Be A Santa to A Senior

Laughing with Mary - Tips for Saving Money

Like many, Stefanie is looking for ways to save a little money. Mary offers some non-traditional ways to stay on a shoe-string budget.

Be A Santa to A Senior

Seniors’ Economic Struggles Continue This Holiday; Santa Program Provides Assistance

Be a Santa to a Senior^®, the popular campaign that has delivered 1.5 million gifts to needy seniors throughout North America during the past seven years, again is helping older adults cope in tough economic times. 

“Many older adults continue to struggle in a down economy, particularly those who live alone with no family nearby to help provide resources,” said Dan Pahos, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Birmingham and surrounding areas, including Jefferson and Shelby Counties. Seniors have faced a trying year amid the threat of Social Security payment delays as part of the debt-ceiling debate. What’s more, seniors have lost almost one-third (32 percent) of their buying power since 2000, according to the Annual Survey of Senior Costs from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL).

That’s where Be a Santa to a Senior can help. From now until Dec. 8, people can purchase a variety of items that seniors would love to receive, including slippers, socks, gloves, personal hygiene items, smoke detectors, large-print books and flashlights with batteries. For a complete list of items, visit www.homeinstead.com/bham. The gifts can be placed in a gift bag with handles and delivered to the Home Instead Senior Care office at 2059 Columbiana Road, Ste. 105, labeled for a male or female senior.

 “We hope holiday shoppers will open their hearts to those seniors who have given so much to make our community a better place,” Pahos said.

For more information about the program, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com or www.homeinstead.com/bham.

Mary is at it again!

Sharon was asked to share the secret of a happy marriage with her granddaughter, and she's turned to Mary for the perfect answer.

Be A Santa to A Senior

Starting one month from today we will begin collecting items for Be A Santa to A Senior. Be A Santa to A Senior is a great opportunity for the community to come together to provide a little Christmas token for seniors who otherwise would not receive anything. We work with care facilities and other non-profits to identify these seniors. In return agencies deliver the gifts the week of Christmas.

Throughout North America, the program has attracted upwards of 60,000 volunteers over the past six years distributing 1.2 million gifts to more than 700,000 deserving seniors.  

To participate, please purchase a holiday gift bag (with handles) and fill it with any of the items listed below.  Label the bag male or female and bring it to the Home Instead Senior Care office located at 2059 Columbiana Road, Suite 105 Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 by December 8, 2011.

Suggested Gift Ideas (Unopened and Unused)

·       Socks (Men & Women – all sizes)

·       Lotion

·       Shampoo / Conditioner

·       Toothbrush/Toothpaste

·       Hairbrush/Comb

·       Books (Large Print)

·       Crossword Puzzles (Large Print)

·       Blankets

·       Gloves (Men & Women – all sizes)

·       Washcloth, Bath and Hand Towel Sets

·       Kitchen Towels

·       Smoke Alarms (with batteries)

·       Devices to Aid Opening Jars/Bottles

·       Flashlight (with batteries)

·       Large Print Playing Cards

·       Stationary/Cards

·       Photo Albums

·       Picture Calendars

·       Nail File kits

·       Cotton Handkerchiefs

·       Large Button Telephones

·       Alarm Clocks with Large Numbers

·       Sugar-free Gum

·       Sugar-free Candy

·       Small Christmas Tree with ornaments

·       Magazines

Home Care Helps Lessen Personal and Professional Cost of Caregiving

From caregiverstress.com

You’ve not been the same since your dad got sick. In fact, you’re not feeling the best lately either. Last time you were at the doctor your blood pressure was up. And the stress of worrying about whether or not Dad is safe is keeping you awake at night and making it harder to focus at work.

According to a 2010 Home Instead Senior Care^® network White Paper entitled Improving the Lives of Family Caregivers, 90 percent of family caregivers have experienced episodes of anxiousness or irritability.
This paper included a survey which, based on data collected from family caregivers on Caregiverstress.com℠, also revealed that caregiving is very demanding for 83 percent of family caregivers. An overwhelming 77 percent say that caregiving is taking a toll on their family lives. And 56 percent say caregiving is taking a toll on their jobs.
Caregiving is definitely tough on the working family caregiver like you. Nearly 12 percent of employees in a 2010 MetLife Study of Working Caregivers and Employer Health Care Costs reported caring for an older person. Generally, those employees reported poorer health and more chronic disease than did non-caregivers.
The MetLife study further found that 17 percent of female caregivers age 50 and older reported fair or poor health compared with just 9 percent of non-caregivers.
Your boss is likely paying a price, too. Consider the family and health issues that your co-workers may be struggling with as well. Findings of the Metlife study indicate that the average additional cost of a series of major health conditions (such as depression, hypertension and diabetes) reported by employees with eldercare responsibilities is 8 percent more than non-caregiving employees. That is potentially costing U.S. employers an extra estimated $13.4 billion per year.
So what’s the answer for your dad and you? Respite care and support may help. The 2010 Home Instead Senior Care network research has shown that the use of paid in-home non-medical care is associated with important personal and professional benefits for family caregivers.
Non-medical caregiving provides support for such services as meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping. Those are all tasks that can help to take some of the load off you.
Caregivers who used paid in-home non-medical care for their seniors reported having better overall health than did their counterparts who did not make use of such care. In fact, according to this research, 78 percent of those who used paid in-home non-medical care for their seniors rated the overall quality of their health as “good” or “very good.”
Job issues improved as well. Of those who lost wages as a result of caregiving responsibilities, those caregivers using paid in-home non-medical care for an elderly loved one did almost 25 percent better in terms of maintaining their previous income levels than did other caregivers.
The research also reveals that family caregivers derive important personal and professional benefits when they supplement their senior caregiving with paid in-home non-medical care services. Among these are:

• Better personal health.
• Better quality of life.
• More help with seniors who make greater demands, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
• Help staying in the workforce.
• Help reducing the financial sacrifices that caregiving often imposes.
• Help in delivering more care and better care to their seniors.

Family caregiving should not cost you your health and your job. It’s a price your Dad likely wouldn’t want you to pay.

If you need assistance with CAREGiving please call us at 822.1915.

Arthritis Help and Research Part – 7 of 7 – Living at Home with Arthritis

In this video, Area Vice President Marzia Puccioni Shields from the Arthritis Foundation talks about what the Arthritis Foundation is doing to help, and what research holds for the future.

 

Arthritis Coping and Support – Part 6 of 7 – Living at Home with Arthritis

In this video, certified senior advisor Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care talks about how caregivers can help their loved ones cope with arthritis.

 

 

Tips for Living with Arthritis – Part 5 of 7 – Living at Home with Arthritis

In this video, certified senior advisor Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care talks about tips for preventing and living with arthritis.

 

Arthritis Medical Treatments – Part 4 of 7 – Living at Home with Arthritis

In this video, Area Vice President Marzia Puccioni Shields from the Arthritis Foundation talks about some of the common arthritis treatment options available.

 

Arthritis Diagnosis – Part 3 of 7 – Living at Home with Arthritis

In this video, certified senior advisor Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care explains how arthritis is diagnosed, and the kinds of medical specialists who can help.