The Weather Outside is Frightful!

By Anne Pagnoni
The winter is upon us, fellow New Jerseyans. If you don't believe me, then just look out your window. How many inches – or feet – of snow are still on your sidewalk or driveway? How long did it take for your street to be plowed? How long were you held up in your home with no way to get out? How much worrying did you do about your mother or father being home alone without any way of getting to them? How many phone calls did you place to your mother reminding her to take her medicine and to make sure that she hadn't left the house? These are the times when having a loved one with dementia really takes its toll on the family caregiver. Now is the time to consider a live-in caregiver from Home Care Assistance of New Jersey.

Home Care Assistance is a full service home care agency offering hourly services but with a specialty in live-in caregivers. Our caregivers are specifically trained in our exclusive Balanced Care Method^TM . Focusing on lifestyle and dietary choices, the Balanced Care Method^TM promotes healthy activity, stress reduction, and social interaction to help seniors live their best possible lives – in the comfort of home. But, what exactly does this mean for your mother or father?

1. When it comes to physical hygiene, our caregivers are able to provide assistance with bathing, dressing, and grooming. A little help here can go a long way in improving your loved one's willingness to interact with others.
2. From planning the menu to preparing the meal, the caregiver will ensure that your loved one is eating three, well balanced meals per day. If your mother or father has food preferences or enjoys cooking, then she or he and the caregiver will enjoy doing this together.
3. Exercise. Not a word that most of us like to think about, but it's a necessity nonetheless. Your loved one isn't going to be training for a marathon by any stretch, but the caregiver will work to improve physical stamina. From simply doing stretches and chair exercises to walking to the mailbox or around the block, your mother or father won't be sitting in a favorite chair all day long anymore!
4. You know the old saying, use it or lose it. It applies to short term memory, too! While our caregivers can't reverse memory loss associated with dementia and Alzheimer's Disease, they can provide social interaction, which has been shown to improve cognitive function. A game of cards, anyone?

Don't keep playing the waiting game. None of us can predict when Mother Nature is going to send another Nor'easter our way. Now is the time to take the necessary steps to safeguard your loved one's future. When it comes to caring for your aging loved one, accept help from the live-in professionals. For more information about Home Care Assistance, please visit our website at http://www.homecareassistance.com/. To be directed to your local Home Care Assistance office, please call 1-866-4-LIVEIN.