Compliments can come in many forms, through cards, gifts, public recognition and so much more. But for the simplest and often most-sincere form of a compliment, a verbal or short written one is the one that means the most. Here are some fun ways to encourage your loved one to share compliments with those around her.

Compliment those she cares for

We often forget to compliment the people we see every day, such as family members or her senior care provider. She may love the way her senior care provider is such a careful driver, but not think about extending a compliment to let her know that. Or your loved one might not think about complimenting her grandchildren on how well they exercise the dog, but these little compliments are also a great way to say thank you and encourage the person to continue doing the great work they do.

Compliment those who provide service

If your loved one’s senior care provider has the special task of cleaning all of the windows, your loved one can compliment her on what a great job she did. Her mail carrier may appreciate a compliment about how reliable he is. Her doctor may appreciate a compliment on how great she is at listening. The list can go on and on, but the key is for your loved one to take a moment, think about the service/care/attention she just got, and then think about what she’d like that person know she appreciates in the form of a compliment.

Compliment a stranger

Complimenting strangers may seem “strange,” but who doesn’t love to hear that you think their children are wonderfully polite or dressed nicely? A great place for a well-placed compliment is while waiting in line for some type of service. If you notice something nice about the person in front of you or your loved one mentions she likes that person’s jacket, you can encourage your loved one to pass along the compliment. Your senior care provider can do the same if she’s out with your loved one.

Compliment on social media

If your loved one is on social media like Facebook to look at photos and read stories from her friends, encourage her to not only look at the photos but write up a little compliment in the comments. The person who posted the photo will love to read that your loved one is impressed that they just ran a 5K.

Set a goal for March 1 and encourage your loved one to make that many thoughtful compliments for a great way to enjoy Worldwide Compliment Day.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Englewood, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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Emotional Problems with Eating Alone

Many people don’t realize just how difficult it is to eat alone until that becomes their daily situation. For your senior, eating alone can have serious emotional consequences. Dealing with feelings of isolation and loneliness are not always easy, regardless of the cause, but those feelings can be amplified significantly by spending mealtimes alone. Your elderly family member may also start to avoid eating because eating alone is so uncomfortable for her.

Health Impacts of Eating Alone

There can also be some serious physical health consequences from eating alone. Your elderly family member may be choosing meals that aren’t necessarily the healthiest choices for her, especially if cooking has become a lot more difficult for her. If she is prescribed medications that require her to take them with food, not eating may mean that she’s not taking her medications as she should. All of this can have a serious impact on her physical health.

Solutions for Your Senior

Finding solutions for your elderly family member might mean taking a closer look at her particular situation and her specific needs. Does she need help cooking? If so, home care providers can be a stellar solution. If companionship is what she needs, family members stopping in during meals could be helpful. But that isn’t always feasible for many reasons, so caregivers can offer companionship, too. Some seniors find that phone calls or video calls are helpful substitutes for actually having company while eating, but that might not be easy for her to do for other reasons.

Consider Personal Care at Home, Too

If your elderly family member has trouble eating because of challenges that she’s facing with eating, she may need more help. Personal care at home can assist your elderly family member with preparing meals as well as actually eating them. If she’s having trouble holding utensils or needs reminders to chew and swallow her food, caregivers can be there for her to ensure that she eats healthy meals and is safe while she’s doing so. If your elderly family member needs help with other personal care tasks, like getting dressed, bathing, and more, they can help with those as well.

When friends and family members don’t live nearby, it’s much more difficult for your senior to have the company that she may want during meals. Finding the answers that work for her is so important. As your elderly family member’s needs change, those answers may need to change as well. Keep up with how things are working for her so that you know when adjustments might be necessary.

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Aurora, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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Leave Plenty Of Time Between Flights

It’s always a good idea to leave plenty of time between connecting flights if you’re flying, but it’s essential that you do so if you’re traveling with a senior. Your senior parent is not going to be able to sprint off the plane and run for the next gate the way you can. They will need time to move slowly, visit the bathroom, get something to eat and drink, and rest a little. You should also plan far in advance to get a wheelchair or walker at the airport to help your senior loved one get around the airport.

Rent A Car If You’re Driving

Unless you have a very large family friendly vehicle if you’re traveling by car you should rent a vehicle that will hold the entire family comfortably with room for everyone to spread out. The vehicle should also be low to the ground and easy for your senior parent to get in and out of. You may want to consider renting an RV and traveling in that to make sure that your senior parent and the rest of your family are as comfortable as possible. That can also cut down on meal stops and bathroom breaks.

Get Extra Medications Early

It can take weeks to get extra medications that your senior loved one needs. Usually you will need to call their doctor, tell them about the trip, and wait for them to ok a refill that is earlier than usual or has more medication than usual so that you have enough to bring on the trip. So don’t put this task off until the last minute or you won’t be able to get the medication before you need to leave.

Plan On A Daily Nap For Your Senior Parent

Don’t overpack the family schedule with tours and trips. Your senior loved one is going to need some downtime each day to rest and relax. Plan on your senior parent taking a nap in the afternoon for a couple of hours. That’s when you can the kids on tours that would be too much for your senior parent or to amusement parks.

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Greenwood Village, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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Companion care at home can help a senior become more creative. A companion care provider can help facilitate creative activities, such as painting, crafting, or writing, and provide the necessary tools and materials. They can also help stimulate creative thinking by engaging in conversations and activities that encourage creative thinking and expression. Additionally, a companion care provider can provide a supportive environment that can help foster creativity. Here are some other ways you can encourage creativity in your children’s lives.

Practice Painting

Painting is healthy for seniors because it encourages creative expression and helps stimulate mental activity. It can also help to reduce stress and anxiety and improve mood. Painting can also provide seniors with a sense of accomplishment and purpose, which can help boost their self-esteem. Additionally, it can help to improve cognitive skills, such as memory and problem-solving. Finally, it can be a way for seniors to express themselves artistically and connect with others.

Writing in Journals

Writing every day is creative and healthy for seniors because it can help keep their minds sharp and provide a creative outlet to express their feelings and thoughts. It can help them maintain their independence by providing a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Writing can also improve their memory and help them better express their emotions, which is especially helpful for seniors who may be dealing with depression or anxiety.

Learn to Dance and Move

Dance courses are a great way for active seniors to have fun while staying physically and mentally stimulated. Although aerobics and dancing have equal health advantages, dance is typically more exciting to the mind. A dancing lesson is a great way to keep your loved one’s mind active because of the mental challenges of learning new patterns and combinations. Dancing has been proven to be good for elders with dementia since it provides them with a memorable experience.

Play a New Instrument

Playing a new instrument is something seniors should be doing because it can improve their physical and mental health. It can keep their minds engaged and help them develop new skills. It can also be a great way to connect with other people and build relationships. Playing a new instrument can also provide a creative outlet and a sense of accomplishment. Furthermore, learning a new instrument can be a fun and enjoyable activity, which can help seniors stay active and engaged.

If a senior doesn’t know how to do any of these things, the good news is that they can take a class. Companion care providers at home may have hobbies they can share with a senior, or they can help drive them to a community class.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20150408/arts-crafts-socializing-may-buoy-the-aging-brain

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Denver, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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While it’s easy to focus so much of your time helping your dad, you’ll burn out. If you have no energy left at the end of the day, how can you take care of yourself? And, if you’re not taking care of yourself, how long can you really keep going before you collapse from exhaustion?

Your dad may have dementia and need your help, but you have to take care of yourself first. Prioritize your emotional, mental, and physical health.

What Self-Care Tasks Are You Overlooking?

Everyone has basic needs. You need to eat and drink enough food and liquids each day. You need to get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise. You also have to socialize.

You need to keep yourself clean, have clean clothes to wear, and maintain your health needs through prescriptions, regular medical and dental appointments, and recreational activities that you’re passionate about.

As you take care of your dad, how much of this is being pushed aside? You’ve always been an avid reader, but it’s been months since you’ve touched a book. You can’t keep doing that. Your mental health requires you to do things you enjoy, whether it’s reading, gardening, going to the movies with friends, or building Japanese model kits.

Are You Eating Properly?

It’s easy to cut corners at the end of a busy day by ordering takeout foods again. Three nights this week, you’ve been too tired to cook, so you’ve ordered and picked up a pizza, fast food, or takeout Chinese. All three of those options are high in sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. It’s not what your body needs.

Make sure you’re eating properly. Have meals that are high in fiber, contain many colorful vegetables, and offer lean proteins like salmon or tofu.

Hire Home Care Services to Ensure Your Dad Isn’t Alone

Home care aides help your dad while you’re taking a break. Visit friends, go shopping, take a walk, or have that vacation you’ve been longing for. While you’re away, your dad’s caregiver helps him with housekeeping, personal care, transportation, meals, and laundry. Plus, he has someone to socialize with in your absence.

Schedule home care by talking to a specialist. Go over the care your dad needs and how often you help him with each task on that list. You’ll learn more about prices, get answers to your questions, and set up home care visits from there.

Sources:
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Cherry Hills, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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Reducing Loneliness and Isolation

One of the biggest reasons that many family caregivers start to consider companion care at home is because their seniors are spending a lot of time alone. It’s unfortunately very common for aging adults to have a difficult time with mobility or to voluntarily stay at home for other reasons. This can lead to isolation, which can ultimately be a big contributing factor to issues like depression. Companionship can address those concerns for your senior.

Building Routines that Work for Your Senior

Routines are a huge support system for your elderly family member. If she doesn’t already have routines that help her to stay on track with her needs and her goals, she’s likely to feel more frustrated with life in general and her health may suffer. Simply by having caregivers stopping by to visit, she can start to build routines that work for her. As your elderly family member’s needs change, those routines may need to expand also and give her more room for things like additional help or different types of help.

Growing Trust

Often family caregivers know that their seniors need more hands-on help, but they also know that idea isn’t going over well. Companion care at home can be a first step in your elderly family member becoming accustomed to having someone there with her. From there, your senior may become more open to the idea of having help from elder care professionals who are able to assist her in other ways. As she starts to trust that process even more, she can start to feel more open to it overall.

Improving Quality of Life

Having help with everything from companionship to other necessary tasks ultimately improves your senior’s overall quality of life, which is why you’re interested in the idea to begin with. As your elderly family member starts to see just how having caregivers helping her lessens the load that she is carrying, it becomes a lot easier for you as her family caregiver to continue to get her the help that she needs. That’s a huge relief for you and for other family members who love your senior, too.

Companion care at home can be the solution to your senior’s current issues or it could be the beginning to getting her more of the help that she needs. Ensuring that she has the friendly companionship that she needs on a schedule that works for her can do so much to help your senior’s mood and overall well-being.

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Greenwood Village, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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Independence and 24-hour Home Care

Independence may seem out of place with the idea of 24-hour home care when you first consider this type of care, but independence is actually a cornerstone of this type of care. Your elderly family member may still be able to do certain things on her own. Continuing to handle those aspects of her daily life allows her to maintain her autonomy, even as she faces other changes in her life and her abilities. Caregivers are not there to interfere with your senior’s existing capabilities. They’re there to supplement and assist as necessary.

Dignity Shows Respect and Allows for Empowerment

Home care services offer help to your elderly family member without taking over every aspect of her life or causing her to feel “less than” in any way. This helps to preserve her dignity as a human being and shows respect for her as an individual with unique needs. Having help when she needs it, but only as much help as she truly does need, allows your senior to feel empowered without struggling. That can be a huge win for your senior.

Practical Assistance Around the Clock

24-hour home care offers your senior assistance around the clock, with all sorts of tasks and potential issues. This means that no matter what type of help your senior needs, she’s able to access it exactly when she requires it the most. Help with bathing, meal preparation, and mobility are all there for her exactly how and when necessary. When your senior doesn’t need help, there are other benefits of having help.

Companionship Makes a Huge Difference

Your elderly family member may not be able to get out as often as she used to. It’s also possible that the people she spent quality time with are either not available any longer or aren’t able to come to spend time with her. Having caregivers there with her day and night ensures that your elderly family member’s social needs are more easily met.

Peace of Mind for Everyone Is Crucial

One of the most important aspects of your senior having elder care with her day and night is that you and other family members know that your senior is being properly cared for at all times. That offers peace of mind, especially for your senior. Often aging adults worry that when they need help the most, they’ll be on their own. 24-hour home care reduces the chances of that happening significantly.

Maintaining independence and dignity through the help of 24-hour home care for seniors is essential for providing the best possible care. It allows your senior to remain in her own home, where she is comfortable, and to maintain her own routines and activities.

If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Aurora, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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Box One

If your mom is looking for something new and different, Box One is a great option. It’s a game created by actor Neil Patrick Harris that’s filled with logic problems and puzzles that must be solved, think of it as an escape room in a box.

Choose Your Own Adventure: House of Danger

Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books from childhood? There’s a board game out there that builds on the excitement of the books. It’s perfect for one player and can be played over and over without having the story repeat.

Detective: City of Angels

Detective: City of Angels is a game you can play solo or in a group. You’re a 1940’s detective trying to work through the clues and solve one of the many crimes affecting the city. Pay close attention to the clues and rule out suspects as you go until you break the case.

Octordle

If your mom has a tablet, skip Wordle and have her play Octordle. This game is similar only there are eight words to solve within the set number of guesses. Different modes are available, and some are much more challenging than hours. You run out of guesses quickly, so it takes sharp thinking to get all eight words.

Rush Hour

Rush Hour is a puzzle game that’s played on a small square grid. The grid is filled with plastic cars of varying shapes and sizes, and you choose a card and lay out the cars as directed. The goal is to clear the red car from the grid by moving the others out of the way to clear a path.

Solitaire

Not only is Solitaire meant to be played alone, but there are many versions of it, so your mom isn’t stuck with one game. She can try different versions like the standard one or others like clock or golf solitaire. All she needs to play is a deck of cards.

Yahtzee

To play a solo version of Yahtzee, your mom just needs one Yahtzee scorecard. Instead of playing one game, she’ll play against herself and play all of the games on the entire card. Her goal is to see what the highest possible score she can get by beating her other scores.

If your mom is often alone, it’s time to look at the best ways to provide the companionship she needs for her well-being. Senior home care aides can come to her home and play games with her, take her shopping, and help her with daily chores. Talk to a senior home care specialist to learn more about these and other available services.

Source
https://seniors.lovetoknow.com/Games_for_Senior_Citizens

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Denver, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322

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