What is Caregiver Stress Syndrome?
From our Care Blog
Do you know what caregiver stress syndrome is and how can you fight it? FirstLight Home Care shares tips to help you thrive.
The FirstLight Care Corner
For those who want to learn more about senior home care, guidance
for caregivers, and living your best day, every day.
From Our Care Blog
How to Manage Your Loved One’s Hoarding Behavior
From our Care Blog
How do you deal with an older loved one who has begun exhibiting hoarding behavior? Hoarding behavior goes beyond just collecting mementos of the past. Oftentimes your loved one’s home will be filled with clutter or even trash, and they may find it difficult or impossible to get rid of these things. Their home may become filled, with only narrow pathways to navigate from room to room. These hoarded items can eventually become a health or safety concern and potentially a fire hazard. When hoarding reaches these unhealthy levels, it’s up to the family members to intervene. But this can...
Learn More about How to Manage Your Loved One’s Hoarding Behavior
6 Things You Must Ask Yourself Before Becoming Your Parent's Caregiver
From our Care Blog
Every year, an estimated 43.5 million adults in the U.S.—about 60% of them women—become a parent's caregiver. (Source: AARP). Taking care of someone you love is rewarding, but it does come with its own challenges. Here are six things you must ask yourself before becoming your parent’s caregiver: Are you prepared for the physical challenges of caregiving? Many people sign up to be the primary caregiver out of a sense of duty or even guilt. While it is admirable to become the family caregiver, you may not be entirely prepared for the roller coaster of emotions and physical stress that...
Learn More about 6 Things You Must Ask Yourself Before Becoming Your Parent's Caregiver
5 Tips For Helping The Elderly With Perseonal Hygiene
From our Care Blog
Everyday tasks can become more difficult as we age. For many seniors, good personal hygiene can be especially challenging due to a lack of mobility and sometimes a sheer lack of energy. Depression, isolation, dementia, a fear of falling, or medication side effects can all cause seniors to lose interest in or completely neglect their personal hygiene and grooming. Health and hygiene go hand in hand. If you or an aging loved one is having difficulties maintaining a daily hygiene routine, here are some helpful tips. Identify the issues. Get to the root of why your loved one has neglected...
Learn More about 5 Tips For Helping The Elderly With Perseonal Hygiene
How to Talk to Your Parents About Home Care
From our Care Blog
As our parents get older, they may need more help than they are willing to ask for. Talking with your parents or an aging loved one about needing home care can be a difficult conversation for both of you. For them, it might represent a loss of independence. For you, it can be difficult because you must come with terms with the likelihood that you will need help caring for them. Here are seven helpful tips to help you to start the home care conversation. Do your homework. Before you start the conversation, research the various options that are available....
Learn More about How to Talk to Your Parents About Home Care
6 Ways to Help Aging Loved Ones Adopt Healthier Habits
From our Care Blog
If you ask family caregivers, getting their aging loved ones to eat healthier foods can seem nearly impossible. Sadly, this problem isn’t uncommon: One in every eight Americans older than 65 are at risk for malnutrition, according to research conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the National Institutes of Health. Various physical and mental conditions, as well as medications, can make aging adults less likely to get the nutrition they need to thrive. Whether the enemy is fast food, high cholesterol or a lack of vitamins, here are six ways to incorporate healthier habits (and maybe even some vegetables!) into your...
Learn More about 6 Ways to Help Aging Loved Ones Adopt Healthier Habits
Safely Resume Activities in the New Normal
From our Care Blog
We all want to stay safe and connected. With cities across the United States easing restrictions and lifting stay-at-home orders, many family caregivers may be wondering if it is safe for seniors to venture out? There is still a high coronavirus risk to older adults, but there are ways to help them get out of the house and resume activities in the new normal while keeping them safe and healthy. We put together some helpful tips on how to test the waters and safely ease back into social activities while minimizing coronavirus exposure. This piece was originally featured on the...
10 Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's
From our Care Blog
Early detection matters when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease. The sooner you know the signs, the sooner you can take advantage of the treatment opportunities that are available. It also gives you and your family time to understand the disease and plan for the future. The Alzheimer’s Association is a wonderful resource for researching information about this disease, including how it’s diagnosed, its stages, treatments and the early warning signs and symptoms. 10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's and Dementia Memory loss that disrupts daily life. Memory loss is one of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s disease, especially...
Family Caregiver Stress Solutions
From our Care Blog
Now more than ever, family caregivers are faced with the stress that comes with caring for an aging loved one. We can help. Our free Family Caregiver Stress Solutions Guide offers tips and strategies on how to accept and manage stress while you take on the responsibility of caregiving. [caption id="attachment_5692" align="alignright" width="300"] Click the image to download our free Stress Solutions: A Family Caregiver Guide to Less Stress[/caption] Download our free Stress Solutions: A Family Caregiver Guide to Less Stress Use the tools and techniques in the guide to relieve stress, care for your loved one in more ways...
Family Caregivers Should Practice Self-Care During a Pandemic
From our Care Blog
The COVID-19 pandemic has made caring for a loved one even more difficult. Family members caring for a loved one in their home are faced with so many more concerns during this time. But family caregivers should practice self-care. Simple tasks like shopping for groceries or picking up medication have an added layer of complication and worry. Senior isolation may be a concern. Even making sure your loved one is getting proper nutrition and enough sleep can be a challenge. Some family caregivers may be without respite care or the help of other family members, making the task of self-care more difficult than...
Learn More about Family Caregivers Should Practice Self-Care During a Pandemic
Ready to get started?