The Challenges of Independent Living
It doesn't always involve a health
crisis.
It
can be the result of the natural aging process. As we grow
older, a person's visual, hearing and other physical
capabilities begin to change. Loneliness and a lack of
companionship can also add additional problems at this
changing stage of life. While the vast majority of people
over 65 are independent and living safely in their personal
homes, the number of those needing assistance with the
normal tasks of daily living is growing significantly in
number. Sometimes people just need a little help to remain
safely in their homes.
Important Information
The
key to keep people living independently and safely is
assistance with activities of daily living. These are the
every day basic tasks in life that we must all accomplish
just to get by. When people can't do these tasks/activities
independently, they all too often end up in facilities
instead of remaining in their homes where they want to be
and where we realize the quality of their life is best.
These basic activities include:
- Bathing
- Dressing
and grooming (ie. shaving, washing their hair)
- Getting in
and out of bed or up from chairs
- Going to
the bathroom
- Getting
around inside the house or apartment
- Preparing
and eating meals
- Light
housekeeping
- Laundry
- Meal
preparation
- Grocery
shopping
- Getting
around outside - visiting the doctor
- Errands
Community Homecare also provides one-to-one companionship
that eliminates social isolation through the following kinds
of activities:
-
Writing/correspondence
- Reading
-
Conversation
-
Entertainment
- Arts and
crafts and games
Caregivers provided by Community Homecare have complete
background checks, are trained, insured and covered by
worker's compensation. Our caregivers are kind-hearted
people with a gentle touch who understand the special needs
of older adults. |
DO YOU EVER WONDER ABOUT
CARING FOR YOUR PARENTS FROM A DISTANCE?
I wish I could be there, but
I just can't.
In today's world, it's not
uncommon for adult children to live in a different
city from their parents or relatives. It's hard to
know what they need and it's easy to feel helpless
and guilty.
The Critical Information
The first step in arranging
care from a distance is identifying what needs to be
done. Through Community Homecare's caring staff of
professionals, you can access a free online
Independent Living Assessment that lets you get
involved and be informed about factors that limit a
person's ability to live safe and independent in
the comfort of their home. By taking a few moments
of your time, you can answer a series of questions
to identify how well the individual can perform
activities of daily living and other factors that
impact their well being.
We offer this free tool as
the first step in the process of making sure you or
your loved one can remain safe at home. The
assessment results provide valuable information
about next steps, including recommendations for
checking with a physician when appropriate,
situations in which home care might help, "red
flags" about safety issues and general useful
information about conditions, what you should watch
for and expect.
At the end of the online
assessment, you are given the opportunity to send a
copy of the results to the Community Homecare office
and request that someone contacts you for
follow-up. In almost every instance, it is equally
important to have someone actually visit the
individual and perform an at-home assessment. This
involves much more detail and is conducted by a
trained health professional who asks a series of
questions in addition to observing the individual
and reviewing the home environment. The at-home
assessment can be arranged through your local
Community Homecare office, free of charge.
The at-home assessment
provides much more information as well as service
recommendations. You can arrange to receive a copy
of the at-home assessement report*, which indicates
the types of services recommended. This helps
provide peace of mind in knowing that the safety of
your loved one has been professionally assessed and
he or she is receiving the right level of care for
the right reason.
You can also arrange for
Community Homecare for ongoing status reports* that
will keep you informed and involved in the care of
your loved one. There may be an additional charge
for the reports.
*upon
consent by the individual receiving services |
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Do you know if your loved
one is safe at home?
Dad is getting older.
You worry about him because
he hasn't been able to do some of the things he used
to do with ease. You notice he can't go up and down
the stairs as easily as he used to, so you fear that
he may fall and hurt himself. You talk to your mom
on the phone and realize she is becoming isolated
and withdrawn. Her friends have either moved or
passed away and she doesn't know anyone in the
neighborhood. She's alone and lonely.
Important Information
As our parents grow older,
we, their children, have to address different
issues. We have concerns about the safety or
emotional needs of our parents. At the same time,
our parents want to maintain their independence.
They often tell us they don't need any help. We
must address these concerns while respecting our
loved one's need for independence. These can the
most difficult conversations you'll ever have with
your parents.
But there are things you can
do to make this task easier. By letting them know
there is often an alternative to moving out of their
house, you can begin to discuss how an assessment of
their situation can identify potential services that
can help them remain independent. A good assessment
and plan of care can help avoid accidents, overcome
isolation and reduce the medical and mental risks of
being home alone. The assessment usually takes from
45 minutes to an hour and includes questions and
observations about medications, nutrition, home
safety, social support needs, personal appearance,
and hygiene, health history, ability to communicate
and ability to perform activities of daily living
independently. It's not a test and it is conducted
by trained professionals who learn as much by
observing as they do by asking.
Give
the office nearest you a call - they will be happy
to discuss any questions regarding a free, at-home
assessment. |
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GET OVER THE GUILT AND
BALANCE YOUR LIFE!
You may be one of 25 million
Americans who spend all or part of their day
assisting five million family members or friends who
need help to remain at home.
According to the
Administration on Aging, the great majority of
caregivers are women - a quarter of whom care for
both older parents and children. Half of all
caregivers also work other jobs outside the home.
Often those same caregivers find themselves
overwhelmed and stressed out.
Important Information
We all want to remain at
home as long as we can and as a result, we can
sometimes overlook the effects of aging. Too often,
the family members try to do everything, trying to
become all things to all people. It's important to
realize that you aren't alone and you don't have to
take on all the responsibilities.
Community Homecare can provide the help you need to
keep your life balanced and make sure your loved one
is safe and cared for at home. It may only
require someone coming into the home for as few as
four hours a week to read, talk or share other
social activities. Or, it could mean a personal
care attendant who can clean house, cook, run
errands, drive to the doctor and assist with other
activities of daily living. Having a trained
professional assess the your loved one's needs and
getting appropriate help with some of the day-to-day
tasks can reduce your stress level and promote
better family relationships. It could be a little
help or a lot, for a short respite or long-term.
Community Homecare wants to help you and your loved
one make the most of life. |
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BEING AN "IN-THE-KNOW"
CONSUMER
There are so many support
services - it's easy to be confused or unsure of who
or what to select.
Also, there are differences
in funding sources and costs that are very hard to
understand. There may be a multitude of similar
companies offering medical or non-medical home care
and companion services, in addition to people who
work independently. While Internet sites and Yellow
Page ads may look impressive, it's very important to
understand all of the implications before making a
decision.
The Critical Information
There are basically two ways
to access supportive home care and there are major
differences between each one. It's very important
to be an "in-the-know" consumer before you make a
decision so that you can fully understand the
advantages and disadvantages of each choice. Here
are the two choices available:
Community Homecare -
this is a company that employs individuals to
provide specific health services and is responsible
for hiring the individual, performing background
screening, taxes, insurance, training the
individual, workers compensation, and other tasks
very important to the consumer. Employment is the
meaningful variable; it carries with it an array of
protections. If an employee has an appointment, is
sick, or goes on vacation, Community Homecare
provides another employee to perform the needed
services. Community Homecare supervises the
employee and sends Quality Control coordinators on a
monthly basis to ensure the work is being done to
your satisfaction. Community Homecare assigns
specific duties and supervises the caregivers, while
our staff keeps detailed records of the services
performed and of our client's status. Any changes
in status is reported to the supervisor or case
manager.
In many instances, Community
Homecare provides support for activities of daily
living (help with bathing, meal preparation,
laundry, etc.) and also skilled care (nursing
treatments, physical therapy). This means that if
someone is receiving help with shopping and errands
and becomes ill and needs nursing help, he or she
does not have to seek another source of help -
Community Homecare can provide the necessary care.
This makes for a smooth transition for the patient
and the family already dealing with someone becoming
ill.
Independent Contractor - This is a person who is
individually hired by either a family member or the
person needing help. While this may appear to be a
less expensive alternative, there are many "hidden"
costs and risks associated with this choice.
Whoever hires an independent contractor assumes
responsibility for payment of payroll taxes (they
are the employer). If the contractor is injured on
the job, the person who hired them is responsible
for all medical bills and any other expenses. When
the contractor takes a day off or goes on vacation,
he or she is not obligated to find a replacement.
There is no formalized supervision or quality
control program in place, nor is there a formalized
training program provided to the contractor to
ensure the appropriate care for your loved one.
Perhaps a bit lower in hourly costs, but the choice
of an independent contractor does not provide the
security, trust and assurance most people want for
themselves or their loved ones. |
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PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
When you need advice, seek a
professional.
This may include health care
professionals, but it is just as likely to mean
financial or legal advisors, church staff, community
agency staff, and many others. Research shows that
"professionals" are the most frequently used source
of information about home health care. But, many
professionals are little more informed about home
health care than their clients and family members.
What you need to know
Community Homecare works for
you in your professional capacity as well. The
at-home assessment tool we use will enhance your
assurance that the right thing is being done for the
ones who trust in you or turn to you for advice.
Many trust advisors and guardians rely upon
Community Homecare as a way to meet the health care
needs of their clients while being a good steward of
their assets. Our professional case managers work
with you to arrange supportive services for long or
short-term disability clients.
Community Homecare provides further assurance that
you are doing the right thing by making sure all
employer obligations are fulfilled to the letter of
the law. We also ensure that background checks and
liability protections are in place. In all, we help
you fulfill your obligations as a professional, even
when home care is not your profession. |
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