While providing elderly home care, would you know how to identify
depression in your elderly loved one? Do you know the warning signs of
senior depression? If you answered no to one or both of these
questions, you are not alone. Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, down in the dumps, or feeling blah. The
common signs of depression can include:

1. Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping
2. Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight loss or gain
3. Fatigue, lack of energy
4. Feelings of worthlessness
5. Difficulty concentrating
6. Agitation, restlessness, or irritability
7. Withdrawal from once enjoyed activities
8. Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
9. Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

Depression among seniors is harder to identify than depression among younger adults. Younger adults, and even children, more readily express feelings of sadness or depression that their senior counterparts.
Caregivers providing personal home care and family members of seniors
may not recognize the signs of depression. And if seniors are less
likely to express such feelings, the situation can prove to have
devastating results. Geriatric suicide is a growing concern. Suicide among the elderly is more common that any other age group. One reason for this, is that depression among seniors is often mistaken for other age related problems, or the aging process in general. But remember, depression is not a normal part of aging.
Many seniors are from an era where seeking help for mental health issues carries a negative stigma of being “crazy”. It is important, therefore, for family members and those providing senior in home care to be aware that their senior loved one is less likely to share feelings of depression, and less likely to seek treatment. Seniors often face loneliness, isolation, and grief over the death of a spouse. If you notice signs of depression in your aging loved one, try to reach out and talk about it with them. If you are the caregiver providing personal home care and notice signs of depression, share your concerns with the family members. If the senior is unwilling or unable to open up and share her thoughts, and the depression persists, it’s important
to speak to a medical professional.

Finding elderly in home care can be very stress full not only for the senior  in need of care, but also for their familiy. Caregivers are expected to be strong and healthy, but what happens if the caregiver gets sick? As the the director of a business that assists families to find care for their loved ones, I can always tell when a caregiver who is calling is at a breaking point and in desperate need of senior in home care. Their voices are very stressed and they are almost in a panic. Often, as they describe their situation, I can hear the tears welling up inside of them. Unfortunately, some people wait too long and the stress of being a caregiver has already taken its toll, but it does not have to be that way.
If you are the primary caregiver of a person with Alzheimer’s,dementia,or other serious illness, you need to be very careful not to let the situation overwhelm you. While this sounds easier said than done, there are steps you can take to prevent burnout. Here are a few points that can help.
1.Look for help. Allow others to help and don’t feel that you have to be the one to do everything. There are numerous ways to get help for your loved one depending on your needs,location and financial situation. Here are a few:
a. Contact the Office on Aging and ask about respite programs. Most counties have programs that will pay for a limited number of hours of home care services, free of charge. These types of programs are designed to give you a break and allow you to get out of the house.
b. If your loved one qualifies for Medicaid, there may be programs available which would pay for either home care or adult day care services.
c. If your loved one has a serious illness, consider using hospice. You don’t have to wait until the illness is at the ends stages to get help.
d.Ask relative or close friends to help you out.
2.Get some exercise. Exercise can help you reduce stress, keep your body strong, strengthen your immune system and simply make you feel good. Some of the best exercises are walking or biking. These are easy to do, get your heart rate into the aerobic zone, burn calories and give you a chance to clear your head. Some excellent mind/body exercises include yoga, tai chi and Qi gong. Make time to exercise and you will reap the rewards.
3.Eat well.Like exercise, eating a well balanced diet helps you feel good, helps avoid being sick and gives you the energy you need to be a caregiver.
4.Learn relaxation techniques.Deep breathing, meditation and some of the mind/body exercises mentioned above can be tremendously helpful. An easy breathing technique is to inhale through your nose for a count of four,filling your belly with air, not your chest.Hold your breath for a count of seven and then exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.This can really help calm the nerves when practiced regularly.
5.Get an adequate amount of sleep.The fastest way to get run down is never getting enough sleep. If you find you are caring for your loved one at night, try to hire a person for overnight if this is possible. If you have siblings, ask them to chip in financially if they are not able to share some of the actual hands-on care.
While it can be very difficult to do many of the suggestions listed above, you must understant that if you get run down and sick, the problem is greatly magnified. You must be firm in demanding time to care for yourself and most importantly, you must not feel guilty. You are doing a great and honorable thing by being a caregiver, but it must not completely take over your life.
If you don’t know where to turn, consider hiring a professional geriatric care manager. While they can be a bit costly, it is often money well spent, as their years of experience are focused on helping seniors and their families when in need.

Elderly in home care can cause caregiver stress. Caregivers are expected to be strong and healthy, but what happens if the caregiver gets sick? As the Marketing Officer of a web based business that assists families to find care for their loved ones, I can always tell when a caregiver who is calling is at a breaking point. Their voices are very stressed and they are almost in a panic. Often, as they describe their situation, I can hear the tears welling up inside of them. Unfortunately, some people wait too long and the stress of being a caregiver has already taken its toll, but it does not have to be that way.
If you are the primary caregiver of a person with Alzheimer’s,dementia,or other serious illness, you need to be very careful not to let the situation overwhelm you. While this sounds easier said than done, there are steps you can take to prevent burnout. Here are a few points that can help.
1.Look for help.Allow others to help and don’t feel that you have to be the one to do everything. There are numerous ways to get help for your loved one depending on your needs,location and financial situation. Here are a few:
a.Contact the Office on Aging and ask about respite programs. Most counties have programs that will pay for a limited number of hours of home care services, free of charge. These types of programs are designed to give you a break and allow you to get out of the house.
b.If your loved one qualifies for Medicaid, there may be programs available which would pay for either home care or adult day care services.
c.If your loved one has a serious illness, consider using hospice. You don’t have to wait until the illness is at the ends stages to get help.
d.Ask relative or close friends to help you out.
2.Get some exercise.Exercise can help you reduce stress, keep your body strong, strengthen your immune system and simply make you feel good. Some of the best exercises are walking or biking. These are easy to do, get your heart rate into the aerobic zone, burn calories and give you a chance to clear your head. Some excellent mind/body exercises include yoga, tai chi and Qi gong. Make time to exercise and you will reap the rewards.
3.Eat well.Like exercise, eating a well balanced diet helps you feel good, helps avoid being sick and gives you the energy you need to be a caregiver.
4.Learn relaxation techniques.Deep breathing, meditation and some of the mind/body exercises mentioned above can be tremendously helpful. An easy breathing technique is to inhale through your nose for a count of four,filling your belly with air, not your chest.Hold your breath for a count of seven and then exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.This can really help calm the nerves when practiced regularly.
5.Get an adequate amount of sleep.The fastest way to get run down is never getting enough sleep. If you find you are caring for your loved one at night, try to hire a person for overnight if this is possible. If you have siblings, ask them to chip in financially if they are not able to share some of the actual hands-on care.
While it can be very difficult to do many of the suggestions listed above, you must understant that if you get run down and sick, the problem is greatly magnified. You must be firm in demanding time to care for yourself and most importantly, you must not feel guilty. You are doing a great and honorable thing by being a caregiver, but it must not completely take over your life.
If you don’t know where to turn, consider hiring a professional geriatric care manager. While they can be a bit costly, it is often money well spent, as their years of experience are focused on helping seniors and their families when in need.

If used properly, over-the-counter and prescription medications can keep you healthy. Many senior patients take several different medications daily. Sometimes, prescriptions are from multiple physicians, making an elder in home vulnerable to side effects, or even accidental poisonings. So how do we provide senior assistance in regards to medication safety? Many pharmacies are now using automated systems for filling prescriptions. An automated system can warn a senior of a potentially dangerous drug interaction. In addition, following The 7 Tips for Safe Medication Use is a proactive approach to medication safety among seniors.

1.    Learn about your medications. Read the labels and package inserts and follow the instructions for use. Ask your doctor if you have any questions or if you don’t understand.
2.    Be sure to speak with all of your doctors about your medical conditions, any health concerns and be sure to inform them of all the medications you take. This includes prescription medications, over-the-counter and herbal medications, vitamins and supplements. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
3.    Keep track of any side effects and inform your doctor immediately if your symptoms change.
4.    Keep all scheduled appointments with your doctors, including appointments for blood work or other monitoring tests.
5.    Use a pill box, calendar, or writing tablet to keep track of what medications to take and when to take them. Also write down information that your doctor gives you about your medications.
6.    Take someone such as a friend or relative along with you to doctor appointments if you think you may need help remembering doctor instructions.
7.    Have a “Medication Check-Up” at least once per year. Go through the cabinet(s) where you keep medications. Throw away old or expired medications. Review with your doctor all the medications you currently take, including over-the-counter or herbal medications.
8.    Keep all medications out of sight and reach of children or other elderly in home that has dementia.

National Alzheimer’s Awareness Week is July 6-12. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s affects a person’s ability to remember, understand, communicate and reason. According the the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.2 million American’s currently suffer from the disease.

The top 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease are:

1. Memory loss

2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks

3. Problems with language

4. Disorientation to time and place

5. Poor or decreased judgment

6. Problems with abstract thinking

7. Misplacing things

8. Changes in mood or behavior

9. Changes in personality

10. Loss of initiative

If you are responsible for elderly in home care or provide assisted living in home, these warning signs can assist you in determining if you need to have your loved one tested for Alzheimer’s.

For more information, contact your local Alzheimer’s Association. If you are seeking care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, contact Care Grade at www.caregrade.com