Home Care Cincinnati Ohio, Dayton Ohio, Erlanger KY,Family Bridges Home Care, Elder Care, Senior Care

How to Talk About 9/11 with Your Grandkids
by Kristen Sturt

With the tenth anniversary of September 11 approaching, media coverage of the tragedy has been virtually inescapable, even for kids. Many of your grandchildren weren’t around 10 years ago, and may be too young to understand the circumstances or consequences of the attacks. But they will have questions, and it’s important to know how to reply in a way that allows you both to walk away from the conversation feeling satisfied.

Professor of psychiatry and Parents.com contributor Dr. Richard Rende recently addressed the issue. His advice is to raise the subject yourself, before your grandchild does, or before he or she sees something upsetting on the news. In brief, children-directed conversations, Rende writes, it’s crucial to relay accurate facts while remaining sensitive to youngsters’ emotions. While it’s important to educate kids about 9/11, it’s more important they feel safe about their homes and themselves.

continue reading

The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.

When is Grandparents Day?  In 2011, Grandparents Day falls on Sept. 11th

Source

Family Bridges Home Care is an in home care agency providing care to veterans, the disabled and the elderly in Cincinnati OH and the surrounding communities. Call us at (888) 900-0048 for more information.

Helping Seniors Stay At Home
By Diane DiGiorgi, GateHouse News Service

Most seniors would prefer to live at home rather than in a nursing facility. A goal of many Medicare and Medicaid programs is to help seniors remain in their own homes.

We are frequently asked about Medicare’s home health benefit. It is widely thought that Medicare’s home health benefit is short-term and limited to elders who are recuperating from illness or injury; but this is not the case. In fact, Medicare’s home health benefit is available to all seniors who meet program eligibility criteria and has no durational limit, which means the benefit does not end after a certain amount of time. Under Medicare, seniors do not have to pay an additional deductible or any other fee for the Medicare home health benefit in order to receive skilled nursing and home health aide care, in their own home, as authorized by a physician.

Read more

The caregivers at Family Bridges Home Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your live-in home care needs including ways to reduce caregiver stress. Family Bridges Home Care is a home care agency providing quality, affordable home care in Mason OH and the surrounding communities. Call us at (888) 900-0048 for more information.

Caregiving in Ohio: More Ailing, Aging Loved Ones Are Being Cared For By Relatives
BY ROSE RUSSELL, BLADE STAFF WRITER

More than 43 million Americans each year provide care for their elderly parents, doing everything from making sure they have groceries to providing intensive in-home health services. On Sunday The Blade looks at the overall issue and how state programs such as PASSPORT help. Caregivers and their concerns are explored Monday on the Science and Health page.

The We Generation

For centuries, it was not unusual for multiple generations to live under one roof, with a grandparent among the oldest and toddlers the youngest.

But several decades ago, that cultural norm gave way to an expanding and increasingly mobile society. When teenagers went away to college, some got jobs, married, and raised families in cities far from their parents and hometowns. Wives and mothers joined the workforce in large numbers, and workers gave in to job demands and spent more time at work.

Family dynamics changed and adult children became sandwiched between the young children they were trying to raise and their aging parents who demanded more care. In many cases, adult children didn’t have the luxury of time, so frail parents went to nursing homes.

Now, as baby boomers age, they are the movers and shakers of a graying brigade. AgingStats.gov notes that baby boomers are among the 37 million Americans who are 65 and older, representing 12 percent of the population. It also shows that 5.3 million Americans are 85 and older; many of them are being cared for by their aging children.

continue reading

The caregivers at Family Bridges Home Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your home care needs including ways to reduce caregiver stress. Family Bridges Home Care is a home care agency providing quality and affordable home care in Cincinnati OH and the surrounding communities. Call us at (888) 900-0048 for more information.

Tips for Weathering Summer Sun, Heat

Staywell Custom Communications

SATURDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) — You may love the summer heat that makes it easy to swim, picnic and just laze around outside, but don't overdo it:

Overexposure to the sun and heat can be dangerous, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns.

On average, heat waves kill more people each year in the United States than any other natural disaster. And one American dies every hour from skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the United States, according to the EPA.

To help combat the double-whammy of heat waves and the sun, the EPA suggests planting trees, shrubs and vines near buildings to provide cooling shade and protection from ultraviolet rays.

The agency also offers the following summer safety tips:

•    Stay hydrated and wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing to protect your skin from harmful UV radiation. Also, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
•    Apply sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher about 30 minutes before you go outside and reapply every two hours. Check the sun's UV index before you go outside.
•     If you're outside during the sun's peak hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., try to stay in shade.
•     Remind others, particularly the elderly, to be safe in the sun and heat. Monitor them for signs of heat illness, which can include hot and dry skin, confusion, hallucinations and aggression.
•    Check the air quality. High ozone levels on hot summer days can make the air unhealthy to breathe.

read more from caring.com

The caregivers at Family Bridges Home Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your live-in home care needs. Family Bridges Home Care is a home care agency providing quality, affordable home care in Northern KY and the surrounding areas. Call (888) 900-0048 for more information.

High-Tech Solutions to Aging-in-Place Dilemmas
By Nell Bernstein, Caring.com senior editor

Quick summary

Ninety-five percent of people 75 and older say they want to stay in their homes indefinitely. This desire for independence is perfectly natural, but for their children, it's also a recipe for worry — that they'll fall, forget to take their meds, or just need assistance. You can make your parents' home far safer and more comfortable by investing in some of the new devices aimed at elders who have made the choice to "age in place."

Solutions for safety worries

"Seniors can really get in trouble because they feel like they're losing their grip on independence," says Susan Ayers Walker of SmartSilvers Alliance. Ayers monitors technological advances aimed at helping seniors hold on to their independence as they age. These technologies also help the children of aging parents, who worry that Mom is going to fall down the stairs, leave the stove on, or forget to take her medication if no one is around to notice.

Here's a worry-by-worry guide to some innovations — several tested and recommended by Walker — that can make all the difference if you're concerned about your live-alone parents' safety or just their day-to-day ease of living.

1. YOUR WORRY: My parents won't be able to reach me in an emergency.

TECH SOLUTION: Big-button cell phone. According to the Pew Research Center, many seniors won't use a cell phone even in an emergency. They find them too complex, can't manage the tiny buttons, or can't read the screens. A big-button phone like the Jitterbug ($147), designed specifically for seniors, could give you and your parents peace of mind. It's an easy-open clamshell with extra-loud speakers, big backlit buttons, a bright screen with easy-to-read numbers, and a straightforward service contract (at an additional cost). The Jitterbug One-Touch takes simplicity a step further, with just three big, impossible-to-miss buttons — one for 911; one for the operator, who will connect your parent to anyone she wants to reach; and one preprogrammed to connect your parents to you or another family member. Such phones cost $10 to $80 per month for the service plan in addition to the cost of the phone.

read more

If you or someone you know needs help with homecare in Cincinnati or the surrounding area, contact the caregivers at Family Bridges Home Care. We provide quality and affordable in-home care for many disabled and elderly loved ones in our community. Call us at (888) 900-0048 for more information.

Who’s Caring for the Caregiver?
BY LORIAN WILLIAMS WILLIS,  TINA DAVIS LARKIN AND KIM WROBLE

The last time you were on an airplane, the flight attendant showed you the oxygen masks that are available in case of an emergency.

Remember the advice?

“If you’re sitting next to a young child, take the mask for yourself first, next help the child!”

The attendant didn’t want you to make the same mistake so many caregivers do: taking care of everyone except for themselves.

In more than three of every 10 households, at least one member in the home is a caregiver, caring for someone who can’t fully take care of himself or herself. More than half of the nation’s caregivers are women and many are children. The average caregiver spends more than 40 hours a week caring for a loved one and provides an estimated $110,000 in services each year.

Taking care of an ill or aging loved one can become a full-time job.

According to a survey by Evercare, the financial burden of caregiving coupled with economic realities are causing caregivers to be either more reluctant to miss work for caregiving or to take on additional work to cover caregiving costs.

Many are using their hard-earned savings to cover the skyrocketing cost of providing care.

The financial impact can be devastating to say the least. Many families are taking second mortgages, canceling vacation, and doing whatever they can to make sure their loved ones get their medications, medical supplies, etc. The survey also found that more than half of caregivers who were caring for someone 50 years old or older were spending, on average, more than 10 percent of their annual income to do so — an average of $5,531 per year.

Read More Here

For questions about home care for your aging loved one, please contact the caregivers at Family Bridges Home Care. We provide everything from respite care for the primary caregiver to full time elder care in Northern KY and the surrounding communities. Call us at (888) 900-0048 for more information.

Caring for Elderly Parents – Stress Free
Written By : Stephanie Roberts

Caring for elderly parents is becoming more and more common in today’s society.  Being in this position can add a great deal of stress to your life.  Not only are you worried about your loved one, but it can take a great deal of time and energy.  All of this can be overwhelming and lead to exhaustion.  Here are some tips for best dealing with the situation.

First, you should take care of yourself.  Remember, if you are not at your best how can you expect to care for another person?  So be sure to get plenty of sleep and make time for yourself.  Being well rested gives you the energy you need and doing things you enjoy keeps you happy with a positive attitude.  If the caregiving of a parent becomes so involved that you can no longer care for yourself than you need to look for other options.  The cheapest route is simply dividing the care schedule between you and other family members.  Asking for help is important – you can’t do everything.  If there is no one else, than you need to look at hiring a caregiver just one or two days a week. This will at least give you some much needed time off.

Hiring a caregiver to fulfill all the needs is also good if you have the resources.  

Then you don’t have to worry about all the stress and time commitments.  And when you visit with your loved one you can spend time with them instead of worrying about what needs to be done.  You can still talk about the care provided to ensure all their needs are being met but you can take the time to enjoy their company now.

Continue reading

At Family Bridges Home Care, we recognize that there are many reasons why a loved one may need in home care. From seniors with Alzheimer's Disease, to patients with disabilities, to caregivers needing respite care, we are here to provide quality and affordable in home care in Northern KY and the surrounding communities. Call us for information (888) 900-0048!

Facing Reality: Caregiving Has Changed Your Life
By Carol Bradley Bursack

One question that is often asked on the AgingCare.com forum is, "How do I deal with the reality of leaving behind the life I had in order to become the primary caregiver to my parents?" The words used vary by the questioner, but the question is essentially the same. How do we cope with this major change in our lives?

It may sound selfish to some, but to caregivers who dove into caregiving with full hearts and no planning, then ended up sustaining this life-altering mode for months and often years, it's a perfectly rational question. People put their lives, as they are living them, on hold in order to care for others. That's good. But when "hold" becomes the new norm, there's a mental adjustment to go through. And sometimes that includes dealing with resentment.

Adjusting to the new normal
Most caregivers go into caregiving mode with full hearts and wonderful intentions. They rarely stop to think, "Hmm, this could go on for years. I'd better plan it out. If I move to part-time at work, have more child care and spend mornings caring for my parents' needs, it will be difficult, but possible. If I continue to work full time, I'll have more for retirement, but I can't do it all. I have to plan this out."

No. We just jump in. Dad has a stroke, so of course we are there to help. He survives but needs a great deal of care. Mom can't handle the hard physical work of caring for Dad. And she's getting forgetful. So, it's up to us. We make sure our folks get in-home help and make adjustments in our own lives so we can give them maximum help. Sometimes, we quit jobs or go to part-time work in order to care for our parents.

No matter what our age when we begin caregiving, caregiving is likely going to change our life as we've planned it out. If we have kids at home, they will have to adjust to sharing their time with you – with getting less of you. If you are older when caregiving enters your life, it often affects your retirement plans.

read more
 
Family Bridges Home Care caregivers are available to talk with you and your family about all of your care needs, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable in home care to your loved one. Family Bridges Home Care is a home care agency providing In home care in Cincinnati OH and the surrounding communities

Men Are Caregivers, Too

Almost half the people who care for an elderly, disabled, or chronically ill family member or friend are men. But the way they cope is different from women.
 
By Richard Trubo  WebMD Feature

Marty Beilin plays many roles in his day-to-day life — from breadwinner to husband to father of two daughters. But for the past five years, he has also found himself thrust into a new and unanticipated role — as primary caregiver for his wife, Debbie, who has multiple sclerosis.

"It changed everything," says Marty, who teaches school in the Philadelphia area. "There's shock, denial, anger, guilt, and then finally acceptance."

Marty has assumed a long list of responsibilities in caring for his wife who must use a wheelchair or a motorized scooter when she leaves the house. "Debbie has chronic, progressive MS, but luckily she has not been so impaired that I've had to stop working," says Beilin. "At this point, we try to live as normally as we can. The key is to find a way to be a caregiver, but also to go beyond just coping skills and to have a life."

According to the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA), there are more than 54 million Americans like Beilin who have provided care for an elderly, disabled, or chronically ill family member or friend during the past year. Even though caregiving is often thought of as a role assumed primarily by women, an NFCA survey found that 44% of caregivers are men.

Beilin is president of the 14-year-old Well Spouse Foundation, which provides information and support for spousal caregivers. "There hasn't been enough attention to the needs of family caregivers," says Beilin. "People see the person in a wheelchair, but they don't really focus on the person pushing the wheelchair."

read more

For more information about receiving care for your loved one at home. Contact the caregivers at Family Bridges Home Care. We can help your family with all of your care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable live in home care in Northern KY and the surrounding communities. Call (888) 900-0048.

Your Voice: Passport program priceless for caregivers, at-home seniors
Teresa M. Davis

My brother and I officially are counted among "boomers" who are taking care of a parent. .

Up until 2005 my mother was a volunteer for the elderly, had plans on her calendar that didn't involve clinical care and moved about freely.

Mom lives with me, and my brother comes in seven days a week to help as well, but today, especially after a nasty bout of pneumonia this year, she has a variety of caregivers coming and going.

We are recipients of and participants in the Passport program.

There are not enough words of thanks and gratitude for the assistance we receive from Passport through Council on Aging.

The resource connection of where to go for what and coordination of agencies is amazing.

There are days when the help is not enough, and then days when I wonder why I cannot do this alone (that thought flees quickly!).

To be able to make one call and know something can be taken care for Mom – a piece of medical equipment, aide hours, paperwork, etc. – is priceless.

I coordinate the care and am the main caregiver, yet cannot find my own keys at least twice a day. Moreover, I was laid off in 2008 and worked part time until just recently. We have managed, thanks to Passport, all this time with seamless care for Mom.

I am not surprised at the data in the article that indicates people are staying home rather than going to nursing care facilities.

read more

The caregivers at Family Bridges Home Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your live-in home care needs including ways to reduce caregiver stress. Family Bridges Home Care is a home care agency providing quality, affordable home care in Cincinnati OH and the surrounding communities. Call us at (888) 900-0048 for more information.