Category Archives: Caregiver Corner

Special Needs Resources

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 24, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

The Internet has proven to be an enormously helpful resource to parents. Especially to parents of special needs children, whom have created communities of support and sharing. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at all the places all over the ‘Net that can help out parents of children with special needs.

Articles:

The Huffington Post has quite a few articles about kids with special needs
Mashable has less articles for parents of special needs kids, but they’re quality, and there will likely be more in the future
Some local papers and magazines have special needs sections, but the one on L.A. Parent’s site is particularly commendable

Blogs:

Love that Max is written by a mom raising her son, who has cerebral palsy
Chasing Rainbows was started to keep this mom’s family updated on her son, Gavin, who had an un-diagnosed genetic condition. Gavin has, very sadly, since passed away, but her blog remains a resource for those with special needs children
Fighting Monsters with Rubber Swords is by a dad who is searching for answers about his daughter’s rare disease

Websites:

Disability Scoop has articles about both adults and children with disabilities
SpecialNeedsParenting.net has the subtitle, “Not Alone: Finding Faith and Friendship for the Special Needs Journey”
The Cystic Fibrous Foundation has information, research and ways to get involve

You can find many of these resources, and more, on our Pinterest board: Special Needs Resources.

What are the best sites you’ve found that have tips, advice and support for parents of special needs kids? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

Caregiving in Movies

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 15, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the US release of the film “Love Actually.” There are many characters that people may remember this movie for: Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Alan Rickman as the cheating husband, Liam Neeson as a mourning step-father. But one of the most memorable characters (for us, at least) is Laura Linney as Sarah: an employee of Alan Rickman’s character, in love with her coworker, and a caregiver of her brother. We won’t spoil the film, but it does show the hard balance that a caregiver strives for, between their personal life, and providing support to their caree.

In more recent years, a spade of caregiving-related films have been released, including “Amour,” “Robot & Frank,” “August: Osage County,” “Nebraska,” and more. Each explores the relationship that a caregiver has with their charge. Some of the films show the frustration that a caregiver can feel, and some show the frustration that a caree can feel with themselves, their diagnosis or their caregiver.

This relationship is one that is so complex, and so different depending on the pair and the caregiving team, that a thousand movies could be made on the subject. And, of course, there are also documentaries. While “Alive Inside,” isn’t about caregivers necessarily, it does feature them occasionally, as they react to the film’s goal of providing music to seniors with dementia. The documentary does such a good job of showing the effect of music on the elderly and their memory, it won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival this year.

Which of these movies have you seen? Which do you love? What are other movies featuring caregivers that you would recommend?

World Kindness Day

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 13, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Today, November 13^th, is World Kindness Day. How perfect that it comes in the middle of National Family Caregivers Month, National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and Military Family Month. Those are three different entities that are all about kindness to others.

Today, you are encouraged to perform an act of kindness for another. It can be large or small. It can cost you money, or it can be free. It can even before a non-human creature. For instance, instead of squashing a spider you find in your house, scoop it into a cup and take it outside to a plant. Not only are you being kind to the spider, you’re doing the plant a favor, as many spiders eat insects that destroy plants.

The origin of World Kindness Day comes from Japan, back in 1997, when the Small Kindness Movement came together with other countries to celebrate these little moments. Now it’s celebrated in many countries, and in many ways. In Cincinnati today, healthy snacks were being given out by and to the community, Tucson is taking the day to talk about a local non-profit that has sprinkled the town with murals dedicated to kindness, and, further afield, in Nigeria, a well-known artist is donating several of his works to a foundation that helps those in need heart surgery.

What are some of your ideas for World Kindness Day? What are some random acts of kindness you may have performed over the past year? Today is about inspiring kindness every day.

What is: Lewy Body Disease

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 7, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

One of the scariest issues with Lewy Body Dementia (sometimes called Lewy Body Disease) is that it is difficult to diagnose, often resembling (for months or years) Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. But it’s imperative to get a correct diagnosis to receive the best treatment for this disease. According to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, “Some people with LBD are extremely sensitive or may react negatively to certain medications used to treat Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s in addition to certain over-the-counter medications.”

Additionally, Lewy Body Dementia is not something that can be “tested” for sure. A completely accurate diagnosis can only be performed after the patient dies, when, during the autopsy, the tell-tale “Lewy Bodies” can be found on the brain.

So what is this disease? It’s a form of dementia that can cause hallucinations and “spontaneous features of parkinsonism.” It can be all-encompassing in the way many people experience Alzheimer’s, or sometimes there can be times of clarity.

A great resource for how to give care to those with Lewy Body Dementia can be found on Pines Education Institute of Southwest Florida YouTube Page. In the videos, dementia expert Teepa Snow explains what the disease is, and how to solve movement problems. Check out this informative video:

Another great resource is our TotalHomeCareSupplies.com Pinterest board, “Learn About Lewy Body Disease.”

How to Keep a Senior’s Home Sweet-Smelling

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 5, 2014 under BladderMatters, Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Everyone wants to make sure that their home smells lovely, and is inviting to their guests. But as seniors age, their sense of smell can become diminished. Additionally, they may not be able to perform the upkeep and cleaning tasks that can be necessary to keep a home or apartment or room smelling nice. Sometimes they need some help. Check out the below tips to keep the scents pleasant.

Make sure their incontinence products are a perfect fit
Small urine leaks can dry quickly and leave nary a sign that they ever existed … except for odor. If your loved one has a favorite chair, and a slight leak, their clothes may be washed within a few days, but perhaps not the chair. Incontinence products must fit correctly if they’re going to prevent leaks. Do not buy a larger size of diaper or pull-up because you think they may be more absorbent – that isn’t how they work. You can read more about how to prevent leaks in our blog post here.

Get the carpets cleaned at least once a year
Regular vacuuming can help, but a proper steam cleaning can deal with stains, odor and more. You can rent a steam cleaner from the store, or get a professional cleaning.

Dispose of incontinence products correctly
Don’t just throw away disposable briefs any old place. Try to keep their disposal inside one room. Ideally, a garbage can that can individually package each diaper is best, such as ones from Akord.

Don’t just cover up smells – eliminate them
While diffusers, wall-plugs and other good smelling items can make a room smell nice, they’re not getting rid of the bacteria that is causing the odor. Try spraying Fabreeze or another product that specifically states that it eliminates odor-causing bacteria.

Check for UTIs
Urinary tract infections can cause pungent odors in urine, sometimes more than the average disposable brief can deal with. If you feel that your senior’s scent has changed dramatically for the worse in a small amount of time, or if there are any other side effects, like an unwillingness to use the restroom or a change in behavior, have a doctor test them. Checking for UTIs only involves a urine test, so can be diagnosed quickly.

What other tips do our blog readers have? We’d love to hear them!

Gifts for Caregivers

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 31, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Do you have a friend or family member who is a full-time caregiver? Or part-time? The holidays are just around the bend, and it’s time to start making those lists. But what to get that person who may not have time to enjoy the latest gadget or tickets to the movies? Here are just a few suggestions.

Gift of Time
Are you able to take over for the caregiver for a few hours? If you know their caree well enough and are okay with taking over for your friend (or family member), give them a few hours off. They can do with it what they choose – errand running, visiting a friend, taking a nap. Just try to emphasize that the time should be spent doing something for them. Or, if the caregiver has a backup person they often use, and you can pay for that person to come in for one extra session, that’s a great gift, too.

Meals
Have them over for dinner, specifically on a night when you know they’re free. Or take them out to lunch, again when you know they’re able to take off for a bit. Or if they can’t find the time to get away, bring them some coffee and a croissant, and sit and chat with them and their caree. You can offer any of these treats by creating a coupon, or even a homemade coupon book.

Books
On TotalHomeCareSupplies.com’s Pinterest page, we have a whole board devoted to books that are about and for caregivers. It’s a way of saying “I may not understand what you’re going through, but here’s someone who does.” Bonus – get two copies of the book and offer to read it with them, so they have someone with whom to discuss the content.

Tips on Converting Your Home to a Senior Friendly Home

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 24, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Falls are the leading cause of injury death among seniors. So if you are retrofitting your home before your parents come to live with you, that statistic needs to be the first thought in your mind. But it shouldn’t be the only change you consider.

Bathroom
While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention does compile statistics about where people fall in general (the home leading the pack), it does not collect stats about where people fall within their homes. But it seems likely that the bathroom is the main culprit, between its slippery floors and lack of handholds. Determining where and how to install grip bars can be one of the most important updates to a bathroom. If necessary, follow that up with a toilet riser and make sure any mats on the ground are slip-proof. Falls on the way to the bathroom can also occur, so make sure the pathway to the restroom is clear, or invest in some adult pull-ups so there doesn’t need to be such a rush.

Kitchen
The most alarming part of the kitchen is the risk of fire if the stove is left on. This can be prevented with knob cover locks that go over the stove controls. While that may take care of the fire risk, there are other risks to be assessed. Fatigue from standing can cause falling in the elderly. If your floor needs to be replaced anyway, consider installing a cork floor – they’re much more comfortable and supportive of the feet. If you’re not looking to go that far, you can always apply floor mats, provided they themselves don’t become a trip or slip hazard.

Indoors and Out
Some seniors with dementia have a tendency to wander. This can be very dangerous, but the solution can be simple. Sometimes just putting a bell on a front or back doorknob is all you need. But if that’s not loud enough or your elder decides to remove it, high locks can be installed.

Good luck with making the necessary changes to your home, and we’re sure your elderly parent or parents will appreciate your efforts.

Talking with Others about Your Special Needs Child

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 20, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Whom you talk to about your special needs child is completely up to you. You may have coworkers who know you have a child, but little about them. Or someone you chat with at the coffee shop, but it just hasn’t come up yet. When and if you do tell these people about your child, what are the pieces of information to share?

Don’t feel the need to tell them the whole diagnosis
You can keep things simple when talking about your child’s diagnosis. You can say “they’re autistic” instead of telling them the details, or even just say “they’re on the spectrum.” You may remember all the things the doctor has said over the years, but your kid may have already grown out of some of those diagnoses. Only share information you’re comfortable with telling them.

Tell them the positive things, but only as much as you’d like
Maybe your child rode their bike for the first time last week, and you’d like to share that with a friend. Go right ahead! But you also don’t need to get too personal. Having a feeding tube removed may be incredible news to your family, but if you feel like it’s too much to get into with someone you don’t know very well, don’t worry about it. You can just say you had a really great weekend and leave it at that.

Don’t hide the realities: talk about the stress
ALL parents are stressed. Raising children is a stressful process. You don’t need to only talk about your child’s achievements and make every day sound like a miraculous one. Your friends, even those without kids, can relate to someone being stubborn. Denying the reality of the situation just means you take more of those stresses on to your shoulders, instead of sharing them and being able to laugh about them later.

Above all, stay in your comfort zone. Just because someone is sharing about their kid, doesn’t mean you have to share about yours. Or just because they’re not sharing, doesn’t mean you can’t tell them that you’re really proud/happy/frustrated with/enamored of your child. We here at TotalHomeCareSupplies.com would love to hear about your experiences talking with friends, family or acquaintances about your special needs child.

Helping Your Elderly Parents with Their Finances

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 6, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

There’s no denying that helping your parents sort out their finances can be a daunting task. How well they respond to your offer to help, how organized they are and how spread out their finances are – these can all be contributors to the difficulty of the job. But it is doable, and with a little help for yourself, you’ll find you can get all those figures under control.

First, there’s actually getting your parents to allow you to participate. If they’re particularly reluctant, you can always just ask them to speak to an elder-care attorney. This article shows that that might be a good idea no matter the case: the attorney quoted in the post says he spends most of his time fixing the mistakes people made when they tried to do everything themselves. Your parents should also, at the least, tell you where they keep their financial information in case of an emergency.

If you’re able to actually help them with a budget, be sure to schedule that time for when everyone is relaxed. Don’t lump it into when you’re already going to take them to a doctor’s appointment – many people, whether or not they tell you, can become anxious before appointments. Try to schedule a time to sit down with some kind of reward at the end: a nice dinner out or a visit with the grandkids.

Don’t necessarily use your own budget as a template for theirs. They may have expenses you wouldn’t think of at first, like extra money for medical equipment, incontinence supplies or higher insurance premiums.

With a lot of patience, you can work together with your parents to get them financially set. Good luck, and let us know if you have any advice you’d like to share in the comments.

Three Things You Can Do To Prevent Falls

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on September 29, 2014 under BladderMatters, Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

September is National Fall Prevention Month, to coincide with the start of the fall/autumn season. Falls are often the reason why seniors end up in the hospital. With so many situations where falls can be prevented, it’s worth the time to check and make sure the seniors you know are safe in their homes, nursing homes or while out and about.

Check on medications
Not only do medications affect each person individually, some medications can affect older people differently from the young. The elderly also tend to take more medications, which can lead to un-intended and sometimes dangerous drug interactions. The side effects of these medications can lead to dizziness, or confusion, both states which can creat a higher risk of falling. Caregivers should be certain to go over, and repeat if necessary, all medications their caree is taking to doctors, nurses and pharmacists. You never know who is going to catch an adverse combination.

Solve any incontinence issues
A common time when seniors fall is when they’re trying to get to the bathroom. The sudden urge to go and a diminished ability to walk can lead to a fall. Not only is it important to make sure that all paths to the restroom in the senior’s home are clear, incontinence problems should be addressed and solutions found. If the senior can wear a pad or a brief, then the need to get to the restroom quickly is mitigated. Additionally, nighttime falls are common, when the light is low and the senior may be disoriented. Sometimes using incontinence supplies only at night can solve this problem.

Help encourage balance
Physical therapy can be one way to help an elderly person regain their balance, especially after an injury or illness. Another way can be to try exercises that encourage balance, such as Tai Chi. Or simple stretches and strengthening exercises to make sure those muscles are there when needed.

To find more information and more ways to prevent falls, you can check out this National Council on Aging Page. And let us know in the comments how you prevent falls for your senior!