Visiting a Senior for the Holidays by Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living in Phoenix, AZ

While the holidays are a wonderful time for families to get together, there can be some particular challenges when visiting a senior loved one.  Families may not have had the same opportunities to spend time with their elderly parent or relative as they do during the holidays. When a senior’s health is declining, occasionally a family is surprised to discover the poor condition they find their loved one in.

The senior may no longer be capable of taking care of all of their needs.  They might be wearing dirty clothing and laundry not done, spoiled food found in the refrigerator, and signs that they are not eating well.  If health issues have made driving no longer possible, they may not have social outlets available and suffer from feelings of depression and loneliness.  

A family needs to realize that their loved one requires some assistance with their day-to-day life.  Look at this as a good time to assess what is happening and plan a course of action.  Carefully review how much help will be necessary and with what specifically.  Senior care agencies are a good resource for discussing the different options.  

Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living in Phoenix Arizona is an assisted living and short term care community. We are here to help.  We try to provide information on topics relevant to seniors and their families. Questions can arise when seniors make changes to their living situation.  Please follow our blog on dealing with taxes when your senior loved one transitions to assisted living.

Coping with a Senior Loved One Who is Refusing Help by Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living in Phoenix, AZ

There may come a time when your elderly parent or loved one needs more assistance in their day-to-day life.  In some cases, problems arise when the senior does not agree or want to cooperate with the care decisions being made for them.  This can prove to be a difficult time for both the senior and their families. 

There are a few things that families can do to help facilitate moving forward.  The first thing is to try and understand why a parent is resisting help.  There may be a sense of loss which could come from several different sources.  Loss of independence is a large concern but there may also be other feelings.  To a woman, is could be the loss of their identity as the homemaker and their role of mother and wife.  For men, it might signal a feeling of the loss of their role of the breadwinner and provider for the family.  It could be the loss of their youth and perhaps their health.

Some tips to help you and your loved one when faced with lifestyle changes:

·         The most important thing is to be patient

·         Include your senior in as much of the decision making as possible

·         Look for senior home care agencies that can help you understand your role as caregiver to your elderly parent or family member

·         Do not wait until a crisis to have the discussion of different care options

·         Understand that sometimes you just have to back off a while; sometimes things have to get worse to get better

Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living Phoenix Arizona is an assisted living and respite stay community.  One of our goals is to offer resources to our residents and their families.  Normal aging and chronic health problems can prevent your loved one from noticing that they are cold.  Please check out this post on preventinghypothermia in seniors.

Talk Assisted Living with Aging Parents by Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living in Phoenix, Arizona

Often a tough transition to go through, moving into a seniors’ community can be a stressful time. It can also bring relief if you choose a community which fosters as much independence as possible while providing a strong safety net of support services and supervision. After all, isn’t that what we want for all seniors, to be as independent as possible while getting the extra help they often need? So how do you ease your aging parents or other relatives into this new phase of their lives?

·         Start early: Don’t wait for crisis to strike to discuss assisted living with your parents. Think about it in advance. If your parent has enough time to think it over, it will make the move a lot easier.

·         Perspective: Look at the situation from their point of view. Moving to a new home is a major life change. So approach the subject with sensitivity. Put yourself in their shoes and think about how you’d best want to be spoken to.

·         Include other family members: For aging parents to see that many family members are interested in their well-being is motivating and encouraging. Try to have all family members in agreement before the discussion with your loved one.  Many times family relationships get better after the decision is made and the senior is settled and being cared for.

·         Examples: Citing examples during the discussion works wonders. Talk about recent incidents that could have been dangerous or hazardous for the senior living alone. Without exaggeration, chat about why you and your parent can both enjoy peace of mind knowing there will always be someone there for them.

·         Be positive:  Many seniors are happier in an assisted living community than they were before.  There are many benefits to living in a warm and caring community with such amenities as dining options, housekeeping and laundry services, salon services, scheduled transportation and enriching activities.

At Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living Phoenix Arizona, we go the extra mile to make sure your senior loved ones are comfortable and secure. But there’s nothing more comforting than having another loved one move with you. To learn more, check out this blog post on couples making the move to assisted living communitiestogether.

Care Giving—A Fulfilling Job by Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living in Phoenix, Arizona

Caring for seniors is a labor of love that requires a special person with just the right touch. More often than not, caregivers report that they find joy and satisfaction in their job.  Sure, it has its stressful, emotional moments, but there’s so much more to care giving. 

Caregiving builds relationships. Having someone put their absolute faith in you—that in itself is an unmatched reward. By understanding people, reading people’s feelings and helping them, you learn about patience and tolerance. Many times the residents become like a member of your family.

Every job has its ups and downs. Care giving is very demanding and requires your attention in ways that many other jobs don’t; but at the end of the day, it also gives back in ways other jobs never can.  As a caregiver, you'll meet wonderful people, build fulfilling relationships, and make a positive difference in many lives.

At Bethesda Gardens Assisted Living, Phoenix, AZ we like to see our senior residents happy and energized. There are plenty of ways to stimulate cognitive activity in aging individuals. For a few tips, take a look at our blog post on how to boost brain power in seniors.