Dealing with Difficult Behaviors from Seniors

As caregivers, you may face a senior who is grateful for all the hard work and dedication that you put in to assist them, or it might be complete opposite where they act up (most likely caused by their health conditions) and make it even more difficult to do your job.  If that’s the scenario, here are some things to keep in mind as caregivers.

• Don’t take it personally – seniors often get grumpy because their health is affecting them. Imagine the time you were sick, you might have wanted to curl up in bed and be left alone. So if a senior seem annoyed at times, it’s not because of you or your service.
• Talk to the senior – If their behavior is to a point where it’s abusive, whether verbally or physically, talk to them about it and let them know how you feel.
• Understand the problem – Some seniors refuse to shower or simply ignore their personal hygiene. Ask them questions about why they are not showering.  Maybe they are afraid of falling in the shower, then you can offer your assistance and assurance as a caregiver to eliminate the worries of falling.

Demand for in home caregivers continue to rise in recent years due to the rapid growth of the elderly population. As a result,  A-1 Home Care is always looking for quality caregivers with 2 or more years of experience, CPR certification, TB tested, and clean criminal backgrounds.  We are receiving clients daily, and we want to accommodate them with the highest quality of home health aides and caregivers available around Los Angeles and Orange County. We have both 24 hour live in care and hourly senior care positions available, and we make our best effort to fit everyone’s commute and schedule for their work.

For more info on becoming a caregiver, please call us at 562-929-8400 today, or visit www.a-1jobs.com to learn more.

 

Caregivers of the Month for June

Congratulations to Eric Duran, Bertha Ojeda, and Mary Surwillo for being our Caregivers of the Month for June!A-1 Home Care cannot be the leading home care agency in Southern California without the hard work and dedication that these three caregivers have shown over the past month. They exemplify the type of services we provide for our clients, and we cannot be more grateful than we are about their continued service with our company!

Apply to become a caregiver with us today! Call 562-929-8400 for more information.

Become a More Efficient Caregiver

Being a caregiver for someone in need is a very admirable job, and often times the caregivers give their 110% effort into caring for the senior that they ignore their own personal well-being.  If this trend persist, these caregivers will eventually get stressed and burned out, ultimately affecting their quality of care altogether.  It is important to realize if you push yourself too hard, it might do more harm than good for the care recipient who is depending on your care at moments noticed.  As a result, there are a few things that caregivers can do to put some focus back on themselves.

1. Be organized by setting schedules – Schedule a relaxing day out. Schedule that doctor’s appointment that you’ve been postponing. Make the time to spend with your family. The main point is to have a plan for the “me” time.
2. Say “no” sometimes – There always seems to be that guilty feeling when saying no to additional request for care because the senior is the one who is under difficult circumstances.  Understand that it is okay to say “no” and don’t feel obligated to the the rest when you truly need it.
3. Streamline inefficiencies – Cook meals in bigger portions, use gadgets to simply your job and set reminders, help seniors to pay their bills online, these are just some things that you can do to act as mini relief during your job, and make you a more efficient caregiver

Home care is rapidly growing in popularity, and more and more caregiving jobs are opening up due to the demand.  A-1 Home Care is looking for caregivers with 2 or more years of experience, CPR certification, TB tested, and clean criminal backgrounds.  We are receiving clients daily, and we want to accommodate them with the highest quality of home health aides and caregivers available around Los Angeles and Orange County. We have both 24 hour live in care and hourly senior care positions available, and we make our best effort to fit everyone’s commute and schedule for their work.

For more info on becoming a caregiver, please call us at 562-929-8400 today, or visit www.a-1jobs.com to learn more.

Taking Care of Your Caregiver Stress

Being able to help someone is the ultimate satisfaction for many people.  That’s is why so many people enjoy being a caregiver to help out seniors in need.  However, just because it is a satisfying job does not mean it is not a stressful one.  In fact, far too many caregivers are experiencing stress but ignoring the importance to deal with these stress.  If left untreated, these stress can lead to burnouts, and it will affect both your health as well as the quality of caregiving provided.  If you are a caregiver, and you are often feeling tired, overwhelmed, irritable, and have irregular sleep pattern, these might be signs of caregiver stress.  The main goal to prevent burnout is to realize that you are stressed out.  Once you do, seek help and relief from others.  Whether it is finding respite caregiving help from another caregiver, finding ways to relax during off times, changing to a healthier lifestyle, or even professional help,  don’t be afraid to ask for help because it is ultimately in the best interest of the stressed out caregiver and the person they are supporting.

A-1 Home Care is always looking for dedicated caregivers to help provide in home care service for seniors around Los Angeles and Orange County. Typically, our caregivers will provide a variety of assistance for seniors, including meal preparation, medication supervision, hygiene management, incontinence care, and other senior services Our company has been in the senior care industry since 1991, and we are extremely proud of the positive impacts our caregivers have in our communities.  We work diligently to find the perfect match for our clients, and we are available 24/7 for any support we can provide.  Many families are turning to A-1 Home Care to provide them with a quality caregvier, that means job opportunities are opening up for caregviers also! We have both  live-in and hourly home care services ready to be filled immediately!

Call us at 562-929-8400 today to learn more employment opportunities with A-1 Home care. Visit www.a-1jobs.com for details, and connect with us Facebook!

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Myths About Home Care

Some families are afraid to send professional help for their elderly loved ones to their homes because they have misinformed preconceptions about how home care is.  Here are just some of the myths that surrounds in home care service.  For example, “home care is only for people who are very sick”.  That is simply not true.  There are varying degrees of home care services seniors can enjoy, from hourly senior helpers to hospice caregivers, seniors living with normal aches and pains can enjoy an improvement in quality of life just as someone living with terminally illness can.  Many also believe that home care is inferior company to nursing homes, but in fact, many of the same caregivers, nurse aides, and other care professionals have the same qualifications, and home care provides a more direct, one-on-one care for the seniors at home.  Finally, some don’t realize that round the clock coverage is available with home care services as well.  Once they did, many prefer to use home care over nursing homes because home is where their loved one feel the most comfortable.

Home care is rapidly growing in popularity, and more and more caregiving jobs are opening up due to the demand.  A-1 Home Care is looking for caregivers with 2 or more years of experience, CPR certification, TB tested, and clean criminal backgrounds.  We are receiving clients daily, and we want to accommodate them with the highest quality of home health aides and caregivers available around Los Angeles and Orange County. We have both 24 hour live in care and hourly senior care positions available, and we make our best effort to fit everyone’s commute and schedule for their work.

For more info on becoming a caregiver, please call us at 562-929-8400 today, or visit www.a-1jobs.com to learn more.

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How Caregiver Can Deal With Behavior Problems in Alzheimer’s patients

There are many symptoms related to Alzheimer’s disease.  One of the more concerning issues for everyone involved is the sudden display of aggression.  The worse part is that these emotional outbursts tend to increase over time as the disease progress to a later stage.

In some instances, these problems are caused by frustration from having difficulty remember things they used to or have difficulties perform tasks that used to be routine.  However, caregivers can do a few things to help alleviate and limit these outbursts.  First and foremost, you have to be patient about the situation.  Whether it is provide extra time or the reassurance they need, caregivers should not get frustrated because they are frustrated and make the situation worse.  Next is always try to keep a routine schedule with people living with Alzheimer’s to limit irritability. And finally, caregivers could try to distract the senior with something they like, such as music, comfort objects, or even a snack.

With the ability to impact a senior’s quality of life, being an in home caregiver is extremely rewarding.  A-1 Home Care has helped many people realize a career in being a caregiver, and we take pride in the dedicated work they have done for seniors around Los Angeles and Orange County.  Clients constantly praise the wonderful work our caregivers do, and A-1 Home Care fully appreciate the importance of their unparalleled professionalism.  In Home Care is a growing industry,  and many families are calling A-1 Home Care to find the right caregiver to offer assistance to their loved ones.  We offer flexible scheduling, with both live-in and live-out options available.

To become a caregiver with A-1 Home Care, please call us at 562-929-8400 today to learn more about job opprotunities, or you can visit www.a-1jobs.com for more details.  Be sure to check us out on Facebook!

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Ways to Fight Caregiver Stress

Being a caregiver for a sick & elderly loved one is physically demanding, and it also results in huge emotional drain.  For any home care scenarios, the caregivers should always put their own health and safety as top priority because it can ensure the best quality home care for seniors. A-1 Home Care wants to share a few tips with current and future senior helpers to hopefully avoid the risk of exhaustion, burnout, and other more complicated health problems.

Putting your life first means don’t completely ignore your personal life.  Find some time to connect with friends.  Humans are creatures that crave social interaction, and if you isolate yourself in a bubble of caregiving, then the negativity only builds up from there.  Many senior home care providers also find it difficult to ask for help and support.  Even if it is a few days of relief can help recuperate from stress and burnout.  Taking a break to relax, sort out your stress, and ultimately organize your priorities. Doing so not only help you avoid burnout, but it also improve you as a caregiver in the end to provide the highest-quality elderly care possible.

Do you have 2 or more years of caregiving experience? Considering joining A-1 Home Care and have a career in care at home services.  We have over two decades of experience in helping clients around Los Angeles and Orange County find compatible caregivers, helping our extraordinary caregivers land jobs that fits their schedule.   We have 24 hour live in care and hourly senior care positions available.  All we require is for you to have CPR & First Aid training, TB tested, a clean criminal background, and a can do attitude to keep up the well-being of our senior clients.

For more info on becoming a caregiver, please call us at 562-929-8400 today, or visit www.a-1jobs.com to learn more.

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Arranging Respite Care to Avoid Burnout

Caregiver burnout and stress not only affects the caregiver, but also the quality of care they provide.  It can also potentially be a danger to the seniors they are looking after because their concentration might not be at its fullest.  As a result, it is important to arrange respite care to allow you to take a break and avoid burnout.

There are a few ways a caregiver can arrange respite care to help them stay an effective caregiver.  You can put the senior in a day care, assisted living respite care facility, or other residential care options. If you are a family caregiver at home, then you can ask around your friends and family to possible handle the role in relief, and more likely than not understand the situation on your needs and the senior’s needs. As a professional caregiver, agencies like A-1 Home Care can help you find an respite caregiver in relief until to provide you with a much needed break.  These respite caregivers range from companion care, personal care assistance, available for both live-in and live-out scenarios.  Furthermore, you will know that the person provide the respite care is a professional caregiver who is reliable in the type of skills and experience needed for the job.

No matter long term or short term, A-1 Home Care has a wide variety of clients who need the service of a professional caregiver. A career as a caregiver can be extremely rewarding because you are positively impacting another person’s life, and we take pride in the dedicated work our caregivers have done for seniors around Los Angeles and Orange County.  Our clients appreciate the wonderful work our caregivers do in  Alzheimer’s Care,  Brain Injury Care, Heart Attack Care, Cancer Care, Diabetic Care, Parkinson’s Care, After Surgery Care, Incontinence Care, Kidney Disease Care, Multiple Sclerosis Care, and other in home care needs. A-1 Home Care realizes the importance of their unmatched professionalism.  In Home Care is a growing industry,  and many families are calling A-1 Home Care to find the right caregiver to offer assistance to their loved ones.  If you have 2 years of caregiving experience, and is CPR/First Aid certified, then don’t hesitate to contact us about employment as a caregvier!

Call us at 562-929-8400 today to learn more about becoming a caregiver with A-1 Home Care, or you can visit www.a-1jobs.com for details.  Check us out on Facebook!

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Medication Mistakes To Avoid For Seniors

One important duties as caregiver is to provide medication reminders for seniors who might often forget to take their prescribed drugs.  However, simple reminders might not be enough to ensure the health and safety of seniors.  There are medication mistakes that can be dangerous for seniors and adults alike.

Some common mistakes include:

1. Confusing medications with similar names
2. Having two drugs that could magnify potential side effects
3. Combining two drugs with similar properties
4. Taking the wrong dosage of the medication
5. Mixing prescription drugs with over the counter drugs

Avoiding these potentially dangerous drug interactions require careful attention to warning labels, consultation with the doctors and pharmacist, and organization.  As a result, caregivers providing medication reminders should also be in tune with the types of medication the care recipient is taking in order to ensure their good health and safety.

A-1 Home Care is always looking for more responsible caregivers to join our team in helping seniors around Los Angeles and Orange County. Some of our caregivers have been working for us for over a decade.  As long as you are dedicated to your responsibilities, A-1 Home Care will always reward you with continuous employment with different clients. Our company has been in business since 1991, our experience and longevity speaks for itself.  If you are looking to become an in home caregiver, then look no further than A-1 Home Care to find you a job!  Moreover, we offer both 24 hour live-in and hourly live-out clients, allowing us to best fit your needs and scheduling.

Call us at 562-929-8400 today to learn more about employment requirements, or you can visit www.a-1jobs.com for details.  Check us out on Facebook!

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Why Seniors Won’t Eat

Good nutrition to maintain our health.  From calcium to maintain bone health to omega-3 fatty acid for a good, healthy heart, food is an important part of our lives, and it can be troubling when a senior’s eating habit is changing.  There are many reasons why elderly people might be shying away from eating according to Aging Care.

1. Aging has reduced their sense of smell and taste – Normal salt and pepper seasonings might not generate enough flavor for seniors, try adding different herbs and spices to possibly add more flavor to the dishes
2. Side effects from prescription medications – Making a person less hungry is a plausible side effect of medications.  It could also cause food to taste different, making seniors shy away from eating
3. Chewing problems – Does the senior wear dentures?  They might not speak out, but the dentures could cause discomfort when chewing.  Visit the dentist for adjustment, or substitute with softer foods
4. Social isolation – If seniors are eating alone, they might not look forward or enjoy the meal, leading them to eat less. Plan on having someone to share a meal with them each day, whether it is a family member, a friend, or even a live-in caregiver who can provide companionship as well as the meal preparation.
5. Unwilling to cook – Cooking is the easy part.  Grocery shopping, preparing the food, and even washing the dishes afterward can discourage seniors to cook.  There are meal programs where they deliver frozen meals for seniors to reheat it and enjoy.  Another option is a in home caregiver, where they can provide services from meal preparation to medication supervision.

Understanding the root of the problem can dramatically improve your chances of ensuring seniors have the proper nutritional intake and maintain good health.

Do you have experience with caregiving and providing meal preparation, medication supervision, and other in home care services for seniors? Then you should consider becoming a caregiver with A-1 Home Care! Our company has been in the industry since 1991, and we are extremely proud of the positive impacts our caregivers have done in Los Angeles and Orange County communities.  A-1 Home Care understands the importance of our caregivers, so we work diligently to find caregiving jobs for them that best fit their commute and schedules. The need for in home care is rising from the aging baby boomer population, and many family members are looking for help from professional home care to assist their loved ones. Many of them turn to A-1 Home Care based on our history, excellence, and recommendation from others to find a quality caregiver.  We have jobs in both live-in and live-out options.

Call us at 562-929-8400 today to learn more about becoming a caregiver with A-1 Home Care, or you can visit www.a-1jobs.com for details.  Check us out on Facebook!

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