When making the decision to become a Bakersfield caregiver, it is important to be sure you have a clean background. If you are not caring for an immediate family member, you will most likely work for an agency that provides seniors with a caregiver. It will be necessary to pass a background check prior to working as a caregiver. This will ensure that seniors will be safe and that there will be no possibility of abuse.

1.            The most common form of senior abuse is financial abuse. Many caregivers, and others who provide services to seniors, will financially take advantage of the individual. Many seniors are very trusting and do not even realize this is happening.

2.            Seniors who are in need of a caregiver will benefit from using a senior home care agency. All of the caregivers employed will have passed a background check.

3.            Many people believe it is easier and cheaper to hire their own caregiver. While this may seem true at first, it usually ends up costing more. There will also be issues of quality care. When not using an agency, it is possible to hire someone who does not have a genuine interest in the well being of the senior.

4.            Being a good caregiver involves trust and respect. Caregivers should have a passion for helping the elderly and not be looking for personal gain in any way. Aside from a check from the agency, caregivers should not be paid for the services they provide.

Source: Caregiver List

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.

Taking Advantage of Seniors

Some people find it very easy to take advantage of seniors. While this is a disgusting thing, it happens every day. Seniors are approached by individuals claiming to offer them a sound financial investment. These people are actually looking for an easy target. Seniors need to be aware of the schemes that are out there and be prepared to deal with them when they enter into retirement.

1.    Seniors who are isolated or have disabilities are often the target of these schemes.

2.    One out of every five retiree over the age of 65 has been a victim of a financial scam. More than 7.3 million seniors have been taken advantage of each year.

3.    Older people are targets because they are more willing to invest in something that is supposed to help them through their retirement years. The elderly are also much more trusting than the younger generation.

4.    Many of the people doing the scamming are retirees as well. This is how they know who to choose for a target. Elderly con artists are more common than most people believe.

5.    Veterans are also a target. There are many groups who offer to help a former soldier. While many of the programs do actually exist, these seniors are being told they must liquidate all of their assets to become eligible for benefits, which is not true at all.

Source: MSNBC

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.

More and more seniors are affected with high blood pressure each year, and as a result, we’re seeing many older adults starting to monitor their sodium intake here at Home Care Bakersfield. Sodium is present in most foods and can even be in beverages. It is important for seniors with high blood pressure to reduce their sodium intake. Below is a list of tips and some facts that can help.

1. The government passed regulation to label products differently. Anything with more than 480 mg will be labeled as high in sodium.

2. When you reduce sodium intake, you will notice foods taste differently. Do not give up. In a short time, your taste buds will adjust!

3. Do not cut out sodium completely. The body does require some intake. For adults, the minimum amount is 200-500mg/day. Those with high blood pressure should not exceed 1500mg/day.

4. Lower intake by reading food labels and being aware of sodium contents, make records of daily sodium intake, change some eating habits and find low-sodium alternatives to what you normally eat.

5. When dining out, eat from the salad bar and avoid soups and sauces. Also ask for a low-sodium menu.

6. Read labels. Manufacturers are required to tell you how much sodium is in a product based on a serving size. Look at the serving size and then at how much sodium is in each size.

7. Keep in mind that many of your medications may contain sodium. Check with your doctor for tips on how to lower sodium intake. Also remember that tap water contains sodium as well, so try to drink bottled or filtered water.

Source: hearthealthyonline.com

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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.

With high blood pressure affecting millions of seniors each year, many people are trying to find ways to naturally lower their blood pressure. This can be done by making some small changes to your eating habits, as well as your daily routines.

Home Care Bakersfield wants to remind all seniors that they should consult their doctor before making any  drastic changes to their diet and exercise. The following tips however are a good starting place for anyone wishing to lower their blood pressure naturally, without a prescription medication.

1. Reduce sodium intake. Daily intake for seniors or anyone over 50 should be less than 2,300 mg per day. Take the saltshaker off the table and try to eat foods that are low in sodium.

2. Change cooking habits and do not use salt. There are other ways to get great flavor when cooking. Use herbs and spices and avoid using bullion and prepared sauces. They contain high amounts of sodium. When dining out, ask for food to be prepared without salt or request a low sodium menu.

3. Check the medications you are currently taking. Many of them do contain sodium. Talk to your doctor about adding an aspirin to your daily regime. This can reduce chances of stroke and heart attack.

4. Reduce stress, add some exercise and quit smoking. All of these will lower your blood pressure. Losing a few pounds will also be beneficial.

5. If you can, monitor your blood pressure at home. If these changes do not work, you may have to ask for a prescription medication. Doctors will also suggest increasing your potassium intake.

Source: hearthealthyonline.com

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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.

Home Care Bakersfield cares for many aging adults, and we can tell you the best way for seniors to stick to their New Year’s resolutions is to set goals that they feel will truly change their lives. For some, exercise and diet goals are ones they can stick to; but that tends to be the exception not the rule. Make sure you set goals that motivate you, because they’re things that you truly want to accomplish.

1. Educate yourself – you’re never too old for learning. Pursue an interest; go back to school and take advantage of the discounts for seniors who want to return to college. Or take a class that teaches you more about another hobby like a craft or physical activity like dance

2. Expand your career – if you’re a senior who’s still in the workforce, make the best of your last few years in a career and do something you really enjoy. Even if you’re not working for an income, volunteer somewhere that fulfills you

3. Take a trip – if you’ve been dreaming of getting away somewhere, make it your goal this year. You can take the opportunity to plan and save. It doesn’t have to be something glamorous; even a journey to visit family that normally comes to you makes for a change of pace

4. Work on organization – sometimes with age, people become more sentimental. You may find that your home is becoming more cluttered. Take the opportunity to get your home organized for a safer and more comfortable environment

5. Develop new relationships – whether it’s romance you have in mind, or just feel you’d benefit from increasing your social circle; get out there and network!

Via: LifeScript

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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.

At Home Care Bakersfield, we know that goals are best achieved when done together. Grandchildren and grandparents have such an immense influence on one another that their goals really can make this year better than last. Grandparents; help your little loved ones set their goals and then motivate each other to achieve them alongside each other.

1. Ask them to come up with an area that they could improve in their lives – be gentle, but ask them how they think they could improve. Would they like to get better grades? Get along better with a sibling? Learn a new skill? Once an area has been settled on, help them make that goal specific.

2. Motivate with group efforts – write down your resolutions along with theirs, and track progress with charts. Get the whole family involved, and come together to talk about how you’re doing with your resolutions

3. Use visual rewards for progress – when you check in with the progress of your grandchildren, reward them. Add stickers to a chart you’ve created, or give them pennies for their piggy bank for every step of the way

4. Keep the experience positive – motivate children by ensuring they always remain positive even if they have setbacks while trying to reach their goals

Via: eHow

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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.

Setting goals for ourselves is a great way to achieve a sense of accomplishment and overall well being, but in order for seniors to reach theirs, they might need a little bit of support from their loved ones. If you are a senior caregiver in Bakersfield, you’re in the best position to provide them with the encouragement they need to meet their goals, and you can do so in the following ways:

1. Help form a support team – you don’t have to do it alone! Help your loved one form a support network that will help them reach their goals. If it’s to eat better, consider hiring a nutritionist and encourage friends and family to adopt healthier eating habits around them too. If it’s exercise, attend classes with your senior and ask others to do the same.

2. Remind him/her it’s not always going to be easy – especially for seniors who often face so many challenges later in life, it’s easy to give up on something that’s not coming easy. Often, resolutions that will drastically change their life aren’t going to be easy. Certain goals can be physically and emotionally challenging, so give them a friendly push when needed

3. A slip up doesn’t mean give up – as part of overcoming the challenges that can come with new goals, seniors need to keep on going even if they slip up along the way. In that situation, encourage them to learn from what they were doing wrong, then put it behind them and move forward. Ask them if there’s anything you can do to give them a hand with starting new!

Via: Associated Content

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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.

Your list of goals for the New Year might be long, or you may just have one or two things you’d like to achieve in mind. Provided they’re realistic, you can accomplish them and make 2010 one of the best years you’ve had if you follow these 3 steps to help seniors stick to their New Year’s goals:

1. Focus on fun – particularly when it comes to losing weight or starting an exercise program, the resolution can become a burden rather than something you desire to achieve. Find exercise activities you enjoy, and if your resolutions have nothing to do with weight loss or exercise; ensure you go about attaining your goals in a way that’s focused on fun!

2. Think about your future today – if you have goals for the future, there’s no better time than now to start working towards achieving them. You might have excuses, whether it’s related to your age, your health, the logistics of getting around or something else; but those are aspects unlikely to change so take the bull by the horns and work towards the goals you set

3. Talk to others – if you tell others about your goals, you’ll be more likely to stick to them. It almost creates a challenge, since you’ll be encouraged to tell your friends and family that you’re successful rather than failing at your New Year’s resolutions. This also gives you a support network for encouragement

Via: AARP

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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.

After years of gift giving to an elderly relative, it can be hard to know what to buy them this holiday season. According to industry experts, seniors best appreciate those items that they can make immediate use of but can’t afford to or wouldn’t by themselves.

• Items that allow them to pamper themselves – seniors on a budget are not likely to splurge on things they consider non-essentials. Buy them candles, soaps and body lotions that allow them to feel pampered at home. Gift cards to restaurants or spas are added luxuries

• Gift baskets – gift baskets with a combination of items, including some of the above, as well as seasonal foods, books, and craft supplies that they will enjoy and make use of are all great things to include! Gift baskets can be bought pre-fabricated or can be created at home

• The gift of companionship – seniors will most appreciate the company of their loved ones. If this is not possible, senior care services can be gifted for companionship and assistance at home

• Take an elderly loved one out for the day – a trip out for lunch around the holidays to see a movie or a musical event can be a very enjoyable way for them to spend a day and it will be memorable!

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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.

Senior caregivers deal with it all, but there are still some subjects that they just aren’t comfortable talking about, and according to a recent study incontinence is one of them. Only one in three senior caregivers said they would talk to their loved one about incontinence if it was deemed necessary; while others would avoid the issue out of embarrassment. Care can be compromised for lack of communication, so senior caregivers do need to ensure that they open up the lines of communication.

1. Ease into the issues gently – caregivers need to ensure when talking about incontinence, that they appear concerned. They can’t make it into a personal issue or make the senior feel embarrassed

2. Understand if it’s appropriate for you to bring up the topic – depending upon your relationship with your senior care recipient, you might want to bring up the topic, or have a friend or medical professional break the ice

3. Try to anticipate how they might react – if you’re bringing up the topic yourself, or even if you’ve talked to a doctor about approaching the subject of incontinence, try to anticipate how the senior might react. Will he/she be embarrassed? Combative? Accepting? This can help you to manage the situation better

4. Empathize – let them know that you care, and while you can’t understand exactly what they’re dealing with, make sure they know you hate that they’re going through it and are there for them

5. Know when to back off – particularly when approaching such a touchy subject, don’t push too hard about your beliefs; know when to back off

6. Talk to a doctor – encourage the senior to seek medical attention to determine the source of the incontinence and appropriate treatment. Caregivers can provide in-depth details to medical professionals if seniors are uncomfortable talking about it

Via: Caring.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.