Tag Archives: home care

NJ Holiday Gifts for Seniors

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

Holidays are approaching.. are you grappling with gift ideas for the senior in your life. Let us help you with that! We found several articles that you might want to check out before going to the mall.

Some ideas “Gifts for Seniors” mentioned here are:

  • Blankets, robes, slippers
  • Personal items; hand & body lotions, shower & bath gels, scented candles
  • Gift certificates for gas, restaurants, or super markets
  • Books & magazine subscriptions
  • Towels, Wash cloths
  • Read the full article

Another good article offering senior gift ideas – Christmas Gift Ideas 

It suggests:

  • Offer to clean their house once a week or help them to maintain their yard. 
  • Do you have a child in your household who always needs extra money? Is the child old enough to wash dishes? Discuss the idea with the elderly and the child - You pay the child.
  • Do you love to bake or cook? Bake a cake, pie or prepare a meal for the person.
  • Give a gift basket filled with bath supplies.
  • Give food baskets filled with anything from cookies, candies, meats, breads, wines, and crackers and cheeses and everything in between.

Great gift ideas for your elderly loved one at Christmas!

Tips Caring for an Elder

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides senior care, home care & live-in care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

Family Caregiving Skills 

-Educate yourself regarding your loved one’s illness and/or disability.

-Communicate efficiently and succinctly with healthcare professionals.

-Recognize you are a healthcare consumer deserving quality healthcare.

-Embrace your importance as a member of the healthcare team.

-Always provide input and ask as many questions as needed.

-Pick your battles; don’t sweat the small stuff. Identify inconsequential matters and focus your attention elsewhere

-Be an advocate—speak up. The squeaky wheel usually gets the grease.

With a major role change such as the one associated with becoming a family caregiver, emotions can and will run the gamut. There are in fact five stages of grief that are widely accepted in the scientific community to occur as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. Living and coping through each of these stages composes the learning framework for us to be able to adjust to witnessing someone we love fall victim to a debilitating illness.

Early Signs of Heart Disease

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What are the Early Symptoms of Heart Disease?

Heart disease is the number one health problem in the U.S. today. It is the number one killer of both men and women.

However, heart disease can actually mean one of several health problems. For instance, there is coronary artery disease, which is what most people think of when they think of heart disease.
There are also other health issues in the heart disease category, including things like abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, heart valve disease, congenital heart disease and vascular disease.

All of these can be serious health problems if not treated.

One of the things that can be an early symptom of heart disease are the risk factors for people who are more likely to get heart disease. These health risk factors include being male, at an older age, having a family history of heart health problems, being a post-menopausal woman, and being of the African American, Native American or Mexican American race.

If a person has one or several of these risk factors, it can be an early symptom of heart disease or heart health problems.

Other risk factors include smoking, high cholesterol, a sedentary lifestyle, being overweight and having uncontrolled diabetes or stress.

One of the most common signs of heart health issues is angina. This is pain, discomfort, heaviness or aching in the chest, or in the areas of the shoulder, arm or jaw.

Read full article.

NJ Holiday Blues – Depression in the Elderly

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides senior care, home care & live-in care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

“HOLIDAY BLUES – DEPRESSION IN THE ELDERLY.”

“The holiday season is quickly coming upon us.  If you are a caregiver for an elderly loved one, you may notice a change in your loved one’s mood as the holidays approach.  Perhaps you are one of many, who visit elderly parents and family during the holidays who live a distance away.  When you visit you may notice that loved ones are not as physically active, or they show symptoms of fatigue or sadness and have no interest in the holiday or in their surroundings.…” read the entire article by going to the link below

Please go to the following URL for the entire article and previous articles: Either click on the link   http://www.planforcare.org or copy and paste the following into your browser:  http://www.planforcare.org

New Jersey Home Care – Helping Senior Clients Get Quality Sleep

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

Q. Senior clients tell me they have difficulty sleeping. What can they do to get a better night’s sleep?

A. No matter what your age, getting the proper amount of sleep is essential to physical health and emotional well-being; it is just as important for seniors as it was when they were younger.

Difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep (insomnia) is a frequent concern for seniors. Levels of growth hormone, which promotes deep sleep, and melatonin, which regulates sleeping and waking cycles (circadian rhythm), decrease with age.

Other causes of sleep difficulties may include certain health conditions, medications, consumption of alcohol or caffeine and a decrease in bladder size. A reduction in activity and exercise levels, not spending enough time in the sun, psychological stress, and sleep disorders such as Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), may also be challenges to getting and staying asleep.

Try the following suggestions for a good night’s sleep:

  • Keep to a regular sleep schedule, every day; even on weekends.
  • Expose yourself to sunlight. At least two hours of bright sunlight each day increases the body’s production of melatonin.
  • Separate yourself from noises. Try earplugs.
  • Adjust your bedtime to concur with when you feel like going to bed.
  • Develop bedtime rituals. Try a relaxing bath.
  • Check with your doctor to see if your medications may be interfering with your sleep.
  • Take care of your psychological health. Try meditation or relaxation techniques.

For more information check out the following; http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_aging.htm and http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article29583.html.

Geriatric Care New Jersey – Medicare Part D Costs Rise in 2009

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Expert Home Care New Jersey – Geriatric Care in NJ - (800) 848-2336.

As a senior in New Jersey, are you aware that the average monthly premium for standard beneficiaries in the Medicare Part D drug program is expected to rise by $3 next year? This is a recent report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid.

What this means to beneficiaries of the Medicare Part D drug program - a New Jersey senior and elder will pay $28, CMS estimates. This increase for you on Medicare Part D is due to general trends in drug costs, the phase-out of a CMS demonstration project, and higher plan estimates for catastrophic coverage based on prior experience, the agency said in a news release.

2009 premiums is 37% lower than the amount originally projected when the benefit was established three years ago.

New Jersey’s low-income beneficiaries may find that their plan has a higher premium next year. If the beneficiary does not choose to stay in that plan, CMS will assign the beneficiary to a new plan sponsor, effective Jan. 1.

Dual eligibles, or those who receive Medicare and Medicaid, do not pay for their drug coverage. Many residents of nursing homes are in this category. This was a final rule designed to reduce such reassignments. Read the full article here.

Home Care & Elder Law – Senior Planning in New Jersey

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Expert Home Care in New Jersey - (800) 848-2336, recently interviewed Mr. Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq. at The Law Office of Donald D. Vanarelli, located in Westfield, New Jersey, providing a broad range of legal services for the elderly, the disabled and their families. They successfully guide clients through the complex areas of estate tax law, public benefits law, and court procedures.

We know that many NJ seniors often wonder “what is the difference between elder law attorneys and attorneys?” This can be confusing and many families and seniors wonder if both professionals are the same.

We interviewed Mr. Vanarelli last week and asked him to please tell us what, if any, are the differences. Mr. Donald D. Vanarelli helped to clarify the confusion for some of us who are often confused. Being a board certified elder law attorney since 1998, we thought he would be the best to help us understand “what elder law is”. 

According to The National Elder Law Foundation defines elder law in more detail, saying it encompasses each of the following areas:

  • Health and Personal Care Planning
  • Pre-Mortem Legal Planning
  • Fiduciary Representation
  • Legal Capacity Counseling
  • Public Benefits Advice
  • Advice on Insurance Matters 
  • Housing Counseling 
  • Income, Estate, and Gift Tax Advice
  • Counseling with regard to age and/or disability discrimination in employment and housing
  • Litigation and Administrative Advocacy

What Makes Elder Law Unique?
Elder Law is the only area of law defined by the clients served rather than the areas of law in which the attorney practices.

What is a Certified Elder Law Attorney?
Elder Law is a legal specialty which has been formally recognized by New Jersey’s Supreme Court through the American Bar Association’s accreditation of legal specialties program.

To learn more, please visit The Law Office of Donald D. Vanarelli.

NJ Planning for Seniors’ Travel

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Home Care & Home Health in NJ – Call us for homemaker & personal care services, and live-in care – (800)848-2336.

Millions of older Americans love to travel and continue to do so. There are virtually no external limits on where you can go and what you can do. Here are some ideas to help you get the most out of your travels.

Choose your travel companion(s) wisely. With whom will you be traveling? If traveling with someone other than a spouse or partner, be sure you’re all compatible. You will spend a lot of time together, and flexibility is the key.

Be clear about the kind of travel experience you want. Do you want to relax, study, visit family and friends, volunteer, have an educational experience, or perhaps a combination of these?

Research the areas you will visit. Check seasonal weather conditions and the cultural climate. What time of year you will be traveling and how long will you be gone? Remember, when in Rome …

Know your budget. Are you looking for wonderful experiences on a modest budget or will it be first class all the way? Don’t underestimate costs. If on a tour, know what charges to expect. Read the fine print and ask good questions.

Be up-to-date on international currency exchange rates.

Consider your health. Do you or your traveling companions have health issues to consider? Plan ahead for any medical concerns that may need to be addressed along the way.

Be prepared to be flexible. How will you handle cancelled or delayed flights? Are you OK with eating as circumstances permit and adventurous about the kinds of food you will encounter?  

Aging in NJ – Home Health for Elders

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Focus Should Be on Slowing, Not Stopping, the Aging Process 

Expert Home Care helps keep seniors and elders at home – safely & independently. Call us to find out how at (800) 848-2336.

Is aging a process or disease we should attempt to stop? Researchers at a recent conference cohosted by the American Federation for Aging Research and The Gerontological Society of America advocate delaying the aging process, according to WebMD Medical News.

Researchers say that rather than hunting for ways to transform older people into younger versions of themselves, we should focus our efforts on enhancing health and vigor and reducing frailty and disability at all ages.

“What we should be pursuing is a way to slow down the biological process of aging rather than stop it. Delaying is the operative word, stopping or reversing should not be in our vocabulary,” says S. Jay Olshansky, PhD, professor of public health at the University of Illinois.

“If we succeeded in delaying aging, the bonus would likely be an extension of life,” Olshansky adds, “but more importantly, in my view, dramatic reductions in health care costs and improvements in public health at all ages.”

Major Concerns Over Aging

Each year Americans spend more than $1 billion on anti-aging cosmetics alone, according to WebMD. And the demand for anti-aging treatments, such as human growth hormone injections, vitamin and mineral supplements, and other types of hormone therapy is rapidly growing.

Visit us in a day to learn how to slow down aging in New Jersey.

Seniors are Unprepared for Retirement in NJ

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Call Expert Home Care provides help to seniors and elders in NJ – living independently at home. Please call 800-848-2336.

American’s lack of financial planning for the future also extends to long-term care insurance. More than half of Americans will need long-term care during their lives. But only seven percent of seniors own private insurance that could help them pay for this type of care, says the Journal of Financial Planning.

Long-term care is simply the help people need when a serious illness, injury or disability makes them physically unable to care for themselves. It can be expensive, with the cost for a year’s nursing home stay averaging $44,000 and adult day care typically $50 a day.

Medicare and Medicaid don’t cover many types of long-term care. And most people can’t afford to pay for it out-of-pocket. Consequently, family members are often left with the burden of providing care. Nearly half of adults age 50 or older provide some care to a family member or loved one, according to AARP’s “The State of 50-Plus America, 2004″. And 31 percent of caregivers quit work to care for an older person with a severe impairment, forfeiting thousands of dollars annually in wages and health benefits.