Children will usually have a very hard time accepting and understanding dementia. If they knew the senior before the disease struck, this could be even more difficult. Kids who live with a grandparent that has dementia will not understand what is going on, which is why it is so important to take the time to try to explain things to younger children.

1. The best thing to do is to be honest with the child. Explain to them the grandma or grandpa is having trouble remembering things. This may help the child understand and be more willing to help.

2. Always encourage smaller children to ask questions. Try to answer them in terms they can understand. Instead of giving a medical definition of the disease, explain it in simple terms.

3. Have the child interact with the senior Helping with simple, everyday things, such as tying shoes and helping seniors eat can benefit the child as well as the senior with dementia.

4. Explain to children that there is nothing to fear. Grandma may forget things, but she can still be a joy to be around. Encourage kids to include seniors in fun time.

5. Talk to children before the senior moves in and try to explain the situation. If the child has questions, answer them as well as you can without being too complex.

Source: USA Weekend

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

There’s negativity associated with Alzheimer’s in the U.S. Our society is simply misinformed about the disease. The reason is because they have not been touched by the disease on a personal level. When a senior is affected by Alzheimer’s, it is difficult enough without having to deal with the social stigmas that are also attached.

1. Individuals who are not affected by Alzheimer’s do not completely understand the disease. They have misperceptions that can cause them to react in a negative manner towards a person with Alzheimer’s.

2. Alzheimer’s also confronts people with the reality of death, something no one wants to deal with. Many people will try to ignore the existence of the disease.

3. When dealing with an Alzheimer’s patient, people must be patient. This can be a difficult situation for many people, which is why most will turn the other way.

4. Ignoring the existence of Alzheimer’s simply adds to the negativity that already surrounds the disease. The only way to change this is for people to become more informed, involved and understanding.

5. Alzheimer’s can affect anyone. People who do not have a family member with the disease may choose to ignore it and how it does affect others. This ignorance and the negativity around it is one of the reasons many people are turning away from people who do have Alzheimer’s

Source: HuffingtonPost.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Seniors and Diabetes – Tips for Halloween

It’s Halloween time! A nightmare for people living with diabetes. Older adults who are diabetic need to be careful and avoid sweets. It’s easy to be tempted but you must turn away the offer of even a few pieces of candy. If you do not, eating sweet treats can have serious implications on your health. Here are tips on diabetes at Halloween time.

1. When seniors have diabetes, they have to be very careful of what they eat on a daily basis. Ingesting too much sugar could produce serious health conditions and even death.

2. Even though candy is the temptation during Halloween, some seniors may be tempted by other treats, such as pasta, pizza and pretzels. These items also contained refined ingredients that could affect sugar levels.

3. The best thing to eat when craving something sweet is fresh fruit. However, there are some fruits that diabetics should avoid, including oranges, grapefruit, plums, peaches, nectarines and papaya. In addition, bananas, strawberries and grapes should be avoided because they have sugar pulp.

4. Keep an eye on beverages and make sure the sugar content is not too high. Diabetic seniors should avoid soda, tea and coffee.

Source: Lifestyle

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Ensure the Safety of Elderly Loved Ones at Home

If you have an elderly family member that lives alone, chances are there are some safety concerns. There are some simple steps that can be taken to help your family member prepare for unexpected situations or emergencies, as well as making their home a safer place. The following list of tips will help to provide extra safety for your loved one.

• Create a communications center – this consists of important information that is needed during an emergency, such as medications, phone numbers of family members and the names of doctors. These lists should be kept near a phone or posted to the side of the refrigerator.

• Create a safety system – this could simply be a scheduled phone call to check on the individual. It could also be an installed monitoring system.

• Make sure to enforce fire prevention – do this by checking outlets, using timers and whistling tea kettles and discouraging the use of any candles.

• General household safety – install non-slip rugs, nightlights, extra lighting to increase visibility and telephones that have large buttons and light up in a dark room.

• Make sure emergency items are available, including medical cards, first-aid kits, and extra batteries, anything that would be needed in an emergency situation.

Source: Life123.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Older Adults Need Good Oral Hygiene

Even though seniors may believe dental care is not important as it was when they were young, following good oral hygiene helps seniors maintain overall health. These tips help maintain dental health.

1. Have a healthy diet. This will help improve oral health. Eating green and raw vegetables will be beneficial.

2. When brushing teeth, do not forget about the tongue. Daily brushing of the teeth on a daily basis is not as effective unless the tongue is also brushed at the same time.

3. Omit refined sugars from your diet. There are many products that will provide seniors with a sweet tooth the satisfaction they are looking for without the sugar intake.

4. Always provide your dentist with medical records. This will ensure you receive the proper medications if necessary.

5. Just because dentures are not real teeth, they should not be treated any differently. Brush and clean them daily.

6. No matter what the circumstances are, never decrease brushing. Always make sure to brush on a regular basis to maintain oral health.

7. Be sure to keep those dental visits. Routine cleanings are just as important for seniors as they are for young adults.

Source: Health.Priguide.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

The elderly can easily fall and injure themselves while in the bathroom. This is a major concern for all caregivers. To help keep seniors safe while they are in the bathroom, the following list offers some suggestions. These tips include minor changes that can be made to help seniors stay safe.

1. Caregivers should be aware of any physical restrictions that the senior may have. This could affect their ability to shower on their own. If there is concern, these seniors may need assistance while in the bathroom

2. All bathrooms that are used by seniors should have safety equipment installed. This does not mean the entire room must be remodeled. Installing safety bars and non-slip mats could help protect seniors in the shower.

3. Some seniors could benefit from having a telephone placed in the bathroom. If the senior owns a cordless phone, taking it into the bathroom when they shower is a good idea. This way they will be able to call for help if they fall.

4. Many seniors do not have a lot of physical strength. This could prevent them from doing simple tasks while showering. Using a shower chair could help keep the senior safe while showering.

Source: Article Alley

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Many seniors who are still working have every intention to keep doing so. Since more seniors are working as they age, they are beginning to outnumber younger workers in the workforce. Older individuals are now working longer than in the past and they need to find ways to supplement their income. Because of this, more companies are finding that seniors make up a good portion of the employee list.

1. Many employers would prefer to have a senior employed with the company. Seniors tend to be more reliable and productive than younger people who have not been working very long.

2. Due to these reasons, many employers are doing their best to retain the older employees. One way to effectively do this is to offer to pay for higher education for the senior.

3. More than 80% of companies in New York are currently paying for seniors to receive their college degrees.

4. Tuition reimbursement will allow an employer to foster an intelligent workforce as well as a loyal one. Most seniors who are receiving an education will stay with that company for many more years.

5. There is a lot of competition between teens and seniors looking for jobs. More employers are opting to hire experienced seniors over teens because of reliability issues as well as loyalties. Seniors are more apt to invest years with a single company while teens may be prone to jump from one job to another.

Source: Updatefrom.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Seniors are Using the Internet More

With the way computers have evolved and the internet has changed, many seniors are now online, enjoying the powers of the internet. This is a great way for seniors to get news, medical information and keep in touch with loved ones.

Seniors are usually known to be inept when it comes to technology, but this is quickly changing as more seniors become involved in online activities.

1.    Most seniors will use the internet for email to contact family and friends, but many are now using it for social networking. Seniors are using Facebook and Twitter.

2.    There has been a 225% increase in the number of seniors over the age of 65 using the internet for social networking and a 100% increase in those between the ages of 50-54.

3.    Some seniors are using the internet for banking purposes and to stay up to date on news and current events.

4.    More than half of the seniors who are using the internet report feeling comfortable doing so. Some seniors are still reluctant to use the internet and prefer to get the news from print sources.

5.    57% of seniors who are using the internet are doing so through a desktop computer. 26% are using a laptop and only 9% are using mobile devices.

6.    Since the introduction of high speed internet service, the number of seniors who are using the internet have increased drastically.

Source: http://www.updatefrom.com/scsa/1009/social_connections.asp

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Preventing senior poverty can be possible. If the senior prepared for retirement by investing and saving their money, they will be much more financially stable than those who did not take these actions. However, even the most prepared seniors can experience poverty. Living on a limited income can be a challenge and since the cost of medical care keeps increasing, many seniors will face poverty.

1. More seniors are experiencing poverty because they are living longer. In addition, many 401(k) plans are now being replaced by company pensions. The Social security benefits are diminishing and medical costs are rising. These all contribute to senior poverty.

2. Credit card debt, medical expenses and financial losses can cause a senior to experience financial insecurity.

3. The recession has taken a toll on seniors who are already living on limited income. This has led to reduced incomes, a decline in consumer wealth and increased poverty.

4. One way senior can prevent poverty is to battle credit card debt. This can be a challenge, especially for seniors who do not have the option of taking a long time to pay down debt. However, it is possible to negotiate better terms and seek credit counseling.

Source: Updatefrom.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.