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Category: Caregivers

Have you reached the point in life where it is time to take care of the parents or grandparents that once took care of you? As your loved ones grow older, they often need help with small tasks like picking up groceries, making health-related decisions, or bathing. Whatever their needs may be, it is essential to be supportive and not overbearing. Here are a few steps to help guide you as you navigate supporting an aging loved one. 

Step 1: Assess Their Needs 

Assessing your loved one’s needs is most important when learning to be supportive rather than making them feel like they have not lost their independence. Experts recommend considering the following issues seniors often face to help you better assess their needs:

  • Family support 
  • Home safety 
  • Medical needs 
  • Cognitive health 
  • Mobility
  • Personal hygiene 
  • Meal preparation 
  • Social interaction 

How well do they handle each area listed above? Try to monitor their ability to address each of these areas on their own. Regarding family support, is there another family that can help? If so, it is an innovative idea for you to keep a family notebook. In this notebook, you can share with family when you notice they might lack the ability to care for themselves or are unsafe. You can work together to make the necessary changes.  

Step 2: Be Financially Prepared 

As parents or loved ones grow older, they may need help managing finances. While having conversations about money can be awkward, and some may want to avoid it, discussing it now can help prepare for the future. You can start the conversation by asking about essential documents, gathering information about accounts and key contacts, and helping with deciding long-term plans. If you talk to your loved ones now, it will give them more control over financial decisions, so you aren’t overwhelmed with what they would want in an emergency.

Step 3: Install Home Modifications 

To avoid your loved one from sustaining an injury in their home, having accessibility experts evaluate their home for any safety concerns is essential. Older adults fall easier, and a fall can cause injuries or even death. With home modifications, such as grab bars or stairlifts, your loved one can live comfortably and safely at home.

It is a noble endeavor to take on someone else’s needs. It can sometimes feel daunting, yet if you have a plan, you will be more capable of meeting your loved one’s needs. Next Day Access is here to help. Next Day Access can assist you with determining the home modifications you will need to ensure your loved one stays as safe as possible. Contact us for a free in-home consultation. 

Posted in Caregivers, Finances, Health & WellnessTagged , , , , , , , , ,

Family caregivers often have to find a balance as a caretaker with providing care of a loved one with a disability or limited mobility and the needs of themselves, their spouse, children, and career simultaneously. While caregiving is rewarding and can make a difference in lives, it is a huge time commitment and can become emotionally demanding.  

A report from the AARP Public Policy Institute in 2012 found that “Among working caregivers caring for a family member or friend, 69% report having to rearrange their work schedule, decreasing their hours or take an unpaid leave in order to meet their caregiving responsibilities.” 

Most must factor in financial burdens, including loss of wages, health insurance and other job benefits while maintaining a career and caregiving. There is also a possibility for lower productivity and the need for extra time off.

Unfortunately, this could influence your ability to climb the career ladder. Of course, we do not want to let the needs of our loved ones go unmet so here are some tips to help you find work/life balance. 

5 Tips to Finding a Work/Life Balance

  • Seek out community resources that can provide a variety of support to help families and informal caregivers for older adults aging in place. Some services offer guides, training, videos, etc.  
  • Check out your company’s policies for sick and other leave time. Be aware of the employee assistance programs available to you and make use of them. Many times, you can find a therapist through EAP, a therapist can guide keep you from feeling stressed.
  • Communicate with your upper management staff. Make them aware of the struggles you face with your caregiving responsibilities. Open communications with your employer could lead to creative problem solving and empathy on their part. 
  • Stay organized. You can relieve some stress off yourself by organizing your time, activities, and paperwork. Find a system that works for you. It could be a paper filing system, calendar with alerts or computerized spreadsheet and stay on a good schedule. 
  • Contact Next Day Access. Most of the products we carry are to help you and your loved one feel safer and more comfortable. For guaranteed peace of mind, contact us and we can go over different options we have. Our free in-home evaluations allow our accessibility experts to make suggestions on products that can make life easier for your caregiving tasks. 

Caregiving can become exhausting and lonely. Reaching out for resources and asking for help can help you find a balance with work, life, and caregiving. We would love to hear what strategies you use to balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Feel free to comment on this blog.  

Posted in Caregivers

Caring for an aging parent often goes beyond simply ensuring they take medication on time. As they get older, you might have to help them dig up old medical records, financial documentation, and other important documents as needed. Reviewing these records is an essential part of senior living, even though it might not be the most fun.

Documents for Caring for an Aging Parent

Caring for an aging parent involves much more than just providing daily assistance. It requires careful management of their medical, financial, and legal affairs. To ensure their well-being, it’s crucial to have access to essential documents that cover various aspects of their lives. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the vital documents you need when caring for an aging parent. Let’s delve into the world of essential documents for caring for an aging parent.

Medical Documents

The possibility of a medical emergency could arise at any moment of time and day.  Knowing where to find your loved one’s medical history can save their life. When emergency personnel are helping your loved one, they need to know what medications they take, medical history, and other factors to ensure they administer appropriate care. You should have access to other medical documents, including their living will, health care proxy, and insurance policies.

Financial Statements

Seniors might need to provide specific financial statements when applying for Medicaid or other types of financial aid. Important financial documents include:

  • Retirement account statements
  • Tax returns
  • Stocks, bonds, or brokerage accounts
  • Property deeds
  • Vehicle titles
  • Bank account statements

Having quick access to these documents can help speed up the processing of requests so your aging parent won’t have to experience financial strain at any time.

Estate Planning 

When it comes to documents for caring for an aging parent, an estate plan is very important. It includes the will, power of attorney, probate, trusts, and advanced healthcare directives. Having access to an estate plan is helpful because it can help you assist your loved ones in a medical or financial emergency and, at their deaths, ease the distribution of their estate.

More Than Documents for Caring for An Aging Parent

Next Day Access is here to help you care for your aging parent. There are many different aspects of providing care, and we can help with a lot of the physical aspects. With the right mobility aids and devices, you can have peace of mind knowing your senior loved ones are safe in their homes. We are available to help in any way we can, so contact us today to learn more about our products and services.

Posted in Caregivers

Caring for an aging parent is not easy. It is natural to feel frustrated, exhausted, and sad. The emotional and physical stress of caregiving is common, especially when the caretaker has many other responsibilities. However, some technological devices can help make the process easier. Here are some caregiver tips to consider when it comes to using technology into your daily routine.

Home Automation Systems

Having a home automation system in your loved one’s home can provide ultimate peace of mind. Security cameras keep them safe from possible intruders while also allowing you to keep an eye on them as they are home alone. And if your aging parent has a hard time getting up and moving around throughout the day, smart thermostats and lights will help them avoid moving around more than they have to.

Smartphone Apps For Reminders

If your loved one has a smartphone, download an app that sends reminders to take medications or go to their appointment. Remembering to take different pills throughout the day can be difficult. Therefore, regular reminders can help with sticking to a schedule. Or, if using a smartphone is hard for them, you can download the app on your phone and call when it’s time for them to take their medication.

Medical Alert Devices

A medical alert device can be an important part of senior care. These devices are in the form of a wristband that’s comfortable to wear throughout the day. If your loved one falls or has a medical emergency, emergency services are contacted immediately with a push of a button. 

Telehealth

Telehealth is a new way to see your doctor or physician. Instead of physically going into the doctor’s office and waiting, telehealth allows for the ease of getting diagnosed through a computer screen. They can remain in the comfort of their home and see a doctor in a matter of minutes to discuss their symptoms. 

Caregiver Tips For Modern Day

Next Day Access provides many different options for helping you take care of your aging parents. Our mobility devices can give you peace of mind that your parents are safe, and they will feel more confident aging in place as well. For more caregiver tips and to learn about the products we offer, feel free to contact us at any time.

Posted in Caregivers, Technology

According to the Administration for Community Living, about 13.8 million seniors lived alone in their homes in 2017. As many strive for aging in place, adjustments need to be made to ensure their independent living situation is ideal. If not, it can lead to isolation and loneliness, causing a drop in one’s mental and physical health. Here are some of the dangers.

Unhealthy Habits Can Develop When Living Alone

Living alone and isolated can lead to poor health habits. Common unhealthy habits are eating an excessive amount of junk food, a lack of sleep, and not getting enough exercise. Eating well and exercising can benefit a person’s physical and mental health and prevent several health concerns. If your senior loved one seems to be picking up more unhealthy habits than usual, encourage them to seek some of these healthy habits.

Cognitive Health May Decline

People who experience loneliness can contribute to a decline in cognitive health. A cognitive decline is the worsening or increased frequency of memory loss and confusion. If you notice your senior loved one is acting differently or becoming forgetful, start looking into senior care options to keep a close eye on them. Catching symptoms can help with treatment and the slowing of their cognitive decline.

The Dangers of Stress

It is common for seniors to have an increase in stress. Some causes can be a change in lifestyle after retirement, a loss of a friend or family member, and the development of chronic illnesses. Stress can take a toll on the body over time, so talk with your loved ones about ways you can help them reduce it. A couple of ways to help reduce stress are engaging in an active lifestyle or volunteering. Find what works for them to help relieve some stress.

Next Day Access wants to help seniors thrive with independent living. We can help by offering mobility aids and devices to help them get around much easier and become more motivated to keep up healthy habits. Feel free to reach out to us at any time to learn more about our products and how we can help.

Posted in Caregivers, Health & Wellness

Caring for an aging parent is a privilege. However, not everyone is able to do so for various reasons. Hiring a caregiver is usually ideal compared to relocating your parents to a nursing home or an assisted living facility. However, since their caregiver will be spending hours each day with them, developing a strong relationship built on trust is essential to create a positive situation. These tips can help you set a strong foundation and continue to build levels of trust with your loved one’s caregiver.

Set Expectations Upfront

Before hiring a caregiver, talk to your parents about their expectations. As you interview a potential caregiver, make a list of expectations, meal plans, housekeeping duties, personal habits, activities, and other essentials. Also, make sure to ask them to bring their list of their rules, so you can all be on the same page and ensure it’s a great mutual fit before getting started.

Communicate Openly About All Issues

Communication is critical when developing a strong relationship with your loved one’s caregiver. This means not only mentioning what could change or needs to be fixed but also letting them know the good things you’re noticing about how they provide senior care. You should also be available to answer any questions or talk about any concerns the caregiver has so they can provide the appropriate care to meet expectations.

View Your Loved One’s Caregiver As A Person

Caring for seniors living at home can be a challenge, and it’s a job that requires lots of patience. When you find a good caregiver, they can become part of the family in the long term, treat them as if they are already part of your family.

Avoid Micromanaging

Providing senior care can take many twists and turns based on the health of your loved one. Establishing a two-way communication system will help resolve any problems before they happen. No one likes to be controlled or micromanaged. So when you work together to solve a problem, the solution often ends up being the right one for your loved one.

Next Day Access has a lot of respect for caregivers. Their job can be challenging at times, but it’s also one of the most rewarding jobs to have. There are many different aspects of providing senior care, and one of them is helping seniors get from one place to another. We offer a variety of mobility products and aids to assist with this aspect, so contact us today to see how we can help.

Posted in Caregivers

Being a caregiver for a loved one is arguably the most rewarding job you could have. However, as rewarding as it is, you can’t underestimate the challenges you’ll face doing the job and trying to live your life as normally as possible. Utilizing the resources available to you is key. Whether it’s installing grab bars, investing in portable showers, using a shower chair, or any other type of product, find ways to make your job easier. Here are some valuable accessibility products for family caregivers to consider.

Grab Bars

Grab bars are some of the simplest products that take a matter of minutes to install but can increase the safety level inside a home tremendously. Common places to install grab bars are in the bathroom, particularly by the toilet, sink, shower, or bathtub. These are stronger than towel bars and can withstand a person’s weight. Bathroom safety is important to prioritize, and grab bars can make the area much safer.

Portable Showers

If your loved one recently had surgery or is recovering from an illness, a portable shower allows for ease for people with limited mobility access. The showers make it accessible for the wheelchair to roll directly into the portable shower.

Shower Chair

A shower chair can be used as a temporary solution or installed permanently onto the wall. As your loved one gets older, standing for 10 minutes can become a challenge. Having a shower chair readily available can give them and you some peace of mind that they can take a break when needed. A shower chair can prevent falls from happening on slippery floors and allow for weak legs to rest.

Walk-In Tub

A walk-in tub is a great investment for people with limited mobility. It allows for an easier entry into the bathtub without having to take a big step. They can sit on an elevated seat, making it easier to get up. The water can fill up as high as they want it to on their body, and some models have water jets they can use to relieve some pressure points or tension.

Next Day Access loves helping caregivers make their jobs of caring for a loved one easier. We have a long line of mobility products to help no matter what your situation is, so contact us today to see how we can help.

Posted in Caregivers

Whether you’re a caregiver to your aging parents or not, monitoring their health is important. Natural changes occur in everyone as they get older, but it doesn’t necessarily mean a cognitive disability is developing. The most challenging part is identifying what a normal part of aging is and an abnormal change.  Being aware of the changes is the best way to help you identify the differences between normal and abnormal cognition changes. Here are some things to keep in mind as a caregiver.

Warning Signs To Look Out For

Some of the changes your senior loved one experiences might be sudden. Common warning signs that might signify larger issues are in play include:

  • Inability to recall events that occurred within the last few days
  • Losing interest in hobbies or interacting with others
  • Rapid weight gain or lose
  • Trouble remembering taking medication, showering, eating, or other routine tasks
  • Changes in personality

It’s important for a caregiver to monitor these signs and take action when needed. The earlier the signs are brought to the attention of a medical professional, the better the chances are that the symptoms can be reversed.

Ask About Sleep, Exercise, And Diet

 A lack of sleep, exercise, and a poor diet could be some of the warning signs. These are incredibly important factors to a person’s cognitive health and could be simple solutions to reverse the negative effects. Ask your aging parents if they have been sleeping well or if they wake up multiple times each night. Also, ask them questions about their diet and if they need any assistance preparing healthier food options. Many seniors often neglect exercising because of the fear of falling or experiencing pain. Regardless of the situation, an important part of senior living is having a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and sleeping well, so those aspects need to be prioritized so it won’t lead to cognitive decline.

Steps To Take If You Have A Serious Concern

Whether you’re providing primary senior care to an aging parent or not, take the necessary steps to get them help when needed. Confronting a parent isn’t always easy, but it could be necessary for their short-term and long-term health. You can help by taking them to a doctor’s appointment to get evaluated and keeping in close contact with them. Open lines of communication are essential, and those lines of communication have to work both ways to be effective.

Next Day Access is here to help you provide the most effective senior care possible for your aging parents. Feel free to contact us at any time if you need assistance with home modifications for your senior loved one.

Posted in Caregivers, Health & Wellness

Caring for an aging parent is something most people will have to do at some point in their lifetime. However, you don’t know when the time will come and what your situation will be like. According to an article from AARP, more than ten million millennials are caregivers to an aging parent or a loved one. Being a primary caregiver brings about plenty of challenges in general, but when you consider the responsibilities millennials have in their own lives, it’s easy to see some of the many obstacles they face. Caring for a loved one is an important job, and we’ve highlighted some of the challenges millennials have when taking care of an aging parent.

Proximity To Their Loved Ones

Many millennials today have been to college, explored other cities or countries, and might have settled down in a city far away from their hometown. Millennials are typically less likely to come back home permanently, which makes caring for a loved one from a distance very challenging. Coming back is an option, but it’s not always that easy when you consider job responsibilities and other factors that have them rooted in their current location.

Financial Struggles

Millennials might be just out of college and have mounds of debt as a result, or they could have a family to provide for. Regardless of the specific situation, financial struggles are very real for people in the 18-34-year-old range. Caring for a loved one on top of that can put a significant strain on a budget, especially if the aging parents don’t have the financial means to support themselves. The cost of assisted living facilities is high and not affordable for many families. However, is the cost of caring for an aging parent at home reasonable for your situation?

Prioritizing Responsibilities

A common characteristic for millennials is they are always busy. Whether it’s working hard to advance in their careers, participating in school activities with their kids, or taking care of homeowner responsibilities, millennials constantly have things to do. When an aging parent becomes ill or injured suddenly, priorities have to change just as quickly. Preparing for this is sometimes impossible, but when you have a strong desire to care for your loved one, you’ll find a way to do it no matter how hard it may be.

Next Day Access wants to help seniors stay at home and live as comfortably as possible. We even help primary caregivers by providing seniors living at home with accessibility tools to boost their independence. Peace of mind is sometimes challenging to have as a millennial caregiver, so contact us today to see how we can help you find yours.

Posted in Caregivers, Health & Wellness

Whether you’re an older adult living at home or have a physical disability that limits your mobility, bathroom safety should be a top priority. According to the National Council on Aging, falling is the result of more than three million emergency department visits every year. What may be even more surprising about that statistic is most of the falls are preventable. Improving bathroom safety should begin with evaluating your current bathtub or shower and deciding whether a walk-in tub or shower could be beneficial. Here are the main factors to consider between the two.

Benefits of a Walk-In Tub

Older adults striving for independent living can benefit from a walk-in tub in many ways. The anti-slip surface provides better traction than traditional bathtubs or showers to help prevent slipping and falling. The lower threshold also means you don’t have to lift your feet as high to enter, so it’s not as difficult to maintain your balance. A walk-in tub is shaped differently from traditional tubs since they are taller but not as wide. This means you can more easily submerge your body in the water and allow the hydrotherapy jets to target your aches and pain points. 

Walk-In Showers Have Some Limitations

If you’re used to primarily taking a shower instead of a bath, then you may be considering upgrading to a walk-in shower. These can be more spacious than traditional shower-tub combinations, but the problem is they don’t allow for sitting and taking a bath if you want to. For a senior living at home, having this option is important so you can sit and relax after a long day, or if you get to a point where standing for several minutes becomes more difficult. 

Your Current and Future Needs When Deciding

Some of the things to consider when deciding whether a walk-in tub or a walk-in shower is right for you include:

  • Any mobility limitations you have
  • Whether you would benefit from hydrotherapy jets to target pain points
  • Possible slip hazards
  • Whether you enjoy sitting and relaxing occasionally

It’s essential to think about these factors for your current situation and what you may want in the future. A walk-in tub or a walk-in shower is a significant investment, so it’s important to get what you need for the long-term since the decision is difficult to reverse once installed. A walk-in tub is usually the popular choice for a senior living at home. It is easily accessible and suitable for aging in place without risking safety as much.

Next Day Access strives to help seniors with their independent living efforts. Walk-in tubs and walk-in showers are popular upgrades to bathrooms, but you have to think closely about which one is most ideal for you. Most seniors opt for a walk-in tub, and it’s easy to see why with all of the luxury features they have available. Safety is always the number one concern for a senior living at home, and a walk-in tub can enhance it. If you’re thinking about upgrading your bathroom, contact us, and we would be thrilled to provide you with a free home assessment and help you learn about the options available to you.

Posted in Aging in Place, Bathroom Safety, Caregivers, Home & Bath ModificationTagged , , ,

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