Here are six ways to help your loved one stay safe this summer while enjoying all of the fun that summer can bring.

Choose early morning or early evening. The midday is often the hardest part of the day to stand, especially when outside. If there are events that span the day, have your loved one attend them right away in the morning or after the sun sets. Having a 24-hour home care provider who can provide rides during non-business hours can be a great asset in helping your loved one get around during non-peak hours.

Drink plenty of water and then drink some more. Elderly individuals who are not exceptionally active don’t often feel very thirsty but they can still get dehydrated due to the heat and humidity. Your loved one should drink extra water all summer long to keep her hydrated. Consider having her 24-hour home care providers set up reminders during the day to drink water if it doesn’t come naturally.

Stay covered in the sun. While many people think of shorts, tank tops, and sandals for the sun, your loved one might be safer if she stays more covered. Your loved one’s skin is more likely to be damaged by sunburn so in addition to having her wear sunscreen, she should also consider clothes that cover her up but don’t cause her to get too warm. Lightweight and light-colored clothes that are loose fitting can help her keep her cool and not worry about heat exhaustion.

Check those possible side effects. Some medications have unpleasant or dangerous side effects when taken and then the person has a lot of sun exposure. They can make her more sensitive to the sun’s rays. If this is a concern, talk with your loved one’s pharmacist or doctor about possible solutions.

Protect the eyes. Wearing sunglasses is a must on bright summer days spent outside, especially if the day is spent near water where the sun’s rays not only come from above but reflect off of the water as well. If your loved one needed prescription glasses to see, consider getting her prescriptive sunglasses or transition glasses that adjust to the amount of light. Another option is wrap-around glasses that will allow her to keep her prescription glasses on.

Enjoy “cool” meals and snacks. Summer is a great time to enjoy a salad for dinner or a tall iced tea. Enjoying lighter, cooler food will help her body not overheat and enjoy her food more. Ask her 24-hour home care providers to adjust the daily menu for lighter fare this summer.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring In-Home Care Services in Mount Laurel NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. at 1-800-493-5660

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Someone with this condition does not know they are sick. For example, someone with Alzheimer’s disease will claim over and over again that their memory is just fine. However, they continue to struggle with remembering names and faces.

Homecare in Williamstown NJ: Alzheimer’s Disease

Causes of Anosognosia
Alzheimer’s disease can cause atrophy to the brain’s right frontal lobe. This part of one’s brain is responsible for organizing, problem-solving, processing things, and more. When Alzheimer’s disease advances, it can damage this part of the brain and cause anosognosia. In addition, someone who has had strokes or brain tumors could develop this condition, as well.

It is important for family care providers and elderly care providers to know that anosognosia does not mean the person is in denial. They truly do not realize that they are sick with Alzheimer’s disease.

Anosognosia Rating Scale
There is a rating scale for anosognosia. There are 4 different levels of self-awareness for memory loss that you should know about including:

• The elderly adult will admit they have memory loss.
• The elderly adult will acknowledge they have minimal memory loss.
• The elderly adult isn’t aware they have any memory impairments.
• The elderly adult insists angrily that they have no issues with memory loss.

The more that your loved one’s Alzheimer’s disease progresses, the worse the anosognosia will get.

Helping Someone with Anosognosia
Elderly adults who have anosognosia might refuse to get any help. This can be a problem for those who are taking care of them including their family members and elderly care providers. If left alone, your elderly loved one might not shower, eat, or take care of themselves at all. Some of the ways you can help someone with this condition include the following:

• Approach issues with your loved one in a positive way. Encourage them to accept elderly care provider assistance. Explain how much the elderly care providers can help out.
• Work with your elderly loved one to complete errands, chores, and finances. Keep your connections with your loved one relaxed and easy.
• Add more structure to your loved one’s day by helping them stick to routines and certain tasks throughout the day.
• If your loved one has anosognosia, these are some of the ways that you can help them out.

If your loved one is not aware that they have Alzheimer’s disease, it is important that you and elderly care providers help them out as much as possible.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Williamstown, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

Sources
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
www.healthline.com

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Home Health Care in Mullica Hill NJ: Seniors Cardiologist Appointment

Find out if There Are Any Prerequisites
Your senior may have some prerequisites or requirements before her appointment. That often happens if there are specific tests or procedures that her cardiologist is planning during her appointment. It’s really important to adhere to those requirements because if she was supposed to avoid eating before her appointment, she’ll have to reschedule for that procedure if she forgets to skip breakfast.

Bring a List of Everything She Takes
Before the appointment, take a few minutes and sort through everything that your senior takes. That includes prescription and over-the-counter medications, supplements, and vitamins. If you wait until you’re at the doctor’s office, you’re likely to forget a great many of the things your senior takes during the day. One solution that helps is to start in the morning and just make a running list of what your senior takes as she takes it.

Sit Down and Brainstorm with Your Senior Before the Appointment
You and your senior both likely have questions about what’s going on. Sit down with her and take some time to talk about what she expects from her cardiology appointment and what she hopes to gain. If either of you has questions, either general heart health questions or specific questions about what she’s experiencing, write those down. This is going to help make sure that you don’t forget to bring up something that is actually really important to one or both of you.

Determine How You’re Going to Take Notes
Finding a way to capture the information you’re gaining is crucial, too. You can always take notes, which might be a good option if you’re already bringing a long list of questions. But it might also be possible to use a voice recorder, either standalone or through your smartphone, to create an audio recording that you and your senior can listen to anytime you want to make sure you’ve got exactly what her doctor said. Make sure you talk to her doctor before recording the visit, just to be sure it’s okay.

After the appointment, your senior might find that there are some things she needs to change about her lifestyle. She might need to change her eating habits or let some tasks go to be handled by other people. This is where home care providers can step in and be a huge help.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Mullica Hill, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

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At Attentive Care Inc., We are proud to be widely known by our reputation, or clients and the community in general as a provider of quality, reliable and cost-effective none medical home care in South Jersey, NJ. Attentive Care, Inc. is especially sensitive to the needs of the elderly and the medically fragile. Through a team that embodies the same principles we uphold, we are able to fulfill the patients’ recovery plans and ensure they receive continuous care all throughout.
To start, we will conduct a one-on-one assessment with you or your loved one. We will identify the specific areas in which you will need assistance and the extent of independence you wish to practice. The assessment process enables us to create a care plan that is ideal for your unique health situation.

Our Partnership:
Attentive care Inc. is in partnership with Ennoble Care a Physician care team that provides medical care to our clientele in the privacy of their home.

Services We Offer:
Companion/Homemaker Services

• Meal Preparation
• Grocery Shopping
• Light Housekeeping
• Medication Reminders
• Respite Care for Family Caregivers
• Errands/Transportation to Appointments
• Pet Care
• Water House Plants
• Crafts/Scrapbooking
• Playing Cards/Games
• Assisting with Laundry
• Clothes Selection/Dressing

Personal Care Services

• Feeding
• Incontinence Care
• Bathing or Showering
• Assistance with Ted Hose
• Oral Hygiene/Denture Care
• Nail Care
• Grooming
• Take Vital Signs
• Range of Motion Exercises
• Ambulation/Standby Assistance

Our Core Values

• Honesty & Integrity
• Trust & Reliability
• Flexibility
• Respect for Human dignity

Support Coordination
Attentive Care Inc. will make moves on your behalf; we advocate for your rights as a consumer and we will arrange for continuous health care delivery from hospital to home. Assisting in the Development of the Care Plan.
Our care coordinators will assist you through:

• Assisting in the Development of the Care Plan
• Facility-Based Care Placement (if needed)
• Assistance in Acquiring Medical Supplies and Equipment
• Rehabilitation Guidance and Support
• Support for Emotional Adjustments to Lifestyle Change
• Assistance with Financial Aid Application
• Resources for Healthcare Policy
• Coordination of Follow-Up Medical Check-Ups or Treatment
• Facilitating Advance Directives (Living Will or Power of Attorney)

Attentive Care Inc. ascertains that you receive the care you require by collaborating with your physician or medical director. We also educate your family members or your assigned caregiver when it comes to the goals of your care plan, the specifics of your care plan and the signs/changes in your health that may warrant an adjustment to your care plan. After all, care coordination is all about securing that you receive proper care especially when your needs change over time. Please give us a call at (856) 516-6815 to learn about support coordination services throughout the state of New Jersey. Attentive Care, Inc. is ready to help in any way that we can.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Williamstown, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

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Homecare in Cherry Hill NJ: Improve Muscle Strength

Vitamin D and Muscle Health
A group of researchers theorized that vitamin D is an important part of older adults staying independent because of the way it affects muscle health. Healthy, strong muscles help seniors to stay mobile and improves their quality of life. To test their theory, the researchers conducted a study involving 4,100 people aged 60 or older.

The researchers found that 4 out of 10 of the participants who were deficient in vitamin D had weak muscles. That was twice the number of people with weak muscles than were present in participants who were getting enough vitamin D.

Why Are Seniors Susceptible to Vitamin D Deficiency?
Older adults are more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency because they typically don’t spend as much time out in the sun as younger people do. In addition, their bodies may not absorb vitamin D as well. Some older adults have difficulty following a healthy diet, so they may not eat foods that contain vitamin D, such as fortified cereal and dairy products as well as fatty fish.

What Are the Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency?
The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can be difficult to notice because they are subtle. To determine if your aging relative might have a vitamin D deficiency, watch for some of these common signs:

• Frequent illness, which occurs because vitamin D is one of the substances that help support the immune system.
• Fatigue
• Bone and back pain, caused by bones that are not as strong and healthy as they should be.
• Depression
• Wounds that heal slowly
• Hair loss
• Muscle pain

If you are concerned that your aging relative may not be getting enough vitamin D, talk to their doctor. The doctor may recommend the use of a vitamin D supplement or a multi-vitamin. They can also suggest foods that can increase the amount of vitamin D in the senior’s diet.

Senior care can also help your older family member to get enough vitamin D. A senior care provider can take the older adult outside for a short time each day to get a healthy amount of sunshine. Senior care providers can also remind the older adult to take their vitamin. In addition, a senior care provider can prepare healthy meals that include foods that contain vitamin D.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Cherry Hill, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

Sources
www.webmd.com
www.mayoclinic.org
www.medicalnewstoday.com
www.healthline.com

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Caregiver in Woodbury NJ: Hobbies for Older Adults

Doubles Tennis
If your older family member is healthy enough, taking up a hobby like doubles tennis with friends can be an excellent way for them to enjoy some physical activity while also offering a chance to socialize. In the warmer months, it can also be a way to get some fresh air and a healthy bit of sunshine for some vitamin D. However, there’s no need to give up the hobby in the winter as there may be a facility where the seniors can reserve some court time.

Playing Cards
Your aging relative may be able to find a card club in town to join. Playing cards is a great form of mental stimulation that can help seniors to keep their brains sharp. Some senior centers offer times when older adults can get together to play. If there’s not a card club in their community, the older adult might consider starting one with friends. Some card clubs take turns hosting the group, giving everyone a chance to entertain friends in their home.

Birdwatching
Many seniors find birdwatching to be an enjoyable form of entertainment. The act of watching birds at a feeder or in the wild can be relaxing and help to reduce stress. When older adults take the hobby a step further and try to identify and keep track of the birds they see, it offers mental stimulation as well. Plus, walking outside to see birds offer exercise.

Making Crafts
Crafting, whether it be making cards, knitting, or woodworking, is an excellent way for older adults to spend their time. Seeing something take shape that they’ve created with their own hands can give them a sense of accomplishment. When they offer the items as gifts to others, it can bring them joy to see the smiles on the faces of those who receive them. Seniors can also make items to donate to organizations, such as knitted hats for newborns or lap quilts for older adults in long-term care facilities.

Home care providers can help your aging relative to pursue their hobbies and interests. A home care provider can drive them to stores to purchase supplies or to places where they can do their hobby, such as a gym to play tennis or the senior center for cards. Home care providers can also be someone for older adults to pursue their hobby with since a home care provider can assist them to do crafts, use a book to identify a bird or play a hand of cards.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Woodbury, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

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Elder Care in Mount Laurel NJ: Caregiver Tips

Give Up Being a Superhero
Sometimes caregivers think they should be able to fix every problem their older family member has. That’s an unrealistic goal. You cannot rescue your loved one from aging. Nor can you cure an incurable disease. No matter what you do as a caregiver, they will still get older and a progressive disease will still get worse. Even though cannot change those things, what you are doing still makes a difference. Without you, the older adult’s quality of life would almost certainly be worse.

Shush Your Negative Self-Talk
Do you find yourself berating yourself over mistakes and replaying them in your head over and over? That’s called negative self-talk. Pay attention to your thoughts and notice when you are being negative. Do your best to stop the negative self-talk. It may be helpful to remember a success, no matter how small it was. For example, maybe you succeeded in making the older adult smile or you made a meal they complimented. Thinking of your success may help to remind you that you are doing a great job.

Take a Break
When you find yourself wallowing in guilt, try taking a break from whatever you are doing. Take a few minutes to do something that you and enjoy. When you’re pressed for time, make it something quick, like watching an Internet video that makes you laugh.

Focus on the Big Picture
Instead of criticizing yourself because of little things you didn’t get done, step back and look at the big picture. Does it really matter if the house isn’t spotless or if your aging relative spent the day lounging in their pajamas? Not really when the big picture is that the older adult is happy and has everything they need.

Create a Journal of Successes
Perhaps you’ve heard of a gratitude journal, an idea touted by Oprah Winfrey as a way of focusing on the things you’re thankful for. Caregivers can benefit from keeping a similar kind of journal. However, instead of listing things you are grateful for, list the things you were successful at each day. This can help you to re-focus on the positive when you find yourself slipping into feelings of guilt and doubt.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Mount Laurel, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

Sources
dailycaring.com
sixtyandme.com
www.aarp.org

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Elderly Care in Tunersville NJ: Successful Elder Care Strategies

Elder care isn’t going to work well if your dad feels forced into it. If you take time planning the right elder care strategy for your dad first and your family second, caregivers are effective at helping him live independently. These are the key points to discuss and plan.

Consider What He Can and Cannot Manage
Look over a full list of the things your dad does well on his own and those that challenge him. He doesn’t have to have caregivers helping with everything. If he’s able to do the laundry on his own, let him. If his abilities change, you can have home care services added with ease.

Sit down and have a family discussion about the things your dad can do. He may say he is fine on his own, but those who have spent time with him know where he struggles. He says he can cook his meals, but all you’ve seen him do is order takeout. That’s a good sign that he’s not eating well and would benefit from meal preparation services.

What About Others?
Can others help him in some areas? If you can cook on weekends and your brother can help with grocery shopping, your dad won’t need full-time elder care services. Create a schedule of what others can help with and when. Where there are gaps, look into caregivers.

Take Baby Steps
Don’t dive right in. Start slow and let your dad get used to it. Hire elder care aides to come once a week to start. Stay there for the first few days. You can answer the caregiver’s questions, and your dad will feel more comfortable with you there.

As he gets used to having help from a professional caregiver, you can start to leave him alone with the caregiver. Try a few hours away at first. See how it goes and stay away for a full day. Soon, he’ll be eager to have his caregiver helping out and won’t even notice that you’re gone.

Let Your Dad Lead the Way
Elder care goes well when your dad feels like he’s in control. Let him take the lead when it comes to interviews and planning. It makes sense. He’s the person who will be working closely with caregivers each week, so he should have the most say. Call to learn more.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Turnersville, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

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Homecare in Woodbury NJ: Get your Senior Up and Moving

Exercise is vital for all of us, and especially for seniors who may be more likely to spend their time alone at home and away from social interaction. It isn’t always easy to entice our seniors to get up and get physical, as they become comfortable and set in their ways. Many also like to adhere to a strict schedule and might be wary of changing up their normal daily routine.

We have come up with a list of 5 great ways that your senior parent or loved one can get their physical activity in, and have fun doing it! Consider asking some of their friends or neighbors to join them if they are insecure about doing new things alone, or join them yourself to bond and make memories that will last a lifetime and get you both moving.

Dance classes
Dancing is something many seniors are quite fond of, and there are many different types of dance styles to choose from. Incorporating physical movement and music can be very enjoyable as well, and helps to keep both the mind and the body active.

Aerobics
Many seniors enjoy a good aerobic class with peers their own age. You can find aerobics classes held in gym facilities as well as water aerobics, which may be a good choice and more gentle for seniors who have issues with their joints or arthritis.

Yoga
Yoga classes are easily found in most places and offer a wide variety of types to choose from. It puts people into a relaxed state and also helps with flexibility by gently stretching the muscles of the body while incorporating breathing techniques.

Martial Arts
Martial arts classes also combine coordination of the mind and body working together as one, and even seniors can enjoy a quieter, more slow-paced style of martial arts such as Tai Chi.

Technology
You can also utilize the latest technology to encourage your seniors to be more active and get some physical activity every single day. Pedometers both wearable on the body and the wrist have come a long way in recent years, and make walking and counting your steps a lot more motivating and fun. There are also groups that your senior can compete against if you have a parent or loved one who is on the competitive side.

If your senior has mobility issues keeping them from moving around too much, look online to see if there are any videos that they can watch to encourage movement even from a chair or bed.

Any time your senior is thinking about starting a new exercise routine, make sure to talk to their doctor or medical professional to be sure they are cleared to do so and ask about any physical limitations with their elderly care that they should consider.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Woodbury, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

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Caregiver in Mullica Hill NJ: Caregiver Tips

Accepting What Is
You can tell your parent to do something, but you can’t make them. This is the same as it is what it is. The sooner you can remember this, the better things will be. Many children try to force things on their elderly parents and honestly that is just not going to work.

Important or Not
Think about the importance of a specific situation. Is it going to put your parent in danger if they don’t do something or if they do? If not, is it worth pushing the issue or is it something you can just let go.

Don’t Take it Personally
Your parent isn’t out to get you. When they have a negative behavior or they aren’t listening to you well, don’t take it personally. They are in their own reality and it isn’t anything against you. Sometimes it might be easier to hire a home care provider to help out, instead of trying to take care of everything all on your own.

Finding an Outlet for the Feelings You Are Having
When you are caring for an elderly parent, you can’t let your feelings always get in the way. If you do, you will probably end up arguing with your parent and that isn’t going to do anyone any good at all. If you find an outlet for the feelings you are having, you can have more factual conversations with your parent, rather than feelings-based. You can join a support group, for instance, to help manage your feelings.

Think and Plan Ahead
Two more things that you will want to do to get your elderly parent to listen to you is to think and plan ahead. The more you do this, the more prepared your parent can be and the less objective they are going to be to the things that are happening.

Try to Understand Them
The more you can understand what your parents are going through, the better they are going to listen to you. Let them know that you are there for them and you understand or are trying to understand what they are going through. This can go a long way in getting them to listen to you.

These are some of the tips for when your elderly parent won’t listen to you. Use them wisely and things will work out in the end.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Mullica Hill, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

Sources
www.nia.nih.gov
www.usa.gov

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