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Month: January 2017

What Family Caregivers Need to Know About Respite Care

What is respite care?

Respite care is short-term care provided to a dependent, disabled, or elderly person with the purpose of giving the main caregiver a break from caregiving responsibilities. This is done while at the same time making sure your loved one is well cared for and able to follow his or her regular routine.

Respite care allows family caregivers to care for loved ones long-term, avoiding caregiver burnout. The care can be designed for a few hours, a day or for longer periods of time depending on what the caregiver needs and what type of care is needed and what services are available in your area.

What types of respite care are there?

There are several types of respite care available.

  • In-home care is provided by a licensed agency specializing in care for seniors or others needing special care. This may be for a short period of time or up to several days to a day, whatever the family caregiver might need in order to get a much-needed break or visit with family or friends. Respite care provided by an agency allows the caregiver peace of mind knowing their loved one is being cared for by someone who is trained to provide personal care, make nutritious meals, and handle challenging behaviors or situations that may come up.
  • Adult Day Care Centers provide licensed care during day-time hours, usually five days a week at a warm & welcoming facility. This is a great option for family caregivers who work during the day. Some caregivers choose to bring a loved one a few days a week on a regular basis.Adult day centers are a nice option in that they provide socialization, activities and nutritious meals. All adult day programs are NOT the same so it’s important to visit and ask questions when considering this type of respite option.
  • Specialized respite care facilities are places with staff trained for specific care, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, where a loved one may stay for several days or a couple of weeks when the caregiver needs to go out of town or has other obligations.
  • Emergency respite care offers help and care on an emergency basis. Usually, home care agencies or respite care facilities offer this type of care.
  • Informal respite care is provided by family members or neighbors and usually allow a limited but much-needed break for the primary caregiver to run errands, go to a doctor’s appointment or simply take some time off from caregiving.dsc01792

What are the benefits of respite care?

Caring for someone with special needs can be overwhelming at times. Family caregivers today have family, work, church and community obligations on top of providing care for their loved-one.

They want to provide the best care and attention to everyone in their circle of influence but this is unrealistic and overwhelming. It can lead to caregiver burnout.

Respite care allows the caregiver to step back and take time for themselves, to refresh and recharge their energy and focus. It actually helps caregivers become better caregivers and take care of their responsibilities longer.

Dementia Orem, UtahIf you are interested in learning more about respite care options call Aspen Senior Care at 801-224-5910. We can help you find options and help determine what type of respite might be right for you. We provide in-home respite care and we also run the Aspen Senior Day Center in Provo which is an adult day center that specializes in working with individuals with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.

Visit our websites at www.aspenseniorcare.com and www.aspenseniorcenter.org to learn more about the services we provide and how we can help.

When Should Your Loved One Attend an Adult Day Care Program?

Elderly mother checking medicine

Families caring for aging loved ones struggle to balance work, family responsibilities, and caregiving.  Adult Day Care programs provide a respite opportunity for family caregivers and a fun, engaging, safe place for seniors to spend some time during the day.

Often family caregivers don’t think about an adult day program until they are exhausted, anxious and overwhelmed. Many times the longer they wait to help, the more dependent their loved one becomes on them, making a new transition more difficult.

It’s actually more beneficial to have a loved one begin coming to a program while he or she can fully participate and enjoy the activities and company of others. Then as their abilities and needs change, they are familiar with the setting and feel loved and cared for.

Considerations when thinking about having a loved one attend adult day care

Even when seniors may seem “just fine” alone during the day, they may feel lonely or unsure about what to do with themselves.dementia care Salt Lake City They may not be able to do things they used to do, like cooking, so they just eat something cold or they skip eating.

Think about the following when asking yourself if your loved-one could benefit from an adult day care program:

  • Do they have difficulty planning their day?
  • Is it hard for them to focus on a task such as reading or watching TV?
  • Do they feel lonely or isolated?
  • Can they be safely left alone during the day?
  • Do they feel uncertain and anxious when left alone?
  • Do they need attention that causes you to feel anxious, depressed and uncertain about what to do?

Choosing an Adult Day Care program

There are several different types of Adult Day Care programs depending on your loved one’s care needs:

  1. Social – These types of programs provide meals, recreational activities, social interaction and some health-related services.
  2. Medical/health – These programs provide some social activities as well as more in-depth health and therapeutic care and are often associated with medical or skilled nursing facilities.
  3. Specialized centers – These programs focus on specific care recipients, such as those with diagnosed dementias or developmental disabilities.

The Aspen Senior Day Center in Provo is a Specialized Adult Day Program

The Aspen Senior Day Center in Provo is the only program of it’s kind in Utah Valley. The Aspen Senior Day Center is dedicated to helping seniors with memory loss maintain their cognitive skills for as long as possible while enjoying a safe, fun environment.

Aspen’s philosophy is all about quality of life and we believe that no matter what stage of memory impairment, seniors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We want them to be able to enjoy life as fully as possible.11059815_900059750015402_5107562697583380608_o

The Aspen Senior Day Center also strives to empower family caregivers by helping them find community resources and educational material about dementia-related issues and sponsoring a monthly support group for families caring for loved ones with memory loss.

We would love to hear from you and answer any questions you might have about our program. For more information and to schedule a tour call 801-607-2300. Visit aspenseniorcenter.org and our Facebook page for more information and to see some our fun, engaging activities.

Art Therapy and Seniors with Memory Loss

Professionals are discovering what we here at Aspen Senior Care already know – art therapy helps seniors with memory loss maintain their cognitive abilities longer and improve their quality of life.

a9bbda48a8b459c8f20aa8e7d67a7f58The Boston Globe recently had an article on how Art Therapy has become the “cutting edge” in Alzheimer’s treatment because it reaches people on a personal level – something that drug treatment for memory impairment doesn’t seem to do.

We have seen that music has the ability to transcend time. Even individuals who seem to have lost the ability to speak will open their eyes and hum or sing the words that go with the songs of their youth.

John Zeisel , president and co-founder of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care Centers in Massachusetts and New York, uses art to engage and connect with people with dementia. He states:

“When you are cared for, you lose your sense of who you are.  Everybody with dementia has a lot going for them. They can experience, they can be present, and they can develop.”

We want to focus on what individuals with memory loss can do. Providing an opportunity to experience the arts does more than just give these people a nice way to spend an afternoon. It improves many of the symptoms of memory loss and helps them connect with others and their surroundings in a personal way.

Robert Stern, a professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Boston University, said a growing body research suggests music can boost recall of personal memories.  He states:

“Whether it be fine arts, music, listening to music, going to museums…[these activities] get through to the person with Alzheimer’s by exploiting the areas of the brain which are least impaired. Anything that can touch the patient through that network of brain [areas] can have a profound impact.”Music Therapy

Dementia medications developed so far have only been able to slow down memory loss in some people, making it possible for them to live independently a little longer.

Rather than wait for new drugs to be developed, John Zeisel said, “Our present challenge is to provide people with a life worth living while they’re alive.”

This is why we are always trying to increase our knowledge and improve our skills in working with our clients with memory impairment. Our goal is to help our clients feel successful and worthwhile while struggling with this illness and provide support for their families.

Aspen Senior Care has caregivers specially trained in memory care who come prepared with engaging activities such as music, crafts or memory games, along with providing compassionate care and support to our clients with memory loss. We believe in treating each client with dignity and the respect they deserve. 
To find out more about our services call Aspen Senior Care at 801-224-5910.