From Raising a Son With Functional Needs to Caring for Elders
“As a child, my grandfather would always tell me that when I grew up I should find a job I really loved and I’d never actually work a day in my life,” Larry Bell says. “I didn’t understand that sentiment until I became a caregiver."
Promising New Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Studies
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and to highlight innovative research to help prevent and treat cognitive diseases, we interviewed Dr. Daniel Murman, a neurologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, Nebr. Dr. Murman focuses on older adults who have cognitive impairment or dementia. He is the UNMC Director of Behavioral and Geriatric Neurology Program and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research. With nearly 25 years of his career dedicated to Alzheimer’s, Dr. Murman is currently leading a clinical trial on preventing Alzheimer’s.
Differences Between In-Home Care Services
When an older loved one or adult with a disability needs caring support at home, it can feel daunting to know which professional care services are best. Who can help with bathing and meals? Is a registered nurse needed for wound care? Can hospice care happen at home?
Air Travel Tips for Seniors With Health and Mobility Issues
At Right at Home, we believe that age or disability should not be a hindrance to travel. If you are considering longer-distance adventures with a loved one who has health or mobility issues, here are a few air travel tips and advice we have for you.
Smartphone Apps to Help Caregivers of Older Adults
From medication management, to identifying health programs and keeping up with medical appointments, these 5 smartphone apps are designed to make life easier for caregivers.
A Labor of Love: Caregiving With Understanding and Empathy
“There are lots of times when I get in my car and cry after leaving a client’s house,” says Harwell, caregiver with Right at Home. “But I get it out, then move on. I come into their lives because their health is failing in some capacity, but I get glimpses of what their lives have been like — filled with love, laughter, adventure, family and hobbies. It’s so nice to be able to see those things in all of them.”
Retired Nurse Launching Second Career in Home Care
"I don’t work as a nurse specifically now, but I can certainly draw upon what I’ve learned in my nursing career,” Rodgers points out. Her hospital nurse experience prepared her for caring for older adults with challenging health conditions. “Because I’ve worked in acute health settings, I know how to look beyond the disease process and see the person,” Rodgers says.
Arthritis Prevention and Care Tips
Anyone of any age can get arthritis—the Arthritis Foundation says that about 300,000 babies and children have arthritis or a rheumatic condition—but the joint disease becomes more common with age. The CDC states that from 2013 to 2015, almost half of people age 65 and older in the U.S. reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
Caregiver Resilience in Chronic and Hospice Care
“I like spending time with people, and I like being able to help them,” Traina says. “I have an awareness about how other people are feeling, and I know the right way to respond to their needs. I’ve been given this gift, and I want to be able to use it for as long as I can.”
Coping With Early-Onset Alzheimer’s
“Although the symptoms of forgetfulness and loss of short-term memory, judgment and abstract thinking are the same as later-onset Alzheimer’s, early-onset patients get a lot worse a lot earlier,” Dr. Darby Beach said. “Early-onset Alzheimer’s progresses faster, and we don’t know why. The average person lives for eight years with Alzheimer’s—early onset is a little less at roughly five or six years.”