Month: December 2021

It can be hard to decide if in-home care is right for your loved one. While we have clients who come to us for a variety of reasons, there are five main reasons why families choose home care. If your loved one suffers from any of the following, in-home care assistance could be exactly what you need! Ease your mind and let your senior remain comfortable in their own home. B’Zoe Home Caregiving Services has seen a majority of clients coming to us for these five reasons. 

Mobility Problems

The first reason people may need in-home care is lack of mobility. As we age, our muscles can get weaker and our joints can become stiff and sore. Losing mobility can make completing daily tasks much harder than they were when we’re younger. In-home care can be required when your loved one’s mobility issues start to affect their daily routine. For example, arthritic in the hands can make it nearly impossible to button shirts, zip jackets, tie shoes, etc. An in-home caregiver will be able to assist your senior with dressing to make sure they always look and feel ready for the day. More serious mobility issues involve problems walking resulting in a cane or walker. You might be apprehensive about your loved one living alone in their house in such a state, so a caregiver is a great option. Falls are extremely common among senior citizens, and they can be serious. Having a caregiver visit regularly will give you peace of mind because your loved one will not be alone for days at a time. 

Diabetes

Another common reason why people seek the assistance of a homecare company is diabetes management. Older adults can develop diabetes, typically Type 2. When you aren’t used to living with the disease, it can be scary and frustrating to get a hold of. In-home caregivers can make the process easier by checking blood sugar levels, assisting the senior with insulin, preparing healthy meals/snacks that are not going to spike blood sugar, and more. Many people struggle to manage their diabetes at first, even more so as an elderly person recently diagnosed. There are rules and regulations that your loved one might not be used to following, so their caregiver can remind them what the doctor said. You can relax knowing that someone is with your loved one to help them along the way and make sure that they stay happy, healthy, and well. While many non-medical in-home care companies will not formally administer insulin to seniors, our caregivers will make sure the blood sugar reading is correct and will help your loved one determine what is needed to regulate their system. 

Heart Conditions

Elderly people are sadly more prone to heart conditions than their younger counterparts. The heart is one of the hardest working parts of the body, and it can suffer wear and tear over time. Dietary and lifestyle changes as we age can also affect the heart’s function, putting seniors at risk of diseases and conditions. When someone has a heart problem, they are given a very specific set of rules to follow by their doctor or cardiologist. Typically, excessive activity, too little activity, heavy lifting, and unhealthy foods make the “do not” list. Hiring an in-home caregiver for your loved one can help in many ways:

• The caregiver can take care of some daily activities that would require too much exertion for the senior.
• The caregiver can take your loved one on short walks if the doctor suggested adding some light exercise into the daily routine.
• A caregiver can move things around if needed including furniture, heavy bags of groceries, etc.
• Caregivers can help your loved one plan healthy meals and stock the home with heart-healthy snacks. 

Alzheimer’s/Dementia

Alzheimer’s and other forms of Dementia are terrible diseases. They affect the cognitive function of your loved one, making them lose their memory and struggle to complete tasks that were once second nature to them. Caregivers are specially trained in caring for Alzheimer’s patients and understand what the disease is and how they can relieve some of the stress that comes with it. B’Zoe Home Caregiving Services offers services for dementia patients such as grooming help, dressing help, companionship, medication reminders, and more. Aging in place is a fantastic option for seniors with dementia because they get to stay in an environment they are comfortable and familiar with. Dealing with the progressing illness is hard enough without them needing to worry about living somewhere they don’t know! Keeping them at home also allows you and other family members to visit however often you’d like, and allows you to set the schedule, rules, and routine. Your loved one will appreciate having the family over often and the familiarity of it all can help slow the effects of the disease. 

Post-Hospital Care

Did your senior/adult family member just get out of the hospital? Following surgeries or hospital stays, older adults might need some extra help around the house. That’s where in-home care comes in! Just about all caregiving companies offer short-term commitments for post-hospital care. You can hire a trained caregiver to stop in and help out your loved ones as they recover. B’Zoe Home Caregivers will help to keep your loved one and their home neat and tidy. We’ll take care of miscellaneous tasks as well as provide companionship while your senior is isolated during their recovery period. Having someone to talk to can really lift a patient’s spirits, and we’re sure they’ll love the caregiver we match them with!

Still unsure about choosing in-home care? Feel free to do some research about different senior care options. In addition to home care, you have assisted living facilities and retirement homes. Aging in place is the most preferred arrangement according to many surveys of seniors, but you should choose what is right for your family and situation. B’Zoe Home Care has a staff of highly trained caregivers that are matched to clients based on personality, needs, and lifestyle. We guarantee your senior will love their caregiver! Learn more about our in-home care services at https://bzoehomecare.com/. Call us at (206) 953-4900 to schedule a FREE consultation! We look forward to hearing from you. 

We are all familiar with assisted living facilities and nursing homes for the elderly, but have you heard about the current most popular senior care method? Aging in place involves in-home care services that keep your senior happy and healthy while allowing them to stay in their own home and maintain their independence. More and more seniors are requesting in-home care each year as they learn about what it is and why it’s a great choice. Let’s take a look at the process!

What is Aging in Place?

Aging in place is exactly what you would imagine it to be; growing older in the home you’ve lived in for years. Many elderly people prefer the idea of staying at home in their old age rather than relocating to a nursing home or assisted living facility. Aging in place is the most popular method of senior care because it allows your loved one to maintain a level of independence that other methods do not. Additionally, they can stay in the home they are comfortable in near friends and family. Various senior living facilities have rules and regulations in place regarding leaving the facility, seeing visitors, and doing various tasks. If your senior is still active and stubborn about sticking to their routine, aging in place could be a great option! Of course, there are some problems that can accompany aging in place, but they are typically easy to solve. If your loved one needs some form of care, contact an in-home care company like B’Zoe Home Caregiving Services. Our staff brings care to your loved one’s front door on a flexible schedule that’s set by you and the client. 

Is it Right For My Loved One?

How can you know if aging in place is suitable for your elderly loved one? Keep an eye out for any of the following:

• The layout of the home: Are there several stairs that must be climbed regularly. And can your loved one navigate them safely?
• The size of the home: Can your elderly loved one keep things tidy and in order? Caregivers will help with basic tasks, but most home maintenance is not included in services.
• The health of your senior: Is your loved one in great health with the exception of some achy joints and a bit of balance loss? The healthier a senior is, the more it makes sense to keep them at home for as long as possible. Alzheimer’s and dementia patients can benefit greatly from staying in a familiar environment, but if they require a lot of care, it may not be a great fit.
• Your loved one’s needs: Of course, you need to take into account the needs of your senior. Do they need basic help here and there, or are most daily tasks a struggle for them? In-home care is best suited for those who require some assistance during the day but not 24/7 watch. 24-hour care is absolutely an option if your home has the space, but most in-home care at least starts out with a few hours at a time. 

Other things to consider include the status of your senior’s social life, their routine, how frequently they see family and friends, and how capable they are at doing things like cooking and cleaning. In-home caregivers are chosen by the client to ensure a good personality match. One of their most important jobs ends up being a friend to your loved one. While the staff at assisted living facilities and nursing homes rotates and changes constantly, you will only have one caregiver who will form a bond with your senior and quickly become a friend to them. Companionship is far more important than people realize, and in-home care guarantees one-on-one time that is not promised at facilities. 

What Are The Benefits?

There are countless benefits to in-home care and aging in place, though they will differ by client. Here are a few that are cited most frequently by our clients and their family members:

1. It gives the senior more independence and lets them stay comfortable in their home
2. The care schedule is flexible based on needs and lifestyle
3. Strong bonds form between the client and their hand-picked caregiver
4. There are no restrictions on visitations or “excursions” to other places
5. Caregivers can come in for a few hours to help when needed, and then the senior can have the rest of the day to themselves
6. Aging in place is almost always more affordable than assisted living or nursing homes
7. It’s believed that staying in a familiar environment and sticking to a routine can slow memory loss in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients
8. You can alter the care plan as needed if new issues arise
9. In-home care can be used for short-term recovery after surgeries or hospital stays
10. Pets, plants, kids, and friends are all welcome! There are no restrictions in your own home!

We could go on for days about the benefits of aging in place, but this seems like a sufficient list for the time being. As you can see, there are many selling points that ultimately convince seniors and their families to give in-home care a try. We guarantee that once you do, you won’t want it any other way. Be sure to find an in-home care company that provides the services you need as not all offer medical services. 

We hope this brief article has given you some insight as to why aging in place is the most preferred method of senior care. B’Zoe Home Caregiving Services has been in business for years offering personalized care plans with flexible hours. We take the time to meet each of our new clients so that we can match you with the perfect caregiver. We are currently accepting new clients, so give us a call at (206) 953-4900 to schedule a FREE consultation. Visit www.bzoehomecare.com to learn more about us. We look forward to speaking with you!

You likely don’t think twice about tying your shoes, getting up out of bed, or using various devices in your home. For many seniors, that is no longer the case. Simple tasks become challenging as our bodies age and change, and it can quickly feel like you’re losing independence. Give your elderly loved one more freedom with some senior-specific gizmos and gadgets! As home care professionals, we’ve seen first-hand the types of tasks that seniors struggle with, and all of the products we will be discussing target at least one of these daily to-dos!

Amazon Echos, Apple Alexas, Google Home, Etc

Millions of households have Amazon Echos or Apple Alexas these days. If you’re unfamiliar with the devices, they are smart centers that respond to voice commands. They can search the internet, play music, tell jokes, and even control other connected devices in the home. These hands-free options have changed the way seniors age in place. They don’t need to get up to walk to a light switch, they can just ask Google or Alexa to turn it on for them. They can ask about the weather, request a phone call with family or friends, set reminders for appointments or medication, and more. If there’s a tech-savvy member of the family who can set up these devices to other areas of the home, your senior will be able to control all kinds of technology with nothing but their voice. 

Tile Stickers

No, we are not talking about the adhesive floor or wall tiles! Tile is a brand that creates small devices that can be attached to commonly-misplaced items. Using an app on your phone, you can call your Tiles to help you find where the item is. You can also do the reverse and press a Tile to help you find your phone! All of the Tile products are extremely useful for seniors, but stickers are easy to attach to just about anything. Add a Tile Sticker to the TV Remote, the house phone, files of important documents, and anything else your senior is prone to losing track of. Now, when something is misplaced there’s no need to panic. Tile can help you find it in minutes. 

Ring Doorbells

We should all be familiar with Ring Doorbells by now, but if you aren’t, it’s essentially a doorbell with video and audio capabilities. Whenever someone is at the door, you can check the live video on a phone or tablet. This is a great security measure for seniors as they can check who is at the door before unlocking it. If it’s family or friends, it’s safe to let them inside, but if it’s someone unfamiliar, your loved one can communicate with them through the speaker to find out what they are there for. Ring Doorbells record as soon as it detects motion, regardless of the time of day. If packages go missing, gardens are destroyed, or any other suspicious behavior occurs, you can see it on the app. Ring allows multiple users access to the security footage, so you can keep an eye on mom or dad’s front door from wherever you are!

Handles/Rails/Stands for Showers, Toilets, Beds, Etc. 

With more and more seniors opting to age in place, it’s common to need to make updates to the home to make it more senior-friendly. Though not nearly as high-tech as the other gadgets we’ve mentioned so far, stability handles, railings, and stands are a must-have in elderly homes. Showering can be dangerous due to slippery surfaces and limited mobility, so installing a handle or rail is a fantastic idea. In any area of the home where your loved one needs to get up and down (toilets, beds, couches, etc.), consider adding a handle to the nearby wall, or a free-standing stability stand. These allow seniors to pull themselves up and lower themselves down carefully. By using arm and leg muscles, your senior will be less fatigued and can move around more freely. 

Reachers/Grabbers

Every house with elderly residents should have at least one grabber/reacher. We’ve all played with these in the past, usually with a fun animal head on the end like a shark or bird. However, there are very professionally-built grabbers that are perfect for elderly loved ones. They won’t have to climb onto a stool to reach up high, they won’t need to bed down low, and they can stay seated to grab something that is just out of reach. When shopping for grabbers for your senior, look for those that are sturdy without being too heavy, and preferably those that require light pressure to operate. Grip strength isn’t always great among the elderly, so keep that in mind. Some grabbers even have locking options so that whatever you pick up is securely trapped between the pinchers. They’re so convenient you might even get some for your own home!

LifeAlert or Other Emergency Call Devices

This last gadget may be known for its slightly dramatic commercials and infomercials, but it truly is a lifesaver. LifeAlert or other similar emergency communication devices can make the difference between life and death for elderly people. “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” isn’t just a figure of speech after all. Seniors may trip or lose their balance and end up falling down. They could sustain serious injuries to the hips or legs that prevent them from being able to get back up. If they’re home alone, that is clearly a problem. LifeAlert and similar gadgets are worn as necklaces, bracelets, or hooked onto clothes so that they are always within reach. With the press of a button, your senior can alert authorities that they need medical assistance. It’s like having 911 on speed dial all the time. These devices typically allow communication to explain the situation and what injuries are sustained, and some share location directly to first responders. Senior citizens are not attached to cell phones like younger people are, so there’s a very good chance they won’t be able to reach it when needed. LifeAlert devices ensure 24/7 protection and the ability to communicate with medical professionals. 

The internet is full of gadgets, technology, inventions, and products that can make life easier and safer for your elderly loved ones. They will allow your senior to have more freedom and remain at home safely. For those tasks that are still too difficult even with fun gadgets, consider hiring an in-home caregiver. B’Zoe Home Caregiving Service has been in business for years offering flexible scheduling, highly-trained professional caregivers, and a wide range of personalized services. We carefully match caregivers with clients based on needs, lifestyle, and personality so that a true bond is formed. In-home care allows your loved one to remain independent and comfortable in their own home, making the process of getting older less intimidating. Call us today at (206) 953-4900 to schedule a FREE consultation!