More recently, social distancing guidelines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have added to the problem, by making us more cautious about interacting with others. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to the physical effects of the coronavirus, and precautions designed to keep them safe can leave many feeling isolated, anxious, or depressed.

Fortunately, there is a solution.

An In-Home Caregiver Can Be There When You Can’t

If you’ve ever wished someone could be with your senior loved ones when you can’t? A qualified in-home caregiver may be the answer. A licensed and trained in-home caregiver can provide the vital support your loved one needs—both to help them stay independent and to help them maintain physical and emotional health.

Tracking Medications and Dosing

 As we age, many of us are faced with taking an increasing number of daily medications. For seniors with cognitive or memory deficits, keeping track of dosing schedules for multiple meds can be a challenge. An in-home caregiver can help by reviewing your loved one’s current medications and ensuring that all meds are taken on time and as directed. An in-home caregiver can also check refill status on medications, and can ensure that your loved one makes all scheduled medical appointments.

Checking Food Freshness

It’s important for all independently living seniors to know that the foods they’re preparing and eating are fresh and healthy. An in-home caregiver can take your loved one to the market, can assist in making healthy food choices, and can help assure that any foods beyond their expiration dates are discarded. In some cases, an in-home caregiver can help your loved one prepare and serve meals, and can label and store leftovers for later.

Assisting with Light Household Chores

For independently living elders, even simple household chores can be put off or missed. An in-home caregiver can provide your elder loved ones with minor household duties and can set reminders when certain jobs (like collecting and setting out trash) need to be done. Helping to keep a clean, orderly, and functional household is also a great way to promote physical and emotional wellbeing. 

Providing Emotional Support

One of the most often reported challenges faced by independently living seniors is a lack of emotional support. Often seniors lose vital connections with others. Retirement, social isolation, or loss of a spouse can leave seniors feeling cut-off and adrift. And when family members can’t be present, an in-home caregiver can be a listener, a comfort, and even a friend—providing compassionate emotional support to seniors in need.

At 5 Star Home Care, we understand the importance of maintaining both the emotional and physical health of independently living seniors. Our professional caregivers are trained to provide supportive in-home care in a client’s familiar surroundings. And all our workers adhere to CDC guidelines for patient safety (including use of masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment) to help minimize the risks presented by COVID-19.

Can’t visit your elder relatives as often as you like? Are COVID-19 guidelines keeping your senior relatives isolated? 5 Star Home Care’s compassionate and professional team can help. Contact us today!

5 Star Home Care serves the Philadelphia metro area, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Contact us today, and discover what peace of mind feels like. Contact us today

The post Looking In On Loved Ones When You’re Not Around appeared first on 5 Star Home Care.

Post-surgical recovery can make even routine daily tasks seem complex and time-consuming. Basic tasks take more time and can seem emotionally daunting. And for independently living seniors, recovering from surgery can entail a range of additional risks—from falls and medication errors to management of postoperative complications. That’s why it’s so important to support post-surgical patients’ physical and emotional health as they heal.

 Let’s look at some of the ways an in-home caregiver can make postoperative recovery easier.

Providing a Healing Environment

In-home post-surgical recovery has been shown to reduce patient stress, speed healing, and improve outcomes. An in-home caregiver can help to make each patient’s home a safer and more conducive to healing. Here are just a few examples…

• Creating a one-floor living space. For many post-surgical patients, negotiating stairs can be problematic. A home care aide can work with family members to help create a single-floor living space that will meet the physical and convenience needs of patients with limited mobility during post-surgical recovery.
• Stocking up on healthy and nutritious foods. A professional in-home caregiver can assist in both grocery shopping and in checking the freshness of stored foods. This can help ensure compliance with post-surgical dietary directives while providing a complete and nutritious diet to promote healing.
• De-cluttering the house. A cluttered home can make finding even simple items (like the TV remote) challenging. An in-home assistant can help with light housekeeping, such as clearing clutter from thoroughfares and organizing often-used objects.
• Assisting with medication compliance. Following post-surgical instructions is essential to reducing recovery times and improving outcomes. An in-home caregiver can assist in helping clients understand what their new meds do, when to take them, and how to track pill counts to ensure proper dosing. An in-home caregiver can also work with a client’s post-surgical care team to determine each patient’s precise needs.

Transportation

Surgery can make even getting to essential follow-up appointments difficult. An in-home caregiver can help ensure that you or your loved one follows all post-discharge orders and keeps follow-up appointments post surgery. A caregiver can pick up meds at the pharmacy and can review each medicine with the client to ensure correct dosing at home.

Communication

An in-home caregiver is also a great asset in facilitating effective communication between healthcare professionals and family members. We help our clients understand and comply with post-discharge orders, and can help family members understand their loved one’s post-surgical needs.

Physical Support

During the healing process, patients may need time to regain abilities they once had. A professional in-home caregiver can assist with simple activities such as transitioning from a chair or bed to standing, assistance in dressing, and assistance in bathing or toileting.

Emotional Support

People heal better when they are supported both physically and emotionally. An in-home caregiver can be there for your loved one even when you or other family members cannot. A trained in-home caregiver can be a compassionate listener and can help support recovering patients who experience cognitive decline, helping create memory cues and helpful home reminders

If you or a loved one is scheduled for surgery, now’s the time to think about postoperative in-home care. At 5 Star Home Care, we make every effort to understand the needs of each of our post-surgical patients, providing a healing environment within comfortable and familiar surroundings. Our professional caregivers are trained to assist patients regain function and build confidence as they recover. We’re also there to reduce common post-surgical risks—such as falls and medication errors—so you or your loved one can focus on recovery.

Don’t leave postoperative care to chance. 5 Star Home Care serves the Philadelphia metro area, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Contact us today, and discover what peace of mind feels like.

The post In-home Assistance Eases Post-Surgical Recovery appeared first on 5 Star Home Care.

If you are concerned about the nutritional well-being of an elder family member or friend who’s living independently, enlisting the assistance of a home care aide such as 5 Star Home Care  can help to establish some baseline habits for healthier eating. 

Making Healthy Food Choices

The foods we buy, prepare, and eat determine our nutritional profile. And while some body functions naturally decline with age, proper diet can help us stay more fit, mentally agile, and resistant to disease as we age. A home care aide can help your elder loved one make informed food shopping choices that promote a healthy, balanced diet. Foods that offer little more than empty calories (such as chips, sweets, and sodas) can be reduced or eliminated, in favor of healthier choices such as leafy greens and lean meats.  

Integrating Home Care with Overall Care

A home care aide can do more than assist with food shopping and meal preparation. They can actively consult with family members, as well as members of your elder relative’s care team, to create a practical nutrition plan. If your loved one is living with a pre-existing condition, a home care aide can tailor food choices to better reflect each client’s needs. For example, an aide can help limit salt for a client with hypertension or can make food choices that boost dietary calcium for a client with osteoporosis. A collaborative care approach can also help ensure that all care providers are working toward a common goal.

Creating A Safe & Relaxing Environment

Stress has a lot to do with how we eat and process nutrients. Cortisol, often called “the stress hormone” is released by our bodies when we find ourselves in a stressful situation, and long-term stress can cause weight gain and other digestive problems. An aide can reduce stress for your loved one by providing a safe and comfortable home environment.

Freshness Checks & Daily Reminders

Accidental food poisoning is not uncommon among independent-living elders. Memory problems can prevent elders from checking “sell by” and “use by” dates, and perishables can be left to spoil. An home care aide can help structure your elder loved one’s care to ensure that pantry, refrigerated, and frozen foods are fresh and that expired items are discarded. They can also set daily reminders, such as marking medications that should be taken with food, or marking expiration dates clearly on refrigerated items.

Food Preparation

For many seniors living on their own, preparing a complete and nutritious meal can be troublesome and confusing. An important part of maintaining a nutritious diet is the way in which meals are prepared. A home care aide can help your elder loved one prepare healthy meals, ensuring that all dietary and nutritional needs are met. Also, an aide can provide something for which there is no substitute—the company of a caring, compassionate person

At 5 Star Home Care, we understand the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet. Our experienced care providers are accustomed to helping clients make informed food purchasing choices, monitor food freshness, and prepare healthy meals. Maintaining a safe and healthy home environment for your loved one is our first priority.  Contact us today, and discover how we can help.

5 Star Home Care serves the Philadelphia metro area, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Contact us today, and discover what peace of mind feels like.

The post Food For Thought—Is Your Elderly Loved One Eating Properly? appeared first on 5 Star Home Care.