Q - In caring for my elderly mother, I feel I’ve fallen into a rather limited routine. This summer, I’m hoping to up the excitement ante with interesting senior appropriate activities. What activities have you completed with your senior during past summers that are in line with June holidays, special days and events?

A1 - One of our June family traditions have stemmed from National Turkey Lovers month! While the point might be to honor the living creatures, we’ve created a special holiday to bring the family together at my senior father’s home. Of course we honor the turkey as it plays a role in our family feast, but it’s more about bonding as a family over a nice meal and showing my dad how much we all love and appreciate him.

- Sarah Denver

A2 – My senior mother loves the ocean, and since it’s become increasingly challenging to get to the coast and walk along the beach, instead we check out sea life by taking advantage of National Zoo and Aquarium Month which takes place in June. By going to a zoo or aquarium, my mother gets back some of the experience she’s missing by not getting around at the coast, and it’s an environment that accommodates a senior with more limited mobility. We look forward to June every year to check out our favorite aquatic animals, and it’s a great change from the everyday senior activities that we typically engage in!

- Melanie, 56

Image: Ipetshome.com

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

“How can you call yourself a caregiver when you live so far away?” was the surprising question that greeted me when I introduced myself at a caregiver support group in my local Denver community. I’ve been faced with adversity before when people learn I live across the country from my elderly mother; they assume I’m uninvolved, irresponsible, and sometimes even selfish because I’m not there in person to act as her senior caregiver. However, this wasn’t the kind of reaction I expected from a group who were already familiar with the challenges that come with caring for an aging parent.

Maybe you relate to this sentiment; I’m not a caregiver because I don’t live nearby, so why don’t you give me the opportunity to explain myself. I’m not the primary physical caregiver for my elderly mother on a day-to-day basis, but I am a caregiver. I have arranged for my mother to physically receive the best senior care in Denver. I assist her in managing her finances and assets, and I am the first one that her caregivers or healthcare providers would call in the case of a medical emergency or for assistance in making a healthcare related decision. I am always ready to fly across the country at just a moment’s notice, and I spend most of my free time learning about how to improve my mother’s care by talking to those who are with her regularly and consulting senior care resources.

Whether or not you’d call me a caregiver doesn’t matter, it’s not about the labels, it’s about providing the best care possible for my mother, even if it’s from a distance. I’m a caregiver, but call me what you’d like.

Sources:

1. National Institute on Aging

2. How to Care

Image: Ucsb.edu

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

Q – What signs indicate that a caregiver might be feeling overwhelmed?

A- A number of bad habits may surface, which may at face value appear harmless but when combined, can indicate that a caregiver is feeling overwhelmed, burdened, or stressed-out by their caregiving responsibilities. A senior caregiver exhibiting these signs who does not actively address their habits can develop future problems which can lead to elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

If you or a caregiver you know in Denver is exhibiting any of the following signs, it may be time to take a step back or reconsider how to effectively manage your senior caregiving duties.

• Trying to do too much, resulting in not getting anything done
•  Doing the wrong thing, regularly
•  Procrastination, everyday
•  Having no clear cut goals
•  Improper or no planning
•  Not completing tasks
•  Negative self talk
•  Guilt trips
•  Lax hand washing
•  Holding in, or offering no support
•  Smoking
•  Drinking too much
•  Junk food, poor diet
•  Emotional eating
•  Too much caffeine
•  Compulsive spending
•  No time off
•  Sleep deprived
•  Constant bad temper
•  Can’t or won’t delegate
•  Disorganized
•  Holding breath
•  Can’t prioritize
•  Time management problems
•  Can’t make a decision

Sources:
1. Eldercare ABC Blog

Image: Home Instead Senior Care

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

Q – I am a professional caregiver in Denver who prepares meals for a senior. I know that a history of osteoporosis runs in her family. Are there any foods that will help to prevent osteoporosis and promote bone strength and health?

A – There are foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals that promote good bone health. Many of these superfoods are readily available at any supermarket, although most people aren’t aware of their benefits to bones so they are overlooked. Next time you go shopping and need meal ideas for your senior care recipient, consider incorporating the following foods into your cooking, because bone health requires more than just calcium!

• Black pepper - contains 4 anti-osteoporosis compounds)
• Cabbage - source of boron
• Cod liver oil - source of vitamins A and D
• Dandelion - source of boron
• Garlic - source of sulphur
• Onions - source of sulphur
• Parsley - source of boron
• Pigweed (source of calcium)5
• Arugula - source of vitamin K• Broccoli - source of vitamin K
• Collards - source of vitamin K
• Kale - source of vitamins K and C
• Swiss chard - source of vitamins K and C, magnesium, and calcium
• Spinach - source of vitamins K and C and magnesium

Sources:

1. Dole Superfoods

2. Project-Aware

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

Q – I have noticed some signs that my elderly mother is struggling to live independently in her own home. While I have some ideas about home care, I do come from a large family in Denver and feel it’s important that I involve my siblings and immediate family in the decision making. What’s the best way to go about this?

A – Ask your immediate family to get together in Denver so that you can all discuss your concerns about your mother’s health and care. If not all siblings live close by, you can set-up a conference call so that everyone can be involved in discussing your mother’s care requirements. For the first meeting, don’t involve your mother, so you can talk openly about your concerns without upsetting her. Discussing eldercare requirements for a loved one, can be stressful, so keep the following tips in mind when planning your first family senior home care meeting.

1. Establish a goal for each meeting – the first meeting might be about discussing concerns, and making suggestions for how to proceed with home care

2. Invite only close relatives – invite your close siblings or other family members you feel must be involved, but try to keep numbers under 7 people

3. Allow each family member the chance to speak without interrupting

4. Share resources – each family member can bring information about your mother’s specific conditions or local resources that may be able to help

5. Have a moderator – invite a 3rd, impartial party like a counselor or Geriatric Care Manager to help keep the meeting on track if you feel there will be disputes about your mother’s care amongst family

Sources:

1. Elder Care Online

2. Suite101

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

When my mother was in her 70’s, we talked her into adding identity theft insurance to her home insurance policy, knowing that the chances she might be a victim of fraud were fairly high in the senior demographic. The policy offered by her insurance policy for identity theft coverage cost nearly $30 extra per month, but after careful research we decided the benefits were worth it. While fraud insurance doesn’t actually cover any financial losses at the result of identity theft, it does provide coverage relating to the recovery process that occurs after such a fraud has occurred, including lost wages and legal bills up to $15,000 per claim.

When choosing to get the identity theft insurance for my mother, I ensured that the whole family understood that we still can’t let our guard down when it comes to managing my mom’s affairs. The same precautions still need to be taken when reviewing her finances and handling important documentation to prevent identity theft and fraud; the policy is only an additional safeguard, but it doesn’t decrease her chances of becoming a victim.

I would recommend fraud insurance to all seniors provided the policy is affordable for their lifestyle and income level, and that appropriate coverage is available. Fortunately, while my aging mom has not yet been impacted by fraud, we know with the insurance, if it occurs, she will manage to recover from it.

Sources:

1. Spam Laws

2. Globe and Mail

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

Q – My mom’s been thinking about selling her home, which she has maintained even though she is currently living with a relative. After doing some research online, I realized there are some significant tax implications of selling a home, especially when it is mortgage free. Is there a better option to allow her to minimize the tax costs and maximize her assets?

A – The best bet is to have an estate planner review your mother’s specific circumstance and those assets that can be found in her property. However, there are a few options available such as reverse mortgages, trusts, and transfer of assets. Otherwise, at the time of her death, the property will be transferred to the named recipient as outlined on her will. An inheritance and/or estate tax will apply, which can be substantially less than the taxes your mother could pay if selling her home. At that stage, the person responsible for the estate under the will can sell the property to pay for funeral costs, can distribute profits to named family members, rent the home, or live in it themselves. Talk to an estate planner before making any definite decisions about how to handle your mother’s estate!

Sources:

1. ThinkGlink.com

2. Wikipedia

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

Q – I know my mother in Denver receives a lot of calls from telemarketers, and I worry that she might be exploited when they realize she’s a senior. Is there any way to make them stop calling?

A – Good news for your mother from Denver who can be registered for the National Do Not Call Registry established by the Federal Trade Commission in the United States which ensures that most telemarketers are blocked from calling her phone number. You can register your mom online or by calling in, and all you need is her name and phone number to add her to the list. After registering your elderly mother, she may continue to receive telemarketer calls for up to 30 days until the request takes effect. Some telemarketers will still be able to call, even if your mother is on the Do Not Call List, but only from those businesses that she has a relationship with, like the financial institution where she does her banking.

By registering your mother for the National Do Not Call Registry, you can sleep easy knowing that she won’t receive calls from telemarketers that might exploit her.

Sources:

1. Federal Trade Commission

2. DoNotCall.gov

Image: Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

Many seniors become reluctant to part with their belongings as they get older. For them, the odds and ends in their home may represent a past life with a deceased spouse and provide a sense of identity; so letting go of old furniture or clothing can be a very difficult task. Another factor that can contribute to a senior’s reluctance to part with their things relates to income; when living on a fixed income after retirement they just might not have the funding required to purchase new clothing or items for their home.

This year, help the senior in your life declutter their home and acknowledge which items could spare to be replaced. Instead of forcing them to spend to replace their older things, look around your home when completing your own spring cleaning in Denver and think about what might be donated to the senior.

Clean out your closet and determine which items you no longer wear would be appropriate in the senior’s wardrobe. Think about why you want to get rid of it; is it damaged? Is it worn out? Does it no longer suit today’s fashion trends? Clothing items which are gently used and sitting in your closet simply because they’re slightly out of date, may be perfect for a senior who worries more about function than fashion when choosing their clothing.

Other items that you might consider donating to a senior during spring cleaning in Denver can include furniture, electronics, bedding and linens and kitchenware to give them affordable new items for their home!

Sources:

1. Michigan Home Care Blog

2. About

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.

What would you do if you had an elderly parent with an addiction?

No one seems to suspect that senior citizens are at risk for drug addiction, but currently approximately 17% of people over the age of 60 abuse prescription medication, and many have adult children who are wondering: “what do we do?” People have preconceptions about what defines an addict, but age and pharmacueticals don’t discriminate.

The elderly who face depression, illness, and various ailments are more likely to become reliant upon their prescriptions and face withdrawal once they try to stop taking them. Addiction doesn’t mean you needlessly take medications; many seniors legitimately require pain killers to cope with Arthritis or sedatives to deal with the loss of a spouse, but it’s abuse when medications are taken consistently against medical instruction.

What if you had a parent who had a history of alcohol abuse and now uses prescription drugs? It’s a great debate with seniors who abuse prescription drugs, since they need them, is it fair to categorize seniors and label them as addicts as you would label an alcoholic? According to experts, drug abuse is addiction, regardless of medical need. Alcoholics also need to have a drink in order to avoid withdrawal, and that’s addiction too. But would you handle a senior’s prescription drug addiction the same way you’d intervene with an alcoholic?

Sources:

1. Bio-Medicine

2. Join Together

Call Home Instead Senior Care when seeking elder care in Denver. Call us at 303-745-4700.