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What Adult Children of Seniors Should Know About Senior Care

Senior Care in Pleasant Hill CA
Senior Care in Pleasant Hill CA

Senior care at home is a great option for seniors that need some extra help but want to remain in their own homes. If you can’t be there for your parents around the clock having a caregiver helping your parents in their home will give you the peace of mind of knowing that someone is helping your parents with the activities of daily living. If you’re starting to look into home care for your aging loved ones here are some things that you should know about senior care at home:

It’s More Affordable Than You Think

It’s a common misconception that a home care provider is expensive. When compared to the costs of other forms of care, an in-home caregiver’s rates are very reasonable in most cases. And there are many different ways to pay for in home care for a senior parent. Your parent’s insurance may pay for senior care at home. Medicaid also may pay some or all of the cost of a home caregiver in some circumstances.

You Can Customize Care Plans Based On Your Parent’s Needs

Senior care at home is customizable to meet your parent’s unique needs. You can work with a senior care specialist to develop an at home care plan that will provide your parent the support they need to thrive at home as they get older. And if their needs change over time their care plan can be updated to reflect their changing needs.

Senior Care Is Good For Physical And Mental Health

A home care provider does a lot more than just cook meals or clean. By providing companionship a home care worker keeps your parent or parents engaged and social. A caregiver can motivate your senior loved one to be more active, to eat better, and to get out of the house and be more social. Seniors have an increased risk of developing depression and being isolated is one of the factors that can cause a senior to develop depression. Having a friendly person to talk to is just as important for a senior’s good health as having healthy meals and getting exercise regularly.

Respite Care Is Available Too

If you’re taking care of a senior loved one a senior care giver can provide respite care so that you can take some time to focus on your own needs. Everyone needs a break sometimes, especially when you’re caring for your parents and taking care of your family and working. A friendly home care worker can give you a day off to run errands and take care of yourself or they can even come to stay with your parent when you need to travel for work or for any other reason. Respite care will give you the peace of mind of knowing that your loved one is safe at home.

The adult children of aging parents often feel guilty for thinking about hiring home care for their parents but senior care givers are a great solution that will help your parent or parents stay in their home safely as they get older.

Sources:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/depression-and-older-adults

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Pleasant Hill, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Healthier Meals Start With Meal Planning

Take out meals are becoming your parents’ normal routine. They have pizza one night and Chinese the next. Their doctors say it needs to stop. The high-sodium, high-sugar, high-fat meals are impacting their health.

You want to help them improve their diet, but it’s hard to come up with healthier meals that they can cook. They don’t like some of the meals you suggest. They’re worried about the added cost of healthier foods. How do you get them to stick to a healthy diet?

Plan Weekly Menus

Come up with weekly menus that match your parents’ dietary needs. Make sure each meal contains more vegetables and fruit than meats or starches. Keep side dishes to whole grains for the fiber. Beans are another good source of fiber. Round it out with a lean protein. Fish is ideal.

You can print free menu planners online that have the weekly menu on one side and a grocery list on the other. As you come up with meals they are interested in eating, jot down the ingredients they don’t have on hand. This way, you don’t forget anything when you do go shopping.

There are apps and online programs that help you with meal planning. Use them to find intriguing recipes, create shopping lists, and print out a menu plan.

Plan in Advance

Save time by prepping some items when you return with groceries. If you know three of the recipes for the week require diced onions, dice the onions in advance. When you go to cook the recipe, you can pull out a storage container with the onions and take as much as you need.

If you’re doing grilled chicken kebabs one night, you could freeze chicken cubes in their marinade. The chicken breast has time to soak up the marinade, which tastes better. Make enough for multiple recipes by purchasing the chicken breasts in bulk and packaging it separately.

Shop With Rewards and Coupons

Many grocery stores have rewards programs that offer discounts throughout the month. If your parents are worried about signing up and sharing their email, set up a spam email account. It’s an email they’ll have that they only use to sign up for free rewards programs.

As the store gets used to their frequent purchases, targeted savings start pouring in. They may find themselves getting $10 discounts on weekly grocery purchases or $5 off a $20 purchase from the produce department. Some stores even offer monthly freebies like a free package of oatmeal or a free yogurt.

Hire senior care services and help your parents with grocery shopping and meal preparation. Your mom and dad can have caregivers to assist them with menu planning, grocery lists, and shopping trips. Make arrangements by calling a senior care agency.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Pleasant Hill, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.