Tag: best home care

When is it time to Downsize?

Posted on by Peter R. Abraldes

For many older adults, deciding to downsize can be an emotional and complex process. Home is more than a place; it’s a repository of memories. However, as we age, maintaining a larger home can become challenging, both physically and financially. NursePartners can help older adults make the change, by beginning services at home and maintaining them at the new location. This helps provide a sense of continuum and increases the odds that the transition is a success.

downsizing When is it time to Downsize?

Here are key signs it may be time to consider downsizing:

  1. Home Maintenance is Overwhelming: Keeping up with yard work, repairs, or even basic cleaning can become exhausting as physical abilities change. If maintaining the home is causing stress or leading to deferred upkeep, it might be a sign to consider a smaller, more manageable space.
  2. Safety Concerns: Stairs, narrow hallways, and other home features that were once easy to navigate may become hazards over time. A smaller home or a single-story residence may provide better safety and accessibility as mobility changes.
  3. Financial Strain: Property taxes, utilities, and home maintenance can put a strain on a fixed income. Downsizing to a smaller, more efficient home can reduce these costs, allowing for a more stable financial outlook and potentially freeing up funds for other needs.
  4. Isolation and Social Needs: As friends and family members move or pass on, staying connected can be harder for older adults who live farther from their social support network. Moving to a community closer to family or one designed for older adults can provide a greater sense of belonging and improved mental health.
  5. Health Changes: Conditions like arthritis or reduced vision can make it difficult to move around a large home. If a loved one needs more frequent assistance or has trouble with daily tasks, a smaller, accessible space can help maintain their independence.
  6. Desire for Simplification: Some older adults simply want a less complex life with fewer possessions and responsibilities. A move to a smaller home can bring a sense of freedom, reduce stress, and allow more time to focus on hobbies, travel, or spending time with loved ones.

The decision to downsize is deeply personal. However, recognizing these signs early and planning ahead can make the transition smoother and more empowering. NursePartners works with older adults at home, or wherever home may be, for a range of needs. These include social engagement and the activities of daily living (eating, dressing, using the toilet, bathing or showering, transferring, etc.).

Want to learn more about how NursePartners can help your loved one? Call us today at 610-323-9800.

Home Care or Nursing Home?

Posted on by Peter R. Abraldes

There comes a point in every person’s life when they are not physically able to care for themselves anymore. The decision of what to do next can be a difficult one. If you have a loved one who is approaching old age and seems to need care, the responsibility of choosing a care plan may fall on you. How do you know what’s right for the senior in your life? By knowing your options and weighing them carefully. Home Care and Nursing Homes are two viable options for providing care. Understanding the benefits of both can help you make a better decision.

Home Care

Of the two, home care is a more private option and allows your loved one to remain in their own home. Home care is often the first choice for individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia as it is less disruptive to their current lifestyle. Home care allows for a more personal, one-on-one relationship with the caregiver and ensures that your loved one’s needs are being met all while keeping them in a setting that is comfortable and familiar to them. With home care seniors can remain as independent as possible, rather than needing to turn over basic tasks to the daily staff at a facility. This is especially important for individuals with dementia, as they often find a sense of stability and purpose in the small tasks, they are still able to perform for themselves.

Who you hire for in-home care matters! Your in-home care team needs to be friendly, professional, and patient. NursePartners provides quality certified nursing assistants that specialize in geriatric care. They have at least one-year experience and are managed by registered nurses and certified dementia practitioners. We want to make sure the proper support is in place.

Nursing Home

In some cases care is needed at all times of the day; and for these individuals nursing homes may be a good option. Nursing homes are typically staffed with a variety of medical professionals. These professionals can care for your loved one around the clock and can perform medical and non-medical functions when needed. Though they are all inclusive, nursing homes may remove an individual’s independence and leading to depression. Nursing homes can be noisy and feel unfamiliar for a time before feeling like “home,” which can be a difficult adjustment for some seniors.

 

False choice?

The choice between a nursing home and home care is up to each individual and their family. Sometimes it is a very personal decision, and sometimes it is a logistical one. It also does not need to be one or the other. Many families use home care services to transition a loved one to a facility or supplement care.

As a dementia progresses, many assisted living communities will require that the resident move to a nursing home. This comes at a steep premium. By using home care services at the facility, you can devise a creative solution. You also have two groups of advocates monitoring your loved one and another.

 

Learn more: 610-323-9800.

Call us to learn more about what makes NursePartners different. We are an independent coming, caring exclusively for older adults since 2002. We are locally owned and run by a registered nurse and certified dementia practitioner, Angela Geiger. We would love the opportunity to learn more about how we can support you.

 

hospice care Philadelphia, home care Philadelphia

An Easter basket or activity box for someone living with dementia

Posted on by Peter R. Abraldes

We often think to put Easter baskets together for children.  It can be exciting to hunt for eggs or to find a basket full of sweets.  Children sift through the contents, sorting out favorite candies and toys.  If you are lucky, they will clean up the plastic grass afterwards.

We can similarly engage older adults living with dementia, of any religious affiliation.  As dementia progresses, certain senses are heightened.  One of these is touch.  During the “Amber” stage, those living with dementia have a tendency to touch surfaces.  As eyesight and gait (walking ability) worsen, touching surfaces help orient the person.

Touch can also be reassuring.  Holding their hand or feeling different textures can be a way to communicate as their traditional conversational skills worsen.

Consider putting together an activity box, or Easter basket, if applicable.  Remember, this should be a fun activity so do not worry if the end result is not as imagined.  You might even want to consider some music in the background.

The search can be limited to your own home.  Find objects of varying sizes, textures, densities, and colors.  Once you gather these all, ensure that none have sharp edges and are large enough not to be swallowed.  Layer them into a basket or box.

Bring the basket or box to your loved one.  Get them started by finding the first or second object.

Simple activities such as these add meaning to the lives of older adults living with dementia.  They may remind them of Easter as a child, or simply serve as a task to make them feel loved and needed.  Never underestimate how feeling loved and needed can improve their quality of life.

Some of the ideas behind the activity box were found from Crossroads Hospice.  The suggestions about tactile simulation and the Amber stage of dementia can be learned about here.