10 Ways to Stay Mentally Active

By Nemi Weeks

I decided to write this article after an experience I had when I went home for Thanksgiving. I'm a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator with a passion for taking care of the elderly...both at work and at home... both strangers and family.

My mom, who is approaching 60, has left her keys in the keyhole on the outside of the door to her condo several times... Overnight Even!! Scary, huh?

When I went home for Thanksgiving, I noticed she has written "KEYS" on a piece of tape and stuck it to the inside of the door at eye level. Of course, this will only be a reminder for a short period of time (evidenced by the fact that she left them on the outside while we were visiting!), because this tape will become part of the door, thereby causing her to no longer notice it.

Aging can be a frightening process for some. Some may see the downside to aging as less physical mobility, mental decline, and illnesses. As we all know, however, there is certainly an upside, which includes more financial stability, retirement, and grandchildren! There are several ways to ensure more pros than cons when it comes to aging. One way would be to...
Stay mentally active!

Your lifestyle may be the key to slowing cognitive decline. Studies have shown that older adults who are cognitively active were 2.6 times less likely to develop Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia than those who were not.

The following list spells out 10 ways to stay mentally active.

1. Crossword Puzzles: Stimulates the brain, which can cause us to grow more neurons.

2. Attend Lectures: Forces the brain to do a different kind of mental processing by listening to very new information.

3. Go to Plays: Forces the brain to do a different kind of mental processing by listening to and watching something very new.

4. Read and Write Daily: Preserves cognitive function.

5. Gardening: M.Vaccae, a harmless bacteria found in soil, activates brain cells to release mood-lifting chemicals.

6. Board Games: Stimulates the brain, which can cause us to grow more neurons.

7. Video Games: Stimulates the brain, which can cause us to grow more neurons.

8. Stay Curious and Involved: Exposes you to the opportunity to learn something new, which will force the brain to do a different kind of mental processing.

9. Enroll in a Course/Class: Forces the brain to do a different kind of mental processing by studying and applying a new skill.

10. Remain Socially Active: Makes mental activity enjoyable and can reduce stress hormone levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells.

All of these activities have a bonus effect besides brain stimulation: They are all confidence and self-esteem boosters. If nothing else is gained, you're sure to have fun!

Nemi Weeks is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator with a passion for protecting the well-being of the elderly and improving their quality of life. With over 14 years of experience in the Healthcare industry, she is quite familiar with what it takes to remain healthy. She is the owner and operator of Orlando Home Care, a Home Care Referral Agency. You can visit the company website at http://www.orlandohomecare.net, or her blog at http://www.thingselderly.homestead.com/

If you have a friend or a loved one who could use some extra assistance, be sure to tell them about home care services in Northern Central New Jersey. Call your local office today at (908) 668-8200. You can also contact Kevin McClarren at km@homecareassistance.com for more information, or visit us on the web at Home Care Assistance.

Located at Warren Twp (near Watchung) and Parsipanny, NJ our office hours are 9 AM to 5PM Monday through Friday. For our valued clients, we have a care manager on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We look forward to talking with you and providing your in-home care needs.

Family Caregiver Training Offers Valuable and Insightful Information

By Andy West

We are a nation that is aging rapidly, with the largest generation, Baby Boomers, growing near to retirement age. Because of this, there will be many Americans in need of medical care in the next three or four decades, more so than in previous years. This means that more and more children and other relatives will be called upon to take care of their aging relatives. The economy in its current state has financially ruined hundreds of thousands of people, and this will undoubtedly affect the retirement of our Baby Boomers. In home health care and family caregiving, some predict that many of us will become do-it-yourselfers. That doesn't have to be a daunting prospect if you have the right outlook and family caregiver training.

Nurturing those who nurtured you during your early years will give you pride in your familial relationships, not to mention the fact that you will be spending the last days caring for your relatives. The bonds shared during this time will give you memories for a lifetime after they're gone. You'll be helping your family in one of the best ways imaginable. It's a noble calling, but you've got to be prepared in order to do it right. One of the best ways to prepare is by purchasing and watching training DVDs on the subject of elderly home care. Some of the material on training DVDs may already be common knowledge to most, but much of the material may be new to family members who've never had to care for a parent, disabled friend or elderly relative. A variety of videos are available on the market that will assist you in everything from the very basic to the very detailed and concise.

For instance, it's vitally important to know what to do in cases of emergency, such as a home fire, or if the person you're caring for has a heart attack, a stroke, a seizure, or a fall. Falls can have devastating consequences for the elderly, so you need to know what to do so that you can act quickly and calmly. Some efforts taken within the first five minutes of a serious event can save a life. Knowing what to do in family emergencies will enable you to take appropriate action quickly. You will be prepared and know not to panic, or just make plain bad choices. Getting the proper training in family care giver techniques will help you to preserve the life and health of your important loved ones for years to come.

It's not only important to know how to cope with emergencies; you must also know how to assess a person's quality of life and know how you can assist. You may be required to carry out the common day-to-day tasks that caring for an elderly and infirm person demands. Some of them are simple things like knowing how to do laundry efficiently, iron, clean, help with showers and general hygiene. It's also important to understand the value of good nutrition. Your needs may be completely different from your 90 year old aunt. She may need calcium, low sodium, low fat, nutrient enriched supplements, just to name a few. Being able to prepare a variety of different, tasty, nutritious meals is essential to caring for another person, especially when appetites are low. It is essential that the person you are caring for eat regularly, so they can maintain a good quality of life.

Being a good housekeeper, a good cook, and good training all make a great caregiver. With the current prices of medical care and the state of our economy, it's no question that caring for your family will soon be more of a responsibility for the younger generations. Be prepared with family caregiver training, and get your siblings and cousins to join your efforts. You won't soon be disappointed.

Andy west is a writer for Medifecta, is dedicated to enhancing the well-being and knowledge of professionals through family caregiver training. For more information please visit Medifecta.com.

If you have a friend or a loved one who could use some extra assistance, be sure to tell them about home care services in Northern Central New Jersey. Call your local office today at (908) 668-8200. You can also contact Kevin McClarren at km@homecareassistance.com for more information, or visit us on the web at Home Care Assistance.

Located at Warren Twp (near Watchung) and Parsipanny, NJ our office hours are 9 AM to 5PM Monday through Friday. For our valued clients, we have a care manager on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We look forward to talking with you and providing your in-home care needs.

Home Care: Questions to Ask in North Central New Jersey

By Kevin McClarren, Owner, Home Care Assistance

Home care agencies provide services that range from home support such as cleaning, cooking and running errands to help with transportation to MD appointments and more.

To receive quality assistance, it's important to know what questions to ask so that you hire the home care agency that's right for you.

To help you sort through your options, ask questions to help you evaluate the services. There are several facets to home care, and asking the right questions up front can help you choose the best agency for your needs.

Agency qualifications
• How long has the agency been in business?
• Is the agency evaluated and accredited by a governing agency such as The Joint Commission's Home Care Accreditation Program?
• Is the agency licensed by the state? Most states — but not all — require agencies to be licensed and reviewed regularly. These reviews may be available upon request and can be valuable for gauging the quality of an agency. To obtain a report, contact your state health department.
• Can the agency provide references? Ask for a list of doctors, hospital discharge planners and former clients who have experience with the agency.
• How does the agency protect client confidentiality?
• What are the credentials of the providers?

Quality of care
• What is the professional training of the staff?
• Will the agency provide you with the services of nurses aides, CNAs or therapists? Will they work directly with you, your family members or your doctor?
• Are the caregivers bonded and insured?
• Does the agency provide a supervisor to evaluate the quality of home care on a regular basis?
• Does the agency have references on file for home care staff?
• Do employees seem friendly and helpful?

Costs
• How does the agency handle expenses and billing? Does the agency provide literature explaining its services and fees? Does it provide detailed explanations of all the costs associated with home care?
• What resources does the agency provide to help you get financial assistance, if needed?

Understanding services
• Is there a written plan that details services to be provided by each caregiver? Documents — including financial arrangements — should be given to you before service begins so that there's no misunderstanding about the service to be provided.
• Does the agency provide a brochure that outlines fees, eligibility requirements and services provided? Many agencies provide a "patient's bill of rights" that outlines the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved.
• Will you be involved in planning for care or making changes to the care plan?
• Who will be working in your home, and what are his or her specific duties?
• What procedures does the agency have for emergencies? Are caregivers available round-the-clock? Is someone on call?
• How does the agency address and resolve problems? Who can you or another family member contact with requests, questions or complaints?
• Does the home care agency require that you have a primary family caregiver as a condition of admission? If so, what will be required of that person?
• How many hours of coverage a week are allocated?

Brought to you by Home Care Assistance of North Central New Jersey. Serving North Jersey, Central Jersey, North/Central Jersey, Essex County, Morris County, Warren County , Union County , Somerset County , Raritan Valley , and Hunterdon County.

Located at Warren Twp(near Watchung) and Parsipanny, NJ our office hours are 9 AM to 5PM Monday through Friday. For our valued clients, we have a care manager on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call your local office today at (908) 668-8200 or e-mail us directly at km@homecareassistance.com - We look forward to talking with you and providing your in-home care needs.

5 Ways to Pay for Home Care In North Central New Jersey

By Kevin McClarren, Owner, Home Care Assistance

1. Privately paying for long-term care means paying for care out of your own income, investments, savings and assets.

2. Long-term care insurance will pay for in-home care, assisted living, and nursing home care. This is the most appropriate and needed form of insurance protection available to us today. Long-term care insurance should be termed “lifestyle” insurance (it’s NOT nursing home insurance!). If your vision of your later years includes sitting at home in your own recliner, with your own remote control, watching your own TV….well, you should be planning for that future with long-term care insurance.

3. Reverse mortgages (Home Equity Conversion Mortgages) have become one of the most popular and accepted way of paying for many different expenses, including the cost of long-term care. Reverse mortgages are designed to keep seniors at home longer. A reverse mortgage can pay for in-home care, home repair, home modification, and any other need a senior may have.

4. Government assistance should be a last resort when considering how to pay for long-term care. This type of assistance refers to relying on the Medicaid system. Medicaid will pay for long-term care for seniors who cannot afford to pay for care themselves. Keep in mind that Medicaid is an under-funded and over-burdened system, therefore Medicaid resources are limited. This means that in many areas Medicaid beds in nursing homes are difficult to find. Families may end up driving long distances to visit their loved ones. Traditionally, Medicaid resources for in-home care are extremely limited, which means most seniors who apply for Medicaid end up in a nursing home type setting. The Deficit Reduction Act 2005 makes qualifying for Medicaid even more difficult for most families. Planning ahead is really the only viable option for families today.

5. VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit: The Veterans Administration has established a pension program whereby your purchase of personal care and attendant home services may be paid for through your acquired pension. If you are a Veteran or the surviving spouse of a Veteran who has served at least 90 days or more on active duty with one day beginning or ending during a period of war, and you are in need of assistance at HOME due to your disabilities, you may be eligible for VA's non-service connected disability pension.

Brought to you by Home Care Assistance of North Central New Jersey. Serving North Jersey, Central Jersey, North Central Jersey, Essex County, Morris County, Warren County , Union County , Somerset County , Raritan Valley , and Hunterdon County.

Located at Warren Twp (near Watchung) and Parsippany, NJ our office hours are 9 AM to 5PM Monday through Friday. For our valued clients, we have a care manager on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call your local office today at (908) 668-8200 or e-mail us directly at km@homecareassistance.com - We look forward to talking with you and providing your in-home care needs.