5 Benefits of Live-In Care

 Seniors that choose to have live-in caregivers benefit from having someone present with them 24 hours a day. Choosing to age in place in the comfort and safety of their own homes can have many advantages. The team of caregivers at United Methodist Communities HomeWorks has compiled some compelling reasons why live-in care just may be the right decision for your senior family member.

#1 – Lower cost of care

In Genworth’s most recent Cost of Care Survey, in-home care in the state of New Jersey cost an average of $26 an hour or $4,957 per month compared to staying in an assisted living community, which costs an average of $6,650 per month. By staying together at home, couples can save even more by having a single caregiver to look after both people, rather than having to pay for a more extensive care team. In addition, you can avoid the costs of selling a property, moving house, and buying new furnishings for the new space.

#2 – Less disruption

One of the biggest challenges for seniors and their families is the move out of comfortable, familiar surroundings into a new apartment at an assisted living community. As wonderful and suitable as the new space might be, this is a significant and often challenging psychological adjustment for seniors to cope with. By staying in the comfort of their own home, in-home health aides can ease seniors into care, making their home not only a familiar space but a safe one too. This is ideal for seniors who are still active in their community, who value their independence, and who need a little extra help to keep their current home working for their needs.

#3 – One-on-one, personalized attention

A live-in home health aide has no other patients or responsibilities beyond the scope of the needs of your senior parents. This means that they get one-on-one attention at all times and that care can be customized to their needs rather than relying on an entire team’s schedule. This means that medical issues can be spotted more immediately and managed more effectively, that days and activities can be tailored to their needs, mood or interest, and that they can be more easily treated as individuals rather than patients. It also means that there’s a single point of contact for family members. It can be easier to get to know and maintain an open line of communication with one individual, which will help you check up on your parents  and help create the right environment for them.

#4 – Supported independence

One of the most common concerns seniors express about moving into assisted living is a loss of independence. While most high quality communities encourage and support independence for their residents, staying at home can still be one of the best options for seniors who want to retain their independence.  A live-in caregiver can help seniors to keep up with their usual social engagements, stay active in their hobbies, and keep up relationships they’ve built over the years within their community. 

Having so much control over daily life is important for anyone, especially seniors, and a live-in caregiver in New Jersey can help keep this independence alive by driving your loved one to appointments, taking on light housekeeping duties to give them more free time, and helping your loved one to live by their own schedule.

#5 – Companionship

At UMC HomeWorks, we work hard to find a live-in aide in New Jersey for our clients who can be a companion as well as a professional caregiver. Illness, loss of independence, depression and frailty are all serious concerns with aging, and can easily make seniors withdraw and lose those all-important connections. By living with a home health aide, seniors have a companion by their side who they enjoy speaking with, who they can share new memories with, and who can provide a high level of care if needed.

For more information about 24-hour live-in care in NJ, please give us a call or visit our website. 

Originally posted: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/5-benefits-of-live-in-care/

7 Home Safety Tips for Seniors

 With age comes decreasing mobility and slower reflexes, which can lead to falls and accidents around the house. Here are some tips on how to keep your home as safe as possible, from in-home care specialists in Sparta, NJ.

1. Rearrange your everyday pantry staples

Pantries are wonderful spaces for storing household necessities from canned goods to baking equipment, cleaning products, emergency kits, and anything else you could think of. However, this means pantries can get cluttered very quickly, and often.

Take a look at your pantry space with a critical eye and plan to make it as accessible as possible, while minimizing fall risks. Put everyday staples on the middle shelves where you don’t have to reach up, stand on a stool, or bend low down to reach them. If you have a big pantry, try to keep the floor space clear and the area well lit.

2. Install and maintain alarms

Make sure the home has enough smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and place them in relevant areas. For example, there should always be a smoke detector in the kitchen close to the stove, and a carbon monoxide detector near heaters. Test the alarms once a year and replace the batteries as needed. 

3. Live clutter-free

If you’ve lived in your home for many years, chances are that it’s not just full of memories – it’s full of stuff! Clutter is the easiest thing to trip over, but fortunately it’s also one of the easiest obstacles to eliminate. Get family and neighbors to help out with organizing your space. Send useful items you no longer want to charity, set up a backyard sale, and then take whatever is left over to the dump. Once you live in a clutter-free home with everything in its rightful place, you will never want to fall back into your old ways. You will find that staying organized is good for your mind and your soul, as well as your physical health!

4. Increase home lighting

It’s easy for lightbulbs around the house to get dimmer over time without you noticing. But fading lights plus poor vision make for serious fall risks! Take this opportunity to upgrade your lights to LEDs. They come in a wide range of brightness and tones, can fit in any fixture, and they last much longer than regular light bulbs, while using less than a tenth of the energy. If you don’t want to upgrade every single bulb, focus on creating more light in fall risk areas like stairs, bedrooms, bathrooms, and outdoor spaces. One great tip is to put lighting strips along stairs and a press-on light by the bed.

5. Tailor clothes

Clothes don’t come in the right size for every body type, and it’s a big problem for seniors. Loose, long sleeves and too-long pants make it easy to trip and fall. They catch onto everything from your feet to railings, cabinets, and rugs. It’s important to tailor all your clothes so that they fit just right. It’s not only a great way to help prevent falls, you’ll also get to support a local business – and let’s face it, clothes that fit well just feel so much better!

6. Grab bars and assistive gear

They may not be particularly attractive, but boy oh boy, do they keep you safe! Not to mention, a lot of the more modern grab bars and assistance gear actually look much better than you think. It’s a quick and easy job for a local handyman to install within your home, plus you will feel less worried about falling while bathing or going up and down the stairs.

7. Live on one level

If possible, live mainly on the ground floor of your home. It’s a simple solution that only requires a little rearranging of the furniture. You can use your upstairs for storage, while keeping the ground floor clutter-free and clear of hazards.

As a provider of in-home care in Sparta, NJ, we know the importance of avoiding slip and fall accidents in the home. If you would like to find out more about our services or start the process of getting your own in-home assistance, contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/home-health-aide-services/

Originally posted: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/7-home-safety-tips-for-seniors/

Veteran Aid and Benefits for Seniors

In honor of Veterans Day 2020, we’re not only thanking past members of our military for their service and sacrifices, we’re also focusing on a very important issue – veteran care for older adults. With over 12.5 million veterans aged 65 and older in the USA, it’s essential that we work to raise awareness of the medical care and financial assistance programs available to senior veterans, so that those who need a little extra help can access the benefits they deserve.

Here is some important information and resources from our home health aides in New Jersey that you can share with veterans and your local community.

What benefits are senior veterans entitled to collect?

If you are a U.S. military veteran, you likely qualify for VA health and financial assistance such as pensions, healthcare, disability compensation, insurance, home loans, education, and vocational training. There are many senior services you can apply these benefits to, including in-home care. Unique qualifying criteria apply to each benefit and you can get the full information online at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, but general eligibility requirements are as follows:

• If you are a war veteran with 90 days of active military duty on your record, with at least one day served during a period of war
• If you pass an Income and Asset Test through the VA. This test compares out-of-pocket medical expenses against your gross assets and income
• If you are a veteran who left military service with an honorable discharge

Veterans Aid and Attendance (A&A)

This is an important benefit that applies to veterans, as well as their dependent spouses in the event that either one requires assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). This includes having a home health aide to assist with bathing, grooming, dressing, and medication management, or living in an assisted living community. This benefit is paid in addition to the monthly military pension to help cover long-term care costs for assisted living or home health aides.

Aid for housebound veterans

Additional pension provisions can be supplied to veterans living with permanent disability who are unable to leave their home or immediate premises. Veterans and their dependent spouses may receive this provision or A&A, but cannot receive both simultaneously.

Benefits for veterans in rural areas

With almost a quarter of veterans living in rural areas, where incomes are lower and limited access to VA centers, gaining access to veteran benefits is more difficult. However, there are programs available specifically for rural veterans, including the Veterans Choice Program (VCP). This is part of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (2014) and applies to veterans who have to receive healthcare from a community provider because the VA medical facility is over 40 miles away; or they have to use a train, ferry or aircraft to access the facility; or are in a position of having to wait 30 days or more for a VA appointment. You can set up an appointment for these benefits here.

Agent Orange compensation

Veterans who have health issues due to exposure to Agent Orange (a chemical herbicide used by the U.S. military in Korea and Vietnam) may be eligible for compensation. In order to be eligible, you must have an illness that is caused by exposure to this herbicide and you must have served in a location that exposed you to the herbicide. These illnesses include cancers like Hodgkin’s Disease, chronic B-cell leukemia, prostate cancer, and respiratory cancers, amongst others. You can see the full list of illnesses and information on making a claim for compensation online on the V.A. Agent Orange website.

UMC HomeWorks Provides In-Home Care for Veterans 

At United Methodist Communities, we provide elderly veterans care in New Jersey through tailored home care provided by experienced, compassionate home health aides who have a passion for working with seniors. To find out more about our home-based care services, please contact us today or visit our website at: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/home-health-aide-services/ 

Originally posted: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/veteran-aid-and-benefits-for-seniors/

8 Spring Cleaning Safety and Health Tips for Helping Seniors

Spring is a wonderful time of year that’s all about transitioning into those long, care-free summer days. For seniors, however, this season can bring its set of challenges despite the warmer weather!
Here are some tips for caregivers to help senior neighbors, friends, family and members of community to shake off the winter weather:

Spring Cleaning Safety Tips 

Some of us dread spring cleaning and seniors are no exception! If you’re planning to help an elderly loved one with this task, follow these tips:

1. Plan ahead. Make a list of each area that needs to be addressed in the home and what you want to accomplish. Be sure to get approval for each step — especially about what must go and what should stay.
2. Team effort. Your loved one is likely only going to be able to manage lighter tasks and supervise some of the process, so don’t take on everything else alone. Get friends and family in to help — it will make the job easier and faster, as well as a lot more enjoyable!
3. De-clutter first. Clutter is a very real health hazard for seniors, so it should be a priority when cleaning out. Once you’ve dealt with initial clutter, only then move on to cupboards and storage areas. Remember to keep clear paths throughout the house that can accommodate your loved one’s walker or wheelchair, if necessary.
4. Test safety devices. Use this opportunity to install safety devices in the home or test ones already in place to make sure they are in working order. This includes ensuring grab bars are secure, fire and carbon monoxide detectors function, and that lights are bright and in full working order.

Spring Health Checks 

Spring is allergy season, and seniors are no exception!

5. Be sure to check if your loved one is suffering from any allergy symptoms and if so, plan a trip to the doctor to prescribe the right medication.
6. If you suspect that the allergen is inside the home, check and clean air conditioning filters.
7. Check for mold growth in moist areas of the home and inside cupboards.
8. Give bedding and soft furnishings a thorough cleaning.

Companionship, Nursing and More from Our NJ Home Help Services for the Elderly 

At United Methodist Communities in New Jersey, we understand the challenges of providing expert medical care and companionship to seniors while encouraging a full and independent life, which is why we’ve developed our HomeWorks program.

Through this program, trained and experienced staff can assist seniors and their families through comprehensive in home care. Each care plan is designed around the client’s needs, filling in with necessary assistance while allowing your loved one to remain in the comfort of their home.

In addition to helping with daily tasks, transport and personal hygiene, our senior home care services team can assist with nursing, medication management and much more on a permanent or temporary basis. For dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, we can develop specific care routines that ensure a sense of structure and help reduce stress and anxiety.

For more information on our home health aide services and residential in-home respite care in NJ, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/elderly-home-health-care-nj/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/8-spring-cleaning-safety-and-health-tips-for-helping-seniors/