Wake Forest 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

A Parent’s Future is Now!

February 27, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

If your parents are elderly, living in the Triangle or in your old hometown, but still in good to reasonably sound health, this is the critical time in their lives to start a future care plan with them. Schedule a family meeting so everyone is on the same page and is involved and supportive. You know you parents. You know their physical and mental condition. If they need help and guidance for their normal daily activities, the most important consideration is naming someone, possibly you or one of the siblings, the durable power of attorney and then putting together a solid plan for their health care directives.

Name someone responsible the Durable Power Of Attorney

This is the individual who will assist in financial matters and pay your elderly parents’ bills, collect and deposit their income and takes care of any other aspects of revenue. You’ll need to find all of your parents’ legal and financial documents and you must feel comfortable with you or someone assisting with their assets, income and expenses.

Here’s a list of documents to gather in one secure place:

Wills
Bank and brokerage accounts
Deeds, loans and ownership statements
Pension and retirement benefits
Social security information
Insurance policies

Advanced health care directives

These directives help ensure that your parents’ health care requests are communicated to health care providers so you act as the guardian on their behalf. Advanced health care directives also include a living will that gives preferences for life-prolonging treatments such as the use of a respirator, CPR, dialysis, surgery and antibiotic drugs.

After all of the papers have been signed and notarized, be sure to make plenty of copies and keep the originals in a safe.

At Your Next Move we are a leading expert in the Triangle NC for compassionate and sound guidance when you are planning for your parents’ future care plan. Handing the details for them is a lot of work, but you will be saving so much time and stress if the financial, legal and health care matters are well-planned before a parental move into an assisted living facility or if there is a need for home service care.

Remember, we will help you every step of the way. We are local and we care.

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: 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

8 Strategies to Help Manage your Holiday Stress

December 4, 2012 By Your Next Move NC

Every one of us feels additional stress during the holidays—even children of all ages! Will Santa Claus really come down the chimney? And you may be feeling new levels of stress this year if you’re helping your elderly parents move into a new phase of their lives after the Holiday Season.

Here are 8 ways to not let holiday stress get you down!

Hold on to every day rituals. If you read a book 10 minutes before you go to bed or if take a nightly bath, don’t skip these activities to write a card or wrap a gift.

Make food you’ve made before—are you the Mom of mashed potatoes or the Baker of Bundt cakes? Then don’t make those roll-up cookies for the first time because you saw the recipe in a magazine. Go with your tried and true traditions.

When shopping, always ask if the store offers gift wrapping. Many stores offer this time saving opportunity and some even offer it free if you’re a preferred customer or as a way to beat their competition. You should also take advantage of non-profit gift wrapping centers.

Shop online and ship online to out-of-town relatives. Many retailers offer online shipping and wrapping services—a few clicks and a few dollars extra can save you a ton of gas money and time.

Keep “all occasion” gifts on hand. Create a box in your closet full of “universal” gifts. You never know when you will need a gift at the last minute. These gifts can include candles, scented soaps, ornaments, and thank you notes/stationery,

Schedule some personal time. Pencil in a walk, gym workout and even personal reading time into your calendar.

Don’t over-schedule the season. Don’t go out to parties three nights in a row. Pick and choose the events that have the most meaning to you and be sure to pace yourself.

Get enough sleep! If you don’t sleep your 7-8 hours a night, you’ll be more susceptible to colds and the flu, plus you’ll be more likely to eat more unhealthy food. Keep up your energy and maintain your good spirits by getting to bed at the same time every night!

And finally, don’t fool yourself that the holidays don’t happen the same time every year. Instead of running around December every year trying to get everything done, why not plan ahead for Holiday 2013 by stocking up on wrapping paper, decorations and Christmas cards? A little extra planning will save your sanity next year!

We wish you the warmest of Holiday Seasons!

Photo: Luigi Diamanti, courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President (Certified Relocation Professional)

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

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Care, Advice, and Support Options for Aging Family

November 20, 2012 By Your Next Move NC

You are home for Thanksgiving. And it is great being around family. But you notice that your parents are even more challenged than in past years. The moment might finally be here: your loved one’s issues might be Alzheimer’s or Dementia and they could need specialized care. Don’t wait to find advice and support as you consider this type of decision. It can take a little time to understand that change has come. It is time to explore all of your care options. Your Next Move here in the Triangle NC can help you with all aspects of this new chapter in care for your aging family. Here is some critical information you will find important:

The signs of a good Alzheimer’s care facility:

Flexible staff that can deal with challenging situations and behaviors
A structured daily routine that takes measures against the residents wandering
Your loved one’s individual needs are valued
Comfortable, familiar, and safe surroundings
A compassionate staff
Activities that help an Alzheimer’s patient succeed at familiar tasks such as clipping coupons or making lemonade
Outdoor activities, such as raking leaves or watering plants

Three types of Alzheimer’s care facilities:

In the U.S. over 5.3 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s while affecting the lives of another 10.9 million caregivers. Consequently, there are many facilities geared towards the care of Alzheimer’s patients.

Assisted living: Also called board and care, adult living or supported care, these facilities bridge the gap between living independently and living in a nursing home.

Nursing homes: Also called skilled nursing facilities or long-term care facilities, nursing homes provide long-term care to individuals who require ongoing nursing care and supervision.

Alzheimer’s special care units (also called memoir units): These are designed to meet the specific needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and other aspects of Dementia.

It is never easy to hand over the care of a loved one to someone else, but we are a company dedicated to assisting with senior transition. Hopefully the above information we have presented will make you feel more comfortable with the important consideration of assistance and process; we want you to make informed decisions.

Contact us today to help you with Your Next Move.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

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