Elder Care Greenville SC: Caregiver Stress - Minimizing Tension during the Holidays

By Bruce Meyer

Elder Care givers are nearly constantly under stress. This is particularly true for individuals who are providing senior care to a loved one while raising their own children. The holidays, in particular, can prove to be extremely difficult for caregivers who already feel as if their time and energy are stretched too thin. For this reason, the elder care professionals at AlwaysBest Care of Greenville, serving Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, encourage families to take the time to ensure that their caregivers have the chance to enjoy the season. If you are providing senior care to an elderly loved one, the professionals at Always Best Care encourage you to communicate your needs to your family and make it a priority to participate in holiday festivities.

Of course, making time to do so is not always easy. In fact, you may be wondering how you will juggle your responsibilities as a caregiver, a parent, and a spouse while spreading holiday cheer. Here are a few tips to assist you in de-stressing this holiday season:

1.     Ask family members for assistance in providing care to your elderly loved one. If you have family members coming into town for the holidays, ask if they will sit with your senior for a day or two to allow you to enjoy the holiday season with your kids.

2.     Make sure to engage in the holiday traditions that really make the season for you. For instance, if you love shopping in the busy crowds, take an afternoon to explore the mall. Even if you have already completed your holiday shopping, just being out and about can help you de-stress and enjoy the spirit of the season.

3.     Try to get all of your shopping done before family members start to arrive for the holidays. This will allow you to mark one very big item off of your to do list before the holidays even get into swing. Additionally, it will allow you to spend quality time with loved ones without having to worry about sneaking away to procure some last minute gifts.

The elder care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville  understand that, for most caregivers, the holidays are extremely stressful. By taking these few hints and creating other ways to make some time for yourself, you can enjoy the holiday season without feeling as though you are missing out or are distracted by all of your responsibilities. 

For a free e-book on senior care issues, please click here to have one sent to you free of charge.

For more information, please contact +Bruce Meyer at  (864) 527-0464.

Elder Care Greenville SC: 3 Ways to Entertain Seniors with Dementia during the Holidays

By Bruce Meyer

The holiday season provides families with a wonderful time to get together and create lasting memories. But for seniors who suffer from dementia and the family members who provide them with elder care and deal with Elder Care in Greenville SC, the holidays can prove stressful. In fact, the gathering of so many people can make seniors who suffer from this illness uncomfortable, and the changes in behavior that the condition causes can alarm family members who are in town for the season. The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville, serving Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, know that keeping your elderly loved one safe and comfortable during the holidays can be a challenge—particularly if they suffer from dementia. Here are three ways that these professional dementia care providers encourage you to keep your loved one entertained and happy during family gatherings.

1.     Establish two different areas in which your elderly loved one can enjoy the festivities: one that is right in the middle of the celebration and one that is away from the commotion. Elderly individuals who suffer from dementia often experience mood swings, so it is feasible that they may want to be involved in the celebrations at the beginning of the night and then request a place to retreat quietly later in the evening.

2.     Make sure to engage your senior in the holiday traditions that your family practices. Even if they do not remember the importance of these activities, making them a part of each of these events will allow you to keep them entertained and your family to enjoy the season with your elderly loved one. Regardless of if your senior actively remembers the many years they have decorated the tree or lit the menorah, they may find comfort in these familiar activities.

3.     If they are interested in the arts, take your loved one to see seasonal plays and ballets. The Nutcracker is a very popular show, and your local orchestra may also put on a holiday concert for the community.

The home care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville (www.AlwaysBestCareGreenville.com) know that keeping a senior with dementia entertained is not always an easy task. This can become especially difficult during the holidays, when the emotional toll of watching a loved one deal with this condition can become heavier than ever. But it is possible for you to create a holiday season that your entire family can enjoy by keeping your senior engaged. 

For a free e-book on senior care issues, please click here to have one sent to you free of charge.

For more information, please contact Bruce Meyer at  (864) 527-0464.

Assisted Living Placement Greenville SC: Can They Help You Choose the Right Community for Your Senior in Greenville?

By Bruce Meyer

Assisted living communities are wonderful resources for many elderly individuals. The decision for your elderly loved one to move into such a facility is not always easy to make, but in most instances seniors enjoy the social aspect of these communities—as well as the security that around the clock elder care provides. But how are you to know which assisted living facility is right for your loved one? The elder care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville can help you in making these decisions through assisted living placement services.

What Are Assisted Living Placement Services?

Often provided free of charge to seniors and their families, assisted living placement services supply information regarding the communities in which elderly individuals may be interested. These services match the needs of individuals to the amenities and senior care provided by different facilities. In so doing, they can help your family narrow down the pool of potential communities more quickly. 

How Do Assisted Living Placement Services Work?

When your family takes advantage of assisted living placement programs, you will meet with a representative of the company through which you have chosen to work. For example, you might sit down with a professional from Always Best Care. During this meeting, you will discuss the needs of your elderly loved one and determine if an assisted living community is, in fact, the right decision. If you and your senior are certain that this is the right move, then the representative will match your loved one's needs with the offerings of various local assisted living facilities. 

Once you have a list of possibilities, it is important to visit each community with your senior, if they are able. Each facility will offer a different lifestyle and environment, so it is crucial that the community that your family chooses is the one in which your elderly loved one feels most comfortable. 

There are so many options when it comes to assisted living facilities. Understanding the needs of your senior is only half of the battle—you must also know what each community has to offer. The guidance of an assisted living placement service, such as that provided by Always Best Care, can make the research process much easier and far less stressful, allowing you to concentrate on simply picking the right elder care provider for your loved one. By streamlining the process, Always Best Care can simplify this task and allow you to make a decision with which your whole family is comfortable.

For a free e-book on senior care issues, please click here to have one sent to you free of charge.

For more information, please contact Bruce Meyer at  (864) 527-0464.

Assisted Living Greenville SC: 5 Signs that Your Elderly Loved One Needs More Care

By Bruce Meyer

Senior care services play an important role in the lives of elderly individuals. This is particularly true if your loved one is dedicated to aging in place. But determining the extent of the elder care that your senior needs is not always easy. The home care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville know that pinpointing the right level of care can be a challenge.

Whether you are offering home care to a parent or grandparent or you have hired part-time assistance, it is possible that your loved one will need a higher degree of care as they age. Here are five signs that your elderly loved one may need further assistance:

1. 
   Your senior is sustaining minor injuries, such as scrapes and bruises, from tripping or stumbling in their home. This may indicate that your loved one is experiencing difficulties walking. Without additional assistance, they may suffer from more serious injuries if they fall.


2. 
   Your elderly loved one's home is not as tidy as it used to be. Oftentimes, as people age, they find it hard to continue to maintain a clean home.


3. 
   Your senior has become increasingly inactive, both physically and mentally. Having additional care may allow them to exercise their minds and bodies—and, ultimately, obtain a higher degree of wellbeing. 


4. 
   Your elderly loved one's diet is becoming less well-rounded and they are facing difficulty in terms of preparing meals and purchasing groceries. This is a major concern, as a healthy diet is important for people of all ages. 


5. 
   Your senior opts to stay home instead of face the challenge of driving. Without transportation, your loved one may become isolated and miss out on activities in which they are eager to participate. 

The elder care professionals of Always Best Care of Greenville are trained to provide different levels of assistance to seniors. From offering basic care to around the clock services, they are able to tailor the care they provide to the needs of elderly individuals. Because the degree of care that your loved one needs may increase over time, it is important to periodically reevaluate the elder care they are receiving and, if necessary, adjust the extent to which professionals assist your senior on a daily basis. In some cases, it may be prudent to consider other options, such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes.


For a free e-book on senior care issues, please click here to have one sent to you free of charge.

For more information, please contact Bruce Meyer at  (864) 527-0464.

Fall Prevention: How Can You Prevent Your Senior From Taking a Tumble in Greenville?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 out of every 3 seniors over the age of 65 will fall each year. Because they are so common and can result in a vast array of injuries, ranging from mild to deadly, falls are cited as the leading cause of injury death among the elderly population. The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville, serving Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, know that, because of the damage that a tumble could cause, fall prevention is a primary responsibility of caregivers. 

Accidents are not always avoidable and, despite your best efforts, your senior may still suffer from a fall; however, you have the ability to minimize the risk that such an accident will take place. These tips will assist you in creating a living space that encourages your elderly loved one to maintain their mobility while ensuring their health. 

1. Keep your loved one's home free of clutter. Shoes that are left by the front door, objects strewn through the hallway, and other misplaced items can all cause your senior to trip. A daily cleaning effort will keep this issue under control. 

2. Fix any damage to the walking surfaces of your senior's home, both inside and out. From cracked sidewalks to warped hardwoods, a variety of damaged surfaces can spark a stumble. Protect your loved one by repairing or replacing flooring and other surfaces that pose a threat to their wellbeing. Remove any throw rugs that don't lay flat and put slip-resistant backings on those that do. 

3. Ensure that your senior has access to necessary safety devices. From rails placed in the hallway to handlebars in the bathroom, these devices will assist them in remaining upright. Ensuring that such devices are properly installed is of particular importance in the bathroom, where grab bars should be securely anchored into the studs in the wall. Additionally, non-slip pads in the shower, elevated toilet seats, and shower/tub seats will also help your loved one stay safe in the bathroom. 

4. Reinforce the importance of proper lighting. Make sure that all of the lights in your senior's home work and that they are used. By better seeing the walkway, elderly individuals can more effectively avoid a fall. 

5. Install a stair lift if your loved one cannot walk up the stairs on their own. The addition of a second railing, which is anchored into the wall, will also improve the safety with which elderly individuals can make their way up to other levels of their home. 

6. Remember to lock wheelchairs when transferring your senior into or out of them. This will enhance the safety of such a transfer and keep the wheelchair from rolling away while helping your loved one get situated. 

The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville know just how dangerous a fall can be. As such, they encourage you and your senior to work together to identify and address the factors that create the greatest risk for an accident. By following these tips and asking your senior if there are any other ways in which you can help them prevent a fall, you can minimize the odds that your loved one will take a tumble. 

Alzheimer's Care Greenville: Basics of Alzheimer's Disease

By Bruce Meyer

When dealing with Alzheimer's Care in Greenville, chances are high that you know someone who has already had an experience with Alzheimer’s disease. Maybe an elderly parent has the disease, or perhaps they had a grandparent who had the condition. Unfortunately, many people have had some sort of experience with this illness. If you have an elderly loved one in your life, the professionals at Always Best Care, which serves Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, encourage you to educate yourself on the basics of this condition.

The Alzheimer’s Association explains that Alzheimer’s disease is an issue with the brain that leads to problems with thinking, behavior, and memory. It’s more common to see cases of Alzheimer’s among elderly individuals, but this disease is not just a routine part of aging. Just because your loved one is getting older does not mean that they will get the condition, which is degenerative and worsens over time.  

Each elderly individual with Alzheimer’s disease experiences different symptoms; however, many people note that forgetfulness is a telltale sign of this condition. While forgetfulness is often a common sign of the aging process, the forgetfulness shown with Alzheimer’s disease is strong enough to impact a senior’s daily life. That elderly individual is no longer able to participate in hobbies, and they have a hard time functioning at work or at home. 

Alzheimer’s causes seniors to become easily confused and disoriented. Your loved one may feel lost even if they’re in a familiar place. People with Alzheimer’s disease frequently misplace things, and may struggle with words and speaking. 

Other major symptoms of this condition include: the inability to make good decisions, trouble managing money, poor conversation skills, and a loss of interest in socializing. The senior may also misplace their belongings frequently. 

There is not currently a known cure for this condition, but there are several drugs that can help control and manage symptoms of the disease. Your loved one’s treatment plan will vary depending on the severity of their condition and their medical history. 

It’s important to note differences between Alzheimer’s disease and normal aging. Sometimes the symptoms are similar, and you may feel confused about whether your elderly loved one is displaying signs of aging or a more serious problem. A typical sign of aging is when a person forgets the day of the week but later remembers. An indicator of Alzheimer’s disease is when a senior frequently loses sense of the passage of time. Though the differences are subtle, they’re important. 

Families with elderly individuals should know some basic information about Alzheimer’s disease so they’re able to identify early signs and symptoms of this condition. As you learn about indicators of Alzheimer’s, it’s important to remember that there are normal signs of aging that don’t necessarily indicate that your senior may have Alzheimer’s. The professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville encourage you to learn the subtle differences so you’re able to take note of any changes in your elderly loved one. 

Senior Care Greenville SC: When to Hire Professional Home Care Services

By Bruce Meyer

When dealing with senior care Greenville SC, you may say "what's going on!?" about their living situation. You want your senior to feel independent and like they have their own space, but you may worry about their quality of life if they live completely on their own. If you’re debating about whether you should provide your senior with professional home care, the people at Always Best Care, which serves Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, encourage you to consider a couple things about your elderly loved one’s current situation.

What is your senior’s home like?

If you visit your elderly loved one and frequently find garbage strewn about the house, dust covering surfaces in the home, and old mail on the table, it may indicate that your senior needs help performing daily home maintenance tasks. If you open your senior’s refrigerator and find old food, or no food at all, the elderly individual may not have the ability or energy to do weekly grocery shopping trips. Your senior may need help with food preparation, and having assistance with daily household chores like cooking and cleaning can benefit your elderly loved one tremendously.

What’s your senior’s mobility like?

If your senior struggles to answer the ringing phone or get up to go to the bathroom, these signs can act as indicators that your elderly loved one might benefit from an extra set of hands in the home. A senior care professional can assist the elderly individual during baths and trips to the toilet. This individual can also help with reaching things from cabinets or lifting heavy objects. 

The assistance of a professional home care service is often beneficial to many seniors. They’re able to maintain their independence and live in the comfort of their own homes, but they have someone to assist with projects that they simply may not have the strength or ability to complete on a regular basis.

The professionals of Always Best Care of Greenville  encourage you to have a conversation with your senior so you can find out what their level of comfort is when it comes to living on their own and having help around the house. You want your elderly loved one to feel good about the use of a professional home care service; you want them to understand that the person is there to enhance their freedom and mobility. An honest dialogue will put you and your senior on the same page about elder care needs and expectations.  

For a free e-book on senior care issues, please click here to have one sent to you free of charge.

For more information, please contact +Bruce Meyer at  (864) 527-0464.