elderadvocare

Long term care was originally defined as custodial or non-skilled care. However, as advancements are made in the medical field long term care can now encompasses skilled practitioners as well. Usually when one thinks of long term care they think of home care. In the purest sense of the term long term care can take place in a nursing facility. However, for the purpose of this writing we will refer to long term care as care that takes in the home and nursing home care as one that (Read on …)

There are many different kinds of nurses, but the two most common are LPNs and RNs. Many people often wonder what the difference is between the two. It is important to know this, especially when you are dealing with those who care for the elderly because you need to be aware of each caregiver’s responsibilities. Here are the basic differences between LPNs and RNs.

While it is true that there are differences in salary and coursework required to obtain each nursing license, the differences you should focus on are the practical ones, like duties and responsibilities. Licensed (Read on …)

When you are caring for an elderly person and you are witnessing pressure sores and elder abuse, it is important to know what steps to take. The first thing that you should do when you notice pressure sores is to contact the administration for the facility or the organization that is coordinating care for them. When you speak with the administration, you want to make sure that they follow through with investigating the complaint. Always make sure that you follow up with the person that you spoke to so that you make sure that (Read on …)

There’s nothing worse than suspecting your elderly loved one is being abused. Here are a few signs to look for when determining whether or not to confront an elderly abuser…
Homecare issues: if your elderly loved one receives daily or weekly homecare, check to make sure the job being paid for is the job being done. Is the house clean? Has the patient been eating regularly if meals are to be provided?
Get a physical: If you actually suspect abuse is going on, take your elderly relative to the doctor (Read on …)

Anyone who has an elderly parent, relative or friend in a nursing home should know the truth about broken hips and the proper response from the nursing home administration. If you suspect a nursing home resident has a broken hip, or is complaining about hip pain, the staff of any nursing home in the U.S. is required by law to investigate the injury. Do not settle for the staff merely giving the resident pain medication to mask the pain. Insist that the patient be seen by a physician and given tests or an X-ray examination in order (Read on …)

There are 5 signs that your loved one needs long-term care, and the first sign you should look out for is for memory loss. If your loved one is starting to show signs of memory loss, or their memory seems to be getting worse, then you should get them long-term care.

Another sign that your loved one needs long-term care is that they cannot really control their bowel movements. If your loved one is having uncontrollable bowel movements often, then they are (Read on …)

When personal faculties begin to fade in elderly men and women, it becomes an emotional time for families.
Whether it’s your parents or grandparents it’s a monolithic decision that can fall on the shoulders of family members. Mom or dad or even a husband or wife just doesn’t seem to be as well as they used to be. The conundrum that pops up is knowing when it’s time to get help for them, especially when it involves moving anyone out of their home. However, signs may be (Read on …)

If you know or suspect someone who may be the target of elder abuse but you’re not sure where to turn for insight and information, you may want to turn your focus to the National Center for Victims of Crime.The organization is the nation’s leading resource and advocacy for crime victims and those who serve them. Started in 1985, the National Center has worked with criminal justice and other organizations throughout the country serving millions of victims of crime.The organization states their mission as forging a “national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives” and they are “dedicated to serving individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime.”The organization focuses it efforts on victim services, public policy, civil justice, and (Read on …)

The National Center on Elder Abuse was established in 1988 and serves as a national resource that is dedicated to the prevention of elder mistreatment. It is a program that falls within the U.S. Administration on Aging with a mission to “ensure that older Americans will live with dignity, integrity, independence, and without abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”With that goal in mind, they have developed seven types of elder abuse which are broadly defined as follows (as applied to caregivers or any other person that causes serious harm or a serious risk of harm):

Physical Abuse: Use of force to threaten or physically injure a vulnerable elderEmotional Abuse: Verbal attacks, threats, rejection, isolation, or belittling acts that cause or could cause mental anguish, pain, or distress to a seniorSexual Abuse: Sexual contact that is forced, tricked, threatened, or otherwise coerced upon a vulnerable elder, including (Read on …)

An elder cottage housing opportunity, or ECHO, is a small housing unit that can be installed in a backyard on a temporary basis and is most commonly used to accommodate older adults. ECHO housing units are self-contained prefab homes ranging in size between 400 and 800 square feet that allow someone to remain largely independent while still living within earshot of their family or care provider. ECHO housing usually includes all the amenities of a house including a kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room, but on a much smaller scale than traditional homes may offer. They first gained popularity in Australia, where they’re known as granny flats in the 1970s, but ECHO housing caught on in the United States in the late 1980s and has since been promoted by AARP as an inexpensive housing solution for older adults.