Guest Blog: 4 Ways You Can Find Affordable Homecare
Home care is often preferred by seniors. An overwhelming 90% of seniors want to age in place. It is also affordable compared to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. However, hiring a caregiver may still be out of reach for many families.
1. Home Care Agency
A popular option for hiring a caregiver is through a home care agency. Hiring a caregiver through an agency allows seniors to have personalized one-on-one attention and flexible pricing (choosing less hours means saving on costs). You are also not responsible for any employer obligations like payroll tax and being held liable for any injuries that happen at home. However, this means that agencies pass administrative costs to the family which may still be unaffordable.
2. Family Caregivers
Did you know that there are an estimated 40 million unpaid family caregivers in the United States? Family caregivers perform a wide range of duties like paying bills, running errands, and helping with light household chores. Many family caregivers dedicate on average 20 hours a week towards providing care and some take time off work as well—resulting in a loss of earnable income. While being a family caregiver can save you money, your loved one may have needs that go beyond what you can support.
3. Local Classifieds
You can hire a caregiver directly through your local classifieds or online directory. Hiring a caregiver directly, and not through an agency can provide more affordable home care for your loved one, but there are some extra hurdles. You will need to personally interview and screen potential candidates. This involves meeting with the caregiver, verifying their references, and performing a background check. If your loved one needs care immediately, this process may be difficult and time consuming to do properly.
4. eCaregivers
After learning about using eCaregivers, you can find private caregivers with rates starting at $10-$14/hour for care, versus $20-$24 with an agency, helping you save thousands of dollars in a year while still ensuring quality home care for your loved one. All of the caregivers on eCaregivers have passed a background check so you have a peace of mind that you’re hiring a vetted caregiver for your loved one.
About the Author
Peter Kang is a writer for eCaregivers. He is inspired by his caregiver experience with his late grandfather and role model, a Korean War veteran, to help families find affordable care for their loved ones. Follow Peter on Facebook and Twitter.
Guest Blog: Adult day programs giving a new life to the adults
Those who had enjoyed a considerable amount of independence in their youth, the time has come when they need help from others as they were migrated to old age. Life is never static, and it keeps on changing from time to time because change is the integral and inherent part of life. Once you cross the fancy days of your youth and step into adulthood, life becomes more challenging than ever. It took a big leap when you get older and started calling by the people as elderly.
The adult day care homes came up as a hope for many adults who are living a lonely and concise life. They have given them many reasons to enjoy their adulthood, keeping aside all their worries and tensions of life. Many daycare homes in the USA have gone to the extent of providing a friendly and composite environment that even doesn’t get in their homes. The adult day programs in Atlanta offer a welcoming environment to the adults by connecting them back to mainstream society and expanding their outreach. They provide support and a needed break for someone who cares for a loved one who is no longer independent.
Every adult is welcomed in an adult day care home.
The adult day care homes take care of every adult regardless of their religion, race, and ethnicity. Caregivers in the Atlanta adult day care homes are not the ordinary people infect they are the one who is not doing this just as a job but it’s is their passion and nature to help elders and share their pain and joy. All the adults staying in the adult day care homes spent their day with loads of fun and doing meaningful activities.
It is not that adult daycare homes only provide emotional or medical support to the adults; they also facilitate adults by organizing musical events and taking them to cultural festivals. Some of them hold weekly performances by local musicians and local entertainers. They also give them the opportunity for interactions with pets and children, cooking projects, take them to nature walks, games, parties, and yoga classes.
Who joins adult day care homes?
- Adults in their 50s – 90s with some physical or cognitive behavioral problems.
- Older adults who don’t wish to stay home alone all through the day.
- Older adults can benefit from social interaction and a structured environment.
- Adults who are abandoned by their family and they are forced to live alone.
- Adults whose children are not living with them because either for work or study, they have to live outside the town or country.
Loads of Surprises
It is not that the adults living in the Adult Daycare homes are entirely cut off from their families and friends. This is not the case with every adult day care home because many Adult daycare homes provide surprise adults’ by suddenly calling their family members and close friends for a quick meet up or gathering.
As much as adults miss their family members, their family members also miss them equivalently.
Learn and earn schemes
Money adult Daycare homes also provide learning and earn schemes to the adults who want to do something big in their life. It doesn’t mean that if you are elder or older, your professional life is over. Many adults are still willing to work after their retirement from their professional life. The adult Daycare homes provide equal opportunities for adults.
Guest Blog: Spring Cleaning and Home Maintenance
Spring cleaning is an annual ritual that many perform—some more enthusiastically than others—to clear out the winter debris and achieve a more comfortable environment for everyone in our households. But performing spring cleaning and annual home maintenance tasks isn’t only good for our homes. According to medical science, it’s actually good for our mental and physical health too. In fact, increasing numbers of people have begun to view spring cleaning as an act of self-care because of its benefits to mind and body health. This year, don’t skip this ritual; luxuriate in its healthful benefits, and enhance your living space with improved maintenance at the same time.
Spring Cleaning Benefits Your Mental and Physical Health
Ever walk into a cluttered room and feel tense or suddenly stressed? A messy home can induce stress. Cleaning your home can “uplift your mood,” as reported by Cleveland Clinic. Performing cleaning tasks has a lot in common with exercise. As we move to perform chores like mopping or window washing, our bodies act as if we’re exercising and release feel-good endorphins that don’t just soothe our muscles—they also flood the brain with ‘feel-good’ relief. It’s why so many people who exercise religiously report less chronic stress. As you’re cleaning, you can reward your brain with ‘less worrying.’ In this way, cleaning lets you practice mindfulness, which can relieve anxiety or depression symptoms.
Moving is exercising—and that’s good for many aspects of your physical health. Many cleaning tasks are very nearly cardio in nature. Scrubbing your kitchen and dining room floors may leave you just as sweaty and well-exercised as a session of low-impact aerobics. Cleaning can also help you burn calories. For instance, you can burn more than 100 calories with just a half-hour of vacuuming. Finally, removing dust, mold, and other allergens during your spring cleaning ritual can benefit your immune system as these pollutants make you feel miserable by causing allergy systems to erupt.
Make Your Spring Cleaning / Home Maintenance Plan
The ideal thing about a spring cleaning ritual is that it encompasses the whole house—not just one or two rooms. While it may take you an entire week or weekend to complete your annual spring clean and maintenance tasks, you’ll enjoy a thoroughly cleaned home once your chores are complete, allowing you to address only routine cleaning and maintenance tasks during the hot season ahead. Use the following checklist and guide to ensure you target all necessary tasks during your big spring clean.
All-Room Spring Cleaning List
Each room may require many of the same repetitive tasks, so we’ll outline them for you here:
Check Smoke Detectors
It’s a wise idea to check your smoke detectors each season to ensure that each one is in proper working condition—but definitely inspect them during your spring clean. Keep batteries on hand so that you can easily change them when you need to.
Dust Ceiling Fans and Light Fixtures
Did you know that dust doesn’t just trigger allergic responses? It can actually harbor viruses that you can contract when breathing in dust. When dusting these features, it’s a good idea to wear a dust mask.
Remove Cobwebs
Search and remove cobwebs from ceiling corners, above cabinets, and windows.
Clean Windows
A thorough spring clean means cleaning your indoor and outdoor glass panes as well as window sills and tracks that can become caked with dust and debris.
Disinfect Commonly Touched Features
Whether you use a commercial cleaner or make your own eco-friendly DIY cleaning solution, it’s vital to disinfect light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet pulls to reduce germ spread—especially in light of new viruses like Covid-19.
Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen
Is anything more wonderful than a spotless kitchen? Grab your rubber gloves and cleaning rags because you’re about to find out!
Microwave
Whether you use your microwave to reheat or cook food or defrost foods like raw meat, you need to clean it routinely to eliminate dangerous pathogens like E.coli that could be present. If you prefer not to rely on commercial cleaners, grab a lemon and slice it into a microwavable bowl filled halfway with water. Heat the bowl in the microwave for about four minutes. You’ll find that any hard-to-remove food gunk wipes cleanly away with ease. Don’t forget to clean the outside of the appliance too—especially the handle and touch screen.
Refrigerator
Remove all items from your refrigerator so you can thoroughly clean its trays and shelves. Take extra care with lunch meat and vegetable compartments—these are known to harbor the most germs in this appliance. Remember to clean the fridge coils, freezer vents, and ice maker, and change the water filter.
Freezer
Empty and defrost your freezer, and scour its interior. Most manufacturers suggest defrosting your freezer on an annual basis.
Clean the Stove and Oven
Use a paste made with vinegar and baking soda to clean your stovetop and oven for a cheap and effective DIY way. Slather the paste on the surfaces inside the oven and the stovetop, and allow it to sit for a few hours—or overnight if you can. Then, use a damp sponge or microfiber cloth to wipe away the paste—and with it, the grime.
Toaster
Wipe down your toaster’s exterior, including the cord, and don’t forget to empty and clean the crumb tray.
Small Appliances
Disinfect the handles or controls of all small appliances you use routinely, such as your coffee maker, mixer, and can opener.
Clean Out Cabinets
Empty your cabinets so that you can quickly scour each shelf. Before returning food items to cabinets, check their expiration dates and toss anything that’s expired.
Spring Cleaning Tips for Bedrooms
A thorough cleaning can leave bedrooms feeling like the personal sanctuary spaces they’re meant to be. Use these tips to transform your bedrooms into oasis-like retreats:
Bedding and Pillows
Wash all your bedding—comforters and duvets as well as sheets and pillowcases. Pillows can harbor harmful bacteria even when adorned with clean pillowcases, so if they’ve been in use for more than a year, consider replacing them each spring. While it’s crucial to wash certain bedding items like sheets and pillowcases weekly, you can generally wash quilts and comforters every two to four weeks to reduce the presence of germs.
Rotate Mattress
Turn your mattress over to protect it from premature damage, and rotate it to help prevent wear in the same places.
Organize Drawers and Closets
Spring is a great time to organize your wardrobe. If you haven’t worn certain garments in over a year, consider donating or upcycling them.
Disinfect Toys
If you’re cleaning children’s bedrooms, be sure to disinfect all toys with hard surfaces to reduce germ spread.
Tips to Spring Clean the Bathroom
Aside from basic bathroom cleaning tasks you do on a routine basis, like cleaning the toilet, tub, sink, and floor, you’ll want to tackle these chores each spring:
Wash Shower Curtain
Wash your shower curtain, and if you have a shower liner, replace it with a fresh one.
Wash or Replace Floor Mats
Floor mats can harbor icky bathroom germs. You’ll want to wash them routinely, but spring is a great time to replace them if needed.
Declutter Storage Features
Organize your bathroom’s cabinets and drawers—discard old or expired toiletries, cosmetics, and medications. Check with your local pharmacy about how to dispose of prescription medications.
Update Your First Aid Kit
Assess your first aid kit, and be sure it has fresh supplies. Include gauze, bandages, antibiotic cream, and over-the-counter pain relievers so that you’ll always have them on hand in an emergency.
Wash the Walls
While most of us are used to washing shower walls, bathroom germs can technically attach themselves to any room walls. Because bathrooms are notorious for germ build-up, it’s a good idea to wash all of the walls and doors of each bathroom in your home.
Spring Cleaning Tips for Other Areas of Your Home
Don’t neglect rooms like your home office, laundry room, living room, and family room during your spring cleaning ritual. Add these tasks to your spring to-do list:
Rugs and Carpeting
A thorough vacuuming makes your rugs and carpets look and smell fresh. However, consider inviting professionals to your home to steam clean your carpets for a deep, penetrating clean—especially if you live with pets. Many carpet manufacturers suggest steam cleaning your rugs every 12 to 18 months.
Clean Upholstery
While you can have your upholstery professionally cleaned, there are many commercially available upholstery cleaners and DIY solutions you can employ.
Pest Prevention
Spring is the perfect time to assess your home for any cracks or problem areas that could be inviting to pests. Fix leaks, and seal holes and cracks to keep rodents and insects outside. If your area is prone to pests, consider hiring a pest control professional to spray around your home’s foundation to deter pests like ants from entering.
Outdoor Spring Cleaning and Maintenance Tips
It can feel delightful to get outside on a warm, sunny spring day after spending so long indoors during the cold season. You might even enjoy performing the following outdoor tasks:
Make Time for an Inspection
Rough winter weather can take a toll on exterior home features. Take time to inspect the roof, siding, fencing, deck, patio, and structures like gazebos and pergolas. If you spot damage, you’ll need to make the repairs—ideally before the heavy spring rains—or hire a professional contractor to address the issues.
Clean Gutters
Winter winds may have blown considerable debris like lingering autumn leaves and twigs into your gutters. To ensure your gutters can dispel those spring rains, be sure to clean them thoroughly and make sure they’re in good repair.
Clean Outdoor Features
To ensure you’re ready to enjoy the warm season ahead, clean your outdoor features, like the patio furniture and your barbecue grill.
Clean Trash Cans
It’s a dirty job, but using a hose and disinfectant can make cleaning your trash cans a quick and relatively painless task.
Test Lighting and Water Features
Ensure that your lighting features are functioning properly this spring. Test your water features like your pool, fountains, and irrigation systems to ensure they’re in proper working order, too.
Weed Prevention
While you can use pre-emergent sprays to prevent weed growth, you can also employ more eco-friendly solutions, like spreading fresh mulch or merely removing any weeds that pop up.
Junk Removal
If junk and debris have accumulated in your back yard over the winter, remove it as part of your spring clean—rent a roll-off, take loads to the dump in your pickup truck, or hire a service that specializes in junk removal.
Lawn Care
Spring is the ideal time to perform many important lawn care tasks, like aeration and overseeding. These two tasks alone can help you achieve a lush lawn, even if you choose not to apply fertilizer.
Make It Pretty
While addressing your outdoor setting, you may find that paint touch-ups are needed for porch railings or fencing, as well as other features like metal patio furniture or shutters. Spring is also an excellent time to address damage to hardscape features like walkways, driveways, and curbs.
Once you’ve completed your spring cleaning tasks, you’ll be ready to put up your patio umbrella and start to plan your warm-season gardening and landscaping projects. While you may find that many of the tasks outlined here are no problem for do-it-yourselfers, you may need to rely on professional contractors to address some issues, like roof damage or asphalt patching. And with your spring cleaning ritual complete, don’t be surprised if you feel a bit rejuvenated in mind and body!
Originally posted on Porch.com
Guest Blog: How senior citizens can cope with diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that affects how the body uses glucose (sugar), the main source of energy. People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin (Type 1), or their body does not respond properly to insulin (Type 2). The most common types of diabetes are Type 2 and gestational diabetes, which affects women during pregnancy.
As you age, your body does not respond as well to diabetes medicine. You may find that your blood sugar is harder to control. Sometimes low blood sugar is a problem too because seniors tend to be less active than younger people so they don’t use up all their stored glucose or “sugar.” If you have trouble eating or drinking because of illness or other problems, ask your doctor if you should use a pump with insulin or pills instead of shots every day.”
As you age, your body does not respond as well to diabetes medicine.
As you age, your body does not respond as well to diabetes medicine. There are several reasons for this. The most common is that your kidneys are less efficient at processing the medicine, which can result in higher blood sugar levels than intended.
Another reason could be that there is a change in how well your liver processes the medication. In some cases, it may be necessary to adjust how often or how much you take each day in order for it to work effectively and keep your blood sugar under control.
You may find that your blood sugar is harder to control.
As you age, it’s likely that your body will respond less effectively to insulin. This means that your blood sugar may be harder to control.
You might also find that it’s more difficult for you to recognize the symptoms of low or high blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If these symptoms aren’t treated quickly enough, they could lead to serious complications such as seizures or even death.
If these things happen often enough, or if they cause a lot of discomfort or pain in addition to affecting how well your body works overall (for example: feeling confused), then it might be time for an adjustment in medication or weight loss plan for diabetes so that everything runs smoothly again!
Sometimes low blood sugar is a problem.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is a problem that can occur if you have diabetes. It happens when your body doesn’t have enough sugar to meet its needs, so it sends signals to your brain that you need more of it.
These symptoms may occur:
- Sweating or shakiness
- Dizziness, weakness and fatigue
If you feel these symptoms, eat something sweet like juice or candy right away! It’s important not to ignore these warning signs because they could lead to unconsciousness if ignored for too long.
If you have trouble eating or drinking because of illness or other problems, ask your doctor if you should use a pump with insulin or pills.
If you have trouble eating or drinking because of illness or other problems, ask your doctor if you should use a pump with insulin or pills.
If you are having trouble eating or drinking because of illness or other problems, ask your doctor if you should use a pump with insulin or pills.
Take your diabetes medications as prescribed.
It’s important to take your diabetes medications as prescribed. If you don’t, it can be dangerous for several reasons:
- Your blood sugar could go up or down, which can make you feel sick and tired.
- You might get infections because of poor circulation caused by high or low blood sugar levels.
- If a diabetic gets sick with an illness such as the flu or pneumonia, it may be harder for them to recover because their immune system isn’t working properly due to high or low blood sugar levels that aren’t being properly controlled by medication (or lack thereof).
Eat a healthy diet.
You should also eat a healthy diet. Your doctor can tell you what types of food are best for your diabetes.
- Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. These foods are low in fat and sugar and high in fiber, which helps keep you full longer so that it’s easier to control how much food you eat at each mealtime. They also contain important vitamins and minerals that help control blood sugar levels in the body. Examples include:
- Fruit such as apples or oranges; vegetables such as carrots or broccoli; whole grains such as whole wheat breads/cereals (not white bread), oatmeal (not instant packets), brown rice
Work with your doctor to make exercise a regular part of your routine.
Exercise is important for senior citizens, who are more likely to have heart disease or diabetes than younger people. Exercise can lower blood sugar levels and help you live longer.
If you have diabetes, your doctor will recommend that you exercise at least 3 times per week for 30 minutes or more each time. Try to exercise at the same time every day so that it becomes part of your routine–for example, before breakfast or after dinner every evening (or both).
Exercise can be a social activity that brings people together in ways other than just talking about their health problems!
Get tested for high blood sugar if you are experiencing symptoms, such as fatigue and frequent urination.
- Symptoms of high blood sugar
- How to test for high blood sugar
- Frequency of testing
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, get tested for high blood sugar:
- Fatigue and frequent urination are common signs of diabetes. If you have these symptoms, talk to your doctor about getting tested for diabetes.
If you have questions about your diabetes or treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you are unsure about your diabetes or treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
- Don’t be afraid to discuss symptoms with family members and friends. They may be able to help you recognize early signs of problems that could lead to a serious illness or injury if left untreated.
- Ask for a copy of the results from all tests done during your visit so that they can be reviewed at home by someone who knows how they should look (e.g., doctor).
Senior citizens living with diabetes can lead productive lives if they manage their health properly.
The good news is that there are many ways to manage diabetes as you age, and these strategies can make it easier for seniors to live a full life.
Many seniors find that using insulin pumps or other forms of continuous infusion provides better control than multiple daily injections. Others may benefit from new devices such as closed-loop systems that automatically adjust dosing based on the glucose level in their blood at any given time. These technologies can help prevent dangerous fluctuations in blood sugar levels while also reducing stress on joints and muscles caused by frequent needle sticks.
It’s important to talk with your doctor about what will work best for you–and then stick with whatever plan they recommend!
Don’t let diabetes get in the way of enjoying your retirement!
Don’t let diabetes get in the way of enjoying your retirement!
You can still travel, eat out and exercise. You can do everything you always did and live a long, healthy life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we hope that you have found this article helpful. Diabetes is a serious condition that can be managed with proper care and treatment. If you are concerned about your own health or the health of someone in your family, make sure to contact a medical professional as soon as possible!