Should Robots Replace Human Caregivers?

Robot caregivers are the talk of the future, and this buzz word seems to appeal to everyone who can’t or won’t take on the responsibility of caring for an elderly loved one who’s becoming increasingly delirious.  Despite the fact that seniors may have access to medical care, or have a friend who checks in every now and then, they have emotional needs that cannot be met by a machine (i.e., a robot caregiver).  Even a part-time caregiver might not be enough to ease the loneliness of the elderly, especially those who live alone.  A-1 Home Care provides families in Orange County with 24-hour solutions that give seniors the human connection they need.

 

Caring for seniors is a noble but arduous task, and family members who take on the caregiving role in addition to their full-time work schedules put themselves at risk for grave health conditions prematurely.  That’s why family care providers turn to A-1 Home Care in Orange County, a source of reliable, highly skilled caregivers who are there for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Any time you need to change your schedule or level of care based on your elderly loved one’s ever-changing needs, you can count on talking to a live operator, because our phone lines are open 24/7 to respond to your needs.  Our attentive caregivers make seniors feel safe in their care.  Great at listening and skilled at what they do, A-1 Home Care’s certified nurse assistants (CNAs), certified home health aides (CHHAs), and companion care aides become part of every family they serve.

 

A-1 Home Care is an established licensed, bonded and insured agency.  Since its inception in 1991, A-1 Home Care has grown to become Orange County’s leading senior care provider, delivering exceptional caregiving services to communities in Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Villa Park, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Tustin, and other cities throughout Southern California.  Human caregivers trump robot caregivers any time.  While robots can assist with menial tasks, human connection is a universal need that can never be replaced by artificial intelligence.

 

For a free consultation, call A-1 Home Care today (949) 650-3800 or visit our website www.a-1homecare.com for a full-range view of all the services available to you.

 

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Villa Park Home Care: Curing the Holiday Blues for the Elderly

While the world rejoices around the holiday season, making vacation plans and visiting friends and family, seniors who are limited by disease or lack of mobility are suffering from the holiday blues, more so than any other time of the year.  Even if the elderly are not living in a nursing or convalescent home, if they cannot drive or travel far, the only option they might face is spending the holidays alone, especially if their spouse has passed away.  The cold season may aggravate symptoms of arthritis, gout, or just plain physical discomfort.  Losing one’s independence may have been the hardest thing to face this year, and the holiday season serves as a harsh reminder that they are no longer mobile or as healthy as they used to be.  A-1 Home Care cares for seniors and their families in Villa Park and all over Orange County.  Don’t let your loved ones spend the holidays alone; hire a competent live-in caregiver who will be a positive distraction from negativity.

 

Elder Care in Villa Park Eases Loneliness

Do you know the signs of depression in the elderly?  An intuitive, seasoned companion care worker responds effectively to signs of depression such as loss of appetite, insomnia, loss of interest in recreational activities and lack of interest in socializing.  The more one alienates oneself from others, the deeper one sinks into depression.  With a caring and competent caregiver from A-1 Home Care in Villa Park, you can help prevent depression in your elderly loved one.  The presence of a caregiver will add warmth to the home, and you won’t have to worry that your parent or grandparent will be alone this holiday season.  The right caregiver will know just how to cheer your loved one up!  Elder care is available for 24 hours a day or a few hours a week; we revolve around your schedule and needs.

 

A-1 Home Care: Your Choice Home Care Provider

Founded in 1991, A-1 Home Care in Villa Park opens its doors to all caregivers in Los Angeles County and Orange County, selecting only the cream of the crop.  Licensed, bonded and insured, we make sure that no one falls through the cracks without an extensive criminal background check, professional reference verification and character assessment through interviews.  We ensure senior safety and protection, and the clients’ family members are also included in the interview process.  Just because our care managers may think a caregiver is a good fit for your loved one does not mean you will like her.  We want you to be satisfied every step of the way!  Your voice matters.

 

To hire a permanent or seasonal caregiver, call A-1 Home Care today (949) 650-3800 or visit www.villaparkinhomecare.com today.  Live-in and live-out elder care services are available in Villa Park, Fullerton, Anaheim Hills, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Tustin and other cities throughout Orange County.

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OC Senior Home Care: Preserving Dignity with Quality Stroke Care

Simply defined, a stroke is a “brain attack” caused by a lack of blood flow to a certain area of the brain.  When brain cells are deprived of oxygen, they begin to die, and the severity of the aftermath depends on the area of the brain where the stroke occurred.  Small strokes may bring about temporary weakness in the arm or leg on one side of the body; more severe strokes involve permanent paralysis or complete loss of speech.  According to the National Council on Aging, 30% to 40% of persons over age 65 fall each year.  After a stroke, those statistics skyrocket due to vision problems and lack of coordination resulting from the stroke.  Prevent falls by hiring an in-home caregiver for your elderly loved one.  A-1 Home Care provides some of the best senior care in Orange County.

More than two-thirds of stroke survivors will have some sort of disability.  To assist your elderly loved one in a way that preserves dignity, A-1 Home Care selects and sends Orange County’s best caregivers who have years of experience and training under their belt.  Does your loved one have a hard time getting dressed or eating properly?  Many stroke survivors are susceptible to choking because they cannot feel food on one side of the mouth.  Having a CPR-trained, certified nurse aide around the house gives everyone a peace of mind.  It feels wonderful knowing you have an expert in-home caregiver who knows exactly what she’s doing.

For 24 years, A-1 Home Care has been the leader in the elder care industry.  Licensed, bonded and insured, we carefully choose each personal care aide who must pass an extensive background check.  All our caregivers have verifiable professional references, and they are required to have at least two years of paid experience.  Quality in-home After Stroke Care is also affordable through A-1 Home Care’s easy financing options!

For more information about Stroke Care, call A-1 Home Care (714) 523-4010 or visit our website www.ocseniorhomecare.com for details.  Senior care services are available in Newport Beach, Fullerton, Seal Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Villa Park, Anaheim Hills and throughout Orange County.

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The Best Brain Injury Care in Orange County

Each year, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability for adults and children, according to the Brain Trauma Foundation.  Car accidents, sports injuries, falls, accidents at work or home, and incidents on the playground are common risk factors contributing to head injury.  The risks for TBI increase with age, especially for those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.  The course of recovery is unpredictable for many reasons, including age of the victim, areas of brain damage, and the speed at which the victim receives emergency care at the scene.  To assist you or your family with managing day-to-day activities, A-1 Home Care in Orange County will be there to help you get through this difficult time of transition.

Take the Proactive Approach with A-1 Home Care

As your loved one returns home from the hospital, A-1 Home Care in Orange County is there to assist you every step of the way, from hospital discharge planning to a safe return home.  Life won’t be the same, at least for a while, but there’s nothing like having a compassionate, warm and highly skilled live-in caregiver to restore life to normalcy as best as she can.  Delicious home-cooked meals, assistance with bathing, grooming, and oral hygiene, transportation and companion care are all part of live-in or live-out brain injury care.  Are you too exhausted to deal with the post-injury personality or behavior associated with TBI?  Leave it to A-1 Home Care to take care of everything!

Affordable Brain Injury Care at Competitive Rates

Today, A-1 Home Care remains as one of the leading non-medical, licensed, bonded and insured home care agencies in Orange County for one reason:  We care.  We make sure that each 24-hour caregiver who walks through our doors are thoroughly screened and verified.  Criminal background checks, professional reference verification, experience, character, and personality all come into play when we consider a candidate.  We also include you in the selection process as well.  Just because we think a caregiver is a good fit for you does not mean that you will agree.  Easy financing options are available with reasonable rates and terms; A-1 Home Care also accepts Veteran Benefits and long-term insurance from providers like John Hancock, Penn Treaty, and MetLife Insurance.

For more information about Brain Injury Care in your area, call A-1 Home Care (949) 650-3800 or visit our website www.a-1homecare.com for details.  Caregiving services are available all over Orange County, including Newport Beach, Fullerton, Villa Park, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach and Laguna Beach.

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Will Your Favorite Soda Give You a Heart Attack?

About 48% of Americans consume carbonated beverages with an average intake of 2.6 glasses a day, according to a Gallup poll.  But did they know that their favorite soda pop could also be contributing to their heart failure?  “Carbonated beverages, or sodas, have frequently been demonstrated to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and CVD, such as subclinical cardiac remodeling and stroke,” said Keijiro Saku, dean and professor of cardiology at Fukuoka University in Japan.  Consumers of diet sodas are not exempt from the dangers of this sinful sweetness.  Another study that was presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting revealed that older women who consumed two or more cups of diet soda a day increased their chances of a heart attack by 30%.  No one is 100% exempt from heart attacks, but your lifestyle habits may be indicators of risk.  A-1 Home Care in Orange County offers tips for healthier alternatives.

Sweet Alternatives for the Heart

Researchers are not saying you need to quit soda cold-turkey, but limiting your soda consumption to once a week will greatly reduce your chances of a heart attack or stroke.  You can try other delicious alternatives, such as green tea, black tea, fruit or vegetable juice, cocoa, coffee, or mineral water.  Those who already had a heart attack are more likely to get a stroke than those who have never experienced congestive heart failure.  A-1 Home Care in Orange County provides short-term and long-term 24 hour heart attack care for seniors in the comfort of their own home.  Caregiver assistance with activities of daily living greatly relieves family caregivers who can then enjoy quality time with their loved ones.

Affordable 24-Hour Care in Orange County

Are you looking for convenient in-home care that’s quality, affordable and local?  Look no further than A-1 Home Care, a non-medical home care agency that serves all of Orange County, including cities like Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Villa Park, Fullerton, Laguna Beach, and Corona del Mar.  A-1 Home Care offers easy financing options with reasonable payment plan and terms; we also accept Veteran Benefits and long-term care insurance from providers like CALPERS, John Hancock, MetLife Insurance and Penn Treaty.  We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  When other agencies are closed on major holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, we stay open and make ourselves available to meet your needs.

For reliable Heart Attack Care, call A-1 Home Care today (949) 650-3800 or visit our website www.a-1homecare.com for more information.

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Seniors With Kidney Disease Experience Lasting Relief In Orange County

Did you know that roughly one in every three Americans suffer from kidney disease today? As troubling as that statistic sounds, there is hope in the leading home care options offered right here in Orange County.

At A-1 Home Care, our expert care givers provide those leading services so many seniors are searching for today. Our kidney care solutions include monitoring blood sugar and blood pressure levels and helping affected seniors live a healthy lifestyle that includes a wholesome, structured diet along with consistent exercise. Even if you’re going through kidney dialysis or have had a kidney tumor removed, our senior care providers will help in everyday living situations so that you can focus on relaxing and healing faster and more effectively.

Our compassionate care givers at A-1 Home Care offer services that include:

• assistance with household chores like vacuuming, dusting, dish-washing, bed-making, and laundry
• assistance with gardening and yard work like raking leaves, mowing the lawn, and watering plants
• transportation to and from medical appointments and other existing engagements
• medication reminders and administration
• preparation of healthy meals
• assistance with personal services like help with grooming and bathing
• child care services
• pet care services
• general companionship and good conversation
• and much more

If you’d like to find out more about why A-1 Home Care is the leader when it comes to providing home care service options to elders from all over Southern California, then call one of our expert care givers by dialing (949) 650-3800, (310) 657-8780, or (562)-929-8400 today. We proudly serve communities throughout Orange County and Los Angeles, including cities like Downey, Calabasas, Corona Del Mar, Malibu, and Century City.

Brain Injury Patients Find Lasting Comfort In Orange County

Did you know that traumatic brain injuries are one of the major causes of disability worldwide? It also very often leads to death, which should come as no surprise being that the brain is perhaps the most important organ in the body.

If you have a loved one in Orange County who’s suffered from brain trauma and has lived through it, then you know how difficult a brain injury can be not just for the patient but for the people close to the patient as well. At A-1 Home Care, we offer exceptional brain injury care to seniors who need consistent supervision and aid during their often-arduous recovery. A-1 Home Care serves as the leading non-medical senior care agency in all of Southern California, providing exceptional care providers whose goal is to make a positive difference in each and every patient they meet.

Our compassionate brain injury care providers offer in-home assistance to seniors that include:

• Transportation to and from medical appointments and other existing engagements
• Healthy meal preparation
• General housecleaning duties such as vacuuming, bed-making, dishes, dusting, and laundry
• Yard work and gardening tasks like raking leaves and watering plants
• Personal services like hygiene and bathing care
• Running errands like going grocery shopping and picking up clothes from the cleaners
• Good conversation and general companionship

At A-1 Home Care, we offer only the most affordable senior services you’ll find anywhere, combining the power of genuine care with the surprising truth of the most reasonable prices.

For more information about the leading brain injury services in both Los Angeles and Orange County, contact one of our helpful care givers at A-1 Home Care by dialing (310) 366-7964 or (562) 929-8400 today. We proudly serve elders in cities like Garden Grove, Century City, Tarzana, Irvine, Laguna Beach, and many more.

Prevent, Control, and Reverse Diabetes Through Diet

There are many things in our diet that can cause our blood sugar to spike.  From pastas to potatoes, white rice to white bread, there are definitely alternatives to help you be smarter about the carbs intake.  For example, instead of white rice, try eating brown rice instead. It is higher in fiber and don’t spike your blood sugar level.  Another great example to control your blood sugar level is to eat whole-wheat bread over regular white bread.   Furthermore, whole-wheat options are also available for pastas as well for similar positive results.

Throughout a day, try to keep your blood sugar level consistent.  As a result, eat breakfast daily to ensure you have the energy to start off the day.  Moreover, it is a good idea to eat more frequently in smaller portion so you won’t be overly hungry at one time.  Finally, try to keep a food diary to record which food helps you lose weight and which food might be affecting your weight negatively.  If you can make smarter and healthier choices, diabetes can definitely be controlled or prevented!

A-1 Home Care is the preferred home care agency when it comes to senior care services for Orange County residents.  Are you or your loved one living with diabetes, recovering from a surgery, suffering with kidney disease, or other senior ailments or conditions? We can help your search in finding specialized care from expert in home caregivers to support with Diabetic Care,  Alzheimer Care, Cancer Care, Arthritis Care, After Surgery Care,  Incontinence Care, Parkinson Care, Hospice Care, and other senior care needs. Our services can be found in the communities of Newport Beach,  Anaheim Hills, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Tustin, Irvine, Garden Grove,Villa Park, Fullerton, Yorba Linda, and others in Orange County.

Don’t hesitate to call us about our affordable in home care services at 949-650-3800.  Visit www.a-1homecare.com to learn more, or head over to our Facebook page to receive updates!

Better Ways to Cope With Stress

Stress management cannot be entirely mastered by yourself, and there is no all in one fix according to PsychCentral.  There are 5 R’s to cope with stress – Reorganize, Rethink, Reduce, Relax, and Release.

Reorganize your health.  When your body feels better, it is much easier to handle and cope with stress than it is not.  Not only is your physical wellbeing important for your health, but it is also the best defense against stress.

Rethink a situation.  Many of us can have negative thoughts when facing certain scenarios.  However, in many of the cases, it is a glass half full or half empty situation.  By getting over the pessimistic thinking and accept the reality of the situation, one can avoid the stress simply by doing positive thinking.

Reduce the volume.  Sometimes we think we can do it all, and we pile on tasks after tasks, responsibilities after responsibilities.  Over time, these can become very overwhelming and become impossible to complete.  Stress over two important commitment is far less stressful than the worries over twenty situations.

Relax you mind and body.  Physical and emotional stress can be detrimental to your health. A lot of us do not put our own health with a high priority, and we suffer because of it.  Remember we only have a finite amount of energy, and our body and mind needs a recharge in order to function normally.  Therefore, take the time to relax and cope with the stress from your daily lives.

Finally, Release the tension in your body.  Being tensed up makes it difficult for us to perform well in any tasks.  Basketball player release their tension before a free throw, surgeons release their anxiety before an operation, interviewees release their nerves before a job interview.  We naturally understand the necessity to release our tension in life, and if you are dealing with stress, try to release some of the tension that you are feeling.

A-1 Home Care is the premiere home care agency around Orange County.   With over 20 years of experience, we have been experts in helping elderly clients with the needs of Alzheimer Care, Diabetic Care, Cancer Care, Arthritis Care, Brain Injury Care, Incontinence Care, Parkinson Care, Kidney Disease Care, After Surgery Care, Hospice Care, and other elderly needs.  We have kept our quality standards in caregivers over the years, resulting in positive testimonials from our many satisfied clients.  Improve their quality of life is our first priority, and we look forward to serving those who reside in Costa Mesa, Irvine, Anaheim Hills, Tustin, Yorba Linda, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Fountain Valley, Villa Park, and other areas.

For service inquires, please call 949-650-3800. Visit www.a-1homecare.com to learn more about our services, or head over to our Facebook page for updates!

Hobbies to Consider For Seniors in 2015

Many seniors are lost in finding what to do with the free time they have after retiring, but ailments like arthritis is making them think twice before doing any activities.  But with good planning and some encouragements, they can have some fun times trying different things!  First and foremost, the free time allows seniors to have extended time for traveling and explore this huge world of ours.  On top of that, seniors have much more flexibility in the date they travel, so it can also lead to better deals as well.  Finding something that is you are passionate about can lead to a much more fulfilling life, so if you can find volunteer work that matches up with you passion and interest, you can make a difference in your community.  If you have knowledge in a certain field, why not take on a part time teaching position.  Not only does it give you additional income, as well as passing on the valuable experience and knowledge to the younger generations.  Speaking of younger generations, why not offer to babysit grandchildren so their parents can have some time off for themselves?  It is a great way to bond with the younger ones and the adult children.  There are much more activities that seniors can enjoy, and the suggestions here did not even scratch the surface for all the possibilities.

The experience that A-1 Home Care has accumulated over being in business for over 20 years have taught us that finding a good caregiver takes time.  That’s why we carefully interview and select the caregivers for our clients, match their skills to various needs in Alzheimer Care, Dementia Care, Cancer Care, Arthritis Care, Parkinson Care, Kidney Disease Care, After Surgery Care, Brain Injury Care, Incontinence Care, Hospice Care, and other services for seniors.  We focus our effort in all Orange County and Los Angeles County, bringing our quality service to communities such as Anaheim Hills, Fountain Valley, Villa Park, Tustin, Yorba Linda, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, and other areas.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 949-650-3800.  Visit A-1 Home Care to learn more about our services.