Every year we make resolutions and why not choose to make this New Year the one focused on caring for yourself? If we are better caring for ourselves, the better we can care for others, such as our elderly loved ones. If you are the primary family caregiver, it’s important to realize there is no reason to feel that you can’t take time to yourself from the everyday challenges of caring for an elderly loved one. You need to take care of yourself so that you can properly care for you elderly loved one. This New Year, it is important to remember to balance yourself. Take care of your soul and it will take care of you. Then you can take proper care of others. Taking time to refresh and recharge is vitally important when it comes to giving of your time to elderly loved ones.
After reflection on the past twelve months, it is time to prepare for the next trip around the sun. When the mind is ready, the body also needs to prepare. A healthy diet filled with cleaner foods with minimal processing is sure to lead to a stronger and leaner body. Incorporating some exercise, even moderate activity such as walking daily, will lead to a healthier life. Feeling healthy, physically, leads to feeling better emotionally and mentally as well.
Seniors are often left to deal with indoor pollutants and poor air quality that can affect their health during the winter months. Fortunately, there are things that can be done about this poor indoor air quality that can ensure elderly loved ones have the clean air they need all winter long.
As families change and grow, traditions change and need to adapt to new configurations. An elderly loved one may cherish old family rituals and will want to share their stories of times gone past. In home elderly help can help your loved one to stay involved in their growing family and can bridge the gap to help them feel connected to any newer members. Your elderly loved one can be a little Santa in your family and share stories of yesteryear.
If you have discovered that your elderly loved one is a bit down during this holiday season, you might find that helping them to decorate their home with some lights and a small tree (even tabletop size can bring the festive feeling!) can be what they need to boost their mood. This gift of help through decorating and helping your loved one can help them to get into the holiday spirit.
When families live a long distance from their elderly loved one, they may worry about their safety when they are unable to give them the assistance they need. Professional in-home help for seniors and elderly provides your elderly loved one with companionship and help tackling the daily chores of their household. When light housekeeping, vacuuming, laundry, grocery shopping and other daily tasks are handled, your loved one can spend their time visiting friends and family.
We’ve all been there. You’ve dropped hints about the gift you want; something fun, exciting or different. You think you’ve spotted it under the festive wrapping paper, but when you finally unwrap it, you’re disappointed and want to think of something nice to say. It might be thoughtful, functional or even comfortable, but it doesn’t have quite the wow factor. Well, we have a creative idea for you this year. Instead of another sweater, consider giving someone you love the gift of care. You may be wondering what that means. Essentially, it’s the gift of whom or what you need, when you need it.
Routine is the mother of consistency and peace. Routine is good for you and your elderly loved one. It enhances your loved one’s experience in life by anchoring them with life’s essential daily duties. It is not necessary to keep life nailed down line by line, but it should consist of habitual rituals that calm, center and fulfill your loved one.
Halloween costumes for seniors don’t have to be intricate to be effective. There are many ways to help your loved one get into the creative spirit and have some fun.
Even though we are older than school-aged children and should stick to passing out the candy instead of trick-or-treating, it doesn’t mean we can’t get into the Halloween spirit! Our senior loved ones can also participate in the holiday.
There are so many ways to celebrate the autumn season arriving. Fall fun for seniors includes visiting local orchards and pumpkin patches. The apple picking season is here; so fresh apples are a must in every household. If your senior loved one is an avid baker, fresh apples lead to delicious pies!
Caregivers often forget how important it is to take time away from the daily pressures of caring for a loved one. It can be quite beneficial to take an entire day off, or at the very least a few hours from a very busy schedule. Hire in home help or request that a family member or friend to step in for the day so you can carve out me-time.
We are all looking for that fountain of youth and try to stay young as long as we can. While there is no fountain to draw from, there are ways we can help our bodies to age healthfully.
We all know that mid-day slump and having to find ways to get through it can be difficult. It may come as a surprise that there are healthy food options instead of yet another caffeinated beverage to wake back up.
Busy schedules with work and family can make life hectic on a day-to-day basis. Taking the time to regularly visit our grandparents can be difficult and a gap may come between visits. When it comes to celebrating our grandparents, the best gift we can give them will be always be a gift of time spent together.
Celebrating Labor Day comes in many forms. In the retail world, it is one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year; second only to Black Friday after Thanksgiving. If there are any items that you have been eyeing over the summer, Labor Day is the time to purchase at a discount!
With the arrival of Labor Day, we are starting to see signs of fall. You work hard every day. Celebrating Labor Day with an excuse to pamper yourself as you say farewell to summer is well deserved.
When it comes to memory games for seniors, it doesn’t have to be overly involved. Try to find a way to challenge the mind, even in small ways, each and every day.
With retirement comes lots of free time that might not otherwise have been enjoyed. With plenty of time to spend doing all things enjoyable, it is helpful to keep the mind stimulated and active. Each new learning opportunity improves memory, increases self-confidence, and helps to build on skills already learned and add new experiences.
When it comes to personal health history, it is very beneficial to know your family medical history. Families tend to have a lot in common, such as genes, habits, and environment and lifestyle choices. By being aware of any patterns among family members, healthcare professionals can better determine whether a person, other than their relatives, or future generations may be at risk for developing a certain condition.
When it comes to proper nutrition for seniors and caregivers, it is important to remember to stay properly hydrated. We often discount the importance of including enough water into our diet. Not only is a hydrated body better at absorbing nutrients from food, water helps in regulating body temperature, digestion and circulation.
Dehydration is a common condition that afflicts many seniors over the age of 65. Because the symptoms of dehydration are masked by the aging body, the signs and warnings are typically overlooked, which can lead to a very dangerous situation.
What if your home isn’t beating the heat as efficiently as you would like? Anything from a faulty air conditioning unit to a cracked window letting in the hot weather from outdoors can lead to excess heat in house. Some of these items may be expensive to fix, and not every senior has it in their budget to afford major home repairs. Fortunately, there are some cheaper alternatives to keeping cool in your home during these dog days of summer.
As our loved ones age, we may begin to wonder how we can improve and possibly even extend their lives. If your loved one is experiencing difficulty with performing some of their daily tasks without assistance, or if they are struggling with their limited abilities in physical activity, there is no need to worry that they are not getting the stimulation they need
There are some helpful books that will guide a family caregiver toward taking time and care for themselves. There are many books out there that offer up tips and advice for those who wish to start providing care for a loved one.