Answers to 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Melanoma

There’s no better time to talk about skin cancer than in late spring and summer when temperatures go up. Knowing a thing or two about this type of cancer could be essential for you as it is preventable. Also, if you didn’t know, May was Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Unlike what many people believe, skin cancer is quite common. If you notice a new mole or something unusual with your old ones, don’t hesitate to contact a doctor. An interesting fact is that most melanoma gets noticed by friends and family and not by physicians. This particular cancer prevention and early detection can play a vital role, and knowing a few facts can save you or your loved one’s life.

How Common Is Melanoma?

In the United States, more than 20% of people develop some type of cancer by their 70th birthday. Melanoma is the least common type of skin cancer, but it is the deadliest one. In the first months of 2018, more than 90,000 new cases of melanoma were detected. Unfortunately, with this high a number, the death tally will be close to 9,000. Older adults with light skin are the group of people most prone to this cancer.

Is Melanoma Hereditary?

It can go both ways. This cancer is generally caused by high UV exposure. It’s not related directly to genetic predisposition. Among the people who develop this cancer, only one in twelve will have a relative with melanoma. But according to researchers, two genes (CD4K and CDKN2A) are linked to familial melanoma. If you possess these mutated genes, you have a chance of developing this cancer during your lifespan.

Where Is Melanoma Most Commonly Found?

Among the male population, melanoma is most frequent on the back, head, neck, and torso. In women, it is mostly found on the arms and legs. But it can be located on any part of your skin which is pigmented, and this includes the eyes.

Can Skin Cancer Cause an Itch?

All melanomas are different, and their symptoms differ from case to case. The first warning of skin cancer is a change in sensation of your skin, and this could mean a constant itch, pain, tenderness, redness, and/or swelling. So, yes, itching can be one of the symptoms, but it doesn’t mean that your skin will itch at all if you develop this cancer.

Melanoma

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How Fast Does a Melanoma Spread?

Depending on the case, skin cancer can develop quickly if you have an invasive one. The type called lentigo maligna melanoma tends to expand at a slower rate. But the speed of its development depends on genetic factors, which means every person will react differently to it. In most cases, it is hard to predict how fast melanoma will spread across your body.

How Long Can You Have This Cancer and Not Know It?

The answer to this question also depends on the type of melanoma. The nodular melanoma can spread across your body in a matter of weeks. The radial melanoma can take its sweet time and develop for decades. Similar to cavities, melanoma can grow for years before showing any signs or symptoms of its existence.

What’s the Survival Rate?

If detected in time and treated adequately, the survival rate is high and close to 99%. But unfortunately, this cancer can spread to other parts of the body such as the brain, lungs, kidneys, heart, liver, and other vital systems. In cases where melanoma spreads to the lymph nodes, survival rates fall to 63%, and in situations that it reaches any of the organs mentioned above, it’s less than 20%.

How Can You Prevent Skin Cancer?

In most cases, melanoma is caused by exposure to UV radiation. The best way to prevent it is to wear protective clothing, use sunscreen, and avoid the sun during the afternoon. Be sure to take care of your skin. As you read in our article, melanoma can be cured, but prevention and early detection are vital to the process.

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Source: CareTips

Fall Prevention Exercises: How to Maintain Your Balance

Falls are way more common in the elderly than you may think. Do you know that approximately 25% of people over 65 years old fall? And if they fall once, there is a higher chance the fall will happen again.

Older adults are prone to fractures, and with every fall they risk breaking a bone. Hips, legs, and arms are especially sensitive. Falls happen due to an illness, vision problem, medication, etc. There are certain tips that help seniors regain their balance and prevent falls.

Fall prevention exercises are important, because they improve strength and balance. Even when reaching for a glass, seniors can fall. Thus, we will explain how to perform two simple exercises for preventing falls especially designed to keep senior’s balance when reaching for objects.

Simple Home Exercises

In the video we shared on this page, you will see two physical therapists who show the right way to perform the exercises. The exercises are designed to help everyone having balance issues, especially people who had a stroke.

In the beginning, the therapists talk about the most common causes of falls in the elderly. As the video goes on, they demonstrate two exercises which anyone can do. The exercises should improve coordination when reaching for objects and prevent older adults from falling.

First Exercise

Take two objects, one smaller and one larger. (The therapists used a remote control and a larger box of tissues in the video, but anything that size will work.) Place the objects side by side on a table of regular height. Let your seniors stand far enough from the table so they need to lean forward to reach the objects.

Ask your older adult to pick up the tissue box (or any other object you placed on the table) with one hand, while still standing in the same place. They should lean forward, take it, and go back to the upright position.

Afterward, they should pick up the smaller object the same way they picked up the larger one. Once they have both objects, ask them to return them to the table.

You can increase the difficulty by adding smaller objects. The smaller they are, the harder it is to grab them.

Second Exercise

Take two high tables and have your seniors stand between them. On one table, place two objects (you can use the remote control and tissue box again) and ask your older adults to move them one by one from one table to the other. Then, ask them to take the objects back to their original positions.

If you see that this exercise is quite easy for your older adults, you can spice things up. They can stand on one leg, holding a cane in one hand, while moving objects with the other.

How Many Times Should the Movement Be Repeated?

These fall prevention exercises for seniors can be repeated as many times as you want. Start with a small number of reps, and see if it is too much for your seniors. If you estimate they can do more reps, increase the number of repetitions or ask them to stand a little further from the tables. In patients who are recovering from a stroke, focus on the weaker hand and the weaker side of the body.

Safety First

Always be next to your loved ones when they are performing exercises. Make sure they stay on their feet and don’t fall (which can happen, especially when they first start doing them). Once you notice they are tired, don’t push them to do more. Take a break and continue later or the following day. These fall prevention exercises can be tiring, despite how easy they seem in the video.

Also, check out the importance of exercise for seniors and what exercises seniors over 50 should avoid.

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Fatty Liver Diet Plan

Most people believe that the liver can only be damaged by alcohol, but it can also be affected by the food you eat. If your body starts to store too much liver fat, you will begin to feel inflammation and scarring, and permanent damage will follow. Even if your liver doesn’t succumb to failure, you could develop NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) which can increase the risk of developing many other chronic conditions. This disease affects more than 100 million Americans, which makes it the most common liver disease.

There are many things we know about NAFLD, but unfortunately some remain a mystery. What we know is that it’s followed by metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, heart disease, and obesity. While some of these issues can’t be easily fixed, some of them can be kept under control with a healthy diet. Because of this, the best way to treat NAFLD is to adopt a fatty liver diet plan.

Fatty Liver Diet Plan

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Fatty Liver Diet Plan – Foods to Avoid

Too much sugar can increase the fat levels in the liver and lead to hypertension. Most sweetened beverages and processed foods contain sugar. We should mention that alcoholic beverages contribute to the creation of fat in the liver and can also cause cirrhosis.

The essential part of a fatty liver diet plan is the restriction on the intake of refined grains. This type of grain is stripped of its fiber content, and because of this, the body can digest it at a rapid rate. This causes a shift in insulin resistance, which is quite similar to eating pure sugar. The best thing is to completely avoid ingredients such as white bread, white rice, potatoes, rice milk, rice crackers, and cornflakes.

Fatty Liver Diet Plan – Foods You Should Eat

For people that already have a fatty liver disease, it’s recommended to eat garlic powder, which can help them lose some of their weight. Also, broccoli is proven as a vegetable that prevents the buildup of fat in the liver. High levels of cholesterol that are a common occurrence if you have this disease can be handled by the intake of omega-3 fatty acids which can be found in walnuts, sardines, salmon, and similar fresh fish.

One of the crucial things to do to avoid this disease is to keep your weight in line. The best way to achieve this is to eat foods high in the glycemic index, such as vegetables. Also, try replacing simple carbs with complex carbs. The best choices are whole grain bread, oatmeal, and wheat bran cereal.

Foods That Should Be Eaten in Moderation

At the moment, doctors and scientists haven’t made any connection between NAFLD and saturated fat. The level of triglycerides is increased when you switch to fat-reduced diets, while the consumption of carbohydrates in high quantities can cause liver inflammation. Because of this, you are better off eating saturated fats in moderation, rather than completely writing them off.

Although eating some quantities of saturated fat can be good, you should avoid processed foods. The sources where you can get a healthy level of saturated fats include fatty meats, dairy, avocado, and all types of nut.

Fatty Liver Diet Plan 2

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Plans for Fatty Liver Disease

By reading our article, you probably noticed that a fatty liver diet is a combination of standard menus. This is mostly because the best way to fight off NAFLD is by losing weight. You should combine your diet plan with an exercise plan in order to maximize your results. Because of that, if your loved one has liver issues, be sure to tell them that the best route to go is diet plus exercise.

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How to Stop Judging Yourself as a Caregiver

Being a family caregiver is not easy. You do your best to help your loved one, but you also have other things on your shoulders. In the end, you feel guilty because you can’t help them more, or you even blame yourself for their condition. You may feel anxious when going on vacation or guilty about not being able to be a regular caregiver. These emotions won’t do any good, and you will soon end up being stressed and suffering from caregiver burnout. Therefore, it is essential to help yourself first, so you are able to help others.

Ways to Stop Judging Yourself as a Caregiver

There is nothing worse than criticizing yourself. It doesn’t help to fix the situation, and you feel more and more negative. Caregivers who judge themselves become less focused over time and more stressed than they should feel.

Don’t Compare Yourself to Other Caregivers

When comparing yourself to others, you are only lose focus on the things you are doing and become less effective. It is completely fine to ask other caregivers if they know how to do things better than you. However, it is entirely different when you look at others and think you are not as good as they are.

People make different choices because circumstances differ. Your situation may be similar to other caregivers, but it is unique in many aspects. Thus, when you make a different decision than another caregiver you know, do not automatically think that your choice is a wrong one.

Avoid Negative Thoughts

Once you realize you are too hard on yourself, calm down, count to ten, and take a deep breath. Negative thoughts are distracting and can have a bad impact on your mind and health. When you find yourself being negative, try to focus on the positive aspects of your life. You can train yourself to be positive, but it takes time and effort. In the long run, it is way easier to go through life with positive thoughts than negative ones.

Seek Advice

Have you heard of caregiver support groups? You are surely not the only caregiver in this position. There are many others out there who take care of seniors and spouses and used to blame themselves for everything. Ask them how they stopped judging themselves, and they will probably share their story.

stop judging yourself as a caregiver

Don’t Speak Negatively to Yourself

Don’t call yourself stupid for the things you forgot to do. Don’t think you are the worst person in the world because you said something inappropriate but didn’t mean it. Don’t think you are useless because you couldn’t do one thing. Stop judging yourself as a caregiver! You are not stupid, bad, or useless. Just see how many things you do right and how much help you provide to your loved one. Never speak harshly to yourself, always focus on the things you did right.

See What Is Truly Important to You

You are stressed because you didn’t wash dishes today? Who cares?! It is not the end of the world. The more important thing is that you spent some quality time with your loved one. And what about the dishes? The dishes won’t break if you leave them dirty overnight.

These are five ways that should help you to stop judging yourself. Instead of blaming, you should praise yourself for everything you did well each day. Try to find positivity in everything and it is less likely that you will suffer from caregiver burnout. Once you recognize you are too harsh on yourself, try to get away from that the quickest you can. There is no good when the mind is full of negative thoughts.

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What Hospice Care Is and What It Isn’t

There are still many rumors about hospice, and not everyone is sure what hospice care actually is. Numerous myths about hospice prevent seniors from getting proper care. As everything else, this type of care has certain benefits for the elderly, especially if they are terminally ill. Hospice and regular home health care significantly differ, and which one is better for your loved one depends on a number of factors. Today, we will give you more details about what hospice care is, and you will see what it isn’t.

What Hospice Care Isn’t

Is Hospice Like a Death Sentence?

Many compare hospice care to a death sentence. Hospice care is nothing like a death sentence. To be qualified for hospice care, a doctor must certify there is a chance you will not live more than six months. Note that it doesn’t state you will certainly die within six months. Hospice care is entirely focused on the comfort of a patient, and comparisons with a death sentence are inappropriate. Every six months, a patient is evaluated for whether they fulfill the same criterion of there being a chance they may not live more than half a year. Thus this type of care can be extended if the patient’s condition doesn’t change.

Does Hospice Speed Up the Death of Older Adults?

Since hospice caregivers are focused on the comfort of a patient, people who receive this type of care may in fact live longer than without it. Hospice is great when you realize that a medical treatment isn’t working and carries high risks for seniors. As mentioned earlier, hospice caregivers primarily concentrate on a patient’s comfort and much less on curing them. However, in spite of many rumors, hospice won’t speed up their death.

If I Choose Hospice, Does It Mean I’m Giving Up on My Senior?

Hospice care is designed to improve the quality of life of seniors, who are in most cases ill and may not live more than six months. Since caregivers focus on comfort and the quality of life of every person, choosing hospice doesn’t mean you are giving up on them. When the end is near, most people would like to spend time with their families. Hospice enables them to do that, because most hospice patients are in their homes.

what hospice care is and what it isn't

What Hospice Care Is

Once you choose this type of care you will see all the benefits it brings. In reality, it helps both seniors and their families. With a hospice caregiver in your house, there is usually no need to pay a visit to a doctor. When your senior’s health is fragile, it is essential not to move them much. A hospice caregiver is available 24/7. Just call them in case of an emergency, and they will come to your house as soon as possible. They also help with taking care of the elderly, such as grooming and bathing them. In addition, hospice caregivers provide support for the families, too.

If you think hospice care costs a lot, think twice. Typically, you need to visit the doctor’s office often, or leave your loved one in a hospital. And nurse visits may be required as well. Everything costs, so crunch the numbers, and you will see whether hospice is a cheaper option.

Introduce hospice care to your elderly loved one, and see what they think about it. Tell them all the benefits and how this type of care can improve the quality of their lives. Perhaps it is not the time for your senior to apply for hospice. In that case, talk to a doctor and let them know you are open to this option when the time comes. If you find the right hospice care, it can bring a lot of benefits to older adults, but for their families as well.

 

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Steps to Create a Caregiver Plan

Are you starting with caregiving? Or, perhaps, you have been a caregiver for a while? Either way, it is essential to create a caregiver plan which will help you to make decisions efficiently. With a caregiver plan, a caregiver significantly reduces the number of situations that can come as a surprise. Plan everything. Never let unexpected situations surprise you. Go into details if needed, and even create a financial plan. With these several steps, you will be able to design a plan that will help you at any stage of caregiving.

Talk to Your Loved One

First and foremost, you need to be aware of your senior’s needs. Many think they know what is best for their elderly loved one. We don’t doubt you want the best for them, but the first thing you should do is talk with them. Prepare a list of questions, and highlight the most important ones. For an excellent plan, it is vital to understand their wishes and goals. Go step by step, and start with some easy questions. Leave the more difficult ones for the end of the conversation. Once you know their thoughts, you can begin drafting the plan.

Who Are the Caregivers?

Are you the only person taking care of your senior, or are there more hands? Determine how many people will be involved. All family members and relatives have their lives and responsibilities, but including more people is beneficial on many levels.

The key thing is to contact them at the very beginning and explain why your loved one needs constant or temporary care. If they are left out in the beginning, it will be very difficult to engage them in later stages. The more, the merrier. More than one person means everyone will have enough time for themselves and still be able to help.

Educate Yourself As Much As Possible

So you have the answers to your questions, know what the goals are, and have determined who is on the team. The next step is to gather as much information as possible to learn what the best way to help your loved one is. There are so many online resources that you can find every detail you need. Also, learn more about Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Check out the AARP website, and see their guide for caregivers. They enlist numerous local sources that you will find beneficial for creating a caregiver plan. If you are unable to find everything online, get in touch with other caregivers, and ask them everything on your mind. Firsthand experience is always much better than secondhand written form.

Create a Caregiver Plan

Write down all the things you have discussed with your loved one and other family members. Make sure you agree on every detail you put on the paper. Clearly state what the goals are, who is on the team, and what is needed to be done to achieve these goals.

One thing you shouldn’t neglect is predicting potential issues. It is impossible to cover everything, but with anticipation, you will feel more secure and prepared when the time comes. For example, you can plan who will drive a car if your senior ever needs to be rushed to the hospital. See who is an excellent driver, flexible with time, but still close enough.

Update the Plan Every Now and Then

As your loved one’s situation changes, the plan will need to be updated. Never design a plan and stick blindly to it. With every new situation, revise the caregiver plan and find ways to adapt it. This way you will always be ready and fewer things will be able to surprise you.

 

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Confusion and Anxiety in Older Adults at Night

When night falls and the time for sleep arrives, anxiety can appear in all of us for various reasons. In elderly people, the late hours of night when they need to sleep can cause both confusion and anxiety. For the family caregiver, it is essential to understand why this is happening. Because of that, we are going to talk about confusion and anxiety in older adults at night.

Confusion and Anxiety in Older Adults at Night

Many seniors have different medical conditions that also affect their physical well-being. Because of that, sometimes it’s hard to know when they have mental issues such as anxiety. One of the problems with elderly adults is that they don’t want to admit that they have a mental issue. For many of them, this would be a sign of weakness, and they regard it as something that needs to be kept to themselves.

As a caregiver, you will need to pay special attention in order to notice the symptoms of confusion and anxiety. Possible signals that your seniors might have one of the conditions mentioned above include:

  • When your senior is concerned about minor issues more than they should.
  • The inability of an older adult to simply let some things go, and hearing them complain about the same things over and over again.
  • When they lack sleep because they are preoccupied with thoughts.
Confusion and Anxiety in Older Adults at Night 1

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Sometimes you might notice the combination of confusion and anxiety in older adults at night. When this happens, they will not know where they are, what is happening, or they might even fail to recognize you. This situation can be equally distressing for both you and your senior.

When older adults feel confusion in late night hours, it is often called sundowning. This state is not considered to be a disease, but it’s a condition that affects many seniors that have dementia. If your loved one has this condition, you will notice that they start feeling confused in the late afternoon hours and that it stays with them until late into the night.

The feeling of confusion is often followed by anxiety and even aggressive behavior. Doctors believe that this happens because of low lighting, tiredness, and an increased number of shadows. For those that are affected by both dementia and sundowning, it sometimes becomes difficult to tell the difference between dreams and reality.

Ways to Reduce Anxiety in Older Adults at Night

Luckily there are ways you can ease confusion and anxiety in older adults at night. The first thing you need to do is to have a routine installed for your elderly in late evening and night. This routine includes that the times when they wake up and when they go to bed are set at the same time every day. The same goes for their meals.

Physical activity during the day is another thing that can set them up for sleep later in the night. What needs to be discouraged is them taking naps during the day. This can provoke lack of sleep during the night which can lead to confusion and anxiety. The last thing is to limit their daily intake of caffeine and sugar. Both items should be consumed only in early hours of the day.

Here we have a few extra tips that can be useful for both you and your elderly loved one:

  • Use nightlights so that your senior can see things around them better.
  • Make sure that you don’t disturb your loved one with background noise.
  • If they are sleeping in a new room, make sure that you surround them with familiar items such as pictures of friends and family.
  • Play relaxing music during the evening hours and when they fall asleep.

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Aging at Home: How Realistic Is It?

Is aging at home realistic for the elderly?

The majority of seniors in the US want to age at home, an AARP survey shows. Around 90% of the interviewed audience would like to continue to live with their families in their own houses. They will be the most comfortable there, and friends and relatives can visit them often.

However, is it realistic that every senior stays at home? The house may not be safe for them, and their illness may be a limiting factor as well. It is especially tricky if a senior suffers from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Aging in place can be an option for most older adults, under certain conditions.

House Modifications

To create a safe environment for the elderly, it is essential to redesign the place they live in. Falls are the leading cause of accidental deaths in older adults. Therefore, adjusting the home to the senior’s needs is a must. Despite this fact, the majority of houses are not modified according to the needs of the elderly occupants, so they cannot safely age at home.

Preventing falls should be a priority since injuries can be quite nasty and sometimes even fatal. See what the risky spots are, and focus on them first. Investigate the bathroom and check out how you can make it safer for your senior. Bathrooms are usually the riskiest part of the house, and many falls occur there. Also, assessing the kitchen should be part of the overall house assessment. There is often a lack of light in the kitchen which can affect the elderly with poor eyesight.

aging at home

Senior Health Conditions as a Significant Factor of Aging at Home

All these improvements are helpful for the elderly who have poor eyesight, balance problems, lack of flexibility, etc. These problems can be a normal part of aging or medication side effects. Regardless of the reason, safety measures are an essential part of aging in place.

The problems become more severe if the older adult is sick. Alzheimer’s, stroke, cancer, and other diseases can move them away from home.

Is it safe for older adults who are ill to live alone?

What to Do When Your Older Adult Can’t Live Independently Anymore

Many seniors believe they can live on their own, without anyone by their side. This belief is not realistic, especially if they are severely sick. The US government states that over two-thirds of people who turn 65 need help to some extent. For seniors who cannot live on their own, there are several options.

First, their family can take care of them and dedicate themselves to their elderly, if the disease hasn’t progressed much. Second, different facilities can be an option, while the third choice is hiring a caregiver.

With a caregiver, elderly adults will always have professional help, and this will also enable them to continue to live in their home. This way you also have peace of mind, because they have someone by their side all the time. There is no need for a permanent movement to another facility, even if they are diagnosed with an illness.

Aging at home is realistic, even for adults over 65 years old, but certain efforts are needed. A house must be modified according to the senior’s needs. This usually involves installing grab bars, but it is much more than that. If your senior needs a hand in performing everyday tasks and you are too busy to be with them 24/7, a caregiver may help. With a caregiver, older adults can continue to live with their families and be sure they have all the support they need.

 

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3 Types of In-Home Care

When deciding whether in-home care is the best solution for your senior, there are numerous questions you need to answer. First of all, how can you tell if the time is right for in-home care? This decision is never easy because it changes a lot in the family. Second, your senior may reject this type of care, so it is of great importance how you bring the topic to the table. And what type should you choose? There are three main types of in-home care, and there are significant differences between them. Once you talk to your loved one and decide in-home care is the right solution, choosing a caregiver is the next step.

What Type of In-Home Caregiver to Choose

Choosing a caregiver depends on many factors such as liability, experience, hourly wage, etc. In some cases, you may select a caregiver all by yourself and take care of the taxes, while in the others an agency takes care of everything.

Private Caregiver

Privately hired caregivers can be the cheapest option, but they are also the most unreliable. Since rates are negotiable, it is likely you will get a cheaper caregiver than hiring one via an agency. However, there are a few things you need to have in mind. Sometimes, depending on what you agree on, you are responsible for the caregiver’s social security taxes. In most cases, workers are paid in cash, or even by check.

Since you negotiate the price, you may get a caregiver at a low rate. However, you are entirely responsible for hiring the worker and checking on their experience and references. The question you always need to ask during an interview is what would happen when a caregiver is ill or unable to come to work due to other reasons. Will there be a substitute or not?

Homecare Agency

With a homecare agency, you don’t need to worry about interviewing caregivers and paying their taxes or insurance. The only thing you can do is choose the most appropriate one, according to your wishes and senior’s needs.

After getting the invoice from the agency, you pay them and not the caregiver. Workers are paid and employed by the agency. Thus, the agency is responsible for their paycheck and taxes. Since almost every agency has more than one caregiver, you don’t need to worry when a caregiver assigned to you gets sick. The agency is responsible for finding a suitable replacement.

types of in-home care

Referral Agency

So on one side, we have privately hired caregivers, on the other we have homecare agencies. The third option is a combination of the two. Referral agencies have elements of both types of in-home care. You have flexibility when negotiating a rate with a caregiver, and you pay them directly. Depending on the case, you may be responsible for taxes as well. There is also one fee you need to pay – a referral fee to the agency.

If you decide on a referral agency, they may find a replacement when a caregiver is unable to come. This is a significant advantage over a privately hired caregiver. You can have the peace of mind and know your loved one will always have a helping hand.

These are the three different ways of hiring caregivers. With privately hired caregivers you can negotiate the price, but you are responsible for wages and taxes. Also, you can’t be sure of their experience. On the other hand, with a homecare agency you can be sure they hire well trained caregivers—but at a higher rate. Or you might prefer hiring via referral agencies, which is something in between.

Perhaps you are thinking of starting your homecare business? Check out more about how to start a homecare agency.

 

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Source: CareTips

Why Family Caregivers Need to Get Adequate Sleep

It is essential for family caregivers to have a healthy amount of sleep every night in order to boost their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. If they skip out on sleep, it can lead to caregiver burnout. Here, we are going to talk about reasons why family caregivers need to get adequate sleep.

Why Family Caregivers Need to Get Adequate Sleep

Stress Reduction

Caregiving is one of the most stressful jobs out there, and it can lead to various unhealthy conditions such as hypertension, inflammation, reduced glucose levels, and various other severe health issues. Stress is one of the mains causes of cardiovascular problems in caregivers, and a lack of sleep can only make things worse. But if caregivers take good care of themselves and make sure to have the right amount of sleep every night, they can reduce stress levels and lower their blood pressure. Healthy sleep patterns can also reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Why Family Caregivers Need to Get Adequate Sleep

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Sharpen Attention

One of the focal points of caregiving is making sure that your loved one or patient is safe at all times. To achieve this, you need to be alert and focused. This is only possible if you have plenty of rest, without feeling tired, either emotionally and physically. If you are lacking sleep and feeling tired constantly, the safety and well-being of your senior is at risk. To avoid this, you should have a healthy amount of rest to keep your mind sharp and alert.

Keep Weight in Order

Poor eating habits are created when you don’t have enough time to complete your caregiving duties and cook a nutritious meal at the same time. Because of this, it is essential to plan your meals. But a good measure of sleep can also help you shed weight, or maintain it if you are content with your weight. When you lack sleep, you are more prone to feeling hungry. Both sleep and metabolism are controlled by the brain. When you lack sleep, various body hormones may increase your hunger, and this makes you gain weight.

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  • Dementia & Alzheimer
  • Assessment of blood pressure, pulse, respirations, lung sounds, blood glucose or pulse oximetry, as ordered by your doctors
  • Home Health Aide/Certified Nursing Assistants
  • Homemaker
  • Medication Reminder
  • Medical Escort
  • Companions
  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Fall Prevention
  • Medical Social Worker Services

NewVision understands that navigating our healthcare system is complex for clients and families alike. That is why we also offer a comprehensive care management program that is strictly run by our advanced level nurses who are well-versed in the complexities of the healthcare system. Our approach is team-based and patient-centered, it is designed to make healthcare simple.  Services include but not limited:

  • Assess and develop individualized plan of care
  • Implementation of a comprehensive plan of care
  • Conduct ongoing assessments to monitor and implement changes in care
  • Oversee and direct care provided at home
  • Medication management and treatment plan review
  • Assist with advance directive
  • Find appropriate solutions to avoid a crisis
  • Coordinate medical appointments and medical information
  • Provide transportation to medical appointments
  • Assist families in positive decision making
  • Develop long range plans for future needs
As clients transfer from acute and/or post acute care settings back into the communities, the process can be fragmented and as a result this can be detrimental to clients with complex care needs. Transitional care is there to prevent the care gap that exist between the “handoffs” from the hospital to the outpatient care teams. Our well trained and experienced advanced level nurses and nurse practitioners will connect the pieces from the acute and/or post acute care settings accurately. Our goal is to safely link clients back into the communities in a safe manner through coordination with inpatient, outpatient care teams along with family members. Our comprehensive plan of care is design to prevent unnecessary readmissions.

Contact Info

1 Frank Leary Way, Unit 1

Randolph, MA 02368

888-276-4747
info@nvhcs.com

Emergency Service/On-Call Clinicians Are Available: 24/7
Daily: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday | Sunday: Closed

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