I will be offering advice to anyone who is providing care to someone at home. Home can be where ever the individual lives- home, assisted living, boarding home. etc. Providing assistance to a loved one at home can be convenient, emotionally satisfying and a great experience for everyone in the family. Historically, this is how families provided care for their loved ones. Rarely did one go to the hospital for care. Oral histories and family stories were passed on from generation to generation during this time. Children had the opportunity to learn about normal aging and how to assist with care. My own son learned form the time he could walk that he had to watch out for great granpops oxygen tubing. He knew that the matchbox cars had to be kept out of the way of great grandmom's walker because she had difficulty seeing things that small. The generations in the home worked well together. Even as their health began to fail he was very comfortable helping with carrying items for them, keeping the oxygen tubing untangled. He learned to speak a little louder when he told them stories and to be patient and give them time to respond to his questions.
Today most families are mobile and live many miles apart. This makes staying at home for elderly relatives tricky, but it can be done with the right support system and planning. I provide education and resource information to families who are looking to keep their loved ones at home for as long as possible, and do it safely.
I will be discussing:
Safety Issues in the home for the elderly
How to recognize when care is needed
How to choose a caregiver safely
I am also interested in any topics that might be of interest to anyone else.
