Is Your Senior In-Home Care Provider Compliant with Florida Regulations?

photo credit: Stephen Cummings

Comfort Keepers of Central Florida is fully compliant!

In the state of Florida, Home Healthcare Agencies (HHA) are regulated by the Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA). ACHA provides Florida Home Healthcare Agencies with 380 regulations to follow if they desire to be in good standing. Violations of any single regulation can lead to a written warning, fine of $5000 or more, or a revocation of the HHA’s license.

When HHA’s are surveyed for compliance, visits are unannounced and an evaluation is completed by a registered nurse employed by the State. Comfort Keepers’ Gainesville office received one of these unannounced visits. First, the surveyor asked for a list of all clients Comfort Keepers had served in the last 6 months.  Then, she selected 9 charts at random to review.  The surveyor also asked for a list of our current and past employees, and selected a group of employee charts to review.

The ACHA surveyor is trained to search through files for things like accurate and up to date training records for our home health aides, quality assurance measures that ensure excellent care, evidence that background screenings are performed in a timely manner, and an up to date comprehensive emergency management plan (in case of hurricane or other disaster).  After reviewing the employee and client charts, the surveyor interviewed co-owner and Administrator Jocelyn Holt, and our Alternate Administrator and nurse, Nancy Cameron, RN to assess whether other state regulations were being followed.

Finally, the nurse-surveyor concluded her evaluation by calling 3 of our clients to ask them about the care we provide.

At the end of the survey, we were found to be deficiency free and fully compliant with the require Florida regulations! It was such a good feeling to see that our attention to detail and quality care for our clients was positively recognized. Our surveyor congratulated us for running an excellent home care agency and felt that it was very apparent that we care deeply for our senior clients and employees. As true Comfort Keepers, we are so proud of this achievement.

Advice for Seniors & the Elderly on Aging & the Digestive System

Aging & the Digestive System

As we it get older we have the joy of experiencing changes in our digestive system (wink, wink). Unfortunately, many of us begin to lose our teeth and this makes chewing food more difficult. In addition to our changing teeth, because the body produced less saliva as we age our mouths also become drier. This can sometimes lead to problems swallowing and a poor appetite. Our esophagus also is less active as we age, so it takes longer for swallowed food to reach our stomachs and the decrease in digestive juices can sometime cause indigestion. Overall, this can lead to continued weight loss, especially after 75. So by now your thinking, “well, where is the good news?”

Good question. Here is the good news.

To prevent digestive problems for yourself or your loved ones, you should:

• Assist them with mouth and teeth care. Keep in mind that most people lose their teeth because of preventable dental disease. With good care, teeth can last a lifetime!
• If you or your loved ones have dentures, make sure they are wearing them at mealtime.
• Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly.
• Cut your food into small bite sized pieces, and like your mother always said “chew your food ten times before you swallow.”

Also drink plenty of fluids…especially water. (The average person should drink about two quarts of fluid every day.) Staying hydrated helps prevent constipation. In addition, frequent sips of water may be helpful if you suffer from a dry mouth.

Strive to eat a balanced diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables and plenty of protein. In addition, high fiber foods – like bran and fresh vegetables – help keep the bowels regular. If you or your loved ones are prone to indigestion, have them sit up for at least 30 minutes after eating.  Also, allow plenty of time in the bathroom for bowel movements. (This process may take longer for some elderly people, so it may be a good time to catch up on some reading.)

Remember, talk to your healthcare provider or seek assistance if you notice:

• Tooth pain, loose teeth or bleeding gums

• Lost or broken dentures

• Indigestion, excess gas, bloating or nausea

• Constipation or diarrhea

• Changes in appetite

At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.

Seniors & Senior Caregivers Find Out About Aging and the Circulatory System

As people get age the heart muscle becomes less “elastic” and weaker so it pumps with less force. To make up for this, the heart beats more frequently. (The average pulse rate of an elderly person at rest is 70 to 76 beats per minute.)

The elderly also tend to have arteries that become a little harder and narrower. This is often the cause of increased blood pressure, especially the systolic pressure (the top number). Because the circulatory system slows down with age, elderly people tend to feel cold, especially in their hands and feet. You may hear your loved ones complain about their body temperature frequently.

To Help Your Elderly Loved Ones Prevent Circulation Problems, You Should:

• Allow for rest periods – as needed – during the day.
• Encourage daily exercise to stimulate their circulation. And, discourage them from wearing tight clothing that might cut off circulation – such as tight socks, tight pants or knee-high stockings.
• Encourage them to eat a “heart healthy” diet that is low in both fat and sodium.

Pay attention to complaints of feeling cold. Encourage your elderly loved ones to wear socks and shoes or slippers at all times to avoid cold feet. Leave an extra blanket near the bed in case they get cold at night. (However, discourage your elderly loved ones from using hot water bottles or heating pads to stay warm, because they might burn themselves.)

Remember…Watch For & Report

• Swelling (edema)
• Chest pain (angina)
• Palpitations
• Dizziness

The symptoms above are often related to complications as a result of poor circulation.

At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.

NOTE: The information presented in this article is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other medical professional if you have any questions about any medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment.

Men Are Caregivers Too – Part II

Men Are Great Caregivers Too

Welcome back to part two of our blog post on male caregiver!

In addition to the tips we provided in part I, consider the following last few tips to improve your role as a caregiver:

1)    Ask for and accept help – Despite the fact that family caregivers are drowning in responsibility or are really confused about what the next step should be, they often respond ‘no thanks’ when help is offered.  Asking for and accepting help is a complex issue, but don’t try to go it alone.

Steps to take:

• Create a list of the tasks that need to get done in any given week, or at least those you are most concerned about.  When you see how long the list is you’ll quickly understand why you are so tired and don’t have time for yourself.
• Recognize that asking for help is a sign of strength and not of weakness.  It means you have a grasp on your situation and have come up with a proactive problem solving approach to make things easier and better.
• When a family member, friend or neighbor asks if they can help, take them up on it.  Find out what they’re willing and able to do.  For example, someone can offer companionship by walking with your spouse a few times a week.  Or a neighbor can pick up a few things for you at the grocery store.
• Consider getting full-time or part-time caregiving assistance from a professional organization.  In-home caregivers, such as Comfort Keepers can help with daily tasks.

2)    Take care of your health – It is essential for caregivers to take care of their own health.  Physical exhaustion often goes with the job of caregiving, especially when your spouse needs a great deal of physical assistance.   Remember that if you get sick, injured or exhausted, you’ll no longer be able to help your loved one.

Steps to take:

• Work exercise into your normal routine, even if it means finding someone else to provide care while you walk or take an exercise class.
• Eat nutritious meals.  Don’t give into stress-driven urges for sweets or drink too much alcohol.
• Get enough sleep.  If you are kept up at night, try a nap during the day.
• Be sure to have regular medical checkups.
• Take a break.  When you spend most of your time caring for your spouse, you still need time to take care of yourself.  Listen to music, read a book, take a bath – do whatever you need to do to relax.  By taking time out to care for yourself, you will have more energy to take care of your loved one.

3)    Learn to balance caregiving and your career – As we all know, caregiving itself can be a fulltime commitment.  Doctors’ appointments, your wife’s needs at home, and unexpected crises make it nearly impossible for you to maintain a regular work schedule. However, keeping your job may be very important to you for any number of reasons. Whether it’s for the salary, medical benefits, or personal satisfaction of working, you should not give up your job too soon.

Steps to take:

• Talk to your supervisor at work about your situation and needs in a way that expresses your concerns, both as a caregiver and a dedicated employee.
• Be understanding about your employer’s needs and work with him/her to agree on a plan that works for everyone.
• Look into home care options while you are at work.
• Try to view your job as respite time away from caregiving.  It is time for you to focus on other issues, and have time to yourself.

For more information on support for the male caregiver, visit the following Web sites:

1) Family Caregiver Alliance -www.caregiver.org

Founded in 1977, Family Caregiver Alliance was the first community-based nonprofit organization in the country to address the needs of families and friends providing long-term care at home. FCA now offers programs at national, state and local levels to support and sustain caregivers.

2)  American Association of Retired Persons – www.aarp.org

AARP provides seniors with information on financial planning, caregiving, avoiding fraud, and consumer rights.

3) National Family Caregiver’s Association – www.thefamilycaregiver.org

The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) supports, empowers, educates, and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for a chronically ill, aged, or disabled loved one. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of different diagnoses, different relationships and different life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers.

At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.

Siblings Turned Caregivers – How To Handle Your New Role

As an adult child of an older parent in need of extra care, the stress of becoming a caregiver can be overwhelming. Oftentimes, large families with many siblings have to find ways to share the responsibility of caring for aging parents.

In a very interesting article by Lindsay Lyon as published by US News & World Report, Lyon’s discusses the growing transition of adult child to caregiver with longtime journalist and author Francine Russo. The following is an excerpt of the article.

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Francine Russo on Caring for Your Aging Parents

By Lindsay Lyon

Anyone with siblings whose parents are getting older should check out a new book by longtime journalist and author Francine Russo, They’re Your Parents, Too! How Siblings Can Survive Their Parents’ Aging Without Driving Each Other Crazy (Bantam, 2010). In it, she floods light on an underdiscussed, highly emotional life stage that can strain even the strongest of sibling bonds: what she calls the “twilight transition,” when brothers and sisters who long ago left the families in which they were raised—and in some cases haven’t spoken in years—are hurled back together as adults to grapple with their parents’ aging, illness, and death. “It’s the new life crisis of our original family,” she writes. And it can get ugly. U.S. News chatted with Russo, and here are edited excerpts:

Why did you write this book?

This is one of those intersections of the personal and the professional. While I was a journalist on the boomer beat, I was covering caregiving, aging—many boomer issues—and I also had a column [and] people wrote to me. Many had issues with their siblings. At the same time, my parents were aging, and my sister was in my hometown taking care of them. I was pretty clueless about what was expected of me. Nobody actually asked me to do anything, but tensions ran really high. We just kept doing what we had always done. I called on Sundays and went to visit every few months for an afternoon—that’s what I always did. At my mother’s funeral, I saw my father and my sister holding each other up and weeping. I was shattered. I was ashamed because I finally got it—what they’d been through without my help—and I began looking for answers as a journalist, interviewing experts and siblings. I really was interested in the psychology because I’m not really a bad person and I’m not usually psychologically clueless, and yet I got it all wrong. So I started looking for answers.

Why do you say that the “twilight transition” is new in our time?

The average person is living 30 years longer than in 1900—30 years! People used to die of heart attacks, they used to die of diabetes, they died of cancer, but there weren’t treatments that kept these people alive for 10 or 15 years with these ailments. Our parents are living for much longer times and longer with chronic illnesses, which means they need help. That’s new. That’s totally new.

If you look at the latest caregiving stats from the AARP, there are 43 million people taking care of a parent or elderly relative, and 91 percent of them say they do not share the responsibilities equally with anybody; 51 percent—more than half—say they do it alone. Now, you have got to figure at least 80 percent of those people have siblings, and there’s got to be a huge story in that.

Are most people prepared to deal with this period?

Nobody is really prepared to deal with it. We think of our parents as eternal. This stage of life, for everybody in the family, evokes very old and very deep feelings. Everybody is going to react and overreact based on things that are not about what’s going on right now. They’re not about whether Mom moves to this assisted living versus that assisted living. They’re really about old things. Without realizing it, we get caught up in sibling rivalry again. So we’re arguing about whether she should eat health food or go to the major cancer clinic. But the ferocity of the feelings we have comes from somewhere else. People [should] just remember one thing: that they’re not the only person losing their parent; [everyone] is going through it. Cut each other a little slack. Give each other the benefit of the doubt. Have a little compassion—even if somebody isn’t behaving well according to your standards.

What if siblings can’t seem to do that?

There’s a whole new field of professionals who can help: geriatric care managers. I’m a big fan of geriatric care managers. Their client is the old person, but they can help all the siblings communicate. For example, let’s say your brother lives in California and you’re in New York, and whatever you tell him about Mom he doesn’t believe because he doesn’t want to. Then he gets a call from the geriatric care manager, and she very factually lays out your mother’s condition. What’s going to come up in the future. What her needs are now, so your brother doesn’t have a chance to say, “Oh, that’s just my sister being hysterical or complaining.” The manager can also say, “Listen, this is too much work for one person. Let’s have a meeting or a conference call and talk about assigning responsibilities.” If siblings really can’t stand each other, they don’t even have to talk to each other. The person in the middle, the professional, can help coordinate. There are also social workers.

To read the entire article click here.

At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.

How to Select In-home Care for Seniors

In today’s mobile society families don’t always live close to one another. More and more, the adult children of seniors find themselves concerned about their parents living alone or getting the extra help they may need. Sometimes assisted living facilities or nursing homes can be a solution, but ask most seniors where they would prefer to age, and the majority will say they want to stay in their own home.

No one understands this better than Comfort Keepers caregiver and registered nurse Donna Purpura. “I work with seniors every day and I see how important it is to them to maintain an independent lifestyle,” said Purpura.  But, not all in-home care is the same. With so many options, it can be difficult to know which in-home care provider will be best for you or your loved ones.

Mother-daughter team and Comfort Keepers owners Lynn Domenech and Jocelyn Holt realize the importance of selecting a qualified caregiver. “Bringing someone into your home is a decision that should be made carefully, and understanding your options is the key to making the right choice,” said Domenech. “Unfortunately, most people don’t know the difference between the options available to them…and there are significant differences,” she added.

Among the many in-home care options for seniors and other adults there are:  independents, nurse registries, and employment based agencies. Each type of provider differs in how they staff caregivers, charge for services, and assume the liabilities of being an employer.

Independents are typically individuals that are not part of a larger organizational structure providing in-home care. Generally, independent caregivers also charge less than a nurse registry or an employment based agency. This may seem like a cost effective solution for your needs, but if you secure an independent to provide in-home care, you are responsible for all employment taxes and deductions, Workers’ Compensation insurance, and general liability insurance in the event the caregiver is injured or causes property damage. When you hire an independent caregiver you are responsible for protecting yourself from any risk that may lead to additional expenses, security or safety concerns.

Nurse registries are another common in-home provider. Caregivers provided through nurse registries are usually independent contractors, and many of the same concerns you face in hiring an independent caregiver also apply to caregivers provided by nurse registries. Basically, nurse registries act as a “match maker,” to help clients find independent caregivers.

Employment based agencies, like Comfort Keepers, are the most comprehensive option for in-home care. One of the many benefits to hiring a caregiver like Comfort Keepers is that you are not liable for “employer” related responsibilities. Comfort Keepers is a turnkey care solution, so you are never burdened with liabilities of an employer.

Most importantly, Comfort Keepers ensures that all caregivers have undergone rigorous background checks, are covered by Workers’ Compensation, general liability, and bonding insurance. “Our caregivers are trained prior to being placed in your home to ensure you receive the highest quality care,” said Domenech.

In-home care is a win-win solution for those seniors and other adults who want to maintain an independent lifestyle. Who wouldn’t prefer to stay in the privacy of their own home, surrounded by cherished belongings and memories?  “Families just need to ask the right questions,” said Domenech.  “If you are seeking a care solution for yourself or someone you love, take control of the situation and leverage the information that is available to you.  Ask good questions and stay involved!”

A Different Kind of Senior Care – Ocala, Florida | Gainesville, Florida | The Villages, Florida

Comfort Keepers® of Ocala, Gainesville and The Villages approach to senior in-home care is centered on a concept called Interactive Caregiving ^TM.  Study after study demonstrates how the principles behind this active approach to in-home care can help seniors maintain their independence, enhance their wellbeing, maintain their mental and emotional vitality, and help them enjoy a better quality of life at home.

Physical activity keeps seniors active and healthy, contributing to a better state of wellbeing.

• The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports that dancing can lower blood pressure, strengthen bones, lower risk of heart disease and help manage weight. As a social activity, dancing also stimulates the mind and reduces the risk of dementia, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

• Exercise makes seniors stronger and less likely to fall, says the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. A study published in 2002 in the British Medical Journal found that exercise is more effective than home hazard modifications and vision correction in preventing seniors’ at-home falls.

• A long with keeping seniors healthier, exercise helps reduce the severity of illness. A Denmark study published in the October 21, 2008, edition of Neurology says that stroke patients who were the most physically active before their illness were two and half times more likely to have a less severe stroke than the least active patients – and had a better chance for long-term recovery.

• Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reported in a 2005 study that seniors who are physically active in leisure, occupational or home activities, such as house cleaning and gardening, report a greater feeling of self-esteem and quality of life.

The Heart and Science Behind Interactive Caregiving™

Our approach to in-home care is called Interactive Caregiving. It is integral to how we care for seniors and other adults so they can live the highest possible quality of life in the comfort of their own homes. Research indicates that keeping seniors mentally, physically, emotionally and socially engaged helps them to enjoy a higher quality of life, retain better cognitive function, stay healthier and live independently longer.

Social activity keeps seniors and the elderly connected with friends and involved in events and interests.

• A 1999 study published in the British Medical Journal involving more than 2,700 seniors, showed that social and productive activities, like gardening, shopping and preparing meals, were just as beneficial to the subjects’ health and quality of life as physical fitness activities. It also indicated that the less physically active a senior was, the greater the health benefit he reaped from being socially engaged.

• A Harvard School of Public Health study, reported in the July 2008 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, found that the most socially active seniors had the slowest rate of memory decline from over a six-year period. Memory loss among the most socially engaged seniors was less than half that of the least engaged.

Mental stimulation ensures senior and elderly minds are active and vital, contributing to better mental and emotional functioning.

• A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that elderly people who did crossword puzzles four times a week had a risk of dementia 47% lower than those who did the puzzles once a week.

• The Memory and Aging Project at Rush University Medical Center – a study published in 2007 in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology – found that a cognitively-active senior was 2.6 times less likely to develop dementia than a cognitively-inactive senior.

Emotional vitality helps seniors maintain a positive outlook on life and optimistic view to the future.

• Studying a group of 884 older adults, University of Michigan psychologists found that the seniors who scored higher on perceived control of important aspects of their lives – community involvement, hobbies or family connections, for instance – were more likely to be alive at the study’s six- and seven year follow-ups.

• A study by the Washington University School of Medicine reported in the August 2001 edition of The Annals of Behavioral Medicine that seniors who exercised scored higher on an emotional health scale. And even though nearly 65 percent of the study’s 1,733 participants had arthritis, overall they reported no increase in pain from the exercise.

• Exercise has been recognized for preventing falls. And the Australian National University Centre for Mental Health Research (CMHR) found that those in a 787-member study group who scored higher in emotional well being were less likely to fall. The risk rose for those who experienced increased depressive symptoms or lower morale as the study progressed.

At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.

Seniors, The Elderly, and Technology: Improving lives every day-Part IV

Welcome to our four part series entitled: Seniors, The Elderly, and Technology: Improving lives every day.

Part IV – Technology improves quality of life for seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

As people age and their care needs change, monitoring systems have the flexibility to change with them. For example, additional devices can be connected to a personal emergency response system so that the same people who monitor emergency situations can continually monitor other activities.

When a person develops Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia-related condition, for instance, motion detectors, pressure-sensitive mats and window and door sensors can be installed.

These detect the individual’s wanderings and alert caregivers with alarms that sound in the home, as well as at a central monitoring station. In addition, global positioning system devices can be used to find loved ones in a timely manner if they wander away.

In partnership with a professional caregiver, families can customize their use of technology to facilitate the care plan for their loved ones and complement the personal caregiving they receive.

As in every facet of our lives, technology is here to stay and will take on a growing role in caregiving. Preparing for the coming wave of aging, tech-savvy baby boomers, and building on the success of current technology, research into new in-home caregiving devices continues.

Intel, for instance, is looking for opportunities to develop technology that better serves the rapidly growing population of older adults while reducing health care costs. It is approaching this goal from three fronts:

• A shift from treatment to prevention

• A shift from expensive clinical settings to the home

• A shift of some responsibility for care from formal providers to individuals and their family and friends.

These efforts affirm seniors’ desire to age in place and maintain greater independence, as well as the proven benefits of current technologies that complement in-home caregiving.

In partnership with the University of Washington, researchers at Intel Research Seattle are developing technology to track a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Another proposed system would deliver medication reminders by cell phone, TV, or whatever

device a senior would prefer. Other innovations in the making include wearable, wireless sensors that would alert caregivers to a senior’s fall and sensors placed in a senior’s footwear to monitor gait for irregularity to prevent falls and costly hospital stays or nursing home placements.

Research also is being conducted in artificial intelligence to help persons with Alzheimer’s disease complete activities of daily living to reduce their dependence on caregivers.

More technologies also are becoming available to remotely monitor chronic senior health conditions, such as hypertension. This capability will make more efficient and effective use of the skills of professional caregivers whose ranks are hard pressed to keep up with the rapidly growing senior population.

Technology Is A Smart Choice For Secure, Independent Living

With more promising advances under development, technology already has proven its place in extending services of professional and family caregivers around-the-clock. They provide family members assurance that help is available when they can’t be with their loved one. And as a cost effective alternative to assisted living or nursing home placement, they promote better health outcomes and quality of life for seniors who desire to “age in place” and live independently in their home for as long as possible.

PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM

This wireless, house-wide monitoring system offers hands-free, two-way voice connection in the event of an emergency. Press the HELP button on the console, or the neck or wrist pendant, to contact the monitoring station. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, someone is always available when you need help.

MEDICINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The automated medication management system ensures seniors take the proper medicines at appropriate times throughout the day. Especially helpful for those taking multiple medications or those who may be at risk to under, or over, medicate.

PORTABLE PERS WITH GPS TECHNOLOGY

The Portable PERS with GPS technology is an ideal solution for individuals concerned with safety away from home. Individuals can be instantly located with the press of a button.

SMOKE & CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS

Monitors the presence of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, smoke, or fire in the home. These systems alert the central monitoring station who then alerts families and dispatches the local fire department.

DOOR & WINDOW CONTACTS

Especially helpful for those that may have a tendency to “wander,” these sensors send an alert if someone is leaving the home, or, trying to enter the home.

PRESSURE MATS

Ideal for seniors that may be a fall-risk or may wander at night, these mats will alert others in the household as well as the monitoring station when detecting pressure on the mat.

At Comfort Keepers, we support our caregiving services with our Safety Choice devices to ensure that all of our clients have the security they need to stay in their own home. Comfort Keepers is located in Ocala, Gainesville and The Villages, Florida and we strive to provide the highest quality senior care and elderly assistance in Central Florida.  Call us today 866-333-4737!

TIPS FOR SENIORS: MEDICATIONS AND THE PHARMACIST

A pharmacist can talk to the senior about their medications. They can help them understand how and when to take the medications, what side effects they might expect, and what interactions may occur. A pharmacist can answer the senior’s questions privately in the pharmacy while they are filling their prescriptions or over the telephone in the privacy of their home.

PHARMACY VISIT:
1. The Pharmacist is a drug expert—resource for client for printed information.
2. Keeps track of medications—the medication information is stored in their computer system, and will include over-the-counter and dietary supplements if the pharmacist is informed.
3. Containers—medications can be placed in easy open containers if requested.
4. Prescription labels—can be printed with larger type for ease of reading, or in another language.

WHAT TO ASK THE PHARMACIST

• How and where do I store my medications?

• How can I get a refill?

• Is there assistance for paying for this medication?

• Can prescriptions be refilled early?

• Ask the pharmacist to confirm the directions you were given by the physician.

• Is the client’s medication profile up to date at the pharmacy?

• What interactions and possible side effects does the medication have?

Before a client travels, they may want to ask their pharmacist how to adjust their medication schedule to account for changes in time, routine, and diet. When flying, a client should keep their medications with them, and not in their checked luggage.
When purchasing over-the-counter medications, check for package tampering and expiration dates. If a package has been broken, or if the expiration date has passed, notify your pharmacist, and do not take the medication.

At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.

NOTE: The information presented in this article is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended
as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other medical
professional if you have any questions about any medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment.

In-Home Care: A Solution for Baby Boomers Now and in the Future Part II

Welcome to part 2 of our 2 part series on home care solutions for baby boomers!

Ocala Senior Care

Studies show that baby boomers will start reaching retirement age in 2011.  And, according to Health, United States, 2005, a report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, baby boomers will age more slowly due to healthful habits that have contributed to such indicators as 60 and 70 percent drops since 1950 in the death rates for heart disease and stroke, respectively. Further, the cancer death rate has declined 10 percent since 1990.

Baby boomers will particularly feel at home with in-home care like Comfort Keepers^®’ Interactive Caregiving^TM, which builds on seniors’ life-long activities and interests, helping them stay engaged in physical, mental and social pursuits that heighten their quality of life.

In-home care technology will further aid in making in-home care the ideal senior care solution for the baby boom generation. Throughout their lives, baby boomers have been faithful adopters of the latest gadgets that have come along to make life better. Furthermore, in-home care technologies, such as SafetyChoice^® by Comfort Keepers, can help bridge the family caregiver gap for those boomers who don’t have children.

These technologies, which are continually being developed and improved, monitor seniors’ movements and vital signs and can alert help in emergencies when caregivers aren’t present in the home. Other examples include medication management systems, which remind seniors to take their medicine as prescribed, and GPS tracking devices that help locate a senior who has become lost.

So, just as they have throughout life, baby boomers will make their own distinctive mark on senior care – and in a big way.

To learn more about how Comfort Keepers can serve you or your loved ones please give us a call! Remember, we are Comfort Keepers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.