Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County produced this advertorial in the November 2010 issue of the North Bay Business Journal's Senior Living Guide. The article gives seniors and their family caregivers three terrific online resources for helping with the Stages of Senior Care, Caregiver Stress and Education, along with how to "Get Mom Moving" with activities for seniors. For more information, call your Home Instead Senior Care office in Sonoma County - 707.586.1516.

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Business Journal Reprint from November 8, 2010 / Page 15
3 terrific online resources
for seniors and family caregivers
Making decisions about senior care can be difficult, but finding help is easy
BY JULIE ANN ANDERSON
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE OF SONOMA COUNTY
For anyone who has started research- GetMomMoving.com: It’s easy to ing dementia, eldercare planning and
ing the various options for senior living look on aging with fear; there’s plenty at senior safety.
or for providing care for an elderly loved stake. Mom worries about falling in her And there’s even a video that reminds
one, you know that it can be overwhelm- home – maybe breaking a hip – us that often laughter is the very best
ing at times. at’s why Home Instead and losing her independence. medicine – the video has garnered more
Senior Care has created three websites to Of course you worry, too. than 3.5 million views on YouTube, and
help you get the resources you need, from Both of you know that we encourage you to share it with your
living and care options, to activities that growing frailty and loss Facebook friends.
strengthen the senior’s mind, body and of independence can be One of the many challenges of being
soul, to help for the family caregiver. the beginning of a down- a family caregiver is that you often don’t
StagesOfSeniorCare.com: The ward spiral. While staying know what information you need until
emotion-charged process of providing physically active may be a you need it. Our office receives plenty
care for your aging parents has (grate- challenge for seniors, getting of those panic calls in which a family
fully) become more complex over the Mom (and Dad) moving member is in charge of making a deci-
past 20 years. What used to be a decision can help prevent and even reverse signs sion about a change in senior care within
between choosing between family care of frailty. 24-48 hours.
at home and a nursing home is now a is website addresses the warning While we are fully equipped to help
maze of bewildering op- signs and fears of aging with simple them in that situation, it is always bet-
tions and alternatives for and practical suggestions for keep- ter to plan ahead and to know what
the uninformed. ing the mind, body and soul active resources are out there before you need
is website is a practi- such as a puzzle a day, walking them. ese websites help both the ag-
cal resource for senior liv- strong or movie matinee. e site ing adult as well as caregiving family
ing and care options such even provides a printable activities members to improve communication
as non-medical home care, calendar and booklet that anyone about aging and care issues so that when
assisted living, even hos- who is organizing these types of the need arises, they can together make
pice and financing care. activities for seniors will love. the right decisions.
Each chapter will walk CaregiverStress.com: is is truly Once you’ve done your research,
you through the options, the pros an educational website particularly for talking to someone familiar with the
and cons of each, what to look for and family members who are responsible for senior living and care options in your
avoid, plus how to deal with complica- taking care of an aging loved one. local area is the next step. We’ve been
tions such as family conflict and caregiver With more than 15 educational videos serving Sonoma County seniors and
stress that are almost certain to occur. and even more downloadable resources, their families with both care and advice
Stages also includes checklists and CaregiverStress.com provides practical for more than 12 years, and we’d be
diagnostic tools designed to help fami- help on topics such as happy to help you find the
lies make good, life-affecting decisions long-distance caregiving, best option for senior living
while confidently planning the best care patient-doctor communi- and home care. Simply call
for those they love most. is website cation, aging parent care Home Instead Senior Care
is based on the book, Stages of Senior and selecting an in-home care provider. of Sonoma County at 707-586-1516.
Care: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making In the helpful tips section, you can Or visit us on the web at http://homein-
the Best Decisions, written by Paul and find articles on a variety of subjects stead.com/sonoma. You can find us on
Lori Hogan. such as spousal caregiving, understand- Facebook and Twitter, too. ■
North Bay Business Journal • 427 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401 • 707-521-5270 • www.NorthBayBusinessJournal.com
NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL 15
© 2010 North Bay Business Journal. Reproduction in any form prohibited without permission.

2. SENIOR LIVING GUIDE NOVEMBER 8, 2010