Understanding
Senior Care

Who Should Get The Flu Vaccine

From our Care Blog

The flu is nasty! No one likes the chills, vomiting or fever associated with the illness. Although the thought of getting a shot is not pleasant, the effect of not getting the shot is even worse! The flu can cause moderate symptoms, but in many seniors, it can be fatal. Here Nurse Gina with FirstLight Home Care answers the most common questions about the flu and how to protect both you and your family against this all too common illness. Who Should Receive the Vaccine? First, all children aged 6 months and older should be vaccinated annually, with rare exceptions,...

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Should Americans Be Legally Obligated To Visit Their Aging Parents?

From our Care Blog

China recently passed the “Elderly Rights Law” legally obligating children to visit their parents who are 60 years and older “frequently” and provide for their “financial and spiritual needs.” Failure to comply with this law can result in fines, lawsuits or jail time. Although there is no time limit on how often a child must visit his aging parents, the law was in response to the growing number of elderly neglected by their children. “I hope this type of legislation will never be necessary in the United States now or the future,” says Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care,...

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Helping Seniors De-Clutter

From our Care Blog

Moving is hard under the best of circumstances. Moving your aging parents to an assisted living facility or retirement home takes on a whole new level of stress, because what you call “junk” are their prized possessions! Even downsizing to a smaller home can be traumatic. After living in one home for a long time, your senior parents have cupboards, closets and storage spaces overflowing. It can even look like a bad episode of Hoarders. Most of the heavy lifting and packing will fall to you unless you hire a small move specialist. The hardest part of the move is...

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Should Healthcare Cover Extended Families?

From our Care Blog

With so much debate going on right now over Obamacare and extending health insurance benefits to same sex couples, it raises the question: when are healthcare benefits going to be offered to extended families? “With so many parents living with their children in their senior years, the idea of a ‘nuclear family’ has changed with many generations living under one roof,” says Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care. “In the future, I hope we will see employers of the ‘sandwich generation’ extending healthcare benefits to more than just spouses and children.” Right now the only option for adult son...

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10 Things Seniors Can Do To Keep Up With Their Grandchildren

From our Care Blog

For older adults, relating to young people can be a challenge. It may take time, observation and investigation to fully understand what your grandchildren are interested in. But, after investing the time to learn about them and their interests, grandparents are able to relate to their grandchildren. 1. Play video games. Video games, especially games on the Wii system, are a great way to have fun with grandchildren. Playing video games allow grandchildren to do something that they enjoy and also helps seniors to exercise their hand-eye coordination. 2. Teach your grandchildren how to do something you enjoy. This can...

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The Financial Toll Of Caring For Your Aging Parents

From our Care Blog

Are you jeopardizing your own financial future and health by taking care of your aging parents? If you’re in the sandwich generation, your kids may be in college or thinking about going to college in the near future. You’d like to retire someday yourself, but your 401K is not as hefty as you’d like.  You’re also hoping to collect your own Social Security. This is the predicament many of the sandwich generation and baby boomers face. At FirstLight Home Care, we know it’s not about the money … caregiving for your parents is a labor of love, a payback for...

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How Can You Celebrate National Senior Citizens Day?

From our Care Blog

On August 19, 1988 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed August 21 as National Senior Citizens Day, a day to recognize and show appreciation for the value and contribution of elderly people to the family and society as a whole. In the Proclamation, he said “For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute. We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older—places in which older people can participate to the fullest...

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What aids are available to help elderly people walk?

From our Care Blog

Aging not only becomes apparent in the appearance of the skin and hair, it also has a marked effect on the body’s steadiness and ability to move. This is due to the body’s natural deterioration, though issues such as arthritis can also play a part. This can make moving around the house a difficult task and the prospect of going outside in the fresh air a distant hope. However, many aids are available to help elderly people remain independent and walk with renewed confidence. First, seek advice from an Occupational Therapist Before you invest in any type of mobility aid,...

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What Is The Aid & Attendance Program?

From our Care Blog

Is your parent a Veteran in need of home care?  Great news, the Aid and Attendance Program is an improved pension benefit offered by the Veterans Administration that can help pay for home care services.  This relatively unknown program is available for Veterans and their spouses who require regular attendance to assist in their daily routines, including eating, bathing, dressing, undressing, and medication dosing, among others.  The Aid and Attendance Program can also be used to aid those who are blind or in assisted living facilities due to mental or physical incapacity.  Another benefit of this program is that it...

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Who Pays For Home Care?

From our Care Blog

There comes a time in our lives when we must address the possibility of our parents needing home care. However, many people are concerned that with their limited budget they cannot afford to pay for it out-of-pocket. This is a difficult reality that most families will have to face, but home care is often the only alternative to placing their loved ones in a nursing home.  The good news is that there are plenty of financial aid services that can help cover professional home care expenses.  The following is a list of some financial alternatives that can help you pay for home care services....

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