Alzheimer’s and
Memory Loss

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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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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What is a PERS?

From our Care Blog

FirstLight franchisee, Michael LaVell, of Clarkston, Mich. discussed the benefits of a personal emergency response system (PERS) with The Eldercompass Blog earlier this week. Here are a few facts to get started: Approximately 12 million individuals currently receive home care from over 33,000 providers in the United States according to the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. As many of our nation’s elderly opt to remain in their home as they age, extra measures need to be taken to ensure their safety and independence. Part of maintaining autonomy is being prepared for unforeseen accidents or emergencies that may occur....

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Alzheimer’s Awareness

From our Care Blog

This Tuesday marks World Alzheimer’s Day. With this important day right around the corner, we wanted to take some time to shed light on the topic. Consider this*: • One in eight Americans aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s • 172 billion U.S. dollars are spent every year on the disease • There are 10.9 million unpaid Americans acting as caregivers to Alzheimer’s patients • Alzheimer’s was the seventh leading cause of death across all ages in the U.S. in 2006 Although Alzheimer’s affects people differently, some signs to be aware of in your loved one are: memory loss that...

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Personal Stories, Personal Care

From our Care Blog

More than 20 years ago, Kim Motter remembers when her grandmother, Olivia, could no longer live independently in her home after suffering from a severe fall. Kim remembers how at the time, in-home care options were limited. Nursing homes were really the only viable care option for her family, who lived some 250 miles away from her ailing grandmother. Today, times are different. Kim, who recently opened a FirstLight Home Care business with her partner Liza M. Burns in Dayton, Ohio, never forgot Olivia’s story. Its lasting impact carried over into a mission of providing in-home care for those who...

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Seniors Adapt to the Loss of a Partner

From our Care Blog

Coping with the death of a spouse is never easy. This week, I was again reminded of the number of people who deal with the fall out on a daily basis. On Tuesday, The Washington Post ran an eye-opening piece that discussed not only how the loss of a spouse can emotionally and physically impact an older American—but more importantly, it delved into new coping mechanisms brought forth by boomers. How are they changing the ways senior citizens are moving forward after a loss? Given the statistical data, changes are in order. The Post reports that those senior citizens measuring...

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How to Provide Care for the Caregiver

From our Care Blog

As a caregiver, you balance a busy schedule. Between work, family and caring for a senior or loved one, sometimes you find it difficult to make time for yourself. But finding time to do so can make all the difference in your work—just ask the experts at Caring.com, a great web resource that offers tips on how you can help parents and seniors in all aspects of their lives. This week I came across an interesting article discussing the topic of “me” time. Where does “me” time fit into caregiving? In quite a few places, actually. Those who make time...

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Senior Care and Vision Impairment

From our Care Blog

I hope all of you have been enjoying the summer so far! With so much to see and do during this relaxing time, it’s important to keep our loved ones and seniors in the mix. For those who are challenged by vision impairment, taking part in summer activities may be more challenging. Fortunately, if you are a senior caregiver or companion you can help. Today there are a variety of options that will help your loved one continue to live out his or her life to the fullest despite limitations. One of my favorite resources, The Savvy Senior, offers some...

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