Acting as a caregiver for anyone with dementia can be challenging just on its own. They may be in an assisted living situation, with family members or even living on their own. As is often the case, many of these individuals struggle with tendencies of hoarding disorder. This can be troubling for loved ones caring for them and dealing with dementia makes it even more difficult. So how do you know when they are just collecting clutter or crossing the line into hoarding?

What Exactly Is Hoarding?

Hoarding is the behavior of accumulating endless clutter or items that most people would consider worthless. This could be trash, food, or even specific items in excessive quantities. Ordinary possessions can seem impossible to get rid of, making a hoarder come under extreme duress when challenged with the need to throw things away. Most hoarders have cluttered their homes to the point of being unsafe or unsanitary. The behaviors usually start early in life as a form of coping with stress or loss. It can progress over time, creating a nightmarish scenario for those trying to help. Here are a few characteristics of hoarding:

• Refusing to throw out anything, even if it has no value or is deemed by most people as trash.
• Collecting clutter to the point of making rooms in a house impossible to use for their intended purpose.
• Items have stacked up to the point of causing great danger, both to the resident and to anyone who tries to walk through the house. Often, the danger for fire or other emergencies can be very real.

When you factor the disorder of hoarding with dementia, it can be very challenging. Dementia symptoms often come as hoarding behaviors which begin as hiding or rummaging through clutter. As dementia progresses, the ability to make healthy decisions is decreased, along with the ability to see the hoarding for what it is.

While hoarding is most often connected with early onset dementia, it can happen at any stage of the disease and often does. The inability to control behaviors and tendencies that involve collecting endless clutter is really a sign of the individual with dementia trying to retain some control over their lives. Often, there is much loss and pain that the person is trying to cover and hoarding these items gives them a “wall” of protection against the outside world. At its worst, they may not be able to recognize family members or friends as the disease progresses, but will hang onto their possessions with tight fists.

Managing Hoarding Behavior

It is never a good idea to try and go clean out the home of a hoarder, even with the best of intentions. This can often send them into a tailspin that can be very difficult to recover from. Dementia has enough challenges without adding to it with the trauma of discovering their items have been moved or thrown out. Instead, try these tips:

• Always involve the dementia patient in the de-cluttering process. Never throw out anything without their permission.
• Think safety first. If it’s too stressful, then only move or toss what is needed to stay safe.
• Find creative ways to negotiate. Taking pictures of donated items can be a great way to do this. It allows them to still see their precious possessions.
• Remove all items right away that are going to be thrown out or donated. If those items stay, the chances of them being brought back in the hoarded home are very high.
• Give very small areas for the person to go through to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
• Bring plenty of support. Family and friends who are patient and understanding and even a therapist on hand can greatly increase the success of a de-cluttering process.

For more information, please 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!

Anyone who has been part of the work force can attest to the careful planning that goes into accident prevention. It’s in the company’s best interest to keep their employees safe and free of hazards as much as possible. As we age, it’s natural to take extra precautions at home to prevent slips and falls, so shouldn’t this caution also be taken in nursing homes and senior living facilities? Think about this—three fourths of visits to the hospital emergency department are caused by accidents that happen very close to home. For the elderly, these accidents can easily fracture a hip or other bone that is very tough to recover from. So, what can you do to keep your senior parents safe at home? Read on!

Stay Aware of Your Surroundings

Being absent minded can be a hazard, so be sure to get plenty of sleep. Also, don’t allow your thoughts to interrupt your day. Try these helpful tips and turn around the risk of falling:

• If possible, have railings installed in your home. They are a huge source of support.
• Pay attention to the floor. Look for changes in the floor height, defects in the carpet, wet spills, etc.
• Take some slow deep breaths if you begin feeling dizzy. Be sure to keep a firm hold to the railing
• Walk at your own speed. You can always catch up.
• Keep lamps that are easy to reach or night lights to illuminate a room and create warmth. Turn on lights at night to prevent falls and other accidents. These accidents for seniors can have devastating consequences, so you should never look for an assisted living retirement community that doesn’t have excellent credentials.

What to Do After a Fall

Whether it’s you or a senior loved one, the thing to remember is to stay put where you are. Even if you have to yell, keep doing it until someone hears you. If you have a cell phone, try to call 911 yourself to give them a head start. You don’t want any internal injuries, so staying awake until help arrives in crucial.

Survey the Area

This is a good time to do a short “checklist” and determine if medical attention is needed. You may be aware of a broken bone or fractured hip, due to pain. Check yourself and any others for injury. If you have fractured an arm, you should stay put until help arrives via an ambulance.

If you know you don’t have serious injuries, simply roll over to your side and bring your knees up toward the chest and sit up as normal.

Fall hazards are a very real threat for seniors, so give them the best life possible by pulling up throw rugs and anything else that could cause them to trip or fall. For more information on this subject, call us today!

For nursing homes and retirement facilities, there’s nothing more valuable than high-quality help. While many businesses need qualified and reliable help, no industry needs it quite like that of caring for the elderly. Being a caregiver for the elderly has so many rewards, along with some challenges. But for the right people, there is no more fulfilling job!

Do you enjoy chatting and caring for seniors? Perhaps you have had experience in caring for a grandparent or aging parent. Whether you work as an assistant in a nursing home or adult day center, or perhaps you want to go all the way with a nursing degree to work with the aging population, there are many opportunities and they all need quality people! Maybe you would be just right to go and sit with an elderly person in their own home, help with meals and light housekeeping and listen to a lifetime of stories and wisdom from their unique perspective. Even seniors who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s have a great grasp on their long-term memories, and therefore love to tell stories from yesteryear. If this sounds like an interesting opportunity to you, consider the following benefits:

• High Demand. As more and more of our population are aging well into their 80’s and 90’s, it provides a unique opportunity for a high level of care. Caregivers can help them enjoy their homes as long as possible.
• Flexibility. Caregivers can have flexible hours that work around family life and other responsibilities. Perhaps you are a new empty-nester and wanting some new purpose in your life. Caregiving for seniors is a wonderful way to get that!
• On-the-job training. You don’t have to know everything up front. So much can be learned on the job. If you work alongside an experienced caregiver, you will quickly learn the ropes and get to know the ins and outs of being a great senior caregiver. A lot of heart and skill go a long way!
• Make a True Difference. As an elderly caregiver, you will have the beautiful peace of mind that comes from doing something greater than yourself. Giving care to the generation that has raised us and loved us is a very fulfilling thing to do. They deserve the best and we are their advocates and voice when no one else can be. You will also be giving immediate family members a much-needed break from the daily grind of taking care of their loved one. Your skill will not only bless the person for whom you are caring but also their family.

What Are the Requirements?

Each organization will have their own requirements, but much of it will be the basics—a background check, drug screening, fingerprinting and verification of reliable transportation. One these things are established, you will find that many organizations are looking for willing and qualified people to care for our most precious generation.

Call us today with any questions to find out how rewarding a career in caregiving for the elderly can be. Apply today to join our dynamic team of caregivers at Home Helpers!

When it comes to the caregivers of the “Sandwich Generation,” there are some unique challenges. Perhaps you didn’t expect to find yourself taking care of your elderly parents, but they probably didn’t expect to need help at this stage of life either. Whether the recession hit hard, lack of good financial planning or a myriad of issues, ensuring proper care to aging parents can include some tough decisions. Sandwich Generation caregivers may find themselves in very stressful circumstances, as they are often saddled with the burden of their own kids as well as aging parents.

Here are some creative tips that you may not know:

Estate Sale

Ask your loved on if they would consider holding an estate sale to help liquidate furniture and other items around the house they aren’t needed any longer. This can bring in a good deal of money when planned properly. The added benefit is downsizing on clutter!

Cash in Investments

Find out if your parents have investments that could be used to help pay for their care. If they have invested over the years, this may be the perfect time to tap into them. Be mindful that you may only need to sell investments a little at a time rather than cashing them all in at once. This can ease the mental stress your aging parent may feel about selling their investments. Meeting with a financial advisor would be wise, as they will help sell the investments in a careful manner that not only helps meet the need but also avoids tax issues.

Sell Off Big-Ticket Items

It’s scary to sell big items for some people. After all, our possessions tend to be part of our identity. However, selling high dollar items such as cars, valuable jewelry or even a house can be the perfect solution to ensuring that Sandwich Generation caregivers have the finances needed to care for aging parents. If your senior loved one is no longer driving then selling a car may be a little less difficult.

Here Are Some Steps That May Help You Care for Your Senior Loved One:

Move Them in With You.

Moving Your Parent into your home rather than a nursing home or assisted care facility is one big way to save A LOT on care expenses. They may still have nursing care come to your home if they need it, and there will be the emotional comfort that comes from be surrounded by loved ones and grandchildren.

Give the Budget a Make-Over

This is so crucial. Most of us in the Sandwich Generation are trying to save for our own retirements, college funds for our kids and now the financial burden that comes from paying for aging parents. In order to do all this without feeling overwhelmed, you need to take a good look at where you can trim expenses. Even though it may be tough, consider the following ways you can save money:

• Cable TV
• Going out to eat frequently
• Recreation that costs money
• Clothing and other personal care such as going to the spa or salon.

Whatever you do, do NOT stop saving for your own retirement. you may find yourself in the same place one day with your children trying to figure out how they can find the money for your care.

Ask for Help

If you have siblings or other relatives, it may be time to have a chat with them about sharing some of the costs for your parent’s care. Your children may have to grow up a bit faster and learn to put themselves through college by working part-time jobs on their own. While it might seem mean, nothing could be farther from the truth. They will learn the honesty of hard work, the joy of making their own money and how to live on a budget.

Claim Your Parent as a Dependent

This is not always the case, but it’s worth it to ask the IRS if it’s possible to claim your aging parents on your taxes. Claiming your aging parent as a dependent on your tax returns could really help you with finances to care for them.

It’s really disheartening that we find ourselves in a generation where there is no magic potion that will fix the financial burdens our parents face. They may qualify for veteran’s benefits, so don’t forget to check that out.

You may not be facing these issues quite yet, but time marches on and I can guarantee you that you will be faced with it sooner than later. Please talk to your parents about this and plan together how the finances will be distributed in the event they need long-term care.

For more information or other helpful caregiver information, visit our blog.

Home Helpers of San Rafael 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 San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Larkspur, Tiburon, Corte Madera, Sausalito, Belvedere, Ross, and Greenbrae.

Did you know that it’s vitally important for seniors to get adequate sleep each night? They should be getting at least 8 hours of rest to be at their healthiest. However, it’s not enough to just lie in bed for 8 hours and get fitful sleep. The quality of sleep is what’s important! How well we rest affects our mood, our health and our ability to function properly.

As we age, we are at greater risk for certain diseases, and seniors are especially vulnerable to high blood pressure, kidney disease, strokes and diabetes. That risk increases if they are not getting proper rest.

There are many ways to prepare for rest and these tips are especially beneficial for seniors!

1. Go to bed at the same time each night
Many seniors are naturally good at this! Setting your body’s natural clock helps you get the most rest and the best quality rest. Waking at the same time every morning and going to bed as close to the same time as possible are incredibly helpful for getting great sleep. This is especially true on weekends.

2. Don’t toss and turn all night
If seniors are feeling restless while lying in bed, it’s better to just get up and use up that extra energy that isn’t totally spent. Rather than stare at the clock or lie there becoming irritated, it’s helpful to do a load of laundry or other house chore, or perhaps do something relaxing such as reading.

3. Prepare the bedroom atmosphere
Quality of rest depends greatly on the environment that is set up for sleep. If your senior loved one’s room is too hot, cool, or noisy, they are not going to get the sleep they need. Consider the time of evening they go to bed. If the sun hasn’t gone down fully quite yet, get some curtains that will blacken the room and block out light. Keep the temperature in the room comfortable—not more than 70 degrees—and use earplugs if there is too much noise nearby.

4. Finally, don’t go to bed with electronic devices such as cell phones, computers or tablets!
It’s tempting to lie in bed and watch movies, especially when you can’t sleep. But bringing your computer to bed can make you get far less sleep. It’s better to shut everything off and just go to bed and REST.

For more information on how seniors can get the best quality sleep, please contact us today!!

Home Helpers of San Rafael 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 San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Larkspur, Tiburon, Corte Madera, Sausalito, Belvedere, Ross, and Greenbrae.