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Adult Day Care Programs

Aug 8th, 2011
by Senior Helpers.
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The surge of older adults living on their own has spurred a demand today for adult day care programs to assist them. Senior adult day care is ideal for those who have physical or cognitive challenges, but do not require 24-hour supervision. This might include those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, people who need help taking medicine or older adults who are isolated. The goal is to get the person out of the house and into a safe, supportive group setting.

Varied activities keep senior participants active, social and mentally alert. An adult day program may provide:

  • Nutritious meals and snacks
  • Health support services (e.g., blood pressure monitoring)
  • Social events like holiday parties or sing-a-longs
  • Personal care, such as help with toileting
  • Recreation and games, including exercise
  • Functional assistance and therapy
  • Counseling and support groups for caregivers

These senior day care programs may be the best solution for caregivers who do not want to place a loved one in an assisted living facility. Beyond the benefits for the senior, caregivers can get a much-needed break or can care for a relative while holding a job.

To enable your loved one to keep an active lifestyle, call on Senior Helpers STL to assist with transportation for adult day care programs, doctor and salon appointments, shopping trips and more. Our caring home companions can come early or stay late when bringing your loved one to or from adult day care. In addition, we provide additional compassionate in-home care services, including preparing meals, house cleaning and even recreational activities, for the days or hours when your elderly loved one is not at the adult day care and you are not able to be at home with them.

To Arrange for Transportation for Yourself or Elderly Loved One to Adult Day Care Programs, Contact Senior Helpers STL

Call Senior Helpers Locally at: 636-695-3140

Senior Helpers STL

Posted in: Aging Parents at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Help for Seniors with Disabilities, House Cleaning, Medical Transportation Services, Senior Care, Senior Nutrition, Senior activities, St. Louis Caregiver Support, senior transportation.

Private Pay Elder Care Services

Jul 14th, 2011
by Senior Helpers.
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By choosing affordable, private pay elder care services from Senior Helper STL, you will receive outstanding care from well-trained, upstanding and bonded home care providers, who meet state and local licensing and credentialing requirements. Our in-home care assistants have the option to become Senior Helpers Certified through Senior Helpers University to gain more expertise in their line of work as well. The extensive interview and background check process we conduct seeks out qualified, trustworthy individuals; and we only employ those applicants whom we feel fully confident in sending into the homes of our valued clients.

In our private pay home care program in the St. Louis metropolitan area, most of our clients are “private pay,” which means they or their families submit payment directly to us each pay period. We invoice for our services every two weeks for the prior 2-week period. We can also send the invoice directly to a trusted advisor, appointed guardian, banking operation or long-term care insurance company. Our facility invoices are detailed with the dates and times of service, along with the caregiver who provided care on each day.

Our Private Pay Payment Options Include:

  • Check
  • Credit Card
  • Long-Term-Care (LTC) Insurance
  • State and Local Programs
  • US Veterans Administration (VA) Benefits
  • Quality of Private Pay Eldercare

As part of our private care services, we also participate with Long-Term Care insurance companies, and various state and local programs. And if your loved one is a U.S. veteran, we may be able to help them get benefits for private paid home care from the U.S. Veterans Administration. We would be happy to speak with you about our private pay elder care services for you or your family member(s) from Senior Helpers STL.

Contact Senior Helpers Today to Learn About Our Outstanding Private Pay Elder Care Services

Connect with Senior Helpers STL Locally at: 636-695-3140

Posted in: Aging Parents at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Help for Seniors with Disabilities, House Cleaning, Medical Transportation Services, Senior Care, Senior Nutrition, St. Louis Caregiver Support, senior transportation.

In-Home Senior Caregiver Help Saint Charles County

Jul 5th, 2011
by Senior Helpers.
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Are you a caregiver needing in-home, senior caregiver help in Saint Charles County? You are not alone. According to the National Alliance on Caregiving, nearly 10 million adult children over the age of 50 care for their aging parents. ‘What to do with Mother or Dad’ becomes an absorbing question for all adult children. The dilemma of how to cope when parents grow increasingly needful is one we at Senior Helpers STL hope to help shed some light on.

A recent study conducted by the non-profit National Alliance for Caregiving and profiled in USA Today says family caregivers often face a “downward spiral of health that worsens as a result of giving care.” The study also found that more than 2.5 million family caregivers isolated in homes across America suffer from depression, stress and rapidly declining health due to putting the needs of loved ones before their own. Caretaking Takes Its Toll – USA Today.

You do not have your own health decline while caring for your elderly loved ones; nor should you feel guilty if you need to ask for help. All senior caregivers seek senior caregiver assistance from Senior Helpers STL sooner or later. We specialize in offering in-home, senior caregiver help to adult children caregivers needing a break or needing to attend to errands or appointments themselves. Whether you want one hour, a day or a weekend off, our professionally trained in-home caregivers provide senior caregiver support and give you the time away you need while providing compassionate and safe care for your elderly loved ones.

Contact Senior Helpers STL Today to Learn About Our In-Home Senior Caregiver Help in Saint Charles County
Call Senior Helpers Locally at: 636-695-3140

Senior Helpers STL

Posted in: Aging Parents at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Help for Seniors with Disabilities, House Cleaning, Medical Transportation Services, Senior Care, Senior Health, Senior Nutrition, St. Louis Caregiver Support, senior transportation.

Saint Louis In-Home Senior Care

Jun 29th, 2011
by Senior Helpers.
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The 85-and-older population is expected to more than triple between 2008, and 2050, in the United States alone.* This staggering statistic not only proves the growing need for Saint Louis in-home senior care, but also the fact that your elderly loved one(s) may be part of that statistic right now (if not now, definitely in the future), and you may not be prepared to address their needs. According to a survey conducted by Janice Long of USA Today Magazine, “most Baby Boomers lack a plan to care for parents.”

If you are looking for in-home care for the elderly loved one(s) in your life right now, you will find our at home senior care is compassionately provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by our professionally trained and bonded, in-home caregivers at Senior Helpers STL. We are an invaluable resource in helping families eliminate worry, reduce stress and reestablish personal freedom.

From Alzheimer’s and dementia support to respite care and companionship, our Saint Louis, in-home senior care providers are ready to help your senior through any difficult health-related times. In addition, we are there to assist with daily activities for the elderly who are healthy and want to remain independent while living out their days in the comfort of their own home.

If you have older parents, why not consider preparing a contingency plan for their future needs now. If you need us now or in the future, we will be here for you and your elderly loved ones. First incorporated in 2001, Senior Helpers was founded to provide dependable and affordable senior home care. Our motto is: Caring In-Home Companions.

*Source: US Census Bureau, August 14, 2008

Contact Senior Helpers STL Today to Learn about Our Trusted Saint Louis In-Home Senior Care Services

Call Senior Helpers Locally at: 636-695-3140
www.seniorcare-stl.com

Posted in: Aging Parents at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Help for Seniors with Disabilities, House Cleaning, Medical Transportation Services, Senior Care, Senior Nutrition, St. Louis Caregiver Support, senior transportation.

Home Care of Seniors with Dementia

Jun 22nd, 2011
by Senior Helpers.
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Senior Helpers STL has trained in-home caregivers to help families with a loved one or those diagnosed with dementia. Our professionally trained caregivers in St. Louis can provide home care for seniors with dementia services and support for families in need 24/7.

Dementia describes a broad range of problems that include impairment in thinking and memory. It becomes dementia when the problems interfere with a person’s everyday life, and their ability to do things a person was once able to do without problem. Alzheimer’s disease is a specific form of dementia.

Our dementia home care services for seniors address even the basic needs of caring for someone with dementia, including:

  • Health – Our caregivers are trained in providing specific activities for seniors with dementia that keeps them healthy and alert.
  • Dressing – Dementia sufferers may find it difficult to dress themselves, so caregivers are trained to accommodate daily living needs.
  • Nutrition – Caregivers can help with diet restrictions, so they get the proper nutrition they need through a balanced diet.
  • Washing and Bathing – Family care giving can often times be difficult when faced with the intimate needs of bathing.

No matter how much each of us would love to focus our efforts in caring for a loved one with dementia, there will still be times that we will not be able to do so because of our own busy schedules, or lack of knowledge and skills. Care giving for people suffering from dementia can be a challenging and tedious task with round-the-clock requirements. Our trained professionals can alleviate the burdens and offer peace-of-mind to help give families and their loved ones have a greater relationship without the stresses of dementia home care.

Contact Senior Helpers STL Today to Learn About Our Senior Cares Services for Dementia
Call Senior Helpers Locally in St. Louis at: 636-695-3140

Senior Helpers STL

Posted in: Aging Parents at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Help for Seniors with Disabilities, House Cleaning, Medical Transportation Services, Senior Care, Senior Nutrition, St. Louis Caregiver Support, senior transportation.

Home Care Help for Disabled Seniors

May 5th, 2011
by Senior Helpers.
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Disability is an unpleasant fact of life for many seniors. About 40% of seniors have one or more disabilities. They may need assistive devices (canes, walkers, wheelchairs, etc.) and home care help for disabled seniors to remain living independently in their homes. Home is, after all, where every senior citizen, disabled or not, wants to be; and our In-Home Care Assistants can help the elderly disabled remain there. Our caring support services are designed to help seniors stay in their own home when circumstances make it difficult to do so without assistance.

Our home care help for disabled seniors helps:

  • Temporary and permanently disabled clients who need assistance with activities of daily living after discharge from the hospital or skilled nursing facility.
  • Disabled or chronically ill clients who wish to remain at home.
  • Provide respite care allowing much-needed rest for family members caring for a loved one.
  • Provide assistance for seniors with ambulatory difficulties, but do not require full-time nursing care.

Our employees are screened, bonded, insured and have a criminal background check to ensure that we provide professional and caring service for our clients. We carefully place our caregivers based on the needs of our clients. Our home companions for seniors with disabilities are trained specially in communicating with seniors who have Alzheimer’s, dementia, hearing loss, Aphasia and other senior disabilities, which ensures a higher level of care for our clients.

We believe the elderly disabled should be able to live in security and dignity in their own homes for the long term. That is why we provide a variety of disability home care services that include everyday tasks that dignify each individual, such as: going to the store and other shopping, running errands, taking out the trash, reminding seniors to take medications, preparing a simple meal, basic housekeeping chores, or providing transportation to doctor’s appointments or social activities. We also supply the needed tools to help extend the senior’s independent living while supporting their physical and mental well-being. At Senior Helpers STL, we compassionately offer our home care help and expertise in providing outstanding care to promote the highest lifestyle for you or your senior with disabilities in the St. Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area including St. Louis, St. Charles, Chesterfield, Troy, St. Peters, O’Fallon, and other communities.

Call Senior Helpers STL Locally at: 636-695-3140
www.seniorcare-stl.com

Posted in: Aging Parents at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Fall Prevention, Help for Seniors with Disabilities, House Cleaning, Medical Transportation Services, Senior Care, Senior Nutrition, St. Louis Caregiver Support, senior transportation.

Do You Know the Early Alzheimer’s Symptoms?

Jan 10th, 2011
by Senior Helpers.
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Memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging and is one of the early Alzheimer’s symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease is a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. Early symptoms of Alzhheimer’s disease are difficult to diagnose with certainty, since they can be related to many other things, such as stress. However, Alzheimer’s has early symptoms which when present together indicate a high likelihood of the disease.

Early Symptoms of Alzheimer’s: Questions to Ask Yourself

  • Learning and Remembering New Information – Do you repeat things that you say or do? Forget conversations or appointments? Forget where you put things?
  • Handling Complex Tasks – Do you have trouble performing tasks that require many steps such as balancing a checkbook or cooking a meal?
  • Reasoning Ability – Do you have trouble solving everyday problems at work or home, such as knowing what to do if the bathroom is flooded?
  • Spatial Ability and Orientation – Do you have trouble driving or finding your way around familiar places?
  • Language – Do you have trouble finding the words to express what you want to say?
  • Behavior – Do you have trouble paying attention? Are you more irritable or less trusting than usual?

Every individual may experience one or more of these signs of early Alzheimer’s symptoms to different degrees, and some at an earlier age than others may. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

Remember, everyone has occasional memory lapses. Just because you can’t recall where you put the car keys or your glasses doesn’t necessarily mean you have Alzheimer’s disease. The difference is a person with a sharp mind will recall where they laid their lost items or retrace their steps until they find them – a person with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease will not.

Contact Senior Helpers Today to Learn about Our Senior Cares Services for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients

Call Senior Helpers Locally at: 636-695-3140

Senior Helpers Website

Posted in: Alzheimer's Care.

Senior Helpers: Recognizing Signs of Dementia

Jul 23rd, 2010
by Senior Helpers.
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Recognizing Signs of Dementia: What is Normal Aging, and What is Dementia?

Genes, lifestyle and disease affect the rate of aging and people age at different rates and in different ways. Normal memory functions include the ability to:

  • recall events and details of the past
  • use accumulated knowledge to solve problems or make decisions
  • understand the relationship of information flow and sequencing
  • perceive location and time
  • count and use numbers
  • comprehend the functional nature of items such as keys, knives and forks

Normal aging also brings changes to the senses, like hearing and eyesight problems; and the body, such as weight gain. As people age, a mild decline in some cognitive areas is to be expected such as:

  • visual and verbal memory
  • spatial memory
  • immediate memory
  • ability to name objects
  • episodic memory
  • learn new things at a slower rate
  • be more easily distracted
  • resist change
  • develop rigidity which might slow down cognitive abilities

Here are some specific “normal or not” examples to simplify the differences:

–It is normal if you can’t find your glasses, but it is not normal if you forgot you ever had glasses.

–It is normal to misplace your keys, but it is not normal if you find them and don’t know their purpose.

Dementia might be an issue if an older adult:

  • becomes more isolated
  • shows a decline in planning and initiation
  • cancels or misses appointments
  • is unable to manage money, medication or personal affairs
  • forgets recent events
  • shows changes in hygiene and appearance
  • falls or loses balance repeatedly
  • gets lost in familiar places, is confused or disoriented
  • repeats questions
  • exhibits odd or inappropriate behaviors

Someone showing these signs might also exhibit changes in diet or eating habits; weight loss; personality changes; emotional problems; depression, stress or apathy; changes in language abilities, including comprehension; and unkempt or unsafe living environment. Friends or neighbors might be expressing concern about the individual.

Dementia in itself is not a disease, but rather a set of symptoms brought about by certain diseases or physical conditions. Dementia is a loss of mental function in two or more areas such as language, memory, visual and spatial abilities, or judgment severe enough to interfere with daily life.

To maintain a healthy brain, it is important to stay mentally, socially and physically active, maintain a healthy diet, get enough sleep, reduce stress, avoid head trauma, be heart smart, monitor for depression and get regular medical checkups. Socialization stimulates and opens new pathways in the brain. Memory can atrophy if not used and mental exercise might significantly improve memory for older adults. As Aristotle said, “Education is the best provision for the journey to old age.”

Posted in: Aging Parents at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Senior Health.

Higher Risk of Dementia If Spouse Also Suffers

Jun 10th, 2010
by Senior Helpers.
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Dementia Risk in Spouses Who are Caretakers of Demented Spouses

According to an article in StLToday.com written by Dr. John Morley, spouses of people with dementia may be more likely to also get dementia. A group of doctors in Utah studied 1,200 married couples and discovered that people with demented spouses had a six times higher chance of developing dementia that those whose spouses were not demented. The study also showed that husbands were at a greater risk of developing dementia. This study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The same journal also included a study that gave some possible explanations for this finding.  The Maastricht Aging Study in Holland found that older persons with depression had an increased risk for developing memory problems. Spouses of people with dementia are at a greater risk for becoming depressed which then may put them at a risk for developing dementia themselves. Lack of mental stimulus when living with a spouse with dementia may play an important role in the propensity to develop dementia as well.

Also, Caregivers have greater stress than non-caregivers. This is associated with more psychological and physical diseases. Stress increases the levels of stress hormones in the blood like cortisol, which is associated with loss of cells in the hippocampus. This sea- horse like structure is pivotal in the ability to form and recall memories. Caregivers also tend to become more obese and have high insulin levels, which is associated with higher brain inflammation and increased amyloid-beta protein levels, an important agent involved in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.

These studies suggest the importance of involving the spouses of persons with dementia in stress reduction programs. Providing respite periods so that the caregiver can recharge their batteries is another important strategy to reduce stress. Caregivers should be regularly checked for depression and treated if it is present.

If your loved one is having difficulties with dementia and needs a caregiver, call Senior Helpers for help: (636) 695-3140

Posted in: Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Senior Care, Senior Health, St. Louis Senior Care News.

Spouses of persons with dementia more likely to get dementia

May 19th, 2010
by Senior Helpers.
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  Response to Article from 05.19.2010 10:27 am, “Spouses of persons with dementia more likely to get dementia”; By Dr. John Morley , Special to the Post-Dispatch

This article raises some very important points. It is very important for the primary caregiver to not lose sight of their own health issues while caring for a loved one. It is often the case that the caregiver ends up more ill than the person being cared for. Family, friends and physicians should watch for signs of this happening. Primary caregivers will skip doctor appointments, and ignore signs of serious problems because they do not feel that their needs are of as much concern as the one they are caring for. They also will not think that they can get away long enough to take care of their needs.

When it becomes obvious that the primary caregiver is too close to the problem to identify it, that is when a friend, family member or physician should step in and offer support. This support can come in many different forms. The family can step in and give the primary caregiver a regularly scheduled break so they can make plans to do something important to them, such as a hair appointment, or see a movie, or go out to eat with friends, or go fishing, or go to the doctor. If the family is unable to provide this relief regularly, they can consider private duty in-home care. These agencies, such as Senior Helpers, will provide professionals who are bonded, insured, and experienced in caring for people with many problems. The professional aides/caregivers often become good friends.

There are stories of women that provide saintly care for their husbands for years and do not get their regular checkups, only to find out after his passing that they have breast cancer that could have been treated early if they had had a mammogram on a regular schedule. Don’t let someone you know go down a path of being so tied up in someone else’s care that they neglect themselves into the hospital or a deep depression.

Posted in: Alzheimer's Care, Caregivers, Senior Care, Senior Health, St. Louis Caregiver Support.

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