The Red Tulip Home Health Care

03/22/2023

Did you know that there are actually 4 more types of estate planning documents out there beyond just your last will & testament? 📖📚

For more details on estate planning, read this article: https://www.caring.com/best-online-will-services/

03/22/2023

04/10/2021

Benefits of Aging at Home

Whether you are approaching your golden years or if you care for a parent or other family member who is aging, begin considering your options early so when care is necessary, a plan is already in place. This will allow you to choose the most appropriate course of action for you and your family. There will be transitions but they do not have to be disruptive. Making changes before needs become urgent allows seniors to age gracefully and peacefully. Don’t wait for an accident or health crisis before you consider your loved one’s changing needs.

Aging at home, or “aging in place” as it is becoming commonly called, is a viable option for many seniors. Aging typically accompanies a decline in both mental and physical health resulting in the loss of complete independence. However, this does not mean it is time to move to an assisted living facility or a nursing home. While these places can make some things easier, such as meal preparation, they also come with several disadvantages, including less independence and financial expense.

Aging in place, or staying in one’s home while getting older, is a worthy consideration that provides numerous benefits:

Honoring Dignity and Independence

Being able to stay at home and maintain independence to the extent possible is important for most seniors. According to a 2013 Royal Bank of Canada survey, nearly 90% of seniors want to age-in-place. Living at home allows them freedom to maintain their independence longer and not have to follow a mealtime or activity schedule. The home setting is the “least restrictive environment”, allowing older adults to stay engaged with their normal daily activities, including regular interaction and companionship with family and community. It allows for more choices and encourages active participation in their own lives.

Quality of Life

Aging at home extends and improves overall quality of life by postponing institutionalization and preventing premature decline. By encouraging independence and self-care, aging parents stay in charge of their own lives for as long as possible. They report high rates of personal satisfaction and unlike other forms of health care, in-home care helps extend life by eliminating stressors associated with aging in a senior care facility. Choosing in-home aging can enrich the quality of our loved one’s later years.

Personalized Care

Utilizing home care assistance provides peace of mind that your loved one has the essential care they need based on their unique needs. Personalized home care assists in maintaining health and offering individualized services based on preferences and individual needs. By definition, home care assistance is one-on-one. Sharing the caregiving responsibility is integral in preventing caregiver fatigue while also offering your loved one companionship when you aren’t able to be there.

Home care assistance is generally provided by home health aides, licensed caregivers, nurses, social workers, therapists, friends, family, and neighbors. Knowing your loved one is in the safe, therapeutic environment of their own home helps reduce feelings of guilt associated with caregiver burden.

Reduce the Risk of Illness and Fast Recovery

Contagious illnesses such as cold and flu spread quickly in assisted living facilities where there are a large number of residents sharing space. In contrast, aging at home lowers risks of catching these illnesses. Being in a familiar environment reduces stress and allows for the best support for healing both mind and body. In-home recovery has been shown to expedite healing – demonstrating older adults heal more quickly at home versus in a hospital or nursing home setting. There is also significantly less chance of re-hospitalization when recuperation is at home. (Avalere Study 2008)

Enjoy Companionship with Loved Ones

Assisted living facilities have visitation rules dictating the frequency and length of visits. Seniors who choose to age in their home environment are allowed the freedom to see friends and family at their discretion. Isolation can occur even within a senior living home. When this happens, the isolation is more difficult to identify given the group setting. The ability to have visitors for extended periods of time and as often as desired is an important advantage. Socialization is a major part of staying happy and healthy while getting older.

Minimize Change and Stressors

Aging in place allows seniors to maintain their usual routines, rather than having to make changes, such as eating at certain times and being surrounded by new people. Having to make adjustments to one’s daily life can be very stressful and upsetting for seniors. Those who choose to age in place often just need to put supports in place, such as home modifications and meal preparation assistance, in order to continue their normal routines.

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02/08/2021

How to safeguard your home for aging parents or a person with mobility restrictions.

Step 1: Low-cost safety tips

Many people find that they can make these changes themselves.

• Add textured, no-slip strips in the bathtub and shower.
• Apply nonslip wax on floors.
• Place a waterproof seat or chair in the shower.
• Put nonskid treads on steps.
• Remove throw rugs.
• Remove wheels on chairs.
• Replace standard doorknobs with lever handles.
• Replace toilet with a raised or high-profile toilet.
• Use rubber-backed bathmats.

Step 2: Expensive changes

These modifications often require professional help to make a home more accessible for a wheelchair.

• Alter the shower for walk-in rather than step-over entry.
• Create zero-threshold entryways.
• Move light switches for easy reach from a wheelchair or bed.
• Widen doorways and hallways.

01/18/2021

5 tips for how to talk with parents about aging
1. General guidelines

Write an outline to organize your thoughts. This also gives you something to follow so you won’t forget important points.
Approach the conversation around the most important considerations for older adults: safety, freedom, peace of mind, social connection, and being able to make choices.
Emphasize that there aren’t “right” or “wrong” options or ideas. It’s helpful to keep an open mind and consider a range of options.


2. Be respectful and considerate

Put yourself in their shoes. Let them know you care about how they feel and what they want.
Be a good listener. Let them talk and really listen, even if you don’t agree or what they say makes you think about your own aging.
Your relationship may change as you have these conversations and take a more active role in their life, but you shouldn’t consider yourself the “parent” or that you now “know what’s best.”


3. Who will be there and where will this happen?

Involve everyone in the family who should be there.
Plan for plenty of time to talk in a quiet place where your parents will feel calm and can focus on the conversation.


4. Do a practice run

If you’re nervous about the conversation, run your ideas past someone who’s impartial – a social worker at a local agency or senior center, a counselor or therapist, or a leader at your church.


5. Use conversation starters to ease into the subject

Start with some casual conversations to plant seeds. Then build on those to lead to bigger, more decision-focused conversations later.
Consider using these ice breakers:
Say something like “I’ve noticed some things take more energy these days. What are the important things you really want to do?” Or “What are your priorities? Is there a way we can make it easier for you to do those things?”
Mention how much you admire the way they’ve handled retirement and ask for advice on what has worked well for them so that you can learn from them.
Use an event in the news or a story about an aging family member or friend. Say, “We never talk about these things. I don’t want to pry, but it would give me peace of mind to know there’s a plan if we need it.”

11/30/2020

Here is the update for Monday, November 30, 2020.

For more information, please visit https://shelby.community/ for access to the page.

11/25/2020

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3660970760632766&id=105633952833149

For more information, tips, and guidance on senior-related topics and interests, check out this article about Caregivers: How and Why to Avoid Isolation.

11/25/2020

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3663799477016561&id=105633952833149

Here are ten foods that protect brain function, and that should be incorporated into an overall healthy lifestyle.

11/22/2020

What are the warning signs of a heart attack? The American Heart Association explains the most common symptoms of heart attack in men and women.

11/22/2020

Learn about the signs of stroke in men and women. By knowing the symptoms of strokes, you can act quickly and perhaps save a life—maybe even your own.