Respite Care San Diego

Manage Feelings of Guilt

Feelings of guilt are often associated with caring for persons who require constant care, however, the best thing you can do for yourself is manage those feelings as soon as you notice them. As a caregiver, you are only as good as you feel. This may sound a little strange but it’s true. If you are not at your best, it is impossible for you to deliver the best care possible to the person you are caring for. If you are experiencing feelings of anxiety and stress, the person you are caring for will feel the effects.

You must always remember, even though your loved one is in a state where it would appear they are completely unaware of what is going on around them, they still have the ability to feel and to sense danger, experience emotional hurt, and have a general sense of something being wrong with the person in charge of their care. This is one of the reasons why respite care is such an important element to add into your treatment plan. Respite Care San Diego affords you the freedom, and grants you the permission you need to be able to take a step back, and just take a much-needed break, so you can refresh and rejuvenate yourself.

You have to understand that it is impossible to be all things to all people, especially to those you are responsible for taking care of. You should also come to understand, you should never feel guilty about taking some time out for yourself, because the truth of the matter is, the time you spend taking care of yourself and doing something you enjoy only enhances your ability to give the person you are caring for the best care possible.

Keeping Everything in Balance

If you are the caregiver for someone who has Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, sometimes it can be difficult to take care of all of the tasks you are responsible for in any given day. You may have noticed your loved one is more difficult to handle during certain times of the day. There is a reason for this, and the term associated with this phenomenon is sundowning. Sundowning occurs during the late afternoon to the early evening hours and is triggered when the sun begins to fade. As the evening hours move into nighttime hours, sundowning tends to get worse. Generally, by morning, people tend to be better, but if you are the one who had to provide the care and attention needed during those hours, you are more than likely going to be both emotionally and physically drained.

Respite care can be the answer to helping you find your sense of balance, and help you maintain your physical and mental health. Just knowing you have somewhere safe you can take your loved one can help put your mind at ease while you take a break and partake in activities you enjoy.

Not Just for the Elderly

Respite care is not only for those who are elderly. If you are the primary caregiver for someone who has a chronic or debilitating illness like Downs Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis, for instance, respite care can benefit you. Often times when persons are being cared for in the home, they tend to feel a certain sense of isolation. If they are elderly, they may have experienced the deaths of several friends, or they may have fallen into a state of depression because they are not socializing at the levels they were accustomed to when they lived independently.

Everyone needs socialization, and everyone needs to feel like their life has a purpose. Respite care can help caregivers and those who care for them by giving those who may feel isolated a place they can go outside of the home. There they can communicate with others in similar situations. They also have the opportunity to socialize with others in their peer group. Sometimes just being around others in similar situations is enough to give those who have lost their sense of independence the will to move forward and make the adjustments needed to accept their current state of being.

Extended and Emergency Care

It is important to recognize, respite care is not only there to give you a break for a few hours, respite care is also available to help you when you need to go out of town for a weekend away, and also times when you need to be gone for a week or more due to an out of town work assignment. You should consider visiting facilities offering respite care in case of an emergency. If for some reason, you needed to place your loved one you, need the comfort of knowing you didn’t just place them somewhere because of desperation. You need to be able to trust the facility caring for your loved one, so visiting respite care facilities before an emergency arises will prevent you from experiencing undue stress at a time when you need it the least.

Remember, respite care is there to take some of the burden away from you, the caregiver. Respite services can be provided in the home, or outside of the home. Respite care services can include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• helping you organize a personalized care plan
• giving you an opportunity to take a break
• taking care of chores around the home like cooking, cleaning, and helping with basic hygiene
• Socialization
• connecting you with support groups 

You don’t have to handle everything on your own. There is help available, and caring people who are there to take care of your loved one and give you the peace of mind you need to live a life that is full and healthy. Give a Respite Care facility a call today to see how it can be of service to you.

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What is Assisted Living?

The primary definition of assisted living is a long-term senior care option that offers supportive aid, health services, and housing. Essential services often include transportation, medical management, and 24-hour emergency care. Mom or Dad will be able to ask the staff for assistance with daily tasks.

Depending upon personal preferences, budget, and layout of the specific home, residents in assisted living may enjoy a private room or share space in an apartment. Assisted living centers should be licensed by the state in which they are situated, yet they are not federally regulated.

What is Memory Care?

A memory care facility is intended specifically for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other memory disorders. Sometimes these homes are referred to as SCUs – special care units. Typically, memory care units provide supervised services around the clock, and they are often located on a separate floor or area of a residential center. The staff is specially trained and qualified to assist and nurture people with cognitive problems or dementia, often through customized guided activities.

A unique and necessary feature of memory care is the high level of security, which is designed to meet the specific needs of patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Wandering is minimized, and the layout is usually easy for residents to navigate. Another benefit of memory care that is growing in popularity is outdoor gardens, which have been shown to enhance the lives of Alzheimer’s patients dramatically.

The state must license memory care facilities, and they are also regulated in 23 states by SCU disclosure rules, which require them to inform the public about their special services.

Which Basic Services Are Provided by Both Assisted Living and Memory Care?

• Emergency call buttons and systems
• Exercise/health programs
• Medical care access
• 24-hour staff and security
• Housekeeping and laundry
• Social programs
• Daily meals
• Transportation

Do Memory Care and Assisted Living Cost the Same?

A number of factors determine the cost of every senior care facility. The size of the rooms, shared versus private space, geographic location, and available services all play a role in the final expense. However, when comparing the price of memory care versus assisted living, there are additional considerations.

Assisted living is typically charged on a monthly basis, which includes room and board with two or three meals a day. Some of these homes provide laundry and housekeeping in the base rate, while others tack on cleaning services as an additional charge. In comparison, memory care also offers specialized nursing, which makes the cost considerably higher than assisted living. However, the final fee of both places depends upon the patient’s insurance plan or veterans’ benefits.

How to Make Your Final Decision? 

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How Active Is Mom or Dad? 

Some seniors are very involved in social and physical activities. They regularly participate in golden-age exercise groups, games, and art classes, as well as attend lectures and cultural performances. However, when it comes to bathing, dressing or preparing food, they may not be entirely independent. Sometimes this is because their mobility is impaired due to age or they have mild dementia. In general, these individuals are well suited for assisted living.

2. Does Mom or Dad Have a Memory Problem?

If your mother or father has progressive memory impairment, their needs will typically be more complex and specialized. They may require assistance that goes way beyond help with hygiene and getting dressed, and it can be unsafe for them to live without enough supervision.  In this case, memory care may be the most appropriate living solution.

3. Does Your Loved One Wander?

It is usual for patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia to wander off at any hour of the day or night. They are often found walking the halls or streets, lost and confused. This practice increases their risk of injuries due to slips and falls. Memory care homes are designed to address this problem with advanced security systems and staff that keeps an eye on patients at all times.

What is Your Final Step?

There is no substitute for seeing things for yourself. After you contemplate and have answers to the issues above, it is advisable to visit some local facilities that satisfy your parent’s requirements. Prepare in advance by compiling a list of what you want to know; the Alzheimer’s Association has a helpful, comprehensive checklist for choosing residential care, which you can adapt to meet your needs. 

Ideally, you should first visit alone to narrow down the options, and then bring Mom or Dad for a follow-up trip. They may have their own questions and concerns that you didn’t consider. Also, you can observe how they fit in with the crowd, as well as how the staff interacts with them. These are all clues that can help you match your mother or father to the type of senior care that’s best for them.

Last, but not least, no matter which setting you select – do not feel guilty about putting your parent in assisted living or a memory care facility. This decision is challenging and filled with emotion for all children. However, it helps to keep sight of the end goal – to optimize the quality of life for your loved one by keeping them comfortable, safe, and as independent as possible. For more information and assistance with your decision, please contact our friendly and compassionate staff at Lakeside Manor.

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It can be difficult to create a dementia-proof living situation at home. The cost, time and knowledge required to incorporate necessary safety precautions in the face of Alzheimer’s are overwhelming. Most homes, as well as homes’ surroundings, simply have too many pitfalls. Even the biggest budgets, hired design experts and best of intentions can fall short. In many cases, dementia’s safety requirements can best be met by the attention of a dedicated, alert, full-time, around the clock staff, along with a tenet of tried and true procedures based on years of experience.

Most Alzheimer’s dementia patients will be safest and best attended to in a professional, well-designed, high-quality dementia care facility. But where this is concerned, not all dementia care facilities are the utmost in professionalism, design or quality.

When touring and interviewing dementia care facilities, there are dozens of things you can look for (and ask) that will indicate a facility’s safety and care standards. Below are five important safety precaution areas to consider. These are the basics, in no particular order. They’re of equal importance. If these areas don’t pass muster, don’t waste your time. Do take a few moments to let someone know. Below this article are links to California Assisted Living facility resources.

1. THE BASICS – SECURITY, CALL SYSTEMS AND GENERAL EMERGENCIES

Emergency and nurse call systems should be plentiful and working in all public and private areas. In resident suites, call systems should be accessible from multiple points, including bedsides, kitchenettes, bathrooms (toilet and shower) and living room areas. It is also recommended that you provide a wearable safety monitoring system for your loved one, along with an identification bracelet. Though good facilities are aware of and equipped to prevent wandering, there have been residents who’ve gotten out of even the most secure facilities.

Security cameras should be present throughout hallways and common areas. Outside doors should be properly locked and attended (unless they lead to safe areas such as gardens that residents might come and go from independently). Windows should have safety locks. There should be ample emergency exits with alarms. Check for locks and peepholes on resident doors.

Check for smoke, fire and carbon monoxide alarms as well as sprinklers. Find out how often they’re tested. Ask about emergency drills and procedures. Are there emergency plans in writing in the event of fires, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and so on? Are there emergency supply kits? Power generators? Where do residents evacuate to and how will families be notified? How will medication and care be handled in the event of an evacuation?

Security measures should be in place, including a visitor check-in desk requiring photo identification.

All health and safety inspection certificates should be up to date. Licenses should be available to view upon request.

The facility should be open and welcoming to visitors, even when they make unannounced visits.

2. FACILITY DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE

Public spaces should be easy to navigate. Pathways are clear of wires and objects. Flooring materials are non-slip, non-chipped, well maintained and wide enough to accommodate at least two-way wheelchair traffic. Any carpeting should be very flat, wall to wall and shouldn’t have any loose edges, pulls or rips. Wherever possible, handrails should be present in all areas. Lighting should be plentiful, pleasant and devoid of harsh bright spots and shadows.

All common and private bathrooms should be fully handicapped accessible. Showers should be walk-in accessible and include a bench or safe shower chair, along with a non-slip flooring surface.

Furnishings, particularly beds and chairs, should be at a height that makes them easy for elderly patients to get in and out of. Chairs should have armrests. Furniture should be stable, clean and in good repair, without sharp corners, splinters or edges. Residents’ cupboards and shelving should be reachable.

A facility should look and smell clean. It should have procedures in place to pre-empt the spread of common illnesses and infections. Hand washing and sanitizing stations should be accessible.

A facility should look well-maintained, from the grounds and outer building on in. Look for signs of oversight or neglect.

Reflective tape or lighting should be present to indicate stairwells. Bottom and top steps should be clearly demarcated. Handicapped accessible elevators should be easily accessible.

Ask about cooling and heating. Can residents control the temperature of their rooms? Are there central systems or individual units?

3. MEDICATION MANAGEMENT AND BASIC NURSING/MEDICAL

Ask about a dedicated staff and system for administering resident medications. Find out about backup if it becomes necessary.

Find out if first aid and nursing services are provided. Are any additional medical services provided? What procedures are in place for emergency care? What procedures are in place for annual medical checkups or dental care?

Are there doctors, physical therapists or other medical personnel that visit on site? What is the procedure for arranging appointments? Is transportation provided for seeing doctors and therapists off site?

4. STAFF

Does staff appear to be plentiful, present and approachable? Are they interested in and involved with residents? Are they interested in meeting your loved one? Do you feel welcome? Look for signs of over-stressed, over-hurried staff members. Ask about staff to resident ratio, staff member specializations and training, staff turnover rates and staff/management relationships.

5. Alzheimer’s Dementia Care RESIDENTS

Residents should appear clean and freshly dressed. They should look, at least, content and comfortable. At most, they should look engaged and involved.

Residents should have easy access to snacks and water between meals.

Ask a director or manager about how residents are interviewed and accepted to the facility. Are residents permitted who have contagious illnesses? Are residents accepted that have a history of harming themselves or others?

Take time in viewing facilities, getting informed and choosing a facility that meets your standards. We keep an active blog, and provide many articles about caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s dementia, along with information about the disease itself. Also, below are additional resources that can be helpful:

California Assisted Living Association (Information on Assisted Living Laws and Regulations):

http://caassistedliving.org/provider-resources/laws-regulations/

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform:

http://www.canhr.org/factsheets/rcfe_fs/html/rcfe_needtoknow_fs.htm

OSHA Requirements for Assisted Living Facilities:

https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/osha-requirements-assisted-living-facilities-16183.html

The Joint Commission and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:

https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/talkingquality/resources/initiatives/joint.html

Resources for Alzheimer’s dementia caregivers:

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-resources-in-helping-elderly-parents-with-dementia

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This year we would like to send a special thanks to Apreva Hospice  who was gracious enough to sponsor the event.

The Pinning Ceremony is an opportunity to express gratitude to resident veterans who served to keep our country safe. It’s also a celebratory event where friends, family and loved ones gather to spend time together, enjoy the summer sun and some great food.

This year we had the pleasure of Pinning Paul W, Paul K, Elwood H, Jack W and Barney.

Proudly holding up the certificate!

John Weber being appreciated for his services:

Thank you for your service!

An Annual Tradition at Lakeside Manor

Recently Pinned and Awarded a Certificate of Appreciation

Time To Cut The Cake

A thank you to our residents who bravely served and kept this country safe for the rest of us. A thank you to Apreva for sponsoring the event. And a thank you to all the family and friends who joined us to celebrate, your support means a lot and is greatly appreciated.

Warm Regards,

The Lakeside Manor Team

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