Posts by carsponit:
Caring For a Family Member – Quantifying the Need For Assistance
May 11th, 2010The day will likely come when you will be called to care for one of your family members. The aid you provide will, at first, be insignificant. Eventually, changes will come that will require you to be more hands-on. When that day comes, will you be prepared? If you are like most people, the answer to that question is almost certainly “No”.
In this series of articles, we will explore different approaches to providing care for an aging relative as well as the rewards and challenges that each bring.
How do you quantify the need for assistance?
Often the changes in one’s well-being can be so gradual and subtle that it’s like watching the grass grow. Doctors and other professionals use a term called “ADLs” that translates to “Activities of Daily Living”. These are the things that we do for ourselves every day. Our ability to perform functions such as eating, dressing, getting in and out of bed are all practical measures of our ability to live independently. As we age or suffer from injury or disease, our ability to perform these functions on our own may be impacted. So one way to measure someone’s need for assistance is to make note of which of these they are experiencing difficulty with and to what degree. When one or more of these can no longer be performed on their own, it’s time for help. That’s not to say that assistance can’t be offered when many ADLs have become so difficult as to have an overall negative impact on their lives.
It’s important to remember that people can often be too proud to tell us that they need help. That’s why it’s important to keep your eyes open for clues to a family member’s functional decline. Such clues could include:
- Changes in appearance
- Changes in eating habits or food preferences
- Absence from social, family and community functions
- Aversion to bathing
These behaviors can also be indicative of other issues. In any case, if you see these clues or have other reasons to suspect that there may be a need for assistance, it may well be enough to warrant spending the weekend with Mom and Dad to see how they are doing in their home environment.
Observe your family members as they go about their ADLs. Do they do the same things they used to? Do they do those things with the ease they once did? For instance, do they heat up microwave meals rather than cooking as they used to? Ask questions to get to the root cause for their actions to help determine what has changed that has made the prepackaged meals more desirable than fresh meals.
Make note of the ADLs that show impact and the degree to which they seem to be impaired. If the degree of impairment doesn’t warrant additional help, make a commitment to come back for another weekend to spend time with your family and to observe and assess any changes.
Watch this space in coming weeks for as we discuss options for providing care including providing the care yourself, hiring others into the home and moving the family member to another location.
Joe Tirio is a member of the Society of Certified Senior Advisors? and the President of Monarch Senior Care, Inc., a member of The Senior’s Choice senior care network, Monarch Senior Care, located in McHenry County Illinois, provides in-home senior care services to the residents of Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. You can reach Monarch at 888 672 7060 or at Care@MonarchSeniorCare.com
Joe Tirio is a member of the Society of Certified Senior Advisors? and President of Monarch Senior Care located in McHenry County Illinois and provides in-home senior care services to Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. You can reach Monarch at 888 672 7060 or at Care@MonarchSeniorCare.com
Joe Tirio is a member of the Society of Certified Senior Advisors? and President of Monarch Senior Care located in McHenry County Illinois and provides in-home senior care services to Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. You can reach Monarch at 888 672 7060 or at Care@MonarchSeniorCare.com and at http://MonarchSeniorCare.com
How Can You Have a Good Time With Kids in Restaurants?
March 4th, 2010They say that enjoyment without responsibility is a godsend boon. And sure, whenever you prepare a big soiree or lunch party in your home, you are always left to the dirty dishes in the sink at the end of it. Well, no more. It is a better option to go enjoy your dinners, lunches or breakfasts in a restaurant, and be it with your friends or family, you will always end up having a very good time.
When you have kids, it helps to break the monotony of daily life by going out together for a unique dining experience. Not only will you feel different, but your family will to get a break from their work. Your kids will have more fun, since they really love to go out and play.
But having kids in a restaurant can be an embarrassing experience sometimes. They are restless, careless and too preoccupied blasting aliens away so as to stay still and not cause mayhem. The restaurant is a very busy place. There are people rushing around with expensive crockery, food and drinks. There is a lot of danger involved in letting your kid go wild. So how can you have a good time while keeping your kids out of trouble? Well, here are a few tips to follow:
•There is no need to catch your kid in a bad mood, haul him to a restaurant to change his mind about something, and get disapproving looks from other guests. The point is, if your kid decides to sulk, there is little you can do to change it. Do not get him to any public place. He may shriek and cry.
•It is always a great idea to keep your kid busy. If you have a girl, bring some Barbies with you so that she could play with them in the restaurant. Some “family-friendly” restaurants offer toys, but you never know whether they have been properly cleaned. It is better to take your own toys with you.
•Remember that restaurants are not playgrounds. There is never enough space to move around in. so do not let your child play with remote controlled cars or balls. They would spell disaster. You can let your child use crayons, pencils to draw on paper, or let him get along just fine with his action figures.
•Better still- prepare a surprise for your child! This will keep him grooved and excited. The moment you get seated, let him open the bag to discover his toys there. This is a positive reinforcement that will keep your kid in his best behavior. But if he does not listen to you, you can withhold his gifts from him. He will soon learn to behave.
•If you want quick serves, it is better to opt for McDonalds. They also have cool toys with the meal packs.
•Watch out so that your kid does not draw on the tablecloth with the crayons. And that he does not choke after putting bits of action figures into his mouth.
•In case your kid does not like the food at the restaurant, you can bring some homemade meal for him to make him happy.
It is tough and an exhausting experience to handle your kids, especially in a public place. There are so many risks of injuries, embarrassment and bruised egos. But if you follow these tips to the boots, you will be better off!
Kelly Boudreau represents Restaurant Solutions, Inc., a restaurant accounting firm.
The Perfect Baby Gift For a Baby Shower
January 5th, 2010Do you know someone that is pregnant and going to be having a baby shower? Will you be attending it, but have no idea what to get as a baby gift for this event? Sometimes choosing a gift for a baby can be hard. Especially if it is not for your baby then you do not know really what you should be getting for someone else. Here are some single baby gifts that you should consider. Most people when they are having a baby shower are looking for simple gifts that they can use everyday for the baby.
Baby diapers are the perfect baby gift. These are great most moms will not ask you to get them a box of diapers, but this is something that not many people think of when they are getting a baby gift. Diapers are something that the baby will be using everyday. It is best to give the parents the receipt just if the diapers are to large or to small. The best size to go with is somewhere around a 1 this seems to be the general for all newborns. Belive me even though this may seem unusual it is not and the parents will be thanking you for it. No mother that just has a newborn infant at home wants to be running to the store to pick up diapers.
Baby socks are a great gift for a baby. A lot mothers that have been in this for a while will tell you that you can never have to many socks. Try to avoid clothing when you are getting a baby gift this is something that most mothers shop a lot for before their babies good chances are by the time the baby is born the mother will already have over 100 outfits. Socks on the other hand will be very helpful. These seem to get forgotten as a baby gift because people think something that small cannot be that special, but for a soon to be parent it is.
diaper bags make a great baby gift. These are functional and all mothers will need to have to have one or even two with their little ones. The best kind of diaper bags as a baby bag are the ones that look more like a larger purse. There are some name brands that make these types of baby bags. This is something that you should consider. I am sure that your friend will be thanking you after wards for such a great gift.
baby swings are a god send for any new parent. If you know that your friend has not gotten a baby swing yet you might want to add this to you baby gift ideas list. These seem to keep the baby happy and allow the mother to move freely and get all the things that she needs to get done in the house . Rocking has been known to sooth children to sleep and that new mom might need to get her rest when coming home from the hospital. There are plenty of good brands out there.
baby blankets and receiving blankets are great baby gifts no matter what season the baby is born in. If it is in the winter then you might want to get a cute fleece baby blanket as a baby gift. This type of blanket comes in plenty or different colors and styles to fit whatever gender the baby is going to be. Receiving blankets are great for both summer and winter. They are great for swaddling the baby and giving them the feeling that they are still in the mothers womb.
If you feel like you do not know what to get as a baby gift for a bay shower, here are some ideas that will having the mother thanking you in no time. Baby gifts are ment to be fun they do not have to be elaborate to be fun and these are the kinds of gifts, that mothers can use for everyday with their babies.
Katie Washington is a writer of all things babies, specializing in ideas for baby gifts and throwing a baby shower.
10 Inexpensive Family Activities
December 4th, 2009Having fun with the family doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are lots of ways for families to have a good time together without breaking the bank. All you need is a little creativity, an open mind, and a positive attitude.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
1. Go to a park. Most of us spend entirely too much time indoors as it is. Getting some fresh air at the park will do you some good. You can play tennis or basketball, take a long walk, or just take the kids to play on the jungle gym and swings.
2. Celebrate a wacky holiday. If you go to Google and search for “weird holidays” or “wacky holidays” you’ll see that pretty much every day of the year has been assigned at least one holiday. And some of them are pretty random.
Did you know that January 25 is Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day? You could spend the day making arts and crafts with bubble wrap. May 4 is Star Wars Day. You can have your own film festival and watch all the movies together. If these ideas don’t get your motor going you can always make up your own wacky holiday!
3. Family board game night. If your family is like mine you have no shortage of board games laying around the house. Pick out a couple of your favorites and have a family tournament. Be sure to choose games that are appropriate for all age groups. That means if you have young children you can expect to play a lot of Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, and Hungry Hungry Hippos.
4. Take a field trip to a pick your own farm. There are lots of these in my area and we all love to apple picking together in the fall. If there are no apple orchards near you perhaps there are other types of fruit to pick. Check your local newspaper for the farm nearest you. Remember, because you picked them yourself they’ll be cheaper and taste better too.
5. Visit a botanical garden or arboretum. Most of these are free or require only a token donation. You can get some beautiful pictures of your family as you stroll through the flowers together.
6. Check out a local museum. It doesn’t have to be the Guggenheim or the Metropolitan Museum or Art. There are small museums all over the place and if you look around I’m sure you can find one near you. Just spend a few hours walking around, taking in the sights, and talking about what you see.
7. Go for a family walk. This is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise while spending a little time together. If you don’t want to walk around your neighborhood you can go to a nature preserve or walk along the beach.
8. Have a camp out. You can go to a camp site or just pitch a tent in your own backyard. Tell ghost stories and try to identify various sounds of the night.
9. Go star watching. On a clear night grab a telescope and head for some open land where there are less lights to interfere with your view of the heavens. Spend some time gazing up and the stars and see how many constellations you can identify.
10. Plant a vegetable garden. You can have fun working together to plant the garden and then once your plants grow in you’ll have a free source of nutritious food to share.
Written by Mike Collins. To read more tips about saving money check out his blog at http://savingmoneytoday.net