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Understanding Parkinson’s Disease and Providing In-Home Care

From our Care Blog

In the U.S. alone, nearly one million people are living with Parkinson’s disease, with 60,000 new cases diagnosed every year. There are more people with Parkinson’s than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s disease combined. Yet, it can be a condition that is difficult to diagnose and hard to spot until serious damage has already occurred. If you’re concerned about a loved one who’s showing potential signs of Parkinson’s, what should you do? Here’s everything you need to know to provide Parkinson’s care. Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease Tremors are one of the most widely recognized signs of Parkinson’s disease. However,...

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What Skills Do You Need to Be a Caregiver?

From our Care Blog

Being a caregiver is a rewarding career path. However, it’s not for everyone. It takes a unique blend of skills and abilities, along with a strong desire to help others. If this sounds like the kind of work that’s a good fit for you, you may be wondering what kind of hard and soft skills you will need to get a caregiver job? Here’s a look at a few: Hard Skills You’ll Need As a Caregiver Physical Strength: Caregivers perform many physical tasks and duties each day that require strength and stamina. Some of these include helping an individual with...

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Personalizing Amazon Alexa for Seniors

From our Care Blog

By: My Caring Plan Amazon Alexa just may be the perfect digital device for your loved one. Seniors can talk to Alexa just as they would a normal person and ask it for a wide range of services. As a holistic resource, Alexa can become an integral part of your senior’s daily routine. However, setting up Alexa for your loved one can take time. It’s not always clear how to integrate accounts and set up apps for Alexa. Let’s go over key aspects of personalizing Amazon Alexa for seniors so your loved one can make the most of it. Challenges...

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Understanding Our Services: Disability Care

From our Care Blog

Helping a loved one who has special needs isn’t easy. If you are a family caregiver, it’s up to you to provide comfort and disability care in a range of ways, from housekeeping help and assistance with bathing and dressing to running errands and transportation. Not only is this a serious commitment, but a long-term one as well. Whether they were born with a disability or became disabled through an injury or medical condition, FirstLight® Home Care can support you and your loved one with our disability care services. While we won’t ever be able to take that special place...

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Signs It Might Be Time for In-Home Care

From our Care Blog

Many adult children wonder when it’s time to find in-home care for a loved one. If you find yourself stopping over more often to check on your aging parents or other family members, now may be the time to look at home care options. Investing your time as a family caregiver is admirable and fulfilling. It’s the circle of life. As your parents cared for and supported you, now you’re returning the love you've received over the years. During your visits, you may refill their pantry, look for expired items in the fridge or take out the trash. You also...

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Fight Kidney Disease with These Tips

From our Care Blog

Kidney disease affects around 37 million people in the U.S., or 15% of the adult population. However, most people who have it don’t even know it. In fact, the National Kidney Foundation estimates that only 10% of those with chronic kidney disease are diagnosed. Left unchecked, it can cause serious health problems.   As we enter National Kidney Month, it’s a good time to learn about what the condition is and ways to prevent it. What is Kidney Disease? People are born with two kidneys on either side of their spine. These organs act as filters, getting rid of waste and...

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How Respite Care Can Bring Relief

From our Care Blog

Caring for a loved one can be incredibly rewarding. It can also be enormously challenging. After all, you’re wearing a lot of hats: daughter or son, assistant, shopper, housekeeper, cook and more. It’s why more than one-third of family caregivers say their job is highly stressful emotionally, according to AARP. It’s also where respite care can help.  Respite Care, Defined Respite care is simply providing support for a family caregiver for a short-term period of time. The purpose is to give you a break so that you can get some time to yourself and take care of your own personal...

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Senior Isolation: Helping Seniors Stay Engaged

From our Care Blog

Watching an elderly loved one struggle with senior isolation is a heartbreaking experience. You want to give them the care and attention they need. However, with your own personal and work obligations, it can feel like an impossible situation.  Now, in the age of COVID-19, you have the added risk of potentially exposing them if they have yet to be vaccinated. As a result, while your loved one has been staying inside to stay safe, they’ve been cut off from socialization and stimulation. This has come at a cost for so many seniors in the form of unhealthy isolation. In...

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Caregiver Jobs Offer a Career with Meaning

From our Care Blog

Are you looking for a new job, one you will truly love? Many times, people find themselves in positions they don’t enjoy or aren’t well-suited for simply because that’s what’s available and becomes comfortable over time. However, it’s a new year and a great time for a change if you’re looking for an opportunity with more meaning. If that’s the case, consider a caregiver job with FirstLight® Home Care.  Here’s a look at what a caregiver job entails and why our team is different.  Why Consider a Job in Caregiving? Being a caregiver is not your typical job. You’re not...

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Elder Neglect: How to Identify the Signs and Help

From our Care Blog

As our country’s population continues to age, elder neglect is becoming a growing concern among families and health and human rights activists. Though instances of it are on the rise, it’s an issue that often goes underreported. This is simply because victims are typically frail, ill or dealing with conditions, like dementia.  To protect an elderly loved one from neglect, it’s vital to understand what it is and to recognize common signs and symptoms. What is Elder Neglect?  Elder neglect falls under the category of elder abuse as defined by the National Center on Elder Abuse. It occurs when a...

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