July 8, 2019 by Dean Bellefeuille
At Home Independent Living, providers of top rated home care in Syracuse, NY and the surrounding areas, understands that as a family member striving for a positive senior caregiving experience, you unquestionably experience a wide range of feelings throughout the day: shared laughter over a joke with your loved one; worry due to a health concern; and of course, from time to time, irritations. We would like only the best for people we love, and if a senior loved one is resistant to doing an activity we know is beneficial, it may be challenging to choose the best response. (more…)
May 23, 2019 by Dean Bellefeuille
Think of a typical day in the life of a senior loved one. Hopefully it includes a number of positive and enriching activities: enjoying breakfast, engaging in a fun pastime or interest, visiting with a friend or family member, watching a favorite TV show. Yet there’s a difference between positivity and purpose; and the importance of a life rich with meaning and purpose is becoming more apparent, particularly in the life of older adults.
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February 7, 2019 by Dean Bellefeuille
In marriage, we consent to stick with each other for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness as well as in health – but what does not come up in our vows to one another is the way to handle the mounting needs of senior care as our parents age.
Yet with our life span increasing, it is highly recommended to have a strategy based on both the needs of our parents as they grow older, as well as the multitude of daily needs, all while honoring our cherished relationship with a spouse. It’s a challenge that’s causing tension and pressure for 80% of couples interviewed, resulting in detachment and much less quality time together. At Home Independent Living shares the following areas in a marriage that are especially impacted by live in elderly care for a senior loved one: (more…)
January 18, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille
Do you recall how hard it could be when you were young to learn the concept of sharing with your brothers and sisters? Even though the importance of thinking about others’ feelings, and also being fair, was impressed upon us early on, it can still be a hurdle to lessen sibling squabbles when it comes to complicated decisions we confront in adulthood – such as the right way to fairly divide caregiving requirements for our aging parents. (more…)
January 11, 2018 by Dean Bellefeuille
“I do NOT have Alzheimer’s disease! There isn’t anything wrong with me!”
If you’ve ever heard a friend or family member with dementia frustratingly communicate this or perhaps a very similar sentiment, it’s possible you have believed that individual was merely in denial and not willing to accept a tough diagnosis. The truth is, however, that oftentimes people who have dementia are experiencing anosognosia – an unawareness of their impairment. (more…)
November 21, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille
Let’s be genuine: providing care for an elderly family member is often tiring, stressful, and isolating. When caregiving requirements advance, particularly if a long-term disease such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease is at play, family care providers may feel as if they’re in over their heads, and getting through the standard elements of the daytime – showering, cooking food, running errands – can seem to be a hurdle too great to leap. Caring for the caregiver sadly often falls to the bottom of the to-do list and can lead to caregiver isolation. (more…)
March 9, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille
Although there is no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), hundreds of thousands of people in the United States are living with it – around 400,000 people to be exact, and of that, 86 percent of multiple sclerosis patients list fatigue as the number one symptom of the disease. The cause of MS is not known; it is not contagious or known to be directly inherited, but factors that may come into play include the following: (more…)
January 27, 2017 by Dean Bellefeuille
Millions of Americans find themselves in the position of providing senior care for an older loved one, and while being a family caregiver is rewarding in many ways, daily senior care can become monotonous for both the caregiver and the care recipient. At Home Independent Living wants to help you put the fun back in your loved one’s daily routine, and all it takes is a little creativity. Test out some of these ideas to help brighten your loved one’s day and make everyday senior care more exciting:
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July 8, 2016 by Dean Bellefeuille
There’s no emotional rollercoaster quite like the one ridden by family members providing care for an aging or chronically ill loved one. In fact, very few if any emotions don’t come into play at one time or another during caregiving – and sometimes, the full spectrum of emotions can happen entirely in one day. Probably one of the heaviest feelings to manage however, is guilt; feeling as though you should be doing more for your loved one and less for yourself. (more…)
