Understanding
Senior Care

Caring for a Loved One with Parkinson’s Disease

From our Care Blog

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month Parkinson’s is an incurable, progressive neurological disease that primarily affects movement, but it can also affect cognition. Because of its progression, it can be difficult to care for someone with the disease. We have curated some helpful tips to support family caregivers who are caring for a loved one living with Parkinson’s. Understand the disease and the person living with Parkinson’s. There are special challenges when caring for someone with Parkinson’s because every day can present something new. The incidence and severity of Parkinson’s disease symptoms vary from day to day and even from one...

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Caregiver Burnout VS. Compassion Fatigue

From our Care Blog

For many, it’s hard to tell the difference between caregiver burnout and compassion fatigue, but there is a difference. Compassion fatigue occurs initially when caregivers cannot remove themselves from their loved one’s condition long enough to recover from the stress they feel when attending to another person’s needs. The caregiver can feel trapped and overwhelmed and can experience guilt, trauma, and depression. Compassion fatigue can come on suddenly and often includes: Exhaustion (physical and/or emotional) Feelings of dread or guilt Irritability, anxiety or anger Difficulty sleeping Difficulty making decisions Feeling disconnected Trouble finding meaning in caregiving Self-isolation Caregiver burnout, however,...

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Activities Seniors Can Do at Home

From our Care Blog

If you’re caring for a senior at home and venturing out less in order to keep them - and you - safe and healthy, we know it may be difficult to keep them entertained and engaged. But do not fear! Thanks to some excellent sources out there, we found tons of activities you can do with your loved one while you’re social distancing and staying indoors. Some of these may also be fun for the kiddos who need a break from their non-traditional school work. Take a Virtual Tour Zoos, aquariums, museums, and theme parks are offering virtual tours. Seniors can...

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Top Challenges When Caring For An Elderly Family Member

From our Care Blog

A family caregiver will spend more than 24 hours a week providing care to a loved one, although many will report spending more than 40 hours per week on caregiving duties, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving study in 2019. Family caregiving can be a genuinely rewarding experience, but it can also come with challenges. FirstLight Home Care has been serving local communities for the last 10 years and we have found that caregivers face these common top challenges when caring for elderly family members: Financial burden. Some of the financial consequences of supporting aging parents include the need...

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Our Commitment to You: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

From our Care Blog

There is no doubt we are in unprecedented times. With the ongoing and increased uncertainty of coronavirus (COVID-19), and the tremendous speed in which things are changing, caring for our clients, families, caregivers and team members continues to be our top priority. We want to ensure you that every member of our FirstLight family is informed daily of what is happening around us. And we are prepared for these types of situations. FirstLight® Home Care continues to actively monitor the progression of coronavirus (COVID-19) to ensure that we have the most accurate, updated information. The infection control practices we have...

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How Coronavirus Could Affect Seniors

From our Care Blog

We have been closely following Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates and reports from the CDC, the World Health Organization and other state and local entities, and our thoughts have undeniably been with all those affected. Recent news of the virus starting to spread in the U.S. is unsettling. While it's natural to worry and wonder what could happen if the spread of the virus gets worse, it's also important not to panic… but instead to be armed with helpful information from the experts. Of course, we at FirstLight Home Care are deeply committed to the health, safety and well-being of all our clients,...

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5 Surprising Ways Stress Can Impact Senior Health

From our Care Blog

Everyone experiences stress to some degree. Yet, it can be a silent factor of overall well-being, especially for seniors. Often, senior stress can mask itself in a number of ways, and cause serious issues that may be attributed to other senior health issues. Therefore, it’s important for seniors and their caregivers to understand the symptoms of stress, as well as the different ways to address and prevent it. Overeating When people get stressed, their body releases cortisol, a hormone that readies the body for a fight or flight response. This is why appetite increases during stressful situations: the body is...

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What Are The Early Signs Of Heart Disease?

From our Care Blog

Heart disease describes a variety of conditions that affect your heart. The Mayo Clinic places heart disease under an umbrella of different types of heart or cardiovascular diseases, including blood vessel diseases, such as coronary artery disease; heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias); and heart defects one is born with (congenital heart defects), among others. Early signs of heart disease depend on what type you have. And, these diseases and symptoms may be different for men and women. For instance, men are more likely to have chest pain; women are more likely to have other symptoms along with chest discomfort, such as...

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Best Practices for Effective Elderly Medication Management

From our Care Blog

One of the first questions to ask aging parents when helping them navigate their healthcare journey is about the medications they are taking. Studies conducted by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists have reported that 87% of seniors take at least one prescription drug, while 36% take five or more. It was also noted that 38% use over-the-counter medications.  Knowing which medications your parent takes can ensure effective elderly medication management and avoid common mistakes like taking the wrong dosage or missing doses. Taking the correct medications at the correct times will help your loved one stay on track with...

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Common Causes of Vision Loss in Older Adults

From our Care Blog

January is National Eye Care and National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Vision changes can occur as you get older. Based on statistical data from the American Optometric Association, approximately 142 million U.S. citizens age 40 and older have vision problems. It is important to know the most common age-related eye and vision problems, the signs and potential treatment options in order to retain good vision as you age. GLAUCOMA is a group of eye diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve resulting in loss of peripheral (side) vision. It often affects both eyes, typically one eye before the other. If...

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