Firstlight Resources

Oral health care for the elderly

From our Care Blog

A recent visit to the dentist left me thinking about the issue of oral health care for the elderly. A report on the oral health of older Americans noted that dental care is a luxury many of the seniors in our society can’t afford; a whopping 20 percent of Americans age 75 and older lack any form of dental insurance. Additionally, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 23 percent of people between the ages of 65 and 74 have severe periodontal disease. Poor oral health in the elderly can lead to inadequate diet, malnutrition, inadequate oral...

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Another End of the Spectrum

From our Care Blog

My mother in law, Martha, who has Alzheimer’s disease, has been my main focus here; however, today I would like to talk about my foster mother who is 88 years old.  Her name is Jule, short for Julia, and I can still hear my foster dad say, “Now Jule” when they would disagree about something and he felt she had crossed the line.  I guess because this was such a rare event it made an impression on me.  It just occurred to me you might be wondering how I ended up with foster parents.  Well, first let me say these...

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Cruisin' in the fast lane

From our Care Blog

A recent video news clip from Philadelphia’s NBC affiliate shows a 68-year old woman driving the wrong way down a major express way—putting her life as well as many others on the road at stake. Unfortunately, this scenario and other related accidents occur daily as many seniors encounter driving difficulties as they age. According to AAA, 86 percent of respondents to a recent survey said they were “concerned” about their elderly parent’s ability to drive. Assessing an older adult’s driving skills and deciding whether or not to take the keys away is a very hard decision. There are many factors...

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The Mystery of the Observation Status

From our Care Blog

As of today, Martha, my mother in law, has been in the hospital 6 days.  She has received a multitude of tests, IV’s and nurses and doctors have been in and out to see her.  The medical social worker (MSW) visited and told us she could make arrangements for her to be discharged to a Rehabilitation center for physical and occupational therapy; however, the facility wanted $8,000.00 up front.  After the initial shock, where I almost had to resuscitate the rest of the family, we began to ask questions.  Come to find out, Martha has been an observation patient this...

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How Daylight Savings Time Effects Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s Disease

From our Care Blog

It occurred to me as I sat at breakfast with my mother in law, Martha, who suffers with Alzheimer’s disease that she didn’t seem quite herself today.  That may sound strange to some of you but even as an individual is progressing through the dementia stages they do retain certain parts of their personality.  Now, sometimes the subtle changes can occur before an illness such as a urinary tract infection or even dehydration.  So I started this morning with running through the gamut of potential problems.  Beginning with the small things such as the lighting being adequate, is she warm...

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Caregiving Stories from Nurse Gina – Personal stories of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease from the perspective of a Certified Dementia Practitioner

From our Care Blog

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignleft" width="99" caption="In addition to being a Registered Nurse and Certified Dementia Practitioner, Gina Kaurich (above) is also a caregiver of her mother-in-law."][/caption] You would think by now I would be accustom to the depersonalization of the hospital system. After all, I have been a Registered Nurse since 1973 and worked as a candy striper starting in junior high. But I continue to be faced with generalizations when it comes to some of the medical community working with people. It saddens me for those who do not have the knowledge to make decisions, often very tough decisions regarding...

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How to cope with a loved one’s memory loss

From our Care Blog

Studies estimate that up to 40 percent of adults over age 50 suffer from age-related memory loss. Diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia affect thousands of elderly Americans as well as their caregivers and loved ones. Renowned psychologist Dr. Dale Atkins, PhD. was recently interviewed on the TODAY show where she offered ways caregivers and friends and family members of victims of memory loss can remain connected. Here are a few of her suggestions: • Continue to take part in events and activities that you both previously enjoyed together and still love to do. This helps remind...

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In the News: FirstLight Franchisee Offers Tips for Seniors on Social Media

From our Care Blog

An increasing number of seniors are turning to social media as a way to connect with family and friends. Social media can provide a safe and easy way for seniors to stay updated and connected with family members – especially with loved ones that live out-of-state. Websites like Facebook can provide seniors who might be feeling lonely with a good sense of companionship. FirstLight franchisee Michael LaVell was featured this week in Michigan Senior Living and provided expert commentary on ways seniors can utilize social media safely. Here are some things to keep in mind when getting your senior familiar...

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In the news: FirstLight’s director of client services Gina Kaurich discusses seniors who bully

From our Care Blog

Msnbc.com published an article this week that brought much needed attention to the issue of senior bullying. FirstLight’s director of client services, Gina Kaurich, lent her expertise on the matter. As a previous director of nursing at an assisted living facility she has seen how far senior bullying can go. According to Kaurich, there is a type of caste system among residents in many nursing home facilities that can exacerbate the mistreatment of seniors in the home. There is little research on elderly bullying but senior care experts estimate about 10-20 percent of seniors have experienced some type of aggression...

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Are you physically able to be your parents' caregiver?

From our Care Blog

I stumbled upon an article today on the Maturity Matters blog that raised a very poignant question: Are you physically able to be your parents’ caregiver? With the boomer population rapidly increasing and the desire to age in place greater than ever, it’s no surprise many of us will inevitably start taking care of our parents. As anyone in the home care industry can attest, the job of caregiver is -- albeit filled with love -- also a frustrating, exhausting, emotional, sometimes boring and often lonely experience. What can caregivers do to keep themselves in shape for this kind of...

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