Dealing Early Symptoms of Dementia

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118. Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Spotting the early symptomsof dementia in seniors is critical to getting early treatment. Some studies have shown that individuals who receive treatment for dementia at an early stage are able to hold off the progression of the disease. Often, it is up to family, friends and others close to the senior to spot changes in a senior’s mood or behavior to get him or her this type of early help.

It can be difficult to know if an individual has the beginning symptoms of dementia because of how closely these symptoms resemble healthy aging. For example, one of the initial signs of dementia is memory loss. Yet, as most people age, their memory (both short term and long term) can fade a little. Learning how to tell the difference between dementia and common old age symptoms is essential. Often, the symptoms of dementia are similar to Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Getting help for a loved one potentially suffering from dementia can be challenging. The first step is to know the early symptoms of dementia in seniors. Many times, individuals realize they are forgetting things, but they may be resistant to seeking medical attention for their condition. Still, medical attention is critical to prolonging life.

• Take the time to monitor the individual’s behavior closely. Are these symptoms becoming more frequent?

• Notice when symptoms become dangerous for the individual. For example, if an individual becomes lost while driving his or her car, this could be a warning sign of dementia and should be reported right away.

• Involve family doctors and close loved ones. When more individuals can spot these signs, the senior may be more willing to undergo treatment or to talk to their family doctor about their condition.

Keep an open mind and share much love. Many times, the senior does not realize what could be happening.

How You Can Make The Home Safe-For an Elderly Person

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Falls in the elderly are the leading cause of fatal as well as non fatal injuries. Thirty percent of people over the age of 65 will fall each year.

Sixty percent of elderly falls occur in the home. By safe proofing your or your loved ones house, you can help decrease this number. Learn a few easy tips to help “fall proof” a house.

Living Room:
Pick up any throw rugs…. Do not have them anywhere in the house
Have ample space to walk in between furniture
Keep all electrical cords out of the way

Stairs:
Keep all stairways free of clutter
Install hand rails on both sides of the steps

Bathroom:
Keep a night light on at all times
Install rails in the bathtub or shower
Place a non skid mat in the shower or bathtub

Why Home Care and What is it?

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

The term ‘home care’ or ‘in-home care’ has a wide definition that encompasses many different health and social services. These services are generally administered for the elderly, recovering patients, mentally disabled, and people otherwise in need of assistance. The type of assistance ranges depending on individual needs – it can range from medical and nursing assistance to help with daily activities and therapeutic or social treatment.

In-home care is not intended for medical conditions that demand supervision that cannot legally or logistically be maintained at home. It is not for conditions that must be given assistance/supervision in a medical facility. But there are many other conditions that can be easily managed from home – inexpensively and in the convenience of the home.

When given the choice, most elderly people choose to remain in their homes and maintain a happy and independent life for as long as they can. Similarly, younger adults who are recovering from surgery or are disabled find in-home care to be a more attractive option. In-home care can offer a more affordable option that is a more compassionate and comfortable experience

Why Choose 5 Star Home Care in Atlanta?

Our Caregivers, and our commitment to quality, compassionate care. It is so important to be comfortable with the person who will come into your home and care for someone you love. 5 Star Home Care caregivers are screened, trained, licensed, insured and bonded before they ever enter your home. Each caregiver undergoes a thorough background check. Caregivers are carefully placed to assure that they can provide care that is up to our high standards- but just as important, we also want to assure compatibility. You always have the opportunity to meet your caregiver, and to choose the one that feels right.

Call us now for a free in home assessment at 404-719-4118.

Live-In Care

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Our main objective is to help our clients live independently, comfortably, and at home for as long as possible. We do that by going the extra mile in finding qualified, compatible caregivers for each of our clients and monitoring care over time.

Services include:

• Hygiene and grooming assistance
• Alzheimer’s and dementia care
• Respite care for family caregivers
• Meal planning and preparation
• Companionship and conversation
• Medication reminders
• Light housekeeping
• Laundry
• Transportation to appointments and around town
• Shopping and errands

We know you face a tough decision, but getting home care is simple. First we meet in your home to assess the situation and answer your questions in detail. Then we conduct a second meeting to introduce you to our first choice caregiver with the right skills and disposition to work well with your family. If you approve the caregiver, services start at your convenience. If you do not, we can present alternate caregivers for your consideration.

Over the course of caregiving, we monitor care by communicating with you and with the caregiver by telephone and in person. As your needs change, your caregiver receives additional training to continue to be effective. You can request changes to your caregiving plan and schedule at any time.

Services can be arranged for short-term or long-term care; one time only, daily or weekly; live-in or live-out.

Our office staff is on-call after hours, weekends and holidays. We don’t use an answering service. When you call us, you will talk with someone who has the knowledge and the authority to help you. If the answering machine picks up, rest assured that we will return your call within 30 minutes. Call us for a free in home assessment at 404-719-4118.

In Home Care Services-Help for Mom or Dad

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

So, you’ve been searching for someone to provide that extra special care for your mom, dad, a love one or for your own self?  Your search is over because you have finally found 5 Star Home Care.

We specialize in providing a helping hand for your home health care needs or the home care needs of a family member in your very own home.  Our services for the elderly, the terminally ill and the physically disabled patients are programmed to provide the highest quality of personalized home health care.

Our home care services may include any of the following:

 

• Medication assistance and supervision
  
• Personal grooming and bathing
  
• Light housekeeping
  
• Meal preparation & feeding
  
• Escort to appointments
  
• Exercise and walking
  
• Errands and shopping
  
• and many more…
  
• Things to consider why many of our clients like you
  have chosen and will like our services:
  
• 
  
•  Affordable Rates – Our rates are very reasonable so
  our services can be  available to as many as who needs
  our services.
  
•  Personalized Care – Our case managers would
  personally visit you or your  patient to personally
  evaluate your case so we could carefully match the right caregiver for you.
  
•  Quick Response – We can provide the needed
  caregiver within 24 hours of notice.
  
•  Availability – Our services are available 24 hours a
  day, 7 days a week,  including holidays.

Would you like a FREE  IN HOME ASSESSMENT of your case?  If you do, please do not hesitate to call us now at 404-719-4118.

In Home Caregiver – Finding the Right Person

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Taking care of elderly parents or other relatives at home can be difficult. More so if they have a disease that is continuously progressing. If the situation is getting more and more difficult for you to handle, and is affecting the quality of your life, maybe, hiring an in home caregiver is just what you need. There are actually a lot of agencies, individuals, caregivers and nurses who can help and provide the kind of service that suits your need. However, finding the right person to help you takes a lot of consideration.

First, you have to decide what kind of help you really need. Before calling an agency to inquire about their services, you have at least something in mind of what set-up you really wish to have. What time do you need a home caregiver’s service? How much will it cost you to avail of the service? Then, there are also a lot of things that you need to know about the agency and the person who is going to work for you.

An in home caregiver should be well- trained and qualified. You have to check what sort of experience the person has. For example, your mother has dementia. You have to know if the person has actually worked for someone who has the same situation as you. You have to know what kind of trainings the person has had in the past or if he/she regularly attends trainings. If the agency or the individual claims that he/she has good qualifications, look for proofs such as certificates.

If you choose to hire from an agency, be sure to know whom to contact in case of a problem. Hiring an in home caregiver can give you back your independence, but it can also give a lot trouble of you fail to find the right person.

Dealing With Elderly Incontinence

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118. Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

What is it?

 Loss of bladder control is called urinary incontinence. It can happen to anyone, but is very common in older people.Get the facts about bladder control problems like overactive bladder, urge incontinence, and stress incontinence.

The body stores urine in the bladder. During urination, muscles in the bladder contract or tighten. This forces urine out of the bladder and into a tube called the urethra that carries urine out of the body. At the same time, muscles surrounding the urethra relax and let the urine pass through. Spinal nerves control how these muscles move. Incontinence occurs if the bladder muscles contract or the muscles surrounding the urethra relax without warning.

Incontinence can occur for many reasons. For example, urinary tract infections, vaginal infection or irritation, constipation, and certain medicines can cause bladder control problems that last a short time. Other problems include weak or overactive bladder muscles, blockage from an enlarged prostate, damage to nerves that control the bladder from diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, or diseases such as arthritis that can make walking painful and slow.

Urinary incontinence is the accidental leakage of urine. It can happen when you cough or sneeze, or have a sudden urge to go to the bathroom but can’t get there in time. Symptoms vary depending on the type of incontinence:

• Stress incontinence happens when urine leaks during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting heavy objects, or other body movements that put pressure on the bladder. It is the most common type of bladder control problem in women. It may begin around the time of menopause.
• Urge incontinence happens when people can’t hold their urine long enough to get to the toilet in time. Healthy people can have urge incontinence, but it is often found in people who have diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis. It is also sometimes an early sign of bladder cancer.
• Overflow incontinence happens when small amounts of urine leak from a bladder that is always full. A man can have trouble emptying his bladder if an enlarged prostate is blocking the urethra. Diabetes and spinal cord injury can also cause this type of incontinence.
• Functional incontinence happens in many older people who have normal bladder control. They just have a hard time getting to the toilet in time because of arthritis or other disorders that make moving quickly difficult.

The first step in treating a bladder control problem is to see a doctor. He or she will give your loved one a physical exam and take his or her medical history. The doctor will ask about symptoms and the medicines your loved one uses. He or she will want to know if your loved one has been sick recently or had surgery. Your doctor also may do a number of tests. including urine and blood tests, as well as tests that measure how well your loved one empties the bladder. In addition, your doctor may ask you to keep a daily diary of when your loved one urinates and when he/she leaks urine.

Treatments include:

• Bladder control training. With bladder training, seniors can change how their bladder stores and empties urine.
• A small, throwaway patch. A small, tampon-like urethral plug; or a vaginal insert for women with stress incontinence.
• Medications. Some drugs prevent unwanted bladder contractions. Some relax muscles, helping the bladder to empty more fully during urination. Others tighten muscles in the bladder and urethra to cut down leakage.
• An injectable implant into the area around the urethra. The implant helps close the urethra to reduce stress incontinence. Injections may have to be repeated after a time because the body slowly gets rid of these substances.
• Surgery can improve or cure incontinence if it is caused by a problem such as a change in the position of the bladder or blockage due to an enlarged prostate. Common surgery for stress incontinence involves pulling the bladder up and securing it.

At least 1 in 10 people age 65 or older has incontinence problems. Incontinence is more common in women. Aging alone does not cause incontinence, but it is more common among the elderly. It can occur for many reasons. For example, temporary bladder control problems can be caused by urinary tract infections, constipation, and certain medicines can contribute to bladder control problems. Sometimes incontinence lasts longer. This might be due to problems such as:

• Weak bladder muscles
• Overactive bladder muscles
• Blockage from an enlarged prostate
• Damage to nerves that control the bladder from diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease
• Diseases such as arthritis that can make walking painful and slow

There are many ways to make living with urinary incontinence easier.

• Monitor fluid intake. Keeping your loved one’s daily water intake to a quart or so — may be all you need to do notice improvement. However, talk to your doctor before making any major changes in fluid intake.
• Pay attention to diet. Among foods and drinks that may worsen incontinence are alcoholic beverages, caffeine-containing foods and drinks, spicy foods, high-acid foods such as citrus fruits and juices, and carbonated drinks. If you notice symptoms of urinary incontinence worsen after your loved one has any of these foods or drinks, eliminating them or cutting back on them may make living with urinary incontinence easier.
• Use absorbent underclothing. It is not bulky and can be worn easily under everyday clothing.
• Be aware of the potential emotional toll of urinary incontinence. Incontinence can cause emotional distress and depression, particularly urge incontinence since it is so unpredictable. Monitor your loved one’s mental state, and talk to your doctor right away if you notice signs of depression.

When Do You Need Live In Care?

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Live-in care is a good solution when assistance and companionship are needed around the clock. Live in care can be an alternative to nursing home care in some instances, and allows people to age in place.

How does it work?

Our aide stays in the client’s home for continuous 24-hour shifts . We monitor our live-in caregivers with spot checks, reviews, and regular meetings. Typically, to avoid caregiver burnout, we have a team of two caregivers working either three days or four days of back-to-back per diem shifts.

Live-in care is appropriate when:

• There is a separate bedroom for the caregivers’ use
• The client generally sleeps through the night
• The caregiver can be in another room doing household chores part of the day, and the client can be left unattended(with the caregiver in the home).

Live-in Services Include:

• Companionship, emotional support and recreational activities Light housekeeping and laundry
• Bathing and showering
• Dressing and Grooming
• Toileting and incontinence care
•  Feeding
• Mobility – Ambulating, transfers and exercises
• Transportation to medical appointments, social or religious activities
• Meal preparation, including special diets
•  Grocery shopping and errands
• Medication reminders

If you would like more information on Live In Care Service, please give us a call at 404-250-3248.

Dealing with Dementia

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

• Step 1

Learn all you can about dementia, once a firm diagnosis has been made. Secure a power of attorney. A trustworthy family member should have access to all bank accounts and legal information, so get a power of attorney as soon after diagnosis is made. Allow dementia patients to live on their own since they can care for their own needs. However, this is a quick progressing disease and these patients should not be alone for extended periods because no one can predicts that rate of cognitive impairment.

• Step 2

Check in on the dementia patient daily if he or she does not live with you or have a trusted neighbor check this person. If there is, a spouse or close neighbor to help watch over the patient it should be okay, but if that person lives alone, make an excuse to visit everyday for as needed.

• Step 3

Watch for those dangerous points, which are red flags that this person has regressed to the point when they are no longer able to stay alone. These include not eating properly, taking too many medicines, not remembering simple stuff, like the day, as well as any odd behaviors which are not usual to that person.

• Step 4

Prepare the dementia patient to have a say in where they live if possible. Allow them to make their own choices as they are able, but at the point when they are unable to make simple decisions then a family member needs to step in.

• Step 5

Move the dementia patient in your home or a nursing home when they can no longer live on his or her own. Perhaps they will resist, talk with their doctor, and go to court to gain custody if needed. Safety is very important and if their cognitive thinking and reason skills are damaged by the progress of the disease to the extent that they have become unable to care for them it is up to us as family members to step in and help.

Tips for Taking Care of an Elderly Parent in Your Home

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for Seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

If you are caring for a parent or an elderly person in your home you may want to consider following a few of these helpful tips that I picked up through personal experience years before his. Being a caretaker for someone who is elderly, especially a parent, can almost feel unnatural. The tables are turned and you can easily fall into the trap of treating your parent or elderly like a child. And they are not children! They have their dignity and they deserve full respect. So please remember to make them feel important.

1. Ask what they want to eat. Don’t just serve whatever you feel like serving. I have a grocery list and buy the foods that they want.
2. Ask how they feel. Listen to them complain about their aches and pains. Let them complain all they want. You don’t need to cure them. You just need to listen.
3. Play games with them. Card games, dice games, board games… keep them thinking!
4. Give them rides on nice days. Ask them where they would like to go.
5. Give them their own space as much as possible. Give them their own room with a TV, phone, etc. If you can’t do that, at least make sure they have a chair that belongs to them and only them and put it near a window with a little table, whatever. Just give them some space that is their own.
6. Offer to read to them. Or get them some books on tape. Or let them listen to the radio. Or get your kids to sing to them.
7. Ask for their advice! They love knowing that you care about their opinion. Ask for their advice and listen to what they say! They are usually right!