isn’t a nursing home, though it does also provide a safe environment for seniors to age.  Assisted living facilities differ in many ways and offer the following features:

1. Living independently – seniors in ALFs are often in one-bedroom or studio apartment buildings, so they have the privacy and independence that they require

2. Safety is offered – ALF apartments anticipate the safety needs of seniors and ensure that they include grab bars, ramps and other essential safety devices. Supervisors are always available to respond to emergencies

3. Seniors don’t need to worry about home maintenance – cleaning services, including laundry can be provided by ALF

4. Activity of daily living services are offered – bathing, dressing, and medication reminders can be provided. There are also special facilities for those who suffer with Alzheimer’s and dementia and designated services

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

In many cultures, it’s an expectation that families will take in their elders in older adulthood; but in others, it’s a gesture of concern and caring. Families might offer for seniors to move in with them, but it doesn’t mean that it’s an arrangement that works for everyone. If your family has suggested you come live in their home, evaluate whether or not it will work for you and the lifestyle you envision for yourself in older adulthood by asking these questions:

• What will my role be in paying for household expenses? Does it sound affordable and reasonable based on the living arrangements determined?

• What specific responsibilities will I have? Will I be expected to contribute to household chores or care for any of the grandchildren in the home? If so, how often and when?

• Will I be provided with my own space to maintain my independence? Will I have a room, or a bathroom that’s off limits to the rest of the family?

• What will become of my assets? How will we handle the sale of my home and finances I have in my bank accounts?

• Can I bring my pets to the home?

• Will changes be made to areas of the home to provide for my comfort and safety?

• Will I be a part of family decisions, such as vacations, travel, and hosting of events in the home? Or will the other family members make these decisions?

• Am I able to invite my friends to the home and entertain? What if I want to use the space without the grandchildren?

• What arrangements will be made if I need care assistance? Will someone in the home be able to help, or will we hire senior home care?

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

A great home care franchise for seniors should do more than just the basics in order to ensure their success. Of course, a major part of a home caregiver’s role would be to simply attend to the non-medical care needs of their elderly care recipients, but to be a competitor against the other businesses also actively engaged in the industry, it needs to go farther than that.

When you’re looking to hire a professional caregiver from an agency, you need to make sure that they’re willing and able to take steps to make sure that your senior’s comfort and safety day and night is among their primary concerns. They should be willing to address the following safety issues:

1. Install nightlights – lighting in a senior’s home is crucial for preventing accidents and nightfright. Installing nightlights which have sensors to go on when seniors get up in the night can also improve safety, and are a simple and inexpensive addition to any home

2. Suggest a lifeline – since caregivers are not always there around the clock, a lifeline, or an emergency device that will contact a loved one or emergency help can make sure that seniors receive help when needed

3. Put lights on timers – suggesting lights on timers inside or outside the home can help ensure there is adequate lighting at all times, and it also adds an element of security in the evening hours when seniors are home alone, and helps to conserve electricity

4. Remove hazards – if seniors do have caregiving help 24/7, caregivers should ensure the environment is safe for seniors to get around while on their own. Removing tripping hazards like throw rugs and poorly placed furniture will reduce the likelihood of accidents. Sturdy grab bars can also be placed in bathrooms and along stairwells for added stability

5. Talk to family members – caregivers can also speak to family members about their concerns, and address them specifically, making the home environment safer to put everyone’s minds at ease

The above are some suggestions of what should be included in any home care franchise service for the success of the business, but of course, specific services will depend upon the client, so hiring caregivers that are perceptive to senior’s needs is crucial to franchise well-being.

Sources:

1. Home Instead Senior Care

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

I work in a geriatric clinic in San Francisco where we see many seniors suffering from the later stages of Multiple Sclerosis. Mobility can be compromised due to problems with balance and muscular pain, and many seniors have increased sensitivity to heat. With these factors present, it can be hard for seniors to begin and stick to an exercise program; and many families and caregivers want to know how they can ensure that their loved ones remain active, while being safe.

In order to ensure that my patients have safe physical experiences, I send the families home with the following checklist to ensure that their routines make sure that health and safety always remains the top priority. When seniors with MS do use these methods, they can help to improve their overall physical condition, even with the disease present.

• Anytime you feel pain, overexertion or feel physically sick you take a break to rest, and if the feelings continue, you consult a medical professional

• You avoid exercising outside or in the heat of the day, especially if you are sensitive to hot temperatures

• You have built up your endurance by starting with 5 or 10 minute exercise periods at a time, until you are comfortable enough to exercise for 30 minutes

• You exercise near a grab rail or other safety support to assist with balance

• You exercise in a safe area where there are no tripping hazards
Image Source: HomeInstead.com

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

Does an older adult in your life have a San Francisco caregiver come into his/her home to help with day-to-day tasks so they can get through the day in safety and comfort? You might not know much about the background of your caregiver sent from Home Instead Senior Care, so here are a few details to help you feel even more confident about your choice.

Home Instead Senior Care looks for specific traits in each of their caregivers, and even in their administrative staff so that teamwork and a healthy work environment is promoted.

The traits of  Home Instead Senior Caregivers:

• Dependability - work history and employment reference checks are completed for all staff members
• Honesty - drug test and background checks are completed by HISC
• Experience – personal or professional experience in the senior care industry or dealing with senior citizens is considered
• Compassion – a sense of compassion for giving seniors a better quality of life is looked for during the interview process
• Motivation – someone who is motivated in everything they do is better suited to ensuring that seniors are provided the highest quality of care

HISC also has a Caregiver Leadership Training Program that focuses on creating a fantastic caregiver experience by focusing on the following elements:

• Treating CAREGivers with dignity and respect
• Nurturing positive relationships
• Showing appreciation
• Humanizing and professionalizing the caregiving journey
• Connecting CAREGivers to Home Instead, its mission and other CAREGivers
• Dealing with issues openly and honestly.

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

Having had to go through the decision of bringing a senior home care provider into my father’s San Francisco home when he was in the 70’s, I know just how hard it can be to know when it’s the right time. While I’m sure that every situation varies for each senior and their family, there were a few factors that made me determine it was the right time to help my dad by providing him with in-home care. For one, after recovering from an injury, I knew I wouldn’t be able to be there for his every whim once he returned home from the hospital, and I really wanted him to focus on his recovery, and didn’t want him to overdo it by trying to keep up with things around the house. Since I couldn’t be there all the time, I figured that an in-home care provider for seniors would be able to fill in the gaps.

Even after his recovery, we decided it was a good idea to keep the professional caregiver, because his doctor recommended that since his injury probably impacted his reflexes, he give up his car keys. While I had no problem arranging to drive my dad around to run errands, I knew that with my immediate family and my career, that I wouldn’t be able to accommodate him every time he needed me since I’d need to work around my schedule.

I would say, that anyone who sees their elderly parent or relative beginning to struggle, should consider home care to fill in the blanks.

- Stephanie, 45 San Francisco

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

Family caregivers do make up a large percentage of caregivers nation wide, but very few of them have adequate training in even the most basic elements of senior care. Family caregivers in San Francisco might be able to provide care and assistance when it comes to cooking, cleaning and running errands, as well as the more basic care elements; however, they don’t necessarily have the skills and training that they need to respond in a medical emergency. Unlike family caregivers who might not be familiar with CPR or basic first aid techniques that could be necessary should the senior have an accident, fall or sudden illness, home caregivers are professionals that can respond through their training to provide care until additional medical help arrives.

Home caregivers can also be proactive through their training to provide a safe environment for seniors in their homes by identifying potential safety hazards and suggesting changes that the family can make to prevent accidents. Professional caregivers from San Francisco Home Instead Senior Care are also trained to identify potential signs and symptoms of health problems, and can use proper handling techniques when helping seniors remain mobile around their homes. With untrained family caregivers, risks and signs that could indicate a health hazard for seniors might go unnoticed, and they could inadvertently hurt their loved ones while trying to help.

Sources:

1. Seniors Daily
2. Home Instead Senior Care

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

In the height of a senior’s medical emergency the last thing anyone worries about is the dirty dishes in the sink or the rotting groceries in the fridge. The only thing on anyone’s mind is getting the San Francisco senior the immediate help and medical care that they require. As a result, once seniors have spent some time in a hospital or rehabilitation facility following an accident, looking after these elements in the home can fall by the wayside, and understandably so. However, when it comes time to return home, the last thing families need while trying to focus on helping the senior recover is to have to clean up the mess. In home caregivers can help seniors on all levels; providing seniors with the assistance they need to recover from their accident, and also helping them care for the home, both before and after they come back from the hospital.

Home caregivers can help seniors with the following tasks, so all they need to focus on is their recovery:

• Clean the refrigerator and pantry

• Buy fresh groceries

• Change sheets and linens

• Do the laundry

• Vacuum and mop floors

• Clean bathrooms

• Takeout trash

• Organize mail and newspaper delivery

• Drop off or pickup items from the dry cleaner

Sources:

1. Home Instead Senior Care

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

While there has been a long-standing misconception that the best place to provide care for a San Francisco senior suffering from Alzheimer’s is in a nursing home or assisted living facility, the reality is that not only would these seniors prefer to stay in their own homes, they receive greater benefits by living in a familiar environment. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming, and require you to make sacrifices in your work and family life in order to keep up with the senior’s growing needs. However, there are other options available to help keep seniors with Alzheimer’s living with some level of independence in their own home environments.

Home Instead Senior Care offers home care services which can help seniors deal with the areas of daily living that they struggle with, or with tasks where safety may be an issue due to the Alzheimer’s or dementia. Caregivers can help seniors with dressing, cooking, cleaning and more to preserve their safety and ensure their needs are being met. For those seniors who are suffering from more advanced Alzheimer’s and dementia, Home Instead Senior Care even have caregivers that are trained to deal with the specific needs presented by someone with Alzheimer’s, so families can rest assured that their elderly loved ones are receiving the highest level of care available.

Sources:

1. Web MD

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.