For caregivers, learning to provide care for patients is an ongoing process. Even after dozens of hours of training, caregiving is a fluid process, within which things are always changing and adapting. Different clients require different care, mental and emotional upset can rise and fall quickly, and confounding factors like dementia and cognitive decline can make it difficult to connect effectively with patients. As such, caregivers are always learning to provide better care for their older patients. It’s an ongoing process and, when caregivers dedicate themselves to it fully, it can overhaul the way they view their jobs and connect to their clients.

10 Ways Caregivers Can Learn to Provide Better Care

Providing better care is a process, and it requires learning new steps. Here are a few tips for caregivers who want to learn to provide better care:

1. Keep Yourself Healthy

The healthier and fitter you are, the better able you are to offer quality care. As such, it’s essential for caregivers to care for themselves. This means eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, staying active, and getting enough rest. When all these things are done, caregivers have the energy, stamina, and attention needed to care for aging patients.

2. Ask for Help

Sometimes, caregivers run into confounding care situations that can be very confusing. For example, what if an existing patient begins to develop Alzheimer’s? That changes the level of care the patient needs, and can be confusing for caregivers. In these situations, asking for help is one of the best things you can do. Many caregivers hold the position all their life, and can act as a wealth of knowledge for caregivers struggling to adapt to changing clients, or striving to ensure they’re offering the best possible care to the people they spend time with. While asking for help can feel intimidating, it’s one of the best ways for caregivers to learn more about their industry, and learn to provide the high-quality care their clients deserve.

3. Study Up

Reading can be a great way for caregivers to take in new information. If you’re struggling with a particularly difficult situation or making your way into a new facet of caregiving, read a book about it. Books like The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer’s Disease, Related Dementias, and Memory Loss can be comforting and illuminating for people caring for Alzheimer’s patients. In fact, there are well-written books available for people in virtually every facet of caregiving, if you’re looking for something that applies to your situation, do a quick Google search or ask your fellow caregivers what they’d recommend.

4. Take a Course

To continue your trajectory of study, look for free or low-cost courses in your local area. These courses can teach everything from caregiving techniques to self-care tactics that will quickly become instrumental in your caregiving approach. These courses are available through senior centers, caregiving support groups, and assisted living facilities.

5. Shadow Another Caregiver

One thing few caregivers think of doing is shadowing another caregiver. Ideal for any caregiver who wants to learn new skills, or is struggling to adapt to changing or more complex clients, shadowing a more experienced caregiver is an excellent way to gain hands-on experience and learn some new skills that can help inform and enhance your own caregiving tactics.

6. Reach out to Your Employer

If you’re a caregiver who works for a company, reach out to your employer for additional learning materials or educational courses. Most caregiving centers are happy to help educate their caregivers and will work hard to further learning in their workforce. From books to courses and beyond, it’s highly likely that your employer will have some resources to pass your way. Remember: being specific about what you want to learn and what you’re struggling with is the best way to ensure you get the education you need.

7. Branch Out

While many caregivers believe that the education they should pursue is limited to the field of caregiving, branching out into other industries can be incredibly helpful. For example, caregivers who are struggling to manage anxiety in their careers may benefit from learning about meditation or yoga, while people who are dealing with patients with Alzheimer’s may benefit from learning a bit more about the human brain, through a course in psychology or neuroscience. Caregivers are busy people, and many think learning about these topics is a waste of time. The truth is, though, that a broad education is incredibly valuable for caregivers, and provides the extensive information and resources required to succeed in the field.

8. Join a Support Group

Support groups can be instrumental for caregivers. In addition to providing the mental, emotional, and social support caregivers need to remain happy and relaxed in their careers, support groups are also a great place to pick up resources and education. By putting you in contact with other caregivers from different backgrounds and educations, a good support group can help you learn the tricks and tactics needed to provide better care, and to release stress and anxiety in the process.

9. Give Yourself Time to Rest

When you’re busy learning and working a demanding career, you need to give yourself time to rest and reflect. How you do this is up to you, but resources like respite care can be invaluable. Even if you can’t take a long vacation, ensure you’re making small pockets of time throughout the week to reflect on your recent learning, unplug, and get the rest you need for the new information to sink in and take hold.

10. Participate in Online Forums

If you’re looking to pick up some new information about caregiving, head to an online forum. Popular places for caregivers from around the world to gather, discuss topics related to the field, and problem-solve together, online forums can be great resources for anecdotal experience and hands-on expertise. A quick online search for “caregiving online forums” will reveal options from reputable sites across the U.S. To get started, try out AARP’s online caregiving community.

Better Caregiving Starts Here

There is no plateau point with caregiving. Instead, caregivers are always learning, adjusting their skills, and adapting to new information. While this may feel exhausting, it’s important to remember that the best caregivers are the ones who remain flexible and fluid, and that ongoing education is essential to providing great service. By exploring these ten avenues, caregivers can absorb pivotal new information and become more effective in their positions.

As an elderly loved one ages, making care decisions only seems to get harder and harder. While companion care may be enough for a while, there comes a point in every senior’s life when overnight care is needed.  While companion care offers care with the activities of daily living (ADL) such as dressing, cooking, cleaning, and eating, overnight care is more comprehensive care designed to cater to seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s or related conditions.  If you’re struggling with knowing when it’s time to trade in companion care for overnight care for your aging loved one, this post is for you. Read on to learn more.

The Emotional Implications of Hiring Overnight Care

Before we move on to discuss when is the appropriate time to hire overnight care, let’s first establish that many, many family members have an incredibly difficult time making this decision. It’s okay to find it difficult to accept the deteriorating health of a loved one, and many family members find themselves in a bit of denial about the fact that their loved one needs round-the-clock long-term care. As painful as it is, this is a reality in many peoples’ lives, and addressing it by hiring the best-quality overnight care possible is the only way to provide for the health and wellbeing of an aging loved one. 

What are the Benefits of Overnight Care? 

Overnight care has many distinct benefits, both for the caregiver and the senior. Here are some of the top advantages overnight care has to offer: 

a) Medical assistance at all hours of the day and night.

 When a senior is suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia, being alone at night can be dangerous. Alzheimer’s is well known to affect sleep patterns and it’s very common for affected individuals to get up and wander in the middle of the night. Without the care and supervision of a qualified attendant, a senior may wander out of the house and get lost or find themselves in a dangerous situation. Overnight care helps mitigate these risks and ensure that the senior is safe and well cared-for at all times.

b) A break for family caregivers.

More than 65 million people act as family caregivers in the U.S. alone, and these patient, kind, loving individuals cope with superhuman burdens nearly every day. In addition to the responsibility of caring for an aging loved one, these people often have young children and spouses to care for, as well. This creates a significant emotional, financial, and mental burden that contributes to caregiver stress and burnout. In many situations, it’s not uncommon for a family caregiver to be with an aging loved one every hour of the day that he or she isn’t working or caring for his or her family. Luckily, hiring overnight care can help decrease this burden a bit. By giving the family caregiver a way to step out of the care responsibilities without putting the senior at risk, overnight care offers a critical respite for stressed family caregivers who need small, regular breaks.

c) Medical assistance.

Overnight care providers are generally trained medical staff, which means they can assist with things like catheterization, medication administration, and other healthcare needs the senior may have. This helps ensure the senior’s safety and encourage appropriate treatment at all times.

7 Signs That it is Time to Hire Overnight Care

If you’ve noticed any of the following signs or symptoms in your senior loved one, it is time to hire overnight care: 

1. Wandering off

If a senior is suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s and has started to wander off, it’s time to hire overnight care. Without it, these seniors may wander out of the house and find themselves in serious trouble late at night. An overnight care assistant can monitor and prevent this behavior to keep the senior safe.

2. Intense forgetfulness

If the senior has become increasingly forgetful and has begun to do things like leave doors open or stoves on, it’s time to hire overnight care. These forgetful behaviors pose a risk to the senior’s health, and overnight care is one of the best ways to ensure the senior stays safe.

3. Depressive thoughts or actions

Seniors have an increased risk of depression, and older people who feel intensely depressed may try to wound themselves. If you’ve noticed this tendency in your loved one, overnight care is a critical tactic that can help keep the senior safe and happy.

4. Medication neglect

If your loved one forgets to take his or her medications, hire overnight care to ensure they’re administered correctly. With certain drugs (like anti-seizure or blood pressure medications), forgetting to take them can have dire consequences. Luckily, an overnight care professional will be able to ensure that the senior adheres to a medication schedule. 

5. Anger or uncharacteristic behavior

If your loved one has recently started to exhibit strange or atypical behavior, it may be time to hire overnight care. Because overnight caregivers can help seniors stay in a routine and remain safe in their homes, they’re a valuable form of assistance for elderly people who have started to behave differently than they used to.

6. Medical conditions that necessitate round-the-clock care

If your loved one has seizures or another medical condition that can be dangerous if left alone, overnight care can be lifesaving. By hiring someone to attend to the senior when you can’t, you get the benefits of peace of mind while also ensuring that the senior has the medical assistance he or she needs to cope with their condition. 

7. When the senior needs help to get around

If your senior loved one has a difficult time walking or moving around the house, overnight care is a smart idea. This way, a senior can get up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night while also maintaining his or her dignity and independence as much as possible.

The Case for Overnight Care

In the right setting, overnight care is a critical service that can overhaul a senior’s life as well as that of his or her family caregivers. Because overnight care steps in to fill a critical care gap where the family caregiver needs to sleep and the senior is often left alone, it’s a fantastic option for seniors who need a high level of care or who are suffering from cognitive impairment. By hiring overnight care for a senior loved one, family members can put their minds at ease and shrug off some of the guilt that comes from not being able to accompany the senior through every moment of the day. Since overnight caregivers are highly trained and qualified attendants, they’re the ideal tool for helping to ensure a senior’s ongoing health, safety, and wellbeing.

As seniors get older, it’s not uncommon for them to lose their hearing. A grandmother who used to share whispered secrets with a grandchild may now struggle to hear shouts from across the house. A grandfather who used to be an avid talker may now feel isolated from discussions he can’t make out. While hearing loss is a common side effect of aging, it’s not the rule for every senior. With proper care and prevention tactics, there are plenty of things you can do to prevent hearing loss and maintain your hearing well into your golden years. Read on to learn more.

Why Hearing Loss Happens in Seniors

Today, about 8.5% of seniors ages 55-64 are experiencing some degree of hearing loss. By the time seniors reach the age of 75 or older, that number has risen to 50%. With these numbers in mind, it’s clear that hearing loss is a widespread problem that affects many people. But what causes it? The truth is that there are dozens of reasons for hearing loss and that very few people lose their hearing for the same reason. For starters, age is a factor in hearing loss. As you age, the microscopic hairs in the ear (which are required for helping the brain make sense of sound waves) get damaged or die off completely, making it more difficult for seniors to convert sound waves into discernable sounds. This type of hearing loss is known as presbycusis, and it is, unfortunately, permanent. Once the hairs in the ear have become damaged, they cannot grow back, and seniors must turn to mechanical hearing aids and the like. Aside from age-related hearing loss, there is also hearing loss associated with things like medications, high blood pressure, tumors in the brain or inner ear, strokes, viruses, punctured eardrums, or even a simple buildup of earwax. In some cases, people who have worked in loud industries (such as music or factories) may experience hearing loss that results because of damage to the eardrum.

The Effects of Hearing Loss

For people who haven’t experienced hearing loss, the effects of the condition may seem as simple as not being able to hear friends or acquaintances or requiring people around you to speak louder. If you’re currently suffering from hearing loss, though, you know that the effects can be much more pronounced than that. For many people, hearing loss results in a pronounced feeling of isolation and exclusion. While the world around you continues to move, as usual, you’ve lost your ability to participate as you once did simply because you can’t hear like you once did. The effects can be devastating. In some cases, the effects of hearing loss can go far beyond the physical and start to affect seniors on a mental and emotional basis. According to one 2014 study, approximately 12% of seniors affected by hearing loss experience depression ranging from moderate to severe. In addition to being linked to an increased risk of depression, hearing loss can also wreak havoc on a senior’s cognitive function. According to a JAMA Internal Medicine study published in 2012, hearing loss can decrease cognitive function by as much as 41% in some seniors. These things can be detrimental to your health and, as such, it’s critical to ensure that you’re taking proactive steps to prevent hearing loss. 

How to Prevent Hearing Loss

We’ve all heard the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and nowhere does it ring truer than with hearing. While hearing is difficult to restore once it’s been lost, it’s relatively simple to maintain. With this in mind, here are some of the primary ways seniors can protect their hearing both now and in the future: 

1. Wear ear protection.

Upwards of ten million Americans have already done irreversible damage to their hearing as a result of loud noises. With this in mind, it’s clear that protecting your ears from loud noises is essential. Because of this, it’s wise to wear ear muffs at loud concerns, insert ear plugs before running chainsaws or other loud machinery, and be careful about how loud the music you play in headphones is. These are small steps, but they can serve to safeguard your hearing in the years to come.

2. Be careful with medications.

Some medications can have dire effects on hearing, and many people assume this is normal when it’s not. If you’ve noticed that a medicine you recently started taking is affecting your hearing negatively, see your doctor. There may be an alternate treatment you can adopt to protect your hearing and your health.

3. Get frequent check-ups.

While many people forgo annual hearing screenings, attending them allows you to catch dangerous hearing loss issues before they become permanent. Be sure to see your doctor about any new or worsening hearing symptoms as you age. While these tips may seem simple, they can go a long way toward preventing the damage caused by hearing loss and ensuring that you remain happy, healthy, and alert well into their senior years. What’s more, these easy prevention tips can also contribute to ensuring that you never have to suffer the cognitive and mental challenges caused by pronounced hearing loss. 

How to Treat Hearing Loss

If you’ve already suffered irreversible hearing loss, don’t fret. Because hearing loss is so common, it has many well-researched treatment options. For example, people suffering from hearing loss may find a hearing aid helpful for day-to-day life. Hearing aids are beneficial for seniors with various levels of hearing loss and are available in a wide selection of sizes, options, and styles. While many people are concerned about how wearing a hearing aid will make them look, today’s models are small and low-profile, so you’re the only one who knows you’re wearing one. If a hearing aid isn’t a fit for your unique situation, you can also explore surgical treatment options, including cochlear implants, which are meant to treat severe hearing loss by making sounds louder and helping seniors decipher the noises around them. Beyond surgery, there are also many non-invasive and non-mechanical options available. These range from sign language to lip reading, and can serve to help you feel more interactive and included in your daily life. 

Hearing Loss Doesn’t Have to be a Reality for All Seniors  

Hearing loss affects millions of Americans, and it can have devastating repercussions for mental and emotional well-being. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be the status quo. By understanding the common causes of hearing loss and taking proactive steps to prevent it, you can protect your hearing throughout the aging process. While some hearing loss is hereditary and can’t be prevented entirely, these smart steps can help you reduce environmental risk factors and ensure that you’re doing what you can to keep your hearing in tip-top shape. Although many people assume that hearing loss is an intrinsic portion of old age, this doesn’t have to be the case, and people who understand the causes of hearing loss and know how to prevent them are better equipped to stay sharp and alert throughout their golden years. 

If you’re considering working as a caregiver, there are dozens of different ways to do it. While many people assume working as a caregiver means working for a home care agency, this isn’t always the case. In fact, you can work for anyone from a private employer to your own family member! To learn more about all the options you have for working as a caregiver, read on:

7 Different Options for Working as a Caregiver

Whether you’re a new caregiver looking to enter the industry or an experienced professional wondering about your options for lateral movement, these are the top ways to work as a caregiver.

1. Work for An Agency

Working for an agency is one of the most popular methods of working as a caregiver. Designed to cater to the various needs of seniors in the in-home environment, home-care agencies partner qualified caregivers with home care jobs across the country and throughout the states. Agencies act as a third-party between the caregiver and the patient, and make life easier for caregivers by finding clients for them, handling payroll and offering structure. Caregivers who work for home-care agencies may be required to have one or several certifications, although this depends largely on the state in which they live. While states like Alabama have no licensing requirements, Arizona requires basic caregiver training for home care professionals, and 6 hours of training for Caregivers for Medicaid. You can look up your state’s training requirements on caregiverlist.com.

2. Work for Family

Thanks to a popular consumer-directed program known as CDPAP, it’s now possible for family caregivers to work as employees for the loved ones they care for. Designed to take some of the burden off both caregivers and patients, CDPAP makes it easy for caregivers to offer and orchestrate payment while also ensuring that the honorable duty of caregiving doesn’t create a financial burden for family caregivers. Under CDPAP, caregivers can hire family members or loved ones to provide their in-home care, and CDPAP will handle payroll issuing, training, and more. Throughout it all, the caregiver is responsible for hiring, managing, and terminating caregivers, and maintaining payroll reports. This system provides for a safer and more comfortable care environment for seniors, and a more financially viable way to care for loved-ones for caregivers.

3. Work for Friends or Neighbors

CDPAP also allows patients to hire friends or neighbors to provide their in-home care. An extension of the consumer-directed program that allows patients to choose their own caregivers, hiring friends and neighbors has become popular among people who want to take control of their caregiving but already know someone with whom they would trust their care. Like working for a family member, working for a friend or neighbor allows for a more comfortable and satisfying experience for both the caregiver and patient. While the patient feels in control of his or her care, the caregiver can enjoy a better patient caregiver relationship and more predictability thanks to the arrangement with the friend or neighbor. Like working for family members, the patient in this satiation would be required to handle all the training and payroll information while the caregiver may or may not be required to obtain any official training beforehand.

4. Private Pay Caregiving

Private Pay caregivers are caregivers who are hired “under the table.” These caregivers are typically hired by patients who want to work directly with their caregivers, without the structure or requirements of a home care agency or CDPAP. Private pay caregivers aren’t always friends or family members of the patient, although they can be. While private pay caregiving may seem simple, it’s important to remember different states have different laws surrounding hiring caregivers, and that both patients and caregivers may be responsible for taxes and withholdings if the two of you decide to enter such an agreement.

5. Through Insurance

Securing caregiver pay through an insurance company can be tricky, but it is possible. In some cases, long-term care insurance and other such policies afford some coverage for in-home care providers, and it’s possible to get paid by these companies. Be aware, though, that there are specifications and that you may need training or certification that you wouldn’t need to be a private pay caregiver or to work for a friend, neighbor, or family member. Sometimes, insurance companies will not pay providers who are not certified and employed by a health care agency. Before you pursue this route, talk with your would-be patient about their insurance coverage and whether it would cover you.

6. Medicare

As a general rule, Medicare benefits don’t cover the expenses of home care aides, unless the person hiring the aide needs skilled care, like nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech-language care. There are many restrictions surrounding these circumstances, and it’s wise for patients and caregivers to evaluate the bounds of coverage completely before making the decision to press forward.

7. Medicaid

Medicaid provides sponsored programs meant to cover the funding for long-term care for elderly people. These programs may cover things such as meal delivery, in-home healthcare, personal care services, adult day care, transportation, and more. To qualify for payment through these programs, caregivers need to work with their patients to ensure the household is eligible for Medicaid programs and that the caregiver’s training is enough to qualify for the program.

Getting Paid as a Caregiver

While many caregivers believe working an unpaid position is their only option, the times are changing and there are many ways to get paid as a caregiver today. Simple options, like direct payment, and more recent options like working for family members, friends, or neighbors are all fantastic ways for caregivers to secure payment for their services and to succeed in making a living from their dedication and devotion to caregiving. While it may take some back-and-forth to find a caregiving approach that works for you and your patient, it’s well worth it in the long run.

Being a caregiver can be an exhausting pursuit. While it’s important work, many caregivers feel burned-out and tired because of their caregiving duties. What’s more, many aren’t sure how to cope with the stress and anxiety their professions create. Because of this, it’s essential for caregivers to have healthy outlets to relieve stress, get in touch with themselves and friends, and live happy, centered lives. Luckily finding a healthy outlet is easier than you might think! Here are our top ten suggestions.

10 Healthy Outlets for Caregivers

Whether you work as a family caregiver or a caregiver for an in-home agency, having an outlet is more critical than you might think. Stress, a major factor in virtually every chronic disease, weighs heavily on caregivers, and a good outlet is essential to blow off steam and cope well with the stresses of caregiving life. These ten outlets are great places to start:

1. Writing

Writing has been shown to calm the mind, relieve stress, alleviate anxiety and heal trauma, promote good communication skills and increase your memory capacity. Luckily, you don’t need to be Hemingway to do it. If you’ve never written before, there are many ways to get started. Consider joining a local writing class or taking a writing course online. These guided formats are attractive for people with no experience in writing who want to get started in a group setting. If you’d prefer to do it yourself, you can just purchase a notebook and some pens and jot down your feelings at the end of each day. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and write until it goes off. Don’t try to structure yourself or edit yourself as you go – just write! While many people are intimidated by writing, it can be a fantastic outlet for people in high-stress environments.  Simply getting your brain out on paper can work wonders to reduce your stress and provide an outlet at the end of a hard day.

2. Ceramics

There’s no underestimating the importance of learning to do something with your hands. If you’ve never been a crafty person, ceramics is a great place to start. In addition to the fact that ceramics classes are available at most community colleges, universities, and local arts studios, ceramics is also a great way to create some lovely keepsakes for you, your family, and your patients. You may also find that, over time, you enjoy ceramics enough that you want to pursue it as a hobby for years to come.

3. Exercise

Exercise has been shown to be more effective than pharmaceuticals at treating anxiety and depression. If you feel stressed-out and overworked by your caregiving position, blow off some steam with exercise. A good 30-minute run, brisk hike, long yoga class, or walk with your dog is a great way to get the feel-good energy flowing, and to manage stress caused by your work. What’s more, exercise also keeps your heart healthy, fights weight gain, and helps you sleep better at night. Not sure where to start with exercise? Don’t go it alone. Partner with an active friend or join a gym, most of which offer a few personal training sessions with new memberships. This will help you learn to work out safely and correctly.  

4. Therapy

Therapy can be invaluable for people struggling to manage the stress of their caregiving positions. For best results, seek out a therapist with experience working with caregivers. While many people believe that therapy won’t help them, it can be a fantastic way to handle the stress and difficulties of caregiving and find healthier ways to cope with difficult emotions like grief and sadness.

5. Support Groups

Like therapy, support groups provide an important bouncing-off point for people who work in stressful professions like caregiving. In a support group, you’ll find a dedicated group of like-minded individuals who understand your struggles and can work with you to help alleviate them. What’s more, support groups can work with you to turn you on to helpful resources and give you the tools you need to navigate difficult caregiving situations.

6. Dance

Dance is a great way to get your body moving and dump stress all at once. Never been a dancer? No problem! Sign up for a fun local dance class in your community or join a local play to get moving. Designed to incorporate fun, discipline, and exercise all into one movement, dance is a great way to cope with the stresses of being a caregiver.

7. Meditation

Having trouble staying in the moment? Meditation might be able to help. Designed to offer the help you need calming down, getting rid of obsessive or difficult thoughts, and maintaining your center throughout the day, meditation is a great outlet for busy or stressed-out caregivers who need help coping. Studies have also shown that mindfulness meditation is effective at resolving anxiety, which is a bonus for caregivers.

8. Yoga

Yoga combines breath and movement for a truly calming experience that’s also good for your body. Clear up kinks in your back with downward dog while breathing your way through a stressful day or a difficult situation.

9. Reading

Reading is one of the best ways to escape from reality and infuse yourself into a new and exciting world! Pick up a novel you love to escape the day-to-day and get busy imagining new and exciting worlds. It’s also a great way to combat stress and cut down on anxiety.

10. Meeting with Friends

Laughter is the best medicine and meeting with friends is a great way to blow off steam and help yourself recover from busy caregiving days. Make tie in your schedule to get together with the friends you love and cherish. Not only will you feel happier and less stressed because of it, but you’ll also maintain your connection to the outside world and keep your finger on the pulse of the things that keep you inspired and exited outside of caregiving.

Healthier Outlets Start Here

There’s no question about it: being a caregiver can be difficult. Finding healthy outlets is key to coping with those difficulties, though. Luckily, activities like dancing, reading, yoga, and writing can help you work through difficult emotions and find healthy methods of expression.

Home health care has now become a popular option for the aging population as it is being touted as a cost-effective solution to increasing medical costs and hospital admissions. As a result, home health aides are now more in demand than ever. According to projections, there won’t be a shortage of jobs for home health aides in the near future so employment in this area is ideal for people looking to have a career in the healthcare industry but don’t have the money nor the time to invest in lengthy school education.

What is a home health aide?

A home health aide assists with tasks, such as bathing and dressing, keeping homes clean and safe, arranging leisure activities and organizing transportation for patients so they can be engaged in their communities. Some states allow home health aides to administer medication or check the patient’s vital signs with the supervision of a healthcare professional. Most home health aides (HHAs) take care of a single patient at a time but others could visit up to five patients a day. The patients don’t always reside in private homes. Some of them live in retirement communities, group homes, transitional housing, or assisted living facilities. Case length may vary from a few weeks to several years.

What are the qualifications to become a home health aide?

Becoming a home health aide is not difficult. If you’ve taken care of a sick or an elderly family member competently, chances are that you’ll be a good candidate to become an aide.

Education, training, and certification

At present, there is no standardized educational requirement for home health aides. The requirements that the aides need to meet depend on the state where they live. 42 CFR 484.30 is a Federal legislation that requires Medicare-certified home health agencies to employ home health aides who are trained and evaluated through training programs by their state. According to federal regulations, these training programs should consist of at least 75 training hours, which includes at least 16 hours of supervised practical or clinical training and 12 hours of continuing education every 12-month period. As of 2014, 34 states and the District of Columbia do not require more than the minimum federal standard of 75 hours. Sixteen states exceed the federal minimum for the number of training hours, but only six of those meet the standard of 120 hours suggested by the Institute of Medicine or the IOM. Fourteen states require more than the minimum 16 hours of clinical training, with the required clinical hours reaching 80 hours. Eleven states, including Maine, Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, and Washington require home health aides to be Certified Nursing Aides and have completed the CAN training and competency evaluation. In California, Kansas, Montana, and Wyoming, Certified Nurse Aides may be dual-certified as Home Health Aides with additional training. There are states that don’t require even a high school diploma or its equivalent while in other states, home health aides are only required to take preparation classes, which are usually offered at community colleges or vocational or technical schools before they begin working. Home health aide certificate programs often take a year or less to complete. These programs teach basic patient care skills, which includes life support and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). After completing the course, the graduates can assist nurses and other health care professionals, and they are ready to earn a certification if required by their state. In general, home health aides are trained by other aides, healthcare professionals, or the patient’s family members. Because of the complexity of every case and because each patient has unique needs, aides may have to train for a few hours or a few days. Government-certified home care agencies and similar employers often provide training classes and obligate home health aides to pass a test before beginning their first assignment.

Requirements to be a good home health aide

Due to the nature of the job, it is ideal for home health aides to be physically fit and in good health since the job requires them to assist their wards in activities in and out of the home. There are also other qualities that will allow aides to perform their jobs well but these traits are difficult to measure because of their intangible nature. Here are examples of those characteristics:

Passion

Being passionate is important in any profession but more so in the healthcare industry. Having passion for the job and genuine concern for the patients allow home health aides to go beyond their expected duties and do everything that needs to be done for the overall well-being of their patients.

Good interpersonal skills

Home health aides need to maintain good relationships with their patients, family members, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. Because they deal with different types of people in their profession, it’s important for aides to have good interpersonal skills to facilitate the flow of communication to and from the various parties. Having this skill also means being able to handle delicate situations accordingly and tactfully.

Dependability

Patients and their family members need home health aides that they can depend on, especially since most of the patients are unable to take care of themselves. Knowing that they can depend on their aide will give patients and their family peace of mind that no amount of money can buy. Being dependable could be as simple as staying beyond the appointed hours if the other aides or family members have not arrived yet.

Patience

Patients come in different forms. Some of them are only physically challenged but others also struggle with mental issues that most people, even family members, would find difficult to handle. It’s not easy to take care of someone who has the tendency to be violent but even mundane chores, such as housekeeping can become a drag if you do them often enough. This is why patience is an important trait in home health aides.

What are the responsibilities of a home health aide?

The responsibilities of a home health aide vary depending on the needs of the patient, but their typical duties include the following:

• Provide basic health care services, such as checking the patient’s vital signs or administering prescribed medicines at appointed times.
• Help patients in the performance of personal tasks, such as bathing or getting dressed.
• Shop for groceries and prepare meals according to the patient’s dietary requirements.
• Assist with eating.
• Perform light housekeeping.
• Organize the patient’s schedule and plan appointments.
• Arrange transport to doctor’s offices or other kinds of appointments.
• Observe and record the patient’s condition, appearance, or behavior and report any changes to the supervising medical professional or case manager.
• Work with therapists and other medical staff as required by the patient’s condition.
• Help with simple exercises as prescribed by a professional healthcare provider.
• Enforce common precautions against infections.
• Change simple bandages or dressing, help with prosthetic and orthodontic devices, or give massages, if necessary.
• Provide companionship.

Other responsibilities could be required of the home health aide depending on the state where he or she works in.   Work as a home health aide can be physically and emotionally demanding. Compared to the national average, home health aides have a higher rate of illnesses and injuries. Aides should be especially wary of back injuries since they often assist patients in and out of bed, or help them stand or move. Mental and emotional conditioning is also necessary because home health aides often work with patients who have mental health issues who may exhibit difficult or violent behaviors. Aides can also face threats and risk contracting communicable diseases, which could be avoided by following proper procedures.

How much does a home health aide make?

As of 2015, home health aides typically earn $8.10 - $14.34 per hour. While the salary of aides is lower than those of others in the healthcare industry, many home health aides consider their job as a stepping stone in the career ladder. Through additional education and training, home health aides can become medical assistants or nurses. Skilled and experienced aides could also teach and supervise new home care assistants and even students. Employment of home health aides is considered to be a growing industry. In fact, it is projected to grow 48 percent between 2012 and 2022, which is faster than average compared to other occupations. This positive growth could be attributed to the following reasons:

• The demand for aides who could provide assistance and companionship will continue to increase as the elderly population grows.
• Home care is a less expensive alternative to nursing homes, hospitals, and other similar institutions.
• Most patients prefer to be cared for in their own homes where they usually feel safer and more comfortable.
• Studies have shown that home care is usually more effective than care received in a nursing home or hospital.

Home health aides do more than perform chores for patients who are unable to execute the tasks by themselves. They also thoroughly administer care from helping their patients walk to monitoring their vital signs. In many cases, these aides become almost like family members to their patients because of the amount of time they spend with them and the care they provide.  

Getting older: it’s something many people fear. Often perceived as a lonely, painful, and vulnerable time in the human lifespan, the realities of aging are unpleasant, and the fact of the matter is that dignity can be difficult to maintain. Luckily, a handful of world-class dementia care services are changing that. While nobody can stop the aging process, care professionals who understand that dignity can and must be maintained during dementia care are going a long way toward improving the face of dementia care for everyone who accesses it. Read on to learn more.

Why Maintaining Dignity is Crucial to Clients and Patients Alike

Dementia is a challenging disease, and when a friend or loved one is suffering from dementia, many people find that they have an incredibly hard time accepting the change in the person they used to know so well. In many cases, dementia causes a woman who has been gentle and soft-spoken all of her life to lash out in angry outbursts or a man who has always treasured his family as his most valuable asset to forget his son or daughter’s face. These things can be heartbreaking for family members. While there is no real way to alleviate the difficulties of dementia, or to make the disease simply “go away,” friends and relatives of affected people often find the condition easier to deal with if a level of dignity is maintained throughout. In addition to helping loved ones remember that even a person with severe Alzheimer’s is an adult, maintaining dignity can also assist in overall acceptance and coping. While maintaining dignity is essential for friends and family members, it’s critical for the senior suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia. While many people mistakenly believe that people suffering from dementia are not “in there,” many are very sensitive and can easily have their feelings hurt by being undermined, condescended, or talked over. Because of this, organizations that want to streamline a more manageable dementia experience do everything in their power to maintain dignity for both the senior and his or her family members and friends.

How to Help a Senior Maintain his or her Dignity

While there are many ways to help a person affected by dementia maintain his or her dignity, the following approaches are commonly used by dementia care facilities for whom dignity is paramount:

Avoid condescension:

Again, seniors affected by dementia are adults, and they are very sensitive to being treated as anything less than such. Because of this, it’s critical for all caregivers to understand how damaging condescension can be, and how best to avoid it. This typically involves referring to things like diapers and toilets by more dignified names (underwear rather than diaper, for instance). Avoiding condescension with seniors can also mean avoiding the adoption of a parental tone and ensuring that, as much as is possible, you’re speaking to the senior the way you would have talked to him or her before dementia took hold.

Help the senior succeed:

People affected by dementia often know that they’re not the same as they used to be. They may struggle for words, work to remember a familiar person’s name or face, or lose their train of thought in the middle of a story or sentence. In these situations, one of the best and most humane things you can do is help the senior succeed by asking leading questions and ensuring that you’re prepared to fill in important details that the senior may miss. An example may include saying something like, “Mom, say hi to Linda, Charlie’s wife. You met her at the family reunion last year,” when company arrives rather than, “Mom, Linda is here.”

Don’t be afraid to tell white lies:

While we’re told all of our lives that we shouldn’t lie, sometimes dementia and Alzheimer’s necessitate the occasional use of a half-truth or a white lie. In some situations, it is vastly better (for both the senior and the caregiver) to tell a half-truth than it is to tell the truth and wound the senior’s feelings or sense of dignity.

Treat the senior as normally as possible:

In many cases, a senior who is affected by dementia quickly becomes a shut-in because friends and family are no longer sure how to deal with the person’s new way of being without making themselves or others uncomfortable. Unfortunately, this only wounds the senior in the long run and makes it harder to deal with the dementia adequately. With this in mind, caregivers must be sure to continue efforts to get the senior out and about and enjoy occasional get-togethers. Keep in mind that, while seniors affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s do have special needs and requirements (Take care to ensure any outing you attend will not overwhelm the senior, for example, and that all other parties on the outing are prepared for the increased needs of the senior), people who plan accordingly for social outings and gatherings can help the affected senior maintain a sense of dignity and engagement despite a dementia diagnosis.

How a Lack of Dignity Affects Seniors

While it’s understandable that many people are confused about how best to deal with dementia and its related symptoms, caregivers who miss the mark and cost a senior his or her dignity are ultimately harming the senior’s health and well-being. While pride may seem like a surface-level thing, it has profound and lasting repercussions on a senior’s health, wellbeing, and happiness. In many cases, a senior who has lost his or her sense of dignity and autonomy will also suffer from decreased self-esteem and confidence, and declining relationships with loved ones. In some cases, this may lead to deep periods of depression, and even suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Because of this, it’s essential that caregivers do everything in their power to help seniors maintain their dignity in the face of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In addition to benefiting the senior in the short-term, this approach also helps to ensure that the senior will remain happy, healthy, and fulfilled as he or she navigates the complicated waters of dementia.

Dignity is Possible in Dementia Care

While many people assume that dementia necessitates a loss of dignity, this does not have to be the case. In many situations, people affected by dementia find that the upkeep of dignity is possible, just so long as they have skilled caregivers to help facilitate it. As an adult ages and slips into the grips of dementia, figuring out how to maintain that person’s dignity can be difficult. Luckily, though, it’s far from impossible. By ensuring family and professional caregivers never condescend the person, that charitable white lies are used generously, that the senior is set up for success as much as possible, and that outings and social gatherings don’t stop just because of a dementia diagnosis, it’s easy for caregivers to help their loved ones survive and thrive in the midst of a dementia diagnosis.

While most Americans are familiar with social service benefits for older Americans, there are many programs and services that fall outside this umbrella. Designed to make life easier and more enjoyable for seniors, while also protecting fundamental rights and access, these programs work wonders to uplift and support seniors throughout the country.

12 Programs All Seniors Should be Aware of

Throughout the country, the following services and programs are available to seniors who seek them:

1. Adult Day Care

Adult Day Care programs exist in virtually every part of the nation. Designed to act as a form of “in-between” care for seniors who are bored, lonely, or suffering from cognitive decline, Adult Day Care provides day care for at-risk or disabled adults. Ideal for families who work and cannot be with a senior throughout the day, and do not have live-in help, Adult Day Care facilities often offer pick-up services and fun activities like craft classes, community time, and meal prep. Your local senior center or nursing home should be able to provide you with information about prominent Adult Day Care facilities in your area.

2. The National Senior Citizens Law Center

While nobody wants to deal with legal complications, especially as they age, the National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) has a long history of advocating on the behalf of low-income, disabled, and elderly Americans. Dedicated to promoting independence and ensuring well-being, this resource can help seniors get the benefits they deserve, or resolve legal disputes during their golden years.

3. AARP

While most people have heard of AARP, few understand what it does. A nonprofit organization, AARP addresses the needs, concerns, and interests of people who are 50 years old or older. The company’s website offers helpful information and a resource guide for concerns ranging from economic security, work, retirement, long-term care, independence, and wellness.

4. American Society on Aging

The American Society on Aging is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults and their loved ones. The website offers a resource list of local programs, and a wide selection of resources for aging-related topics and concerns.

5. Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is a reputable health organization dedicated to supporting seniors and their families who are coping with Alzheimer’s. Committed to eliminating Alzheimer’s disease through high-quality research and support, The AA is a valuable resource for anyone who is struggling to understand, cope with, or find resources surrounding Alzheimer’s.

6. The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse

The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, or INPEA, is on a mission to do away with elder abuse in homes, nursing facilities, and hospice care. Dedicated to helping society understand and address elder abuse, INEPA also provides a series of resources and programs for people who are experiencing or have experienced elder abuse.

7. Family Caregiver Alliance

The Family Caregiver Alliance, or FCA, Is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families and loved ones who provide caregiving services to their loved ones. Offering programs at the local, national, and state level, FCA is dedicated to supporting and uplifting caregivers and their clients.

8. Local Benefits Counseling

If you’re confused about the benefits available to you as a senior, look for local benefits counseling in your area. Dedicated to helping seniors understand what type of help is available to them, benefits counseling is offered through local Offices for the Aging, and area designed to answer questions about everything from medical and life insurance to food stamps.

9. Free Denture Installations

Dentures can be prohibitively expensive, which prevents many people from getting them. Fortunately, many state dental associations offer free or low-cost denture programs designed to facilitate denture installation for low-income seniors. Dental colleges may also offer similar services, so don’t hesitate to ask around in your local area.

10. Elderly Pharmaceutical Assistance Program

The Elderly Pharmaceutical Assistance Program, or EPIC, is available in New York and 22 other states, including Colorado, Delaware, Connecticut, Illinois, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Rhode Island, Washington State, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Wisconsin. Designed to help seniors access the prescription medications they need to stay healthy and comfortable, this program helps eligible seniors access free or low-cost prescriptions.

11. Free Cell Phones

If a senior falls or has an accident at home, a cell phone can suddenly be a life-saving device. Luckily, LifeLine knows this. A government program designed to outfit low-income Americans with cell phones that will keep them safe, help them get jobs, or make it easier to access needed services, LifeLine outfits seniors with a free or discounted phone – either in the form of a cell phone or landline.

12. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Once known as Food Stamps, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps low-income individuals and seniors access healthy, nutritious food. While each state has different income and eligibility requirements, you can generally apply for the program through a local Office for the Aging. Benefits vary depending on the size of your family, but can be substantial.

Bonus: Discounted Hearing Aids

Hearing aids can be some of the most expensive pieces of equipment in a senior’s life. Luckily, organizations like the local Lion’s Club offer programs that provide free or low-cost hearing aids to seniors in need. This can be a critical service for seniors who are feeling isolated or lonely because of advanced hearing loss.

Get to Know Your Local Resources

Beyond the resources listed here, most local communities offer a wide assortment of assistance and outreach programs for seniors. To learn more about them, visit your local senior center or inquire with a home health or aged care agency, as they are typically familiar with what’s available in a given community or area. These organizations may also be able to match needy seniors with local or grassroots organizations that provide needed services and programs.

If you’ve ever thought about eating your way to wellness, high blood pressure is a great place to begin. As is true with so many ailments, high blood pressure is directly related to diet and can be treated through adding healthy, nutrient-dense foods to the daily program. If you have high blood pressure and are looking for smart ways to combat it naturally, here are fifteen foods you’ll want to add to your diet today.

1. Low-Fat Dairy 

Low-fat dairy has been shown to reduce the risk of hypertension and help you maintain a healthy weight. Chock-full of protein, low-fat dairy products like yogurt and milk give you the calcium and peptides you need to remain healthy, fit, and within a normal blood pressure range. What’s more, the calcium in low-fat dairy products will help you enjoy healthy, strong bones as you age.

2. Flaxseed

Flaxseed is ideal for reducing your systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels when consumed over a six-month period. One 2013 study, which was published in the journal Hypertension found that even people who took blood pressure medications benefited from the addition of Flaxseed to their daily diets. This is largely because flaxseed contains four heart-healthy components: peptides, fiber, alpha linolenic acid, and lignans. Confused about how to eat flaxseed? Add it to homemade breads, cereal, and yogurt for a fiber-packed punch of good heart health.

3. Dark Chocolate

While most people believe staying away from chocolate is critical for good health, recent studies have shown that dark chocolate rich in flavanols can reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with pre-hypertension symptoms, or existing hypertension. In fact, most people are shocked to learn how pronounced the heart-protective benefits of chocolate can truly be. According to one Harvard study, people who consumed dark chocolate products that were at least 50-70% cocoa saw lowered blood pressure, particularly if they were already suffering from hypertension.  For best results, add one small square of dark chocolate to your daily diet, in the form of an afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner treat.

4. Olive Oil

While olive oil is a fat, it’s a very healthy fat that has the potential to reduce blood pressure rates. According to a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, olive oil not only decreases blood pressure, but can improve the function of the heart tissues in people suffering from mild hypertension. With this in mind, add olive oil to your daily diet, either in the form of a cooking oil or as a drizzle across salads, bread, or hummus.

5. Pistachios

Pistachios are a heart-healthy food that are also a tasty snack. Studies have shown that people who eat one or two servings of pistachio nuts once a day for four weeks experience dramatic reductions in systolic blood pressure. For best results, look for unsalted pistachios, available at your local whole foods or health store.

6. Pomegranate

Pomegranate is a superfood that can also help lower blood pressure and keep it within a healthy range. While similar fruit juices, like grape juice, have shown heart-protective benefits, pomegranate juice is much more powerful in much lower quantities. For example, one clinical trial revealed that consuming just 2 ounces of pomegranate juice each day helped to lower high blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Part of the reasons pomegranate juice is so valuable for this is that its flavonoids make it a powerful antioxidant and that it works as an anti-inflammatory compound which can help improve the cholesterol profiles.

7. Fish

Fatty fish varieties, like salmon, have been shown to reduce diastolic blood pressure by providing a heart-healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers recommend consuming salmon at least three times a week to enjoy its heart-healthy benefits. Leaner fish like cod have not been shown to have the same heart-protective perks, although varieties like anchovies and sardines are a good stand-in.

8. Whole Grains

Whole grains are a critical part of any heart-healthy diet. Capable of lowering systolic blood pressure and improving cholesterol profiles, whole grains are an essential building block in a healthy lifestyle. What’s more, since they offer fiber and protein, they can help you maintain a healthy weight for years to come. For best results, eat three servings of whole grains each day.

9. White Beans

A single serving of white beans provides 30% of the magnesium, 13% of the calcium, and 24% of the potassium you need in your daily diet. For best results, toss them into side dishes, entrees, and soups. Don’t forget to keep them healthy by opting for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties.

10. Kiwi

Kiwi contains more vitamin C than an orange, and is fantastic for keeping your heart healthy and maintaining positive blood pressure. Find this tasty little treat in grocery stores, and eat it on its own, or sliced up on top of Greek yogurt, alongside some granola.

11. Bananas

Bananas are a rich source of potassium, and are the ideal snack for anyone looking to reduce their blood pressure. In addition to helping your body keep sodium levels in check, bananas also reduce stress hormones and provide a helpful dose of bone-strengthening calcium in your daily diet.

12. Kale

Kale, raw or cooked, is a power-packed vegetable filled with calcium, magnesium, and potassium – all of which play critical roles in keeping your heart healthy. For best results, throw a handful of shredded, de-veined kale into a smoothie, stir-fry, or spaghetti sauce for a boost of nutritious goodness in your daily life.

13. Broccoli

Broccoli is a tasty vegetable that offers powerful cancer-fighting benefits for people who eat it. Find frozen varieties in the grocery store and toss them into side dishes or steam a whole head as a vegetable side for an entrée.

14. Sweet potato

Sweet potato (with the skin left on) is a great source of magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Use these tasty root vegetables in place of normal potatoes, or throw them into smoothies or side dishes for an added boost of nutrients.

Eating Your Way to a Healthy Heart

If you’ve ever wanted to eat your way to heart health, the process starts here. By incorporating these delicious and heart-healthy options into your daily life, you can enjoy a more varied diet and a boost in health all at once.