Take note of any changes in your parents’ health during holiday visits, and then take the steps outlined here.
Returning home for the holidays can be a heartwarming experience, filled with cherished moments and family traditions. However, it can also serve as a stark reality check, revealing changes in your parents’ health and well-being that may have gone unnoticed throughout the year. If you’ve recently observed your mom’s increasing forgetfulness or noticed that your dad isn’t walking as well as he was last year, you’re not alone. The holiday season often becomes a crucial time for adult children to assess their loved ones’ health care needs. Read more
https://www.harmonyhomehealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/GettyImages-1421968731.jpg483724Harmony Home Health & Hospicehttp://www.harmonyhomehealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/logo-hhh.pngHarmony Home Health & Hospice2023-12-20 07:32:272025-03-14 18:02:17Noticing Changes in Your Parents’ Health Over the Holidays? Take These Steps.
The Signs of SAD and How Home Health Care Can Help
: Learn the signs of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and what to do if you suspect it in someone you love.
The holiday season is often a joyful time filled with festivities, family gatherings, and celebrations. However, for some, the fall and winter months can bring about a sense of sadness and despair, leading to a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). While many dismiss it as the winter blues, SAD is a real and impactful form of clinical depression that can affect individuals, especially seniors, during the holiday season. For older adults, the holidays can be a challenging time as they reminisce about past celebrations with loved ones who are no longer present. Read more
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Simplify the Season: Managing Caring for Older Loved Ones During the Holidays
Make caring for older loved ones during the holidays more enjoyable and less stressful with these tips.
The holidays are an ideal time to spend time with friends and family members, but it’s rarely considered a relaxing time of year. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season, from shopping to social gatherings to family gatherings, can be incredibly stressful, and when you are caring for older loved ones, your own tasks can fall by the wayside.
Wondering how you’ll get everything on your to-do list done in time for the holidays? Try the following recommendations from our expert caregivers in Provo and the nearby areas to help you stay on task.
Skip the shopping mall & shop virtual. Going out to a crowded mall can be a challenge this time of year, especially when the person you are caring for is challenged by mobility or health issues that make leaving home difficult. Online shopping can be done from pretty much anywhere, in the doctor’s office, before going to bed while watching TV, etc., and is quite a bit less stressful than struggling through the large holiday crowds.
Find support. Too many gifts to wrap? Don’t know how you’ll write out all of your holiday cards? Find a family member or friend who can help wrap presents. Reserve an afternoon to visit, sip hot chocolate, and write out all of your cards together with your older family member helping in whatever way they can.
Be discerning about “made from scratch.” Many people feel the need to go overboard on meals during the holiday season, but not everything on your table has to be homemade. Choose one or two selections for your holiday menu that you love to make from scratch, and incorporate some microwavable or ready-made dishes to round out the table and save you time.
As the leading provider of senior care in Provo and the surrounding areas, we are here to make each day during the holiday season – and beyond – brighter and happier for those we serve, while allowing family caregivers to take necessary time away from their care tasks.
Caring for older loved ones during the holidays can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to stress you out. With Harmony Home Health & Hospice, you are never alone in your role as a caregiver. Contact us online to request a free in-home consultation to learn more about the many ways we can help you and an older adult you love. From all of us at Harmony Home Health & Hospice, we wish you and your family the happiest of holidays and all the best in the coming year!
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Family Caregivers: Don’t Leave Taking Care of Yourself Off Your Holiday To-Dos
If you’re a family caregiver, taking care of yourself is essential all year long, but especially during the busy holiday season.
It’s the happiest season of the year! However, if you’re one of the millions of people in America who is providing care for a senior family member, the approaching holidays may feel more like the most stressful time of the year. Setting aside time for taking care of yourself may have been relegated to the very bottom of your to-do list, but the aging care experts at Harmony Home Health & Hospice of Provo and the surrounding areas would like to encourage you to reconsider and reprioritize your self-care!
Taking care of yourself helps you to take better care of your loved ones. These five simple recommendations from our experts in home health and hospice in Provo and the surrounding communities can help:
1. Eat right
When you’re stressed, you may be inclined to overeat. When you’re worn out, it’s easy to select whatever is handy; fast food, tea and toast, chips and a soft drink. Your body needs high quality food to perform well.
2. Work out on a regular basis
Physical exercise is the original “feel good” treatment. It helps you get a better night’s sleep and wake up refreshed and ready to face another strenuous day. Daily exercise improves both your emotional and physical wellness, keeping your mind alert and body fine-tuned and energetic.
3. Get plenty of sleep
This could be easier said than done, particularly if you’re caring for a person who tends to wander during the evening. Nevertheless, most people need to have six to eight hours of sleep per night to maintain good health. Catch up with brief naps if necessary or call Harmony Home Health & Hospice of Albuquerque and nearby areas for evening caregiving support.
4. Make time for yourself
Regardless of whether you’re caring for a parent, spouse, or other family member or friend, you need time for yourself. You need time to engage in outside interests, other people, and a means to escape from the continuous pressure of caregiving. It’s easy to let friendships lag when you have important things to do, but friends can get you through some challenging times, simply by being there. Harmony Home Health & Hospice’s respite care services can help caregivers take the break they need during the holiday season and all through the year.
5. Find a support group
It’s common to feel isolated in your role as a caregiver. This is why it’s important to talk to others, particularly other caregivers. They’ll understand what you’re up against, they will grasp where you’re coming from, and they might even have some great tips.
Need some extra time to take care of that holiday to-do list? Contact the dedicated caregiving experts at Harmony Home Health & Hospice. We can provide the care and attention your family member needs while giving you the time you need to accomplish your to-dos and take a little time for yourself.
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5 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays with Seniors During the Pandemic
Make the most of holidays with seniors during COVID-19 with these tips.
Think of the most perfect holiday season you are able to envision. While that image will vary a little for every one of us, it may include gifts, lights, good food, and traditions passed down through the generations. Yet what most definitely holds true for all of us is the enjoyment in spending time with the people we love.
Sadly, the COVID-19 crisis has, admittedly, caused us all to reconsider best ways to safely take pleasure in the holidays with seniors we love. With a little bit of creativity and ingenuity, however, it is possible to bridge the gap and make new memories with the seniors in your life, even if you can’t be together with them in person this year.
Modify traditions. Think through the traditions that mean the most to you and your family, and how you are able to modify them in order to keep everyone safe. For example, if the family typically gets together each year to bake cookies, you can use Zoom or a similar platform to stay connected while making cookies from home. Select a favorite recipe, have the family sign in at a specific time, and bake away while chatting and listening to some holiday music.
Don’t do away with decorating. Seniors who live alone usually look forward to having loved ones, specifically grandchildren, visit to help with holiday decorating. Without in-person visits, seniors may not be interested in decorating. Again, using a software program like Zoom, schedule for a time for everybody to get together online and share the stories behind treasured decorations.
Enjoy the great outdoors. If weather allows, plan short visits with seniors outside, safely socially distant and with face coverings. String lights on bushes around the yard and decorate the front porch. In case of snow, have the grandchildren build a snow fort or engage in a snowball fight while your older loved ones watch from the window.
Send smiles. Pictures, cards, letters, telephone calls, small gifts, etc. will all mean so much to older adults who are missing time with loved ones. Coordinate with members of the family to take turns reaching out regularly in ways similar to this so your older loved ones are inundated with expressions of love.
Share your feelings. There is nothing quite as heartwarming as hearing from someone you love about the impact you’ve made on his or her life. Take this time to express your gratitude to the seniors you love for the difference they have made in your life, and be specific: “Dad, your patience with me when I was a teen taught me what unconditional love looks like, and thanks to you, I am a more patient person with my own kids.”
https://www.harmonyhomehealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/online-Christmas-gathering.jpg533800Harmony Home Health & Hospicehttp://www.harmonyhomehealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/logo-hhh.pngHarmony Home Health & Hospice2020-12-07 07:18:292022-01-08 15:23:135 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays with Seniors During the Pandemic
Avoid an emergency room visit this holiday season with these tips.
While we’d like to picture enjoying a Norman Rockwell-worthy Thanksgiving celebration, with all of our loved ones spending quality time together and Mom’s traditional holiday feast, the reality for many families instead includes something unanticipated: an emergency room visit. As a matter of fact, research shows that E/R visits for the elderly jump as much as 10 – 20% over the holidays.
While determining the exact reason behind this increase is tricky, one factor could be family members who haven’t been spending as much time with an elderly relative in the timeframe prior to the holiday season, only to find during holiday visiting that his or her condition has deteriorated.
Dr. Tamara Kuittinen of Lenox Hill Hospital shares, “It’s an issue of out of sight, out of mind for many people. If you haven’t seen your mom in six months, you may not be fully aware of the aging process and her health in general.”
Not only that, but there are some typical changes related to aging that could be misinterpreted, causing family members to believe that an emergency room visit is necessary.
There are, however, several proactive steps that can be taken to prevent a holiday emergency:
Keep a list of contact information for your loved one’s primary care physician and other medical specialists. Be sure the list includes all medications prescribed by each doctor and any medication allergies or other concerns. Contacting the appropriate doctor for his or her recommendations about your concerns is a good first step before an emergency room visit, unless the senior is experiencing a true emergency.
Talk with the senior about assigning a health care proxy, who will serve as a voice in making health decisions if your loved one is unable to do so. Make sure a living will is also in place as well.
Check in with the senior routinely during the course of the year. For family members who live at a distance, it’s helpful to enlist the aid of your loved one’s neighbors or close friends to visit the senior on a regular basis and to keep you updated with any changes they pick up on.
Of course, if it is an actual emergency, never hesitate to call 911 and seek the emergency medical care needed immediately.
A professional geriatric and pediatric home healthcare agency, like Harmony Home Health & Hospice, is the perfect solution to ensure your loved ones remain healthy and well, and that any changes in condition are addressed immediately – so that the holiday season will remain as festive and enjoyable as it should be. Just several of the many ways we can help include:
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Creative Ways to Brighten the Holidays for Those with a Chronic Health Condition
Discover tips to help make the holidays brighter for those with chronic illness.
There’s nothing better than gathering the whole family together to celebrate the warmth of the holiday season, and this is just as true for older adults. Yet when a chronic health condition leads to compromised health for a senior, it can be challenging to fully enjoy the festivities.
For instance, attending to the needs of diabetes care management is especially challenging during the holiday season of high sugar/salt/fat delicacies that are readily available, while those struggling with the effects of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy may have difficulty enjoying holiday meals at all.
Scale back for less stress. While we all enjoy holiday hoopla, the real gift to be treasured is time together. Agree as a family to cut back on elaborate gift-giving, which can lead to feelings of guilt on the part of the senior with a chronic health condition who likely finds it more difficult to get out and shop for the perfect gifts for each family member. Try a white elephant gift exchange, in which each person brings one gift, with all gifts placed in a central location. Numbers are chosen, designating the order in which each person gets to choose a gift. Each family member, in turn, will have the opportunity to pick a new gift from the pile, or “steal” one that’s already been selected.
Cut corners. When planning meals, realize that it’s perfectly fine to forego an elaborate spread, and take a few shortcuts to reduce the stress and mess. It’s unlikely that anyone will notice – or care – that you’ve baked a pie using ready-made crust; or even purchased the pie at a local bakery. Shifting the focus of your get-together away from a fancy meal and more on spending quality time together can make for a much more comfortable and relaxed visit for older adults.
Limit the visit. Especially for those with a chronic health condition, fatigue can quickly set in. Agree with loved ones in advance to limit visiting to an hour or two, allowing the senior sufficient time to enjoy with family, while avoiding complications that might arise from overextending herself. It may also be helpful to the senior to have family visit in smaller groups, rather than one large gathering, broken out over a period of several days.
https://www.harmonyhomehealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/GettyImages-517237413.jpg41707360Harmony Home Health & Hospicehttp://www.harmonyhomehealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/logo-hhh.pngHarmony Home Health & Hospice2018-12-07 21:04:132025-03-14 18:03:51Creative Ways to Brighten the Holidays for Those with a Chronic Health Condition
Harmony Home Health & Hospice shares Thanksgiving meal tips for diabetics.
Thanksgiving is full of temptations to indulge, and it’s easy to convince ourselves that it’s ok to forget about the diet just this once. But for diabetics, even one day of overindulgence can lead to serious health concerns.
That doesn’t mean, however, that diabetics have to miss out on the Thanksgiving feast! At Harmony Home Health & Hospice, providers of trusted in home care in Ogden, we help older adults with diabetes and other conditions that require dietary restrictions with preparation of healthy, delicious meals year-round. And it’s especially important during this festive time of year to come up with creative ways to celebrate without compromising health.
Senior diabetics can keep these tips in mind as they step up to the buffet table this Thanksgiving:
Veggies first. Start the meal with the healthiest options first, such as steamed or raw vegetables. This will help take the edge off your appetite and prevent impulse eating.
Choose your favorites. Decide on a special treat, and allow yourself a small portion; then cut back in other areas. For instance, if you choose a dinner roll or mashed potatoes, eliminate other carb options, such as dessert.
Eat slowly. Take time to savor your favorite dish; it takes up to 20 minutes for your body to feel full, so enjoy every bite!
Skip the alcohol. Choose non-alcoholic beverages that won’t interfere with meds or cause blood sugar to plummet.
Stick to a schedule. Veering too far off your normal eating pattern can cause problems. Be sure to fit in a healthy snack if the meal will be served later to keep blood sugar levels stabilized.
Bring a dish. If visiting friends or family for Thanksgiving, offer to bring along a healthy dish that you know you’ll enjoy.
Exercise…and rest. The busyness of the holiday season can lead us to skip regular physical activity, but it’s important for diabetics to keep up with a doctor-approved exercise regimen on a consistent basis. Follow that up with at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night to stay in optimal health.
If you’d like additional tips to stay healthy throughout the holidays and beyond with diabetes, contact the senior care professionals at Harmony Home Health & Hospice. We’re available with a full range of customized services in home care in Ogden to ensure older adults are as safe, comfortable, and healthy as possible. Call us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE (1-877-463-3322) any time to learn more!
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