entrusthomecare-blog

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Senior Care Edmonton | CarePros

Searching for Senior Care Provider in Edmonton? Find the right CarePro for you & your family. We connect you with the best CarePros – easily and efficiently. Our experienced CarePros promote safety, dignity, and independence in the home by assisting your loved ones with Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s).

For More details visit our website: https://carepros.ca/senior-care/

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Home Care Providers - CarePros

Are you looking for home care in Edmonton and surrounding areas? CarePros is an award winning company who provides home care to seniors who want to stay in their homes. Learn about our Edmonton services here.

For More details visit our website: https://carepros.ca/

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CarePros - in home care provider

Searching for in home care provider in Edmonton and surrounding areas? CarePros Provide safe and healthy home environment for the sick or aging.

For more details visit our website: https://carepros.ca

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Home Care Providers | Edmonton Home Care

Are you looking for home care providers in Edmonton and surrounding areas? Home care providers by Care Pros are available for elderly family members and loved ones who prefer to remain in the comfort of their own homes.

For More details visit our website: https://carepros.ca/

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Senior Home Care in Edmonton

In-Home Care, Elder Care and Senior Home Care services provided by Entrust Home Care, one of the leading senior home care Providers across Canada. We are flexible and committed to serving your needs in the way that's most convenient for you.

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Replace Demeaning Phrase “Parenting the Parent” with “Caring for a Parent”

When caring for an elderly parent there are days when you have probably thought to yourself that YOU feel like the parent and oh, how things have changed! Your mother or father who have been a guiding force in your life, are now dependent on you as you once were on them.

If you have used the phrase “role reversal” or “parenting the parents,” you’re in good company.  It’s a catch phrase in the elder care industry used with good intentions to describe how family caregivers can sometimes feel – helpless or frustrated as they bathe, groom and even change diapers for their elderly parents.  However, these phrases can contribute to negative, disrespectful patterns of thinking and we should consider using them more carefully.

Words and thoughts carry meaning, and affect how you view and approach situations. Suggesting your loved one is reversing in maturity, is needy, or is behaving as a child – is demeaning.  Since actions are based in thought, we need to keep our thoughts respectful and positive, as much as possible. Keeping a positive perspective will also benefit all involved.

Instead of thinking the parenting roles have reversed, think of yourself as having an important role as a caregiver that evolves with time.  You’re helping a loved one who deserves to age with respect and dignity.  You probably know your parents better than anyone, and as you are caring for them or assisting in their care along with a caregiving professional, they deserve your utmost opinion that reflects your love for them.

Contact us to learn more about how our professional caregivers can respectfully help your parents remain independent.

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Edmonton senior home care

Caring for an elderly loved one in the Edmonton area is made easy with Senior Homecare by Entrust Home Care Edmonton. Our caregivers understand how aging can make living at home difficult for seniors, and we offer the compassion, care, and support that elderly Edmonton residents need in order to live comfortably at home.

For More details visit our webpage: https://goo.gl/LqCJZu

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3 Simple Ways to Organize Your Elder’s Medical Records

Did you know that 20% of Medicare patients have five or more chronic conditions, see 14 different physicians a year and fill 50 prescriptions annually! That’s a lot to manage, for both the patients and the healthcare professionals.

To ensure your elderly loved one is receiving the best possible care and medications are working properly, it’s critical to keep accurate medical records of all conditions, physicians, medications, etc.

While the thought of tackling piles of paperwork may seem overwhelming, it can save you a lot of time and money and prevent unnecessary health problems down the road.

Here are three simple ways to organize your elder’s medical records to help ensure accurate diagnoses and treatment:

Home Helpers Medical History Organizer: This simple document outlines all critical medical information, including identification, blood type, existing conditions, medications and emergency contact information.

In the event of an emergency, EMTs will have easy access to lifesaving information. The vinyl pouch features a reusable sticky back that can be applied to virtually any non-porous surface, and the sticker adheres to the front door to alert EMTs where to find the information.

Create a medical journal: Roll up your sleeves and get crafty! All you need is a three-ring binder and some tabs. Separate into sections, including:

Physician contact information

Appointment calendar

Insurance information

Prescriptions

Receipts and financial paperwork

Go paperless by utilizing online portals: These websites offer a simple solution to organizing your loved one’s medical records. The best part is the information is accessible 24/7 online:

My Family     Health Portrait: This free tool sponsored by the Surgeon General allows     you to enter and save your information so you can print and update it at     your convenience.

MyMediConnect: This     secure online portal is free and convenient, allowing you to set up     medication and appointment reminders and track wellness. You can also     request for the website to obtain your medical records for you.

MotherKnows: Seniors     aren’t the only ones who can benefit from organized medical records.     Children and young adults also see quite a few doctors in the early stages     of life to receive immunizations and ensure proper growth. This website     tracks all your information and presents it in easy-to-read graphs and     charts. Packages range from $9.95/month per child to $249/year per child.

Not only will the new, organized you feel more confident and in control, but it could save your loved one’s life!

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Care Management Skills You Can Use

Wouldn’t it be great if we could simply call someone who would assess our situation, offer solutions to our care concerns, help us access the right services, involve other family members and resolve differences, and then monitor our progress and help us stay organized and effective in providing in-home care for our loved one?  Yes, yes, the answer is YES!  

Well, these people do exist and they are called Care Coordinators, or more often, Care Managers.  They work for companies such as Entrust Homecare Services, care facilities, hospitals and others offer their services independently.  If you haven’t the access or means to a care manager, you can still learn how to think and act like one, reaping the many benefits for your loved ones and yourselves. 

Care management is a profession, and like any profession it takes training and practice to become well skilled.  You may not acquire this level of skill, but you can at least become an expert at your own unique situation while also taking control of the care of your loved one.

1)  First, you need to educate yourself on the nature of the disease or disability which your loved one is dealing with. Get a wide range of opinions, treatment options and what the most recent research is showing.  Visit the local library and ask for help searching medical journals, check online (be wary of the plethora of unreliable information online), ask your doctor, find an association that supports what your loved one is suffering from.  Now that you’re equipped with the most current information and treatment options, you can move forward.

2)  Next, assess the present situation. Can your loved one function independently or is it time to bring in homecare providers help?  Who is available to help in the care?  Is the home safe and easily accessible?  Are there adaptations to the home that can be done and at what cost? What responsibilities do you have such as work, home, volunteer, and how can you balance?  How is your health?  Gather all financial resources, insurance, wills and end-of-life documents. 

This assessment will paint a realistic picture of where you are and how you can move forward in caring for your loved one. Keep this handy for the next time to provide a benchmark.

3)  Hold a family conference.  Get a handle on who is available to reasonably help, who is not interested and what financial resources are available.  This meeting may help prevent misunderstandings down the road.

4)  Keep good, organized records of everything involving your loved one’s care.  Start a binder and include dietary specifications, emergency numbers, medication schedule, back-up support people, and other important information.  Include a journal into which you can write down significant occurrences such as falls, changes in behavior and reactions to medications. 

5)  Join a support group to help you when the times get difficult, because they will get difficult.

6)  Initiate advance planning for difficult decisions. We have no guarantee as to how much time lies ahead and difficult decisions are all the more so once our loved one is in the midst of an emergency.  Discuss wills, advance directives, power of care, power of attorney and so on.  What will your loved one do if something happens to you?  Not a pleasant thought, but one that needs careful consideration.

7)  Establish a family care schedule outlining each person’s responsibilities and when they need to do them.

8)  Approach difficult decisions like a professional.  In the midst of difficulty, try to approach your caregiving role from a true care manager’s perspective, setting your emotions aside. 

This is the best way to make challenging decisions regarding your loved one’s care.

9)  Consider available services such as those offered by Entrust Homecare Services to assist your loved one to remain independent for as long as possible.  Allow our professional caregivers to help your family.

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Edmonton senior home care - Entrust Home Care

Exciting news! Today, we have officially launched our Disability Services program, which focuses on providing Respite Care to their loved ones. This program is geared towards the pediatric population and we are hoping to give parents and other caregivers an opportunity to breathe or even a long, overdue date night!

Please visit https://entrusthomecare.ca/disability-services/ to find out how we can serve you and your family.

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How Family Caregivers Take Vacations

Making respite time is a mental health need for caregivers responsible for another, especially if their loved one has high needs such as ability or mobility issues, or Alzheimer’s or dementia.  But how can they find someone who would care for their loved one like they do, with the same level of attention to detail, while also keeping their daily routine?  It’s a question many family caregivers find themselves asking when they start to feel the burn of over-care and are overdue for a vacation.

Some long-term care facilities offer short-term care stays for travel and emergency purposes. This is a good option for those needing careful medical monitoring and attention, but it does mean leaving the comforts and rituals of home for a stay in an unfamiliar facility.  The hospital setting can be un-nerving for many seniors, especially if there is confusion as to why they are there.  An upsetting time for those who depend on consistency and repetition.

Caregiver’s who have mastered the art of ‘taking a vacation’ look to professional homecare services.  The key is in planning ahead.  Meet with a Care Coordinator from Premier Homecare Services well in advance of your intended holiday.  We can meet you at home for a consultation, help make a flexible schedule, match a caregiver, and introduce them before you leave.  We recommend starting care before you leave so there is familiarity between your loved one and the caregiver.  Plus, this gives you a chance to know you made the right decision!

Rest easy on a sun-soaked beach knowing your loved one is getting the best care possible, without disrupting their comfort and routine.

 YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:

Continuity of Care in the Home

Depressing Results of Residential Care Living

Family Caregivers Need a Vacation, Too!

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in home care provider

Entrust Home Care of Edmonton, Canada provides a wide range of senior in home care services that help older adults age in place where they feel most comfortable.

For More details visit our website: https://entrusthomecare.ca/become-a-care-provider/

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Why Seniors Fall and How to Prevent It

We naturally lose muscle mass as we age which affects our strength and balance.  This makes us more prone to falling, a dangerous thing. Falls are a major cause of hospitalization, and it only takes one fall to change a person’s life.  Falls lead to fracturing of bones, brain injury and even death for the elderly and frail.  So, knowing what puts us at increased risk for a fall, and how to prevent muscle loss is incredibly important.

Muscle loss is referred to by your health professional as sarcopenia. For a long time scientists believed sarcopenia was an inevitable part of aging, muscle deterioration for which there was little we could do to prevent.  While there is no medical cure for sarcopenia, we now know there are preventative steps to slowing down this loss of critical muscle tissue, which better helps us in preventing falls.

Here are 1-2-3 important steps to preventing falls:

Keeping Active, Now. – remaining active daily is so crucial that this alone could be a major deciding factor as to when, after the age of about 40, muscle loss will begin to really affect you.  Resistance training, swimming, yoga and cardio workouts all help to build and maintain muscle tone, balance hormones, and even improve neuron function.  It is the nervous system that serves the muscles and tells them what to do.

Eating for Tomorrow –poor food and nutrient intake results in muscle wasting, bone loss, and affects our overall well-being.  Keeping in mind also that our dietary protein requirements change as we age and many of today’s seniors are not adequately meeting their daily minimum requirements for protein.  Therefore, eating right and enjoying a wide variety of colourful foods and cooking methods, with a focus on ensuring there is enough healthy sources of protein is key in preventing muscle loss.

Making the Home Safe– take preventative actions to avoid falls where they most often occur – in and around the home. Create a safe, clutter-free, home environment, inside and out, with supportive devices and mindful safety initiatives.  If you’re unsure of how to do this, talk to your Premier Homecare Services Care Coordinator and we’d be happy to share our resources.  It may interest you to know that we complete regular home safety checks for all of our clients as part of our homecare services.

For more information on fall prevention and how to keep you or your aging loved ones safe and in the home they love, please call us.  We’d love to hear from you.

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Yoga for seniors at Home and at Play

Yoga is a gentle physical and mental health process that is perfectly suited to the elderly.  Aging, too often, brings with it ailments that inhibit our activities of daily living and therefore our quality of life. Perhaps it’s the mind-body connection, but as we or our bodies slow down and become less flexible, so too does our mind. In all aspects, practicing yoga can bring a myriad of positive changes for overall health.

You’re never too old to do yoga!  Yoga caters to all physical abilities, with poses ranging in difficulty, and also provides an opportunity for reflection and meditation or prayer.  Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising to s         ee older individuals or caregivers in need of respite, studying or practicing yoga.  Although degeneration of the body can limit the types of poses (Asanas) some elderly are able to do, a knowledgeable teacher should be able to show variations and alternatives.  Even the milder poses suited for delicate bodies provide real benefits.

“Yoga gives me a chance to give a gift to myself,” says Shirley, a woman in her late sixties who practices yoga twice a week at a local studio in rural Ontario.  “The gift is to be able to keep up with my grandchildren and stay active with them for as long as possible.” Even with arthritic joints that have left some of her knuckles deformed, she makes time for herself on the mat knowing the benefits she can both recognize and even those she cannot.  “It’s helping me in ways I can see, but I also trust it’s helping in ways I can’t” she mentions confidently.  When asked if she feels she has personally noticed the benefits of yoga in her life, she answers with a knowing smile “Oh, yes.”

Why is yoga perhaps the best exercise for the elderly?

A continuous practice of gentle yoga can provide:  

•          improved flexibility

•          Better digestion

•          increased lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons

•          massaging of internal organs

•          improved balance and toning of the muscles

•          normalization of blood pressure

Meditation techniques that are integral to yoga help improve concentration and sharpen memory, which can be due to a variety of factors such as better circulation and improved nervous system functioning.

 Recommendations for elderly starting a yoga practice:

  Like any new exercise program,     start slow and with the supervision of a professional yoga teacher.      Inquire into their experience teaching the elderly and discuss your     personal physical situation so they can watch and assist you during the     class.  

Never push yourself, remain     within your capabilities.  Yoga is not about pushing yourself in a     competitive nature, it is rather like opening as a lotus flower does,     slowly, and one petal at a time. 

Make sure to warm up before and     cool down after you exercise, and drink lots of water.  Stop or slow     down if you feel you are reaching your limits and take a rest. 

Stay with it.  Anything     that is worthwhile requires effort, and the benefits are many.  Be     gentle with yourself.  Remember this and don’t focus on your     progress, your age or your perceived inabilities.  You have your own     measures of improvement that are not the same as anyone else’s.

Make friendships that can be continued outside of the yoga class.

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Using iTechnology to Organize Your Care for Elderly Loved Ones

It’s no secret that we’re in an age of remarkable technological capabilities. It seems that anything is possible and that there is an electronic gadget for everything. It’s almost overwhelming the amount of available new tech inventions touted to make our lives easier, save us more time, energy or money, and connect us more often to those that matter, no matter where we are.

Information zooms around the world at breakneck speed and it seems that we are no longer exempt from the necessity of using these technologies to our advantage, even in the homecare field.

 You’re hearing more about how family caregivers are making use of the “apps,” short for applications, and more offered on the iPhone and now the iPad. So why not embrace the emerging techie in you and try out some of these apps for yourself.

 Here are a few that seem interesting enough to try:

 Medication reminders – Rxremindme Prescription and Medslog seem to be most popular and provide notices of when to take meds and when you need to buy more. Manages meds and keeps a history for your records and easier doctor visits. 

Games to keep that aging gray matter working – Check out WordUs2, Zogaj Memo Gym, and 2Across to stimulate the brain and keep it in shape.

Family organizing & shopping – Apps like Shopping List, Organizer (Google Calendar Supported) and Family Organizer (Pro) help you make grocery lists, to-do lists, voice memos, Twitter “Tweets” and schedules for connecting the whole family.

Organizing your life – Apps such as Caregiver’s Touch advertise themselves as empowering family caregivers with reminders, schedules, journals, emergency information and more. A mini-care plan that goes with you out of the house!

Blood glucose monitors for diabetics

– BgluMon is an advanced tool for recording, calculating and monitoring blood glucose levels that even allows you to export statistics and reports.

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Helpful Tips to Encourage Elderly to Eat

We are what we eat, and eating an all around adjusted eating regimen high in dietary esteem, fiber and resistant supporting cell reinforcements is fundamental to all of us, yet significantly more so as we age.

However, eating turns out to be less something we appreciate and progressively an errand as we get more seasoned. There are many purposes behind this. Eating alone simply doesn't move us to eat as soundly or as frequently, prescriptions or wellbeing medications may meddle with hunger and regularly accompany dietary limitations. Physical issues with processing, absence of activity, diabetes and even sorrow would all be able to influence our dietary patterns.

Getting elderly grown-ups to eat is frequently an awesome wellspring of worry for family guardians, so we've arranged some supportive indications to ideally make mealtime more pleasant and "beneficial." Celebrate National Nutrition Month by considering some of these insights. Tell us what you think by leaving remarks underneath!

 7 Helpful Tips to Encourage Elderly to Eat:

 •         Water, water all over the place. Absence of water prompts craving concealment and is required for practically every substantial capacity.

 •         Keep dinners littler. Rather than three expansive suppers daily, think six littler dinners, simply ensure they're sound and not nibble traps.

 •         Bulk up calories with every feast. Add protein powder to shakes or beverages, destroyed veggies to fried eggs, skim drain powder for calcium to pasta sauce, or soybean glue called miso as a soup base for all the medical advantages that accompany it.

 •         Get their teeth checked. Possibly they can't bite or are in torment, which is influencing what they can eat. Delicate nourishments are better here.

 •         Put the power in their grasp. Get their recommendations of what to eat and have them assist in the process as they can. Alongside feeling more in-charge, they may appreciate the eating procedure progressively on the off chance that they've had input.

 •         Improve the eating background. Delicate music, alluring embellishments, quiet discourse and reliable feast times all make for a routine of solace.

  Make it top notch. Try not to depend on salt to enhance taste. Explore different avenues regarding kitchen herbs and sodium-decreased sauces for taste improvement.

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Central Okanagan Federal Gov’t Retirees Benefit from New Home Care Provider Agreement

May 15, 2013, – Charles Wong Clinical Director and CEO of Entrust Home Care, and the Board of Directors of The Central Okanagan Branch of FSNA (National Association of Federal Retirees) are pleased to announce that they have concluded an agreement whereby Entrust Home Care, becomes a preferred home care provider for FSNA members in the central Okanagan.

“We are pleased that the Board has accepted us as a Preferred Home Care Provider for health and home care services to FSNA members in this area,” said Charles. He continued, “Our team of bonded Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Foot Care Nurses, Human Service Workers, Personal Care Aides, Companions, Groundskeepers and Housekeepers provide all aspects of companionship, housekeeping, personal care, home nursing services and other home maintenance functions. We will also be providing educational and screening services to the members to help them stay healthy.”

Guy Bird, Branch President, said, “We want to do everything we can to make a difference for our members and their health and we are especially pleased with the educational component of the agreement. It will give our members an excellent option and source for quality health and home care services. We are well aware of the excellent reputation, quality care and services Entrust Home Care, provides and are pleased to be able to offer this program to our 1500 members in the Central Okanagan,” he said.

About Entrust home Care: Entrust home care is the Edmonton’s premier full service, private, home health care agency providing in-home health care service Provider, living, and home care to Edmonton seniors and others to help them continue living in their own home.  As a full service agency, our team of bonded Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Foot Care Nurses, Human Service Workers, Personal Care Aides, Companions, Groundskeepers and Housekeepers provides all aspects of companionship, home nursing, housekeeping, personal care and home maintenance functions to our clients.

About FSNA: FSNA, (Federal Superannuates National Association), is an association for Federal Retirees, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013; FSNA is a not-for-profit association with branches throughout Canada, dedicated to protecting the benefits and promoting the interests of federal retirees. Approximately 1500 members reside here in the Central Okanagan