seniors tagged posts

Placing a parent or loved one in hospice care can be a stressful time for everyone involved. We all want our parents to be as comfortable as possible, and the thought of anyone hurting them is devastating. 

Research shows that’s an astounding 1 in 10 Americans 60 years and older have experienced some type of abuse. To monitor for signs of abuse, it’s important to familiarize yourself with your loved one’s surroundings and take notice of any changes.  Being observant could help you identify signs of abuse or potential abuse.

The Importance of Monitoring Abuse in Hospice Care

Often times, elderly hospice patients have failing memory as they struggle with dementia and do not remember being abused, and no longer have the ability to voice their concern. There are many forms of elderly abuse in hospice care, and knowing the signs of abuse is important.

Physical abuse can be defined as bodily injury or pain caused by hitting, shoving, shaking, burning or kicking. This is a limited definition; if you think your loved one could have been a victim of abuse, contact a reputable personal injury attorney to find out if you have a case.

What Are the Signs of Hospice Care Abuse?

There’s a few signs of physical abuse that you can check for that typically indicate abuse.

1. Check their body for bruises, welts or scars.  Some bruises on the extremities are normal, if they are prone to bruising. Bruises that appear symmetrically on both sides of the body may be signs of abuse. Also, look for bruising along the wrists or hips.
2. If your loved one complains of recent pain, ask their doctor about head, neck and internal injuries which could result from a drop.
3. Lastly, talk to your parent or loved one if you are concerned. Often times, an elderly person is afraid to speak up. Ask them if they are being well taken care of, pose a direct question like “Do the nurses ever hit you or hurt you?”  

What You Can Do  

Your parent or loved one deserves the best possible care at the end of their life. If you have any suspicion of your parents or loved one being abused in hospice care, contact a nursing home abuse attorney. A nursing home/hospice abuse attorney will fight for the rights of your loved one and fight aggressively against the responsible parties who are liable for the abuse.

As we age, we look forward to live independently and securely. Normally, we are used to our own time, space, and possession. This independence should not have to end when your mobility is reduced or during long periods of declining health.

According to research, for those living with chronic diseases, remaining at home is the best option and the most preferred choice. Home care services are designed such that the elderly reside at home instead of being sent to assisted living facilities. Many aging adults often feel a lot of discomfort if they are relocated to other facilities.

In home care, those who have special needs are assisted to stay at home. You can get any kind of service that you wish to have. Some types of home care services are free or donated. The benefits of having home care services instead of staying assisted living facilities cannot be miscalculated.

Benefits of In-Home Care Services

The fact that there is some level of freedom can go a long way into improving the health of an aging adult. A person who lives in a home care can get more private attention as compared to the one living in assisted home. For instance, in an assisted living facility, the personnel must attend to different people with varying needs. Here are some common home care services and the benefits associated with each.

• Personal care such as help with bathing, dressing up and washing your hair.
• Delivering meals or cooking.
• Laundry work, home baking, and general cleaning.
• Health care especially if the adult is having ill health he will have a home care aide to assist.

The level of service depends on the organization or care provider involved. For instance, the in-home care program of Snyder Village in Peoria, IL offers comprehensive solutions that offer all of these mentioned services as well as memory care, Dementia care, and other specialized services,

Below are a few reason why home care may be better for aging adults than centers for assisted living.

• There is a better quality of life – When it comes to home care, you will be able to enjoy the quality of life that you would not get if you were to go to retirement communities. You do not have to struggle with doing difficult things since you have some help. Home care providers are trained to identify your need and are always willing to make it easy for you to adjust to life.
• You have your privacy – As compared to assisted living facilities you have a lot of privacy in home care. In fact, you can decide when and how you want to be assisted. This means your life does not alter. On the contrary, it gets easier since you now have some help.
• You can maintain your lifestyle – While in home care, you can still maintain the lifestyle that you were used to. The care providers are just there to help you so that you can keep the momentum that you had. For Instance, if you like going out once in awhile nothing will prevent you from doing so. The care providers can even accompany you or drive you to where you want to go to.
• You will enjoy care and comfort as if you are in your home – You cannot underestimate the comfort that you always have while staying in a familiar environment. With many memories in your mind, there is no reason to leave all these to go and reside in a facility.

A home is the most comfortable and convenient place for aging adults’ to live and receive care. Thankfully, there are always caregivers that specialize in giving home care services to seniors. As compared to retirement communities, a home care may be much better for aging adults.

For more information about home care programs and what an ideal model looks like, visi Snyder Village a comprehensive assisted living center that offers a wonderful retirement community as well as home care services.