Here are some basic signs to watch for that may suggest your loved one needs assistance:

1. Unexplained weight loss
2. Isolation or lack of interest in their favorite activities
3. Confusion, memory loss
4. Unpaid bills
5. Lack of food or expired food
6. Excessive clutter or an untidy home
7. Depression/mood swings
8. Not following up with doctor’s appointments
9. Decrease in mobility
10. Expired or unfilled medications

Seniors typically prefer to age in the comfort and familiarity of their own home. If changes in behavior are caught early, in-home care is a great option. Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care offers highly screened caregivers to provide care for as few as 4 hours per day.

Mom’s Best Friend Caregivers provide:
Companionship • Light Housekeeping • Meal Preparation • Transportation • Errands • Medication Reminders • Creative Activities • Mobility, Bathing & Restroom Assistance • And More!

Please contact Andrea Gibson, Director of Senior Care Services, at 512-797-1505 to discuss questions or concerns you have about care for your loved one and to schedule a complimentary assessment.

Happy Holidays from Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care!

For the full press release, please visit 2016 Awards!

What do these awards really mean?

The Best of Home Care Awards are meant to give you confidence in choosing a trusted home care provider for your loved one. Only providers with the most satisfied clients are given these awards by Home Care Pulse. Through the Best of Home Care Awards, you can be reassured that you are receiving care from a provider who listens to their clients and has proven their dedication to excellence in home care.

• Employer of Choice– These providers support and train their caregivers. Their caregiver satisfaction scores have earned them recognition as a top employer. This recognition gives you peace of mind, knowing your home care provider and your caregivers are dedicated to providing you the best in-home care possible.

“The training I received was very thorough and easy to understand.  They went over everything that we needed to know.  They match the client to the caregiver based on personality and the different needs of the clients and caregivers.”
-Caregiver testimonial October 2015

• Provider of Choice– These providers are best-in class for quality in home care. This recognition reassures you that your home care provider is dedicated to your satisfaction and will provide you with quality, trustworthy in-home care.

“My expectations were largely fulfilled and even exceeded in certain situations.  When we needed help on short notice, Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care was able to find someone.  I would recommend Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care without a problem.  They were able to keep my mother in the home as long as possible.  The caregivers always served my mother with a smile on their face.”
–Client testimonial December 2015

Every staff member at Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care has a passion for providing excellent and compassionate care for the senior population.  Our success would not be possible without our dedicated caregivers and loyal clients.  Please remember that any referral from a current Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care client that turns into a new client for our agency results in a complimentary 4-hour session! Feel free to contact our Director of Senior Care Services, Alyssa Sable, at alyssa.sable@mbfagency.com or (512) 797-1505 for more information!

• When at their home, check the refrigerator. Is there an abnormal amount of uneaten or expired food present? This may be a sign of forgetting to eat, or having difficulty preparing meals. If so, have you noticed any dramatic weight change?
• Are there unpaid bills stacking up on the table that indicate inability to handle finances?
• While celebrating with family, look for changes in mobility. Are they staying in one place for longer than usual? Are they using furniture and walls as guides while walking?

If anything concerning is noticed, try to avoid any talks during holidays gatherings, but share concerns with others in the family after. Bring specific examples to the table in these discussions as it can be difficult for some which leads to denial. If necessary, check with those who are close to your loved ones on a regular basis such as a pastor or healthcare professional for opinions.

Senior care should be proactive, not reactive. Most seniors would prefer to age in place in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. If troubling behaviors are caught early, in home care is a great option for making that happen. In addition to providing caregivers, Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care is available to help navigate these difficult transitions.

Our senior caregivers can provide assistance in the home of your elderly loved ones or in combination with services provided at an independent or assisted living home. Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care has a throughout screening process for its caregivers above and beyond the requirements of the Department of Aging and Disability Services. Assistance may include companionship, transportation to doctor appointments and errands, medication reminders, shower assistance and more.

Please contact Alyssa Sable, Director of Senior Care Services, at 512-797-1505 with any questions or concerns.

Happy Holidays from all of Mom’s Best Friend Senior Care!

As a former activities director (and senior technology educator), I’m here to tell you that there is so much we can offer our seniors by sitting down next to them with an iPad resting on our knees. Here are some ways to encourage laughter and learning with our senior friends and family:

1. Google Maps & Google Earth (free): Look at your childhood home with the Street View feature. Take a tour of the White House or cross the Golden Gate Bridge. Have coffee and a croissant while you visit the Eiffel Tower, or check out the Pyramids of Giza and the great Sphinx over a plate of dolma. Every day can be a walk down memory lane, or a virtual vacation!

2. Tune In Radio (free): Listen to radio from every corner of the earth, and a treasure trove of archived radio. The program collections include some of the greats, for instance hundreds of episodes of Dragnet and Gunsmoke.

3. Stumble Upon (free): Stumble Upon is a virtual “refrigerator door” of what’s on the internet. It scans for the best of the best, and you get to see it all in one place. Pick a category: photography, science, design and get a glimpse of the amazing space of the internet.

4. Skype / FaceTime (free): Why not talk with the grandkids in Albuquerque or the son-in-law in Zimbabwe? Even just an afternoon check in with mom at her apartment can be enhanced with a virtual face-to-face interaction.

5. Angry Birds / Flappy Bird / Candy Crush / [insert fad game here]: So many of these games can transcend age and ability, and can offer a bit of levity throughout the day. After playing a spirited round of Angry Birds with an 89-year old gentleman, I speak from a place of experience.

Susana Fletcher is the director of senior care for Mom’s Best Friend Austin.

• Household Chores. When mom has washed the dishes a thousand times, it is not something she is going to forget quickly. Stand next to her and help her choose the right amount of soap, and then do the drying yourself. Sing a song while you work together. Helping with household chores will promote a sense of accomplishment and worthiness.
• Cooking/Baking. Our sense of smell is our strongest sense in memory recall. Throwing down some drop and bake cookies or allowing mom to stir the soup with your supervision is going to bring a pleasant feeling, and can improve both mood and appetite.
• School Time. Spelling bees, presidential trivia, and naming states and capitals are so much fun! School skills access the part of the brain that handles rote-memorization, an area that is often in tact far later than short-term memory. You might be surprised at your loved one’s skill level!
• Cut it Out. Clipping Sunday coupons or cutting out paper dolls or shapes is soothing and is a social activity. As you’re cutting out the coupons, talk about what products your dad (or even his parents) used to buy for the house, how the prices have changed, and likes and dislikes when it comes to food or products.
• Sensory Experience. Put together a quick kit with a theme. Include something that involves each of the five senses. If it’s spring, have a picture of a garden, the sounds of birds singing, some fresh cut grass to smell, some lemonade to drink, and a small flower to plant in a pot. Engaging all the senses around a theme allows the brain to build new connective synapses (bridges) to access old memories and establish new ones.

Remember, just as our interests vary and change, so does your senior loved one’s interests. Whereas strict routines in bathing, eating, and grooming are important, when it comes to activity, switch it up. Change requires adaptability, which is a skill that engages the brain in a healthy manner.

Guest Blogger: Susana Fletcher has been a senior care volunteer since the age of nine. Spending numerous hours in arts and crafts, senior book clubs, and personal assistant services over the years, her love of seniors has been a constant throughout her life. With a degree from The University of Texas, Susana was an 8th grade English teacher in AISD for a number of years until she started a family. Three kids and eight years later, she turned her attention to the future, and realized that a job in Senior Care was where her heart was calling. She has been the Activities Director at The Collinfield House since 2010.

Senior depression can be triggered by various factors:

• the death of loved ones
• isolation
• illnesses
• fears
• adjusting to a life where they need help from others.

Even after these changes, people typically regroup after a reasonable period. My grandfather on my father’s side, for instance, was a slightly less vibrant version of himself after my grandma passed away, but for the most part, he was his same old self.

On the other hand, my grandma on my mother’s side became a completely different person – eating minimally / losing weight, withdrawing from activities, sleeping constantly, and always in a gloomy mood. This was a woman who previously always had a beautiful smile on her face. Obviously these were huge red flags.

If you see sadness, mixed with bits of happiness and hope, it may not be depression. However, when your loved senior is experiencing some of these signs on a constant basis for more than 2 weeks, you will likely want to consult a doctor about depression:

• Sadness, prolonged crying, and/or anxiety
• Sleeping a lot; loss of energy
• Loss of interest or happiness in everyday activities
• Sleeping problems
• Weight loss or gain
• Irritability
• Constantly negative; feeling worthless, guilty, helpless
• Incessant aches and pains
• Talk or attempts of suicide

As you know, depression is a serious condition, and because your parent may not be rational, it is critical that you monitor their mental well being to watch for any dangerous signs. If you do not live near your parents, make that sure you, or someone you trust, spend enough time with them to see what their behavior is like on a regular basis.

Start by approaching their primary physician for treatment. They may be able to change or prescribe medication (possibly anti-depressants), recommend a counselor/therapist, diagnose a disorder or vitamin/nutrition difficiency, or recommend alternative medicine options. If it is depression, your loved one can’t snap themselves out of it themselves, so try not to get frustrated with them. Take it seriously and don’t wait because the chance of heart attack or even suicide increases a great deal with depression.

For depression prevention, see previous article “3 Ways to Age with Grace”.

If we no longer have this ability, we will make very poor decisions. We will not be able to analyze situations. We will be illogical. We will think things are one way even though they do not make sense in the present.

This 10 part series covered the following topics abstract thinking, multi-step tasking, personality changes, impulse control, initiation, empathy, attention to task distortion, rationalization, and reasoning ability.

These nine areas of functioning do not evaporate all at once. The person’s skills and abilities will fluctuate daily, especially at the initial onset of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. It will seem as if the person is riding a wave, with periods of no impairment and then other periods with severe impairment or confusion. As the disease progresses the moments of confusion occur more frequently and for longer durations of time.

As Alzheimer’s progresses throughout the brain, the Cerebral Cortex becomes affected. This part of our brain stores our long-term memories and it also controls our ability to have conscious thoughts.

What does this mean for someone who has Alzheimer’s? As stated before, all new information can no longer travel through the Hypothalamus, all short term memory does not exist. This forces the person to function in their long-term memories. They can tell you what happened 10, 15, 20, even 50 years ago but they cannot tell you what they did yesterday or even 5 minutes ago. However, the longer they have the disease, more and more of the cerebral cortex will be affected. This results in the person seeming to go “backwards” in time.

They will go farther and farther into their memories. They will expect to see things and people the way they were 10 years ago, then 20 years ago, then 30 years ago, and so forth. They will even begin to expect to see themselves as a much younger person. They will begin to talk to themselves in the mirror, and think they are talking to their mother or grandmother because in their minds eye they do not have wrinkles or gray hair. In their minds eye they may think they are 30 years old, not 60, 70, or 80.

It is important to remember that as all of this is occurring, the person is losing the ability to rationalize and reason. As they begin to look for things the way they were years ago, you cannot force them into today’s time. Alzheimer’s disease has robbed them of the ability to function in today’s time. It is ok for them to go backwards in time. They were more successful back then and they were happier. We call this reminiscing about the “good ole days”.

–Guest Blogger: Jennifer Scott has presented numerous speaking and educational presentations about Alzheimer’s disease and how to care for those suffering with dementia. Ms. Scott is on the faculty of the Center for Health Services Education and Research, where she teachs the upper level division courses in Assisted Living Management and Alzheimer’s and related dementia care. She is also a guest lecturer for the University of Texas Pharmacy School, and on the speakers bureau of the Alzheimer’s Association, Star Chapter.

1. Prepare a budget: Seniors are typically on a fixed income, so overspending can cause unnecessary anxiety. Assisting them with lists and shopping can really ease their worries (do your best to truly assist – not take over).
2. Let them help: Give your loved one tasks such as peeling potatoes, setting the table, writing place cards, or reading to/holding babies and younger children. It’s easy to get caught up, and sometimes seniors get lost in the shuffle, so be sure to include them.
3. Share memories: This is a great time to walk down memory lane with stories, photos, videos – it can be soothing to the soul for everyone. Whether you’re still in the process of grieving a loved one, or you’re remembering happy memories, the holidays are a bonding time for all.
4. Maintain the routine: Before and after the various events you have, continue to prepare healthy, nutritious meals, provide exercise assistance, offer companionship and social interaction, etc. for your loved one. Try to limit the number of activities (you can always get a temporary caregiver if you need to do some extra grocery or present shopping).
5. Watch for over-exhaustion: Be sure there is a quiet place for seniors to take a break. They may need a nap, or just a chance to get out of the chaos of kids and music, etc., so be sure they have an easily accessible retreat.
6. Watch alcohol consumption: Because alcohol is so readily available during the holidays, keep an eye on the number of drinks your loved one has had or should have. Also be sure that they don’t have any alcohol that interferes with their medications.

These tips should help make your senior’s holiday more happy and healthy.

Bonus: 2 gift ideas:

1. For your senior relative that lives alone, try making prepared meals in containers that can be frozen and microwaved.
2. Seniors love to go the mailbox. Purchase a “dessert of the month” plan (or some other type of monthly club), or create your own club by bringing them something each month (just be consistent!) to maintain a consistent connection.

In simplistic terms it means to be able to think things through, step by step, and to come to a conclusion that makes sense. If we do not have this ability, we will think that “we are right” all the time. It’s our way or the high way. No amount of “convincing” will get us to change our mind.

People with Alzheimer’s eventually lose all ability to function with rational thinking ability. They will become argumentative and they will make poor decisions, regarding their own care needs, money matters, driving decisions, and household safety.

There is an important phenomenon that begins to happen as a person travels down the road of the Alzheimer’s and related dementia. It is called Anosognosia, which is from the Greek term which means To Not Know. This is a very important thing to understand and recognize. This means the disease itself takes away the persons’ ability to recognize their own skill level. They will think they are functioning just fine and that they don’t need any help. This causes huge power struggles with the caregivers. Typical power struggles are over the person’s ability to drive a car safely, to live alone, and whether or not the person needs helpers to come into their home. The person with the illness will deny that they are in need of help. This is not the same as “denial”.

The best thing to do as a caregiver is to not argue with the person. This is not always easy by any means, but every effort should be made to not argue or to try to convince the person that they are wrong. Including the person is very complex difficult decisions will result in arguments, confusion, and frustration and it is highly likely that the person will not remember the conversation later so even if the caregiver “wins” the situation will be repeated again later. It is better to agree in the moment whenever possible.

Remember the person is functioning with very impaired judgment and reasoning ability. Go into their reality, as they will unfortunately not be able to function in yours.

–Guest Blogger: Jennifer Scott has presented numerous speaking and educational presentations about Alzheimer’s disease and how to care for those suffering with dementia. Ms. Scott is on the faculty of the Center for Health Services Education and Research, where she teachs the upper level division courses in Assisted Living Management and Alzheimer’s and related dementia care. She is also a guest lecturer for the University of Texas Pharmacy School, and on the speakers bureau of the Alzheimer’s Association, Star Chapter.