Starbucks has generously agreed to provide an 8 oz. coffee for each $3 donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. All of Visiting Angels’ caregivers, clients, clients’ families, and members of the community are invited to come over for coffee! Again, all proceeds of this event will go to the Alzheimer’s Association.

For more information about this event, contact Visiting Angels‘ offices in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977. We look forward to seeing you in Sunnyvale on Friday, May 18^th!

For instance, many employees currently struggle with working full time while caring for an aging loved one and trying to manage their own lives and families. This can lead to stress, illness, and absences from work, costing the company thousands of dollars each year. Adding an eldercare program to your benefits package can save your company time and money, as well as give your employees a necessary incentive.

If you own or manage a company, ask yourself the following questions to determine if an eldercare program would be beneficial for your company:

• Do you have employees who arrive late or leave early to deal with family caregiving issues?

• Is your company experiencing employee absenteeism and workday disruptions that hurt productivity due to family caregiving issues?

• Are your employees taking unpaid leaves of absence or using personal or sick days to provide care to family members?

• Have any of your employees refused relocation or work-related travel because they had to care for a family member?

• Have you lost any employees who have had to quit work to care for family members full time?

If you answered yes to these questions, look into working with a respected community eldercare program, like the one Visiting Angels of the San Francisco Bay area offers. If you are a business in the Alameda or Santa Clara County area, contact us at (510) 284-0000 or (408) 735-0977 to find out more.

• Raise blood pressure

• Suppress the immune system

• Increase the risk of heart attack and stroke

• Speed up the aging process

• And long-term, stress can even rewire the brain, leaving employees more vulnerable to anxiety and depression

The result of long-term exposure to stress for employees will be more absences and increased healthcare benefit utilization. If you notice symptoms of stress in an employee such as inability to concentrate, changing work habits, disorganization, bad moods and unrealistic judgments, steps can be taken to assist through a respite care benefits program or caregiving referral.

Family caregivers need a strong support system both at home and at work. Visiting Angels of the San Francisco Bay Area can help alleviate some of the responsibilities and pressures of family caregiving.  Contact us in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977.

Workplace Issues
Employers are taking notice of the family caregiving trend as it has started to cause the following issues within the workplace:

• Employees come to work late or have to leave early

• Increased absenteeism and workday interruptions

• Employees take unpaid leave or use personal and sick days to provide care

• Refusal to relocate or participate in work-related travel

• Refusal to work overtime or take on new assignments

For the Family Caregiver
If you are struggling with juggling a career and care for a family member, encourage your employer to consider possible solutions such as:

• More flexible work schedules

• Information about services for the elderly

• Support from coworkers

• Assistance in making care-related decisions

Caring for a loved one while also holding down a job can often be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. For more information about how in-home respite care can benefit both elderly individuals and family caregivers, contact Visiting Angels in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977.

The Alzheimer’s Association, for example, employs hundreds of volunteers at local chapters during National Volunteer Week who are inspired to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association often have a great need for volunteer help in areas such as:

• Special events, such as galas and other fundraisers

• Public education and awareness programs

• Office help

• Speaking engagements

• Helpline support calls

• Advocacy

To learn more about how to become an Alzheimer’s Association volunteer, visit http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_volunteer.asp. We hope that you will choose to volunteer your time and energy to a cause or organization that means a lot to you and/or your family. For more information about volunteer opportunities to assist seniors in the San Francisco Bay area, contact Visiting Angels in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977.

• Keep to a schedule: Your brain’s “circadian clock” is what helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, and it can easily be thrown off when you either sleep in or stay up too late. To keep your “clock” running on the right schedule, maintain a regular bed and wake time, even on the weekends.
• When it’s time to sleep, relax: Creating a relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bathtub, reading a book, or listening to soothing music can help your body and brain wind down and prepare for sleep. During your routine, avoid bright lights and loud noises, and try not to participate in stressful activities like bill paying or problem solving just before bed.
• Create an environment that invites sleep: A dark, comfortable, quiet room free of noise and distractions will help you relax, de-stress, and fall asleep faster.
• Bedrooms are sleep-only zones: These days, many people feel compelled to get a little more work done or catch up on favorite TV shows from the comfort of bed. However, this continued stimulation can induce stress and anxiety, inhibiting you from getting a good night’s rest. Leave computers and TVs in the office and/or living room and use the bedroom for sleep only.
• Avoid caffeine at bedtime: Because caffeine is a stimulant, it produces an alerting effect. Avoid caffeinated beverages at least 6-8 hours before going to bed.

For more tips on how to help a loved one get a healthy, restful night’s sleep, or to learn about respite care services that can help family caregivers avoid the complications of sleep deprivation, contact Visiting Angels of the San Francisco Bay area. Call us at our offices in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977 for more information.

While the exact reason why people with Alzheimer’s are more susceptible to sundowning is not known, there are ways to help ward off an episode:

• Schedule the day so that the more difficult tasks are done early in the day.
• Restrict sweets and drinks with caffeine to the morning hours and try serving a late afternoon snack or an early dinner.
• Help the person relax with decaffeinated herbal tea or warm milk.
• Keep the house or room well lit. Close the drapes before the sun goes down, so the person doesn’t watch it become dark outside. Even keep the room partially lit when going to bed, to reduce agitation that occurs when surroundings are dark or unfamiliar.
• Plan more active days. A person who rests most of the day is likely to be awake at night.
• Seek medical advice. Physical ailments, such as bladder or incontinence problems, could be making it difficult to sleep. The doctor may also be able to prescribe medication to help the person relax at night.
• Change sleeping arrangements. Allow the person to sleep in a different bedroom, in a favorite chair or wherever it’s most comfortable.

If the person wakes during the night and is upset, experts suggest:

• Approaching the person in a calm manner.
• Finding out if there is something he or she needs.
• Gently reminding him or her that it is nighttime.
• Avoiding arguments or asking for explanations.
• Reassuring the person that everything is alright and everyone is safe.

If you need extra assistance providing care to a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, or simply need a break, Visiting Angels of the San Francisco Bay area has professional caregivers who offer Alzheimer’s and respite care services. Contact us in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977 for more information.

Constant stress on the mind and body affects one’s overall health and well-being, resulting in pretty devastating consequences, some of which include:

• Poor concentration
• Inability to perform tasks or process information easily and quickly
• Decreased perceptual skills
• Increased risk of coronary heart disease and other major illnesses
• Decreased muscle strength
• Disruption of insulin production and sugar metabolism, increasing risk of diabetes
• Weakened immune system

If you are a family caregiver experiencing the potentially dangerous symptoms of sleep deprivation, in-home care agencies like Visiting Angels of the San Francisco Bay area offer respite care services that can help. To find out more about respite care, contact us in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): OSA causes interruptions to an individual’s breathing during sleep, with breathing pauses that last at least ten seconds. OSA occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open, despite efforts to breathe. Sleep apnea can cause fragmented sleep and low blood oxygen levels, which may lead to hypertension, heart disease, and mood and memory problems. When to seek help: When a person experiences frequent snoring that can be heard from another room, stops breathing or makes gasping noises during sleep, contact his or her physician for help.
• Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): RLS is a neurological movement disorder characterized by the irresistible urge to move the limbs during periods of rest. Those who suffer from RLS may often experience an unpleasant tingling, creeping or pulling feeling in the legs that becomes worse in the evenings, making it difficult to sleep. When to see help: If RLS is bad enough to disrupt sleep, contact the physician.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD is a term used for lung disorders like emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic asthma. People with COPD often have trouble breathing, experience chronic coughing, fatigue, and tightness in the chest. When to seek help: Morning coughing is often an early sign of the disease. Contact the physician if the person is experiencing difficulty breathing, chronic coughing that produces sputum, wheezing with breathing, frequent nighttime urination, insomnia, weight loss, or daytime sleepiness.

Whenever a person feels that he or she does not sleep well and experiences frequent sleepiness during the day, a physician should be consulted. If you are caregiving for someone who has trouble sleeping at night, call the eldercare professionals at Visiting Angels of the San Francisco Bay area for assistance. Contact us in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977.

The belief is that excess bad cholesterol in the blood leads to increased bad cholesterol in the brain, and that increased production of cholesterol in the brain promotes production of plaques, which cause Alzheimer’s.

Guidelines for cholesterol recommend that men raise HDL levels that are under 40 mg/dL and that women increase HDL numbers under 50 mg/dL. An HDL of 60 mg/dL or higher with a total cholesterol level of under 200 is optimal.

It is also believed that high blood pressure (above 140/90) increases the risk of Alzheimer’s by damaging blood vessels. The blood vessels become stiffer and this may lead to a decrease in the nutrients that can get to the brain and feed cells in the brain. Medications and lifestyle changes that have been used to promote heart health may protect brain health as well.

Visiting Angel’s in-home caregivers are well trained in preparing tasty and nutritious meals for someone trying to lower his or her cholesterol level. If you live in the San Francisco Bay area and need in-home care support, contact us in Alameda County at (510) 284-0000 or in Santa Clara County at (408) 735-0977 for more information.