Tag Archive for: Senior Care

A couple shake hands with a health care provider as they navigate coordinating care for seniors.

4 Smart Questions That Help With Coordinating Care for Seniors

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A couple shake hands with a health care provider as they navigate coordinating care for seniors.

Coordinating care for seniors means asking the right questions—and understanding what to do with the answers.

The stack of appointment cards is growing. There’s one doctor for heart health, another for arthritis, and a third managing diabetes. Then there are lab results, new prescriptions, follow-up visits, and the occasional emergency. Sound familiar?

When you’re helping an older adult manage their health, it can feel like a part-time job—on top of everything else you’re doing. What’s often missing in the shuffle is clarity: knowing what to ask, how to ask it, and what to do with the answers once you get them. Read more

Senior woman smiling at the holiday dinner table with family

Simple Tips for Including Seniors in Holiday Fun

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Senior woman smiling at the holiday dinner table with family

Deck the halls while including seniors with these tips from our experts in home care and hospice care in Salt Lake City & nearby areas.

Even though the holiday season is commonly viewed as a time that is joyful, filled with spending time with family and friends who are near and dear to us and finding the perfect gifts, for older individuals, it can be anything but merry and bright. A mix of lost loved ones, memories of holidays past, health concerns and more can impact older adults with feelings of lonesomeness and sorrow.

At Harmony Home Health & Hospice, provider of in-home care and hospice care in Salt Lake City and surrounding communities, we care deeply about making sure that seniors feel included in the festivities and enjoy the holiday season to the fullest. The following tips can help everyone enjoy the wonder of the holiday season together:

  • Create a cookbook with recipes from all family members. Accumulate all the recipes together, and then make copies of your new family cookbook.
  • Go for a drive to enjoy holiday lights in the community your older family member grew up in.
  • If the senior has problems with setting up holiday decorations, offer to help! This is a wonderful way to share memories of past holidays and the stories behind different decorations.
  • For a holiday that is really relaxing, schedule time together at a local beauty shop or spa. You can even request a local beautician or masseuse to come to the senior’s home if it’s possible.

Safety precautions may also need to be considered for the senior, for a number of reasons: increased fall risks with all of the extra holiday decorations, challenges with following a prescribed dietary plan, and for those with dementia, interruption to routine, additional visitors in the home, and higher noise levels can all cause stress.

Keep the following in mind to be sure your senior loved ones remain safe and content:

  • Keep decoration safety in mind. Ensure that there are clear walking paths, and try to make use of simple, uncluttered decorations.
  • Lower lighting can conceal things that seniors could possibly trip over, such as extension cords.
  • Designate a quiet area for the older person if the enthusiasm of young children, loud music and activities become overwhelming.
  • Assign someone to be the older adult’s “buddy” for the event, making sure his or her needs are fully met and establishing a bond that is beneficial for both.

The holidays can certainly be fun and relaxing for all. With just a little pre-planning and additional thought, seniors will enjoy the holidays as much as everyone else, creating new memories that the whole family will take pleasure in and remember for a lifetime.

And, if in the middle of the holiday hustle and bustle you might like the help and support of a professional caregiver from Harmony Home Health & Hospice, provider of the best home health care and hospice care in Salt Lake City and nearby areas, is on hand to help! Contact us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE to learn more about how we can brighten the holidays for you and yours and for more ideas for fun activities for elderly loved ones to enjoy this holiday season.

Senior making gingerbread houses with grandchild

Plan for a Cheerful Holiday Season with Senior Loved Ones

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Senior making gingerbread houses with grandchild

Use these tips from our experts in home care in Ogden & nearby areas to help make the holiday season with senior loved ones merry and bright.

The holidays are filled with celebrations, parties, and get-togethers. However, for an elderly loved one, holiday outings require a little supplemental planning. Follow these guidelines from  Harmony Home Health & Hospice’s experts in home care in Ogden and surrounding communities to enjoy relaxed and fun outings with family members of all ages this holiday season.

Prior to leaving the house, consider:

  • How much walking is required, and whether there will be parking close by
  • Whether the location is flat or has steps or hills to climb
  • Whether or not it is wheelchair-accessible (if appropriate)
  • If there is cover and shade
  • Where the bathroom facilities are
  • If there is seating available in the event that your loved one wants to rest

Be certain to prepare for a wide range of possible plan changes:

  • Have all necessary medicines on hand, and bring an extra supply, in case the outing takes longer or takes an unanticipated turn
  • Have appropriate clothing as well as rain and sun protection
  • Bring along snacks and drinks, in case of a delay

Need some holiday outing suggestions that older adults might enjoy? Take into consideration the following:

  • Go for a relaxing family drive to see the area holiday lights
  • If it’s possible and welcomed, invite the senior to your home to help with decorating for the holidays
  • Take the older adult to a holiday party at the local senior center
  • Go to community plays; in addition to the local theater, there are affordably priced plays and shows presented at local schools

When engaging in any holiday activities for older adults, take things slow and create a relaxing environment to make sure the senior is comfortable and content. The home health care team at Harmony Home Health & Hospice can offer support by increasing your loved one’s independence while providing exceptional home care in Ogden and nearby areas during the holidays and throughout the rest of the year! Reach out to our dedicated senior care professionals at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE to discover more. See the full list of areas we serve throughout the Ogden, UT area here.

caring for someone with parkinson's

Caring for Someone with Parkinson’s? You’ll Want to Read This Encouraging News!

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caring for someone with parkinson's

These latest findings are great news for those caring for someone with Parkinson’s.

The consequences of staying active and exercising throughout aging are tremendous, but for those with Parkinson’s, it might truly be a game-changer in the progression of the disease. Several studies are exposing direct links between physical exercise and Parkinson’s, such as the largest clinical study to date, in which patients who exercised no less than 2½ hours per week realized a greater overall wellbeing than those who refrained from exercise. And that’s just the beginning of the encouraging news for those caring for someone with Parkinson’s.

The onset of Parkinson’s symptoms occurs following a loss in the brain cells that produce dopamine. Researchers believe that exercise makes it possible for the brain to rebuild lost connections, form new ones, and continue maintaining those that are still in place. Additional studies show:

  • Gains were noticed in stride length, gait speed and balance following treadmill exercise – after as little as just one single session, and persisting for many weeks afterwards.
  • Motor function and coordination were enhanced in people who pedaled faster on a stationary bike – once more, with results lasting for weeks after the study was over.
  • Noticeable improvements regarding the normalcy of movement were noticed in persons with Parkinson’s who participated in a routine exercise regime in comparison to those who did not.

It’s important to mention that the results achieved were dependent upon consistent, ongoing exercise. The clinical tests reported that any protective benefits achieved were discontinued after the amount and intensity of physical exercise was reduced or was implemented just for a short period of time. The necessary criteria for sustainable results seem to be just like those needed to help those who’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury or stroke: intensity, specificity, difficulty and complexity.

Additional research is underway to hone in even more on the remarkable effects of physical exercise in people that have Parkinson’s disease, and the precise reasoning behind it. For the time being, if caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease, it’s certainly useful to talk to his/her primary care physician for a recommended exercise routine.

For customized in-home health care services to help those with Parkinson’s and other chronic conditions live safer and more comfortable lives, call Harmony Home Health & Hospice, one of the top-rated home health agencies providing Salt Lake City in-home care and care throughout the nearby areas, at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE.

Assistive Devices for the Elderly

Assistive Devices for the Elderly: Insider Tips to Increase Safety and Comfort at Home

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Assistive Devices for the Elderly

Assistive devices for the elderly provide safety and help seniors remain at home.

Throughout growing older, assistive devices for the elderly can make day-to-day life around the house easier and safer. There’s a large selection of assistive equipment solutions for home care available today to choose from. At Harmony Home Health & Hospice, the top-rated Salt Lake City home health care providers, we want to provide you with some insider tips for picking out and using some of the most widely used assistive devices for the elderly.

Commodes  

A commode can be used in place of both an elevated toilet seat and a toilet safety frame, and also has the additional benefit of being movable, so can be used separately beside the senior’s bed as well.

Suggestions for buying:

  • Try to choose one that includes non-removable armrests and rubber tips on the legs as opposed to wheels, and examine for durability.
  • Choose a commode that comes with both a pail (including a lid) and a sleeve (for use over the toilet).

Rollators

A rollator is a 4-wheeled walker that has brakes, a seat, and a basket. Rollators work very well, both in the house and outside, provide a seat when the senior needs to rest, and the basket allows users to carry items with them, keeping their hands free to guide the rollator.

Suggestions for buying:

  • Bigger wheels are recommended, as they roll more easily on uneven ground and are overall sturdier.
  • Select a compact, folding design so that it can fit in the trunk of a car.
  • Test out the brakes prior to purchasing to make sure that they are not rigid or challenging to engage.
  • Choose a rollator with a seat cushion for added comfort.
  • Models that allow easy access to the basket while in the typical walking position are preferred.

Shower bench vs. shower board

A shower bench is useful for older adults who feel unsafe when lifting their legs over the side of the tub and considerably lowers the risk of falling when getting in and out of the bathtub.

The primary perks of shower benches over shower boards are that they come with backrests and are height adaptable. Having a taller surface makes standing up from a seated position easier, and backrests offer more support to older adults who tire more easily. Shower boards can also be challenging to fit correctly to a tub.

Suggestions for buying:

  • Select a shower bench that includes a handle and backrest that can be modified to fit different sizes and types of bathtubs.
  • Be sure to also invest in a high quality hand-held sprayer that connects to the faucet and is simple to use.

For more guidelines and insight on in-home assistive equipment products, or for home care services to help your loved one enjoy a better quality of life and boost senior safety in the home, contact Harmony Home Health & Hospice online or call us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE (1-877-463-3322). To see our full service area, click here.