Initially, helping a senior parent may involve assisting your loved one for a few hours after work or lending a hand with various household tasks on weekends. But if care demands become more time-consuming, you may reach a point where you’re considering quitting your job to provide full-time care for…
Many people commonly feel fatigued during the afternoon. It’s not unusual for adults to feel tired from overexertion, and some might feel tired secondary to a lack of restful sleep the night before. But approximately 20 percent of seniors experience excessive daytime sleepiness. The generalized fatigue occurs on most days…
A nutritious diet can help a senior maintain a healthy weight, which reduces undue stress on affected joints. Eating healthier reduces inflammation and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, which increases blood circulation while reducing nerve sensitivity. Although a healthy diet cannot cure arthritis, several foods provide a number of benefits…
Hoarding is never an easy subject to discuss, and it can be even more challenging when a senior has dementia. The cognitive decline and memory loss caused by dementia may make a senior behave irrationally and hoard massive amounts of belongings. Hoarding can make an environment unsafe, but forcing your…
A University of Wisconsin study found certain stressful life experiences may age the brain by nearly two years. This supplements additional research suggesting stress may affect the brain in a way that increases the risk of cognitive decline or developing related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers.net has identified some…
Wandering is a symptom of dementia that places a senior’s safety at risk. Although your elderly loved one may wander for many different reasons, you can use the following strategies to help him or her stay safe at home. Try to Identify a Reason As you spend time with your…
Once your senior loved one becomes bedridden, your role as a caregiver is going to become more challenging. Seniors who are confined to bed are at higher risk for complications such as pneumonia and blood clots that could become life-threatening. Proper care can prevent your loved one’s time in bed…
As they age, seniors experience many changes and uncertainties that can affect their quality of life. As a family caregiver, you can boost your elderly loved one’s confidence by promoting meaningful tasks and regularly reinforcing his or her importance to your family. Continue reading to find ways to make your…
The immune system becomes less efficient as the body ages. Many seniors live with medical conditions secondary to the aging process. Thus, older adults are often more susceptible to infections, and they commonly have more severe symptoms when they contract illnesses. For these reasons, family members can play an important…
If you interact with your senior loved one on a fairly regular basis, you may not be fully aware of some of the signs suggesting it’s time to consider hiring a home caregiver. You may be unintentionally putting your loved one at risk by not being proactive about getting the…