Alzheimer’s and
Memory Loss

Fighting holiday stress – a caregiver’s guide

From our Care Blog

We all know the feeling; the anxiety that creeps around in November and builds up as the year end approaches. If you’re a family caregiver, you know this stress all too well. Holiday parties, events, shopping and vacation planning are all top of mind for many people but for family caregivers, the added stress of making sure elderly friends and family are provided for can compound and intensify these feelings. It’s a well known fact that caregiver stress, if not managed, takes a heavy toll on a person’s mental and physical health. Added to the stress that naturally arises around...

Learn More about Fighting holiday stress – a caregiver’s guide

Holiday Blessings – Health of Our Loved Ones

From our Care Blog

Holidays throughout the year are filled with excitement and joy. Most families look forward to holiday seasons as a time to gather family together, celebrate and look forward to another year. The holidays bring a time for thankfulness, tradition, reflection and hope. Traditions bring fond memories; although for families experiencing issues that come with aging family members such as complex medical conditions or dementia the holidays may mean rising concerns with new challenges. Many of us who live a long distance from parents and are in the "sandwich generation" are at an age where we may still be working, have...

Learn More about Holiday Blessings – Health of Our Loved Ones

Identifying family caregivers

From our Care Blog

National Family Caregivers Month started out as a weeklong celebration during the Thanksgiving holiday and has grown to encompass the entire month of November while gaining a following nationwide. National Family Caregivers Month was created as a time to thank, support, educate and empower family caregivers, an ever-growing role as our nation’s elderly population ages. With over 65 million family caregivers in the United States, it’s a topic that many people are personally affected by. According to the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) President and CEO Suzanne Mintz, the ongoing theme for this year’s message is Identifying Family Caregivers. This...

Learn More about Identifying family caregivers

Gift certificates for caregiving services? Get ‘em here!

From our Care Blog

Anyone who’s experienced first-hand the rewards and challenges of caring for an elderly loved one can attest to how stressful it can be, especially if you can’t take time off for yourself.  This week we launched FirstLight Home Care Instant Gift Certificate – an online program that allows you to purchase gift certificates for our professional caregiving services through a secure website. With the holidays around the corner, this is a great gift for anyone looking for respite care, or people who want to test out our services. Call or visit your nearest location today to find out details.

Learn More about Gift certificates for caregiving services? Get ‘em here!

Defining your resources in a crisis

From our Care Blog

Guest blogger Joni Aldrich addresses the importance of being able to ask for help when you need it. Here are her tips on how to ask for and accept help and on how to identify who is best for each situation.   As you go through any type of life crisis, you may need support from people who care. As you seek help, consider it a delegation process—not a burden. Many of us are too proud to ask for help from others, even if we realize that people care and want to offer support. Get past that, and accept help...

Learn More about Defining your resources in a crisis

FirstLight in the news! Gina Kaurich shares her tips on hiring a caregiver

From our Care Blog

Anyone who has had to find an in-home caregiver for an aging parent or relative can attest to the difficulty in finding someone trustworthy, qualified and responsible enough to provide care for a loved one. Gina Kaurich, FirstLight Home Care’s executive director of client care services, was recently interviewed by FamilyGoesStrong.com about things to consider when looking for a caregiver. One of Gina’s suggestions was to try a “share-care” with other family members. This is what she and her in-laws did with her mother-in-law Martha who suffers from Alzheimer’s. According to Gina, you should ask yourself how much time you’re...

Learn More about FirstLight in the news! Gina Kaurich shares her tips on hiring a caregiver

Disaster preparedness for older adults

From our Care Blog

As nature is hitting us with all forces across the nation; hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods, a key resource for eldercare is an emergency supply kit. Each older adult’s needs and abilities are unique, but every older adult can take important steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies and put plans in place, even when residing in retirement community. Start by evaluating personal needs when making an emergency plan. A commitment to planning today will help prepare the older adult for any emergency situation. Consider how a disaster might affect your individual needs. • Plan to make it on...

Learn More about Disaster preparedness for older adults

The doctor is in...in a month?

From our Care Blog

Today we bring you another guest post from eldercare expert Joni Aldrich. This month, she offers suggestions for the post-diagnosis medical waiting. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with an illness, waiting for that next phone call from your doctor or specialist can be agonizing. Here are some ideas to help you prepare for what lies ahead (and that will help that month fly by!). The days and weeks following the diagnosis of a serious illness can be torturous. After the initial shock wears off, most patients and their caregivers are anxious for the next step so that they can begin...

Learn More about The doctor is in...in a month?

Cancer myths can be risky assumptions

From our Care Blog

Another great post by guest blogger Joni Aldrich. This month, Joni addresses common myths associated with cancer. A myth is “an unfounded or false notion.” Although not usually considered dangerous, in the wrong context—such as associated with a cancer diagnosis—myths may lead to serious concerns. All cancers are created equal. With over 100 different types of cancer, don’t believe they are all created equal. Your own body chemistry, stage at the time of diagnosis, and overall health require special consideration in an effective treatment regimen. In The Saving of Gordon: Lifelines to W-I-N Against Cancer, we discuss the four cancer...

Learn More about Cancer myths can be risky assumptions

How to hire a caregiver that actually cares

From our Care Blog

As awareness of elder abuse increases, the difficulties of finding and hiring a trustworthy caregiver are brought to light. Many adult children have learned the hard way, as told in a recent LA Times article. The search for the right caregiver is made even more challenging in states like California where caregiver background checks and screenings are not required. Here are a few of the most important things to consider when hiring a caregiver for an elderly loved one: • Decide exactly what you need and write it down. Create a job description that encompasses everything that is important to...

Learn More about How to hire a caregiver that actually cares