Triangle NC Archives - Senior Housing Options | Raleigh NC

7 Questions to Answer with Elderly Parents

March 27, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

We all want to do the best and right thing for our Mom or Dad if they are showing signs of Alzheimer’s or Dementia. And if you’re working full-time, caring for your parent in your home during the day is virtually impossible.

Seven questions that give you direction with your parents and elderly family:

Are they having hallucinations, paranoia and delusions?
Are they reacting to small matters in inappropriate ways and having frequent emotional outbursts?
Do they experience altered vision perception?
Do they need assistance with all ADL (activities of daily living), which includes bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming and eating?
Are they losing the ability to communicate?
Have they lost any gross motor skills?
Do they have difficulty swallowing?

Answering these tough questions will help you search and find the right long-term care facility. We at Your Next Move can help you find that facility that cares specifically to patients with signs of Alzheimer’s.

What to look for in an Alzheimer’s facility:

Physical space: The facility should be big enough so your family member can move about, but it should also be safe. The ideal facility should have a circular design with an inner courtyard and greenery, and it should not have locked doors, dead ends or an array of intersecting corridors.

Consider resident population: Does this facility have a separate unit for Alzheimer’s patients or does it only admit these type of patients? The better choice for your loved ones may be the care that focuses with this affliction only because the staff should be well-trained for nighttime wandering and there will likely be quality onsite support groups and continuing education.

Quality of the staff: It is best to arrange a visit at varied times of the day and at night to observe how the staff interacts with the residents. Be sure to visit during meal times and see if the residents are happy and if the staff helps residents in the dining room. Are they respectful with the residents or do they treat them like children? Are they warm and friendly, always trying to accommodate, or are they less gentle in their approach? Also, assess how the staff reacts with an unruly patient.

At Your Next Move we are the experts for compassionate and sound guidance when you are planning for your elderly parents’ outside care. Doing your homework with us by your side will make the transition smooth and uneventful. Remember, we will help you every step of the way.

Contact Your Next Move Today to Help You With Your Next Move. We are there at your side.

This blog post is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

5 Considerations When Selecting Parent Care

March 13, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

Sooner or later, a big decision takes place in every family. And when it does, a lot depends on it. Choosing the right residential care home for your elderly parents who no longer can live on their own is not easy. At Your Next Move we help ease this stressful decision-making process by asking questions you haven’t thought of, taking you to on-site visits and then using all of this information to find the best residential care home for your parents’ physical and mental well-being.

The typical residential care is a non-medical facility providing accommodations, meals, and supervision for persons over 60 years of age. The residents don’t need 24-hour nursing care, but do need help with daily activities. Since this is a non–medical facility, there is no requirement for RNs, LVNs or CNAs or any other medically–trained personnel, but many facilities have RN’s on-site.

The simple consideration of this type of change can often be overwhelming. Here are five “Must-Haves” to make your selection process easier:

The owner and the staff members of the facility should be knowledgeable, experienced and possess superior communication and customer service skills. When you visit these facilities, check to see how the staff interacts with the residents. If the interactions aren’t cordial, you’ve scratched one off of your list.

The staff to patient ratio is should be a low number. If the facility seems or is understaffed, then the residents won’t get the care they are paying for.

The facility should smell clean, and all rooms and common areas should sparkle as well. Look at the residents and see if they dressed and groomed for their respective conditions.

A RN should be available on-site at all times; or if not, is the RN on-site at set times? There should also be a clear plan for how medications are administered.
There should be a strong activity program to stimulate the residents’ minds and bodies.

We will always recommend five or so residential care homes for you to consider and visit. After our scheduled visits, you may want to do a few unannounced ones (during business hours) when you’ve narrowed your search to solidify your decision.

At Your Next Move we are the experts for compassionate and sound guidance when planning your parents’ future care. Do your homework with us at your side and we will work together to make the transition smooth and uneventful. Remember, we help you every step of the way.

Contact Your Next Move Today to Help You With Your Next Move. We are there at your side.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: Bigstock

3 Invaluable Tips for Triangle NC Caregivers

February 6, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

If you’re caring for your elderly parents here and around the Triangle, you may be an unintended target for depression or a host of other stress-related problems if you don’t take adequate care of yourself. Many caregivers fall ill to viruses and other infections and also have elevated blood levels that may lead to chronic health issues such as heart disease, sleep apnea and hypertension. It is a sobering fact that 80 percent of the long-term care in the United States is done by close friends and family. If you are a caregiver and family included in this category, you’ve probably given up enjoyable vacations, job transfer opportunities, hobbies, friends and even your own savings for your elderly parents and family members.

There are times when help and support are really needed. Your Next Move can provide assistance and support anywhere in the Triangle. You have to take care of yourself. It is essential. You’ll be in a much better position to take care of your elderly family when you are energized and focused. But many caregivers don’t want to ask for help because they feel that it’s their singular duty to care for the individual. Many believe no one else can do as good a job as they can. But not asking for help will often lead to your health and mental burn-out.

3 invaluable tips for every caregiver:

Hire an in-home aide for three hours a day, once a week: Caregivers need to make sure they are taking care of their backs (from the heavy lifting and carrying), and having an aide will help alleviate some of this extra physical stress.

Take proactive steps to stop neglecting yourself: Use the buddy system for exercise, eating better and social activities. The buddy system also works for chores around the house. Be specific with the friend and outline exactly where you need the help. Do you need to be driven to the gym? Do you need help clipping coupons, wrapping presents, or mowing the lawn?

Stop feeling overwhelmed: Always consider breaking the big “to do’s” into smaller parts. Schedule appointments ahead of time and tell yourself you will call the doctor for a mammogram or colonoscopy at a certain date and time. Writing it down is often great therapy. Plan on arranging care your elderly family while you run errands or pick up prescriptions. Put things into a day calendar.

Remember that asking for help is a show of strength, not weakness. Help can come in the form of neighbors, friends, loved ones, fraternal and alumni associations, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the local Center on Aging, community transportation services, and many more.

We can help.

Contact Your Next Move today to help you with these life changing transitions. We are there at your side.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: bigstock, freedigitalphotos.net

4 Good Reasons for Your Next Move!

January 23, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

We know how hard it must be to move you or your loved one out of the home they have been living in for 30, 40 or maybe even 50 years. Perhaps your parents are relatively healthy and don’t have too many issues with mobility yet, so they do not want to leave their home for an independent living facility. Over the years, they have been hardworking homeowners who have enjoyed a cozy living room, garden, and kitchen; but how much is that home costing them? After crunching the numbers, you may be surprised to learn “Home Sweet Home” is gobbling up all of their retirement savings. Their next move will be a good one to consider. Here are four good reasons:

Watch out for pesky monthly maintenance and homeowner fees. These include lawn and exterminator services. They can really add up.

Major repairs often affect older homes and involve a multitude of expenses such as roof repairs, exterior painting, wood rot repair, and window replacement. These repairs add up fast and can often involve thousands of dollars!

Be aware of your own involvement and high stress levels from repair bills. It takes you away from work and takes a good deal of your time. There are numerous calls with multiple contractors, as well as being constantly involved to supervise the contractor work and answer questions.

Stress will affect your rest and the body’s immunity to repair and restore cells. You may never get over that lingering cough or flu during the winter months because of stress and lack of sleep.

Your Next Move understands completely what you’re going through and we’re here to help. We know you value your privacy and your parent’s independence. We support that and we promise we can help locate a facility that meets your needs. At an independent living facility residents come and go as they please while enjoying weekly housecleaning, laundry services, activities, trips, and dining plans. There are no more lawns to mow and no more flights of stairs to climb!

We’ll also take charge of selling the home so they can transition easily into the independent living facility. Our expert real estate relocation team will coordinate the sale of the home, locally or anywhere in the country. We also provide a Broker Market Analysis and review these results to determine the best possible price to list the home.

Let us help you eliminate unnecessary housing costs so Mom and Dad and other loved ones can really enjoy their retirement years. Contact Your Next Move today! We truly want to help.

Contact Us Today to Help You with Your Next Move!

This blog post is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

www.yournextmovenc.com

919-601-8203 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: Your Next Move NC

4 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

January 3, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

You visited your parents over the Christmas Season and your Dad’s behavior has been troubling you ever since. How do you know for sure if your elderly parent may have Alzheimer’s?

Over 5.3 million people in the U.S. suffer from Alzheimer’s and it affects the lives of another 10.9 million people who are unpaid Alzheimer’s caregivers. Since Americans are living longer, this debilitating disease is also the 7^th leading cause of death in the U.S.

Here are some signs to be aware of when you visit elderly family:

Confusion with time or place: People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.
Memory changes that disrupt daily life: One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s is forgetting recently learned information. Victims may forget important dates or events, ask for the same information over and over again, and rely on memory aids, note pads, or family members for things they used to handle on their own with little effort.
Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps: A person with Alzheimer’s Disease may place things in unusual places and lose familiar things. Sometimes, they may even accuse their spouse and other loved ones of stealing or hiding items.
New problems with words in speaking or writing: People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble following or contributing within a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a sentence and have no idea of how to continue or they may repeat themselves time and again. They may struggle with word usage; they might even have issues calling things by the correct name.

Sadly, even in 2013, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But there are treatments for symptoms, combined with the right services and support that can make life better for those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. Here at Your Next Move, we will assist you and find the best assisted living facility in the Triangle or within North Carolina for your family member with Alzheimer’s.

For more information on the warning signs to look for and other valuable information, visit the official Alzheimer’s Association website: http://www.alz.org/index.asp.

Contact Us Today to Help You with Your Next Move. We are there at your side.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: ambro, freedigitalphotos.net

The Holidays and the Elderly

December 18, 2012 By Your Next Move NC

Look for Any Changes

On your holiday visits this year, pay close attention to your parents and elderly family.

Is Dad watching too much TV?
Is Mom not baking her traditional sweet potato pie?
Have they recently lost weight due to uncooked or forgotten meals?

If the normally neat and tidy home is becoming a messy and disorganized, there might be a problem. If you notice memory problems or physical unsteadiness, these are also areas of concern. Finding out that your parents need some extra help for their own safety can indeed be a very tough conversation to have with them.

But you need to have the courage to do it. Coming up with a game plan will make any new transitions easier makes every one more focused.

4 Senior Care Preparation Tips

Assess your parents’ needs first. Find out through information from their doctors’ visits how challenging any mental and physical limitations might be. Living in their current home may not be an option in 2013. At Your Next Move we can help you navigate the process of finding maintenance-free senior care housing.
Do a check at www.BenefitsCheckUp.org to discover what benefits, discounts and programs your parents might be eligible for based on their age and background. You might be surprised to find out your mom can access a discount drug program or a senior nutrition program.
Check to see if your parents’ long-term care is covered under Medicare and if not, are they covered under Medicaid? Your parents may not be eligible if they have made a cash gift or issued an asset transfer within five years of applying for Medicaid. It is important to check and find out.
At Your Next Move we can also check to see if your parents’ new assisted-living facility or residential car home works with hospice—not all places do so.

We know you have been charged with the responsibility to make some critical changes for your parents. It seems like it is always on your shoulders. We also know that you ove your parents and want the best care for them in their golden years. If you see visible changes in their habits, take action quickly so the start of your New Year will begin with less stress, better health and peace of mind for you both.

Contact us today to help you With Your Next Move. We provide stability, opportunity, and accountability and we are always there to serve.

This blog post about Senior Transitions is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition
Julie Kopetsky, President
www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com