Category: Caregivers

 February 21, 2019 by Dean Bellefeuille

The initial signs are likely to be so subtle that a lot of people wouldn’t even recognize that anything is amiss. Mom is outgoing, pleasant, and conversational while visiting friends and family and while running errands. However, those closest to her have begun to recognize concerns: being forgetful about the soup cooking on the stove, resulting in a scorched pan. Putting her keys in the cookie jar. Neglecting to pay bills. Are these signs of a decline in an aging parent’s competency?

As an adult child of someone at the beginning stages of compromised safety or the ability to make sound choices, it is typically incredibly challenging to transition to a higher amount of involvement and assistance – nevertheless, it is also important to take the appropriate steps sooner rather than later.

Similar to broaching any confrontational topic of conversation, addressing an aging parent’s competency is likely to be met with resistance and defensiveness in the beginning. And yet, it’s useful to summarize the particular cause of your concern, and also the negative consequences if these signs and symptoms continue on or progress.

At Home Independent Living, the experts in senior living in Cicero, NY, and the surrounding areas, advocates this strategy:

1. Be sure that a durable power of attorney has been assigned.
2. Affirm with your sisters and brothers that the issue must be addressed, and discuss together what choices are accessible for the senior’s care as needs continue to grow.
3. Remain loving but steady in your strategy. Explain the choices you’ve thought through. If she balks at the thought of relocating to an assisted living facility, which many older adults do, suggest an in-home caregiver instead, permitting her to stay independent and safe within the comfort of home.
4. Recognize that it will probably take many conversations before the older adult accepts the necessity for assistance – which is the reason why it is essential to start the process at the earliest opportunity.

At Home Independent Living’s care team is experienced in assisting older adults to feel safe and positive about how home care services will help enhance safety and overall quality of life and well-being. As soon as your family decides the time is right for assistance, we are able to assist with highly customized care that can meet a wide array of needs, including:

• Companionship
• Meal planning and preparation
• Housework and laundry
• Transportation
• Running errands
• Highly specialized care for dementia
• And so much more

Whether the need is for just a few hours weekly to improve safety and socialization, full-time care, or anything in between, partnering with the experts in senior living in Cicero, NY, and surrounding areas, At Home Independent Living, improves quality of life for seniors and offers peace of mind for individuals who love them. Contact us at (315) 579-HOME (4663) for an in-home assessment to learn the ways we can help.

 January 16, 2019 by Dean Bellefeuille

With over 325 million people residing in the U.S. alone, it’s hard to imagine that senior loneliness could be so widespread. Yet over 50% of seniors live alone, and over a million of them are likely to be chronically lonely. In reality, roughly 50% of seniors researched stated that their main source of companionship is the television. (more…)

 January 8, 2019 by Dean Bellefeuille

A simple Google search for the word “aging” produces topics such as “coping with aging,” “what you can do about aging,” as well as “the cure to aging.” The pessimistic connotations to growing older are, sadly, so deep-rooted in our culture that it is expected that by 2021, we will be spending over $300 billion in anti-aging merchandise. (more…)

 December 21, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

Even though the yuletide season is usually thought of as a time that is joyous, filled with visiting with those who are nearest and dearest and picking out the perfect gifts, for older adults, it can be anything but merry and bright. A combination of lost loved ones, memories of holidays from the past, health struggles and more can impact seniors with feelings of lonesomeness and sadness. (more…)

 December 11, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

The holiday season is laden with parties, celebrations, and get-togethers. However, for an aging loved one, holiday activities require a little additional planning and preparation. Follow these holiday tips for Syracuse seniors from At Home Independent Living to be able to ensure fun and relaxed outings with family members of all ages this holiday season. (more…)

 November 12, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

Falls among the elderly are all too common and can have dire consequences. Taking preventative measures is key, such as assessing the home for fall risks like throw rugs and other tripping hazards, insufficient lighting, and a lack of appropriate grab bars and railings. But there’s another tactic being recommended now: creating a fall plan of care, which, when implemented properly, is being shown to reduce fall-related hospital visits by as much as 40%. (more…)

 November 6, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

While we may envision a Norman Rockwell-worthy Thanksgiving celebration, with the whole family enjoying quality time together and Grandma’s traditional feast, the reality for many families includes something unexpected: a trip to the hospital. In fact, statistics show that E/R visits for the elderly jump an astounding 10% – 20% during the holidays. (more…)

 August 23, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

Urinary incontinence can be an embarrassing issue for those who are impacted by it. The preconception behind the disorder frequently leads to patients having either a lack of facts or trusting in some common misbeliefs about incontinence. The Bridgeport home health experts from At Home Independent Living provide some commonly held incontinence myths and the truth behind each: (more…)

 August 8, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

At Home Independent Living, providers of elder care Syracuse, NY families trust, understands that Incontinence, or problems with bladder control, is an uncomfortable and sensitive matter, specifically for seniors. It can lead to a wide variety of dilemmas, from skin sores to reduced socialization for people who are hesitant to leave home in case of an “accident.” Yet while urinary incontinence can affect upwards of 25 million individuals in the U.S. alone, the affliction seldom gets the attention and discussion it deserves. As a result of the lack of communication and information about senior incontinence, many older adults and caregivers feel as though there isn’t anything that can be done to bring relief. (more…)

 May 16, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille

Telephone cons targeted at older adults aren’t anything new, with an astounding $36 billion lost every year to financial abuse. And the most recent senior fraud scheme circulating is hard for most older adults to detect until it is too late. Center for Elder Law and Justice attorney Nicole K. Parshall explains, “There is always a new variation of a phone scam. Scammers are very good at developing new tactics in order to engage with specific types of individuals.” (more…)