Understanding
Senior Care

Why It's Important to Manage Caregiver Stress

From our Care Blog

Family caregivers face a lot of stress. Many work full-time jobs and raise their own families on top of the responsibilities of looking after their aging parent. The demands of the job can take both a physical and mental toll on even the most resilient people, leaving them drained and exhausted. In order to be more patient and available, it’s important to keep caregiver stress within manageable boundaries. These tips reveal why it’s important for family caregivers to lower their stress levels and how to do so every day. Why is stress bad? While a little stress is natural, too...

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The Effects of Dementia on Caregivers and Families

From our Care Blog

Hiring a FirstLight in-home caregiver can help minimize the effects of dementia on caregivers and ensure peace of mind for everyone.

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The Difference Between Home Care and Home Health Care

From our Care Blog

Home care or home health care? This is a question we get asked frequently. There are quite a few differences between home care and home health care. Here we explain some of those difference so that you may determine what might be best for your loved one. And remember, oftentimes a combination of home care and home health services might be necessary and can go a long way to help improve one’s quality of life. Home care keeps individuals safe and comfortable in the place they call home. When an adult needs assistance with the activities of daily living, or...

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What is Respite Care and Why is it Needed?

From our Care Blog

Caregiving is a full-time job, and respite care is the means to provide relief for the caregiver. It is an ideal solution to give busy and often overstressed family caregivers the opportunity to relax, decompress, and re-energize while their loved one - an elderly parent, a family member living with a disability or a loved one recovering from recent surgery – continues to receive the care they need. Respite care is important for the health and well-being of the family caregiver to ensure that they can continue to provide care for their loved one. Respite care includes a variety of...

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How Smartwatches Are Changing the Face of the Medical Alert Industry

From our Care Blog

Smartwatches offer unique benefits over traditional medical alert devices Medical alert devices can be lifesaving for seniors who find themselves in an emergency situation. They also can reduce stress and anxiety for caregivers by providing peace of mind that a loved one will be able to get the help they need after an accident or injury. There are numerous medical alert systems on the market today, the majority of which are traditional in-home units and mobile options for more active seniors. In recent years, some companies have started offering smartwatch-style devices, which offer a fresh alternative for caregivers looking to...

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Activities to Do with Elderly Parents

From our Care Blog

As you seek out activities to do with elderly parents, cater to your loved one's interests and consider getting help from FirstLight Home Care.

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Winter Driving Tips for Aging Parents

From our Care Blog

As winter weather sweeps across the country, here are some ways to help keep senior drivers safe on the road. These tips can also help provide peace of mind to families out there who might be a little uneasy about their parents driving in the snow and ice. HELP YOUR PARENTS WINTERIZE THEIR CAR Ideally, you should help your aging parents winterize their car in the fall when the weather is still nice. But it’s not too late! A well-maintained car is essential to avoid unnecessary problems on wintry roads. Key things to check: The battery. Cold weather can be...

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The Financial Impact of Family Caregiving

From our Care Blog

Being the family caregiver for your aging parent can take a toll on your finances and your personal life. At some point in our lives, we will either need a caregiver or we will become one. Many adult children automatically become the family caregiver as parents age and need assistance around the house or with everyday tasks. When it comes to providing some sort of assistance to aging parents, many adult children are thrust into the situation unexpectedly. When this happens, it can have serious economic implications for an individual. A recent survey from AARP indicates that 38 percent of...

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Eye Health: Protecting Your Parent’s Vision

From our Care Blog

In honor of Glaucoma Awareness Month, we went through our blog library and found a few of our most popular posts related to eye health. January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, an important time to raise awareness of this growing disease, as well as other eye health problems. If you are caring for an aging parent or other loved one, it’s important that they get an eye exam every year, especially if they are over the age of 65. These exams are even more critical if they have high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of eye disease. Many eye...

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New Year's Resolutions for Family Caregivers

From our Care Blog

New year. New you. A sampling of New Year’s resolutions to help family caregivers stay happy, healthy and energized in 2019. 2019 is just days away and the beginning of a new year is a perfect time to evaluate our lives, address challenges and move forward with positivity. For caregivers, this is an especially important time, so we’ve put together a collection of family caregiver New Year’s resolutions just for you: In 2019, grow your support circle so that you’re not doing everything by yourself. Create a support team of family, friends and/or local resources, like FirstLight Home Care, to...

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