Homecare.com – An Online Resource for Helping an Aging Relative

With more and more people being thrust into caring for an aging relative and being ill equipped to do so, it is oftentimes comforting to know that there is a resource out there to help navigate through the maze that caring for an aging relative often presents. Homecare.com is a new, free online destination for caregivers that provides comprehensive educational resources, decision-making tools and ongoing support that will help family caregivers learn, thrive and find their way through the care-giving maze.  It is reassuring to know that there is an online site to seek answers or to use as a starting point so that caregivers may feel more confident in the topics he or she may want to discuss with the various professionals involved in the aging relative’s life.  As always, the elder law attorneys at CLDDS are also ready, willing and able to answer any questions you may have related to the legal issues presenting a caregiver as well as the community resources available for the aging relative.

Smart Phone Apps for the Baby Boomer… Elder 911 & Elder 411

With so many people having smartphones, there are two (2) different elder care apps that may help those baby boomers who are caught between raising their own family and caring for elderly loved ones.  Caregivers, families and the senior population are in desperate need of information, direction and practical “how-to’s” to understand and expedite their needs.  With that in mind, these two (2), free apps can help provide the information that these individuals so desperately need. Elder 911 is specifically designed for emergencies like a fall or sudden illness.  The app provides critical tips and information immediately accessible to help navigate through the complexities of a crisis.  It provides access to expert advice on what to ask the doctor and other pertinent information. Elder 411 is a comprehensive database of elder care information and provides access to suggested solutions to care-giving problems.  Needless to say, neither app should replace sound medical or legal advice but these apps may provide some quick insight or guidance to those individuals assisting the elderly.

This post was written by guest contributor Dr. Marion Somers.

Free Webinar – Elder Care Issues

An elderly in-home care provider will offer a free webinar with information about the tell-tale signs that indicate an elderly family member or friend may need help to remain safe at home.

The hour long webinar will be available at 5 p.m. Dec. 5.

You can register for the webinar at www.caregiverstress.com/familyeducation.

The care provider also gives a helpful list of some of the signs that a senior might need more help at home:

1. A change in appearance or condition of the home
2. Clutter
3. Dirty or unkempt clothing
4. Unpaid bills
5. Fresh food replaced with junk food
6. Spoiled food in the fridge or freezer
7. Bugs or rodents in the home
8. Confusion
9. Unfilled prescriptions
10. Spills on floors and countertops

If you are interested in learning more, you can check out the following website:

http://www.modbee.com/2011/11/12/1944927/webinars-to-instruct-on-elder.html#ixzz1e3wpMnvT

These boots were made for walking….GPS shoes for Alzheimer’s patients

Talk about innovative technology!  New shoes with built-in GPS devices will go on sale this month to help track dementia patients who wander off and get lost  A monitoring service can be set up to locate the “wandering’” individual suffering from dementia. Caretakers can download a smartphone app that allows them to track the person wearing the shoes.  This technology could help individuals suffering from dementia  to stay in their homes and live autonomously for longer periods of time.  Family members can even map out a ‘safe zone’ in which the individual suffering from dementia is free to walk without triggering worry.  When the individual wanders out of the safe zone, the GPS shoes will trigger an alert.