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Senior Care

Holiday Gift Giving for Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s or Dementia

From our Care Blog

Shopping for holiday gifts for family members with Alzheimer’s can be tricky. You may be unsure about what they enjoy or what they’re capable of doing. When choosing a gift, think about their personality, their hobbies, their abilities and their favorite pastimes. A few great gift suggestions for those with Alzheimer’s include: A family calendar Give your loved one a personalized calendar for your family. Include pictures of family member—grandchildren, children, nieces, nephews, cousins, anyone who is close with your loved one. In addition to photos, take the time to fill in any special dates like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and...

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Out of Town Siblings Doesn’t Mean Out of Sight

From our Care Blog

By Dr. Thomas Hoess Taking care of an elderly parent from out-of-town is not easy. It’s the late night calls from the group home that your Mom is on the way to the hospital because she may have a blood clot that causes your heart to race. It’s when the phone rings after 10PM that you worry it’s the final call, the one telling you that your Mom passed away. It is challenging. Harrowing. Stressful. In my family there’s only my sister and I. Sometimes I think having a bigger family and spreading  the caregiving around would be easier. I...

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Holiday Meals with Aging Loved Ones

From our Care Blog

The holiday season is upon us! For many, the holidays are a time to gather with family around the dining room table, enjoying food and conversation. However, the holidays are often a time when many seniors become increasingly frustrated by their disabilities. As a family caregiver, it is important to be aware of any limitations that your aging loved one may have while planning a holiday meal. That includes everything from adapted cooking tools that will allow them to stay involved in the meal preparation to seating arrangements to help them feel comfortable with conversation during the meal. Meal Preparation:...

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The Best Christmas Gift For Seniors Is You!

From our Care Blog

As we all get caught up in the throes of holiday shopping, it’s important to remember the gifts that are the most meaningful. You probably don’t remember what you got for Hanukah or Christmas last year, because they were just “things”. It may have been the latest high tech gadget or even some bling or a bauble. Chances are by this time it’s out-of-date or in the Goodwill bag you have been meaning to donate. Buying gifts for seniors can be challenging, since they usually have everything they need, and the last thing they want is more clutter.  So here...

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Winter Safety Tips for Seniors: Driving With Care

From our Care Blog

Winter brings new challenges to seniors, especially while driving. Explore winter safety tips for seniors to keep you safe.

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Helping Your Aging Parents Quit Smoking

From our Care Blog

Did you know that today, the third Thursday of November, is the Great American Smokeout? Each year, smokers are encouraged to use this date to make a plan for quitting or to quit smoking on that day. Smoking can be especially dangerous for older adults. According to the American Lung Association, older smokers are “significantly less likely than younger smokers to believe that smoking harms their health.” About 8% of those 65 or older are smokers. Even if it’s just for one day, quitting smoking has many health benefits. In one day, your blood circulation increases and your risk of...

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Who Should Get The Flu Vaccine

From our Care Blog

The flu is nasty! No one likes the chills, vomiting or fever associated with the illness. Although the thought of getting a shot is not pleasant, the effect of not getting the shot is even worse! The flu can cause moderate symptoms, but in many seniors, it can be fatal. Here Nurse Gina with FirstLight Home Care answers the most common questions about the flu and how to protect both you and your family against this all too common illness. Who Should Receive the Vaccine? First, all children aged 6 months and older should be vaccinated annually, with rare exceptions,...

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Should Americans Be Legally Obligated To Visit Their Aging Parents?

From our Care Blog

China recently passed the “Elderly Rights Law” legally obligating children to visit their parents who are 60 years and older “frequently” and provide for their “financial and spiritual needs.” Failure to comply with this law can result in fines, lawsuits or jail time. Although there is no time limit on how often a child must visit his aging parents, the law was in response to the growing number of elderly neglected by their children. “I hope this type of legislation will never be necessary in the United States now or the future,” says Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care,...

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Helping Seniors De-Clutter

From our Care Blog

Moving is hard under the best of circumstances. Moving your aging parents to an assisted living facility or retirement home takes on a whole new level of stress, because what you call “junk” are their prized possessions! Even downsizing to a smaller home can be traumatic. After living in one home for a long time, your senior parents have cupboards, closets and storage spaces overflowing. It can even look like a bad episode of Hoarders. Most of the heavy lifting and packing will fall to you unless you hire a small move specialist. The hardest part of the move is...

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Should Healthcare Cover Extended Families?

From our Care Blog

With so much debate going on right now over Obamacare and extending health insurance benefits to same sex couples, it raises the question: when are healthcare benefits going to be offered to extended families? “With so many parents living with their children in their senior years, the idea of a ‘nuclear family’ has changed with many generations living under one roof,” says Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care. “In the future, I hope we will see employers of the ‘sandwich generation’ extending healthcare benefits to more than just spouses and children.” Right now the only option for adult son...

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