Interactive Caregiving from Comfort keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

There was a study done in Chicago recently that showed that staying socially active may help prevent the onset of symptoms in Alzheimer’s. What this means is, if we keep our elderly parents engaged in life mentally, physically, emotionally and socially there is a good chance that we can keep them in their own homes for a longer period of time.
Many seniors with Alzheimer’s have a tendency to isolate themselves and have lost the ability to reach out to family and friends for their social needs. Friends and even family may stop visiting so often, or be so taken up with caring for basic physical needs that they may not recognize the need for social and mental activity. Even if we, as family members, recognize the need, we may not be able to do much about it because of restraints of time and distance.

Here at Comfort Keepers we can assist families with these needs, as well as your loved ones physical needs and safety, we call it Interactive Caregiving. Caregiving should be more than just cooking, cleaning and assisting with personal care, we take everyday activities and transform them into opportunities to communicate with and engage our clients. If you would like to know more about Interactive Caregiving please take the time to read our online brochure or if you’re in the St. Louis, St. Charles or Troy, MO area call us at 314-288-0054.

Interactive Caregiving

Explaining Your Elderly Parents Alzheimer's to Your Children from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

It's hard enough taking care of an ageing parent while you still have young children at home, but have you considered the effect it may be having on your children and all the unasked questions they have? My sons were teenagers when my mother-in-law moved in with us. They were a big help with her even though she usually confused them with each other or someone else.

Even though she was their step-grandmother and they had only a few years history with her it still affected them. It was easier because they were older, but how should we explain what's happening with Grandmom? The article I've linked to below has some advice for those of us dealing with this situation.


When a grandparent has Alzheimer's: helping your kids understand

Preventing Elderly Suicide Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

I know we don't like to think about it but the highest rates of suicide for an age group is among those 65 or older. You may not think your loved one would even consider it but things like the death of a spouse or a chronic illness may cause depression and thoughts of suicide. Please take a few minutes to read through the following article so you will have an idea of what to look for.

5 tips on helping prevent elderly suicide

Understanding Reverse Mortgages from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

As our parents age we find ourselves taking on more and more responsibility, ranging from grocery shopping to using our money to help pay their bills. It can cause a lot of stress for the caregiver and it starts to seem like you never get to just sit and enjoy your parents company, it's go, go, go all the time. A little extra money could ease the financial stress and even provide some in-home care for grocery shopping, housework and more, leaving us more quality time with our parents.

A reverse mortgage can bring in that extra money. There's been a lot of talk about reverse mortgages in the news and we're seeing the commercials and ads, but there's a lot of misconceptions about them. The following page from the HUD website is a good place to start if you need more information about reverse mortgages.

Top Ten Things to Know if You're Interested in a Reverse Mortgage

Cancer Facts for Seniors and their Caregivers in Troy, MO

Cancer can affect anyone at any age but as we age our chances of getting it increase. What should you know as a caregiver and what should you be watching for in your elderly loved ones? Here is an article that answers these questions.

Cancer Facts for Seniors

Comfort Keepers Senior Care of Troy, MO Walk for Alzheimer's

It was a beautiful day for a walk and we had a great time. The walk we participated in was in Laurel Park in St Peters, MO. The purple and white balloons marked the beginning of the walk.

One of our team members, Our Human Resources Assistant Leigh had a prior commitment so she had participated in the walk in St. Louis last week. Here's the rest of the team. Me, Jackie Walker, the owner of Comfort Keepers in St. Louis, St Charles and Lincoln County, her daughter in law Samantha and husband Dave (i.e. Mr. Boss).

This was the view ahead of us, I wish I had a better picture to show you all the other walkers, this place was packed. I was told so many more people turned out that they ran out of the purple bracelets we were supposed to wear!

Here's Jackie and Dave walking in front of me.

And now we are nearing the end, Jackie is out in front as you can see! Our team raised over $1500 and you can still donate if you wish! Go to Our Team Page.

Credit Card Debt Affects Seniors Too from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

Credit card debt has been rising amoung the seniors in recent years. Your parents could be heading into serious financial difficulties and you may not even know it. The article below talks about how you can spot signs of trouble and what you can do to help.

Helping aging parents dig out of debt

Exercises in Bed for the Elderly from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Our parents are sure to remember Jack LaLane and probably watched his show. I remember my Mom watching it when I was younger. So who better to show our loved ones how to exercise if they are spending a lot of time in bed after a recent hospitalization or illness?

Memory Loss Isn't Always Alzheimer's from Comfort Keepers Elder Care in Troy, MO

Last year I took one of my clients to her doctors and while we were there mentioned to the doctor that my client was having some trouble with her memory. The doctor immediately said that she was not going to put her on the typical Alzheimer's drugs because in her opinion they didn't work. She also said she wasn't going to give her a referral to a neurologist because he would only put her on the drugs and they didn't work.

I won't even tell you what I was thinking at the time but I have seen the drugs work with other clients (but I'm just a caregiver so what do I know?). That wasn't even the point. The point was, how did she know it was Alzheimer's? Why jump to that conclusion without even the most cursory investigation into other reasons for memory loss?

Memory loss can be caused by many things and they really need to be ruled out before a diagnoses of Alzheimer's is made. This article from The Alzheimer's Reading Room lists many of the possible causes for Alzheimer's like symptoms. If you suspect your loved one has Alzheimer's they need to be seen by a neurologist and not just the primary care physician to make sure all other causes have been ruled out.

Is it really Alzheimer's or something else?

10 Signs of Alzheimer's from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

What is normal and what is not? We all forget things now and then. We have all misplaced items or walked into a room and then forgotten why we are there. So just what is normal and when should we start worrying about a loved one? The Alzheimer's Association has compiled a list of ten warning signs for Alzheimer's disease to help you discern what is typical for most people and what can be a warning that things are not quite right.

Know the 10 Signs

Caring for an Elderly Loved One Who's had a Stroke in Troy, MO

Strokes often happen without warning, it can leave a loved one who was able to care for themselves in need of 24/7 care. Strokes can affect mobility, memory, speech and more. The American Stoke Association has put out this 15 tips to help make caregiving for a stroke victim a little bit easier.

15 Things Caregivers Should Know After a Loved One Has Had a Stroke

Helping Your Elderly Parent Through a Health Care Crisis in Troy, MO

You can do quite a bit for your parent who is going through a health crisis to help make it easier for them. I have spent many hours with clients in ERs, hospitals, rehabs and nursing homes. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of how a family members actions and reactions can affect their loved ones. In this article Helping Your Parent Cope can help you the next time you have to deal with your parent being hospitalized.

Be Ready for the ER from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

Even though we don’t like to think about it, accidents happen, illnesses become worse and sudden medical emergencies occur. Are you ready for your loved ones next emergency room visit?

Much like the bag we all packed when expecting our babies, we can have a bag ready to take with us at a moment’s notice in case of a sudden ER visit. As well as a copy of al the important papers in the bag, an extra copy can be kept in the possession of the primary caregiver. Here is a check list you can use to prepare the bag. You may think you will remember all this information but in a stressful situation some of this may be forgotten. Make sure all information is kept up to date.

1. A list of all the doctors your parent sees, their specialty and their contact information.

2. A medical history listing all surgeries and major or recent illnesses.

3. A list of all medications, past medications they have been on and any medication allergies.

4. Copies of insurance cards and information. Using copies lowers the risk that the originals will be lost.

5. Copies of Advanced Directives and Power of Attorneys for health Care as well as Durable Power of Attourney

6. Pack in the bag a change of clothing, pajamas and any toiletries your loved one may need.

7. Put in a book or magazine for you and your loved one or puzzle books to keep you both occupied while you wait.

8. Take something for you to eat or nibble on in case your there for awhile, the cafeteria may be closed or you may not want to leave your loved one.

9. Have a light sweater or jacket ready for the caregiver and the parent, ER’s can get chilly.

10. Make sure you have your cell phone, although of course, this isn’t kept in the bag. You will need to call other family members or your parent’s doctor.

Remember, you are there as your parents advocate. Make sure the doctor knows everything that is going on with your loved one. You may be able to provide valuble information from your observations and what you know about your parent. Know which doctor and nurse is caring for your parent so you can go directly to them with any questions. Ask questions about tests or medications, make sure you know what they are doing and why. Ask how long test results and such are going to take and check with someone if they seem to be taking too long.

Last but not least try to relax, it’s already a stressful situation for your parent, if you remain calm it will help them remain calm.

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

Living a thousand miles away from my elderly parents I can identify with the woman telling the story about her aging loved ones in this article. It's not always feasible or desirable to move your senior loved one closer to you or for you to move closer to them. Keeping in touch by telephone and trying to solve the problems long distance can be very stressful and traveling back and forth can get very expensive. If you are caring for a loved one from a distance an agency such as Comfort Keepers can help. An agency such as ours can be your eyes and ears. We can help with most of the things you aren't able to do from a distance. Making sure your loved ones are eating, taking their meds and getting to doctor appointments. We will also be able to let you know if there are other problems that need to be addressed.

Is caring for the elderly the same as caring for children in Troy, MO?

Of course it isn't although many people speak of the elderly as childish or going through a second childhood. Many people with dementia can seem very child like also but it's still not the same thing. Read the following article for ten ways that senior care and child care are different.

Caring for Parents Versus Caring for Children: 10 Ways They Differ

Poor Medication Management Can Harm Seniors from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

When our loved ones do not take their medications properly or at all it can harm them in many ways. Over or under medication, or not following directions taking it can lead to unnecessary hospitalizations and even death. Using several pharmacies to get better prices or just because it was convenient at the time can cause drug interactions.

Up to 10 percent of all admissions into long term care and/or assisted living facilities are because the client was unable to self-medicate. Adverse drug reactions are also considered to be the 4th leading cause of death among the elderly.

Comfort Keepers Home Care of the St. Louis, St. Charles and Lincoln County areas in Missouri can help. Starting with our new Daily Meds program that will package your elder loved ones medications in packets with instructions on what day and time to take it. This is mailed to the home monthly.

We also offer a Safety Choice Medication Dispenser which organizes, reminds, dispenses and tracks delivery of up to 40 days of prescribed drugs. It can alert the elder that medications are due and warns when they have not been dispensed.

We also, of course, offer our wonderful caregivers, who can help with many other things as well as remind your loved one when to take their medication.

Resource: The elderly face the dangers of poor medication management

You can call us at: 314-288-0054

Warning Signs of Diabetes from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

The complications of diabetes can be devastating. Sometimes they occur even before diagnosis. However there are warning signs for diabetes that have often been ignored. If you or the loved one in your care experiences any of the symptoms discribed in the following article a visit to your doctor is in order.

Diabetes Warning Symptoms

Caregiving Misconceptions from Comfort Keepers Elderly Care in Troy, MO

There are many misconceptions about caregiving floating around, such as that it is detrimental to the caregiver or that adult children don't want to be bothered with caring for their elderly parents. The following article sorts out these and others.

Common Caregiving Misconceptions