Category: Helping Hands Birmingham

Prevent Coronavirus with These Simple Steps, Expert Advice

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The rapid outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought the world to its knees. Everything seems to be in lockdown – the borders, the businesses, the people – with nearly all global activities suspended. Nothing is certain anymore, especially our lives. The fear stems from the notion that no one is certain about how the virus travels.

Coronavirus is a disease that causes upper respiratory symptoms such as coughs or runny nose, although in some cases, COVID-19 can result in shortage of breath, and even death. Recently, when Care for you (Care4U) experts were tasked with researching the disease, they drew some interesting conclusions.

  1. COVID-19 mainly spreads from person-to-person
  2. The virus is spread through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes
  3. The virus affects people who are within close distance to each other

Since there’s currently, there’s no vaccine to prevent the coronavirus, our healthcare professionals recommend that you follow the tips to prevent getting infected with the potentially deadly disease.

  1. a) Wash your hands thoroughly

Whether you’re at home or out in public, wash your hands with antibacterial soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating, touching your face, and after using the loo. It’s especially important to wash your hands if you have been sneezing, or coughing into your hands, or have flu-like symptoms.

Pro Tip: Use a hand sanitizer that includes at least 60% alcohol. Now how should you use it? Rub the sanitizer into the palms of your hands, and then make a fist with one hand and rub it with the other hand such that it covers the fist. Now, make a fist with the other hand, and repeat the process so that it covers the entire surface, including in between the fingers of both hands . Rub your hands in a circular motion until they are dry. Avoid touching parts of your face, such as eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

  1. b) Maintain social distancing

For the time being, it’s essential to avoid close contact with other people. That’s because, according to the latest research, one person could end up affecting three more, on average.  Maintain at least a 6-ft distance from one another to prevent becoming a victim and spreading the virus.

  1. c) If you’re sick, stay indoors

You may feel like a hostage; but unfortunately, there’s no other option at hand. It’s better to stay home for at least 14 days if you’re suffering from COVID-19.

  1. d) Cover your coughs and sneezes

You wouldn’t want to infect your closed ones, so take following measures as needed.

  • Instead of coughing and sneezing into the air about you, cough or sneeze into a tissue .
  • Discard used tissues straightaway
  • Wash your hands every 20 minutes for 20 seconds

  1. e) Wear a mask

To protect yourself and others, wear a facemask. Especially if you’re traveling by car, and there are a couple of people in it, or if you’re sharing a room with several mates. Wear a face mask to be on the safe side.

Note: A face mask is recommended for people who are sick. Healthy people do not require it as such.

  1. f) Disinfect regularly

Clean the mediums or objects with which you’re most likely to come into contact. For example, door knobs, electric switches (when they’re off, please), countertops, door handles, banisters, desks, phones, faucets, keyboards, and more. To make sure you’re not risking your health, clean the surfaces mentioned above, and lather up your hands often.

Let us know if you require more tips for dealing with the COVID-19. Care4U, the helping hands in Birmingham, can educate people well on the COVID-19. If you feel you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and have developed the symptoms, call 0345 113 5000 immediately.

What Should I Know About Elderly Care?

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With ageing, come many changes and challenges in life.  Along with physical limitations, emotional capacities also become limited, and that is why it is crucial to know how to deal with the elderly and provide them with the care that does not injure their self-esteem and dignity. After all, if ageing is just a change of ‘number’, it shouldn’t be that painful and draining. The most vital point to adhere to is that elders are capable of making their own decisions regarding their care, and at Helping Hands Birmingham, their wishes are respected without compromising the type of care they deserve. It is a difficult transition, so the following aspects will guide you on how to make your loved ones feel comfortable and happy during this time.

The elderly need assistance in routine activities such as bathing, laundry, cooking and eating meals, shopping, and more. At care for you, they are also provided with emotional support and exceptional care, depending on their overall physical and mental condition.

Bathing and personal hygiene

It is the most challenging aspect of elderly care as requiring assistance with bathing is emotionally challenging, along with being physically strenuous. Here’s where compassion comes in and understanding the need to empathise. It would be embarrassing for anyone if someone had to bath them, it should be done smoothly – without speaking or showing of the challenges brought about in the process.

Be sure to keep their safety in mind as falling is a concern when it comes to bathing. The grab bars are a must and ensuring that the floor is not wet or slippery. Allow the elderly to do as much as they can themselves; this will provide them with a sense of independence. Helping Hands Birmingham is aware of the safety requirements for the elderly and is prepared for any unanticipated problems as well.

Safety precautions

With many physical ailments making it difficult to navigate the world freely, the risk of accidental fall injuries increases exponentially. Weak eyesight and descend of nervous coordination can often lead to fatal falls. Care for you has a grip on this and has taken the appropriate steps to minimise the risk of fall injuries. The hallways are well lit, and the stairs avoided as much as possible.

 Assistance with mobility

Mobility is a critical aspect when it comes to eldercare, as it is at the core of their independence and confidence. It involves helping them with getting in and out of bed, helping them walk, or move around in a wheelchair. When assisting an elder, make sure they are comfortable and involve them in the process by talking to them and keeping them alert, so they feel somewhat in control.

Shopping and other errands

Helping Hands Birmingham realises the limitations of growing age and has covered all aspects of eldercare. The elders may need help with shopping and other chores, but it should be done with their input. A simple trip to the grocery store can make a massive difference to their social life, so let them come along if they do so wish.

Medication

After a certain age, there is much medication the elders may need to take – and on time. The diminished mental capacity makes it hard to remember the complicated schedule, so this responsibility falls on the carer. Comprehensive knowledge about the medication is essential for proper treatment and in case of emergencies. This should be done by talking to the doctors and the pharmacists. You can rest easy with care for you, which ensures that carers are alert and aware of the medications as well as their side effects so that they can be treated timely.

Taking care of the elderly goes beyond helping them live a life as close to normal as possible. Caregivers need to be aware of what goes in caring for the elders; although it can be rewarding, it is not without its set of challenges. It involved having a gentle touch and a compassionate nature, which will encourage elders to reach out for help knowing that their needs will be met, not merely out of duty but with love. With proper support, they can live a happier and healthier life.

 

How You Can Live Well With a Disability

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People frequently realize the value and importance of things in life once they are gone, and health can also be counted as one of those blessings that are taken for granted. Most people regret their short-term decisions once their health starts to deteriorate as a direct consequence of those decisions. Although our family and friends do say we care for you, what is lost cannot be retrieved. It is a difficult task to adjust to life with a disability as it is easy to obsess over the health we once had. While you cannot turn back time to the moment when you were healthy, you can make certain adjustments to live the life you have and cope with that disability.

Many helping hands in Birmingham provide emotional and physical support that can help you maintain your quality of life and live it fully even with a disability. You will be able to define that you are not limited by your disability to lead a comfortable and healthy life.

  • Understand your disability

Understanding your disability is the first step towards giving you the power to live with it successfully. This is particularly important if the disability is new to you, and you have a hard time adjusting to it. Having helping hands  Birmingham can help you understand the attributes of your disability and help you cope with it. As yourself whether the disability is temporary or permanent and if there is any support available for you. Once you have an answer to these questions, there will be people around you who will say we care for you.

  • Focus on Your Strengths

Whenever you have a chronic or new disability, that does not mean you are useless in any way. If you have a weakness, you are sure to have strengths in some other area. Try to focus on those strengths and things you are still good at and grow those as much as possible. Many helping hands in Birmingham will be there for you once you start to adjust yourself to your new lifestyle. Always speak about the things you can do rather than what you cannot do. You will start to notice considerable changes in your lifestyle by focusing on your strengths.

  • Do Not Isolate Yourself

Difficulties and hurdles are a necessary part of life that define us and how we progress. Whoever has a disability, they should turn down every urge to isolate themselves under all circumstances. Isolation will lead to negative thoughts, which will, in turn, weaken your abilities. Go outside, meet people, and have quality time with your family, you will be surprised how life reacts to this behaviour of yours.

  • Stay Positive

You can lead a healthier and happier life once you start to remain optimistic about everything. Being positive will make you think less about your disability and more about how you can lead your life as you wish. You can stay positive by joining programs organized by helping hands in Birmingham, or you can train yourself to stay positive even in the most difficult of times to lead a happy life. Stimulate your life by trying to find good in everything, even if it is minimal.

  • Maintain Your Interests

You should not stop doing what you love or pursue your passion if you have any disability. Try to maintain your hobbies and interests to keep yourself in the game and tell yourself you care for yourself, and there is nothing that can stop you from living your life. If you like playing an instrument, by all means, play it to your heart’s content. If you are passionate about photography, take that camera and start taking nature’s blessings in disguise. You will notice you have started to love life again, which you had lost some time ago.

  • Look For Professions

Start looking for jobs that will complement your abilities to stay financially stable and running. While you may not be able to keep your previous job due to disability, there are plenty of helping hands available in Birmingham that can offer you new opportunities. Make a list of things you are good at and start looking for occupations that resonate with it. Just remember, it is illegal for an employer to reject you due to your disability, so use this to your advantage and live your life.

Final Word

Whether you have a chronic disability or any accidental event that happened to you, make sure not to make that disability your weakness. Your friends and family might say we care for you, but the only person that can fully understand the situation is yourself. You might have taken your health for granted once but do not make that same mistake again. Keep your head up and go live your life to the fullest. Life may have thrown a curveball at you, but you can swing that bat and score a point.

“I Care for You” – A Guide to Taking Care of Your Elderly Parents

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Ageing is a part of the life cycle, and it affects all the families in the world. As young adults, we may not comprehend the extent while imagining our parents as seniors and not exactly understand how their ageing affects them or us. If they are seniors and already in good health then we may not feel any dramatic changes or concerns. However, a time comes when their health starts to lower and effects of ageing become evident. At this time, they need someone to say, “I care for you”.

A decline in physical and mental strength shows evident changes in the appearance, emotional well-being and quality of life for our parents. Many institutions provide helping hand in Birmingham, but the key here is to know more about their ageing and what options we have to give them the care they deserve. Let us consider some important features through which we can easily state that we care for you and your well-being.

Activities of Daily Living

These daily essentials are the activities necessary for the physical and emotional well-being and dignity of our parents. These ensure that the daily living requirements and daily needs have effectively met. The basic activities of daily living are as follows:

  • Self-feeding
  • Mobility (getting out of bed, out of chair etc.)
  • Bathing or showering
  • Dressing
  • Personal Hygiene
  • Toilet Hygiene

In case they have impaired mobility or have health, issues that make it difficult for them to perform these daily activities on their own, you need proper assistance. Whether look for helping hands in Birmingham like Care4U or find appropriate equipment or accessories. Either way, your parents need care and assistance to perform these tasks and continue doing thing independently.

Other activities that do not specify themselves as essentials but present in daily living termed as instruments of everyday life. These IDL’s most often refer to certain activities like:

  • Meal preparation
  • Taking medications
  • Marinating the house
  • Running errands and money management
  • Communicating through phone or other devices

Again, these activities serve as the well-being fundamentals for parents if they are met adequately. Arrangement of help is possible if you or your siblings are the ones giving it or other institutions like Care4U that provide professional care to the elderly.

Living Arrangements

A critical point to look for in the well-being of parent care is the condition they live in. Whether along or close to you or any relative, living arrangements need serious discussions with the elderly. Some most common type of living arrangements for parents listed below serve as most preferred ones:

  • Ageing in a home is the most preferred condition where the elderly stay in the comfort of their homes. No other thing is better than the ongoing care given by you to your parents at home.
  • Those parents, looking for mobile homes or rental apartments to live with other seniors who prefer independent living communities. Amenities provided like laundry, fitness gyms, housekeeping etc. serve as their fulfilment of daily activities. Those who live independently but still need assistance may look for assisted living communities.
  • Nursing homes provide a helping hand in Birmingham for seniors that require medical assistance and caregiving but do not need a hospital. These homes offer staff available for every care facilities.
  • Some seniors need assistance in healthcare and daily activities while living with relatives for companionship.

Finances

There is no doubt that finances play the most impactful part in supporting caregiving and making necessary changes. Elderly need assistance in managing their finances and retirement funds to make them financially secure during senior years.

Getting Help from Support Groups

Support groups can provide you with a helping hand in Birmingham that gives you much needed support in caregiving. Some great sources of the support group are:

  • Government benefits serve as the best source of help in providing information regarding benefits and assistance programs. These cover health, insurance, disability income and many more
  • Area agency is a federally maintained agency in town staffed by professional who knows about caregiving services for seniors. They have funds available that support the eligible elderly parents for assistance.

Final Word

In the end, we all take a caregiver role for our elderly parents even if we do not live with them or provide daily care. As parents, they once provided care and concerns for us and now is the time to give it back to them and say, “I care for you and will assist you in every way I can”. No matter how you look at it, care for parent’s means that have a healthy and safe life and know they have all the care they need. You feel a peace of mind if you feel a surety in their well-being.

Companionship For The Old And Disabled – A Need, A Service

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How would you define companionship?

Would you describe it as something round the clock, or more limited to certain times of the day?

Is rapport necessary?

Yes, it’s difficult to describe companionship but one thing is certain—it is necessary. As human beings, we have a constant need to feel validated, loved, or close. Irrespective of our identities as social outcasts or whatever, we still have a continuous need to feel belonged.

Understanding Companionship

Friendship or fellowship – the feeling of togetherness is essentially how many people would define companionship. It is a vital connection that we feel with someone, which manifests itself as a feeling of being wanted and needed.

If you have a companion, you most likely enjoy their company and want to spend time with them. Understandably, it is a basic human need, and when these needs are not fulfilled, it can cause emotional disturbances.

Companionship as we age

While established that companionship is necessary at every stage of life, it becomes increasingly significant as we grow older. Hence, the elderly are often most likely to want and to desire someone to be around.

In retrospect, they’re at the age where people around them are going way too fast for their speed. For them to catch up to anyone, someone would have to slow down. Do people tend to slow down?

Added to this is the fact that the elderly go through several problems such as illnesses or loss of mobility attributed to their age.

Older people often suffer from loneliness for a variety of reasons. They might have lost their spouses, they could live by themselves, their families could be far away, or they might have mobility issues, hindering them from getting out and about.

Statistics indicate that almost three-quarters of the elderly in the United Kingdom feel lonely.

Companionship for the ill

Normal is a word often used in association with independence. Hence, if we recognize someone, as usual, we tend to talk about their ability to be able to be self-sufficient.

This has caused a considerable disparity. The assertion has led to a gap between our vision of normalcy and the feelings of it. For example, illness is just as normal as the next guy without the association of independence in most cases.

Hence, similar to the elderly, the ill would also require someone to reduce their speed and allow them to catch up to them for them to create feelings of companionship.

How can you help?

For starters, recognize the fact that the person living with a disability or the elderly have the same basic needs, but different ways to attain them. It doesn’t make them less human for not being able to get dressed by themselves. Similarly, it doesn’t make you a hero to help. This is fundamental decency that needs to be rendered for those who have trouble.

An excellent way to show compassion is to be empathetic in your approach. Sit down with the person in question and discuss these things to show that you care. For example, frame your questions in a way that doesn’t devalue them as impotent. Consider approaching them with statements such as ‘a situation such as yours,’ etc.

Furthermore, you can ensure that the said person has adequate support. It won’t just lift someone’s spirits by alleviating the stress that these things will be taken care of, but also helps someone living with a disability to feel supported. They are likely to feel cared for by those around them as it shows that others have taken an interest in their well-being.

Doing so would require that you assess their needs and situation accordingly as well as establish links that they may have such as family, friends, or caregivers who may help them acquire those needs. Note that ensuring the basic needs of daily living are accounted for and looked after is pivotal to enhancing life for a person with a disability.

A project of Helping Hands Birmingham, Care for You offers dedicated and trained employees that will provide those that are less likely to go about their day by themselves with rendering services such as domestic help or companionship.