A dementia diagnosis can be devastating news for the person living with the disease and their spouse and loved ones. All too quickly, the person everyone knew and loved seems to fade into the background. Personality changes are not uncommon, as the person living with dementia, especially in the early stages, has moments or even days of keen awareness of…
Getting older is constant. With every second we get older, and at a certain threshold, it begins to affect our bodies more and more. At times we can feel uncomfortable, and unable to perform tasks that we used to. At Assisting Hands we know that this can be frustrating, and we want our clients to feel as comfortable as possible…
Does Vacation Seem Like an Impossible Dream? If you are looking forward to summer but afraid that taking a much-needed vacation will be impossible – Assisting Hands of Columbus is here for you. Mental health experts agree that vacation time is important. When we have time to renew ourselves and recharge our emotional batteries, and can come back to the…
Scott’s job takes him around the country on business trips, and he is a single dad of two college-age sons. His mom has always helped out with the boys—but now, she has experienced a serious stroke, and requires to care for herself. Scott wants to provide care for the woman who has cared for him and his family so much…
June is Men’s Health Month, and leading up to Father’s Day we celebrate Men’s Health Week. This is a special awareness period first recognized by Congress in 1994 and celebrated around the world. The goal is to educate men, boys, and their families and friends about preventable health problems and to encourage them to be more actively involved in their…
How Respite Care Helps Families to Manage Caretaking Responsibilities According to recent reports by the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) over 65 million Americans, or about 29% of the total U.S. population, find themselves providing care for disabled, chronically ill, or elderly friends and family members each year. On average family caregivers spend about 20 hours a…
Mildred’s Trip to the Hospital Imagine 80-year-old Mildred, who has been living in the same home for more than 50 years. Eight years ago, her husband passed, and she has since been living alone. Two of her three children live nearby, and she sees them about once a week. Last month, Mildred tripped on a cord in her living room…
Do you own your possessions, or do your possessions own you? As we grow older, many of us must make decisions about what to do with a lifetime of belongings. In more extreme cases, families find themselves dealing with hoarding, a disorder which becomes more common as people grow older. Collecting or Hoarding? What’s the Difference? Hoarding has been a…
When it comes to awareness about salt consumption, most of us know that consuming too much salt (sodium) can hurt our health. But does this automatically lead to us consuming a safe amount of salt? In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 90 percent of Americans eat too much salt. “Too much sodium raises blood…
In the two years since retirement, Regina has gained 15 pounds. When her doctor cautioned her about the weight gain at her last checkup, Regina said, “I don’t understand how I’ve gained so much! Now that I’m not sitting at a desk all day, I get out more and am more active. I must have a thyroid problem.”But when her…
