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Author: Karen Rodgers

Helping Seniors Take their Medications Properly

It’s estimated that up to 40% of the elderly take more than five different medications a day.

With this number being so high it’s important to help our clients or elderly parents or loved ones take their medications properly and regularly.

Life After 60 recommends the following:

  • Use a pill organizer
    • There are many different styles from which to choose depending on the needs of the individual. A pill organizer should be easy to look at to tell whether or not the pills were taken.  It also should be easy to access. However, many of these pill organizers are not child proof and need to be kept in a secure place.
  • Make a dosage schedule
    • Make a list of all your medications, when and how you take them. Create a check list so you can mark when you’ve taken them.
    • Set aside time each week to fill medication organizer for the coming week.automatic pill organizer
  • Check prescriptions labels carefully
    • Dosages change and medication expires. It’s a good idea to read the label with each new prescription. This also helps you know when it’s time for a refill.

Often our clients or family members don’t feel well or get confused about their medications and it becomes necessary to gently offer to help. Taking a little time and helping them organization their medication can help them stay safe and feeling well.

At Aspen Senior Care we have caregivers trained to remind and assist clients with their medications. We cannot handle or set up medication but we have a nurse on staff who can be consulted. Our caregivers are diligent in knowing our clients’ medication schedules and paying attention to what prescriptions they take and when they are taken. Visit our website for more information or call us at 801-224-5910.Weekly pill organizer

Seniors with Dementia and Early Intervention for Family Caregivers

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A recent study done by the University of Eastern Finland suggests that doctors and nurses involved in an Alzheimer’s diagnosis have a unique opportunity to spot signs that family caregivers could develop depression down the road. Continue reading “Seniors with Dementia and Early Intervention for Family Caregivers” »

Family Caregivers Can Ask for Help

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Family caregivers of loved ones with dementia often hesitate to ask for help. There’s a variety of reasons to not want to ask for help, but a diagnosis of dementia is a life-changing event for the entire family.

It is alright to ask for help when you need it.

G. L., an LCSW with Mountainland Department of Aging and an advocate for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia says that part of being a good caregiver is asking for help. Caregivers who don’t take care of their own needs and health – physical, emotional and mental – won’t be able to provide good care for their loved ones.

But where should caregivers go to find help when they need it and what kind of help is available?HISCCaregiverStress-multimedia-content-placeholder

Karen Rogers is Aspen Senior Care’s Family Caregiver Coach.  She can help family caregivers navigate the challenges of caregiving. As a caregiver coach, Karen can help you:

  • Feel encouraged and supported.
  • Cope and problem solve.
  • Better understand memory loss and dementia.
  • Manage stress and take better care of yourself.
  • Be aware of community resources.
  • Deal with challenging behaviors.

Mountainland Department of Aging here in Utah County and the Utah Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association has many resources available to help families caring for loved ones. The Aspen Senior Day Center in Provo, 3410 North Canyon Road, hosts a Family Caregiver Support Group every first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm. The support group is free and is a great way to meet with others who are caring for loved ones with dementia, share stories and experiences and just talk. Geri Lenhardt is the facilitator and can answer questions about community resources. Susan Johnson with Aspen Senior Care is also there to answer questions and provide support.

Aspen has caregivers trained in dementia care who go into seniors’ homes to provide respite for family caregivers. Aspen Senior Day Center is an adult day program that allows family caregivers to bring their loved one for the day and know they will be safe, provided with nutritious meals and participate in stimulating activities. For more information call Susan at 801-420-5167.

November is National Family Cargiver Month

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November is National Family Caregiver Month and here at Aspen Senior Care we honor those who endeavor to compassionately care for family members with declining health or dementia, while balancing family and work responsibilities as well.

It’s been estimated that more than 30% of the American population (about 90 million people) care for family members who, for various reasons are unable to care for themselves.   Caregiving is physically, emotionally, mentally and financially exhausting.

Family caregivers often feel isolated or alone. The following comments in response to an article at Alzheimer’s Weekly give a clear picture of family caregiver frustration:

“My husband has ALZ. What is it that makes people who spent 20 minutes with him 8 weeks ago think that they know him and our life together?” – Toni
“I also take care of my husband and some people tell me ‘are you sure he has Alzheimer’s?” – Donna
“Hubby has ALZ. Sometimes I feel that we both have a contagious disease.” – Anonymous
  “…I sometimes get the feeling no one wants to be around him because he asks so many questions. I even had a friend tell me that I am in ‘denial’ and should be thinking about putting him in a nursing home. He is a long time away from a home.” – AnonymousElderly woman

Here at Aspen we have the honor of associating with some of the most amazing family caregivers! They inspire us with their devotion to their loved ones. We have a Family Caregiver Award which we give to family caregivers, to recognize them and the hard work they are doing.

Thank you to all the family caregivers who strive to do the best they can in caring for loved ones.

The Aspen Senior Center in Provo was specifically designed to provide respite for family caregivers who bring their loved ones for the day and know that they will be well cared for and involved in fun, enriching activities and get proper nutrition. For more information or to take a tour call 801-607-2300. Visit Aspen Senior Center’s Facebook page to see all the great activities they do. 

 

Gardening Therapy and Seniors with Dementia

Gardening is good for the soul! Simply getting outdoors and digging in the earth, planting seeds, watering, and watching plants blossom and yield flowers, fruits and vegetables can be beneficial for everyone, including people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

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Horticulture Therapy professionals believes that therapeutic gardening has an important place is the care and treatment of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

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Some of the benefits are cognitive, physical and mental/emotional:

  • Enhance cognitive functioning
  • Promote physical health
  • Improve concentration
  • Prompt memories
  • Help social interaction
  • Increase self-esteem
  • Reduce stress and help with anxiety
  • Decrease depression
  • Give participants a sense of accomplishment

V__EB15Aspen Activity Days at the Taylorsville Senior Center has seen this happen first hand!

They started a garden in April and had everyone participate in preparing the soil, planting the seeds, watering, nourishing and weeding the plants. They have grown a beautiful garden and you can see how much they have enjoyed it. They even made chili for lunch last week with vegetables from the garden!

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Aspen has an Activity Day Program in Salt Lake City and an Adult Day Center in Provo where families who have loved ones with dementia can take drop them off for the day and know that they will be well cared for and participate in activities they will enjoy and feel connected to others. To see more of what benefits these programs have to offer visit  www.aspenseniorcenter.org  and  Aspen Activity Days  or call us at 801-224-5910.
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Aspen Senior Rides is Here!

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Aspen Senior Care announces a new transportation program just for seniors.  Aspen Senior Rides is designed to provide rides or run errands for seniors in Utah Valley. If you simply want a ride to the store or doctor’s office call Aspen Senior Care and we will be happy to pick you up and take you. We provide door-to-door service. We will come in and help you to the car and then into the store and carry your groceries back into the house for you.  It’s very simple! If you aren’t feeling well and need a prescription picked up and brought to your home, we will do that too!

We are excited to offer Seniors another transportation option. We are a trusted agency that has been assisting seniors for over 10 years. We are licensed, bonded and insured and specialize in providing seniors with caregivers they can trust.

This program is billed by the hour and begins at $20 for up to a one hour trip within 5 miles of your home. No cash is exchanged at the time of service. We provide rides almost anytime 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Seniors must be ambulatory and not require a wheel chair.

For more information about how it works, please call us at 801-224-5910

Aspen Senior Rides

What Family Caregivers Need to Know about Hospice

Caregiver

How do family caregivers know when hospice care is right for their loved one? Many people don’t understand hospice and immediately reject considering it because they think it means giving up. But hospice care is not giving up. It is about changing focus to a different set of goals – goals that will provide comfort care and quality of life. Continue reading “What Family Caregivers Need to Know about Hospice” »

Learning of an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Learning that a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia can be overwhelming and telling the loved about it can be overwhelming.  The Alzheimer’s Association has some suggestions on how to go about telling the person who has received the diagnosis. Continue reading “Learning of an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis” »

Fidget Quilts for Seniors with Dementia

Those of us who care for clients with Alzheimer’s and other dementias or have family members struggling with this disease know how challenging it can be to comfort them when they are anxious or agitated.

A few years ago Anne Marie Rowe got the idea to have a special quilt made for her father who had Alzheimer’s. She noticed that just as children are soothed by a favorite blanket, her father had special objects or routines that seemed to calm him when he would get distressed. She had some quilters make her a special blanket that included buttons, zippers and pockets with different textures for her father to hold and work with. His response to this blanket was so positive that Anne Marie started  The Fidget Quilt Project to help those suffering from Alzheimer’s and their families. Continue reading “Fidget Quilts for Seniors with Dementia” »

Aspen Senior Care Encourages Seniors to stay Hydrated

Aspen Senior Care’s monthly in-service for August covered an important topic –  keeping seniors hydrated, which was presented by Dana Mutch, an RN specializing in elderly care. Dehydration among seniors is a serious health problem that is often overlooked until it becomes a medical emergency. Dehydration in the elderly can lead to: Continue reading “Aspen Senior Care Encourages Seniors to stay Hydrated” »