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Category: Healthcare Technology

Talking Points for Loved Ones When Talking About Elderly Home Care Services

It isn’t always easy to convince the elderly of how home care services will be a better alternative for them. Most often than not, it comes off as if you want to get rid of them, although you just want them to live better lives.

If you are going through a similar problem, you’ll be happy to know that we have a home care solution for you. The following are a few talking points that will help you convince your elderly relatives that they would be better off with home care solutions, without hurting their feelings.

Show Compassion

The first and the foremost thing that you need to do is stand in the shoes of your elderly loved ones and see the situation from their point of view. See what things may bother them. You can even sit down with them and have an open talk so that they can tell you what exactly their concerns are. You can further tackle those concerns in the process.

Their Independence

Being independent is one of the most crucial concerns for the elderly. After a life of complete independence, they often find it embarrassing to rely on their children to navigate through the confusing changes of life. Asking for assistance can be hard for some and this should never be an issue for your loved one.

They think that they are hindering your life and that feeling is unbearable for some. The best thing to do for this is showing them that they can be independent. They still want to feel like they have control of their lives. Don’t you want your loved one living to their fullest without your assistance? With Independa, you can preserve their independence no matter where you are.

Keep Them Involved

Don’t just opt for a home care solution and let them know about it. It is the elderly who will be living it, not you! This is why it is of utmost importance that you keep them involved in every decision that you make regarding the shift.

The best way to do this is to talk them through all their options and let them make an informed decision. The best way to do this is to include them when reviewing home care solutions and to let them choose the one that they love the most. Let them know that opting for an option from the bunch is their decision to make and they will get to choose what they like most.

Let Someone Else Talk

Doing all the talking yourself isn’t always necessary. It often happens that your parents are more likely to listen to someone else more than you. It may be their best friend, a qualified professional, or even your sibling,

If you think that someone else will be able to convince them better, let that person do the talking. Your parents are more likely to listen to them. Just make sure they address the other key talking points as well.

 

This topic isn’t always the easiest to talk about. No one likes feeling like a burden. These talking points can help you easily convince your parents to opt for a home care solution like Independa. Have any other talking points? Share with us in the comment section below or on our Facebook.





Improper dosage of Medication: Taking too Much vs Not Taking Enough

If you have elderly parents or grandparents, you will have to take care of a number of things. One of the main things is the medications the elderly use, when they have to take it, the dosage and the kind. Since they are getting old, seniors usually tend to forget the medications and the dosages they have to take which can lead to serious consequences. The improper dosage of the medication may aggravate their medical conditions, something you definitely do not want.





baby-boomers-nursing-crisis

[INFOGRAPHIC] How Baby Boomers Will Impact the Nursing Shortage

The nursing shortage cannot be understood solely in terms of numbers – numbers like, by 2020 there will be nearly 25 million Baby Boomers with multiple chronic conditions and over 1 million new nurses will be needed – but rather in terms of what those numbers mean for our own aging loved ones.

What happens to Grandma and Grandpa when only 10% of long-term care communities have enough nurses to provide basic care? Who will be caring for our aunts and uncles, cousins and friends? If less than 1% of registered nurses are certified in adult-gerontology, will the people we love actually be taken care of by the people we’re entrusting them with?

Numbers may not tell the whole story, but this infographic from Maryville University entitled “How Baby Boomers Will Impact The Nursing Shortage” does give us a glimpse into what the future might look like:

As you can see, there is a critical shortage of gerontology certified nurses who have the preparation required to address the needs of and care for older adults. Plus, faced with rising healthcare costs, many aging Americans and their families are unable to afford the special care they need. How can organizations in the field of aging meet the demands of this population when faced with an incredible shortage of qualified caregivers?

Fortunately, the right technology can scale and amplify a workforce in such short supply. IndependaTVe is one such technology; specifically, it’s an integrated tech platform with solutions for all organizations in the field of aging, from ALs and CCRCs to faith-based senior living communities and short-term rehabs. Smart medication reminders, dining menus and surveys, digital community calendars & more reduce staff workload so senior care organizations can deliver the quality of care their residents expect and deserve, regardless of staff size or labor market shortages. Download the IndependaTVe brochure now to discover how this technology can help your organization provide more care with fewer staff.

Infographic provided by Maryville University Online Nursing Program.

People praying at Swayambhunath

Aging in a Disaster-Sticken Nepal

By: Richard D. Della Penna, MD
Chief Medical Officer at Independa, Inc.

I am currently in Nepal, an economically poor but culturally-rich country still badly wounded by last April’s devastating 7.8 earthquake. Six months later, hundreds of thousands of displaced people remain without proper basic housing. If that were not enough, Nepal is now struggling with another disaster; a border blockade from India, resulting in progressively worsening shortages of gasoline, life-saving medicines, non-perishable food staples and many other items. Nepal’s people live with a chronic shortage of electricity as well which further compounds the problem.

There is a silver lining: these terrible hardships are bringing out the best in people, especially as two major Hindu festivals approach:

  1. Dashera, which marks the victory of good over evil
  2. Tihar, a joyous time of thanks for past blessings and prayers for continued blessings in the new year

The exuberance and joy associated with the festivals is subdued in comparison to usual times but remains strong.

I am currently staying with a large family in the heart of Kathmandu. It is a joined family, whose members span three generations. Aama, an 83-year woman with multiple chronic conditions and significant self-care limitations lives in her home with the families of five of her six sons. This includes five daughters-in-law and nine grandchildren whose ages range from 6 months to 22 years. As Aama’s need for physical assistance increased over time, her family provided it, allowing her to remain as independent as possible and central to family life.

In the days leading up to Dashera and Tihar, Aama is consulted on just about everything, from the menu and it’s traditional dishes to reminding her eldest daughter-in-law of the ritual items needed. She has played a key role in the rituals.

I continually compare and contrast aging in Nepal with aging in America. While there are exceptions, key observations about aging in Nepal include:

  • Family ties are strong and go well beyond the nuclear family
  • Elders are valued and respected across generations
  • Aging is not a process to be resisted or feared
  • Elders are not an out group disconnected from mainstream society
  • The concept of being a family caregiver is non-existent – people do what comes naturally
  • Senior living settings are almost non-existent
  • Aging and age related conditions are not medicalized but rather seen as a phase of life and a period of changing roles





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    • Our guests use the video chat and photo and message sharing features of Independa to stay connected with their families. In fact this week we admitted a guest who has a daughter in Georgia and another in Italy. I spoke with the daughter about how to share photos and messages and to make video calls from her Independa device, and later went to see the guest about how it was going. She said to me “Kelly this video chat is so cool! I don’t care how long I have to be in here now because I can see my daughters!” It’s just amazing to see one of our guests be able to connect with a loved one all the way from Italy!

      Kelly Miles, Director of Rec Therapy

    • You don’t need to keep calling me now to remind me, my TV just told me to take my medication!

      93 Year Old Independa User

    • I love that Dad can get digital photos now. He didn’t want a Facebook account so the only time he would see any photos was when we came over to visit and we’d show him on our iPhone. Now he gets them himself on the TV all the time, and when people come to visit him he proudly shows them his photo album on the TV.

      USA Properties

    • I’ve been using video chat and it has opened up my world – my family who live close by still visit once a week, but now I get to see them every day. I also get to see the rest of the family who live interstate and can’t come to visit. I also video chat with old friends who I haven’t seen for years. It has made such a big difference to my life, I don’t feel isolated anymore. I highly recommend this to other people; it really does change your life.

      USA Properties

    • I live in California, my 80 year-old dad lives in Texas and my 21 year-old daughter lives in Colorado. My daughter spends all her time on social media using her smart phone, whereas my dad spends all his time watching TV, he doesn’t understand social media and doesn’t have a smart phone. Independa is great because not only does it bring us closer despite the geographical distance between us, it bridges the gap between the generations because it uses the technology they are most comfortable with.

      USA Properties

    • We use the video chat feature in the resident’s TV to get the entire circle of care together at once; we will have the nurse and the physical therapist in the room with the resident, and we will then video call their family. That way everyone who is involved in their care gets the same message at the same time and can ask questions while we are present so there is no confusion. One time when we were working with a deaf resident, we were able to arrange for her daughter to sign via video chat and translate what we were saying and the questions her mother had; it made such a huge difference.

      Wellbridge at Brighton

    • My dad was on the Honor Flight to DC today. An amazing trip for a veteran. I was able to meet him at the Korean War Memorial. He is a Korean War veteran. I was able to send pictures of the entire experience to my mom at home throughout the day. Mom was thrilled, and when my dad gets home he has all the pictures from his trip on his TV and can even play a slideshow. Amazing!!! Thank you!

      Kendal At Home

    • Video chat on the TV is great! I was using FaceTime on my iPad to see the grandkids and I thought that was the greatest thing, but seeing them all on the big TV is truly incredible, it’s like they are in the room with me. I love it!

      USA Properties

    • When Lillian broke her hip a week before her Grandson’s wedding, she and the family were broken hearted because they thought she would have to miss this very special day. Thankfully, she had chosen Wellbridge of Brighton for her short-term rehab. “I’m going to my Grandson’s wedding” she proudly told the staff as she received the video call through her TV and was instantly ‘seated’ in the front row for the ceremony!

      Wellbridge of Brighton

    • I travel a lot for work. I used to worry myself sick about not being able to be there if Mom needed me. She says the smartphone I got her is too small, too complicated, and hard to see, but she loves using Independa. Now she can see all her shows and we can video chat so I can make sure she’s taking her medicine. It’s such a relief to check in anytime and know she’s OK.

      Laura P.
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