Flu Season Is On Its Way – 5 Tips for Helping Seniors Get Prepared

There are so many things to love about the winter season, from hot chocolate and cozy fires to quality time with friends and loved ones over the holidays. But, it does bring some challenges too, especially when it comes to senior health. Here are five tips to help your senior loved one prepare for winter, from our senior home health care services team in New Jersey:

• Get Your Flu Vaccine –  As a person gets older, their immune system becomes weaker, especially if they are dealing with other health conditions. For this reason, the flu can be very dangerous to seniors, even resulting in a fatality. While it’s still early, ensure your loved one gets their flu vaccine. It’s a good idea for everyone who socializes with your loved one to get one, too.
• Prepare for Storms – Snowstorms can leave seniors isolated and bound inside their homes; blackouts may even occur. Make sure they have a well-stocked kitchen (including water and medication), as well as a kit with a flashlight, spare batteries, gloves, and a warm blanket. You can also invest in an emergency response remote that allows your loved one to alert you or emergency services for help. Keep the telephone numbers of your loved ones’ neighbors in your phone. It will enable you to contact them to check in on your loved one if you’re unable to do so.
• Eat Healthily – Good nutrition can be more difficult to manage during the winter months, but it’s critical for maintaining a healthy body and immune system. Assist your loved one by stocking up on frozen portions of homemade soups rich in vegetables, as well as winter fruit and vegetables (berries, citrus, and root vegetables).
• Stay Active – Cold weather is no reason to become a couch potato and shouldn’t stop your loved one from getting healthy exercise! If it’s outdoor exercise, make sure your loved one’s shoes have non-slip tread and that they dress in plenty of layers. It’s also a good idea to encourage outdoor group activities in winter for safety. Many community groups offer year-round activities for seniors, including aqua aerobics and dance classes, so check out your local YMCA and community center.
• Stay Social – In winter, seniors can be especially vulnerable to feelings of depression and isolation, so it’s important to keep an active social calendar. Join up with local seniors in the area who share similar interests in movie nights, a book club, dancing, and musical evenings, be sure to phone or visit more often, and assist with transportation where possible.

Affordable Companionship and Expert Care from Senior Home Health Care Services in NJ

At United Methodist Communities, we offer high-quality senior independent home care at affordable rates, starting as low as $23 per hour, through our HomeWorks program. Our home health aides are fully certified in New Jersey and have extensive senior care training and experience, so please feel free to ask for formal certification and references.

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

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/flu-season-is-on-its-way-5-tips-for-helping-seniors-get-prepared/

What to do When Each Parent has Different Care Needs

Each person ages differently and it’s normal for one parent to need minimal assistance while the other requires far more intensive care. Here’s some advice to help you ensure both parents get the right amount of assistance, from our home health aide services team in New Jersey.

Is Living Together No Longer an Option? 

Whether it’s due to an age difference, illness or other complications, senior couples are often faced with the decision to move into assisted living. As much as your parents may want to continue living together, different care needs can make this a challenge, if not impossible. For families, this means that one parent may have to transition into assisted living alone.

Coping with separation can be difficult, even if it’s for the best. It’s important for family caregivers to ensure regular visits (your local Department on Aging may be able to assist with transportation services), create a schedule for family activities, and focus on self-care.

When faced with this difficult decision, it’s important not to focus on feelings of guilt, but rather, to contribute positively to shared decision-making, providing support, and – importantly – having quality time together.

Are Home Health Aide Services an Alternative to Assisted Living? 

Every provider is different, whether you are looking at senior home care services or assisted living communities, so it’s important to research and find out if they can meet your loved one’s needs.

Professional home health aide services can be a viable alternative to moving into an assisted living community, especially when parents have different care requirements. The provider can do a detailed assessment of your loved one’s needs and make recommendations about  the services and type of care they offer, with some providers offering everything from assistance with chores and transport, as well as skilled nursing care, 24-hour care, and assistance with daily living activities.

This allows your parents to stay in their home together and continue living as independently as possible. These services can also be scaled up or down to meet changing needs as you or your parents require, which gives you the benefit of flexibility.

Skilled, Compassionate Home Health Aide Professionals in New Jersey 

Whether you need a permanent home health aide services in New Jersey or need someone qualified and experienced to assist your loved one temporarily with respite care, we are here to help through our HomeWorks program. Our staff are fully certified in New Jersey and have extensive training and experience in at home care for elderly, including assisting Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, so please feel free to ask for formal certification and references.

For more information on our home health aide services in New Jersey, 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/what-to-do-when-each-parent-has-different-care-needs/

The Best Apps for Seniors

Technology is invaluable when it comes to supporting a high quality of life for seniors, from helping families and loved ones stay in touch to ensuring rapid medical support when needed. Here are some of the best apps for seniors, from our senior home health care services team in NJ.

• Lumosity – This app is packed full of games and activities designed to keep the mind active and thriving. From memory games and puzzles to riddles and more, the app is diverse enough that anyone can find an activity that they enjoy. This mental stimulation is key to staying sharp and fighting disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

• Pandora – Everyone loves music – it uplifts you, brings back great memories and gets those feet dancing! This app allows you to access the music you love whenever you want, from playlists that follow certain moods (relaxing or inspiring content) to personalized radio stations filled with all your favorites.

• Senior Savings – This app helps track down local discounts and savings, which is ideal for bargain-hunting seniors. It tells you exactly which companies have specials on for seniors, from hotels and restaurants to retail stores.

• Red Panic Button – This app works in the same way as a medical alert necklace – instead of wearing one of those, you can just press a button on your phone to alert emergency services that assistance is needed. It also sends out the current location, so emergency services can easily find someone in need.

• Senior Phone – Smartphone interfaces can be confusing for many seniors who aren’t used to using complex devices, or who have trouble reading or identifying icons close up. It replaces the standard Android interface with a large-text, simplified version, including large buttons for “call” or “text” as well as options for sending an SOS message in an emergency.

• LibriVox – This provides access to over 15,000 free audio books in a wide range of genres all recorded by volunteers. These can be streamed over Wi-Fi or downloaded for listening at a later stage. It’s a great option for seniors who love to read but have started to find it a challenging activity.

• MedWatcher – Medication management can quickly become a challenge for seniors and missing critical medication, taking conflicting medications together or accidentally overdosing is a real risk. This app was developed with the FDA and helps schedule all medications for you and has a comprehensive directory of drug descriptions, uses and side effects.

Senior Home Health Care Services in NJ Promote Well-being, Independence and Quality of Life

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 senior independent home care program, trained and certified home health aides can assist seniors and their families through comprehensive senior home health care services. Each care plan is designed around the client’s exact needs, filling in with necessary assistance while allowing your loved one to remain in the comfort of their home.

For more information on at home care for elderly or to contact fully qualified home health aides in New Jersey, 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/the-best-apps-for-seniors/

5 Great Ways to Honor Veteran’s Day!

November 11^th, a very important day for many Americans and their families, is a wonderful opportunity to remember and thank the men and women who have served our country. For seniors, this is an especially important day, so our home care services team is sharing their best tips for helping your senior loved one honor this day:

1. Display the flag. While many Americans already do this, it is an especially poignant activity on this special day. Where you fly the flag, or the size of the flag is up to you, but the most important thing is that your loved one gets a chance to participate.
2. Visit a VA facility. If your loved one is fairly mobile and up to a busier day, then why not visit a VA hospital or assisted living community? It’s a good opportunity to show your support or even share memories. They may offer events that you can participate in or you could even bake a few treats together that will brighten a patient’s day!
3. Pay respects. If your loved one knew veterans who have passed away, then one good idea is to visit their gravesite and pay your respects. Take the time to talk about the person who has passed and thank them for their service with a poppy or token you can place at the site.
4. Visit a veteran. If there are any elderly veterans in your neighborhood, then this is the perfect opportunity to visit and thank them in person. It’s a good idea to make up a few care or treat packages together to drop off when you visit. It’s also a great way to reconnect with neighbors and build those essential connections that keep isolation at bay.
5. Take part in local activities. Check out local community, town and state websites to find out what’s planned for Veteran’s Day in your area. The usual list includes parades, choirs, memorial ceremonies, the Battleship ceremony and much more.

Aging in Place – Qualified Home Care Services in New Jersey 

At United Methodist Communities, we strive to offer high-quality home care services in New Jersey through our HomeWorks program. This program assists the elderly in the comfort of their own homes and provides them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence.

For more information on our at home care agency or our senior homecare services, pleasecontact 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/5-great-ways-to-honor-veterans-day/

4 Signs Caregivers Can Benefit from Senior Home Health Care Services

As a leading senior home health care services provider, we know all the challenges and joys of providing care to the elderly. And while this work is a wonderful opportunity to support seniors and give back, there’s no disguising that it’s a tough job.

For family caregivers, this job can be even tougher because of their close, personal connections with the loved ones in their care. Here are some signs that a caregiver can benefit from professional assistance:

1. Constant exhaustion. Everyone experiences a busy, difficult day on occasion, when nothing seems to go right, and you end the day feeling exhausted — but this shouldn’t be the norm. Trying to balance caregiving, a job, a family, and your own needs is a massive amount of work and can easily lead to burnout. Having the assistance of a home health aide helps make all these tasks more manageable, even if it’s on a respite basis for a few days a week.
2. You have no time for yourself. If you can’t remember the last time you indulged your own interests, you may be taking on too much. Everyone needs time to watch a movie, go out with friends or unwind with a favorite hobby. It’s not being selfish — it’s essential for caregivers, helping you recharge and de-stress so you can go back to your loved one feeling energized, positive and relaxed.
3. You’re ill. Whether you’re overworking yourself, dealing with multiple sources of stress or simply deal with your own health conditions, being ill and repeatedly falling ill clearly show that caregivers need a break. Not only does being ill yourself put your loved one at risk, it can also signal that stress is taking a toll on your physical wellness. Letting a professional step in and take some of the load off your shoulders will provide essential relief.
4. You’re feeling depressed, anxious and stressed. Caregiving is a mentally and emotionally tough role, especially for family caregivers. This can lead to depression, frustration and anxiety about coping with your role. Family caregivers should make the time to attend support groups, speak to a therapist and take care of their own mental wellness to avoid caregiver burnout. A qualified home health aide can step in and take care of as much of the work as you need — letting you focus on spending quality time with your loved one.

Affordable Short and Long-Term Senior Home Health Care Services in New Jersey 

At United Methodist Communities, we strive to offer the very best quality senior home health care services through our HomeWorks program. Our team of certified and experienced home health aides are passionate about assisting the elderly in the comfort of their own homes and providing them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence. In addition to medical care and daily home care, we also offer pastoral care for spiritual and emotional support in the home.

For more information on our senior home health care services or to find a qualified home health aide in New Jersey, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/home-respite-care-services-nj/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/4-signs-caregivers-can-benefit-from-senior-home-health-care-services/

May is Arthritis Awareness Month!

This month, our home healthcare services team is looking at a health condition that affects so many seniors — arthritis. This includes over 100 conditions that cause joint disease and joint pain, affecting over 50 million adults in the United States. Here is some helpful information about arthritis and its treatment.

Do I Have Arthritis? 

As this name is given to such a large group of conditions, there’s no definitive single set of symptoms for diagnosis. However, these four most common symptoms can indicate an issue:

1. Swelling, pain and stiffness in the joints
2. Decreased range of motion
3. Physical changes to the joints, for example, knobby finger joints
4. Difficulty with daily activities like walking, typing and climbing stairs

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to speak with your doctor as soon as possible to get the right diagnosis and treatment.

Osteoarthritis, the most common condition in this category, generally affects the elderly. It is caused when the cartilage (the hard but smooth cushioning surface on the ends of bones) wears away, leaving bone to rub against bone. This causes pain, swelling and stiffness, which often worsen over time, resulting in a lack of strength in the joint.

Inflammatory arthritis conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are immune conditions which occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints of the body, resulting in painful inflammation and even damage to internal organs and other parts of the body. It can result from genetic and environmental risk factors, including smoking.

Treatment for Arthritis 

For osteoarthritis, symptoms are treated by not overworking joints, engaging in therapeutic activity and strengthening the muscles around the joints, healthy weight management, hot and cold therapies, assistive devices, mild pain medications and avoiding repetitive movements.

For inflammatory arthritis, early diagnosis is very important, as patients can get medical treatment in the form of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to reduce pain and inflammation and prevent permanent damage.

Compassionate, Quality Care from Our Home Health Aide Services Team in New Jersey 

Whether you need permanent senior homecare services or someone qualified and experienced to assist your loved one on a respite care or temporary basis, we are here to help through HomeWorks. As one of the leading home health agencies in NJ, our staff are fully certified in New Jersey and have senior care training and experience. Please feel free to ask for formal certification and references.

For more information about HomeWorks’ home health aide services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/Home-Care-Services-For-Seniors

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/may-is-arthritis-awareness-month/

5 Essential Qualities to Look for When Hiring a Senior Home Healthcare Aide

Finding and interviewing caregivers to care for an elderly loved one can be a challenging experience. Many people are unsure of a what to look for in a home health aide, whether the costs are justified, or even if their loved one will work well with the new caregiver. On top of that, it’s often a very emotional and stressful time.

Here are some qualities to look for in your candidates that will get your hiring process off to a great start, from our senior home health care services team in NJ:

1. This doesn’t just mean how long they’ve worked in the industry. Different caregivers specialize in varied areas, and you want to make sure that they can handle their new position. They should have knowledge, skills and experience to manage your loved one’s unique situation, whether it’s a health condition, if they need post-operative care, or specific help around the home.
2. Your candidate should have successfully undergone the training and certifications required for the position under your state guidelines as a minimum requirement for the job. It’s a great sign if your candidate has continued their training above this level to gain additional skills – especially if they are something your loved one may need in future.
3. The get-along factor. Your loved one and the caregiver will be spending a lot of time together and it’s very important that they are a good fit for each other. Your loved one needs to be able to trust the caregiver and build a healthy relationship. Look out for candidates that are nurturing, as well as professional and show an interest in your loved one not just as a patient, but as a person.
4. Strong communication skills. You and your family need to rely on the caregiver to keep in touch with you about any changes in condition or care plan, as well as assist with managing doctors’ appointments if needed. Strong communication skills will give you essential peace of mind.
5. Supportive and encouraging. Great caregivers see their position as more than a job — they really get invested and interested in their assignment. A motivated and compassionate caregiver ensures a high care standard and helps keep your loved one as active and independent as possible.

Qualified, Dedicated Caregivers for the Best At Home Care for the Elderly in NJ 

United Methodist Communities’ HomeWorks, one of the state’s leading home health aide agencies, strives to offer the very best home health aide services in New Jersey. This program assists the elderly in the comfort of their own homes and provides them, their families and caregivers personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence.

For more information on our in-home health care agency or our 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/5-essential-qualities-to-look-for-when-hiring-a-senior-home-healthcare-aide/