Understanding
Senior Care

How Do I Reduce Caregiver Stress?

From our Care Blog

What family caregivers can do to alleviate stress and take care of themselves. As a family caregiver, you tend to be primarily focused on your loved one, and you don't always realize that your own health and well-being could be suffering. It’s important that you watch for these common signs of caregiver stress: Feeling overwhelmed or constantly worried Feeling tired often Getting too much (or not enough) sleep Drastic changes in weight Becoming easily irritated or angry Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy Feeling sad much of the time Having frequent headaches or other physical pains Abusing alcohol...

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Natural Disasters: Preparing for the Unexpected

From our Care Blog

"One person caring about another represents life's greatest value." - Jim Rohn While we can’t always predict or avert weather emergencies or natural disasters, we can try to prepare for them as much as possible so that we are always ready. Unexpected emergencies involving seniors can be even more challenging as many older adults have mobility issues, chronic health conditions, or they may not have family or friends nearby to assist them. We were quite inspired when we learned about the above-and-beyond measures one of our FirstLight franchise owners took during the recent hurricanes. When the massive storms blew through...

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Address Possible Safety Hazards

From our Care Blog

As we transition into autumn, and eventually into more wintry weather, it’s the perfect time to consider the safety, health, and well-being of older adults who are aging in the place they call home…especially if they are living alone. If you’re a family caregiver assisting an aging senior, now is the time to address all potential safety hazards, health challenges and home maintenance issues your loved one may face as they prepare for this season of change. Inspect the HVAC system. Cold temperatures can be difficult for the elderly. Schedule a regular maintenance check for your parents’ home heating system...

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Avoiding Caregiver Burnout When Dealing with Alzheimer's

From our Care Blog

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is a tough job. The stress, demand, and constant worry can take a heavy toll on the family caregiver, so much that they often don’t take good care of themselves. It can also be an emotional journey as the family member providing care watches their loved one’s memories disappear and their daily skills decline. This inevitably will lead to caregiver burnout. Caregiving for someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia can be all-consuming. Family caregivers face many responsibilities and it is easy to become overwhelmed. The best advice our caregivers at FirstLight...

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Coping Strategies for Dementia Caregivers

From our Care Blog

This week, we have a guest post from one of our readers, Annabelle Short. Anna is a caregiver to her mom who is living with dementia and she has some valuable advice on coping strategies for dementia caregivers. Sometimes, the decision of becoming a caregiver is not entirely up to you. Unexpected life events might lead you to start taking care of a loved one, and suddenly you realize you have a new career commitment: to care for someone else. This was precisely what happened to me when I had to start taking care of my mom. My mom suffers...

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Let’s Talk About Dementia

From our Care Blog

World Alzheimer's Month is an international campaign every September to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that surrounds dementia. The impact of World Alzheimer's Month is growing, but the misinformation that surrounds the disease remains a global issue that requires global action. We also understand that caring for someone with dementia can be challenging and stressful. It is important for family caregivers to take care of their own physical and mental health needs by seeking respite and focusing on self-care. Throughout the year, we focus on the impact Alzheimer’s has on the family. Here are three blog posts we have...

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What are the Signs of Senior Self-Neglect?

From our Care Blog

Self-neglect among the elderly is a growing problem that commonly goes unreported. We interviewed Nurse Beckie with FirstLight Home Care to learn more about this trend and how to prevent it. What is senior self-neglect? Senior self-neglect is when an elderly person is no longer able to meet his or her basic daily needs, which can result in serious health and safety concerns. The Aging Life Care Association has found that self-neglect among seniors is a more common form of non-financial neglect encountered by most caregivers. “When it is self-neglect and the senior is not able to take care of...

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Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Caring for Your Aging Parents

From our Care Blog

Approximately 34.2 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older in the last 12 months [National Alliance for Caregiving, 2019]. Every day a new family caregiver becomes part of this large group of people dealing head-on with the tasks of helping their parents with daily living: personal hygiene, dressing, food preparation, walking and mobility, transportation, housekeeping, medication management and more. If you are the family caregiver - whether you’re new to the role or not - we have compiled some advice to help you avoid 5 common mistakes when caring for your aging parents. Mistake...

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5 Ways to Ease the Stress of Back to School

From our Care Blog

Back-to-school time can be stressful and hectic for kids, and let’s be honest…for parents too. As families prepare to head back to school, parents may be feeling overwhelmed by the pressure that comes from managing their family’s needs in addition to their daily work and household responsibilities. Here are five ways to ease the stress of back to school for parents and help the entire family make a healthy transition from the lazy days of summer to the structure of the school year. 1. Establish routines: Before summer comes to an end, start establishing everyone’s school-day routines to avoid shocking...

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Caring for Our Military Caregivers

From our Care Blog

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." -- Joseph Campbell Earlier this year, Veterans Affairs officials agreed to a set of 12 recommendations that are meant to assist family caregivers of veterans with things like including caregivers in medical check-ups, creating new training and support services and expanding research into their challenges. Read more about these recommendations. Because of the work we do in non-medical home care and the services we provide to military caregivers and their loved ones, a couple of these recommendations stood out to us: Recommendation 6: Conduct...

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