Interim HealthCare Blog
Posted: 1/19/2018 7:54 AM by
Interim HealthCare
One of the drawbacks of growing old is the increase in social isolation. Elderly parents that were once active in their jobs, the community and with their growing families and friends are eventually removed from all of that over the years. Illness, injury, loss of driving ability and more can further separate elderly adults from the activities and people they need. As humans, we instinctively w...
Posted: 1/9/2018 8:02 AM by
Interim HealthCare
If you are a family caregiver for an elderly adult who has recently received a diagnosis of heart failure, you may be worried that this means that they will not be able to live a full, fulfilling, and enjoyable life after diagnosis. Statistics show that the average length of life after diagnosis is five years, but advancements in treatments and improved lifestyles have shown that seniors with h...
Posted: 1/5/2018 7:35 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Your elderly family member might surprise you sometimes with an angry or aggressive outburst that seems to come out of nowhere. The reality is that these types of episodes don't truly come out of nowhere. There's a reason for them, even if it's difficult to sort it out at first.
Posted: 12/28/2017 8:15 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Setting goals is a fantastic way for your parent to enhance their quality of life and pursue better health and well-being as they age in place. They give your parent the opportunity to discover new sources of excitement and fulfillment, keep them motivated and working toward the next step, and help them to break down larger goals into something more accessible. A great way to start your parent ...
Posted: 12/22/2017 10:00 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Being a family caregiver means fulfilling your parent's needs, supporting their health and well-being, and taking steps on a daily basis to help support the highest quality of life possible as your parent ages in place. A major part of this is helping them through medical issues and ensuring that they are doing what they need to do to properly care for themselves and effectively receive care fr...
Posted: 12/14/2017 7:50 AM by
Interim HealthCare
If your aging parent has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease, it is important that you as their family caregiver understand that the effects of this disease can go beyond just the initial symptoms. While the symptoms themselves can be difficult and range from the mild to the severe, there are also potential complications of the disease that can lead to further diminished health and challenges f...
Posted: 12/13/2017 6:41 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Have you ever had the feeling, after getting off the phone with your Mom or Dad, that something just seemed off? Did you find yourself wishing you were closer and able to check on them more often, in person? You are not alone.
Posted: 12/7/2017 7:29 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Your aging adult may have been driving for decades, but if she's not driving safely, that's not going to do anyone any good. Here are some things to look for when it comes to driving and your aging adult.
Posted: 11/30/2017 7:21 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Your elderly family member may have gradually started to mention that food just doesn't taste good to her anymore and that can present some problems. When food isn't flavorful or even remotely good anymore, your elderly family member may not be as willing to eat. Finding the cause can sometimes help you find a solution.
Posted: 11/22/2017 2:08 PM by
Interim HealthCare
It is a sobering reality that Alzheimer's disease is a terminal disease. No one who is diagnosed with it will die without it. While advancements in treatment and management have made it so that some people with the disease are living twenty years or more after diagnosis, the average lifespan is between four and eight years after diagnosis. While this isn't something that you want to think about...
Posted: 11/17/2017 4:20 PM by
Interim HealthCare
As a family caregiver, one of your goals for your aging family member may be to help them remain as independent as possible. However, for seniors with arthritis, some tasks can be pretty hard to do because of painful joints. Fortunately, there are many adaptive devices available that can make it possible to do all sorts of tasks. Below are some adaptive tools for people with arthritis that migh...
Posted: 11/10/2017 8:53 AM by
Interim HealthCare
If you’ve become a family caregiver to someone with diabetes, you’re probably hearing a lot about insulin. You know it plays an important role in the health of a diabetic, but what it is and what it does is a bit of a mystery. Learning everything you can about diabetes, and how insulin affects the body, is an important part of your new role as a caregiver.
Posted: 11/3/2017 1:57 PM by
Interim HealthCare
One of the most challenging aspects of caring for an older adult with Alzheimer’s or dementia are the behavioral changes they may experience. It’s hard to know what to expect because not every person with dementia has the same symptoms. In fact, people sometimes say the experience of being a caregiver to someone with dementia is different for everyone. One of the best ways to be prepared for di...
Posted: 10/27/2017 4:17 PM by
Interim HealthCare
Handwashing is one of the most important things that your aging parent, and you, can do to protect them from potentially serious health complications and challenges throughout their later years. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that simply washing the hands with soap and water can prevent one out of ten episodes of diarrheal diseases, and one out of six episodes of respiratory illnesse...
Posted: 10/20/2017 8:08 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Even small problems can cause big trouble for your aging adult when she gets behind the wheel. If you're not sure what her driving ability is actually like at this point, you may need to take a closer look.
Posted: 10/13/2017 5:29 PM by
Interim HealthCare
In a normal day, people aren’t likely to think much about their liver, if they think about it at all. That may be unfortunate since the liver is extremely important to good health. The liver is important to metabolic functions because it transforms the nutrients in the foods we eat into substances the body can use, storing them until they are needed. The liver is also responsible for removing t...
Posted: 10/8/2017 11:34 AM by
Interim HealthCare
When you made the decision to be a family caregiver for your aging parent it is likely that you knew that you were facing increased risk for stress. While you may have thought that you were preparing yourself properly for this stress and even taking steps to deal with it, you might have found yourself dealing with high levels of this serious health issue and could face caregiver burnout.
Posted: 10/6/2017 7:54 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Diabetic neuropathy is damage to the nerves that is a result of diabetes. Approximately 50 percent of people with diabetes have nerve damage. Diabetic neuropathy is more likely to occur in people who have had diabetes for many years. If your parent has diabetes, keeping their blood sugar levels under control can help prevent neuropathy from occurring or keep existing neuropathy from getting worse.
Posted: 10/4/2017 11:42 AM by
Interim HealthCare
Bringing your elderly parent on a trip can be one of the most fun things that you do as a family caregiver. This is a great way to spend quality time with them and to make memories that you cherish well into the future. Whether you are going away for an extended vacation or just a quick getaway it is extremely important that you keep your parent’s safety in mind. Being out of the house can make...
Posted: 10/1/2017 7:25 AM by
Interim HealthCare
TBI, or traumatic brain injury, is a pressing risk for elderly adults. Most frequently caused by falls, but also potentially caused by motor vehicle crashes and other accidents, TBI results when the brain is jostled or bumped, resulting in a change of function that can be either mild or severe. This type of injury results in nearly 3 million visits to the emergency room and 5 thousand deaths th...