In-Home Care and Why It May Be for You

In-home care has become a popular option for senior citizens who do not wish to leave their home, but at the same time, requires professional care and support. This is an affordable option for the care of our elders. There are a number of reasons why you should consider in-home care for your aging loved one. Here are just a few.

• Older adults often prefer to age in place rather than move into an Assisted Living Facility. Choosing in-home care is an ideal choice because the experienced in-home caregiver will provide the required care and support, plus promote a better quality of life.
• In-home caregivers will not only look after their safety, but also assist them with the daily living activities such as bathing, grooming, cleaning, meal preparation, and medication management. They can also help with transportation to doctor’s appointments, fun social events and outings.
• By hiring in-home caregivers, you can create a customizable care plan according to the needs of your aging loved one. The care provider will take care of all their needs and ensure that they are fulfilled on time.

  

It is important for you to find a reputed caregiver to provide compassionate care giving services. If you are looking for an experienced in-home care provider in Baltimore County, contact Always Best Care today. They are a leading senior care organization with highly trained, bonded, and insured caregivers that offer high quality senior care services in the region.
For more information, call (410) 877-3787.

Social Media Benefits for Seniors

It’s funny how times change because just twenty years ago, nobody would have thought that social media would be such a powerful force in society. While there are certainly good and bad points to social media, there are many benefits that being involved with social media can offer to seniors. One of the biggest issues among seniors is loneliness and depression, social media fosters the opposite of this, encouraging connections and re-connections, basically fostering outside interests.

Ways that Social Media Benefits Seniors

• People move every day, and that usually means that grandparents are left behind. Being involved with social media means that the senior can keep in consistent contact with their children and grandchildren via messaging and photos.
• With so many sites today focused on reconnecting old friends, it’s easy for seniors to locate that long lost love or that long lost friend that they knew 40 years ago. This can be an especially exciting time for seniors and give them a brighter outlook on life.
• The internet is such a powerful educational tool. Social media is chock full of special interest groups. Seniors can find others who are interested in the same things – gardening, running, swimming, dancing, writing, reading, pottery, biking, hiking, etc. and join in real-time groups (if they like) to further enhance their quality of life.
• A picture is worth a thousand words. It’s easy for seniors to see what their friends and family are up to on a daily basis over social media and stay connected even though they might not be able to attend birthdays, graduations, etc. because they live too far away.
• Social media is not just for individuals to communicate with one another, it’s also a great way for people to stay in tune with what’s happening in the world. Whether these happenings are political, environmental, entertainment, etc., seniors involved with social media will stay “in the loop” of what’s going on around the world.

Always Best Care has been a well-respected senior caregiver company for the past 20 years. With locations all over the United States and Canada, they hire only the most highly-skilled and compassionate caregivers who are dedicated to their craft. Seniors living in the Fallston area, who are interested in learning about assisted living homes in Harford County or in-home care in Cecil County, are invited to contact the Always Best Care Fallston location at 410-877-3787 to set up a free care consultation. They look forward to hearing from you!

Home Safety Tips for Seniors

A senior’s home is their castle. Usually, seniors want to stay in the comfort of their home for as long as possible. And who can blame them? It’s where their memories are, along with memorabilia, and the comfort of their surroundings. However, a senior’s home is also where a lot of accidents take place. These accidents usually tend to be related to fire, falls, and medication mistakes.

Preventing Dangerous Falls

According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of death among seniors. One out of every three seniors takes a fall every year, and over half of them will fall again the next year. It’s also one of the most common reasons why seniors end up in the emergency room. Here are some ways seniors can prevent falls in the home:

• Make sure steps are free of clutter and are even, both inside and out. Also install extra handrails in stairwells if necessary. Install lights in stairwells and outside, too.
• Wear an alert button. If a fall does occur, it’s best to get medical technicians involved as soon as possible.
• Keep up with your eye exams. Being able to see is one of the most crucial ways to prevent falls.

Preventing Medication Mistakes

• Many seniors take as many as five medications or more, so it can get confusing what to take and when to take it. Add cognitive decline and it can be extremely dangerous.
• Talk with doctors and pharmacists about all of the medications you are taking and if there are any possible adverse drug interactions.
• Check the expiration dates of your medications before taking them.
• Check to make sure that there aren’t any food or alcohol warnings for the medication.
• Store all medication in a cool, dry place – the bathroom is not the best place!

Fire Safety Tips

• Never smoke in bed. Consider quitting altogether; keep in mind that home fires that start in the bedroom account for 25% of all fire deaths.
• Make sure all of the smoke alarms have fresh batteries and are in good working order.
• Never place space heaters by flammable material or objects.

If you are a senior living in the Fallston area and would like information about in-home senior care or assisted living in Baltimore County, you can call the Always Best Care Fallston branch at 410-877-3787 to set up a free consultation. They will be happy to discuss all of the options with you including what level of in-home care you might need, or if you’re interested in getting free referrals for assisted living in Bel Air. Call today, they look forward to hearing from you!

Could There Be a Formula for Living Longer?

Most people would like to live well into their 80’s and beyond, provided they are in good health mentally and physically. And although there isn’t a tried and true formula that will help you live longer, there are some aspects to life that researchers have found will increase your longevity. What are these pearls of good long living?

• Maintaining social connections. Humans are social animals. We need other people just as they need us. This is proven in the fact that people with very few, low-quality social connections have a higher (an entire 50%) chance of dying than those with strong social connections. Reasons include good friends help us to remain active both mentally and physically, they laugh with us, and they help reduce stress levels.
• Religion. Practicing a religion, especially in the form of being of service to others through community involvement, is known to increase longevity. The social involvement aspect, as well as feeling a part of the community eases stress.
• Cleaning the house… or gardening. Staying active on a daily basis reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke enormously. Whether it’s through exercise, or through playing with grandchildren, or vacuuming, staying active leads to a longer life.
• Obesity is catchy… Did you know – you are what your best friends eat? It’s been proven that when an individual gains weight, their closest friends tend to as well. This is likely due to sharing meals together and the normalcy of the situation (their weight gain) because acceptable.
• Live near the green – whether it’s the golf green, a park, trails, people who live near green spaces are less likely to die from cancer or respiratory illnesses. There’s less air pollution in green spaces, and they promote more physical activity and social connections.

  Always Best Care has provided exceptional and compassionate care giving to over 25,000 seniors in the past 20 years. They have locations all over the United States and Canada, and are highly-experienced in both in-home care giving and providing assisted living recommendations. If you live in the Upper Chesapeake area and are interesting in learning about assisted living in Cecil County or Baltimore County, contact the Always Best Care Upper Chesapeake location today at 410-877-3787 today!