Elmer B. is a centenarian. He was born in Southern Vermont; a leap year baby, thus beginning an extraordinary life few can imagine.
Three Free Apps for Caregivers
It’s easy to turn to our handheld devices when we want to relax: scroll through some Facebook, stream some music, watch a hilarious YouTube video… the options are endless! When we need to feel supported as caregivers, we can find that through technology too, with thousands of uplifting, positive quotes at our fingertips.
Like this one:
from: lifeaftercaregiving.wordpress.com
Did you know though, that when we are at work as caregivers, we can also use technology to help ourselves, and the clients we serve?
Here are 3 free apps that you can use with seniors…
These are only three of MANY free apps available to caregivers. What apps do you use with the seniors you serve? Share in the comments!
Four At Home Senior Care offices throughout your communities- and why that's important
Strolling around Manchester, Vermont, you probably have noticed At Home Senior Care’s cheery, green office across from Northshire Bookstore. In the surrounding areas, our offices are as distinctive as the services we provide.
Our Rutland office has an eye-catching Victorian house style design; in Bennington, it’s an adorable scallop shingle detailing; our Middlebury office along VT-125 is a beauty with its tree-filled landscape. Four lovely At Home Senior Care offices: run by staff and caregivers who are passionate about serving the needs of our local communities.
Buildings do not a community make, though. Instead, it is the relationships built and services provided through these buildings that make At Home Senior Care the desirable in-home care service for your senior family member. We are firmly part of the Vermont landscape, but more importantly, we are fervent believers in the place we hold within our Vermont COMMUNITY as senior care experts. We offer many types of care, including companionship, respite, personal, and home helper. We develop care management plans for seniors and provide services to support the measures put in place by the plan.
Stop by any of our offices to discuss the senior care journey you are on. Perhaps you are looking for some of the care services we provide. Maybe you don’t need a plan for an elder loved one. Perhaps you need some caregiving resources, or someone to talk to, or a strong cup of coffee to help you through the day. We’ve got you covered! Take that first step into one of our four offices and find out for yourself that we are so much more than brick and mortar buildings.
Helpful Tips when Caring for an Aging Parent
1. Start with a candid conversation. Talk with your parents about how you can or will be helping them to meet their needs. Unless they are severely incapacitated, they should continue to make their own decisions and remain a central part of all discussions about their care. Encourage them to articulate their concerns: Most likely, your parents are worried about becoming a burden and losing control of their lives. Have an open conversation about what role your parents want you to play. Establish limits so they don't form unrealistic expectations.
2. Set your priorities. Make a list of what needs to get done and how you plan to do it. An organized approach puts you in control, reduces stress and ensures that your parents get the assistance they need. Be sure to create backup plans and ask others to serve as reinforcements if necessary. Write down your plans and schedules and give a copy to all involved family members. Consider using an online scheduling tool to organize and keep track of who's doing what, when.
3. Build a support network. In most families, one person assumes the role of primary caregiver. But that doesn't let others off the hook. Enlist the help of your siblings, of course, but also consider that cousins, nieces and nephews may be eager to help. Don't forget to include your friends, distant relatives, neighbors and acquaintances, such as members of your parents' civic or religious groups. Not all of these folks will volunteer to help, but many will get involved if you ask. Some, in fact, may feel hurt or left out if you don't seek their assistance.
4. Don't be afraid to delegate. Ask a friend to pick up groceries or get books from the library, a neighbor's child to adopt your parent as a grandparent, or a local teenager to help with yard work for a manageable fee. Investigate whether a civic group can provide free home repair or transportation services. Ask the newspaper carrier, a barber or an apartment superintendent to keep an eye out for your parents and to call you if anything seems wrong.
5. Offer alternatives. With family members, don't accept excuses for not helping without offering alternatives. A sibling who lives far away, for example, can help with paying bills, contacting doctors' offices or seeking support from local agencies. Siblings who have young children can cook meals or bring kids along for visits and outings.
6. Hold family meetings. Schedule them regularly and bring in distant family by phone. Choose a neutral party to moderate if necessary. Draw up a clear agenda for each meeting, and agree on rules of conduct — for instance, don't interrupt, stick to time limits, avoid argument and focus the discussion on how to care for your parents. If meetings tend to be contentious, consider hiring a geriatric care manager to run the meeting.
7. Involve your children. When you have parents and children who need your time and attention, you may feel pulled from both sides. Be honest with your children about the situation and listen to their concerns. Encourage their questions and answer them thoroughly. Carve out time for fun activities and request your children's help. Teenagers can drive Grandma to the store, and even a toddler can make her feel loved.
8. Talk to your spouse. Have a discussion with your partner about your caregiving responsibilities. What role do you expect him or her to play? Suggest specific ways your spouse can help and show appreciation for his or her efforts. Recognize that your responsibilities affect your spouse and encourage him or her to talk about any frustrations. Your relationship is a priority — keep it that way.
Your To-Do List:
Determine housing options and preferences: With your parents, discuss whether they want to continue to care for their home or whether they have considered living elsewhere. Depending on their health and well-being, they can either stay in their home with some changes and additional help from a qualified home care company or consider other options such as an assisted living residence or a continuing care retirement community. Discuss what goals your parents have and what is realistic for them financially and emotionally.
Research helpful services: Consider home care, adult day services, meal delivery and help with everyday activities such as preparing meals and doing laundry. Enlist support from a Professional Elder Care Manager / Aging Life Coordinator.
Learn medical history: Ask your parents about any medical conditions or health problems and get a list of their doctors and medications. If your parents are unclear about the details, ask if you can go with them on their next visit to the doctor.
Assemble contact list: Gather names and contact information for those in your parents' personal support system. This should include close relatives and friends, neighbors, friends from their place of worship, clergy, housing managers or apartment front-desk staff, and even the local pharmacist.
Create a financial profile: While this information may be difficult to obtain, it is critical to have. Make a list of income sources such as Social Security and pensions, monthly and yearly income and expenses, bank accounts and investments, and a statement of net worth.
Review legal needs: Work with your parents to determine what relevant legal documents they have or want to have (wills, advance directives such as living wills, health care proxy forms, trusts and powers of attorney). Locate important documents, including their birth certificates, deed to home and insurance policies, and find out if they are up to date and express their current wishes.
Make a list of important accounts: Include Social Security numbers, bank accounts, credit cards, health and life insurance policies, and driver's licenses.
For more information and resources, please give us a call at 802-768-8565. We have professional elder care specialists available to help you and your family navigate the road ahead.