Resources

The first visit may take up to two hours, and will include a lot of information for you and any caregivers you may have. Your therapist or nurse will share many details about your scheduled care services, and they will also check that your personal and health information is correct. The Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach and Palm Beach County 24 hour home health care and senior care nurse will go over things like: your doctor’s orders and/or discharge paperwork, your plan of care and your personalized care team, your goals for homecare, your role as a patient and your responsibilities, your fall risks, your medications and their doses and potential side effects, and how to get in touch with your Seaside team if you have questions.

Typical home visits last under an hour, and often follow a similar routine. These visits often include things like: checking your vital signs (heart rate, breathing, temperature, blood pressure), teaching you how to care for any wounds you have or IVs, ensuring you understand the purpose of your medications and how to take them on a schedule, making an exercise routine that improves your balance and strength, educating you on potential medication side effects or symptoms of your particular condition(s).

How often you are visited by your home care team depends on your specific medical needs and your insurance coverage. Seaside Home Health accepts Medicare, Veterans Benefits, Workers Compensation Benefits and more. The visits you’ll receive depends on your particular situation, but most home care providers visit their patients 2-3 times per week, on average. Typically, visits will occur less often, as your condition improves.

Typically, a Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach and Palm Beach County 24 hour home health care and senior care team member will attempt to call you the evening prior, to schedule a visit for the following day. However, due to our ever-changing schedule, they may not be able to call until the morning of the visit, and we apologize that we cannot always give advance notice. Because we must respond to patients that are extremely sick or require urgent care visits, our home care team’s schedule is rather unpredictable. We always attempt to give you an estimated visit time. We encourage you to answer your phone and/or return our calls quickly, because if we cannot get in touch with you, we cannot schedule a visit.

Here at Seaside Home Health in Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach and Palm Beach County, we always try our best to schedule the same 24 hour home health and senior care professionals to visit you each time. We know how important this can be, for building trust and feeling comfortable. Keep in mind, however, that changes in scheduled visit times (day of the week, time of day, or urgent care requests) may affect our ability to send your usual therapist or nurse.

You are more than welcome to request the aide, therapist, or nurse of your choice, and we will do our best to accommodate this. However, there may be instances where we aren’t able to meet your requests, due to team member shortages or employee work hours/vacation days. If you have a preference of a male or female home care assistance provider, please let us know and we can schedule appropriately.

Your Seaside Home Health team is in contact with your doctor, and we follow their orders for your specific needs. We’re in routine communication with your doctor and update them on any changes in your condition(s). Our homecare specialists will communicate with you and your doctor, to ensure that your unique care needs are being met.

Create a personal connection, by doing or talking about something meaningful with the patient. Try to mention something about them, and engage them in conversation when you can. Example: “Hi Martha, didn’t you mention you used to work in a bank? What was your favorite part of the job?” This can put your patient at ease, and build trust.

All behavior is simply a form of communication, and it is helpful to think about what it could mean from the patient’s perspective. Try to observe their behaviors, and empathize with what they may be feeling or experiencing. This is an area where input from their friends and family may be helpful in getting to know the patient better.

Based on the behavior that you observed, you can choose how respond appropriately. This may take some practice, so be willing to change your approach with the patient. Above all, remember to maintain a personal, friendly connection that highlights their strengths and preferences.

Pay attention to see if the patient responded in a positive manner. Smiles, nods, or seeming at ease are good signs. If you don’t get a positive response, go back and try again to forge a connection.

Share with the other members of the care team, and the patient’s family, about any approaches that seemed to work well, or not work. Tell them your observations about how certain conversation topics or activities made the patient feel, and how it may have affected your care.

The early stages of Alzheimer’s disease can come with a variety of signs and symptoms, the most common being memory loss. However, not every person will experience the same symptoms in the same way, in this disease. It’s important to pay attention and make a note of any changes you see in this person and discuss these with the doctor, even after a diagnosis has been made. Sometimes the symptoms or issues can be treatable, or may indicate another underlying issue that needs attention.

There are ways to make life more manageable for those in early-stage Alzheimer’s, and help from the family can preserve hope and independence for as long as possible. Use shared calendars or notes as reminders, and to coordinate activities and care. Build on that person’s strengths and abilities, to find other creative ways to organize their life for maximum ease and functionality. Use what you can to encourage their independence and dignity.

Remaining engaged in life can preserve a person’s sense of self, even throughout the course of this illness. Partner with this person, to keep them engaged with life, considering the activities they have enjoyed in the past. Keep in mind their typically daily routines, as well as their hobbies, interests, past employment and education, and other personal details. Focus on things they find interesting or valuable in their life.

Sometimes, maintaining a positive intimate relationship with a person with Alzheimer's can seem less important, compared with the business of routine care and life maintenance. Don’t forget to prioritize your personal connection, and what you enjoy together.

Health professionals like physicians, nurses, therapists, and social workers are a critical part of caring for someone with Alzheimer's. The attending healthcare providers are part of your team, and it’s worth trying to build relationships with them. Positive interactions can improve the patient’s overall quality of care.

Because of the connotations that Alzheimer's disease can have, and what most people think of when they hear about it, it can be especially challenging to disclose this diagnosis. There is a lot of stigma surrounding Alzheimer's and the people it affects, but if the diagnosis is brought to light early on and talked about openly with loved ones, it allows for greater support and better health outcomes. Many people prefer to talk about this diagnosis in a simple, matter-of-fact style, and advocate for the support and resources they need. This is also vital to spreading awareness about the disease itself.

It’s important to think about future plans and create strategies to support physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being. An Alzheimer’s diagnosis offers an opportunity to understand that person’s wishes for their future. Ask the right questions to determine which plans to put into place now, to avoid strain on the family and friends down the road.

During the first stages of this disease, take time to consider any potential financial situations that may arise. You may wish to include family, friends, or financial professionals in your planning. Begin this planning as soon as you can, so the individual with Alzheimer's can be an active participant as much as possible.

Having a legal plan in place can give tremendous peace of mind, knowing that the individual’s wishes will be honored in terms of their finances, health care, end-of-life care, and more. Depending on your unique situation, working with an attorney that specializes in elder law, estate law, or family law may be helpful.

To ensure the best safety and comfort at home, consider how you can begin adapting this environment to support the person with Alzheimer's. As this person’s abilities may change over time, have a plan in place to evaluate the home environment, and put safety measures in place. Take your time to explore each room and section of the home, assessing for any potential dangers. Find a thorough checklist of home safety issues for those with Alzheimer's, and/or consider working with a home health and safety professional.

To drive a car safely, fast decision making, good judgment, and quick reflexes are key. An Alzheimer’s diagnosis isn’t necessarily a sole reason to remove driving privileges, but it’s important to continually assess their condition. Over time, this person’s ability to drive safely will be compromised, and it can be challenging to know when it’s time to limit their driving. You may work with a professional, to get an unbiased driving evaluation. The Alzheimer’s Association (800-272-3900) has referrals and resources for these types of evaluations. Families should start making plans around driving, as soon as an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is received, to ensure maximum safety and peace of mind.

Being involved in caring for an individual with Alzheimer's disease can be emotionally challenging, as well as physically challenging in the late stages. It’s vital that all members of the care team (including friends and family) take good care of themselves, to avoid burnout, resentment, or potential injury/illness. Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup!