Q – I’ve started to notice strange behavior in my mother, and suspect she might have Alzheimer’s or dementia. What do I do next?

A – If you suspect that an aging parent or relative has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, verify your suspicions against the 10 Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease to verify that what you’re seeing in your mother could in fact indicate Alzheimer’s or dementia, rather than just old age. Some form of memory loss, or slower thinking is not an uncommon part of the aging process, and this is often the first thing that those caring for the elderly look at when they have Alzheimer’s suspicions. If your mom doesn’t recall a name, date or other piece of information immediately when prompted, it doesn’t mean she has Alzheimer’s, as long as she remembers at a later time. If she can’t recall the information, and is never able to remember it, it may be indicative of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

If you suspect Alzheimer’s in an elderly parent, you can also talk to friends and family members to get their perspective. Have they noticed similar signs and symptoms that have concerned them? If so, it’s probably time to get your mother to see their doctor, who might refer them onto someone who specializes in geriatric healthcare. Also try to monitor how the changes in your mother are impacting her ability to live independently, so her safety is not compromised, and make the appropriate changes in the home.

With awareness and knowledge, you can help your mother live with Alzheimer’s.

Sources:
1.    Caring.com
2.   Carol O’Dell Caregiving Blog

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Q – My mother is very ill, and I know that she has debt that was acquired by her and my father before he passed away. Will her children be responsible for paying off her debt when she passes away?

A – In your mother’s case, any shared debt with your father, would have been passed along to her in probate; especially if she was the sole beneficiary of his estate (or all assets were shared). Children are not directly responsible for the debts of their senior relatives, however, debts owing may first be deducted from the senior’s estate before distribution during probate, decreasing or eliminating completely the assets left to beneficiaries of the will or trust because when creditors are unable to collect debts during a senior’s life, seniors remain responsible even after they are deceased. If after your mother’s death, her estate demonstrates insufficient assets to pay off her debts, the creditors will be forced to take a loss; however, you and your siblings will not be responsible for paying her debts.

The only other situations where the survivors of a senior’s family may be responsible for the debts, are if they co-signed on a loan, or guaranteed payment to a creditor.

Sources:
1. Lawyers.com
2. Money Tips
3. Wikipedia

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Q – What should be included in a living will and should all seniors have them?

A – A living will communicates a senior’s wishes with regards to their healthcare, to ensure that family and medical practitioners carry them out once they no longer have the ability to voice what they want. Every senior should prepare a living will before their health comes into question, because unfortunately illness just can’t always be predicted.

When creating living trusts and living wills during the process of estate planning, seniors should understand their options and clearly state their wishes when different medical issues occur. In a general statement, seniors can include treatments they would consider having or prefer should specific medical issues arise (for example, chemotherapy to treat cancer); while general statements are not legally binding, doctors will keep them in mind when determining the course of treatment. Advance decisions and advance directives also allow seniors to refuse specific treatments and actions by a medical doctor; for example, refusing life support under any circumstance. When creating a living will, seniors should also appoint an advocate, which can be a family member or caregiver, to ensure that medical wishes outlined in the living will are abided by.

Having a living will ensures that all seniors have a voice, and play a role in their own medical care; even when they are not physically able to communicate their healthcare needs.

Sources:
1.   CNNMoney.com Gerri Willis
2.  Directgov

Image: eHow.com

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Knowing when your loved one is demonstrating signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s can be one of the first steps to establishing a medical diagnosis and determining appropriate senior care. Read on to determine if the senior in your life could be exhibiting symptoms of dementia.

1. Memory Loss – everyone has brief memory lapses; it’s not unusual to forget the occasional name or date and remember it later, however, seniors with dementia may forget pieces of information that they are never able to recall.

2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks – seniors with dementia may forget simple tasks, like how to turn on the stove.

3. Problems with language – sentences formed by a senior with dementia may be hard to understand, they may forget words or substitute inappropriate ones.

4. Disorientation – seniors with dementia may get lost when close to home because they are disoriented with time and place.

5. Poor judgment – seniors may have trouble making decisions, or dress inappropriately for the weather.

6. Misplacing things in strange places – seniors with dementia may put the milk in the bathroom or their keys in the fridge.

7. Mood changes – often seniors with dementia have rapid mood swings for no discernable reason.

8. Problems with abstract thinking – dealing with numbers may be especially difficult.

9. Personality changes – seniors with dementia may become fearful, suspicious and paranoid or demonstrate behaviors unusual for them.

10. Loss of initiative – seniors with Alzheimer’s may lack motivation on a regular basis; getting out of bed or getting dressed may require prompting.

Check out this resource for more information on Dementia

Sources:
1. Northwestern University
2. Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease
Image: Geriatrics and Aging

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Q – How is a family caregiver defined, and when should family members consider themselves caregivers for their seniors?

A family caregiver, or informal caregiver, is any family member that provides care or support to a senior relative. Family caregivers come in many forms, and many family members who provide support to a senior may not think of themselves as caregivers. While some family caregivers may either live in their senior relative’s home, or have their aging parent live with them, to be considered a family caregiver you don’t need to provide full-time or even permanent part-time care. Answer the following questions to determine if you should be thinking of yourself as a family caregiver.

•    Do you feel responsible for providing support to an aging loved one?
•    Do you help out an aging parent around the home, with cooking or cleaning, even if only on an occasional basis?
•    Do you take your senior relative out to run errands or escort them to medical appointments?
•    Would your family member call you in an emergency and expect your prompt assistance?
•    Do you provide support or assistance to an aging relative living in a long-term care or assisted living facility?

Sources:
1.    American Society on Aging
2.    Caregiver-connect.ca

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

In the modern age of medical care, people’s views on how to treat the chronically ill are shifting based on the exorbitant costs of hospital care and a greater emphasis upon the family’s role in caregiving. According to a recent study, published in the Commonwealth Fund journal Health Affairs 82% of the chronically ill patients surveyed admitted to going without care recommended by medical institutions, simply because of the high costs involved. Many chronic illnesses, however, can be managed at home by family or professional caregivers at a portion of the cost; since these expenses only relate to in-home medical treatments, and assisting the senior with Activities of Daily Living they are much less expensive than at a skilled facility.

Management of chronic illnesses, including the administration of medications and other treatments, can be taught to family caregivers by a medical professional from a hospice program, who, if necessary, can stop by during the course of the illness to assess and monitor any changes in condition and make recommendations with regards to treatment methods. By keeping a senior who is chronically ill at home, instead of in a community care setting like a hospital or nursing home, seniors’ health care costs can be drastically reduced; while their comfort in the care of family allows them to battle their illness in the presence of those they love, without any unnecessary expense.

Sources:
1.   Chronic Illness – Family Caregiving
2.    The Washington Post Steven Reinberg

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

When hiring a private home caregiver, without going through an agency, families, as employers, are often responsible for the costs of medical care if the caregiver is injured while performing their caregiver duties, unless the caregiver has comprehensive liability and workplace injury insurance. According to statistics, workplace injuries in private caregivers are substantial, with one in eight becoming injured on the job; 70% of which occur when lifting or physically supporting a patient.  If a caregiver does not have liability coverage, any task they are performing as part of their caregiver employment results in an injury, then families become legally responsible as employers to pay the medical bills. Workplace injuries for caregivers can include falls in the home, or even car accidents that take place when running errands for their elderly employer.

Since private caregivers not hired through an agency typically work as private contractors, many may not carry liability insurance; so when an injury occurs during senior care, medical bills may cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, plus in some cases, compensation for lost wages due to the injury. Private caregivers may also be a greater liability for senior care injuries, since they may not receive the same training in proper lift techniques and other safety measures when caring for seniors as their agency counterparts. When hiring a caregiver, families need to take liability into account; because while private caregivers may charge less by the hour, the expenses derived from liability might last a lifetime.

Sources:
1.    Strength for Caring.com
2.    Seniors Resource Guide
3.    Liebertonline

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Hearing loss is a hard reality for many seniors which can greatly complicate ease of communication with their family, friends, caregivers and other professionals. When communicating with a senior, don’t underestimate the benefits of using body language to ensure the older adult understands the message you’re delivering.  Visual cues and non-verbal forms of communication can help seniors better grasp the meaning in the conversation, since hearing impairments can make it to difficult to rely upon the spoken word alone.

When caring for the elderly or engaging with a senior in communication; talk with your hands and use expressive body language as visual cues. Point to objects you’re referring to; use thumbs up or thumbs down; use your hands to describe the size or location of objects; and laugh or smile so they can grasp the nature of the conversation. Make sure there is nothing physically in the way that stops seniors from interpreting your body language, maintain eye contact, and avoid fidgeting which could cause seniors to misinterpret your non-visual cues.

Remember caregivers and family members, while at times communicating with a senior who struggles with their hearing may be frustrating, the elderly are dealing with issues that can be life-changing.

Sources:
1.    Public Health Agency of Canada
2.    TenderLovingEldercare.com
Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

Talking to your senior parents about estate planning can be an uncomfortable subject, because many adult children don’t want to feel like they’re interfering with their parents’ personal affairs. Estate planning typically includes a legal will that outlines distribution of assets; a financial power of attorney which dictates who will look after a senior’s finances when they become unable; a medical power of attorney, the person responsible for carrying out a senior’s medical wishes; and a living will, which establishes a senior’s healthcare wishes if they become unable to speak for themselves. Discussing your senior parents’ estate early on with them ensures that you understand the role that they expect you to play after their deaths or during a medical emergency so that their wishes are carried out.

Talking to your elderly parents about estate planning becomes more important if they have not completed the necessary steps to protect their assets and secure their wishes. When approaching the topic of family estate planning, make sure that your siblings and immediate family members are involved so they don’t perceive your interests in your parents’ estate as self-serving. Ensure your parents understand you do not need to have the division of assets explained; it doesn’t matter how much they are planning on leaving you. What’s important is that they put the legalities in place to ensure they control what happens to their assets, even once they loose the ability to represent themselves.

Sources:
1. SeniorJournal.com Robert Valentine
2. FamilyEducation.com

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.

When it comes time to make decisions regarding senior care services for your aging parent, one of the major factors to consider is affordability. Believe it or not, in home care services are one of the most affordable options for seniors who are struggling to live independently in their own homes. Hiring a caregiver to help out in your aging parent’s home can cost anywhere from $12 to $25 an hour, depending upon the services provided by the agency and the state that you live in. Compared to a traditional nursing home or long-term care facility, which cost on average of $153 per day in the United States, the costs of in-home care are substantially lower, especially because of the flexibility it offers. With in-home caregiving services, families can decide the amount of care required by an in-home caregiver, which can start at a few hours a week to 8-hour long caregiving days. This can be determined both on care requirements of the senior, and the finances they have available for home care.

In order to determine if senior services are affordable for the senior in your family, take a close look at both their income and expenses; ensuring that their budget allows them to continue to put away 10% to fund future medical and housing needs. Medicare and Medicaid do not typically cover in-home care services, but many private insurance policies do; so ensure you determine which home care costs would have to be paid out of pocket and make sure that all the numbers add up to figure out if home care is an affordable option.

Sources:
1. Business Week, Beth Piskora
2. The Federal LTC Insurance Program
3. Senior Living Today

Home Care Indianapolis provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Cumberland, East Indianapolis, Irvington, Lawrence, Oaklandon, and Wanamaker. Call us today at 317.357.5411.