by San Diego Home Care

When Seniors Refuse Help: How to Approach Home Care Services

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cheerful mature woman serving breakfast and taking care of elderly senior woman at home

Home care services can help a senior loved one age in place and maintain independence.

As experts in home care services, we witness firsthand every day the companionship, joy, and improved quality of life older adults receive through our caregiver services. But we also know that many older adults initially reject the concept of in-home care assistance. Read more

by San Diego Home Care

Prioritizing Making Time for Self-Care as a Caregiver During the Holidays

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Making time for self-care as a caregiver may seem impossible during the holidays, but these tips can help!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! However, if you’re one of the millions of Americans who is providing care for an older loved one, the upcoming holidays may seem more like the most overwhelming time of the year. Finding time for yourself may have dropped to the very bottom of your to-do checklist, but the aging care professionals at San Diego Home Caregivers would like to encourage you to rethink and reprioritize caring for yourself! Self-care as a caregiver is important to help you and the person you care for during the holidays and throughout the year.

What Are Some Ways to Practice Self-Care as a Caregiver?

Taking care of yourself permits you to take better care of your loved ones. San Diego Home Caregivers, a leading provider of home care in La Mesa, CA and the surrounding areas, shares five simple recommendations that can help:

  1. Eat right
    When you’re stressed out, you may have the inclination to eat too much. When you’re fatigued, it’s easy to choose whatever is handy; fast food, tea and toast, cheese doodles and a soft drink. You need healthy food to perform well.
  2. Get regular exercise
    Physical exercise is the original “feel good” tonic. It helps you sleep better and wake up rejuvenated and ready to face another arduous day. Regular exercise elevates both your mental and physical wellbeing, keeping your mind alert and body fine-tuned and energetic.
  3. Get enough sleep
    This might be easier said than done, particularly if you’re caring for a person who tends to wander during the evening. Still, most people need to have six to eight hours of sleep each night to maintain good health. Catch up with brief naps if necessary, or call San Diego Home Caregivers for evening caregiver support.
  4. Take time out for yourself
    Regardless of whether you’re caring for a parent, spouse, or other family member or friend, you need time for yourself. You need time to enjoy outside interests, to see other people, and to find a means to take a break from the constant strain of caregiving. It’s easy to let friendships lag when you have important things to do, but friends can support you through some tough times, just by being there. San Diego Home Caregivers’ respite care services can help family caregivers take the break they need during the holidays and all through the year.
  5. Join a support group
    It’s common to feel isolated in your role as a caregiver. That’s why it’s important to talk to others, specifically other caregivers. They will know what you’re up against, they’ll comprehend where you’re coming from, and they may even have some great advice.

Need some time to take care of your holiday to-do list? Contact the dedicated care providers at San Diego Home Caregivers. We can provide the attention and care your loved one needs while providing you with the time you need to accomplish your to-dos and take a little time for yourself. Call us today at (619) 487-9000 to learn more about our home care in La Mesa, CA and the surrounding areas.

by San Diego Home Care

Answer These Questions Before Moving a Senior From Assisted Living

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Moving a senior from an assisted living facility requires careful consideration of a number of factors.

The rampage of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes and assisted living facilities was devastating, as the virus spread throughout our most vulnerable population in such close living quarters. As a result, many families considered moving a senior from assisted living into their own home, which raised a number of challenges.  Read more

by San Diego Home Care

Elder Care Advice: How to Deal with Resistance to Home Care

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Do you know a senior loved one with a resistance to home care services or extra help at home? One of the biggest anxieties we have as we age is the loss of freedom and the ability to stay at home alone. Because of this fear, it can be very challenging to inquire about or to accept the help needed. San Diego Home Caregivers, provider of home care assistance in Carlsbad, CA and the surrounding communities, has some helpful elder care advice for you to try:

  • Introduce the senior to the caregiver before care begins in order to initiate a relationship so that the caregiver is not perceived as a total stranger.
  • If the older person is concerned about having someone he or she isn’t acquainted with in the residence, consider having a family member present for the first few visits.
  • San Diego Home Caregivers can help with matching a caregiver who shares hobbies and interests with the senior, like a particular religious affiliation or pastimes. This can make the relationship with the caregiver feel more like a companionship.
  • Make in-home care look more appealing by laying out the alternate options for the senior, like having to move away from home, moving into a nursing home, etc.
  • Place the focus on yourself. Let your loved one know that you know he/she is very independent, but having a caregiver in the home will help you worry less.
  • Start small with a trial run. Have a caregiver come in one day a week for several hours just to help with some light housecleaning or laundry and then build up to additional care after the older adult is more comfortable.

San Diego Home Caregivers can help you navigate this complicated time with your senior loved one and come up with the ideal care strategy. Whether the need is for just a few hours each week, full-time, around-the-clock care, or anything in between, we can help in a wide variety of ways, such as:

  • Meal preparation
  • Light housekeeping and laundry
  • Running errands
  • Transportation to appointments and outings
  • Personal care assistance
  • Specialized care for Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases
  • And a great deal more

We recognize how difficult it can be when seniors feel like they’re losing their independence and therefore we understand the resistance to home care. Contact us today at (619) 487- 9000 to discover how our home care assistance in Carlsbad, CA and the surrounding areas can help you and senior loved ones!

by San Diego Home Care

Home Care Advice: How to Talk to Loved Ones About Senior Care

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Coming to terms with the fact that an older loved one is in need of help at home can be challenging. Even more challenging is knowing how to talk to loved ones about senior care, and encouraging them to agree that assistance is necessary. If you have viewed changes in your loved one and you sense the need to initiate speaking about home care as a solution to enhance safety and independence in the home, take our home care advice and try these conversation starters to broach the subject in a subtle, non-confrontational way.

If heightened frailty is getting to be an issue:

“I love you, Mom, and now that you’re living by yourself, I’m concerned about your safety. I know someone who can help us to make the home less dangerous and make it simpler for you to get around and remain independent. Can I have her come over to have a discussion with us? It would put my mind at rest.”

If there is a chance of falling or mobility has diminished:

“Since the time that you fell recently, I’ve been concerned about it happening again. I know someone who can come and give us recommendations on how to make the house safer and prevent falls from taking place. I’d love for us to get together and have a conversation with her and see what ideas she has for us.”

If declining personal hygiene has become an issue:

“I’d love to have someone come several times a week to assist you around the house. Let’s work together to find a person you’d feel comfortable with. We can work with a professional agency to locate someone who shares similar interests as you so you’ll not only have some help from time to time, but also a good friend to enjoy spending time with.”

When a senior can no longer safely drive:

“I know that being unable to drive and get out as much as you’re used to has been hard. If we hire a home care assistant for a few hours several times each week, you could get back to enjoying all the activities that you’ve been missing, like visiting friends, shopping, and running errands.”

Bear in mind that, for many older adults, agreeing to help at home can feel like surrendering independence, and you may have to have several conversations before a solution is reached. And if you need help determining how to talk to loved ones about senior care, let us know.

At San Diego Home Caregivers, we’re on hand to partner with your family to help make life not only safer, but more pleasurable and fulfilling as well by providing valuable home care advice and top-rated senior care. Learn more about our La Jolla elder care services and care throughout the surrounding communities by giving us a call today at (619) 487-9000, or by filling out our online contact form. We’re happy to help you learn more about our services, including Alzheimer’s care services.