Help seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia enjoy Thanksgiving
Even though your older adult has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, you still want them to feel included in Thanksgiving festivities.
But you also don’t want them to get overstimulated or agitated.
Read MoreAuthor: Liam Kenney | Posted in: Alzheimer's Care, Dementia Care
There is a genetic link to Alzheimer’s and some dementia-related diseases. However, whether or not a person develops dementia is more complicated than whether or not they carry a specific gene. There are a range of factors, in addition to genetics, that catalyze or activate dementia onset.
Read MoreAuthor: nrhcadmin | Posted in: Aging Care, Brain Health, Dementia Care
Dementia is a progressive disease and is often described in three stages: early dementia, mid-stage dementia, and late-stage dementia. But as memory care professionals, we’ve observed that each significant stage is divided into mini-stages correlating to specific home care needs.
Recognizing the various stages of dementia helps spouses and family caregivers understand which home care services are needed now and how to plan for the future.
Read MoreAuthor: nrhcadmin | Posted in: Aging Care, Alzheimer's Care, Brain Health, Dementia Care, Mental Health
Elderly companion care is a unique service that provides emotional support and friendship to seniors who are living at home but need more socialization and interaction. It is a popular choice for seniors who are aging in place independently but would like to benefit from the company and assistance of another person on a regular basis.
Read MoreAuthor: nrhcadmin | Posted in: Aging Care, Brain Health, Mental Health
Respite care is a vital service providing temporary relief to primary caregivers. It allows you or someone else providing care time to rest and recharge. This care can be incredibly valuable as it helps manage the demanding, unceasing commitment of caring for an aging loved one.
Respite care can range from a few hours to several days.
Read MoreAuthor: nrhcadmin | Posted in: Aging Care, Brain Health, Mental Health
Get out into the countryside around Norwell to enjoy fascinating glimpses of the past and ever-changing perspectives on our classic New England landscapes. From the tranquil banks of the North River to the famous Cape Cod shore, there’s plenty to enjoy just outside your door.
Continue reading for some amazing outdoor senior activities you can enjoy in Norwell whether you’re on your own or with family and friends.
Read MoreAuthor: nrhcadmin | Posted in: Aging Care
The area around the old Massachusetts towns of Norwell and Plymouth is rich with history and culture, yet every season brings fresh perspectives and new things to try. Whether you’re a local retiree or a visitor to our South Shore, here are some great local events for seniors to enjoy.
Read MoreAuthor: Julia Hawkins | Posted in: Holidays with Seniors, Senior Support
There is a direct correlation between aging and mental health. An article from the National Institute on Aging states, “many of us are alone more often than when we were younger, leaving us vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness—and related health problems such as cognitive decline,
Read MoreAuthor: nrhcadmin | Posted in: Aging Care, Brain Health, Mental Health
A customized diet is a cornerstone of any healthcare management plan. Healthy diets, focused on the latest research findings for particular conditions, help aging adults achieve or maintain healthy weight goals, minimize symptoms, and may reduce or eliminate the need for prescription medications.
Customized Diet Plans for Medical Conditions
The right combination of nutrition therapy,
Read MoreAuthor: nrhcadmin | Posted in: Aging Care, Senior Health
After the shock of a dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis fades, there are important decisions to make. Dementia is a progressive disease, and time is of the essence. As soon as possible, families should begin to explore the costs of in-home dementia care and care provided in memory care facilities and skilled nursing facilities.
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Alzheimer's Care
A recent study from AARP found that 77% of adults 50-years old and older prefer to age in place. Multiple studies advertise the benefits of aging in place, such as the comfort of home, family, pets, social engagement in the community, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to maintain dignity and independence.
Read MoreAuthor: Patricia LaCroix Nihill | Posted in: Aging Care
Caregiving is a full-time job. That means most spouse and family caregivers work the equivalent of two or three different “positions” when you combine the demands of paid work, family life, and personal obligations in addition to their caregiving responsibilities.
According to the Caregiving in the U.S.
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Holidays with Seniors
Diet plays a significant role in managing diabetes. As anyone who has diabetes, or their caregiver, knows, diabetes becomes a game of numbers and math. The goal is to balance blood sugar levels as much as possible, and the more you can do that with diet and exercise,
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Diabetes Care
Daily physical activity is a must for senior health and overall wellbeing. According to the CDC, regular even very moderate physical exercise or movement has exponential benefits for older adults, including:
Author: Jen Davis | Posted in: Aging Care
One of the most telling signs that seniors need more support to age independently in place is a lack of fresh food ingredients or, even worse, bare pantries and refrigerators shelves. This is why professional home care agencies offer grocery shopping and meal preparation as part of their services lineup,
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Senior Safety
Pets make great companions no matter what age you are. They can be especially beneficial for the elderly as they lift your spirits, stave off loneliness, and even improve your cardiovascular health.
The benefits of pets for the elderly will vary depending on which animal you choose. While dogs offer the listening ear and loyal support of a close friend,
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Senior Support
You’ve made the important decision to move forward with home care to support your loved one. How do you take the next steps?
The first thing to do after deciding on home care is to choose the best agency for the job. To do that properly,
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Long-Term Care Planning
Long before social distancing entered the public domain, health care agencies championed the importance of social engagement in the senior population. Decades of studies have correlated the multiple ways senior social isolation and loneliness affect physical and emotional well-being.
This is why we’ve continued to post articles supporting the many ways you can socialize for your good health and the wellbeing of those around you.
Read MoreAuthor: Patricia LaCroix Nihill | Posted in: Aging Care Issues
After we’ve all realized how dangerous senior isolation can be, along comes COVID. Now our loved ones are more isolated than ever.
It’s heartbreaking to watch seniors and their families struggle to balance the health guidelines put forth by the CDC while simultaneously providing the level of care their loved ones deserve.
Read MoreAuthor: Liam Kenney | Posted in: Home Health Care
Wouldn’t your loved one prefer to live out their lives in the comfort of home rather than in a nursing facility? Most older adults, needless to say, would choose their own homes. But for any number of reasons, from physical or mental health issues to dwindling finances, staying at home doesn’t always seem possible.
Read MoreAuthor: Julia Hawkins | Posted in: Home Health Care | Tags: senior independence
When is the right time to start thinking about long-term care? If you are considering taking care of elderly parents at home, now is the time to take action. You should never put off planning long-term care and having a caregiver in place can help eliminate a great deal of stress.
Read MoreAuthor: Julia Hawkins | Posted in: Home Health Care | Tags: long-term care
Remarkable scientific studies are honing in ever nearer towards the eradication of Alzheimer’s disease, this time in the form of two medications already developed and approved by the FDA. This permits accelerated clinical trials and we hope fast-tracking us closer to a treatment.
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Alzheimer's Care | Tags: Alzheimer's Treatment, Senior Health Care
With more than 325 million people residing in the U.S. alone, it is not easy to think that loneliness would be so common. However, more than 50% of older adults live alone, and more than a million of them are estimated to be chronically lonely. In fact, nearly half of older adults researched stated that their most common source of companionship is the television.
Read MoreAuthor: Patricia LaCroix Nihill | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: Caregiver Tips, socialization
Whether you’re caring for someone with dementia and memory care issues or you’ve been afflicted with them yourself, it’s critical for you to understand that this is one journey you do not have to take alone.
According to one recent study conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association, the total number of people in Massachusetts living with these conditions rose to 120,000 in 2016.
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Dementia Care | Tags: dementia treatment, resources
Have you ever walked into the office or a get-together with friends or family and had someone say to you with great concern, “You really look tired today!” Although you may have been feeling pretty perky before that moment, suddenly you really DO feel tired and rundown. The words we speak to each other and the way we interpret them are powerful.
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: Caregiver Tips, Senior Health Care
Thomas Edison’s infamous words ring true today in the race to find both the cause and a cure for Alzheimer’s disease: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Each day seems to bring hopeful news of yet another clinical trial, followed soon after by the disappointing news that results failed to meet expectations – and so the cycle continues.
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Alzheimer's Care | Tags: Alzheimer's Treatment, Senior Health Care
For seniors, experiencing surgery always includes some inherent risks, but there’s a little-known effect impacting a significant number of seniors following surgery that people all need to be aware of: POCD (postoperative cognitive dysfunction). POCD takes place in more than 25% of seniors during the days after non-cardiac surgery, and can present with a variety of symptoms,
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Dementia Care | Tags: dementia causes, Senior Health Care
With Alzheimer’s and dementia affecting so many in the Norwell area, we at North River Home Care want to do all we can to provide the necessary support and resources that family caregivers need.
We’re pleased that our monthly Dementia Caregivers’ Support Group, led by Nadine Shweiri,
Read MoreAuthor: Christine Patnaude | Posted in: Dementia Care | Tags: Caregiver Tips, resources
It is always best to tell the truth, right? Even so there are times when some truths are better left unsaid or at least worded more positively, especially when talking with aging parents. Although we may have the finest of intentions in wanting to help senior parents navigate life, we are able to help prevent hurt feelings in our loved ones by rethinking statements such as the following:
Author: Christine Patnaude | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: Caregiver Tips, Communication
“I don’t have dementia There is nothing wrong with me!”
If you have ever heard a loved one with dementia frustratingly communicate this or perhaps a similar sentiment, you may have believed the person was just in denial and unwilling to accept a tough diagnosis. The stark reality is,
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Dementia Care | Tags: dementia treatment, Senior Health Care
Medicare coverage of medicines for seniors is often crucial, especially because on average, older adults take a shocking 15-18 prescription medications. And with the standard pricetag of over $11,000 per year for the most common prescription drugs prescribed by doctors for the elderly, it usually is debilitating when Medicare suddenly declines coverage.
Read MoreAuthor: Liam Kenney | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: insurance benefits, medical treatment
As the saying goes, there’s no place like home; but what do you do when someone you love and care for insists on going home – when that person already IS home? When you are providing care for a loved one with dementia, unfortunately this discussion can be a common occurrence.
Read MoreAuthor: Patricia LaCroix Nihill | Posted in: Dementia Care | Tags: Caregiver Tips, dementia treatment, senior independence
Researchers are shedding some new light on treatments to potentially impact Alzheimer’s disease: light therapy. The effects of light are only just beginning to be tapped, and already showing some interesting and promising results.
For example, MIT researchers are testing a type of flickering light therapy,
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Alzheimer's Care | Tags: Alzheimer's Treatment
According to a study that was recently conducted by Alzheimer’s Disease International, one person on Earth develops a new case of dementia every three seconds.
As of 2015, there were 46.8 million people worldwide living with the disease. By the end of 2017, that number had already grown to as many as 50 million people.
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Dementia Care | Tags: dementia treatment, socialization
The prospect of losing your vision can be a scary one. We depend so much on our eyes and what they tell us about the world around us. Aside from showing us the beauty around us, our eyes tell us of the dangers ahead, such as a dangling electrical cord or an over-boiling pot.
Read MoreAuthor: Rachel Randolph | Posted in: Senior Safety | Tags: senior independence, vision care
Losing your vision, particularly later in life, can have a great impact on your independence, and often, your sense of self as well. If vision deteriorates as your loved one ages, he or she may be reluctant to talk about this, perhaps out of fear of the unknown or worry that he or she may be taken out of her home environment.
Read MoreAuthor: Christine Patnaude | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: Caregiver Tips, vision care
Each year, one out of three adults age 65 and older falls, the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among seniors, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Knowing what can be done around the house to help prevent or reduce the risk of falls can save a senior from the emergency room or worse.
Read MoreAuthor: Rachel Randolph | Posted in: Senior Safety | Tags: Fall Prevention, senior independence
One of the top concerns for diabetics, aside from managing the disease itself, is the havoc diabetes can wreak on the feet. Because of the potential for nerve damage, restricted blood flow, and a weakened immune system, wounds, particularly on the feet, can be difficult to heal.
To stay a step ahead of diabetes-related foot problems,
Read MoreAuthor: Kari Kelly | Posted in: Diabetes Care | Tags: diabetes
As you start down the sometimes difficult road of caring for your parents, you’ll confront a range of challenges from the profound to the practical. You’ll find it’s a life-changing experience — one that’s often as inspiring as it is painful. To get you started, here’s a list of the important life issues you’ll face in the months and years to come:
Author: Christine Patnaude | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: Caregiver Tips
Having problems remembering to take pills, buy grocery items, or make appointments? Everyone experiences memory problems sometimes. Memory experts often recommend the following simple aids to people with mild cognitive impairment or early symptoms of dementia. But anybody (including harried caregivers!) who’s ever forgotten something important can benefit.
Read MoreAuthor: Jen Davis | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: Brain Health, senior independence
North River Home Care has completed and received its Home Care Pulse Certification. This certification program is dedicated to the measurement of client and employee satisfaction scores, North River Home Care is now officially certified in home care quality.
“We know that sometimes it is difficult to make care decisions when you don’t have specific experience with an agency.
Read MoreAuthor: John Asuncion | Posted in: Home Health Care | Tags: north river home care
At North River Home Care, we’ve increasingly been asked about Live In Care, what the difference is between Live In Care and 24 hour/ 7 day per week care and when Live In Care makes sense.
Read MoreAuthor: Liam Kenney | Posted in: Home Health Care | Tags: senior independence
Did you know that roughly 25% of senior citizens take more than 3 pills per day? With most seniors taking some kind of medication necessary for their health, it’s an unfortunate reality that many do not take their medication as prescribed. Here are a few suggestions on how to remember to take medications on time for you or your loved one:
Read MoreAuthor: Rachel Randolph | Posted in: Aging Care | Tags: medical treatment, Medications
