This blog post will help you understand hospice care. 

You may be wondering why hospice care is so important to consider if you are not in this form of care or close to someone who is. 

The answer is simple: this kind of care can provide comfort, dignity and support for the patient’s loved ones during this difficult time. 

It can also provide emotional and physical relief for caregivers who have been caring for their loved one at home.

What exactly is hospice for? 

This is a type of hospitable environment where you can find comfort and hope during the end stages of life. 

This is a form of care for both patients, as well as their loved ones through emotional support, pain management and more.

Hospice care is also known as palliative hospice, end of life hospice or terminal hospitable environment.

How does hospice work in Arizona? 

Hospice care, which is also known as hospice palliative or end-of-life care, provides pain relief for people who are terminally ill. 

These facilities work with the patient’s family to coordinate hospice services that help treat symptoms of a disease and provide other support. 

The goal of hospice in Arizona is to make someone feel more comfortable and ease his or her pain, while helping the family cope with a difficult situation.

There are hospices in Arizona that aim to help patients live life comfortably by providing hospice care for them at home.

It is not just about relieving physical symptoms of someone’s condition; it also helps caregivers deal with their grief when they lose a loved one.

The facilty team provides support services for caregivers, helping them understand what they should expect as their terminally-ill family member gets closer to death and how to take care of themselves while caring for the patient.

Hospices in Arizona can also help patients who have other serious conditions that may not be terminal but still require hospice care. 

In hospices that provide general palliative services, the patient does not necessarily have to be on hospice for a specific terminal illness; he or she can also receive hospice services if they are struggling with pain and other symptoms from another serious chronic condition.

Hospice is different than traditional health-care in some ways. 

For example, it is not about treating an illness; it’s about providing comfort and easing pain. 

A hospice team works with a patient to make sure he or she has access to the medication they need for their symptoms and that gives them relief throughout their life. 

The team also coordinates services like speech therapy, physical therapy, and hospice-at-home care to help the patient live life as fully and comfortably as possible.

Hospices in Arizona offer many hospice services, including at home, medical social work,  therapies (like music therapy or pet therapy), spiritual support, bereavement support for family members of someone who has died under hospice care, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Hospices in Arizona also help patients who are not necessarily on hospice for palliative purposes but need hospice services to manage their symptoms related to another serious chronic condition that is not expected to be terminal or life-threatening. 

What are the four stages of care?

Stage I: During this stage care is initiated, and the patient gets professional assistance with their physical needs.

Stage II: During this final phase of care, a patient usually has less than six months to live. However, it can take up to 18 months for some people. A hospice nurse works closely with hospice doctors and family members to make sure the patient is comfortable.

Stage III: At this stage care explores pain management, spiritual support and other alternative means of dealing with symptoms such as nausea or vomiting. It is worth mentioning that at this point hospices can help families deal with issues like managing bills, organizing a funeral service, etc.

Stage IV: During this final stage care deals with the patient’s wishes for dying, but also helps family members deal with their grief and come to terms with reality. Family counseling is offered during hospices so that they can find a way to move on after loss of a loved one. This phase does not necessarily have a defined time, it can last for a day or months.

This level of care is a hospitable and humane way to address the needs of people with terminal illnesses.

It’s important that hospices provide emotional support for both patients and their families, as well as physical assistance with symptoms like nausea or vomiting. 

This care can also help you plan your funeral so that it respects your wishes while saving money on costly last-minute details. 

Finding the right option of care for your aging loved one can be a daunting task. 

We’re here to help guide you through this process and provide resources that will allow you to make informed decisions about where to place your elder family member or friend who is nearing their end of life. 

If you need assistance with finding the best financial advisors, real estate professionals, moving companies, or other services for those in transition please contact us today so we can put together a plan tailored specifically for them!

Contact Senior Resource Connectors

Your roadmap when it comes to determining the best care plan for your senior loved one in Arizona – at any age or stage. Visit our resource center, view our business directory, or connect with us below.

It can happen overnight. Or it can creep up gradually over a long period of time. What started as a simple helping hand for your aging loved one doing shopping, laundry, and chauffeuring to doctor’s appointments has now turned into a full-time job. Suddenly, you’re a caregiver.

How do you navigate caregiving 101? We’ve got you covered.

It can be overwhelming, frustrating, and exhausting all at the same time. Whether your parent has had a major health event like a stroke or is suffering from cognitive issues like dementia, it’s important to understand the full scope of caregiving. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, here are some good caregiving 101 tips to act on if you’ve made a commitment to take care of someone else.

Caregiving 101 To-Do List

For many caregivers, this isn’t their only job. Often, they have a professional daytime career as well. They might have children or grandchildren that they care for as well.

That’s why self-care is critical to mitigating fatigue, stress, depression, and the other side effects of too much caregiving. Remember, it’s one thing to gear up for a short-term health crisis with your aging loved one, but it takes another level of energy and tenacity to provide care over a longer period.

So, here are ways to be a successful caregiver by making it a top priority to care for yourself, too, along the way.

Caring for the Caregiver 101

• Set realistic expectations—for yourself and your loved one
• Learn about the disease and what you can expect
• Learn the skills you need to care for the care receiver and which ones you are or are not able to perform
• Learn to say “no” to things you cannot do
• Learn to accept help from others
• Build resilience
• Identify your button-pushers/stressors
• Identify your coping skills
• Remember the big three for successful coping:
  • Eat right—good nutrition as opposed to stress-snacking. Limit alcohol and other drugs
  • Exercise—it may be hard to find time but it’s the best cure for depression and increases your endorphins (“good” coping hormones)
  • Sleep—7-8 hours is hard to get but essential. Admit when you are experiencing burnout and get help

Most importantly, remember that taking care of yourself is as important as taking care of someone else.

A great place to get the support you need is by letting us help you. Senior Resource Connectors is here to provide trusted resources for all of you caregivers out there. Promise. We’ve got your back.

Contact Senior Resource Connectors

Your roadmap for determining the best care plan for your senior loved one in Arizona – at any age or stage. View our business directory, or connect with us below.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Benjamin Franklin

It’s easier to solve a problem if you know the cause. In medicine this means understanding why people get sick and treating the disease itself, not just the symptoms. For nearly 100 years, the medical community had limited knowledge about why people develop Alzheimer’s disease. Recent scientific discoveries are uncovering clues about what causes Alzheimer’s and how to stop symptoms before they start. To understand how far we’ve come, let’s look at a brief history of Alzheimer’s research.

Dr. Alzheimer Describes a “Peculiar Disease” called Alzheimer’s

In 1906 a German psychiatrist named Alois Alzheimer presented the case of a “peculiar” disease at a conference. The patient, a woman in her early 50s known as “Auguste D.,” showed signs of memory loss, mood changes, paranoia and disorientation.

After her death, Dr. Alzheimer studied sections of Auguste’s brain under a microscope and reported that her brain had shrunk in certain areas with abnormal “depositions.” For most of the twentieth century, researchers studied the clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s and explored potential causes of the disease. As technology improved, experts began to use brain imaging, such as CT and MRI scans, to identify the microscopic plaques and tangles (what Dr. Alzheimer referred to as “depositions”) associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Interested in supporting this research? Learn more at TestforAlz.com.

The Search for a Diagnosis for Alzheimer’s

In the mid-1980s the medical community created guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. At the time, experts believed that Alzheimer’s had only one stage, known as dementia, where patients showed clear signs of cognitive decline. Once someone showed evidence of dementia, they could receive treatments for their symptoms. The 1980s guidelines assumed that only people with identifiable
dementia symptoms had the disease.

Researchers later discovered that Alzheimer’s can start affecting the brain years before symptoms
start, and that certain biological clues may indicate if someone is at risk of developing the disease.
In 2011, experts revised the guidelines for diagnosing dementia. New research showed that Alzheimer’s could lie dormant without symptoms for years, during a “silent” period known as “Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease.” Experts were exploring ways to detect Preclinical Alzheimer’s by looking for early disease signs in cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and other sources.

2021 and Beyond – New Reasons to Hope

Researchers are currently investigating new ways to detect and treat Alzheimer’s in its early stages. The FDA recently approved the first drug designed to address the causes of dementia.

There are many more clinical trials in progress (the number of dementia studies has doubled in the past ten years) as well as increased funding for dementia research from the US government and private donors.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, visit TestforAlz.com.

This fantastic article was supplied courtesy of Leah Berk, Senior Content Writer at CareAccess.com

Fill in the below contact form to get in touch with our clinical concierge at Senior Resource Connectors. Our services come at no cost to families.

Are you looking for information on Phoenix senior living?

You’ve come to the right place! In this blog post, we will answer all of your questions and provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about where to live.

We’ll discuss topics such as cost, location, amenities, and more.

So whether you are just starting your search or you have already narrowed it down to a few options, read on for everything you need to know about Phoenix senior living!

What is the cost of living in a Phoenix senior living community?

The cost of living in a Phoenix senior living community varies depending on the type of community you choose.

Independent living communities typically have lower monthly fees than assisted living or memory care communities.

However, the overall cost of care will be more expensive if you need to move into a higher level of care later on.

It’s important to note that most Phoenix senior living communities offer all-inclusive pricing, which includes utilities, meals, and other amenities.

What are some common amenities offered in Phoenix senior living Communities?

Phoenix senior living communities offer a wide variety of amenities, including:

• Fitness centers
• Swimming pools
• Movie theaters
• On-site pharmacies
• Bistros and cafes
• Hair salons
• Library services

It’s important to note that amenities can vary from community to community, so be sure to ask about the specific amenities offered at each one.

What is the climate like in Phoenix?

The climate in Phoenix is hot and dry.

The average temperature year-round is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can get as high as 115 degrees in the summer.

However, there are also many days during the winter when temperatures reach into the 70s.

So overall, Phoenix is a very mild climate for seniors who are used to colder winters.

What are the best neighborhoods to live in Phoenix?

There is no one “best” neighborhood to live in Phoenix.

It really depends on what you are looking for in a community.

Some of the most popular neighborhoods include Camelback East, North Central Phoenix, and Scottsdale.

These neighborhoods offer a mix of urban and suburban living, as well as a wide variety of amenities and activities.

For more information on the different neighborhoods in Phoenix, Senior Resource Connectors can assist with this decision.

What should be considered when choosing a senior living facility?

When choosing a senior living facility, there are several factors to consider:

• Cost: the cost of each senior living facility will depend on the level of care required.
• Location: you will want to consider location so that you can visit your loved one on a regular basis.
• Size of community: you or your loved one may prefer a smaller or larger community depending on personal preference or individual care needs.
• Level of care offered: the level of care will depend on the care requirements of you or your loved one.
• Amenities offered: when looking at amenities offered, consider the level of activity and independence required.
• Climate: depending on personal preference you or your loved one may prefer a warmer climate.
• Neighborhoods: It may be important to stay in a neighborhood that is familiar to you or your loved one to avoid the upset of a major change in the environment. It’s comforting to reside near the usual hairdresser or a doctor that you come to know over the years.

It’s important to weigh all of these factors and find the right community for your individual needs.

If you need assistance with this decision, our team at Senior Resource Connectors can help! We offer free consultation services and can connect you with the best communities in Phoenix.

How do I know if Phoenix Senior Living is right for me?

The best way to decide if Phoenix Senior Living is right for you is to schedule a tour of a few communities.

This will give you the opportunity to meet the staff, see the facilities, and ask questions.

It’s also important to talk to your family and friends about their experiences with Phoenix senior living communities. Ultimately, you need to make the decision that is best for you and your loved ones.

If you have any other questions about Phoenix senior living, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We would be happy to help. Thank you for reading!

For more information on senior living in Phoenix, visit our website: https://seniorresourceconnectors.com/

Are you a senior who is looking for information on Phoenix Senior Living? You’ve come to the right place.

We’re a trusted coalition of Arizona companies committed to providing your senior loved ones with the best care resources in Arizona, at any age or stage. You can reach out to us for help directly, or submit an application to become part of our trusted coalition.

Our coalition of trusted Arizona companies answers critical care questions and provides the appropriate services, plans, and products for seniors and their families in need of guidance. Whether families need financial services, legal advice, moving assistance, or in-home help, Senior Resource Connectors is here to help.

Home health vs home care? Have you heard these two terms and just assumed they meant the same thing? Or have you been confused about what the difference was? Don’t worry; you are not alone. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean very different things in our industry.

Home With Help® , a coalition member of ours is a home care agency. So, we get asked a lot of questions about what services they offer, because most people don’t know the difference between the two types of companies. We totally get it as our family didn’t know how they were different before we got into this line of work.

Hopefully, this will help…

In-Home Care Agencies

Home care is a term people use to describe non-medical care provided by a caregiver in someone’s home. If a company says they are an in-home care (or home care) agency, then they have caregivers that will provide non-clinical services for people who need help with activities of daily living.

Below is a list of services that Home With Help® and most other companies offer as a home care agency. We pride ourselves in being able to offer a concierge approach to in-home care. So, this is not a comprehensive list of our services, but will hopefully give you a better understanding of what home care companies offer.

1. Personal Care Services such as bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, hygiene assistance, and transportation.
2. Companionship for clients can be anything from medication reminders to playing games to monitoring diet and eating. This service can be for the senior who lives alone or for the family member who lives with the sick or elderly person and cannot leave the home.
3. Homemaking for the elderly, permanently or temporarily disabled, or senior suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia. These services include laundry, dishes, light housekeeping, meal prep, transportation to doctor’s visits or grocery store, and more.

Why should you should hire a home care agency?

Most seniors think if they hire a home care company, it takes away their independence. But, it is actually the opposite. It is a great preventative tool to allow them to stay in their homes as long as possible.

Home care services are perfect for anyone who needs a little extra help with activities pertaining to daily living. Hiring a caregiver is a great idea for someone who has had a recent surgery or hospital stay and cannot perform all of the normal tasks at home. If you have an elderly loved one in another state, you could hire a home care agency to check on them and help around the house.

Home Health Care

Home health is defined as in-home medical care and/or skilled services. Companies that offer in-home health care have licensed professionals on staff to help with acute or chronic health conditions.

This is a general list of services offered by home health care agencies…

1. Occupational therapy
2. Physical therapy
3. Nursing
4. Wound care
5. Doctor visits

Reasons to hire a home health care company

If you or a loved one has recently been released from the hospital, rehab center, or skilled nursing facility and still need clinical help, you would hire a home health care company. Or, if an elderly loved one has been diagnosed with a serious medical condition, home health care may be ordered by a doctor.

By Laura Wayman from The Dementia Whisperer

A diagnosis of any cause of dementia symptoms, while life-changing, marks the start of a new chapter and transition. It does not, however, indicate the beginning of an end. Individuals living with dementia symptoms continue to engage in daily life, interactions, relationships, tasks, goals and more. In life’s intricate mosaic, dementia symptoms do not diminish one’s humanity, either.

This fresh chapter is not devoid of transformation. The nuanced interplay of physical, mental and emotional shifts reshapes how individuals navigate life, especially as the disease progresses over time. To navigate this unique chapter with resilience and embrace the evolving narrative is to be “dementia aware.” A passage of notes or musical melody can induce a range of physical and emotional reactions. Being dementia aware is like acknowledging that one can’t change the melody, but you can learn to harmonize with the tune.

Addressing the multifaceted challenges of caring for someone with dementia involves overcoming the communication barriers that arise – to find a semblance of harmony when no one thought it was possible. Being dementia aware requires caregivers to adopt a nuanced mindset, filtering their interactions through a lens attuned to the everyday experiences of the person with memory impairment.

Here are five harmonious approaches to dementia awareness that enable caregivers to navigate challenges and foster positive connections with their loved ones and the people in their care.

1. The power of empathy

Establishing trust with those in your care involves stepping into their perspective and consistently expressing understanding. When you imagine and validate their feelings—whether frustration, fear or misunderstanding—you can magnify their emotional experience. This is not always ideal though. The next time around, soften the experience by connecting with them and acknowledging their internal experiences instead. Share in how they feel on both the surface and heart-string levels to make better connections.

2. Avoid information overload

Excessive details overstimulate and confuse individuals with memory impairment. Simple tasks many people don’t think twice about, like body movement and balance, are more challenging. That’s why it’s important prioritize and limit the information shared to preserve cognitive bandwidth. On some days, a simple cadence is all you need.

3. Lead with action

Prioritize positive action statements for effective communication. Questions can create a barrier whereas these statements act as answers, encouraging immediate engagement. This straightforward approach skips the process of answering questions, replacing it with clear and positive language. For example, instead of asking for help, say, “Let’s make lunch together,” proceeding with the action, followed by some hype.

4. Go with the flow

And avoid asking too many questions. Even seemingly simple inquiries can trigger challenging responses from individuals with cognitive impairment. They may find it difficult to process and responds appropriately, leading to increased frustration, anger and anxiety.

5. Help process information

Individuals experiencing dementia symptoms may face challenges in processing information that others handle routinely. By participating in the thinking process, you can fill these cognitive gaps, providing support that eases their frustration and fear often associated with challenges in grasping and processing information. Some hand holding can make the world of difference in so many ways.

By being Dementia Aware, we can foster cognitive, physical, spiritual and psychological well-being in a secure, supportive and loving environment.

To learn more about Laura, and what she does, click here.

If you’re an adult child in need of a trusted referral, advice or senior-centric resources of any kind, contact us at Senior Resource Connectors today. Our services come at NO COST to you.

We’re back with Season 3 of the Senior Resource Connectors Webinar series!

Today, we’re talking to Dana Kupper, owner of Prime IV Hydration & Wellness in PHX.

Dana shares what led to her journey in the world of IV Therapy and explains how seniors, specifically, stand to benefit from getting regular treatments.

If you’re an adult child responsible for Mom or Dad and need resources to help lift the burden of aging, then Senior Resource Connectors is here for YOU. Get in touch with us in the following ways:

Call Us: (602) 698-9720

Visit Us Online: www.seniorresourceconnectors.com

This week, we’re honored to talk with Kimberly Mitchell from Home With Help, an Arizona-based home care company specializing in structured non-medical home care services for seniors.

Kimberly shares how her journey in senior care started and how her personal experiences shaped her view and fuelled her to provide families with better care for their vulnerable seniors.

Kimberly and Scott delve into the concerning issue of the lack of regulation in their respective industries. They highlight how this can lead to disastrous care for seniors if best practices are not adhered to, raising our awareness about the potential risks.

Furthermore, Kimberly and Scott discuss the importance of paying caregivers fairly and how many workplaces are not adequately equipped to support a workforce that is increasingly needed for care at home.

If you are an adult child responsible for a senior parent or aging loved one, contact us at Senior Resource Connectors for vetted advice, a trusted referral, or a patient ear.

Call Us: (602) 698-9720

Visit Us Online: https://seniorresourceconnectors.com/

Watch as Scott chats with the owner of Devoted Guardians, Aaron Sinykin.

Aaron discusses the difference between home health and home care and how devoted guardians can help in both instances with trained professionals.

The primary aim is to provide a dignified, comfortable, and safe environment for seniors, allowing them to age in place in a familiar setting for as long as possible.

Aaron touches on how families can approach paying for home care and how families can benefit from long-term care policies or ALTCS. Aaron also shares some of his essential advocacy work and how he hopes to improve healthcare to be seen as a team sport where all roleplayers are in frequent, cohesive communication with seniors at the center.

If you’re an adult child navigating the aging journey with a senior loved one, reach out to us at Senior Resource Connectors. We can help with advice, a trusted referral or simply a patient ear.

Call Us: (602) 698-9720

Visit Us Online: https://seniorresourceconnectors.com/

This week, we hear from Patricia Hodge, the Resident Service Director at Inspira Arrowhead by Cogir Senior Living.

Trish explains how her role helps adult children in crises and how deep one has to dig to ensure you’re making the proper judgment around the level of care needed for a potential resident.

Trish further elaborates on her life mission and how her job seamlessly fits into her ‘Why.’

If you’re an adult child looking for a referral, resources, or trusted advice, contact us at Senior Resource Connectors today. We can connect you with some of Arizona’s best-rated aging-friendly businesses – at NO COST.

Call Us: (602) 698-9720

Visit Us Online: https://seniorresourceconnectors.com/

This week, we talked to Trent Schneeberger from Cadence Chandler by Cogir. Trent’s role as Community Relations Outreach Director is to ensure placement agents and families are supported, informed, and updated with all happenings in their community.

Scott chats with Trent about the importance of a good working relationship between professional placement agents and senior care communities and how this relationship determines how well the senior in question’s needs will be met.

If you’re an adult child struggling to find the right senior community for Mom or Dad, or you need help with any senior-related service, contact us at Senior Resource Connectors for tips, advice, or a trusted local referral.

Call Us: (602) 698-9720

Visit Us Online: https://seniorresourceconnectors.com/

In our latest episode, Scott Fischer chats more deeply with Millie Oakeson from Diamondback Health & Memory Care about the unique Montessori approach they have adapted to benefit their residents and patients.

Millie explains what is meant by ‘dementia’ in all its forms and helps us distinguish between the critical phases of each.

If you need help with senior resources, trusted advice, or a vetted referral, give Senior Resource Connectors a call today:

Call Us: (602) 698-9720

Visit Us Online: www.seniorresourceconnectors.com