Home Care Help

June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and I think the word “awareness” is the key - few people realize what the issues are and the extent to which they exist. Here’s a quote from a World Health Organization fact sheet which you can download as a PDF:
Similar to other types of violence, [...]

Most people understand that they can’t take pills lying down, but it’s also important to remain upright - sitting or standing - for at least 15 minutes after consuming the pills. Not only do the pills reach the stomach more easily, it can also help them go to work more quickly.
My mother is unable [...]

When I first started taking care of my mother at home, I gladly answered her calls whenever she needed help. It was the least I could do for her. But over time, my health began to deterioriate because of broken sleep.
It wasn’t that my mother needed more help through the night, it’s that [...]

Falling in the home can cause serious injury to seniors, and there’s a growing movement in the medical community to identify people at risk for falling. One of the points made in a recent Associated Press news story was that seniors should report all minor trips or falls to their caregivers - those little [...]

Came across a service called LifeLedger, which allows individuals or caregivers to share information about themselve or their loved one. For example, if you’re not available and your father is taken to hospital, you can have the doctors log-in to your account and get background information, including documents proving you have legal authority to [...]

Remote controls that need to be pointed directly at the TV can be frustrating to use. People with limited mobility may find it difficult or impossible to angle the remote properly so it will work. If you’ve got a fussy remote, here’s the perfect replacement.
The One For All is so handy because in [...]

When you’re throwing out papers, if they contain any kind of personal information it’s best to tear them into pieces or shred them. I used to think people were paranoid when they said that, until I saw a show the other night about identity theft.  Going through people’s garbage or recycling bins and finding personal [...]

When caring for someone we tend to think about physical health first and foremost: how well someone is eating, getting their medications right, watching for major and minor symptoms of disease, etc. But dental health isn’t always foremost in our minds. This article from the American Geriatric Society points out the importance [...]