Long Distance Caregiving from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

I moved a thousand miles away from my parents years ago. Actually Mapquest says it's 978 miles but who's counting? I call them at least once a week and so far everything is usually fine. I do have a brother that lives much closer and he is available in case something went wrong. But what if he wasn't? What if I were an only child, or my siblings lived even further away? Some elderly loved ones will also not tell you if anything is wrong because you "live so far away" or they "don't want to worry you". The following article gives some good tips on how to tell if there is a problem or not.

Long Distance Caregiving

If you are a long distance caregiver with parents in the St. Louis, St Charles or Lincoln County Area give Comfort Keepers a call at 314-288-0054.

Diabetes and Alzheimer's from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

There are some studies that suggest that Alzheimer’s is actually a form of diabetes. Whether this is true or not, there is a link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Trying to manage diabetes in the person your caring for is difficult enough without the added complication of dementia.

Failure to adequately control blood sugar can cause complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, loss of limbs and death. As memory losses become more severe it will be up to you to make sure your diabetic loved one’s blood sugar is controlled.
Your loved ones doctor can be your best resource for care. Ask him how often blood sugar needs to be checked and what to do if it is too high or low. He can also give you dietary guidelines and point you towards resources that can help. Don’t hesitate to ask him about anything you don’t understand or are unsure about.

It also helps to be able to recognize the symptoms of high or low blood sugar. This page from The Diabetic Caregiver describes these symptoms.
Proper diet and eating on a regular schedule are a must. There is no one “perfect diet” for diabetics, again consult your loved ones physician for the guidelines. Use these guidelines to evaluate anything you may find or read on the internet. There is a wealth of information and recipes out there but not all of them may be what’s right for your loved one. Skipped meals, a common problem with Alzheimer’s patients, can be dangerous, also, causing blood sugar levels to drop too low. Make sure they are eating three meals a day and more often if that’s what the doctor recommends.

Doing the stick to check blood glucose and injecting insulin may also become a problem, let’s face it, those needles hurt. If it gets to the point where the senior in your care no longer understands why it is being done it can cause upset and agitation as well as striking out against the caregiver who is trying to do what has to be done. Patience and understanding can help considerably here. Try to find someone or something that can distract the person in your care while you do this.
Don’t forget the exercise, it can help keep weight down and control the blood sugar levels. Take a walk, even if it’s just around the yard or the house. Find something your loved one likes to do, dance, go swimming, play and enjoy yourself. The exercise is good for you, too and gives you and your loved one a chance to have fun together.

Resource:
What is Diabetes?

Music and Dementia from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Years ago I had a client who had practically lost the ability to talk from Alzheimer's. Her aphasia was such that the most she could speak was one or two words at a time and only in response to someone speaking to her or asking a question. What she would do however, was sing bits and pieces of songs as she walked down the hall.

One day somebody left toddler's toy that belonged to her great-grandson in her room. It played nursery rhymes and just to try to keep her occupied I was playing (and singing) with the toy. Much to my surprise, since I was a fairly new caregiver at that time, she started singing too. After that we would sing every time I went to see her, mostly nursery rhymes and any "old" songs I could think of. She loved it and would perk up and smile a lot more during our time together.

Music can help you relate to and communicate with someone who has lost some of their ability to communicate. I've used it to cheer up clients and to calm them down. Try to keep the songs to things they recognize. If they have an old record collection you can use this as a clue to what their tastes in music were. You can also do some research as to what was popular while they were growing up and in their early adulthood and try a few different types of music to see what they respond to. Music can help so much when you are caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease, try it out and see if it can help you and your elderly loved one.

Reference:
Why Music Matters for Alzheimer’s Patients

Caring for an Elderly Loved One with Diabetes in Troy, MO

If you are caring for a parent with diabetes, you may already know about things such as blood sugar levels, insulin, proper diet and the complications that can result from this disease, but then you may not. I have found an excellent source of information that is specifically geared to the caregiver of an elderly person with diabetes.

Caring for an Older Adult with Diabetes

Driving and Dementia can be a Deadly Mix from Comfort Keepers Elder Care in Troy, MO

We had a client several years ago that had caused an accident and then just drove away. He had Alzheimer's and didn't seem to think that he had done anything wrong. He claimed that the other car had left so he left too. The other car hadn't left, it had simply pulled off the road. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and his driver's license was revoked.

He probably shouldn't have been driving in the first place but no one in his family had thought to take away his keys. Accidents aren't the only danger of allowing someone with dementia to continue driving. They also run the risk of becoming lost and disoriented. Unfortunately, some dementia patients who become lost aren't found until it is too late.

The following article gives some good tips on how to take away the keys:

Taking away keys tough for Alzheimer's caretakers

Emergency Planning and Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Keeping to a set routine with people with Alzheimer's really helps to reduce agitation and confusion. When something happens that upsets this routine the person in your care may become very agitated, combative and resist all attempts to help. Although the writer of the following article is talking about hurricanes, the tips he gives on how to deal with an emergency while caring for an elderly loved one with Alzheimer's are good for any emergency situation.


Weathering the Storm

When Your Elderly Loved One Resists Care in Troy, MO

Sometimes our parents are embarrassed to admit they need help and sometimes they just don't see the need as we may. Some times there are other things going on that may not be readily apparent. The following article gives some good tips for assessing the situation.

When Your Loved One Resists Care

Keeping Track of Senior Care Paperwork in Troy, MO

Things can get complicated when we take over the affairs of our elderly parents. In my work I have seen children struggle with piles of financial papers, doctor's bills, pharmacy receipt's and more. Keeping track of all of this accumulation of papers can be a nightmare. The following article describes a system to keep their paperwork under control.

Taming the Paperwork Monster

Recognizing the Joys of Elder Care in Troy, MO

There are many challenges when we care for our elderly parents but don't forget that there are also positive things coming out of it also. Please take the time to read the following article.



Recognizing the Joys Beyond the Challenges

Catch Macular Degeneration Early from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, Missouri

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision loss in the elderly, The earlier it is caught, the easier it is to treat. Read the article linked below for more information.



Macular degeneration treatable if caught early

Sibling Rivalry and Elder Care in Troy, Mo

I have this wonderful vision of me and my brothers and sisters getting together, if the time comes that we have to make decisions for our parents, and actually agreeing on everything in our parents best interests. Of course, that's not going to happen. If and when the time comes there are probably going to be some major disagreements. It probably will not help that we have a "Yours, Mine and Ours" family either. We don't all get along now so my sweet, unrealistic fantasy is just that, very unrealistic.



The following article talks more about the problems of sibling rivalry and caring for our loved ones.

Why does caring for our elderly parents turn us back into squabbling children?

Dealing with Incontinence from Comfort keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Incontinence often becomes a problem when we are caregiving for our elderly loved ones. Many of the conditions that affect our aging parents can cause incontinence or make it difficult to reach the bathroom in time. I found the following article to be a good guide on different incontinence produts to help you decide what is a good fit for your particular situation.

Understanding incontinence supplies

Overcoming Caregiver Depression from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Caregiving for an elderly relative can lead to depression unless you take steps to take care of yourself. The slide show in the following link gives you 12 great ideas to avoid caregiver depression.

12 Depression Busters for Caregivers

We can help in the St. Louis, St Charles or Lincoln County, Missouri Area. Call 314-288-0054.

Background Checks are Important from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

There are a lot of pitfalls to hiring someone from an advertisement or even from an agency that doesn't do background screening. The link I have included below is only one of them. Here at Comfoprt Keepers Elderly Care all iof our caregivers are our employees, they've been thoroughly screened and are bonded and insured. Making sure this is the case with the agency you use could save you the problems this woman had with her mother's caregiver.

Worker's theft shines light on elder abuse

Understanding Memory Loss from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

There are many causes for dementia, some are reversible and some are not. Not all memory loss is Alzheimer's, although Alzheimer's is the most prevalent cause there are many more. Please take the time to read the following article.

Understanding Memory Loss

If you have a loved one with dementia who could use some help to stay in their home in the St. Louis, St Charles and Lincoln County areas in Missouri please call 314-288-0054.

Wheelchair Exercises from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Exercise is important for everyone, even those with limited mobility. The key is to help tailor the exercise plan around your elderly loved ones abilities rather than their disabilities. Please consult your loved ones doctor before starting any exercise program. Here is an excellent article about exercising even when confined to a wheelchair.



Wheelchair Workouts

Depression and the Elderly from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Depression in the elderly is often overlooked. People have a tendency to simply think of many of the symptoms as just old age. Depression is easily treatable and enjoyment and quality of life can be enhanced. Please read the following article for more information.

Is Dad Okay? Or Is It Depression?

The Financial side of Caring for your Elderly Parents in Troy, MO

Here's a video from Bloomberg On Demand about your money and caring for your aging parents:

Wii Fit Helps Promote Senior Health in Troy, MO

A few months ago I stopped by my son, the college kid's, apartment and he had recently acquired a Nintendo Wii. He showed me how to use it and then quickly proceeded to beat me at both tennis and bowling. It was a lot of fun and I unknowingly got some exercise.

Many seniors tend to lead a sedentary life style, I think sometimes, simply out of boredom. The Wii Fit can give them a chance to have some fun and get some exercise, too. With practice they may even get good enough to beat the grand kids.

Here is an article from The Medical News that talks more about the benefits.

Nintendo's Wii Fit helping seniors get healthy

Avoiding the Donut Hole for Senior Care in Troy, MO

I used to live down the street from a Dunkin Donuts and I would often stop there to buy their donut holes. I loved donut holes because you could just pop them in your mouth! Now there's a different kind of donut hole and it could end up costing your elderly relatives a lot of money.

It's also called the "coverage gap" in the Medicare Part D prescrition drug plans. There are ways to avoid the gap by talking to your doctor and seeing if there are cheaper prescriptions or OTC medications you can take to reduce your overall costs for the year. If you wait until you reach the gap, it's too late. You have to plan ahead and try to reduce your costs for the whole year. The AARP has a DOUGHNUT HOLE CALCULATOR that can not only calculate whether or not you will reach the gap, but also gives you options of cheaper alternatives and a form you can print out and take with you on their next appointment so you can discuss it with the doctor.