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It is a well-known fact that the job of a caregiver is not an easy walk. Sometimes home care professionals have to deal with cases when their patient has a terminal illness. In such cases, caregivers may have increased concerns about timely medication intake, treatment options, end-of-life-care level, and so on.

As the physical state of health deteriorates, a patient becomes more dependent on a caregiver. This imposes a certain level of stress as the specialist struggles to provide a patient with care and at the same time helps to cope with the daily tasks.

Some might argue that timely support from family and friends can be the most effective way to relieve stress in the workplace. However, this is not the case. Therefore, we have compiled the most commonly used approaches that have helped caregivers perform their duties efficiently, caring for a patient with a terminal illness.

Keep Sense of Control

It is usual for each person to react differently to the news of a terminal illness. However, almost every patient faced with a similar situation can become closed from the outside world and feel depressed.

As a caregiver, try to maintain a sense of control and provide ongoing emotional support for a senior. You can also ask the patient’s family members to spend as much time as possible with the older person to help cope with the heavy burden.

Try to Be Sincere and Open

Try to be open and honest in everything you discuss with your patient. Involve an older person in conversations on a variety of topics and discussions. Don’t worry if your patient stays closed at first.

Over time, your conversations will take on a whole new level, and you’ll begin to share your thoughts and feelings. Ask about the patient’s deepest desire.

FACT, the feedback and reaction of an older person will largely depend on his/her health condition.

Stick to the Daily Plan

Organize your workplace responsibilities and adhere to a plan for all your daily tasks. This will help a patient better understand your daily routine and feel more comfortable at home. Handling all the responsibilities on time will surely improve your patient’s self-esteem.

Maintain Spiritual Condition of a Senior

We all have our own beliefs and faith. Perhaps religion is a vital aspect for your patient. Note, the spiritual element can bring a particular meaning to the concept of life and death.

Depending on what their need is, you can support seniors accordingly. For example, a patient might ask you to turn on religious songs and listen to an audio recording of the Holy Scriptures.

In fact, practical advice on dealing with a patient with a terminal illness differs from case to case. Do not be afraid to show patience and kindness to please a senior’s slightest desire and lighten such an unbearable burden.

Often, caregivers are primarily concerned with the safety and health of their patients. For this reason, their own health and well-being are very often left in the background.

It’s no secret that working as a caregiver is associated with a lot of stress and physical activity. Therefore, it is no wonder that lots of home care specialists face injuries and back pain.

Your spine and back health are crucial to your overall health. We’re giving tips on how you can protect your back to protect your health.  Moreover, we will check the proven technique for lifting patients so that you can save your back in daily activities.

# 1 Tip: Stretch It Out

Get in the habit of doing a little workout of your back muscles a few minutes before you start caring for the patient. Smooth and thoughtful stretching techniques help maintain muscle flexibility and improve endurance.

Most importantly, stretching helps reduce back pain and potential injury. Also, remember to stretch your back throughout the day to keep your muscles toned.

# 2 Tip: Maintain Correct Posture

Try analyzing your posture while sitting or standing. Often, we do not pay attention to the position of our spine, which can lead to a weakening of the back muscles and the occurrence of injuries.

Try to avoid positions in which the head and shoulders are tilted forward. If you spend most of your day in a seated position, try to choose a chair with good back support and place your feet on the floor.

Choosing and buying the right footwear is also a crucial step for proper posture. Basically, you need a model with good arch support and cushioning.

Keep in mind that the constant wearing of shoes with heels can also provoke pain in the lower back.

# 3 Tip: Consume Vitamins

The constant stress associated with caring for a patient can directly affect your eating habits and damage muscle elasticity and bone hardness.

You may think that a quick snack is the preferred form of eating. However, if you stick to the wrong diet for a long time, it can lead to disastrous results.

Ideally, you need to eat nutrient-dense foods and also combine them with vitamin supplements. If you really want to take care of your health, consult with your doctor about what supplements you can take to improve the condition of muscles, bones, and joints.

# 4 Tip: Use The Right Lifting Technique

If you often have to lift a patient, the correct mechanics will protect your back, shoulders, and neck from potential injuries.

Use the following tips to safely lift a patient:

1. Ensure that your feet are on a firm surface and are as close to a senior as possible.
2. After that, you need to stand face to face with the person you plan to lift and bend your knees. Try to keep your abdominal and back muscles straight – this will help you increase your lift power and keep your muscles safe from increased stress.
3. Try to lift the patient in a gentle motion by pushing the leg muscles upward.

Remember that if you frequently have to roll over the patient or lift heavy objects, using a back brace to support the muscles may be the only right solution. A back brace will help you strengthen your lower back and significantly reduce the risk of injury.

How do you know if you have faced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? If you have experienced some stressful events, then your nervous system may react with the fight-or-flight response.

If this happens, you may feel a rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, or muscle tension. Moreover, in such moments your strength and reaction speed increases significantly.

However, once the danger has passed, your nervous system will gradually begin to calm your body and lower your heart rate. The same goes for blood pressure, which will also return to normal.

Unfortunately, a person cannot control the occurrence of PTSD. This condition can occur every time you face danger.

The good news is that the nervous system can be brought back to its normal state. Basically, you need to find techniques to relax the nervous system, heal and move on from the trauma.

Main Signs and Symptoms of PTSD

PTSD can occur after completely different stressful situations. Meanwhile, there are 4 main symptoms of how to recognize this condition:

1. Memories, nightmares, or reliving a traumatic event.
2. Loss of interest in life or avoidance of anything reminiscent of the trauma.
3. Hypersensitivity, uncontrolled outbursts of anger, irritability, or increased feelings of nervousness.
4. Self-blame and negative thoughts that trigger depression or feelings of hopelessness.

PTSD Self-Healing Tip # 1: Get Rid of Helplessness Feeling

Try to regain your inner strength by helping others. Experts recommend:

• Devote more time to loved ones
• Donate blood
• Donate funds to a charitable organization
• Help those in need

A series of positive actions aimed at helping others can help cope with feelings of helplessness, which is one of the main symptoms of PTSD.

Tip # 2: Do More Exercises

Exercises are a powerful trigger that helps your nervous system to restart and reach a point of relaxation. Basically, you need to find a way out of stress, which immobilizes you mentally and physically.

Practice rhythmic exercises that involve your arms and legs. This can be:

• Active walking
• Run
• Swimming
• Dancing

Don’t focus on negative thoughts, and try to focus on the sensations of your body. Try to feel the tips of your toes touching the ground as you walk, or listen to the rhythm of your breathing.

Camping is an equally effective way to get rid of PTSD. Pursuing outdoor activities, including kayaking, rafting, or biking, are very effective ways to get rid of PTSD and return to a fulfilling life.

Tip # 3: Seek Professional Support

PTSD can make you feel lonely and disconnected from others. You may be tempted to give up communication with other people and even loved ones. Finding and hiring professionals to help restore mental health is also an effective way to eliminate PTSD symptoms.

Proper physical exercises and a balanced diet are among the main components of a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages.

As we age, our needs for healthy food and regular exercise gradually change. Still, a growing body of research indicates that regular exercise is vital for older adults. An active lifestyle can positively influence not only the maintenance but also the restoration of health.

This article is devoted to the National Senior Health Fitness Day. Today, you’ll learn which exercises you can advise your patients and which activities can be dangerous for an older adult’s health.

Exercise Ball

Recently, this mild form of exercise has been gaining more and more popularity among the older generation. Correct execution of the exercise can improve muscle strength, greater mobility, balance, and flexibility. The exercise is relatively simple to complete. Unlike traditional forms of yoga, this exercise provides light stress on muscles and joints.

Some sources claim that the exercise ball or chair yoga has a positive effect on the mental health of older people. Also, seniors who do this exercise regularly boast better sleep quality and inner lightness throughout.

Training with Resistance Bands

Resistance bands or expanders are elastic rubber bands  that can positively affect various muscle groups during the corresponding exercises.

Training with an expander is convenient and one of the simplest forms of exercise that are especially popular with the elderly. Moreover, these exercises can be performed both indoors and outdoors. They are perfect for improving posture as well as increasing muscle and joint mobility.

Walking

With the onset of May, many of us start taking evening walks. Walking is one of the minor stressful types of exercise available for people of all ages.

Sometimes walking is more difficult for an older person due to complications with a musculoskeletal medication. However, if your patient’s health allows some short walks, be sure to include this exercise in your daily tasks.

Daily walking benefits include strengthening muscle groups, reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It is also a great way to have a good time with your patient outdoors.

Exercise That Is Harmful to Elderly People

Not every exercise is suitable for seniors. It makes no sense to apply the most popular training programs that are suitable for young people.

Caregivers should understand that an older adult’s body may experience increased stress even with the simplest exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the core, help gain or lose weight.

Here are some exercises that are not suitable for your patient:

• Bench press
• Leg press
• Long-distance running
• Deadlift
• High-intensity training
• Power clean

Remember that even a minimal intake of daily exercise can be effective in improving your patient’s health. However, before recommending any activity, be sure to check with family members or a healthcare provider for possible restrictions.

For More information on how you can keep you and your senior healthy and in shape, contact us today for more tips.

If your patient is suffering from arthritis, it certainly does not hurt you to know a few suggestions from medical professionals’ experience of providing proper care.

Arthritis has a detrimental effect on the musculoskeletal system and can become an insurmountable obstacle, even with fine motor skills. Keep in mind that your main task is to help the elderly person remain independent and reduce internal tension due to a complex physical condition.

 Understand Senior’s Condition

Try to learn more about the type of arthritis and other features of the condition to better understand your patient. For example, a person may suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. This adversely affects the movement of the arms and upper limbs of the body. You may need to help with even minor tasks such as taking medication or opening a bottle of juice.

Try to Maintain a Conversation More Often

Don’t focus on talking about arthritis or a patient’s severe condition. Try to distract an older person with an informative story from your life. Nothing prevents you from learning exciting facts from the patient’s life or asking advice on an important issue.

Feel free to share your feelings. In this way, you provide care and attention to a person who is in dire need of emotional support.

 Don’t Be Too Persistent

Some arthritic patients struggle to prove their independence and refuse the help of their caregivers. You may find that helping with walking or other tasks would be appropriate. However, this is not always the case.

Therefore, try to find out what tasks an elderly person can solve independently and remain functional and independent, and where your help will be indispensable.

Help Control Medication

In some cases, arthritis treatment involves the systematic administration of medication. If your patient has difficulty adhering to the dosage or timing of medication, then the medication reminders are on you. Remember that experienced caregivers always keep track of the patient’s medication and follow a precise schedule.

Use Effective Exercise Complex

Some exercises are great for people with arthritis. Smooth movements not only help lubricate joints but can also strengthen various muscle groups. This is an excellent opportunity to improve the functionality of an elderly person with arthritis.

Finally, remember that there are times when your care and help are genuinely irreplaceable and times when seniors want to act on their own. Be flexible in your daily home care and provide emotional support for your patients.

Heart disease and stroke are proven to be the first and fifth leading causes of death in America. At the same time, older people with hypertension have a high risk for both.

Despite advanced therapies and improved methods for controlling blood pressure inside, the statistics say otherwise.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three older Americans has high blood pressure. More than 29% of the adult population, namely 77 million people, suffer from hypertension. Even optimistic forecasts indicate that the number of developing hypertension cases in the adult population will continue to grow from year to year.

 Tips How to Care for A Patient with High Blood Pressure

Hypertension very often can be asymptomatic and remain unrecognized. Some people find out about high blood pressure problems only when they get a yearly checkup.

High blood pressure can also be a consequence of diabetes. Therefore, if your patient suffers from high sugar levels, then this may also cause further hypertension.

Here are some of the main factors that can also cause high blood pressure: 

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Low potassium and high sodium diet
• High-stress levels

Old age is also often a contributing factor to the onset of high blood pressure. Therefore, if you are caring for a patient with hypertension, use the following tips in your daily care:

1. Check the patient’s blood pressure systematically, especially after taking medication
2. Read medication prescriptions carefully and avoid drugs that can cause high blood pressure
3. If high blood pressure persists for a long time, then be sure to consult a doctor for advice
4. Ensure that a patient’s daily diet does not contain foods that could cause high blood pressure (meats, sausage, bacon, and ham).

Encourage Your Patient to Make Key Lifestyle Changes

Try to emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle and change it for the better. This is one of the most effective ways to help patients with hypertension. A properly selected diet and a healthy lifestyle can significantly increase the effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs.

Here are some fundamental changes you can advise your patient:

• Encourage the older person to eat a heart-healthy diet
• Take care to reduce the salt in the patient’s diet
• Advice to increase physical activity
• Advise the patient to stop smoking and drinking alcohol

Certified Agency with the Best Working Environment: All Heart Homecare

Currently, AHHA unites hundreds of experienced caregivers providing professional home care for New Yorkers. Our company has over nine years of experience and knows what it means to value each team member.

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It is no secret that many older people suffer from serious illnesses or health problems. According to official figures, nearly half of all American adults have at least one chronic condition. This suggests that the care of a caregiver, family member, or friend is critical in maintaining an older adult’s health.

If you think that caring for the elderly is a simple and uncomplicated task, this is not the case. It all depends on the type of illness and the number of hours you need to spend with an older person to ensure the proper care level.

We have consulted with several experienced caregivers and prepared some vital tips. This will allow you to raise your level of professionalism and even become a “care champion.”

Develop Inner Confidence

If a loved one is undergoing long-term treatment, explain what benefits can be obtained at the end of the treatment course. You should also constantly remind the older adults that treatment or rehabilitation will help them cope with the disease and return to normal life.

Divide Difficulties into Smaller Parts

Don’t try to turn to your views by raising your voice. For example, if an older person has a low appetite due to chemotherapy, try to explain that a glass of water or a few soup sips are vital to maintaining a water balance. Thus, the body receives the necessary fluid that allows you to restore strength.

If a person has a stroke or a problem with mobility, then you should always be near to help get to the right place. It will not be superfluous to explain to your loved one that it is normal to ask you for help to get to the bathroom.

Don’t Forget About Engagement

If a loved one refuses to take medication, then try to encourage him/her by offering a short evening walk in turn. Keep in mind that these offers shouldn’t be a single case. Besides, rewards should be realistic and motivate the older person to take actions that help maintain health.

Also, remind a senior of the previous successes. For example, if a patient refuses to take food and medicine, you should not raise your voice and argue for no reason. Instead, remind the patient that he/she already took the drug yesterday and therefore may repeat the same thing today.

Appreciation Is the Heart of the Issue

Suppose you are caring for a patient undergoing chemotherapy or other complex treatment. In that case, the best way to show support is to demonstrate that you understand the situation’s complexity. Just sit and talk with the patient before starting the treatment to distract him/her a little from the process ahead.

Take the initiative

Do not expect that a loved one or patient will always turn to you for help every time they need it. Sometimes the feeling of pain or a depressed inner state can be simply unbearable. So take the initiative and ask how you can help the patient right now.

Be Health Conscious

As you start caring for an older person, you will notice that this process directly affects your emotional state. Day after day, you may feel more and more stressed.

If you leave everything as it is, then depression and nervous breakdowns can become inevitable. To avoid such gloomy implications, you should think about what things or actions will help you stay happy and healthy. Perhaps taking a daily evening walk or talking to family members can help relieve emotional stress.

What should I do if I am not confident in my abilities?

Far from all of us have the necessary skill set to look after a loved one. Moreover, if you have a job, you are unlikely to devote the required hours to take care of a close person or control medication.

In this case, the only solution is to contact All Heart Homecare – a professional home care agency. Our specialists have vast experience and know precisely how to help an older adult cope with even the most complex diseases. By contacting our company, you will entrust the health of your loved one to real professionals.

Today, our home care services include, but are not limited to:

• Personal care
• Light housekeeping
• Companionship
• Meal preparation
• Running errands
• Help with grocery shopping
• Help with doing laundry
• Medication reminders
• Appointment assistance
• Safety supervision

Call us at 888-388-8989, and we will find a professional caregiver in a matter of minutes.

Many of you have probably heard that proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are inextricably linked. In other words, your daily diet affects your cognitive and physical health.

Since the brain’s aging process is inevitable, it is best to take care of the proper diet in advance and choose the perfect one to avoid cognitive decline.

Today’s article will allow you to revise your own diet or the diet of older family members and apply several changes to improve brain processes.

Ideal Brain Foods: Improve Your Diet Hands Down

You probably already know that certain foods can significantly strengthen the health of your brain. For example, eating fish can improve brain processes in young and older people – it’s a proven fact. However, fish is far from the only ingredient that can provide the brain with the energy it needs.

Here are the top 7 foods that can strengthen your brain:

Whole Grain Products

Whole grains are a broad group of food ingredients that include wheat, rye, oats (oatmeal), corn, spelled barley, brown rice, etc.

Use one of these ingredients to diversify your diet and get the nutrients you need. Keep in mind that whole grains are one of the primary sources of vitamin E. It is a beneficial antioxidant that has a positive effect on brain health.

Berries

If you analyze all the berries available in the supermarket, then blueberries rank first for their antioxidant properties. However, this is far from the only berry that can enhance the cognitive functions of the brain. For example, you can also eat strawberries or blackberries. They can speed up brain processes and maintain brain health.

Olive oil

Several studies show that olive oil in the daily diet helps fight the proteins that cause Alzheimer’s disease.

Use extra virgin olive oil in cooking or salad dressing to boost cognitive performance. It is noteworthy that olive oil is also one of the most essential components of the Mediterranean and Mind diets. Both diets were designed to improve brain health and cognitive performance.

Coffee

Nowadays, you can easily find a vast amount of research that proves that coffee can help the brain process information. Consuming coffee can reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction and have a positive effect on the human body. However, keep in mind that too much caffeine can negatively affect your heart or cause insomnia.

Dark chocolate

This is one of the most important sources of antioxidants that protect the brain from oxidative stress that can trigger cognitive decline. Try to consume chocolate in the morning and not indulge yourself with a sweet treat after a late dinner.

Nuts and seeds

You instantly saturate the body with such an essential component as vitamin E by snacking nuts or seeds. Besides, most seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which positively affect brain and heart muscle functioning. It is advisable to give preference to raw and unsalted nuts. This way, you can avoid the excess sodium found in salt.

Spinach and leafy greens

Large leafy greens are one of the essential ingredients of the Mind diet. Be sure to use spinach and or kale leaves to saturate your body with the necessary amount of vitamin E, folate, and other vitamins and minerals.

All Heart Homecare Advise Clients to Eat Well Every Day

Our caregivers help hundreds of New York City seniors experience the highest quality of life every day. We are committed to a balanced diet, which is the cornerstone of a healthy and happy lifestyle.

What’s more, our specialists have vast experience in home care and help the elderly in:

• Personal care
• Light housekeeping
• Companionship
• Meal preparation
• Running errands
• Help with grocery shopping
• Help with doing laundry
• Medication reminders
• Appointment assistance
• Safety supervision

If you are interested in additional information about our services or if you want to help your loved ones, then Call Us at 888-388-8989 right away!