Senior Care in Johns Creek GA

Independence and autonomy are important concepts for all people. Feeling as though they are living the life that they want to and making the decisions that are right for them helps to keep their mental and emotional health high, and supports stronger cognition. For many elderly adults, the loss of this independence is one of the most frightening elements of getting older. They may feel as though they are not going to be able to make their own decisions anymore, or that the decisions that they do make are not going to be honored. This is especially true for seniors who are coping with memory loss. Whether it is related to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or another form of dementia, memory loss can very quickly take your parent’s ability to care for themselves. It is important that you maintain as much of this independence for them so that they can avoid consequences such as depression, resentment, and loss of motivation.

Taking care of their own home as well as themselves is an important expression of independence. This is something that they have likely been doing throughout their entire adult life and is a way for them to feel relevant and ensure that their home is the way that they want it to be. Using simple modifications and techniques you can empower your parent to be more independent. One highly effective way to do this is through the use of memory triggers.

Try some of these ideas for simple memory triggers that can help your parent to remain more independent even while dealing with memory loss:

• Start a “wake up call”. Harken back to the days of full-service hotels and schedule a wake up call for your parent each day. Call them to check in on them, talk about their night’s sleep and their dreams, and remind them of the things that they need to do that day. Hearing these things first thing in the morning can help them to “stick” in their mind throughout the day.
• Create a large to-do list. Make a poster-sized to-do list of all of the tasks that your parent needs to complete each day. Make two columns, one titled “To-Do” and one titled “Done”. Make columns of Velcro under each and then write all of the tasks that they need to do daily on index cards with Velcro on the back. This way you can place the items under “To-Do” and when your parent has completed a task they can move it over to “Done”. This is not just a reminder of what they need to do, but a sense of accomplishment from seeing everything that they have done.
• Use reminders. Depending on the extent of your parent’s memory loss you do not need to be specific in every reminder that you offer. Just having a reminder that something needs to happen at a certain time of day can trigger their memory. For example, setting their mobile device to set off an alarm at certain times of day can help them to remember to take their medication. Using these reminders also helps to strengthen their mind and support better memory.

It may seem as though adding another person to your parent’s care routine is the opposite of encouraging greater independence. The truth, however, is that senior care can be a valuable means of encouraging your parent to maintain as much independence as possible throughout their aging years. This senior home care services provider is there for your parent to create a customized approach to care that will ensure your loved one’s needs are met while also taking steps to support their desire to do as much on their own as they can.

The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in Johns Creek, GA and the surrounding areas. Call (678) 828-2195 for more information.

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Valerie Darling

Founder, Owner at Home Care Matters

Valerie was born in Miami, FL and after a few family moves, grew up locally in the Marietta, GA area.Valerie is the oldest of 4 (3 younger brothers).She is married and has one child.Valerie is the Founder, Owner and CEO of Home Care Matters.Valerie’s mom, Dee, is the inspiration and primary driver as the how and why the business was born.Valerie says, “My mom is never far from our thoughts.Mom was an integral part of developing and starting HCM before she passed away.Our goal is to stay true to her memory and continue to honor her with the love, values, and ethics she taught us.”

Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”

Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”

You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).

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