- Aging in Place
- Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care at Home
- Bathroom, Eating & Drinking Aids
- Emergencies
- Hiring Homecare
- Hiring Home Health Care
- Home Modification
- Home Safety & Fall Prevention
- Hospital Discharge
- Housework, Dressing & Eating Tips
- Injection How-to’s
- Pain Management
- Positioning & Exercises for the Bedridden
- Senior Driving Issues
Determining Hospice Eligibility for Dementia
How do you know if your loved one is eligible to receive hospice services? How does a physician make a prognosis of six months or less for a patient? Let’s take a look at the criteria that hospice and medical professionals utilize when determining whether a patient is appropriate for hospice services. A life-limiting dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease will progress over time. Patients can live with this dementia for several years; many are even able to remain at...Read the rest of this article »
Step 1 of Hiring a Homecare Agency: Crucial Questions
There are three basic ways to go about hiring a caregiver. First, you need to decide whether to hire a private caregiver or go through an agency. There are two kinds of homecare agencies: referral and full-service. This article outlines the questions you need to ask if you decide to go the agency route. Gilbert Guide also provides information on hiring private caregivers and working with agencies, along with detailed explanations of the services you can expect from all three...Read the rest of this article »
Sundowner’s Syndrome—Causes, Symptoms, Suggestions
“The nights are the hardest.” I’ve heard this phrase from many people I’ve known—family members who’ve lost loved ones, friends recovering from addictions. Somehow in nighttime, with its relative quiet and vivid darkness, it’s nearly impossible to hide from one’s own mind. For people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, nighttime can be so much more than a bit too dark and quiet. In fact, sundown may be a trigger for extreme agitation and confusion...Read the rest of this article »
Step 2 of Hiring a Homecare Agency: Assessment, Care Plans & Contracts
Assessment Before signing a contract with a homecare agency, an assessment will be made to determine the needs of the person who requires care. Many companies offer this service for free. During an assessment, an agency representative will visit your loved one in the home or at the hospital. The agency representative will ask questions and look around the house if needed. The following issues should be assessed by both interview and observation: Physical health Medication use Amount of...Read the rest of this article »
Homecare: The Differences Between Full-Service Agencies, Private Hire & Referral Agencies
Homecare, also known as in-home care, provides a caregiver to work in your home and help with activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and household chores. Some homecare aides accept clients who live in assisted living or skilled nursing facilities, and in those cases they work with their clients in the facility rather than the client's home. There are three basic ways to go about hiring a professional caregiver. First, you need to decide...Read the rest of this article »
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