Seniors often don’t realize that getting a little help now, when they’re getting a little older, can help them remain living independently for a lot longer than if they try to do everything on their own. 

Following are strategies from Home Instead Senior Care^® and family caregiving consultant Dr. Amy D’Aprix to help family caregivers turn resistance into assistance.  

1. Understand where the resistance is coming from.  Ask your parent why he or she is resisting.  “Mom, I notice that every time I bring up the idea of someone coming in to help, you resist it.  Why is that?”  Oftentimes older adults don’t realize they are being resistant.  
2. Explain your goals.  Remind your loved one that you both want the same thing.  Explain that a little extra help can keep her at home longer and will help put your mind at ease as well.  Have a candid conversation with him about the impact this care is having on your life.  Oftentimes seniors don’t understand the time commitment of a caregiver.
3. Bring in outside help.  If a relationship with a parent is deteriorating, ask a professional, such as a geriatric care manager, for an assessment.  A third-party professional can provide valuable input.  Also, go to www.4070talk.com for tips on how to talk with a loved one.  If you are having problems getting through to your older adult, consider asking another family member or close friend to intervene.  If you’re not making headway, perhaps there’s someone better to talk with your parents.
4. Research your options to find the best resources for your loved one.  Contact your local Area Agency on Aging or a geriatric care manager to research resources in your community.  Or download The Home Care Solution, a guide for family caregivers to help them find the best in-home care for their loved ones.  If you decide outside help is needed, reassure your parents and tell them you have researched caregivers and you are confident you have found the best one you can find to come into the home to help.
5. Respect your parent’s decisions.  Sometimes you won’t agree with your parent’s decisions and that’s O.K.  As long as your loved one is of sound mind, he or she should have the final say.   

A note:  If your senior has dementia, seek professional assistance from a doctor or geriatric care manager.  Logic often will not work and other strategies must be employed. 

For more information or to get answers to your questions, please contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office.  In Sonoma County, we can be reached — anytime day or night – by calling 707.586.1516.  Or you can visit our digital web brochure at http://hisc392.digbro.com.

Photo courtesy of freefoto.com

We’ve all been there.  Driving down the street, and you spot an older driver behind the wheel of a car. “That person should not be driving,” we think to ourselves.

Is it a stereotype? Well, perhaps.  But there’s an element of truth to such thoughts, too: At some point, many older drivers need to be taken off the road. As humans age, our joints get stiff, making it harder to turn the arm and neck.  Reflexes get slower, an obvious danger for an activity that requires split-second thinking and movement.

But how do we identify those drivers who need to be, well, un-licensed to drive?

A study by the University of Florida found that occupational therapists can play a key role in identifying older drivers who are at risk for automobile crashes. 

“Through appropriate screening and driving evaluation and rehabilitation, we can help identify unsafe drivers, making recommendations to those who need to stop driving, provide intervention strategies for those with remedial potential and assist others to optimize their driving skills that may be impacted by age-related conditions,” said Elin Schold Davis, coordinator of the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Older Driver Initiative, told HealthDay News. 

The research project analyzed crashes involving 5,345 drivers aged 65 and older. The mean age of older drivers in crashes was about 76.  Lane maintenance, yielding, and keeping an appropriate distance from other vehicles were listed as the cause of roughly half of all crashes.  Speed and stimuli errors were another major factor.

Therapists can, of course, identify the time of life when an elderly person should stop driving, but as with anything senior-related, Home Instead believes the best conversations begin with family members in the comfort of one’s own home. 

We follow the 40/70 rule: When you’re 40, or your parents are 70, it is time to start discussing plans for their old age and how they will be cared for.  This can be the best time to broach the topic of senior driving, which we have found to one of the touchier topics to face.

For those who are taken off the road, Home Instead CAREGivers offer transportation for running errands or simply to places like the park, a grandchild’s home, or to lunch with a friend.

And for those drivers who aren’t quite ready to give up the wheel, organizations such as AAA offer lessons on safe driving skills for older adults.  Connect with one of these groups for your loved ones if road worries are a concern for you.

You can find more information on the 40/70 rule by clicking on this link:  40-70 Rule – programs and emotional support services are offered to develop open discussions between families relating to providing care to parents and other various senior topics.

And for more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County and companionship care, simply call our office at 707.586.1516 anytime.

Once again, our CEO and co-founder of Home Instead Senior Care has been featured in a prominent publication. 

This time, Woman’s Day magazine features Paul Hogan in an article entitled, “How to Care for Aging Parents: try these strategies to make helping Mom and Dad less stressful.”

There are literally millions of baby boomers who are caring for their aging parents.  If you happen to be one of them, this article contains some helpful advice such as: 

• Be Prepared
• Explore the Options
• Think Twice about Relocation
• Talk Money
• Ask for Help

A elderly parent’s sudden stroke or fall can alter an adult child’s life quickly, so it’s important to have the caregiver conversation when everything is still fine. Use the 40/70 rule, suggests Paul Hogan, coauthor of Stages of Senior Care. When you’re 40 or your parents are 70, talk to them about their preferences.

For additional tips on caring for your aging parent, you can download the 40/70 brochure here:  The 40-70 Rule: A Guide to Conversation Starters for Boomers and their Senior Loved Ones.

And for more information about how our Home Instead CAREGivers can help both you and your aging loved one, please call our Sonoma County home care office at 707.586.1516.  From our Rohnert Park office, we  serve all of Sonoma County including Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Windsor and more.