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Having an older adult at home can be a daunting task. They need to bathe, eat, and have someone to help with their medications amongst all the other little worries of life. Do you want to help a senior loved one enjoy their golden years? If you’re looking for a simple way to improve their lives, it’s time to consider senior care services. You can have caregivers come to your senior’s home for a variety of services. Bluedot Cares can provide you with exceptional senior care service – read on to see how we can help your senior loved ones.

Companionship

Living alone can get pretty lonely, especially as the world still struggles with Covid. Boredom can make things worse for the parents, and it is good to have someone they can talk to. Here, the caregiver is ready to play some games, read books, and take the elderly for a walk. These are simple things that could improve a senior’s life for the best and that our senior care service provides.

Grooming and Bathing

Seniors can find it hard to bathe on their own, especially when they’re struggling with physical challenges. Life can be made much easier for them by having caregivers help with this essential human need. Our caregivers are also ready to assist in shaving, brushing teeth, and giving bed baths.

Hospital Transfers and Mobility

It is challenging to move a sick or older person from one place to another. But, if your senior needs immediate medical attention, it is good to rely on the right senior care service. They have the means to transport the elderly to the hospital or back to their home. Your seniors can also enjoy safe equipment, such as wheelchairs, to use in their homes.

Meal Preparations

For the elderly to be well, it is vital to feed them healthy meals. It takes a lot of time and energy to do all the shopping and prepare their meals. Yet, seniors can now enjoy great meals thanks to our professional caregivers. They know the best nutritional foods to prepare for seniors so they can get all the nutrients they need. If the parents are on a special diet, these professionals are set to make sure they eat the right foods.

Check Out Our Senior Care Service Today

Your senior loved ones can have a good time while managing various health conditions at home today. It is also easy on your side to know they have someone to assisting with things. With the ideal senior care service providers, this is entirely possible.

Arthritis pain can keep you from doing the normal everyday activities you are used to doing. It causes simple things like cooking, getting dressed, and even walking to the car seem like an impossible feat. The pain can be debilitating, frustrating, and can even cause your immune system to weaken and make you vulnerable to other illnesses. This is why it is critical to fight inflammation and pain in its earliest stages.

Arthritis is a chronic condition that affects joints and bones. It causes pain and inflammation, primarily in the joints. It is a disease that worsens over time and causes even more pain, so much that it can keep you from doing the things you love. To prevent the pain and continual degeneration, doctors often prescribe medication to relieve pain. However, they also recommend natural approaches.

To help with arthritis pain, here are five natural ways that might minimize and reduce arthritic pain.

Control Your Weight

Excessive weight can increase symptoms of arthritis pain. The more weight you have, the more pressure will be on your joints. The joints most affected are the knees, hips, and feet, but your back, shoulders, and neck can also be affected. Doctors strongly recommend losing weight if you have osteoarthritis and are obese. Losing weight can help improve your mobility, decrease your pain, and prevent further damage.

Get Exercise to Ease Arthritis Pain

Exercise can help you manage your weight, strengthen muscles, and keep your joints flexible. More importantly, it can help relieve arthritis. Plus, regular exercise is just plain good for you! Low impact exercises you can do are:

• Walking
• Cycling
• Water aerobics
• Tai chi

Hot and Cold for Arthritis Pain

Use hot and cold compresses to relieve inflammation and arthritis pain. Spend some time soaking in the bath to remove overnight stiffness. Use an electric blanket or heating pad to reduce pain. Cold treatments can also relieve joint pain and swelling. Use a gel ice pack or ice wrapped in a towel and apply to swollen joints. There are also some topical creams you can find over the counter that bring warmth or coolness to your joints.

Acupuncture

This ancient Chinese medical treatment requires the insertion of very thin needles in specific pressure points of the body. It reroutes energy and restores balance, but more importantly, it can reduce joint pain. Always talk to a medical professional before starting any new healthcare venture!

Meditation

Relaxation techniques like meditation can lower stress and help you deal with pain better. It can also help lower inflammation and pain. Tai chi and yoga are a combination of meditation, breathing, and exercise to help make joints more flexible. Meditation offers a host of great benefits and is ideal for people of all ages.

Relieve Arthritis Pain Today

It only takes a little time and focus to implement a few natural methods to help reduce your arthritis pain. You want to stay healthy, watch what you eat, get enough exercise, and practice activities that remove stress from your body and your joints. Go easy on yourself and be consistent in your efforts – you’ll see results in no time!

As the temperatures rise, summer means it’s time for some fun! Not everyone is ready to soak up the sun, however, but there’s no reason for anyone to miss out on summer joy. Seniors may find themselves a little more sensitive to the extended daylight and mounting heat. They can join in the summertime fun with these awesome indoor activities!

Indoor Activities: Cultural Outings

Who doesn’t love exploring their city’s cultural offerings? Seniors can enjoy a fun day checking out local museums, art galleries, and aquariums, all with the comfort of chilly AC and shade. Many places offer special discounts for senior citizens, too! Search for something they might like, then make it even more special by joining them.

Host a Movie Marathon

A great way to beat the summer heat is to gather some friends and family and enjoy some summer blockbusters from years past. It’s as simple as finding out what type of movies they enjoy. Do they like romances? Epic science fiction thrillers? How about action-packed adventures? Gather the family together, make some popcorn and popsicles, and everyone can enjoy some cool summer fun. As far as indoor activities go, it doesn’t get much easier than this!

Indoor Activities: Board Games

Some indoor activities can be enjoyed with grandchildren, and this is one of them. Everyone loves to play games and there are more choices now than ever. Kids can enjoy time with their grandparents with a fun tournament of games. Add in some snacks and refreshing drinks, and you’ll have a great batch of indoor activities for your seniors.

Learn a New Hobby

It’s never too late to learn something new, and one of the best indoor activities is to take up a new hobby. Learning new skills is not only fun, it also helps keep your brain sharp. Hobbies best suited for the indoors are things like painting, indoor gardening, baking, model building, and reading. There’s an endless amount of new things to try, so talk to your seniors and see what might interest them. From there, it’s a simple internet search to get some ideas on how to start their new hobby.

For most of us, asking for help is hard. No one wants to admit they need assistance, especially when family is involved. Caregivers often feel a sense of guilt when they consider looking for outside help. However, there’s no need to feel anything negative when it comes to senior care. Seeking help doesn’t mean you’ve failed or that you can’t continue taking care of your loved ones. It only means you’re making the best choice for yourself and your family! If you’re wondering whether senior care assistance is right for you, try considering the following.

Has Senior Care Taken Over Your Life?

Many caregivers find themselves gradually overwhelmed by their responsibilities. Your life shouldn’t be completely taken over so that you can care for a loved one. You have your own life to live, too – kids, career, and your home all take a lot of time. And, of course, you also have to take care of yourself! If you find yourself stressed, exhausted, and without enough time to take care of your life, it might be time to look at senior care.

Is the Level of Senior Care Getting Out of Control?

As we get older, our needs usually increase. Some seniors need just a little help here and there, while others can require full-time assistance. If your loved one has reached the level where they need more care than you can provide, it’s time to get help. Some of the services you can get help with are bathing and grooming, housekeeping, and meal preparation.

Senior care services can also help out when seniors need more medical assistance. Taking care of someone with a high level of medical care needs can lead to caregiver burnout, but getting help can prevent it.

Are You Ready for Help?

Most people know when they’re ready to accept help, and you should trust your gut. BlueDot Cares can help you determine the level of assistance you need today. Our knowledgeable staff can help sort out all your questions, from finances to services. If you’re ready for senior care, don’t hesitate to reach out today!

Home safety is a concern for everyone but especially for seniors. Care should be taken to ensure the safety of seniors throughout the home – the dangers hiding around your house will surprise you! However, there are precautions everyone can adapt to their routines that can help everyone stay safe. There’s no reason anyone has to give up any part of their day, even when they need extra help. With these tips, you can help keep seniors safe!

Home Safety: Trips and Falls

One of the key dangers for senior citizens is their risk of falling. Slipping, tripping, or falling can lead to life-threatening injuries for seniors. Seniors greatly benefit from having an alert bracelet to rely on in case they ever fall and can’t get help on their own.

You can help reduce this danger by making sure they have no-slip shoes to wear around the house. It’s also important to make sure walkways remain free of trip hazards. Many seniors need help with this – you can always find housekeeping services to help out!

Home Safety: Avoid Bathroom Dangers

The bathroom can be inherently dangerous for anyone – most of us have at least slipped a little while we take a shower or strained a muscle moving carelessly. Home safety for seniors requires even more forethought. Having nonslip strips in the bottom of the tub is a must, even if the senior doesn’t take a stand-up shower. Falling in the tub can be detrimental to seniors and sometimes even fatal. It’s also a great idea to install bars anywhere a senior might need a little stabilizing help. This can include by the shower, around the toilet, or on walls by the sink.

Home Safety: Fire Hazards

Fire can claim a house quickly – sometimes, too quickly to react. The best way to keep seniors safe from fires is prevention. Make sure fire alarms (and carbon monoxide alarms) always have fresh batteries. Electrical items, like outlets or cords, should be periodically checked to make sure they’re not at risk to start fires. In some cases, it’s best for home safety to remove candles, especially if the resident is a little forgetful.

Protect Your Loved Ones

Home safety is a crucial necessity for seniors, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little proactive thinking and some light housekeeping, you can help keep your loved ones safe from most household dangers.

Starting senior care can be a difficult decision to make. This is especially true if you’ve been providing care for senior family members – you may be feeling guilty about looking for help. When choosing a senior care service, your options can be overwhelming. Making sure your loved ones’ needs are met is crucial, but there are so many choices to make. However, these four simple questions can help you get started.

What is the Staff Like?

No matter where you go, service is only as good as its staff. Letting someone into your life to care for your family is a big decision – that’s why you want to make sure you have the right people. You should look for staff that has experience caring for seniors, is led by medical professionals, and has great reviews. You want to know your loved one is in good hands, so start by looking at who will be around them.

What Senior Care Service Is Offered?

Every senior is unique and the care they require should be, too. Before you sign up for care, you should understand all the services available to you. These can include basic, day-to-day things like bathing or grooming, all the way up to mobility assistance and rides to doctor’s appointments. They can even take care of things you might be responsible for, like housekeeping! Whatever your needs are, they can be met as long as you find the right senior care service for you.

How Much Will It Cost?

It’s no secret – senior care service can get expensive. Any facility you decide to use should be able to give you an estimate of their services at the very least. They should also provide you with additional information about alternatives to paying out-of-pocket. For instance, did you know Medicaid can help you pay? Any care provider worth their salt will be able to explain costs to you and help you prepare.

Find the Right Senior Care Service

No matter what your needs are, the right service is available – you just need to find it! From companionship services to meal preparation, getting your loved one the help you both deserve is easier than you think. If you’re ready to get started, BlueDot Cares is ready to assist you – call today!

According to research, over 40 million people are in charge of senior care or take care of a chronically ill person or disabled loved one. So, whether you’re caring for someone out of love, obligation, or a sense of duty, the fact is you could be on the road to caregiver burnout, and you may need to do something about it soon.

Caregiver Burnout

There is no question about it. Caring for an elderly family member or a disabled person is a stressful experience. It can cause severe emotional issues, and the emotional upheaval is not taken lightly by psychologists. Burnout is a debilitating psychological condition caused by excessive stress and anxiety over health conditions, financial needs, and more. It is a condition you should take seriously.

Most people who suffer from this type of burnout are already experiencing many of the symptoms before realizing that there’s a problem.

What is Caregiver Burnout?

Caregiver burnout is exhaustion, pure and simple. It usually happens to people who care for someone in need and don’t get any help with the daily tasks or with the financial needs required for caring for people who suffer from chronic health conditions.

What Causes This Burnout?

People in charge of senior care activities are so busy that they often neglect their health, and consequently, they burn out. Here we have listed some of the factors that can lead to this condition.

Role Confusion
When parents become ill, they often turn to their children for help. This new role reversal can cause you to get confused because you’re suddenly acting the role of the parent and have to make the decision regarding another person. The issue is that you did not ask to be in this position. It can be a challenging experience and one that can take some time to become used to.

Unrealistic Expectations
In the case of some diseases like Alzheimer’s, a caregiver can have unrealistic expectations. He may believe that caring for the person will positively affect the health of the sufferer. But in health conditions that are chronic and where there is significant deterioration, there may not be a positive outcome.

Lack of Control
Often, a caregiver feels frustrated by the amount of work, the lack of help, the financial burden, and the lack of skills to care for the loved one, which confuses a feeling of helplessness and stress.

Most caregivers do not recognize that their suffering from burnout, but eventually, they get to a breaking point where they could overreact or have an emotional outburst or reaction. The symptoms of burnout are like those of a person who suffers from depression and stress. They include:

• Inability to do other activities they once enjoyed
• Feeling depressed or sad
• Changes in sleep pattern
• Change in weight or appetite
• Irritability

How to Prevent Caregiver Burnout

If you think you might be experiencing burnout, find someone you can trust. Talk to a therapist, a coach, or even a co-worker, or neighbor. Talk to them about your feelings of frustration, fear, and the inability to do anything.

Accept the inevitable and set realistic goals. Understand that you may need help as a caregiver and turn to others with some of the tasks. Look for organizations that can offer you care services or additional support. Above all, pay attention to your own needs, and don’t get so involved and busy that you forget to do enjoyable things. Set aside some time for yourself. You may even want to talk up to a professional about your feelings.

Alzheimer’s disease usually leads to dementia and has long plagued senior citizens. Suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases is a leading contributing factor to beginning senior care services. However, research suggests that a healthy diet could contribute to preventing or slowing the onset of Alzheimer’s. How can diet help our seniors stay healthy?

Alzheimer’s and Diet

According to some studies, the food that we eat usually affects the ability of our brain to remember and think. In short, the general eating patterns among seniors can make a significant difference.

By the time a senior has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, their brain has gone through several changes.  The early changes suggest that it is possible to either delay or prevent the symptoms of the chronic illness. Researchers look into lifestyle changes, drugs, and other techniques to prevent the ailment. The only issue is that some risk factors are unavoidable, including genetics and age. However, lifestyle changes are under the control of seniors and they include exercise, diet, and cognitive training.

What Foods Can Help?

You may ask yourself; how does my diet affect my brain? The best answer is, certain types of food usually affect biological mechanisms, including inflammation and oxidative stress. In other instances, our diet can affect the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease, including obesity and heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet is a healthy choice, and it shows promise when it comes to preventing Alzheimer’s disease. The diet places emphasis on consuming considerable amounts of vegetables, fruits, fish, legumes, whole grains, and seafood. A great place to start is with unsaturated fats, including olive oil. You should consume eggs and red meat in low amounts. The Mediterranean diet also helps to lower blood pressure.

Several studies show that the Mediterranean diet can help prevent or slow Alzheimer’s disease. Research is ongoing but this diet shows a lot of promise. Comparisons between diets with more red meat and saturated fats show that a healthier diet helps with Alzheimer’s.

Help Slow Alzheimer’s Now

Although scientists are not entirely sure whether the Mediterranean diet has a positive impact on the brain, it is evident this diet type helps to improve cardiovascular health while also reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. When you consume fish, your cognitive functions also improve. A healthy diet will also contain nutrients that will help to protect the brain cells from antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

No one ever says life is easy. The reality of your loved ones reaching their golden years can be bittersweet. Retirement seems to come later and later for seniors, leaving them with less time to spend with beloved sons, daughters, and grandkids. As their medical and mental needs grow, time takes its toll on your loved ones. Of course, your life is busy, too, which leaves you with less time than you probably want to take care of the seniors in your life. Beginning home services can be a touchy subject for families, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Companionship services can be mentally and socially stimulating for seniors and provides a much-needed boost.

Companionship Services

Our companionship services can cover a wide variety of needs. From friendly visits to break up social isolation to guard against medical emergencies, we can do it all. Companionship services can be life-changing for both you and your senior loved ones. BlueDot Cares provides these services and much more.

Benefits of Companionship

BlueDot Cares provides an array of services that help alleviate the stress and uncertainty that comes with this transitional time in life. Every day, we face busy schedules. We have kids with school pickups and drop-offs, extracurricular activities, sports, and music classes. Careers take up long hours so we can provide financially for our families. With not being able to spend the required time our seniors need, services that provide companionship for elders is crucial. Overall longevity and promoting overall happiness help blanket a number of symptoms seen here. It also provides a much-needed weight off the shoulders of those having to deal with this inevitable chapter in life.

Call Today to Learn More

Preparation is going to be your biggest ally. If you want home care services and the benefits of companionship, it can be hard to find the right fit. BlueDot Cares is a premium service that can answer these questions. Staffed with Registered Nurses that are trained and trustworthy, we’re on call 24/7. We have the equipment to handle everyone’s needs. Dependability, expertise, and providing health and safety with BlueDot Cares will ultimate provide peace of mind for you and those you hold closest.

Father’s Day is fast approaching which means it’s a great time to reconnect with the important men in your life. There are so many things you can do no matter what your budget is or how far apart you live. If you need some ideas for how to celebrate your dad, grandfather, and all the other important guys, we’ve got you covered!

Bring Dad Some Culture

To start, why not take the opportunity to go to one of the museums that have visiting lectures about art or history. There is an almost endless number of centers celebrating nearly every interest out there all over the country. For a more educational option, why not consider a history class? Or maybe you could watch one of the many movies about American history. These ideas will really give an educational boost and will allow you to explore your passions further.

Father’s Day Presents to Honor Him

A quick and easy way to celebrate Father’s Day is by getting a portrait done in his honor. Several portrait studios offer these services, and they do them for a reasonable price. You can do this alone, or you could invite the whole family for the portrait. Having the portraits done in front of the fireplace on the day of his birth was a tradition that started way back in the 1800s.

For a more practical idea, why not make Father’s Day a DIY project? This includes turning a backyard into a miniature museum, all for him. He could have his own collection of favorite toys or his very own radio-controlled cars. The possibilities are endless. All you need is enough time and patience.

Spend Time With Dad

Another great idea for this special day is to take the entire day to a local park. Set up a big tent and have volunteers go from door-to-door, calling out dad’s name. They may ask if it’s possible to play a game or two. If they can’t come straight home, they’ll bring dad his favorite sandwiches or a nice bottle of beer. At the end of the day, all dad’s guests get to take home their own treats. It’s a wonderful day to spend with dad!

What about a trip to the movies? Father’s Day can be an excellent time to spend enjoying some quiet time taking in the latest blockbuster. You could also plan a day to do a little window shopping. Do something that really will take all day, maybe even overnight, maybe spend time just enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Take the day to enjoy nature and all it has to offer!

Make Father’s Day Special

If you are looking for ideas to celebrate this special day with your dad, you should make it something special. Men like to be appreciated. Could you make it a day he will never forget? Use these ideas as starting points, and add your own to them. No one knows him better than you do, and that is why you are his child. Helping seniors have the best day imaginable is fantastic.