Firstlight Resources

4 Ways Caregivers Can Cope with Alzheimer's During the Holidays

From our Care Blog

The holidays can be tough for families affected by Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Your loved one living with Alzheimer’s may experience confusion or anxiety, especially with the additional hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And that could put added stress on families. Our local FirstLight® caregivers shared these tips to help make the holidays merry, bright and, most of all, memorable for family caregivers and the people in their care. Create a safe and calm space. It’s easy to go all out during the holiday with decorations, blinking lights, music and loud gatherings. Simplify holiday decorations. Avoid blinking lights...

Learn More about 4 Ways Caregivers Can Cope with Alzheimer's During the Holidays

How To Recognize Dementia: 7 Early Signs

From our Care Blog

Dementia is a term that describes a variety of symptoms affecting a person's cognitive functioning. The most recognizable being their ability to think, remember and reason. It is a disease that can be characterized by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking skills that affect a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Every person is unique, and dementia affects people differently - no two people will have symptoms that develop in the same way. Signs of dementia can go unnoticed for a long time because the changes that occur in your loved one can be small at first....

Learn More about How To Recognize Dementia: 7 Early Signs

5 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress

From our Care Blog

With all the decorating, cooking and gatherings, Hanukkah, Christmas and the New Year tend to bring additional stress. But a little planning and prioritizing can help you enjoy a peaceful holiday season. Here are some useful tips for all of us to help manage holiday stress: Remind yourself that things don’t always go as planned… and be flexible. It’s ok if you can’t make it to every holiday party you are invited to or stay for hours at each one. If you need to make an appearance at more than one, just be cautious of the time and leave when...

Learn More about 5 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our Care Blog

On this day of gratitude, may the good things in life be yours in abundance not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year. At FirstLight Home Care, we have a lot to be thankful for. We are most grateful for our extraordinary caregivers who continue to provide exceptional care and compassion to our clients and families. We are also thankful for the more than 40 million family caregivers who will spend this Thanksgiving – as they do every day – placing the care and safety of a loved one first. We thank them for their care, commitment, generosity and...

Learn More about Happy Thanksgiving!

3 Reasons Caregiving is So Hard

From our Care Blog

Caring for a loved one strains even the most resilient people. At FirstLight® we have found that family caregivers tend to be very compassionate people that only want to provide what is best for the loved one in their care. They appreciate the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes with taking care of someone, but the shift in parental roles and the emotions connected to an aging or ailing loved one can change the dynamics of any situation. Caregiving is hard work. It can involve many stressors. Over the last 10 years working with families, our local caregivers have found these...

Learn More about 3 Reasons Caregiving is So Hard

How Can Caregivers Practice Self-Care?

From our Care Blog

Self-care is any activity that we do purposefully in order to take care of our emotional and physical health. It is a broad concept that incorporates nutrition, lifestyle, physical activities, and personal awareness, to name a few. Self-care is a way for our bodies to refuel. Make no mistake…it is not a selfish act. Good self-care is key to improving mood, reducing anxiety and maintaining a good relationship with oneself and others. Practicing self-care isn’t always easy. Most people, especially family caregivers, have busy schedules managing the care of a loved one and the needs of their family, friends, and...

Learn More about How Can Caregivers Practice Self-Care?

Happy Veterans Day!

From our Care Blog

We would like to honor and thank all our military veterans on this Veterans Day. And a special thanks to our many FirstLight Home Care veteran franchise owners across our franchise system.

Learn More about Happy Veterans Day!

Home for the Holidays: A Checklist for Visiting Aging Parents

From our Care Blog

It can be hard to tell how your senior parents are really doing at home when you don't live nearby. If you have concerns about how your parents are managing while living on their own, there are many things you can and should look for when you are visiting with them this holiday season. We have created this handy Home for the Holidays Checklist to get you started. Download and print our FREE checklist and take it with you on your visit. Happy Holidays from FirstLight Home Care!

Learn More about Home for the Holidays: A Checklist for Visiting Aging Parents

The Biggest Challenges Facing Family Caregivers

From our Care Blog

Family caregiver skills cover a wide range of responsibilities that require endless amounts of energy, empathy, and patience. Most family caregivers will tell you that the time they spend caring for a loved one is one of the most fulfilling experiences they have had in their adult life, but it also comes with its own unique challenges. At FirstLight Home Care, we know that each home care situation is unique. But over the last 10 years we have seen that many of the biggest challenges that caregivers face are very similar: Emotional and physical stress: Studies have confirmed that family caregivers have higher levels...

Learn More about The Biggest Challenges Facing Family Caregivers

Nine Halloween Safety Tips for Older Adults

From our Care Blog

Halloween is a fun time of year for both kids and adults. But for our elderly loved ones, it can be stressful and a little scary, especially if they live alone. A constant stream of trick-or-treaters knocking on the door can be a bit unsettling and intimidating - add scary masks and high-spirited kids and the unknown is greatly magnified. Our elderly loved ones should feel safe and secure on Halloween, whether they choose to hand out candy or not. Here are nine Halloween safety tips to consider: Check your lights and keep them on, even if you’re away from...

Learn More about Nine Halloween Safety Tips for Older Adults