Tips Guides

When caring for an elderly loved one becomes too much, a Mesa Arizona assisted living center can relieve that burden without the need for guilt, as the staff at assisted living centers are medically trained and can accommodate better around the clock care than you might be able to offer.

Having said that, not just any Mesa Arizona assisted living center will do for your loved one. Shop around. Look carefully at all the feasible options before selecting an assisted living facility. Visit more than one. Observe staff members on the job and look for facilities with staff members treat residents with respect and are not condescending. Make sure you visit during busy evening and morning hours to make sure there are enough caregivers to help.

Always inquire about licensing and certification before selecting a Mesa Arizona assisted living center. If a particular facility has a long-standing pattern of deficiencies, especially involving medication errors or neglect, look for another. Keep in mind that most assisted living homes are cited for minor problems.

Ask to read a copy of the resident agreement or facility contract. It’s a legal document that spells out your obligations and the responsibilities of the facility. Many facilities charge extra for things like laundry service, haircuts, incontinence products and dispensing medication. There will likely be additional fees as your family member’s needs increase, so be aware of what they are.

Look over a sample meal menu at the Mesa Arizona assisted living center. Meal times are typically a highlight for residents, so look for a varied menu. Find out if there a set mealtime or if residents are free to choose when to eat. Try to have lunch at the facility with your loved one and sample the food yourself to ensure that it is satisfactory.

Review a copy of scheduled activities. Hopefully they reflect a wide range of interests and are varied so residents of all ability levels can participate.
Remember to take into consideration the proximity of the Mesa Arizona assisted living center to family and friends. The closer, the better. If you or friends can visit, your family member will not only have more companionship, but will have the added protection of visitors who can monitor how he or she is being treated.

Ensure that the grounds of any potential facility are safe and easy to navigate. The building should have handrails, elevators and doors wide enough for wheelchairs. If your loved one had dementia it is important to check to see if there are alarms on doors leading outside to prevent residents from wandering away unnoticed.

Find out about the staff, especially the person who dispenses medication. Find out how many hours of training have they had. Find out if the medication policy at the Mesa Arizona assisted living center allows residents to self-administer medication with doctor approval.

Inquire about the staff turnover rate. A good turnover rate is in the single digits, although many homes have higher rates. If the turnover rate is higher, ask why, and consider other options.

Once you’ve selected a Mesa Arizona assisted living center it is difficult and can be traumatic to move your loved one, so it is important to find out if the facility can accommodate his or her needs should your loved one become more disabled. Be wary of a facility that promises it can care for anyone, regardless of condition. Unless it is also certified as a nursing home, it may not be able to care for residents who need lots of hands-on nursing care.

Ask for the medical conditions under which the facility could require a resident to move out and how much advance notice would be given.

Good luck in finding the right assisted living center for your loved one. And remember, regardless of how well the facility is run, nothing compensates for your continued visits and companionship to keep your loved one happy and feeling loved and appreciated.

Courtyard Towers of Mesa (http://courtyardtowersarizona.com/) is a beautiful Mesa Arizona assisted living center you can trust with the care of your elderly loved one. Art Gibb is a freelance writer.

Moving through the caregiving world with grace and ease is no simple skill. However, having good manners will carry you a long way.As a caregiver we spend our day interacting with family members, friends, and everyone on the Care Team.

Common sense tells you that the people you are closest to warrant an extra measure of consideration. It takes good manners to sustain the love and respect between caregiver and care-receiver.

Dos

1. Encourage family members and friends to show respect and deference to the care-receiver. For example, the care-receiver’s visitors should be treated politely as honored guests.

Noise from the TV, radio, etc., should be kept to a minimum. The care-receiver’s rest hour should be respected. Telephone messages should be carefully taken, and mail given to him/her unopened.

2. Preserve the care-receiver’s feelings of independence. It is important that the care-receiver have control of her/his own money-as long as she/he is capable of managing it.

3. Use your imagination and put yourself in the care-receiver’ shoes. Be understanding and find a way to harness your frustrations.

4. Focus on the care-receiver’s needs and not your own. Talk to your parent. Try to understand how he/she sees it.

5. Let go of unreasonable hopes. Recognize that your parent won’t or can’t change.

6. Express warmth and concern toward the care-receiver. This is especially important when the care-receiver has a poor self-image and many feelings of inferiority. A good caregiver must provide reassurance.

7. Be a good listener. Many times the care-receiver may simply want you to listen.

8. Smile a lot. Be a good friend and companion.

9. Keep confidences. Avoid repeating matters that will not be welcomed by others.

10. Maintain your self-composure and avoid stress. Practice your coping skills in order to maintain your composure and balance.

Don’ts

1. Don’t treat your parent like a child. Even if your parent reverts to childlike behavior, he/she always needs to be treated with respect and dignity.

As the parent’s dependence increases, it is natural for adult children to find themselves unable to communicate in familiar ways.

2. Don’t criticize the care-receiver for occasional forgetfulness and other signs of growing older.

3. Don’t take sides with other family members in disputes or arguments. It is better to be known as someone who is fair and noninterfering.

4. Don’t let an angry situation become emotionally or physically abusive. Step out of the room for a cool down. Seek outside help.

5. Don’t neglect the care-receiver. Make sure your parent gets to all appointments, takes medications as scheduled.

6. Don’t discourage the help of others. There can never be too much help.

7. Don’t assume that the care-receiver has nothing to contribute.

8. Don’t compare what you are doing to what everyone else is doing. Every job in a caregiving situation is important.

9. Don’t underestimate the power of touch. As people age or their illness progresses, there is less human contact. A hug, kiss or pat on the shoulder can enhance the situation.

10. Don’t treat your parent/family member like an alien. When there are several persons in the room be sure to include the care-receiver in the conversation. Do not talk about him/her in the third person as if he/she wasn’t in the room.

A good caregiver is genuine and cares about the dignity, welfare, and feelings of their care-receiver. Good manners are based on good character, which translates to kindness and compassion.

Rebecca Colmer is eldercare advocate, author, speaker, publisher and caregiver. For more caregiving tools, visit Caregiving Tools

Asking your elders to move to a senior citizen home can be a very complicated situation. Most elders dislike the idea as they prefer to stay at their old home. If the elders are suffering from Alzheimer’s, it may make the situation much simpler as their memory has lost gradually. In normal condition, it is often for children to enroll their parents or grandparents in one of these places under terrible feelings of guilt.

Unfortunately, sometimes senior citizen housing is the only choice that you have. You cannot leave your parents or grandparents alone at home where they may endanger themselves. There is no one who can take care of them or assist them as they start needing help to do certain activities that they used to be able to do by themselves. Many accidents have happened because people keep leaving their elders alone at home although they know that those elderly people cannot take care of themselves as they used to be.

The positive aspects of senior citizen home

When we pass our prime time and start becoming seniors, it can be a frustrating experience, especially if we need others to help us to do certain things. In today’s fast-paced world, it is common that children do not have enough time to take care of parents. Children are busy with works and other social events that they need to attend so they leave their elderly parents at home.

A good senior citizen home can be the solution for this issue. You can place your elders in one of these places so they will have experienced staffs to take care of them. Another positive aspect is that they will not be lonely because they can have a social life with other people of their own age. Senior citizen home also offers regular activities to its residents to avoid monotonous life. Loneliness is one of the most common problems for elders and this facility may have the answer for their problem.

The negative aspects of senior citizen home

If you think back how your parents have taken care of you when you were only a small boy, it is hard not to do the same thing for them. It can be a traumatic experience for the whole family to place their elders into one of these senior citizen homes. In addition, many elders, even if they cannot take care of themselves properly anymore, prefer to stay home and welcome death rather than moving into a senior citizen home. Therefore, in many occasion, children force their elders to move.

This is indeed a dilemmatic situation as it seems that elders do not have any rights anymore and they are being lowered to an object. Some elders feel that they are helpless and unloved, which is not the way people should feel for their remaining lives.

What alternatives that you have?

If you do not want to place your elders in a senior citizen home, you have a couple other alternatives. You can hire an au pair for your elders. You should understand that many au pairs come from developing countries so you will not be surprised when you try to find one. An au pair is a good addition to your household as she can help with daily activities of elders, such as preparing meals, serving, and bathing.

Hiring a geriatric care nurse, either part time or full time, is another alternative that you can consider. For both alternatives, you should make sure that you choose the right person who has experiences in taking care of elders and has compassion in doing her job. These alternatives can answer your problem so you do not need to place your elders in a senior citizen home.

Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit Senior Home Plan to learn more about senior citizen retirement home.

The caregiver role is complex and differs for everyone depending on the needs of the care-receiver.Many times, in the beginning, there may only be a few needs, such as providing transportation or helping with shopping or cooking.

Over time, needs increase, requiring additional services, until the care-receiver is fully dependent on the caregiver.Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Every caregiver should know as much as possible about the care-receiver.You should know their characteristics and personality style. For example, you should know their likes, dislikes, family members, ailments, etc.

You should know if the care-receiver is outgoing or reserved, task-oriented or people-oriented. Once you get to know them better you will be able to understand their needs and behavior patterns.

2. Every caregiver should know and understand his/her responsibilities, duties, and tasks.As a caregiver, you have a responsibility to be sensitive to the needs of the care-receiver, and to find a way to satisfy their needs.

This may require you to enlist the help of others. The duties of the caregiver usually change and increase over a period of time. Set up and follow a care plan.

Recording essential daily information will assist everyone on the Care Team. It also allows another caregiver to take your place fairly easily.

3. Stay updated on the health condition of the care-receiver.

As the health of the elder deteriorates and more needs start to surface, it is important for the caregiver to find out how to cope with them.

Keep a log of his/her daily activities (medicine taken, food intake, sleep habits, temperament, etc.) so that you will always have a snapshot view of their current health.This information will help the doctor get a more complete picture of the condition of the care-receiver.

4. Assist as little as possible in tasks the senior can usually handle himself/herself. Just as it is not easy being a caregiver, it is not always easy being a care-receiver.

The gradual loss of independence and control over just about everything is difficult to accept. Remember, seniors have the right to their dignity and pride.

5. Caregivers should express warmth and concern towards the welfare of the care-receiver.

If the care-receiver has a poor self image or feelings of inferiority, the caregiver may have to provide reassurance while ignoring negative behavior.

A caregiver must have patience (and stamina) for change in moods.

6. Be a good listener. Many times seniors may simply want you to listen.They want to share their stories. Caregivers must be careful to avoid put downs and choosing sides.

Pay attention and be able to connect the dots between past, present, and future. Listen intuitively or use your sixth sense to hear underlying messages.

7. Smile a lot. Be a good friend and companion. Be as positive as possible.

8. When friends and family neglect to call or visit, do not hesitate to remind them.

9. Ask for help. Advocate for what you need. Sharing the care of a loved-one benefits everyone.

10. Maintain your self-composure and avoid stress. Elder abuse can occur as a result of caregiver stress.

It is imperative that you are aware of and deal with stress.

Rebecca Colmer is an elder Care Advocate, Author, Speaker, Publisher, and Caregiver. You can find more caregiving tools and resources at her website:
Caregiving Tools

If you are considering moving into a new home in the near future, you may want to consider building your own home. Whether you decide to hire a builder or manage the project yourself as an owner builder, you may want to consider using Universal Design techniques to improve the living conditions for the elderly members of your family, as well as plan for your own future in the home.

If building your home as an owner builder, you will have complete control over the design methods and all of the details. If you hire a builder, you’ll want to make sure he is familiar with the different Universal Design concepts.

So, what is Universal Design?

Because of Universal Design, different family members with different needs can all enjoy the same home. And that home will be there for all its inhabitants even when their needs change. So, whether you’re old or young, perfectly healthy or ill, a home built with Universal Design standards will fit the family’s needs.

Here are some features that are common in Universal Design:

1. Entries to the home without steps or stairs:

This feature is perfect for disable family members or elderly family members. But, it is also a great feature for everyone else as well. Likewise, the main rooms can be designed without any stairs leading into them. Many owner builders who are designing their new homes are using this very method, especially if they are planning to stay in their home well into the future.

2. Major rooms located on the first floor:

It’s more popular than ever to have the master bedroom located on the main floor. Universal design takes it a step farther by having all the major rooms - bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. - on the main floor to avoid stairs.

3. Doorways and hallways widened to allow for wheelchairs:

Universal design doorways are widened to 32″ - 36″ to accommodate wheelchairs. This is perfect for the elderly, but it also makes it easier for the entire family to move larger items in and out of the home. Hallways should be 36″ - 42″ wide. Stock home designs won’t have these adjustments. So, hire a builder who is familiar with these concepts, or design your own home as an owner builder to get the details the way you want them.

3. Extra floor space:

This concept obviously benefits the entire family. Everyone can use more space to roam, whether it’s a family member in a wheelchair or not.

4. Closets designed with adjustable brackets:

Owner builders and smart general contractors are designing homes with closets that have adjustable brackets to allow you to move clothing rods and shelves to different heights. Thus, a closet will adjust and grow along with a child, as well as be useful to you in your later years if you start using a wheelchair. Universal Design is about ensuring your home will adapt to your family’s changing needs.

5. Floors and bathtubs with non-slip surfaces:

Properly surfaced floors and tubs will help everyone in the family stay on their feet and prevent injury. This is a perfect example of how Universal Design is not just for the elderly or disabled. Likewise, you may want to consider installing handrails or grab bars in the bathrooms.

6. Rocker light switches and lever door handles:

People with disabilities, arthritic hands, or with poor hand strength will benefit from easy-to-use light switches and door handles. However, everyone in the home will like them, especially when your hands are full and can’t grab a standard door knob.

All of the above features are simple examples of Universal Design techniques that benefit the disabled or elderly. But, it’s also very easy to see how the entire family will enjoy these changes.

It’s also easy to see why people are building their homes using Universal Design features. Owner builders who are managing their own home design and construction will have full control over the details of the new home. More and more owner builders are turning to Universal Design as a way to care for every member of their family, not just the elderly.

Chris Esposito’s Owner Builder 101 program provides owner builder construction loans nationwide for those who want to manage the planning and construction of their new home. Visit www.OwnerBuilder101.com to get more info. Or call Owner Builder 101 at (877) 876-3688.

Years ago, people never bothered about long term care or thought about it. As parents aged, they often relied on their children to care for them. Today, most parents do not want to burden their children with their care in their old age. And people are living to a remarkable old age as well. This is one of the reasons why you should consider long term care insurance.

What is long term care insurance?

Long term care insurance allows for you to provide for your own care if you happen to become incapacitated and need long term care. As people get older, there is a 70 percent chance that they will need some sort of long term care in their lives. While part of this care can be covered by Medicare, most of it is not. This is where long term care insurance steps in. It can cover what Medicare does not instead of allowing your care to eat away at your savings.

Who should get long term care insurance?

We never know what the future will bring. It is advisable for you to plan for your future as there is a good chance that you may need long term care. This involves care in a rehabilitation facility as well as an assisted living residence. Most hospitals will send patients to rehabilitation facilities as soon as they are out of danger and Medicare does not cover much of those costs. This is why it is important for anyone to get long term care insurance - to plan for their future.

What type of plans are available?

Your plan will depend on your age and health. You can get a plan that will pay $150 a day for your long term health care for up to four years. One of the best aspects about this type of plan is that the money is drawn out of the pool of money set aside in the plan for your long term care. Many times, people go to rehab and then are back out. When this occurs, you do not have to continue paying and your money stays safe in your plan, ready to be used again if you need it.

You can also get an inflation option on your long term care insurance package as well. As you know, $150 years from now will not be worth as much as $150 today. For a few dollars more a month, you can get an inflation rider on your insurance package.

One way to save money for the long term care insurance package is by getting a higher exclusion period. There are exclusion periods of 30, 60 and 90 days. This is similar to a deductible on auto insurance. The longer the exclusion period, the less expensive the policy.

Long term health care insurance is something for everyone to think about, no matter what health you are in. We never can be sure of what the future holds. It is best to be prepared with long term care insurance.

Ron Subs is a writer and works with Long Term Health Care insurance. He can be reached for more information at
http://www.longtermcareinsurance-guide.com