Ice, snow and other winter weather is difficult for everyone, but when you are a caregiver it can take even more challenges. Doctor’s appointments, social activities, church, grocery store runs….all of this can be far more difficult in the winter months.

Remaining indoors all the time might seem like the right thing to do, but we all get cabin fever—especially our senior loved ones! There’s no doubt that falling is a huge risk for seniors, but they are especially vulnerable during cold weather. Here are some fantastic tips to keep your senior safe from falls:

• Stay informed about the weather forecast. If you see that today is sunny, but tomorrow is icy and cold, you should run your errands accordingly.
• Have plenty of salt on hand to use on driveways and sidewalks to help prevent falls. Sand and salt both will add extra traction, as well as melt the snow and ice.
• ALWAYS have an ice scraper in your car! Take the time to clear all the windows and windshield from snow and ice. Don’t forget the back window as well! It also helps to run your engine for a few minutes, so the defroster can help clear your windows.
• It might seem like short trips are the safest and easiest, but the fact is that traffic accidents happen most often close to home! Keep an eye on the traffic and avoid venturing out when traffic is heaviest. If you must make trips during these peak hours, you should always have an emergency kit that includes the following:

– Blankets
– Extra batteries and flashlights
– First aid kit
– Food items that won’t go bad, such as canned goods or snacks
– Plenty of bottled water
– Sand or rock salt to provide traction and help melt snow and ice
– Snow shovel
– Jumper cables
– Cell phone charging sticks that don’t require the car to be running in order to use them.

• Always have extra medication on hand. Even if it’s a short errand, winter weather can cause you to get home much later than anticipated, so keep an extra dose or two of your meds.
• Keep your car in good working order. Make sure you keep your gas tank full and have the oi changed every 3000 miles. Have your tires checked for proper air pressure and tread to handle winter roads. Always keep your cell phone in case you need to dial 911.
• Winter weather is best enjoyed from inside where you are safe and warm. But if you or your senior loved one must venture out, keep the trips short and plan well.
• Use the time inside to talk about projects around the house that you could do together. Things like cleaning out closets or sorting through family pictures, etc. Organizing these things is always more enjoyable with company and allows them to tell you personal stories so that the generations to come can also enjoy them!
• Make it a day for movies and games. The library is a great source to check out DVDs and games. Why not invite some family and friends and enjoy a new tradition for winter weather! Favorite snacks and popcorn just add to the fun!
• Work a puzzle together. There is no better way to pass time indoors than working on a puzzle together. It’s a wonderful sense of accomplishment and something everyone can do together.

For more information on how to cope with the challenges of caring for seniors during the winter months, contact us today!

Home Helpers of Northwest Indiana is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, Dyer, Granger, Griffith, Highland, La Porte, Merrillville, Mishawaka, Munster, Saint John, Schererville, Valparaiso, Hebron, Lowell, Portage, Demotte, Elkhart, Hannah, Kouts, La Crosse, New Carlisle, Osceola, Rolling Prairie, South Bend, Union Mills, and Westville, Indiana.

No matter what age we are, we all benefit from having a soft fluffy animal to lavish our affection upon. They provide cuddle time and are loyal to us, without asking much in return.

Pets not only fills the need to nurture and take care of something, but they can also improve our health! Did you know that the benefits of owning a pet go far beyond companionship? It’s true! Studies have been done that proves how a pet lowers blood pressure and heart rate, lowers the risk of heart disease and stress, and even prevents depression.

Dogs need to be walked, cats need to be fed and played with, and all these things require action from the pet owner, which in turn requires activity from the owner. This is a benefit if the owner is a senior. Many seniors need a reason to go outside and be active. Sometimes having a pet is just enough to motivate them to do just that.

What Kind of Pet Should Seniors Get?

Different pets and different breeds come with needs all their own. Just like humans are unique, so are pets. They may require different far more exercise than some other dogs. Cats don’t require a lot but they like knowing someone is there to offer play and feed them. If the senior in life could benefit from a dog, for instance, think about the size of the dog. A big dog might seem protective but if the owner can’t handle him, that might not be a good idea. You should consider how much energy the senior will have and make sure they can keep up with the demand for a dog that size.

Don’t forget that dogs and cats are not the only options for pets. Seniors can derive lots of entertainment and enjoyment from small pets such a guinea pig or hamster. Even a nice fish tank can be fun to have and requires little maintenance.

If you or your senior loved one is considering a pet, think about the following pros and cons:

Pros:

• People who own dogs will get more exercise from needing to walk the dog daily.
• Seniors who are already outgoing will enjoy the social interaction of a furry friend. Walking a dog through the neighborhood streets can easily turn into a great way to meet new people and socialize.
• Pets take the attention of aches and pains of the owner and decrease worry and anxiety.
• Having a pet in the house naturally combats loneliness and therefore decreases depression.
• For seniors, it’s important to keep fine motor skills going. Cleaning a litter box out or brushing and grooming a dog helps keep them active.
• Having pets makes us feel responsible and useful. Our pets need us, and we need them.

Possible Cons:

• If the senior is set in their ways an unable to adjust the home to accept a pet and all it needs, then it may not be the best idea.
• Consider the level of responsibility that comes with a pet. If the senior does not have the stamina or willingness to take responsibility for a pet’s needs, it might not be the right choice. We’ve seen way too often where dogs and other pets will pee and poo all over the house because they weren’t let out enough.
• Consider how mobile the senior is. If hey are challenged by short walks, then the obvious choice would be a smaller dog or kitty who is paper-trained and doesn’t require as much walking time.
• Consider the cost. Pets do come with expenses such as vet bills, food and possible boarding if the owner is away.
• Finally, consider the age of your pet. It’s not uncommon for many doge and cats to outlive their owners since pets often have lifespan of 15 or more years. If the pet should outlive the owner, arrangements need to be made ahead of time of who will continue caring for the pet.

If you think your senior loved one would benefit from having a pet, please contact us today! And please consider adopting your pet from the local rescue humane society! These pets need a forever home!

Home Helpers of Northwest Indiana is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, Dyer, Granger, Griffith, Highland, La Porte, Merrillville, Mishawaka, Munster, Saint John, Schererville, Valparaiso, Hebron, Lowell, Portage, Demotte, Elkhart, Hannah, Kouts, La Crosse, New Carlisle, Osceola, Rolling Prairie, South Bend, Union Mills, and Westville, Indiana.

Let’s face it—all of us want to live well and age well. It all starts with creating healthy habits that will last a lifetime. But even if you’re late in creating healthy routines, it’s never too late to start! Here are some ways to boost your energy and feel great as a senior!

1. Exercise your mind
Staying mentally active will not only keep you sharp, but also can help with mental health. It can really help dementia and Alzheimer’s. It can be as simple as working puzzles, reading and writing, and playing games. Many hobbies, such as needlepoint or sewing can also be a great way to stay mentally active.

2. Exercise your brain to boost your energy
Simple things such as taking a walk around the block will not only stimulate your energy levels but also go a very long way in keeping you healthy. When the body is inactive, so is the mind. Mild aerobics will keep your heart healthy and deep breathing exercises will decrease stress

3. Don’t Smoke
This is true for ANY age group! If you smoke, please let your doctor help you with a plan to quit. Even if you are advanced in years, quitting smoking will absolutely extend your life! Plus, the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes are the cause of many diseases that afflict seniors.

4. Eat Foods High in Protein
Eating too many carbs leave you feeling sluggish and lazy. This comes from starchy foods like bread and pasta. Instead, go on a high-protein diet, with plenty of lean meats or quinoa. Many vegetables also are high in protein! Boost your energy and protein levels with boiled eggs, which also give you Vitamin D. A diet low in fat and high in protein does wonders for seniors!

5. Get Lots of Sleep
Be aware of your body’s need for rest. Go to bed as soon as you feel tired and get up at the same time each day. If you need a nap, don’t hesitate. Insomnia often plagues seniors, and it is usually from other lifestyle problems that can easily be corrected. Making sure you don’t have too much stimulation or light will also help you sleep well!

6. Do things that are meaningful activities
If you have retired already, you may have too much time on your hands, which can lead to boredom and apathy. This is the perfect time to take up new hobbies, volunteer for charities or a host of other activities that nourish your spirit as well as your mind!

7. Manage Stress
Aging can sometimes be stressful if we fear it. Life certainly throws new challenges your way as you age, but managing your stress is key to feeling great. Talk through things often with friends and family and never keep your feelings bottled up. Meditation and prayer are also very effective in bringing peace and calm to your heart.

8. Stay Hydrated
Drink plenty of water! This is the easiest one of all, but often overlooked. Keeping yourself hydrated is the number one way to feel better and boost energy! It helps in weight-loss, balances your electrolytes, prevents headaches and muscle pain, and stimulates your mind. Adding lemon or cucumbers to your water enhances flavors and also provides you with a great way to get extra nutrients!

For more information on boosting your energy as you age, please contact us today! For more helpful tips, visit our senior home care blog.

Downsizing is necessary at some point….

Doing a deep clean is never easy, but when you have to clean out a lifetime of stuff from your older parent or loved one, the stress increases. How do you know how to tackle all the memories and tangible items collected over the years? To start, change your outlook to one of enjoyment as you go through things with precious memories attached. You will learn new things about your relatives and hopefully hear some delightful stories from your senior loved one who lived through all the pictures.

Helpful Tips for Downsizing Clutter

As people age, it’s natural to want to keep memories and treasured items close by. It reminds them of days gone by and gives them a feeling of legacy. It is certainly a time-consuming task to see thousands of pictures and other items in various boxes. Sorting through it all can emotionally taxing and physically draining. However, if downsizing is to occur, you must help your senior loved one tackle this task. Instead of dreading it, why not have some fun and learn from them as they tell the story behind special items! Here are some tips to get you started….

1. Be leisurely about it. Realize that it won’t be a quick project, so don’t set your expectations too high. You can’t go through a lifetime of stuff in one day! Pick a box and allow them to handle everything and make decisions at their own pace. One box at a time is the name of the game here.
2. Make sure the senior has a sense of control during the downsizing process. The more they can help and direct, the more confident they will feel. If they are not honored in this way, it could result in feelings of loss and depression.
3. Cherish the memories. This is the fun part! Go through pictures and memorabilia slowly and allow them to tell stories and share memories attached to those things. Learn all you can from them because you never know how long they will be around to tell these stories! Write things down, such as where and when pictures were taken, and record special life events.
4. Pass down heirlooms. Allow seniors to give items to certain family members and friends. As they pass down things to the next generation, the feeling of nostalgia will be very special and they will be able to see how much this means to the recipient! Not only will it be a special gift, but it also avoids the in-fighting that sometimes happens when family members fight over who inherits what.
5. If you’re sensing difficulty in deciding what to let go of, ask your senior loved ones these questions to help them out:

• How often is this item used?
• Is quality of life increased with this item?
• Is it practical to keep this item? (i.e., making sure it fits in the home, etc.)
• Does the item have monetary value?

Moving always seems to be a fantastic opportunity to deep clean, declutter and organize. It’s no different for seniors, but they will need your help! If the senior in your life is dealing with dementia or early Alzheimer’s, start documenting stories and memories as often as you can. Most seniors with dementia don’t struggle with long-term memory, so they will still be able to share their stories from yesteryear with you. Enjoy it. Savor each moment. Live, laugh and love. You’ll be glad you did!

For more information on helping seniors downsize their possessions, call us today!

Home care is the preferred option for most seniors today. After all, who doesn’t want to remain in their homes as they age? While some do just fine maintaining a good quality of life in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, most older adults want to remain in their homes, where they feel most safe and secure.

There are many benefits that come with seniors remaining in the comfort of their home. If you are trying to determine if it’s the right choice for you, consider the following reasons home care is often the best care:

• Remaining independent. We all want to stay as independent as possible for as long as possible! If some care is needed, it is totally possible to receive that care while in the home. Even if the needs are great, home health agencies can easily offer skilled nursing services.
• Staying connected to loved ones. This is a biggie! Most facilities will have restricted visiting hours, but home care allows you to have the support and care of friends and family at your leisure.
• The comforts of home. Remaining at home allows anyone to feel most cared for. When we are surrounded by familiar things, photographs, people, it is no surprise that we do better. Research has shown that seniors stay healthier and have a better quality of life when they can remain in their homes. When hospitals release patients to the familiar surroundings of home, they tend to heal faster and have far better results as they recover.
• Alternative for long-term skilled care. Depending on the illness or medical condition of your senior loved one, home health care is almost always a good option in place of facilities.
• Support for treatment. Being at home allows family and friends to help out with the necessary treatment. This could include administration of medications, helping out with occupational or physical therapy, or even dietary needs.
• Keeping morale high. People always feel more comfortable in their own homes, and this allows for greater long-term success. Being at home allows seniors to live happier lives with greater connections to important relationships. In turn, this keeps their spirits high and depression low.
• Cost. Skilled nursing care can be quite expensive when done in a hospital or nursing home. Even assisted living facilities can get very costly. Bringing in skilled care services to the home environment is far more affordable and offers the flexibility of working around existing daily routines.

Home care for seniors gets a big thumbs-up from us! This is especially true for those suffering with Alzheimer’s or dementia. For more information on the benefits or home care or how to plan effectively for it, contact us today!

The vast majority of Americans assume that the best way to care for our elderly is to place them in a nursing home or other skilled care facility. But did you know there are many reasons why allowing seniors to recover at home is better? In this article, we’ll explain the differences between home health care and nursing home care.

Recovery
It’s a fact that most seniors will recover much faster if allowed to stay in their homes when possible. Whether it’s a recent surgery or even psychological trauma, being in the home with unlimited access to loved ones offers the senior family member the best chance for a full recovery. Since nursing homes often have rigid schedules and routines, being at home also allows for much more flexibility for both the senior and the caregiver. This translates to less stress for everyone! After all, nobody wants to be told when they can visit or how many visitors they can have.

Economical
It goes without saying that providing care in the home is far less expensive than paying full-time room and board at a nursing facility or assisted living center. Nowadays, there are many wonderful options for home health care that allows your senior loved one to receive excellent care only when they need it. In these cases, there is usually a family member who is helping with the daily chores and tasks, while the home health care nurse can help administer medicines, give baths, and help provide any therapy needed. When you tally the costs involved, home health care usually is the most cost-effective plan. Senior patients often save up to 70% when being cared for at home, rather than the hospital. This statistic, and others like it, have created the huge flood of home health care nurses that we are seeing today. Since no one enjoys being in the hospital for any length of time, home health care workers can be a life-saver so the patient can recover at home.

Latest Medical Technology
The age in which we live has produced rapid advancements in medical technology. This technology allows more and more patients to receive certain therapies at home, rather than having to be in the hospital. A comfortable surrounding always helps a person heal faster.

Should there be any procedures that require a skilled health care worker, that can usually be done at home? This would include such things as dressing changes on wounds, hygiene and personal care, help with proper diet, and the administration of medications that would normally require the patient to be in a clinical setting. A home health care nurse can be worth their weight in gold!

More Freedom
This may seem obvious, but there is certainly far more freedom and independence for seniors who stay in their own homes, rather than having to be hospitalized. They are able to visit friends and family and have as many home visits as they like, whenever they like. They’re able to eat on their own schedule and create a sense of normalcy that works for them.

If you are considering home health care, rather than a medical facility, do your research and make sure you follow up on any references. If there are multiple family members, bring everyone together so a decision can be reached by everyone involved. Lastly, talk to your senior loved one about what their wishes are! They are the ones who will have to go along with the plan, so it’s important to discuss the options with them and if possible, allow them to be part of the decision-making process.

For more information on the benefits of home health care vs. hospital care, please call us today!

While genetics and age can greatly affect the risk of developing dementia, they aren’t the only factors involved. Dementia can be a debilitating and scary situation, and as with most health issues, knowledge is power. You may not be able to do anything about your genetics but there are definitely things you can do to help improve your odds. They may seem simple, but they are powerful—things like getting adequate exercise, eating a proper diet balanced with plenty of fruits and vegetables and generally keeping your mind healthy and sharp.

Age and Genetics: The Factors You Can’t Control
The Alzheimer’s Association has told us for many years that the biggest risk factor in developing dementia is simply getting older. We certainly can’t prevent that, so we have to live the healthiest lives possible to give ourselves the best chance possible for avoiding the onset of dementia and/or Alzheimer’s Disease. Our risk for dementia doubles for each 5 years beyond the age of 65. While it can be a bit scary, it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few physical factors that could put you at risk:

Your Physical Risk for Dementia
We all know that adequate exercise keeps our bodies in shape, but did you know that it also keeps your mind sharp? 2-30 minutes of physical activity each day will do wonders for lowering your risk for dementia. This is not a guessing game—it’s proven science! The truth is that those who exercise regularly have a significantly increased amount of gray matter than those who don’t.

Increased odds also include having too slow of a gait, a weak grip, and a problem with balance.

Psychological Risk Factors for Dementia
There are some psychological risk factors for developing dementia. These would include depression that comes later in life and feelings of worthlessness. It’s important to keep seniors active and mentally engaged in everyday life.

Health Risk Factors that Contribute to Dementia
Maintaining a good healthy lifestyle is huge in preventing dementia. The good news is that we have a lot of the control when it comes to our overall health. There are things you can do and avoid to decrease your odds of developing dementia. These include, but are not limited to:

• Limit Alcohol use
• Keep your arteries clear by eating a healthy diet
• Regularly check your cholesterol levels
• Make sure you are not at risk for diabetes and if you do develop the disease, keep it under control

All of these things will go farther than you might think in preventing Alzheimer’s and dementia.

If you have more questions or comments, please call today!