How Beneficial Is Acupuncture for Senior Citizens?

Acupuncture is a holistic approach to health and wellness that has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. This alternative therapy involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body, which are said to promote healing and balance.

A growing body of evidence suggests acupuncture can be beneficial for seniors, particularly when it comes to managing pain and improving quality of life. For example, in one study, seniors who underwent acupuncture treatments reported significant reductions in pain levels and improvements in mobility and quality of sleep.

Another study found that acupuncture may help to improve cognitive function in seniors with dementia. And yet another study found that acupuncture treatments can help reduce the risk of falls in older adults.

Clearly, acupuncture has a lot to offer seniors. If you or a loved one is interested in exploring this therapy, be sure to consult with a licensed acupuncturist who has experience treating older adults. Medicare and Medicaid do not often cover it, but some supplemental insurance policies might. A reputable center can work with you to determine the most affordable way to obtain acupuncture.

An in-home caregiver in East Bay can not only help you find the best acupuncturists but also with ensuring that the sessions are carried out smoothly. For more information on how an in-home caregiver can make your life easier, feel free to schedule a free consultation with the experts at Always Best Care.

7 Home Safety Tips for Seniors with Conditions Such as Dementia

Seniors who have started wandering or experiencing significant symptoms of memory loss need to be supervised all the time. Some extra precautions you should consider taking while caring for an aging parent at home include but are not limited to -

1. Consider switching to appliances with auto-shutoff features or installing hidden gas valves and circuit breakers to ensure ovens, fireplaces, and stoves are not left alone.

2. All the drawers and cabinets containing things such as knives, cleaning supplies, and medications as well as garages or basements with harmful chemicals and machinery should be locked.

3.Use deadbolts on exterior doors to keep the seniors from wandering outside the house unsupervised.

4. Your loved one’s bedroom and bathroom should not have any locks as it will help avoid a situation where they may lock themselves inside accidentally and panic.

5.Try to have finger guards on garbage disposals or cover the switches with safety locks.

6.Lights and night lights should be easily accessible. This would help reduce any kind of disorientation at night.

7.Create clear paths and open areas to encourage independence and social interaction, which are two important needs for people with dementia, and other such conditions.

Being proactive when it comes to senior safety can go a long way. The best way to ensure that a surrounding is safe for your loved one to live in is getting a safety inspection done. The senior care experts with Always Best Care in Contra Costa County are also well capable of noticing risk factors a family member may not recognize and suggesting the required changes to address those factors. Schedule a free consultation with one of our experts. Dial (925) 210-0323 to get in touch and get started.

Differentiating Between Medical and Non-medical In-home Care

In-home care from a medical caregiver is for those that need nursing or medical attention daily. In many cases, these professionals are RN's (registered nurses) with years of experience in their given field.

Healthcare providers come from a wide range of professions including Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs), Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Home Health Aides and Personal Care Aides, allowing clients to choose the one(s) they feel most comfortable sharing a home with said client.  The right caregiver will provide time for regular visits as well as post-visit telephone calls making sure that no problems have developed between visits. They will also have a thorough working knowledge of the client's medications, diet, and medical history. 

Medical caregivers from Caregivers Unlimited always provide supervision for clients who need it, especially those who are prone to falling or wandering off.  To ensure their safety, these clients will be supervised at all times when walking and around water as well as during other activities that require constant attention such as cooking, taking medication, and bathing.

Non-medical In-home Care

In-home care from a non-medical caregiver is simply someone who provides companionship and/or housekeeping services, in addition to helping with personal care (dressing, grooming) and light household chores (meal preparation). It is possible for them to also run errands but this is not required of them.

Non-medical caregivers are also available for last-minute bookings if it's after office hours and you need someone immediately caring for an elderly loved one.

They may be more cost-effective than medical professionals but here at Caregivers Unlimited, we believe that all in-home care services should be both affordable and high quality. This is why we offer a range of services to clients, including live-in care.

Learn more about how non-medical in-home care in the East Bay can benefit seniors and enable them to safely and comfortably age in place by contacting Always Best Care.

  

3 Common Infections in Seniors - Always Best Care Senior Services

The elderly are a common target for some types of infections because their immune systems have been compromised by age, cancer treatment or other medical conditions. Three of the most common infections in seniors include urinary tract infections, skin infections, and pneumonia. Here is what you should know about each of them:

     1. Urinary tract infection (UTI)     

UTIs are one of the most common infections and can affect anyone, but they're particularly prevalent among elderly individuals because of their weakened immune systems and because many rely on catheters to drain their urine. Symptoms include discomfort while urinating, lack of bladder control, and blood or pus in the urine.

    2. Pneumonia      

This common respiratory infection can strike anyone, but people who are elderly—and especially those with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, asthma, and emphysema—are at a higher risk. Symptoms include fever, chills, a productive cough, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.

    3. Skin infections      

Elderly people are at greater risk for developing deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism as a result of blood clots. These clots usually form in the legs and can break off and migrate to the lung. Symptoms of DVT include pain and swelling in the lower leg, while symptoms of a pulmonary embolism can range from mild (coughing and shortness of breath) to severe (fainting and difficulty breathing).

If you or a senior loved one needs assistance and care at home, Always Best Care can help you out. Schedule a FREE consultation for elderly care in the East Bay right away.

 

 

Understanding the Deficiency of Vitamin B12 In Seniors Better

One of the most common mistakes seniors make is overlooking the deficiency of vitamins in their body until it starts causing significant health problems. A lot of older adults end up developing a serious deficiency of Vitamin B12. Also known as cobalamin, vitamin B12 is responsible for generating cell growth, boosting cognition, supporting bone health, and supporting the immune system.

The deficiency of cobalamin in your aging parents may lead to health issues including but Factors that make seniors more susceptible to deficiency of vitamin B12 are low levels of stomach acid, medications such as metformin, alcoholism, and other problems such as Crohn’s disease that cause poor absorption in stomach or small intestine. As for the treatment with vitamin B12 supplements for seniors is concerned, the initial phase requires an intramuscular shot or oral vitamins. While intramuscular shots bypass any absorption problems in the stomach or intestine, high-dose oral supplements take longer to work and thus, are not ideal for correcting a deficiency. Oral supplements are mostly used to maintain cobalamin levels.

not limited to anemia, neuropathy, and even cognitive impairment in extreme cases. Contrary to the popular belief that deficiency of vitamin B12 causes pernicious anemia, it is, in fact, the other way around. Some other problems vitamin B12 deficient seniors face include memory issues and waking difficulties.

The best thing about vitamin B12 treatment is that overdosing on this particular vitamin is extremely unlikely and hence, all the risks are eliminated. Even when the levels are high, it doesn’t really cause any kind of toxicity. The senior care services providers in East Bay from ABC can help you take better care of your senior loved ones and can even help you keep a check on your aging parents’ dietary needs.

Feel free to dial (925) 210-0323 and schedule a free consultation today.

Some Tips to Make Dealing with Aging Parents Less Stressful

 

in-home care services in East Bay

Anyone who has spent time caring for a loved one understands that it can get a bit stressful and overwhelming. Here are a few ways that might make the job a bit easier.

• Put some effort into trying to understand the motivation behind their behavior as that will help you communicate better with them and make positive changes.
• Try to understand that you cannot force your parents into doing things, and this one thing alone can go a long way in improving your relationship with your parents.
• Instead of focusing on non-essential tasks, start with deciding the most important issues such as matters involving their safety.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself as there is little you can control.
• As you help them with their medications or another hard task, treat them like the adults they are.
• Don’t hold back from communicating your worries to your parent, and explaining how your anxieties will be tempered if they follow your advice. The chances of a senior changing their ways for a loved one are fairly high.
• Instead of venting about the things that bother you to your aging parents, consider confiding in a friend, sibling, partner, or therapist.
• If you are deciding on taking a major decision, bring the topics up and talk about them with your parents. Make them feel involved and remind them that their opinions will always be valued.

If you are looking for the best in-home care services in the East Bay, look no further than Always Best Care. We provide safe, quality care for seniors while putting strict COVID-19 restrictions in place. Not just that, we are more than willing to tailor our care to our patient’s level of need without them having to compromise on their independence. Schedule a FREE consultation today.

For someone who has an aging parent at home, offering assistance with activities of daily living without compromising on their social life can be quite overwhelming. An assisted living facility solves this situation for all.

Elderly Care East Bay

Here are some of the key highlights about assisted living not many people know of.

• Different assisted living facilities offer different levels of care. In fact, not just the care levels, assisted living facilities differ in look and feel too. Even though a lot of these facilities sport a homelike ambiance, there are several others that may have a formal design.
• Because of the increasing popularity of pets among seniors, a number of assisted living facilities nationwide now also welcome their pets along with the seniors wholeheartedly. Pet therapy in assisted living facilities affects older adults positively by lowering their stress levels, decreased heart rate and blood pressure, and more.
• Contrary to popular opinion, most assisted living facilities are less expensive than employing a full-time home care aide.
• There are several points of difference between nursing homes and assisted living facilities. 
• A number of assisted living facilities nationwide have also started offering specialized memory care for seniors having memory issues.
• There are a lot of communities and assisted facilities out there that work on keeping couples together.
• A number of assisted living communities are also being redesigned keeping the preferences of the local population in mind, in order to make the transition from home to the community easier for seniors.

Elderly Care East Bay

The elderly care providers at Always Best Care in East Bay are thoroughly screened, bonded, and trained to provide the safest and highest level of care. We also serve several other locations across the States. Schedule a FREE consultation today by dialing (925) 210-0323.