Serenity Springs Home Care

5 Tips for Traveling with a Senior Loved One With spring and summer upon us, one of the greatest gifts you can share with Mom or Dad is the gift of travel. Whether you are planning a trip for them to visit grandchildren or taking a family excursion abroad, it is important to plan ahead to accommodate their evolving needs as they age. Read these tips to help you plan your travels!... 1. Talk with Mom or Dad about his/her travel wishes. Before booking a trip, have a conversation with Mom or Dad about whether he or she would like to travel and to where. Some senior loved ones may be excited about traveling abroad, while others may prefer a short car or train ride to stay relatively local. Consider Mom or Dad’s needs and wishes before solidifying travel plans. 2. Plan ahead for the simplest routes. Research which mode of travel is the easiest and most efficient. Try to find routes that are more direct and require less travel time. For example, you will want to avoid layovers at all costs; if the trip does require a layover to get to the final destination, allow ample time to reach the connecting flight. 3. Request assistance in advance. If a loved one has physical limitations, Alzheimer’s or other form of dementia, or requires minor assistance, call the airline in advance to request disabled seating, assistive devices, or help carrying mom or dad’s bags. 4. Ensure the destination is prepared. Call the hotels and tourist destinations you plan on visiting to ensure they can accommodate your loved one’s needs. If your loved one is traveling to visit family or friends, call to ensure they understand your loved one’s needs and are prepared to accommodate them. Giving them time to prepare will ensure your loved one is comfortable and safe. 5. Print documents and make copies. Prepare a travel folder for your loved one and include a full itinerary along with copies of airplane or bus tickets, hotel registration, and photocopies of important documents such as a passport or physician’s note. If your senior loved one is traveling alone, give him or her two folders in case one is misplaced.

This week's recipe for seniors. 3 Delicious Oatmeal Recipes for a Healthy Breakfast Oatmeal for breakfast has many benefits, it starts off the day with a highly nutritious meal and it staves off hunger until lunch time. For seniors who may have problems chewing, oatmeal is easy to eat. For those who may not have a robust appetite, oatmeal smells good and looks appetizing and may encourage them to eat.... Here are three recipes for a healthy delicious dish of oatmeal in the morning. Banana Nut Oatmeal, made to eat: Ingredients: 1/2 cup rolled oats 1 cup water 1 banana, sliced 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon cinnamon Preparation 1. Combine oats and 1 cup water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes. 2. Top with banana slices, walnuts, and cinnamon. Cranberry Pear Oatmeal, made to eat Ingredients 3/4 cup water 3/4 cup apple cider 1 cup organic rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup diced pear 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted 1/4 cup fat-free milk Preparation 1. Bring water and apple cider to a boil in a large saucepan. 2. Stir in oats and salt; reduce heat to low, and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Add pear, cranberries, cinnamon, and vanilla, stirring gently to combine; cook 3 minutes or until oats are tender. 4. Stir in pecans and milk. Blueberry and Honey Overnight Oats Ingredients cup oats cup low-fat milk cup Greek yogurt, plain or vanilla cup blueberries 1 tablespoon honey Preparation 1. Add Quaker Oats to your container of choice. 2. Pour in the milk, add the blueberries and Greek yogurt. 3. Sweeten by topping with honey. 4. Place in the refrigerator. 5. It will be ready to eat in the morning.

20 Ways To Get Your Elderly Parents to Eat More Protein With Their Breakfast Meals Breakfast tends to be the meal where most people lack protein. 1. Add nuts and seeds to cereal.... If you enjoy a bowl of cold or hot cereal for breakfast, try decreasing the cereal and replacing with nuts or seeds like: -Pumpkin -Sunflower -Hemp -Flax 2. Start with an egg. Eggs are a neat little protein package. Each egg holds 6 grams of protein. There are so many ways to eat eggs. For a quick no-cook breakfast, try hard boiling six eggs at a time in advance. Keep in the fridge and grab one for a quick addition to breakfast. 3.Make a breakfast bowl. Instead of cereal try a Greek yogurt breakfast bowl. 8 ounces of yogurt could give you 17-20 grams of protein. Throw in a handful of nuts and seeds for even more protein-packed energy. 4. Protein shakes. Protein shakes make a quick and easy protein breakfast. You can use a plant-based or animal-sourced form of protein. Some protein powders will even mix right into your coffee or tea. You want to make sure you use a high-quality protein powder that does not contain: -Sugar -Salt -Additives

With a little thought and preparation, any family can start an open, honest dialog that can lead to a plan that everyone agrees to and understands. This FREE 6 STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO CHOOSE AN IN HOME AGENCY offers a specific process for your family to follow to encourage transparency with your loved ones, gain an understanding of in-home care options, and how to move forward together.

~Family Member Testimonial. "In my opinion Serenity Springs is better than an assisted living or nursing home facility. No more pulling cords for someone to come to help you, they are always there. ... Dad has been at this place since last year, 2015. He came to Serenity Springs from an assisted living facility, bedridden. Within days of being here, the staff had him walking with assistance. He is taken to senior aerobics once a week and is taken to church. Someone is always with him 24/7. The staff is very helpful and friendly and attends to his every need. Family and friends are always welcome to come and visit him."

~Serenity Springs home care is designed for individuals that require assistance with everyday activities in a home-like community rather than the traditional placements. ~Our setting is ideal for patients who do not want to live in a large... community, but still want to receive the level of assistance similarly offered by an assisted living or nursing home. ~Our sized home(s) gives us the flexibility to have a higher ratio of caregivers to residents to provide more individual attention and care. Services We Offer Included: 24-Hour Staffing ADL’s (Eating, Bathing, Dressing, Walking) Family Engagement Housekeeping Services Laundry Medication Management Memory Care Programming Special Diets

When is It Time to Hire a Professional Caregiver? Are you providing care for a loved one in need of assistance? If so, are you trying to find additional help and not sure what that would look like or where to start? To help you best determine if you need to hire a professional caregiver, answer the questions below, starting with ‘Does your loved one’:... 1. Want to live at home? 2. Require daily medical treatment or attention beyond your expertise? 3. Have mobility issues requiring 24/7 support? 4. Have a chronic condition impacting his/her memory and general ability to manage day-to-day activities? 5. Cause you significant stress and anxiety, ultimately impacting your health? 6. Require you to take a significant amount of time off from work? If you answered Yes to one or more of these six questions, then you may want to consider hiring additional help. Hiring a professional caregiver can help not only with providing care for your loved one, but can also benefit you by reducing stress and enabling you to remain focused on other priorities in your life such as work and family. The type of support a caregiver can provide at home includes: ~Medication management ~Bathing and general daily support ~Cooking/cleaning

How to Identify and Prevent Elder Abuse. Identifying Elder Abuse: 1. Physical abuse, neglect, or mistreatment: Bruises, broken bones, burn marks... 2. Emotional abuse: Unexplained withdrawal from normal activities, a sudden change in alertness, or unusual depression 3. Financial abuse (exploitation): Sudden and extreme changes in financial situations 4. Neglect (including self-neglect): Bedsores, unattended medical needs, poor hygiene, unusual weight loss 5. Verbal or emotional abuse: Threats, or other uses of an imbalance of power and control by individuals. Preventing Elder Abuse: 1. Listen actively to your aging loved one for any signs of abuse 2. Don’t dismiss any warning signs, instead be proactive and transparent with all family members involved 3. Engage in an open dialogue around your aging loved one’s care, if cared for at home or at a care facility. 4. Agree to pay attention and watch for changes in your aging family member’s mood or appearance, to look for signs of abuse or neglect. 5. Encourage your aging family member to be cautious in financial matters and to seek counsel before making financial decisions.

4 Best Foods for Seniors 1. Blueberries. In a 2012 Annals of Neurology study, people who regularly ate blueberries experienced slower cognitive declinean aging delay of as much as 2.5 yearsthan less avid berry eaters. They are a great source of vitamin K, and also contain vitamin C, fiber, and other antioxidants that are especially important for seniors. ... 2. Greek Yogurt. Protein consumption is very important for seniors because it helps to preserve muscle mass.Enter Greek yogurt, which is a great high-protein snack for seniors eating less meat. Opting for plain Greek yogurt would be the healthiest choice, and you can stir in fresh fruit or granola. 3. Spinach. Spinach is especially high in vitamin K, which aids bone health. To get your daily dose of greens, you can sauté spinach in olive oil until wilted, blend into a delicious smoothie (you’ll barely notice the taste), or make yourself a fresh spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette. 4. Carrots. Carrots are very high in vitamin A, and numerous studies have shown that individuals consuming high level of that particular vitamin are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Having a small bag of baby carrots on hand for a snack is always a good idea!

4 Fall Prevention Tips for Seniors 1. The More You Move, the Less You Fall. Regular exercise that focuses on flexibility, strength training and balance can help keep your muscles strong. When you stumble, you will be more likely to catch yourself. ... 2. Plan For Strong Bones You won’t always be able to prevent a fall but you can decrease the effects of the fall by keeping your bones strong. You will want to make sure that your diet includes enough calcium and vitamin D. 3. Monitor Your Medications The more medications you take, the higher your risk of falling. Medications can include side effects such as dizziness, confusion, sleepiness, weakness or urgency to get to the bathroom. 4. Sleep Have you ever heard the expression falling asleep on your feet? Not getting enough sleep means you can be more confused, move slower and less aware of your surroundings. If you are feeling tired and drowsy, get more rest instead or sit down and wait for your mind to clear.

3 Benefits of Choosing In-Home Care for Seniors 1.Comfort and Security For most seniors, there are innumerable benefits to living at home for as long as possible. Home is a comfortable environment that provides stability and familiarity. ... 2. Lower Cost of Care In 2012 Genworth conducted a Cost of Care Survey to compare the costs of healthcare for seniors among nursing facilities and homes. According to the data, the national median monthly rates for nursing facilities ranged from $3,300 to $6,882. Compare this to the national median hourly rate of $18 to $19 per hour paid for in-home care. The cost of in-home care can be much lower, especially in cases where only a few hours of care per day is needed. 3. Convenience Another benefit of choosing in-home care is convenience. Friends and family can visit their loved ones in the convenience of their own home. This option also allows the patient to enjoy more freedom and independence.