8 Reasons That Make Assisted Living a Great Option for Older Adults

Increasing awareness about the advantages of assisted living facilities for seniors has resulted in a healthy competition among these facilities. If you are still new to this concept, here are a few reasons why assisted living facilities are good for older adults:

1. Maintaining independence and freedom
The staff at an assisted living facility aims at making things easier for your loved one without compromising on their independence and freedom.

2. Finding a home to suit your loved one’s individual requirements
With plenty of options available, you can choose an assisted living facility that you think will satisfy all the requirements of your loved one.

3. Safety and security
Most of the assisted living facilities have features installed that are very likely to prevent wandering falls and other incidents from happening.

4. Getting rid of household chores
Your loved one can spend his time doing the things he loves instead of wasting it doing daily chores.

5. Easy access to experts whenever needed
Most of the assisted living facilities have medical experts in house to take care of your loved older adults in case of an emergency.

6. An active social life
At such assisted living facilities, your loved ones get to meet a lot of like-minded individuals and so, get to make new friends.

7. Strengthened family relationships
The chances of you getting hurt by their actions or words reduce significantly resulting in strengthened bonds.

8. Transportation services
Your loved ones will not have to think twice when they want to visit a place. The assisted care facility makes sure that your beloved seniors travel with convenience.

Always Best care is known to be the best elder care services provider in East Bay, CA. You can visit their center to know more about the services they offer. You can get in touch with them at (925) 210-0323.

Winter Safety Tips for Seniors

The winter season can be one of the most wonderful times of the year, with beautiful lights, snow, & cozy fireplaces burning bright in every household. However, while you’re enjoying these amazing views, you may also found yourself in a bit of discomfort if you are a senior living alone or have limited mobility. Despite the fact that colder months can be particularly challenging for the elderly, there are some winter safety tips to make sure that they stay safe this season.

• Bundle Up:

Seniors must always dress in layers during the winter. 2 or 3 thin layers of clothing can keep them warmer than a single thin layer of clothing. Seniors should also make sure not to leave the house without a heavy coat or jacket, gloves, warm socks, boots, a scarf, or a hat. Dressing in layers is even advisable indoors.

• Shovel the walkways:

When it is snowing outside, one of the biggest dangers for the elderly is falling. To decrease the chances of falls while you are walking to your car or check the mail, do make sure the walkways are shoveled. Since removing the snow can be a lot of physical work, you can ask friends or family members for help.

• Be prepared for power outages:

Winter storms often lead to power outages. So, make sure that you do have flashlights as well as a battery-powered radio in such emergencies. Apart from that, it is advisable to stock enough non-perishable foods which can be consumed cold on hand.

The elderly can also benefit from senior home care services in East Bay. Always Best Care is one of the senior care organizations with well-trained and experienced caregivers who can provide older adults with the right level of care and support they need especially during the winter season. For more information, please call @ (925) 210-0323!

Ways to Help Seniors Stay Active This Winter

Do you feel that the winter blues are making your aging loved ones want to hibernate until the onset of the spring season? Is the reality of shorter, colder and darker days hitting hard on them and nothing seems to motivate them to just get out of the bed, let alone exercising in these cold winter days?

While it may seem pretty difficult to think of activities to keep your elderly loved one active this winter, but experts suggest many activities that can help keep them healthy all-year-round. Some of them are listed below:

• Dancing: One of the most enjoyable and beneficial forms of exercise is dancing since it keeps both the brain and the body healthy, without even requiring expensive equipment. Dancing helps in providing a great sense of achievement, improved flexibility and posture, and overall improved well-being.

• Swimming: Swimming is a low-impact activity that is tremendously good for your muscles and joints, especially if your loved ones are suffering from arthritis. Indulging in water activities are known to improve cholesterol levels in older adults, while at the same time increase their agility, flexibility, and strength. You can also motivate them to participate in water yoga, and water aerobics.

• Walking: The most natural form of exercise is taking some long-distance walks. As it may seem a little difficult to take outdoor walks during the icy and cold winter months, you can look for an indoor spot, such as an indoor walking track, mall, community center, etc.

Other activities like stretching at home and attending group activities are some other ways for seniors to stay active this winter. However, if you feel that your loved one will struggle getting out and about, consider getting in-home care services for them in East Bay, CA from Always Best Care. Their trained and experienced in-home caregivers can help your loved one stay active both physically and mentally fit through various activities.

To book your free care consultation, call @ (925) 210-0323!

Things to Keep In Mind When Choosing an Assisted Living Facility

Here are some things for you to keep in mind when choosing an assisted living facility for your loved one:

• Get online :- Use the Internet to educate yourself in the various different types of senior care facilities and to conduct your initial search for the most appropriate communities.
   
• Do your research :- However you choose to do it, the initial research is very important. Primarily it can help you gage whether assisted living is the most appropriate choice and it can give you a greater idea of exactly what to expect and what to look for.
   
• Always visit :- You should always visit any assisted living community that you are interested in. This allows you to evaluate the facility and determine whether residents are happy with what is provided.
   
• Plan ahead :- Most assisted living facilities will provide basic help with things like medication, general health care, and healthy living. Many will also be able to increase the level of care that is provided should the need arise but do check beforehand because it can prove very unsettling to have to move when physical or mental health demands it.
   
• Check the services being provided at the facility thoroughly :- Regardless of the type of facility or community you choose, whether it's an assisted facility or a continuing care retirement community, check the amenities and services that are provided. If you can't find a service listed then ask whether it is provided and how it is provided.

Always Best Care offers a multitude of in-home care services to support your loved one as they age in place and can also work with you on getting them into one of the best assisted living facilities in East Bay. Call Always Best Care today at (925) 210-0323 to schedule a free consultation and learn more.

How to Quit Smoking in Old Age

It is never easy to quit smoking, especially for the elderly who have probably been smoking their entire life. Given below are some tips to help older adults work towards stopping this habit. Take a look.

Carry a Snack:

The experts suggest that carrying a healthy snack like almonds, chewing gum, and hard candy at all times and munching it whenever seniors feel an urge to smoke is an effective start to quit smoking. These snacks can significantly reduce their chances for craving for a cigarette.

Go Slow:

It is a challenging task to quit smoking, therefore it is vital to take tiny steps.  Quitting smoking is more of a journey and it is vital to keep in mind that going without a cigarette is next to impossible during the initial days. What works the best is taking one cigarette at a time and then cutting back slowly.

Maintain Distance from Triggers:

Studies show that being around certain people who smoke can trigger one’s cravings for a cigarette. Also, seniors must avoid visiting places that induce their desire to smoke.

Encourage your elderly loved one to quit smoking and lead a healthy life. This may be challenging for them at first, but your constant support and love can definitely pull them through.

You can also consider getting geriatric care in East Bay , CA for your loved one from Always Best Care. It is one of the most trusted senior care organizations in CA since 1996 and has a number of seniors lead an independent and dignified life through their excellent in-home care services. To learn more about Always Best Care or their senior care solutions, feel free to reach out to them at (925) 210-0323. 

The Dangers of Living Alone for the Elderly

According to recent research, about 90% of people who have reached 65 years of age want to stay at home and are not willing to live in an assisted living. Although they can completely lead an independent life, there are still some physical and mental conditions that can be hazardous when living alone.

It is of utmost importance to ensure that the environment in which your loved ones are living is safe and is capable of meeting their immense needs. The best that works in such a situation is moving to an assisted living community, wherein their health is properly monitored, medication managed and social activities included.

If you too are struggling to make your elderly loved one understand the importance of assisted living, then here are some dangers involved in living alone that they need to know:

• The condition of the home like a cluttered and dirty house, loose carpets, steep stairs, and poor lighting affects the living conditions of your elderly because of difficulty in managing home.
• Difficulty in managing their medication schedule on their own
• Do they desire to interact with friends and family when loneliness strikes them often?
• They may begin acting differently and might face problems in managing daily household chores like maintaining food quantities in the house, paying electricity bills, etc, which shows that they are the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
• Poor eyesight
• Changes in their social interactions, appearance and loved one's hygiene.
• Deteriorating health, recurring strokes, physical impairments, and the diseases like Parkinson's may require professional help and care.

It is time to watch for these signs and take a wise decision because it may be hard to admit but caring for your loved one becomes much easier when you have professional help by your side. If you too are looking for some professional help, whether it's in-home care or assisted living for your elder care assistance in Contra Costa County, then look no further than Always Best Care. We are the experts in elderly care and work dedicatedly in exceeding your expectations. Call us on (925) 210-0323 or visit our website https://www.alwaysbestcare.com/ca/walnut-creek/ for more information.

Tips for Successfully Communicating with an Alzheimer’s Patient

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease slowly diminishes a person's ability to communicate and they are often are found struggling with concepts and language. In situations like these, it becomes even more vital to learn the art of communicating with your elderly loved one effectively and lovingly. Patients with dementia require love hence; it requires a great amount of patience, and good listening skills to understand the person better.

With constant behavioral changes, it becomes vital to understand some tips that can help to have better communications. Some of these are:

• Alzheimer's or dementia patients require excessive care, and it becomes vital to deal them with compassion and patience for having a smooth communication. If you allow your loved one to take their time in answering or speaking or find them struggling with the language, and sentences; act calmly and observe their behavior. Listening patiently is the key!
• Not everything has to be spoken to understand well because about 93% communication is non-verbal. Smiling often can help to lighten your mood and at the same time reduce the stress that helps in bringing the patient and the caregiver closer.
• Dementia patients tend to live in their world, with time. Your friendship is important for your loved one in this difficult situation, hence adopting a calm attitude will work wonders for them. Avoid engaging in an argument, try asking open-ended questions to eliminate confusion.
• Maintain eye contact with the patient so that they remain focused upon what you're saying and try speaking slowly and clearly and avoid giving too many instructions at one time, as this may confuse them.

Always remember that communication doesn't stop if your loved one has been diagnosed with Dementia. Memory changes impact their communication abilities and your support and love are what can ease their life. If you too have an Alzheimer's patient and are facing difficulties to communicate with them effectively, then experts in senior care are surely there to rescue you. Always Best Care has expert caregivers for both in-home care and assisted living that work well to serve your needs. Contact Always Best Care for geriatric care in Contra Costa County at (925)210-0323.