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Miami Caregiver Explains How To Support Someone With Dementia
Posted by Scott Cantin in Senior Health | 0 comments
How To Care For Someone With Dementia In Miami, FL
Learning that a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia is distressing for a lot of people. In many cases, getting the diagnosis is just the start of what’s often a challenging journey for the individual with the disease as well as their caregivers.
While senior dementia care is sometimes riddled with challenges, it’s also rewarding in a countless number of ways. Although your loved one may not be able to thank you for the care you provide, the journey the two of you will share will reward you with tender moments, small and large victories, and lifelong memories.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for dementia, and only a limited number of options are available to treat the disease’s symptoms. The care you provide can have the most significant influence on the quality of your loved one’s life as their disease progresses. That influence makes the care you render the greatest gift you can give to them.
Advancare is here for senior dementia care you can rely on. When you partner with our Miami home-care agency, you’ll never be alone in the journey you share with your loved one. We’ll be with you every step of the way.
Prepare for the Journey
The moment you learn that someone you care about has dementia, it’s time to act. By preparing for the journey ahead, your loved one will be able to participate in the planning process while they’re still able to think and communicate clearly.
Talk to your loved one about who they want to act as the power of attorney for both their finances and healthcare. Have a lawyer draw up paperwork so the appointed people will be able to make decisions when necessary.
Discuss who your loved one wants to care for them and where the person will live as their disease advances. Will your loved one live at home at the start and then relocate to an assisted living dementia care unit down the line? Talk to your loved one about the available options so you’ll know what they want even if they can’t communicate in the future.
Create a Support Network
Caring for a person with dementia typically becomes increasingly difficult as the disease progresses. A patient’s moods may swing, their behavior might become unpredictable, and their ability to function independently may literally vanish before your very eyes.
Witnessing your loved one experience the ravages of dementia is taxing to say the least. Adjusting the care you’re providing in concert with changes in your loved one’s condition can take a heavy toll as well. It’s critical that you establish a network that can provide emotional support to carry you through. At least some of the members of your network should be able to step in and provide care for your loved one when you need a break as well.
Stick to a Daily Routine
Many dementia sufferers don’t handle change well. You can limit the amount of stress your loved one experiences by establishing and sticking to a daily routine so that familiar activities are done at the same time and in the same manner every day.
Advancare: Your Source for In-Home Senior Dementia Care
Whether your loved one needs round-the-clock care, daily visits, or respite care, you can trust Advancare to provide senior dementia care for your family member. Advancare–your source to find highly qualified caregivers for your cherished loved one.
Dangers of Elderly & Senior Drivers in Miami, FL
Posted by Scott Cantin in Senior Health | 0 comments
How to Tell if a Senior is Safe to Drive
For many senior citizens, driving is the equivalent of their lifeline to the world that awaits beyond the walls of their homes. Driving allows seniors to get around and pick up the things they need, such as food and medication. Slipping behind the wheel enables them to remain socially engaged with their family members and friends. Being able to transport themselves empowers older drivers to retain their independence and avoid having to burden loved ones with their transportation needs.
In need of a homecare professional to assist your loved one in Miami, FL?
Request a FREE evaluation today!
While any one of those things makes a strong enough case on its own for seniors holding onto their driver’s licenses, even the sum of them all isn’t always enough to justify allowing an older loved one to continue to drive. When seniors become a danger to themselves and/or others when they drive, it may be time to pull the plug on their driving privileges no matter how difficult it might be.
If you doubt that some seniors need to relinquish their driving privileges, consider the following. According to AAA, seniors only fall behind teenaged motorists in the context of crash death rate per mile driven. In addition, the crash fatality rate among senior citizens is 17 times higher than it is for people at or between the ages of 25 and 64 years-old.
Signs a Senior is Unsafe Behind the Wheel
Determining whether a senior is safe to drive involves having the ability to recognize the signs that the person is no longer a safe driver. If you notice one or more signs that your older loved one can no longer operate a vehicle safely, it’s time for you to act.
Here are some signs that may indicate a senior is no longer a safe driver:
- Drifting into other lanes or making sudden lane changes>
- Braking or stopping for no apparent reason
- Not reacting to signs or traffic signals quickly enough
- Confusing the brake and gas pedals or pressing them both at the same time
- Having trouble seeing pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles or road hazards
- Driving noticeably below the speed limit when conditions don’t require excessive caution
- Neck or back problems that make it difficult to turn and monitor conditions around the automobile
- Getting lost or “turned around” in familiar territory
- Dents or scratches on the senior’s car or on things near where the person pulls into or out of their driveway or parks
- Earning multiple tickets or citations in a relatively brief period of time
- Backing up after missing a turn, even when other cars are or might be approaching from the rear
Advancare – Helping Miami-Dade Seniors Maintain Their Independence
The team at AdvanCare knows how heartbreaking it can be for seniors and their families when older drivers have to give up their licenses. By offering senior care in Miami, FL and surrounding areas, we make the transition to being a non-driver much easier for seniors and their loved ones. When your loved one can no longer drive safely, we’ll step in and transport your family member to their destination.
We offer a senior errand service, which ensures your loved one will have all the supplies they need and that all their everyday tasks are taken care of without putting them at risk for an auto accident. Our team also provides incidental transportation so seniors can get to their doctor’s appointments, go grocery shopping, attend religious services, and engage in other activities.
To learn more about the services we provide that can help you or your loved one continue to be independent without a driver’s license, call (305) 441-9794.
5 Fun Senior Activities in Miami To Stay Active & Healthy
Posted by Scott Cantin in Senior Health | 0 comments
Activities Keeping Miami’s Elderly Happy & Healthy
No matter what your current age might be, it’s wise to maintain an active lifestyle. Given the benefits that staying active can yield, an active lifestyle may be even more important for senior citizens.
Here are some of the benefits that staying active can yield for seniors:
- Reduced risk of stroke, obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease
- Improved cognitive function
- Elevated mood and outlook
- Greater physical strength
- Better balance
- Enhanced self-worth
Knowing that being active can yield meaningful results for seniors is one thing. Actually developing an active lifestyle is quite another. Luckily, the team at Advancare has some ideas that can help you get going.
Call today for a FREE evaluation!
Join a Gym
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that seniors get at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise every week. Using exercise equipment commonly found at a gym such as a treadmill can make working out easier on joints because it softens the pounding your knees, hips, and ankles will experience.
Don’t limit your workouts to aerobic exercises exclusively. You should also engage in strength-building activities such as weightlifting or resistance training and balance activities like tai chi several times per week.
Volunteer
All types of charities exist that rely on help from volunteers, such as shelters, soup kitchens, and animal rescues, to name just a few examples. To stay active, consider volunteering at one or several local charities.
Welcome a Dog into Your Home
Dogs of all sizes, breeds, and mixes need daily activity just like you do. To ensure you go for a walk at least twice a day, why not welcome a dog into your home?
If you like that idea but don’t look forward to being responsible for a companion animal on a permanent basis, consider fostering a pet until the dog finds a forever home. Are you worried about a dog being too excitable for you to handle? If so, you may want to adopt one of the many senior dogs that populate shelters and rescues throughout the United States.
Engage in Activities That Stimulate the Mind Alone or with Others
There are plenty of things you can do alone or with others that will stimulate your mind and keep you engaged. If you’re on your own, visit the local library and catch up on all the reading you may have put off for years or investigate the assisted living options for seniors that are available in your area in case you need to make a change down the line.
Playing cards or board games like Scrabble with others is a great way to engage your mind. If your friends are up for an adventure, plan a road trip to a destination you haven’t visited before. Going out to eat with your comrades, attending a sporting event or a show, starting and managing a community garden, creating a social group for people who have an interest in one of your hobbies – the list of activities you can enjoy with others is only limited by your imagination.
Let Our Miami-Dade Home Care Agency Help Keep You Active
If mobility issues are preventing you from being active, Advancare can help. We offer companion care, help with errands, incidental transportation, and other services that can allow you to be active and engaged in and outside your home.
Advancare – the home care agency for active seniors in and around Miami, FL.
Tips on Long Distance Care
Posted by Scott Cantin in caregiver stress, caregiving, caregiving tips, depression, elderly care, home care, Senior Health | 0 comments
Tips for Long Distance Senior Care
Caring for far away loved ones can be quite the challenge. If you live far away from someone that you care about and they need constant attention, then check out some of these helpful long distance senior care tips. It is always important to understand how your loved one may feel about being cared for from a distance. The most crucial thing you can do is put yourself in their shoes and take into account how they feel about the situation. Your life will be affected, but theirs will be affected even more than yours. Always keep this in mind, even when caring from someone close by. These things are not always easy to deal with and it is important to remember what matters most to you and your loved one: being there for each other and loving one another.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Facts
Posted by Scott Cantin in Alzheimer's Disease, caregiving, caregiving tips, Dementia, depression, elderly care, home care, mental health, Senior Health | 0 comments
Understanding the Difference – Alzheimer’s & Dementia
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease of the brain. It is the leading cause of dementia, which is a term for a group of symptoms including memory loss, impaired judgment, loss of language, and reduced motor skills. There is currently no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
Time Management and You
Posted by Scott Cantin in Alzheimer's Disease, caregiver stress, caregiving, caregiving tips, depression, home care, mental health, Senior Health | 0 comments
When our brains age, it may become tougher to remember things that you easily used to remember. To prevent this, there are many different things you can do to both strengthen your memory and improve your time management skills. Check out our previous post that focused on improving your mental health from a couple of weeks ago for some tips on how to keep your memory sharp. This week’s post focuses on time management and what you can do to improve it while bettering yourself.
New Advancements in Alzheimer’s Treatment
Posted by Scott Cantin in Alzheimer's Disease, caregiving, caregiving tips, Dementia, elderly care, health innovations, home care, injury recovery, mental health, Senior Health | 0 comments
There are many new advancements in the medical field every single day. Many of these advancements are extremely surprising to a lot of people. It can be quite exciting when someone finds a possible treatment that is not only effective, but also easy to obtain and relatively cheap. That is exactly what happened to Dr. Mary Newport and her husband, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Stay Sharp: Tips on Maintaining Mental Health
Posted by Scott Cantin in caregiving, caregiving tips, elderly care, home care, mental health, Senior Health | 0 comments
Being a healthy human being is not just about keeping your body in good shape. It also requires you to be sound mentally. In some ways, mental health can be more important than physical health. Also, if you are not sound mentally, then you may find it hard to even get into the physical exercises. There are many little things seniors, as well as the average person, can do to keep their minds sharp and focused. The brain is like a muscle, so it is important to keep it challenged and strong.
Strength and Weight Training for Seniors
Posted by Scott Cantin in caregiver stress, caregiving, caregiving tips, depression, elderly care, home care, Senior Health | 0 comments
This week, we will be focusing on weight training safety and techniques that are good for seniors. Some seniors, especially the ones that have been exercising consistently for a long period of time, may want to consider doing as much weight training as possible. Weight training is a great way to keep your muscles working and your blood flowing. Not only can it help your muscles, but it can also help your balance and coordination, so you can prevent a fall before it happens. Mixing weight training with cardio every week is a great way to balance out your routine.
Sports and Activities for the Active Senior
Posted by Scott Cantin in caregiving, elderly care, home care, mental health, Senior Health | 0 comments
We are back this week with some great activity and sports suggestions that will help you become a healthier and stronger senior. As we have stated in past blog posts, it is very important for everyone, especially seniors, to be as active as possible. There are many ways you can stay fit and active, and not all of them are very strenuous. Staying fit in your old age can add years to your life, but only if you maintain your goals and stay on track. Use your good health as proper motivation to keep it where it needs to be. The easiest way to do this is to make a proper routine, and we will help you do just that in future blog posts, so be sure to check back with us weekly. Now onto this weeks topic.
