Summer is here and as a caregiver of a parent you always need to be aware of the higher temperatures. Depending on where you live you could still be under stay at home restrictions due to the Coronavirus, so thinking of going out might not be a problem. Even staying at home could be a cause for alarm with the summer heat.

When you go out you’re always aware of the higher temperatures and you NEVER leave your parent in the car. You also NEVER leave them in the open sun. As you get older your body doesn’t react to the heat the same as it did when you were younger and that can lead to disaster in an elderly person.

With most people staying at home because of state restrictions you might be inclined to allow your parent to go outside in the yard, patio or porch depending on their condition. Just because you’re at home don’t let your guard down and allow your parent to be affected by the summer heat. Make sure they are not in direct sunlight and are shaded. Have them wear a hat for protection, use sunscreen if their condition allows it and sunglasses to protect their eyes. Make sure you have plenty of water nearby so they can drink properly. Dress them in light colored clothing so their bodies don’t overheat. NEVER leave them unattended because it only takes a short time for them to become overheated. Once again just because they’re home is not a reason to forget to use common sense for when they are outside.

With stay at home restrictions still in effect in some states your parent should not be denied getting some outside air if their condition allows it. Use common sense to ensure they are prepared and cared for properly. Enforce social distancing and the wearing of facial masks if someone does happen to stop by unannounced. Taking the normal precautions can prevent your parent from getting sick because you do not want them to have to visit the doctor, urgent care or emergency room. Take common sense precautions to be safe.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

James Colozzo
Author-“You Got To Do What You Got To Do”
www.takingcareofaparent.com

James Colozzo is not a medical expert or professional and has no formal training or education on this subject. He is an average person that was given a challenge and had to deal with the situation. His experience comes from the over 20 years that he actually did all the work to care for his elderly parents and their medical conditions. Since every person, condition and situation is different, what Mr. Colozzo did to care for his parents might not be suitable for others. You need to partner with your physician to find what type of care is best for your situation.
Copyright © 2020 James Colozzo

To make a comment please email author@takingcareofaparent.com

Tags: Aging Parents, Caregiving, Eldercare

As a caregiver of a parent you are always trying to make sure you are protecting your parent from getting sick. Germs are all around and they are easily spread and for an elderly person that can have devastating effects on their health. One of the simplest precautions against germs is to wash your and your parents hands.

Germs are on everything we touch and then we touch our face, touch our parent to adjust something, have a snack or eat a meal. You always have to make sure your hands are clean to prevent the spread of germs.

Going to a doctor’s office or medical facility can be the worst place for germs. From the time you leave your car to the time you return you are bombarded with all kinds of bacteria. You open the door to the medical building, then you touch your parents wheelchair or hold the door open for them. You may then go to the elevator area and press the button to summon the elevator. You get in the elevator and sometimes they are stuffed with people. Then you open the door to the doctor’s office and try to find a place for your parent to sit or position the wheelchair. You then sign your parent in using a pen or an electronic tablet. When it’s your turn you are escorted to a room and you sit and wait for the doctor. This is just a basic routine when visiting a medical professional many times you do much more than what was just stated. When you are finished you have to do most it all again in reverse order. Everyone of these tasks can put you and your parent at risk.

When you go back to your car you use and contaminate your key or fob to unlock the vehicle. You touch the door handle and seat belts and your parent as your trying to help them into the car. Once you’re in the car you touch the steering wheel and controls. You drive home and you contaminate your house keys, front door and anything in your home you touch before you are able to clean yourself and your parent.

All that and more is from a visit to your doctor or medical facility.

Some say that this is over the top for exposure but as with all experts they never agree. So do you want to take a chance on you or your parent getting sick while the experts debate what’s right. I would rather follow on the side of caution. How do you cut down on all that exposure to germs? A simple way is to wash your hands. I always carried baby cleaning wipes with me so I could clean my and my parents hands without using soap and water. I also had a container of sanitizing wipes so I could clean the surface of the places I touched on my car.

When we got back into our car I would give my mom a baby wipe to clean her hands. I would take a wipe and clean my hands. I would then take a sanitizing wipe and clean the wheelchair handles, pushing arms in back, the seat and armrests. I would clean the car door handles, keys, steering wheel and controls. Anything I thought I touched I would clean with a sanitizing wipe. When finished I would throw them into a disposable plastic bag in the back of the car and put it in the trash when we got home. Yes it was more work but it helped prevent us from getting sick.

When we got home I made sure both of us washed our hands with soap and warm water. Just another precaution to protect my mom and I from getting sick.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

James Colozzo
Author-“You Got To Do What You Got To Do”
www.takingcareofaparent.com

James Colozzo is not a medical expert or professional and has no formal training or education on this subject. He is an average person that was given a challenge and had to deal with the situation. His experience comes from the over 20 years that he actually did all the work to care for his elderly parents and their medical conditions. Since every person, condition and situation is different, what Mr. Colozzo did to care for his parents might not be suitable for others. You need to partner with your physician to find what type of care is best for your situation.
Copyright © 2020 James Colozzo

To make a comment please email author@takingcareofaparent.com

Tags: Caregiving, Elderly Parents, Long Term Care

Paying attention to the weather is essential when you are the caregiver of a parent. Depending on their condition it can dictate how mobile they can be among other considerations. The weather can also cause danger to you as a caregiver especially if you have to help your parent move around.

When I was the caregiver of my parents, the change in the weather always brought some challenges. If the weather was moderate to severe and we could postpone our errands, we would decide if it was worth the extra effort to go out. If we were unable to postpone appointments, besides the obvious, rain, snow or extreme heat, it caused some serious thought. With my father I always had to be concerned about the cool weather and dampness due to the fact that he had a serious lung condition. Another problem was when it rained the slippery ground could cause him to slip and fall. One big concern when we had to go out in the rain was when he had to step into a vehicle. I had a large SUV with running boards on the side and as he stepped on them his shoes could slip on the grooved metal. The running boards had anti-slip strips across them but because of the angle of his foot when he stepped into the SUV it was always a concern. They could become very slippery when wet. When my father started to get into the vehicle I always stood behind him so I could brace or catch him if he started to slip or fall backwards.

Even getting into a car was a problem because he put one foot in the car to get on the seat which put him off balance. If he was unstable for any reason, the foot on the outside could slip and slide causing him to injure himself. Once again, I always stood in a position to catch him if he lost his balance or started to slip.

Walking on rain soaked sidewalks also presents a problem because the finish on the cement is smoother on some concrete than others. If the sidewalk is smooth, the rain water acts almost like ice making it easy for someone to slip. I would always walk in a position to catch or brace him if he was to slip or stumble.

I tried to anticipate any problems ahead of time, this way I could be ready if something did happen. One thing you can’t forget while you are watching out for your parent in the weather you also need to protect yourself from the same fate. You don’t want to slip or fall and take your parent down with you. A problem you want to avoid is hurting yourself while you are trying to support, brace or catch your parent if they do slip or fall. Remember, if you get hurt, who will take care of you and your parent?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

James Colozzo
Author-“You Got To Do What You Got To Do”
www.takingcareofaparent.com

James Colozzo is not a medical expert or professional and has no formal training or education on this subject. He is an average person that was given a challenge and had to deal with the situation. His experience comes from the over 20 years that he actually did all the work to care for his elderly parents and their medical conditions. Since every person, condition and situation is different, what Mr. Colozzo did to care for his parents might not be suitable for others. You need to partner with your physician to find what type of care is best for your situation.
Copyright © 2020 James Colozzo

To make a comment please email author@takingcareofaparent.com

Tags: Aging Parents, Caregiving, Eldercare

November is National Family Caregivers Month which means this is a good time to discuss the options available for your elderly parents long term care.

Don’t wait for an “emergency” such as a heart attack or stroke to decide what to do when your parents need long term care. When this happens you have to make the decision quick, usually in a few days, which doesn’t give you much time to decide what is best for your parent or yourself. Remember insurance does not cover everything which also means there could be a huge financial expense for you or your parents.

This is a good time to discuss with your parents what they want and need for their long term care needs. You need to find out if they have a plan for who is going to care for them such as assisted living, a private caregiver, staying in their own home, etc. or they might think that you might become their caregiver and want to move in with you in the later years. This all needs to be discussed before the “emergency” happens. You need to decide if you can become a caregiver due to the enormous amount of work and time that is involved. Becoming a caregiver is a life changing experience and can alter your lifestyle in many ways. If you have a family it can put more pressure on you as you try to care for children and your parents.

Financial pressure is also a major concern especially if your parents have little or no assets. Medicare, supplement insurance and long term care insurance does not cover everything, so some expenses will have to come out of your parents pocket or yours if they have no money. Another financial consideration is that if they have assets, what happens if they live longer and the money runs out, who makes up the difference? Where do they live if they no longer can afford assisted living? Financial aid programs might be available but what happens if they don’t qualify?

There are many questions that need to be considered when planning your parents long term care. That is why they need to be discussed before your parents have an “emergency” so you can learn what options are best for them and yourself. Since November is National Family Caregivers Month, this is a good reminder to start the discussion so you can be prepared for the “emergency” and not be blind sided by all the details that need a decision in a short time.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

James Colozzo
Author-“You Got To Do What You Got To Do”
www.takingcareofaparent.com

James Colozzo is not a medical expert or professional and has no formal training or education on this subject. He is an average person that was given a challenge and had to deal with the situation. His experience comes from the over 20 years that he actually did all the work to care for his elderly parents and their medical conditions. Since every person, condition and situation is different, what Mr. Colozzo did to care for his parents might not be suitable for others. You need to partner with your physician to find what type of care is best for your situation.
Copyright © 2019 James Colozzo

To make a comment please email author@takingcareofaparent.com

Tags: Aging Parents, Caregiving, Financial Cost, Long Term Care

Some want to become caregivers and others it is a cultural issue to take care of their parents. Many others have no choice but to actually care for their parents. There is no money for any of the other options. This is being done on a daily basis by tens of thousands of people. They feed them, dress them, change the diapers, wash them and clean up the big messes. All without any fanfare or recognition.

Most advertising about caring for a parent is supported by senior associations, assisted living center and home care agencies telling you what you should do. They hire celebrities to talk about what they did and how they know what’s best for the rest of us. Why do they know best, because they are famous, got paid for the advertising or they can afford other options? Did they actually do the work to care for their parent? Celebrities talk about being a caregiver. I don’t want to be mean but do they actually change the diapers, give their parent a bath, clean them after a bad bowel movement? Or did they hire a nurse, caregiver or personal tech to do those jobs. I’m sure some have actually done some of the work but most because of their position probably can hire someone to do the disgusting jobs.

That is one of the reasons I wrote my book because no one represents the average person. With the senior associations you have no credibility because you have no verified credentials and are not part of the establishment. It is so hard for an unknown that has actually done the work to get their point across. That’s why my book is self published and self marketed. I could not get anyone to listen to my story even though it is a challenge that is happening everyday in tens of thousands of homes. Most associations and media organizations are not interested in regular people. I have contacted hundreds of media outlets and have had success with a few that thought my story was interesting enough to their viewers. For those television stations I am extremely grateful. Others have absolutely no interest or want you to pay to get access to their television shows. If I was famous or a celebrity I would be on television and radio stations across the country even if I didn’t do the work to care for my parents. But being an average person, you don’t get the time of day.

Well I’ve done the job and I feel I did it very well, just look at the result. My mom was not expected to survive long after her spine surgery and she did. She lasted 13 years longer than expected and was able to see her great grandchildren and be a part of their lives. That was because of the care she received and I was the one that gave her that care.

My goal is to inform as many people as possible of the real life challenge that might be ahead of them. I know the paperback is expensive and the book is not a great literary work but it is real life. It contains a lot of useful information that might help you in deciding to care for an elderly parent. The book details the burden and the enormous responsibility of being a caregiver. It is written by an average person that actually did all the work.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

James Colozzo
Author-“You Got To Do What You Got To Do”
www.takingcareofaparent.com

James Colozzo is not a medical expert or professional and has no formal training or education on this subject. He is an average person that was given a challenge and had to deal with the situation. His experience comes from the over 20 years that he actually did all the work to care for his elderly parents and their medical conditions. Since every person, condition and situation is different, what Mr. Colozzo did to care for his parents might not be suitable for others. You need to partner with your physician to find what type of care is best for your situation.
Copyright © 2019 James Colozzo

To make a comment please email author@takingcareofaparent.com

Tags: Aging Parents, Caregiver, Financial Cost, Long Term Care