Making the right choice for your loved one   One of the most emotionally challenging decisions a caregiver of an aging parent can make is choosing the right long term care option. As hard as it is to give up some of the control of caring for your loved one, it’s typically the best option for both of you. Once you have decided to make a change, there are several different options to weigh when comparing the home healthcare and dedicated care facilities. Let’s break down the similarities and differences. Home healthcare   The home healthcare option provides seniors with the help they need while remaining in their own home. The level of assistance can range from help with basic daily living tasks and activities [...]

A 20-year nursing veteran talks about what she likes best about her job and working at FirstLantic   At FirstLantic, we don’t consider ourselves just another group of home healthcare workers. This is because we go out of our way to find people who not only love what they do, but really want to make a difference in the lives of our patients.   Elaine Hutchins is a perfect example. After working as a hospital nurse for 13 years, Elaine decided she needed a bit of a change. What she really wanted was more one-on-one time with her patients, and she realized that homecare was the ideal option. In 2010, FirstLantic happily welcomed Elaine to our team.   “I enjoy working with patients at home [...]

Employer-based insurance and Medicare often aren’t enough to fund patient's’ long-term care needs   More seniors rely on long-term care each year, but many Americans may not be realistic about whether they’ll need it or not. Just 25% of Americans believe that they’ll eventually require long-term care, but the truth is starkly different – 70% of individuals 65 and older will eventually need some form of it. Given the odds, it’s important to be prepared.   Part of this planning involves recognition that long-term care options can be costly for those who have not planned in advance. Many private insurance policies won’t pay for long term care. Other options, like Medicare, only pay for short-term stays in nursing facilities, and only under extremely specific conditions. [...]

Keep your older loved one’s money safe with these five tips   By the time most of us have hit our mid-20s, we’ve started working, and we continue to do so for several decades. Ideally, at some point we can stop getting up early most days to shuffle off to a job and coast into a nice relaxing retirement. But in order to do this, money is of course the key consideration. The right amount is vital to be able to comfortably enjoy our golden years.   If you have parents or grandparents that are near or in retirement, how confident are you that their finances are in good shape? They may have money saved away or a good investment portfolio, but there’s a danger [...]

Improving senior mobility can help mend other physical and mental problems as well   One of the more frustrating effects of aging is losing mobility. As we grow older, activities like cleaning and even walking can become more difficult. Rather than succumbing to these changes, it’s important to focus on ways to combat them – otherwise, they will become worse. Having a plan to consistently stay active will help you or a senior loved one stay in control – mentally and physically. Focus on the four basic types of exercises   According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), increasing mobility in seniors relies on practicing the four basic types of exercises: strength, balance, stretching, and endurance. Stretching and balance exercises keep people limber and [...]

How to manage with confidence, compassion, and comfort   In the United States, the estimate of seniors in elderly care institutions is about five percent. The Institute on Aging details that the other ninety-five percent rely on a mixture of family, friends, and paid assistance. It's an uplifting picture that our society is caring for the elderly, and yet any necessary change of environment can be tough for seniors, regardless of the length of the care.   Whether it's transitioning from a hospital stay to a temporary facility or back home, preparation and a period of adjustment may be required if your loved one has to move between care environments. Here are some suggestions on how to make sure the process is as smooth as [...]

Long-term care options and what to look out for   It never feels like the right time to think about moving a loved one to an assisted living facility. Above all else, you want your senior to be safe, well fed, and mentally stimulated. And sometimes the best place to do that is in a community home. Once you’ve decided to make a change, the next decision to make is which facility is the right one for your aging senior. It’s important to take the following precautions to determine if the elder care facility feels right for you and your loved one. Ask the important questions   There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to elder care facilities. Make sure you’re asking the right questions [...]

From a very early age, Anna knew caring was her calling   Even after almost 40 years as a nurse, FirstLantic’s Anna DeMartino hasn’t lost her passion for what she does.   “It’s all I ever wanted to do,” she says, and she knew it from an age when people do not typically think about their future jobs.   When she was eight years old, her grandfather passed away, and it was then that Anna began taking care of her grandmother. Her love of helping people grew further when she was 13 and began volunteering at a nursing home through a school program.   In college, Anna took a career planning course, but she soon realized it was pointless; nursing and caregiving were permanently embedded [...]

How to deal with the stressors that come with caring for an aging loved one   Caring for an elderly loved one is a rewarding experience. All the same, it can put a lot of pressure on the caregiver. Individuals can focus so much time and attention on their senior that they don’t realize their own health and well-being are suffering. And since caregiving is typically a long-term responsibility, these stressors can have their own long-term effects on the mind and body. Signs of caregiver stress can include gaining or losing weight, sleeping too much or too little, constantly feeling overwhelmed, worried, or irritated, and losing interest in activities you used to enjoy.   It’s important for caregivers to learn how to deal with the [...]

Learn what makes these animals special   Everybody needs a companion, and this is particularly true as we get older. While it would be nice to keep the same friends forever, unfortunately that doesn’t always work out. Because people move or pass away, it can be easy for seniors to become isolated, which is potentially dangerous.   Fortunately, even if friends of the human persuasion aren’t readily available, there are many animals that can be a great substitute. Pets can do wonders for the wellbeing of everyone, and perhaps especially for seniors in need of companionship. But which ones are best? If you are looking for a new pal for yourself or a loved one, here are some things to think about: Cats are perfect [...]