When Is Aging In Place A Good Option For The Elderly?

Aging in place as you grow older allows you to live in a familiar setting where you can stick to the same routine you have been following for years and stay in touch with the community that you’ve always been a part of. With minor modifications and repairs, you can also make your house more senior friendly.

Typically, aging in place is a good option for you if -

• You have a good network of nearby friends, family, and neighbors
• Public transportation is easily accessible, in case you no longer drive yourself
• Your neighborhood is a safe place to live for the elderly
• Your house can be easily modified to meet your changing needs
• Yard maintenance isn’t too much of a hassle 
• You do not have a serious condition that requires a high level of care 

If you have an aging loved one in your family or are a senior yourself, planning for the future housing is an extremely important part of ensuring that you or your aging family member continue to live a healthy, happy life while getting older. Of course, every senior is different and so are their housing needs. If you are considering aging in place, you can benefit from Always Best Care’s wide range of in-home care services. But if aging in place does not seem to be the right choice due to your declining health or other reasons, you can consider other senior housing options, such as retirement communities, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities in Contra Costa County.

Contact us today at (925) 210-0323 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you find the right senior housing option according to your needs.

6 Duties a Geriatric Care Provider Can Perform Efficiently

The most important role a geriatric care provider plays is providing daily care to an older adult while keeping up with their unique needs. Geriatric care providers are usually patient, understanding, empathetic, and compassionate individuals who work with the true desire of working with older adults. 

A geriatric care provider can perform a number of duties for your loved one. These include:

1. Administering their medications
2. Measuring and recording all the vital signs
3. Helping them with exercises and massage
4. Looking for signs of elder abuse
5. Taking the patient to the doctor’s and taking care of other appointments
6. Helping the aging adults with their daily needs 

In addition to all these duties, a geriatric care manager is also expected to keep an accurate patient record and coordinate your loved one’s care as per the recommendations given by their physicians. Not just their physical well-being, a geriatric care provider also helps improve the patients’ mental as well as emotional health. They are trained to deal with the consequences of mood swings baby boomers often experience because of factors such as failing health, lack of independence, and isolation from their loved ones. These healthcare workers keep a close eye on their patients while remaining cheerful and compassionate even during the most difficult of times. 

Most geriatric care providers are encouraged to communicate with their patients’ family members to explain their care regimen or medications or even act as a liaison between them, their families, and the physician on several occasions.

Always Best Care provides the best geriatric care services in Contra Costa County through its strong relationships with area hospitals, social workers, senior communities and senior resources throughout the area. We are the experts in senior care. Feel free to dial (925) 210-0323 for more information.

Many older adults with arthritis do not exercise thinking that it will make their condition worse. However, it actually helps increase strength & flexibility, reduce joint pain, & combat fatigue. Of course, the thought of walking around the block or taking a dip into the swimming pool might seem a bit too overwhelming when your stiff joints are already bogging you down. But, you do not need to swim like an Olympic competitor or run a marathon to manage your joint pain. Just a few low-impact exercises everyday can help strengthen your joints & improve flexibility. On the other hand, not exercising can result in muscle loss & weight gain, aggravating the arthritis pain. 

Some of the exercises that are known to benefit seniors with arthritis are:

• Water Aerobics 

Water-based exercises are ideal for older adults with arthritis because of many reasons. For example, the resistance of the water helps in building muscles while the buoyancy reduces the impact on joints. Water aerobics give the most benefit when you exercise in a heated pool as the warmth helps in relieving pain. 

• Yoga 

Due to its relaxing nature & low-impact movements, Yoga is one of the most recommended forms of exercise for the elderly with arthritis. Besides managing arthritis symptoms, it also helps in reducing stress. 

• Light Weight Lifting 

Although lifting weights may seem intimidating to the elderly, it can actually help them strengthen their muscles & joints. However, it is important to choose the right dumbbells so you do not end up getting hurt. It is best to weight lift under the guidance of a trained fitness professional who can suggest you the right dumbbells according to your physical ability. 

• Stretches 

For an improved range of motion, stretches are one of the most effective forms of exercise. Besides helping you maintain normal joint function, stretches are highly relaxing and promote better sleep.

If you need someone who can be your ideal partner during your workout sessions and help you with daily chores at the same time, contact Always Best Care today! As one of the leading providers of senior home care services in East Bay, we have the best caregivers to meet your needs. Call @ (925) 210-0323 to book your free care consultation!

Useful Exercises for Older Adults with Arthritis

Many older adults with arthritis do not exercise thinking that it will make their condition worse. However, it actually helps increase strength & flexibility, reduce joint pain, & combat fatigue. Of course, the thought of walking around the block or taking a dip into the swimming pool might seem a bit too overwhelming when your stiff joints are already bogging you down. But, you do not need to swim like an Olympic competitor or run a marathon to manage your joint pain. Just a few low-impact exercises everyday can help strengthen your joints & improve flexibility. On the other hand, not exercising can result in muscle loss & weight gain, aggravating the arthritis pain.

Some of the exercises that are known to benefit seniors with arthritis are:

• Water Aerobics

Water-based exercises are ideal for older adults with arthritis because of many reasons. For example, the resistance of the water helps in building muscles while the buoyancy reduces the impact on joints. Water aerobics give the most benefit when you exercise in a heated pool as the warmth helps in relieving pain.

• Yoga

Due to its relaxing nature & low-impact movements, Yoga is one of the most recommended forms of exercise for the elderly with arthritis. Besides managing arthritis symptoms, it also helps in reducing stress.

• Light Weight Lifting

Although lifting weights may seem intimidating to the elderly, it can actually help them strengthen their muscles & joints. However, it is important to choose the right dumbbells so you do not end up getting hurt. It is best to weight lift under the guidance of a trained fitness professional who can suggest you the right dumbbells according to your physical ability.

• Stretches

For an improved range of motion, stretches are one of the most effective forms of exercise. Besides helping you maintain normal joint function, stretches are highly relaxing and promote better sleep.

If you need someone who can be your ideal partner during your workout sessions and help you with daily chores at the same time, contact Always Best Care today! As one of the leading providers of senior home care services in East Bay, we have the best caregivers to meet your needs. Call @ (925) 210-0323 to book your free care consultation!

Skincare Tips to Follow As You Age

As you age, many changes occur in your skin, making it less supple, dryer, and thinner. The aging skin also tends to get injured more easily and takes longer to heal than before. Besides that, older adults are prone to various skin problems ranging from scaling, mild dryness, and itching, to serious skin conditions, like infection & ulcerations. In order to keep your skin healthy while keeping skin-related problems at bay, here are some skincare tips to follow.

Be gentle while washing your face. Avoid harsh soaps with artificial ingredients or fragrances. Instead, for the milder ones that may have a soothing effect on your skin.

1. Do not use very hot or steamy water when taking a bath.  
2. Apply a good-quality moisturizer on your body after every bath to keep it hydrated.
3. Change your clothes and sheets regularly, especially if you are bedridden.
4. Always apply a sunscreen before you go out in the sun for longer periods of time.
5. To protect yourself from the harmful UV rays, cover yourself properly with the right clothing, hat, and sunglasses.
6. Hydration is very important to keep your skin youthful and flush out harmful toxins from your body. So, drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially during the hot weather. 
7. Eat foods with all the essential Vitamins & minerals that can help you skin look and feel fresh. Some of the foods that are good for the skin are green vegetables, avocados, walnuts, berries, and melons.
8. Avoid smoking as it can cause your skin to age prematurely, and contribute to health conditions like heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke.
9. Invest in a room humidifier during the winter season.
10. Regularly visit a dermatologist.

If you need elder care assistance in East Bay to help you maintain a healthier lifestyle, get in touch with Always Best Care today. Call @ (925) 210-0323!

Why Hiring A Geriatric Care Manager For Your Aging Parent Is Always A Good Idea?

Trying to wade through all the resources, options and information to find the answers you need to help your folks can be very frustrating if you are a working parent caring for an aging parent.

A reliable and trustworthy geriatric care manager can offer a refreshing outside perspective to help assess your folks' needs, identify options you may not have considered and start to create a plan of support. Extensive education and experience in elder care allows Geriatric Care Managers to assess the level of help needed, plan for changes that should be implemented right away or in the future and arrange for needed care services.

You can most likely find a Geriatric Care Manager near you who can open up a world of community resources and options you may be unaware of at a very reasonable fee. With their experience in elder care and vast knowledge about aging issues, geriatric care managers can zero in on your parents' needs and offer professional suggestions to best help you honor and care for your parents.

A Geriatric Care Manager is particularly helpful if your parents live in another state. They will not only know the local agencies and support systems available to help you provide the best care, they most likely know the local elder care attorneys.

So, whether you live near your parents and are currently their primary caregiver or you live far away and find yourself fretting over what is best for them, consider hiring a Geriatric Care Manager to help ease the stress and worry.  

Looking forward to hiring a geriatric care manager in East Bay, CA? Get in touch with the experts at Always Best Care. Dial (925) 210-0323.

The Many Benefits 0f Elder Care Assistance

Most of the older adults prefer staying with their family or in the familiar areas of their own house because of the comfort they feel there. The best thing is that with the advancement of technology and modernization, the elders are not required to shift to a nursing home or hospital. Elder care assistance allows them to remain in their own vicinity and take the benefits of the different services from basic assistance, nursing and medical management from day to day life.

Some of the most significant benefits of elder care assistance are:

·       Professional assistance

The care providers are trained to deal with routine and critical situations. They have the required experience for the field.

·       Social interaction

If a caregiver is someone from the family, there are certain limitations which restrict the communication and socialization of the person. In such situations, having someone from the outside can be beneficial. This will also help them in having a healthy emotional state.

·       A better lifestyle

The professional caregivers are trained in such a way that they can help an elderly citizen to live a lifestyle that they had lived formerly as they understand that seniors feel more comfortable in living and maintaining the lifestyle they were earlier accustomed to.

·       Save time

Taking care of an older adult becomes a bit difficult when you are a working professional yourself. Hiring someone who could offer elder care assistance can help save you a lot of time!

For the best eldercare assistance in Contra Costa County, get in touch with an expert from Always Best Care by dialing (925) 210-0323. Always Best Care combines national strength and standards with local accessibility and personal service. Caregivers at Always Best Care in the East Bay are thoroughly screened, bonded and trained to provide the safest and highest level of care.