CAREGivers and Client Relationships

This morning one of our CAREGivers stopped by my office to update me on one of our client’s who recently fell during the night.  Unfortunately his wife had to call 911 and he is recovering in a rehab facility.

Yesterday she stopped in to visit with the client and found him sleeping.  So she sat down and waited until he woke up.  When he woke up he grabbed my CAREGiver’s hand and just smiled at her.  He would not let go of her hand.  His wife was so pleased to see him happy and smiling. 

My CAREGiver told me she thought while he was rehabbing there would be no work for her but his wife insisted she continue to come and visit as well as help her at the rehab facility.  The wife told my CAREGiver “you are our rock”.

The bond between a client and CAREGiver can be very special and this is what we strive for when helping and caring for our clients. When we hire people we focus on learning about the individual and how compassionate they are as individuals.  Their compassion and passion makes the difference.

Seniors & Conversation

My CAREGiver was with a client for the third time this morning. Our client likes someone who will respect his space and who will keep a low profile based on his nature and request. This morning however, the CAREGiver took him to the window to show him the changing colors and falling leaves which triggered great memories.  He expressed how his mother loved plants and how she would buy them and then ask her husband to plant them throughout the yard.

I welcome the stories from our CAREGivers because it really helps us to know how to more easily engage with our clients. It also enables us to develop a different level of trust and credibility and most importantly to bond with our clients.

So I honor the great work our CAREGivers do each and every day.  They really are the heart of this wonderful business.

Senior Resources

At the end of the day on Friday I picked up a message from a business owner whom I had spoken with about her Mom and Dad 2 weeks ago.  She was frustrated because Dad had become increasingly agitated and somewhat abusive.  Her mom was tired and feeling as though she had no opportunity to get out of the house.

During the conversation she asked me lots of great questions and I made some suggestions to her that would stimulate and engage her father plus present an opportunity to enable her mom to leave the house so she could get her time and take care of her needs.  We also sent some information to my caller.  So when I listened to the message I was ecstatic to hear her excitement in her voice.  She had identified a woman to come in and work with her parents on a project.  Additionally she mentioned she was having conversations with them on those tough subjects we all tend to ignore, those last stages of care for our seniors.  Mom and Dad were receptive and engaging with the dialogue. 

She was grateful for having spent the time on the phone and ideas that were presented to her.  It was the perfect way to end the day knowing someone is navigating through options for their family members and finding the right solution for their situation.

Senior Care Options, A New Book For Navigating

Paul and Lori Hogan, founders of Home Instead Senior Care, the world’s largest provider of non-medical in-home care for seniors, share their experiences in a newly released book, Stages of Senior Care.

The book serves as a comprehensive guide and resource that will help families about the many senior care options available including senior and/or adult care centers, non-medical care at home, medical care at home, retirement and independent living communities, assisted living, skilled nursing homes, and hospice care.

Mehmet Oz, M.D., host of the “Dr. Oz Show” and previously featured health expert for “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” said the book will guide family caregivers through the surprisingly complex world of senior care.”

All the authors’ profits from the sale of this book will be donated to the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation.  To order a book click the link below:

<ahref=”http://www.stagesofseniorcare.com/buy-the-book/?utm_source=Franchisee%2BBanner&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=large&utm_campaign=Stages%2BBook%20Banner” title=”Need More Help? Get your copy of the book, Stages of Senior Care”><img src=”http://homeinstead.com/resources/buy-the-book-300.gif” alt=”Need More Help? Get your copy of the book, Stages of Senior Care” /></a>

Relocating an Office

We just relocated our office to a new larger location in Mountain View. The move actually went very well until 24 hours after we were in our new space and began to experience intermittent phone problems. As a result I have been 100% focused on resolving what we thought was a PBX issue but turned out our T1 vendor forgot to pull an analog line over to our new location and created 1 week’s worth of complete frustration until we found the problem.

The good news is we are finally starting to feel settled. In our new location and now we have both a conference and training room.

Because I mandate my CAREGivers complete 40 hours of training annually having the room to role-play along with hands on training we are excited about having the resource to continue to educate our CAREGivers to bring the highest quality of non-medical in home care to our senior population.

I am passionate about education, knowledge is power and our CAREGivers value the investment we continue to make in them.  Providing education on Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, personal care, learning about hearing aids and other assorted topics is critical especially with our senior population and number of individuals being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease as an example. 

So thanks for checking back and I look forward to producing more worthy reading material in the coming days and months ahead.

Seniors Being Misled or Abused You Decide

Earlier this week I received an email from a colleague advising his family members were in need of help but what you don’t know is this request of help started over a year ago.  Here’s the story.

My colleagues Grandparents need some support in their home where they wish to remain.  Finally they decided to take the plunge and invite another company in before I could speak with them.

After many conversations about home care services with a family member, the couple brought in another company. Then I received an email and learned the other company presented one solution at an hourly cost that did not represent an average hourly cost known in the market. I expressed my concern to my colleague and advised him that because of the below market hourly cost expect the other company to come back and increase the cost for home care services.

As you probably can guess this is exactly what happened. The other company came in to do an evaluation. The evaluator was not an employee but a contractor. I learned that the couple felt coerced into signing a contract.

The contractor for the other company did not leave a signed copy of the contract.  It took several requests from  the couple  to receive the signed contract and they had no idea what they really had signed. 

 

The caregiver arrived the first 2 days and 48 hours later the other company called to inform the couple the hourly rate would be increased by $5 per hour.  The explanation, well there really was no explanation.   The caregiver they said would show up never did and they had to replace the caregiver with someone else. 

It frustrates me when I learn of these stories.  When my colleague originally contacted me with his concerns I explained that what some  companies will bring in contractors not employees.  This means his family members are deemed the employer and if the contractor is injured they will be responsible and liable for any medical care.   I also explained some companies will quote a very low cost of service and once they secure the service a few days later will come back and explain a higher level of service is needed along with a price increase.   I cannot understand why these companies feel the need to pressure someone into signing a contract, not leaving a duplicate and increasing the price just a few days later. 

My opinion is this is a form of elder abuse.  Emotional abuse in pressuring them to sign a contract before completing their due diligence.  Financial abuse, one price quoted and a few days later an increase in services performed.  The moral of this story, when hiring home care agencies take the time to interview the companies, ask and call references, check with your local Better Business Bureau, ask questions about how the company employs their staff and caregivers,.  You can also contact the National Private Duty Association, to be a member you must have a level of standards in place.

So you decide misled or a form of abuse?

Research Supports Importance of Activity Among Those 80-Plus Years Old

A little physical activity can go a long way toward extending life for people in their mid to late 80s, Israeli researchers report.

The three-year survival rate was about three times higher for active 85-year-olds compared with those who were inactive. Getting less than four hours of exercise a week was considered inactive; getting more than that was active.

Exercise provided benefits even for previously sedentary 85-year-olds, as their three-year survival rate was double that of inactive 85-year-olds. Walking at least four hours weekly counted as activity, even if it was in just 15-minute strolls a few times daily.

“As little as four hours a week was as beneficial as more vigorous or prolonged activity,” said study author Dr. Jeremy Jacobs of Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center.

According to a Miami Herald article, active octogenarians also reported less depression and loneliness and a greater ability to perform daily tasks.

Similar benefits have been shown in people in their 60s and 70s, but there has been little research about exercise for people in their 80s.

Preparedness Campaign Urges Families, Businesses to ‘Drill’

Today I came across the preparedness campaign and felt compelled to post the information as a result of my preparedness blog yesterday.  Help make our seniors as safe as possible!

The Safe America Foundation has announced a preparedness campaign, the “9/11 Drill Down for Safety,” to encourage American families to conduct communication drills this September as a first step in an annual practice rehearsing what they would do during a natural disaster or other form of emergency.

“Safe America believes that individuals are the ‘missing link’ in preparedness; through this program, we will annually involve millions – teaching them that in an emergency, they are their own first responder,” said Safe America President Len Pagano.

The foundation is working with wireless carriers on focusing on non-voice communications, especially texting. Pagano noted that in emergencies where digital communications may go down, text messages may still get through or be held in the queue for delivery (once service is normalized). He noted that having parents learn how to text is a valuable safety tool. And, he noted Safe America will offer texting lessons from a newly-created web site.

www.safeamericaprepared.org

The recent “Pledge to Drill”/pre-9/11 media blitz also focused on other social media tools like Twitter and Facebook, which can help keep family and friends in touch if voice networks are knocked off line.

“Much as been written about how to stockpile food and water during a crisis, but we want Americans to think about how they’d communicate if phone lines were down or networks go offline,” said Former Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, the program’s honorary chairman. “How they’d get in touch with loved ones is a critical issue, as we learned during Katrina. We want families to plan now how they will communicate, and have the tools like texting – or newer ones like Twitter and Facebook – loaded into their phones and mobile devices, ready to use in an emergency.”

The project also will focus on the importance of educating children on how to communicate in adverse situations. As part of 9/11 Drill Down for Safety, parents will be urged to have their children pre-load emergency URLs and messages into their mobile devices, as well as set up text messaging templates that can speed up communications and provide immediate access during an emergency.

Senior 911 – Senior Care Company Says Advance Planning Can Help Safeguard Older Adults from Disaster

As we approach the 10 year anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, this topic is relevant and an important reminder for planning purposes.  We have a disaster plan that we review during the year working to be prepared and hoping we never have to execute the plan.

Hurricanes and natural disasters disproportionately threaten older adults who aren’t prepared for the sudden disruptions that they can cause. Seniors and their families need to take ten critical steps today to ensure that they are prepared in case of emergency.

Omaha, NE (PRWEB) September 3, 2008 — Spring and summer often bring volatile weather that threatens lives and property. Older adults can be among the most vulnerable victims when disasters strike, according to the local senior-care company Home Instead Senior Care.

“At the local level, we know that a disaster can be deadly for some seniors because of physical and other limitations,” according to Marge Thompson, co-owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Brevard County.

“That’s why the sooner the better for families to talk with their senior loved ones and begin preparing in advance for any kind of emergency that could threaten their health or safety.”

Family caregivers play a critical role in this process, said Thompson. “The main thing for seniors and families to do right away is assess what the senior would need in the event of a disaster. If someone requires additional assistance they should identify a team — a personal support network — such as neighbors, friends, relatives and professional caregivers who will help,” she said. Home Instead Senior Care hires CAREGivers who go into seniors’ homes to help keep them independent as well as assist them in a time of crisis.

“Seniors and their family caregivers should organize a plan around every place they might be during the day or week, such as a library or community center, when a disaster could strike,” she noted.

Communication after a disaster is another vital component of such a plan. “The local telephone lines often are overloaded in a disaster,” Thompson said, “but long-distance lines may be working. Seniors should always have an out-of-town contact number available to call after a disaster to let someone know they are O.K.”??

10 Ways to Help Seniors Prepare for Disaster

Following are 10 ways that seniors, their families and caregivers can prepare for a natural disaster, according to Home Instead Senior Care.

1.Tune in. Stay abreast of what’s going on in your area through your local radio or television. Know where to get information during an emergency, either through the local television, radio or NOAA weather radio. Make sure that a senior who is hearing- or vision-impaired has the proper tools to be notified of a disaster.

2.Take stock. Decide what your senior can or can’t do in the event of a natural disaster. Make a list of what would be needed for that individual if a disaster occurred. For example, if your loved one is wheelchair-bound, where would that individual go to take shelter and how would that person get out if evacuation was ordered. Make sure you prepare for whatever disaster could hit the area.

3.To go or to stay? When deciding to evacuate, older adults should go sooner rather than later. By waiting too long, they may be unable to leave if they require assistance from others.

4.Make a plan. Schedule a family meeting to develop a plan of action. Include in your plan key people  such as neighbors, friends, relatives and professional caregivers — who could help.

5.More than one way out. Like all families and households, seniors should develop at least two escape routes, one out of their home in case of a fire when they need to get out of the home quickly and out of the area in case they need to evacuate their community. (The local emergency management office can tell you escape routes out of the community.)

6.Meet up. Designate a place to meet other relatives or key support network people outside the house, as well as a second location outside the neighborhood, such as a school or church. Practice the plan at least twice a year. This is important in case you get separated. Select long-distance family or friends to call in case of major disaster/evacuation, where a local meeting place is not possible (such as what happened after Hurricane Katrina).

7.”Get up and Go Kit.” Have an easy-to-carry backpack including three days non-perishable food and water with an additional four days of food and water readily accessible at home. Have at least one gallon of water per person per day. Bottled water may be easier to store and carry. Refresh and replace your supplies at least twice a year. And don’t forget the blanket and paper products such as toilet paper.

8.Pack extras and copies. Have at least a one-month supply of medication on hand at all times. Make ready other important documents in a water-proof protector including copies of prescriptions, car title registration and driver’s license, insurance documents and bank account numbers, and spare checkbook. Also take extra eye glasses and hearing-aid batteries. Label every piece of important equipment or personal item in case they are lost.

9.Your contact list. Compile a contact list and include people on a senior’s support network as well as doctors and other important health-care professionals.

10.Professional help. Call a professional CAREGiver if you or your loved one needs extra help. If a senior needs assistance and you can’t be there, find a Home Instead Senior Care office nearest your loved one.

Resources
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
For more information about advance disaster preparations, download the Federal Emergency Management Agency publication “Are You Ready” at www.fema.gov/areyouready or visit their “Be Ready” campaign at www.ready.gov.

Senior Care & Falls

Earlier this week we learned that one of our clients took a spill. What is so unfortunate about this story is the family has caregiving services in place over night and during the day as well.  However, there is a lapse of one hour before the next CAREGiver is due to arrive and during the one hour gap the client was alone and took a tumble.

Fortunately the client is okay.  A day later her tooth dislodged.  Though we cannot say for certain if the loss of the tooth is a result of the fall it is worth noting that falls like this can bring on so many issues that can lead to health declines.  Our client is very fortunate.

Did you know fall-related medical expenses cost Americans more than $20 billion each year, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Projections show these expenses will climb to more than $32 billion over the next 20 years. Our already strapped Medicare and Medicaid systems will be hard-pressed to meet these new costs.

These costs do not take into consideration the pain and discomfort our seniors experience as a result of falling.  There are many great sites out there to educate us on how to keep seniors safe and strong to prevent falls.