Senior & Elderly Home Care Rancho Cucamonga CA - Right at Home

Slips and falls are the leading source of injury and hospitalization for the elderly who live alone in the home. As the human body ages, once routine and simple tasks become more challenging. Age-related degenerative conditions may result in compromised eyesight, impaired mental faculties, problems with balance and coordination, muscle weakness, fatigue when moving about, joint stiffness, and other disorders that may lead to a dangerous or deadly slip and fall.

An injury from an accidental fall could require a lengthy hospitalization, recuperation period, or months of rehabilitation. Many responsible elder care companies are available that can help their clients avoid dangerous situations that could affect their ability to remain independent. Most elderly citizens realize at some point that they could benefit from "a little help" to accomplish their daily tasks. But when is it time to seek out the services of a company that offers home care?

If you are elderly and feeling a bit unsure of yourself, but do not yet want to consider a move to an assisted living facility, ask yourself these few questions to determine whether you could benefit from a company that provides senior care and assistance:

Do you find it difficult to step in and out of the bathtub or shower stall?
Do you sometimes feel unsteady when moving about, or rising from a seated position?
Do you have trouble accessing items stored on a shelf above shoulder level, but fear using a step stool?
Do you find yourself tripping or stumbling around the house?
Is it becoming difficult to climb or descend a flight of stairs?
Do you avoid going outdoors because the ground is uneven and you are afraid you will fall?

A "yes" answer to any of the questions above indicates you may find elder care in your home to be beneficial.

If you are the primary caregiver for an elderly relative or friend, in-home senior care may be an option that you will find beneficial for times when you need a respite from your caregiving responsibilities so you may enjoy time to travel, socialize with friends, enjoy a hobby or an athletic event...or perhaps just to rest! By employing a company that provides quality senior care, you can rest assured knowing that a professionally trained caregiver who has been pre-screened will be looking after your elderly family member or friend.

Incorporating a plan for senior safety in the home is vital to independent living. When you decide to explore the possibility of employing a company that specializes in senior home care, expect the company representative to arrange an initial meeting with you to discuss your concerns and goals. You may want to jot down any questions you have and address them at that time. After your discussion a plan will be formulated for your approval. It should meet your needs and ensure senior safety within the home. Caregivers provide a range of services including, but not limited to, assistance with meal preparation, bathing, personal care, dressing, grocery shopping, pet care, laundry & housekeeping, and transportation to appointments as needed. When you opt to hire the service, a schedule of home visits by a caregiver, or team of caregivers, will be arranged. Your caregivers will provide companionship and assistance according to your specifications. They will be happy to work with you to make adjustments as needed to meet your changing needs. So don't be afraid to ask for assistance. It is not a first step to losing your independence, rather it is a plan to retain it, and assure your well-being and happiness as you continue to enjoy your home.

Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

The basic definition of a cataract is where there is a clouding of the lens of the eye. When this takes place the light that normally enters the eye is changed or blocked off. Behind the colored iris and pupil lies the actual lens of the human eye. This lens is basically transparent and helps to focus images viewed onto what is called the retina of the eye. The retina is the part of the eye which sends the images that people see straight to their brain to be decoded. The most basic cause of eye loss stemming from a cataract forces vision to become dim or sometimes blurry. So how often do cataracts affect ordinary people in the world? One of the top causes of blindness and poor vision amongst older adults in countries like the Unites States is a cataract. There is an estimated twenty million folks in the USA alone that are around the age of forty, and they all have a cataract.

It has been proven that literally one half of the people in America will develop a cataract by the time they have reached eighty. There are even studies showing a cataract forming in newborn babies, and some percentage of young people. Nobody really knows the exact reasons a cataract forms, but it has been assumed that they generally come along with age. So the older a person gets the more likely they are to form a cataract. There are also a multitude of risk factors that can cause a cataract. These include diseases like diabetes, extremely hot temperatures, long periods of exposure to the suns UV rays, inflammation of the eye, genetic factors, prolonged use of steroids, diseases that form in the eye, injuries to the eye, and smoking all play a role in the risk of a cataract forming.

So what are the general symptoms associated with a cataract? It is well known that cataracts cannot cause conditions such as tears, pain, or redness, yet there are a few warning signs a person can use to judge if there is a possibility they have a cataract. These are things like feeling as if there is some sort of film cover, or ghost images and blurry vision. Also if there is a startling feeling that spawns from being exposed to very strong light. Also if the person often has a hard time seeing close-range objects. Sometimes it is even possible to physically spot a cataract, and they will normally have a sort of milky look to them and resemble a yellowish spot in the pupil. So what are some of the treatments that are available for older adults with poor vision?

It is actually a common fact that most eye problems can be cured if they are treated as soon as they are discovered. Just like with any other disease if it is discovered early there is a much better chance of curing it, and avoid longer-term damages. The most important factor when it comes to safeguarding a person's vision is taking part in eye exams regularly. Any person who is 65 and older should have a full eye exam completed at least one time every 1 to 2 years. This should be done even if there are no apparent eye conditions at the time. One more step to maintaining healthy vision is to ask the eye doctor for what is known as a dilated exam of the eye, and this just adds an extra level of safety against these sorts of conditions.

Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

So far in 2010, AAHomecare and its public affairs firm, Rational 360, have circulated to the media more than 100 locally targeted and national press releases about key HME issues.  In addition, we have logged hundreds of phone calls and emails to specific reporters. These efforts have resulted in press coverage of our issues as well as guest editorials and features in newspapers throughout the U.S.  The campaign is also funding research on the impact of the bidding program and intense outreach to Congress and key congressional districts.

The Stand Up for Homecare campaign is funded through generous contributions from the HME sector, and it is guided by a steering committee of American Association for Homecare members.

What is the Stand Up for Homecare Campaign?

The Stand Up for Homecare Campaign started in 2007 with the HME sector's recognition of the need to change its image both in Washington, DC and throughout the country.  The public awareness campaign has grown into a large scale effort which includes a public relations firm and steering committee to help direct the use of the funds. With the help of the public relations campaign, the American Association for Homecare is able to quickly respond to media stories, be even more proactive in sharing the value of homecare, and provide high quality resources for members to do the same.

Source: America Association for Homecare

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Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

Home care for seniors is currently an industry experiencing almost explosive growth, resulting in a multitude of choices for those who are looking for someone to provide elder care for an aging friend or relative. While choice can be good, it is important to make sure that you make the right choice. This leads to a dilemma for most Americans. The average person has little experience in the medical field and is at a disadvantage when trying to evaluate in-home care agencies. How can you make sure that the senior care organization you are considering will deliver services that are safe, reliable, and appropriate?

Hiring and Supervision

One thing to verify is the diligence that a home care agency exercises with regard to hiring and supervising caregivers. It is important to ask questions and get answers that are clear and understandable. If a homecare agency seems to be reluctant to freely disclose information, eliminate it from consideration. You don't want to trust your loved one to a business that appears anything less than completely trustworthy.

Some of the most important questions to ask are:

* What state certifications do you require from caregivers?
* How do you make sure that employees actually possess the certificates or credentials they claim?
* Do you run a criminal background check on all caregivers prior to hiring them?
* How often do you repeat such background checks for existing employees?
* What additional training and retraining do you require of caregivers?
* Are all caregivers periodically tested to guarantee that important procedures such as first aid and CPR remain mastered?
* How do you supervise your employees?
* Do you conduct periodic announced visits to sites where in-home care is being provided? If so, how often?
* Do you conduct unannounced visits as well? If so, how often?
* How do you deal with an employee who has been discovered providing a substandard level of care

Employment Considerations

The best elder care agencies will be able to provide you with a consistent caregiver, or at the very least, a team of a few individuals who will work closely with your relative in need of elder care. This is important because senior care in the home environment works best when an atmosphere of trust has been established. Your aging friend or relative does not need the additional stress of greeting a stranger each day, or having someone unknown enter the home premises to provide services that are very personal in nature.

It is therefore vital that the in-home care agency you engage has a stable relationship with its own employees instead of an ever-changing roster of short-term workers. Asking questions about the caregiver staff to see how long the average employee has been engaged is a start towards gaining some peace of mind on this topic, but there are some other issues you can check that will help in this area.

One of the most important is to verify that caregivers are true employees, not independent contractors. Employees receive benefits such as workers' compensation insurance; this makes them more likely to remain with the agency in the long term.

Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

Home Care Increases Survival Rate, Study Finds

Seniors who received home care after discharge from hospital for partial hip surgery (hemiarthroplasty) were 43% less likely to die in the three months following the procedure, found a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). However, less than 16% of elderly patients discharged home after partial hip surgery in the study group received home care.

The study looked at 11,326 men and women aged 65 and older in Quebec who had partial hip surgery between 1997 and 2004. Those who were discharged with home care support were younger, more likely to have been treated in a teaching hospital and lower volume hospitals, and to have stayed more than 7 days in hospital. They were also more likely to have a trial fibrillation and acute renal failure. Men were at higher risk of death compared to women and those who stayed longer in hospital had increased survival rates.

Source: Science Daily

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Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

Aging is a natural process, but for many of us, the recognition that our parents are in need of assistance can take time. It can be difficult to accept that your mother or father is no longer able to handle everything for themselves, but it is important to make sure you don't miss the signs. Elder care can allow your aging parent to live a reasonably independent life for many more years, and not risk the injuries or troubles that living alone brings with it. Especially when in-home care is the right option, the life of your parent doesn't have to be drastically altered. Instead, you can implement some basic changes to make sure that your loved one is safe, secure, and well looked-after, without taking away the familiar surroundings and sense of autonomy they've grown to find so important.

But when is it time to start looking into home care? Each case is individual, but it is essential that anyone with an aging parent be aware of potential dangers of seniors living by themselves. Here are some areas to keep in mind when thinking about elderly care:

*Food
Are they able to cook for themselves, or if not, is there a standard way for them to receive healthy meals? Some seniors may deny having difficulty, but you may notice weight loss, or vagueness when discussing food. This can be addressed in other ways, before moving on to full senior care, but it is a good indicator that capacities are becoming limited when your parent is no longer comfortable or able to handle basics in the kitchen.

*Mobility
Are they able to drive, walk, carry small things, and otherwise manage to get around their neighborhood? If you notice that your parent rarely leaves the house or has difficulty walking without assistance, consider that home care provides companionship as well as professional care. Staying indoors alone every day is not beneficial to most elders, so limited mobility can be very hard on some people.

*Hygiene
Is your parent able to wash themselves, and handle basic bathroom necessities without a problem? Making sure the shower has a bar and a grip mat is a good start, but at some point looking into homecare may be the best bet. Remember that falling in the shower is a common cause of injuries among the elderly.

*Mental Acuity
As people age, they commonly complain about minor memory and mental issues, but it is vital to stay aware of how much this progresses. If your parent has episodes of confusion or gets easily lost, looking into aging care makes sense. Not only will they be safer, but regular interaction with another person is thought to be a good resistance against things getting worse.

Sometimes the elder care option is on the table for years, and in other cases, a sudden event changes everything, but the choice can be hard either way. Still, senior care, and especially in-home care, can be freeing rather than restricting.

Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an in-home care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

Setting Up a Plan of Care

By Maria M. Meyer, Paula Derr, and Jon Caswell, Contributing Writers

A plan of care is a daily record of the care and treatment a person needs on a daily basis. The plan helps you and anyone who assists you with caregiving tasks.

A plan of care helps caregivers manage the day-today activities of the person in their care–medications, appointments, exercise, etc. This type of written record is also very helpful when respite (relief) care is used.

The plan of care includes the following information:

* diagnosis

* medications

* physical limitations of the care receiver

* a list of equipment needed

* diet

* detailed care instructions and comments

* services the home health care agency will provide, if using such on agency.

This information is presented in a certain order so that the process of care is repeated over and over again until it becomes routine. When the plan is kept up to date, it provides a clear record of events that is helpful in solving problems and avoiding them.

Source: Caring.com

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Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an in-home care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

Nursing Home Costs Rising Faster than Costs of Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

The cost of receiving long-term care services at home is increasing, but not nearly as rapidly as the cost of nursing home or assisted living services, according to findings of the 2010 Cost of Care Survey from Genworth Financial.

Over the past five years, the median annual rate of a private room in a nursing home rose from $60,225 in 2005 to $75,190 in 2010. That represents a compound annual growth rate of 4.5%, according to the report, which was released Tuesday. In contrast, the compound annual growth rate for home health aides was 1.7% during that same period. A home health aide was making roughly $17.50 per hour in 2005, and makes about $19 per hour today, according to the report.

Source: McKnights

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Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an in-home care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

The sandwich generation gets its name from the growing tendency of Americans to marry and have children later in life, which forces them to simultaneously cope with both child-related expenses like college and the costs, in addition to caring for senior parents. All while engaged in full-time jobs. And those burdens will become all the greater because life expectancies are growing too.

These are long-term trends. Baby boomers populate today's sandwich generation, but tomorrow it will embrace everyone. Caring for seniors will play an increasingly important role in everyone's lives. That will make providing the resources to deliver the best form of care for seniors—whether that involves remaining in the family home or moving to a long-term care facility—an increasingly important priority for governments at all levels.

For many seniors, staying in the family home could be the best option. Those whose main problem is managing such daily tasks as cooking, bathing, taking their medications on schedule or getting dressed need assistance—but perhaps not round-the=clock. Policies that enable them to remain at home will take some of the pressure off long-term care facilities, which will be undergoing considerable expansions to meet the growth in the senior population.

Federal policies to assist in home care for seniors should complement support for long-term health care. For one thing, home care is less expensive than even the lowest level of long-term care, saving taxpayers considerably. The national average for 40 hours a week of one-to-one care in the home is $29,000. A year in a low-cost assisted living facility averages about $50,000 per year; a private room in a nursing home averages over $70,000.

Source: McKnights

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Home care counselors at Right at Home are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. Right at Home is an in-home care agency providing Home Care in Rancho Cucamonga.

Writer: Isabel Fawcett, SPHR, LTC Expert Publications

As Baby Boomers prepare to visit their aging parents and/or in-laws for the holidays, some may be in for a rude awakening in caregiving. Home care may be looming large on their elderly parents' horizon. Some boomers don't see the need for elderly home care until they're literally scrambling to find home care options for their parents and/or in-laws. "Too late, too late shall be the cry?"

It was bound to happen – or, was it?

In 2011, now less than 2 months away, the first wave of Baby Boomers will hit the magical age of 65. Naturally, boomers' parents have already transitioned into their senior years. Other parents have died. Some parents are trying to cope with their chronic health conditions, widowhood, a spouse's or domestic partner's chronic health issues. Each relationship has its own family and couple's dynamic.

With aging and health decline, very little is new. Time marches on. Why, then, do some adult children wait until our backs are against the long-distance caregiving wall? Unless you thrive on high stress in your life, avoid procrastination and denial about your parents' and/or in-laws' golden years life transitions.

Pre-Travel Elder Care Assessment&Tips; for Long-Distance Family Members

If you haven't seen your parent(s) in more than a year, brace yourself. Prepare by planning ahead and thinking strategically. Ask yourself tough questions.

• Do my parents have a clean bill of health, or, are there medical conditions I need to know about?
• Are my parents still able to drive safely? How will I know if they should not be driving?
• Assuming worst case scenarios in my parents' health, physical and cognitive abilities, what would it take for my parents to age in place, with dignity?
• What am I prepared to do to help or lead my parents and/or siblings in our family's eldercare strategy?

Long-Distance Caregiver Cheerleader Calls Strongly Recommended

If you've never made time to engage your parents or in-laws in candid conversations, pave the way with  a couple of scouting-the-caregiving-terrain calls. Let your elders know that you're looking forward to visiting. Ask whether there are chores or errands you may assist in doing.

If no information is forthcoming, mention examples like cleaning the yard, raking leaves, cleaning or organizing the garage, attic, and/or making or scheduling general home and/or equipment repairs. Anything that would save your parents time, money and/or physical effort should be on the table.

Do they need to stock up on basic supplies? Use the current economy concerns as a springboard for this discussion. Be chauffeur, handyman and executive assistant while visiting. Let them know that you don't have much money to spend on gifts and decided to make your holiday visit a hands-on gift of caring. When you arrive, wear a Santa or other festive hat. Tie a gorgeous red ribbon around your neck, or arm, as a visual symbol that your assisted service is their holiday gift 2010, with love.

Better to wrap yourself as your parents' holiday gift than to pull teeth about what you think they need to be doing at this stage to help them transition to assisted living, adult day care services, or, in-home care. Avoid depressing your parents and/or yourself. Be good tidings and cheer.

If this all sounds like it's too much work, the alternative is more work, possibly heartache, if you ignore your aging parents' and/or in-laws' declining health and social need for assisted care support.

Mom, Dad, I'm Home!

Here are a few long-distance caregiver tips to help you make the most of your holiday visit.

• Park on the street a few blocks away from your parents' home. Scan the environment. Look for vacant lots and homes for sale. Both tell a story about the local economy, neighborhood, property values, and more. Observe pedestrian and vehicular traffic. How busy, and safe, is the street on which your parents live? Do you feel safe in the community, or not? Noticed any suspicious activities?
• Park curbside in front of your parents' home. Take notes describing what you see, from the roof, to the driveway, windows, front door, lighting, paint, etc. If your parents' car is in the driveway, is there external damage to the car? Is the yard overgrown or littered? By comparison to other homes on the block, how does your parents' home look? Is it a fixer-upper?
• Once inside your parents' home continue sleuthing.
• Invite your parents to go grocery shopping - on you, if you can afford it. Note their grocery and other selections. Are the purchases balanced, or, mostly convenience and non-nutritional? Back home, are your parents able to safely lift the bagged goods? Are they short of breath?
• Allow them to drive you to church, stores, or sightseeing. Evaluate driving safety and reflexes.
• Have "the talk." "Mom, Dad, I am impressed by everything you accomplish independently. I support your continued independence in living. There are many resources available these days to support us all in sustaining independence in living now that we are all older…meal service delivery, home and health aides, house cleaning services…Even one service would allow you more time to enjoy your lives…."

Be a resourceful caregiver. Your aging parents may benefit from home care in Rancho Cucamonga.