Photos in top banner: Our Graphic Designer and her children, Grace and Luke; National trails day Tom and Darcey lead hikers through the woods; Regina's son and family- Marissa, Ryan, Nora and Scott.
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Regina McNamara RN, MSN President & Kelly McNamara, Chief Operating Officer
Here at Always There Home Care, we are grateful you are slowing down to read our newsletter full of items that relate to home care, home health care, aging and eldercare, as well as some useful tips for daily living. Please enjoy in the spirit of community and cooperation in which this newsletter was sent.
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Also, see our beautiful new video,
here!!!
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FEATURE ARTICLE:
16 Ways to Get a Dementia Patient
to Eat More Food
By Bob Demarco | Alzheimer's Reading Room
Alzheimer's and dementia patients often eat less, and have difficulty eating, because of problems like chewing, swallowing or digesting food.
Alzheimer's and dementia patients sometimes lose interest in eating. This can happen for a long list of reasons including loss of taste, the ability to smell, memory loss, and thinking they already ate.
Medications can also effect appetite, and can increase constipation.
When a person has Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, these problems can become more pronounced, and often effect mood, behavior, and physical functioning.
All of these problems are caused by changes in the brain and effect eating as the disease progresses.
As Alzheimer's or dementia progresses getting a patient to eat a nutritious meal, or to eat enough, can become a problem.
This can cause the dementia caregiver to become frustrated, confused, and even angry. It can also bring on feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
1. The First Question I Always Ask is - What Color are Your Plates?
In a study conducted at Boston University researchers found that patients eating from red plates consumed 25 percent more food than those eating from white plates.
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KUDOS
from Kelly
By Kelly McNamara
Marisha Pruitt:
Marisha is a rookie with us, a first time Caregiver with our company. But she possesses a wisdom far beyond her years. She was determined that her special client Mrs N be able to enjoy a "truly proper shower". After a few short days she succeeded and her client was so very grateful.
Keeping her active, safe, well hydrated and enjoying good attention to hygiene and nice skin care improved her well being and safety.
We hope that all our solid promising caregivers go onto further education. Marisha is actually headed to social work school in the fall.
We will try to accommodate both her academic schedule with her continued care of Mrs N at least a few days a week.
Marisha in her short time with us has demonstrated an extraordinary level of motivation and compassion for someone so young.
We are so glad she chose our agency as a place to expand her care skills and hope that she will stay with us for a long time!!
Thanks Marisha!!
All caregivers mentioned in this column will receive a bonus and our sincere gratitude! Many many thanks to all of you for once again extending yourselves to ensure that we are of course Always There...!! ■
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Interaction between older adults & children benefit both By: Jessica Adams
We've all looked at busy, bouncing children and wondered, 'Where do they get all that energy?' Grandparents or older adults in particular may feel daunted by the prospect of spending time with little ones.
But intergenerational activities can be easy and fun, not to mention good for you, says the Healthy Aging Partnership, a coalition of 40 Puget Sound area not-for-profit organizations dedicated to the health and well-being of older adults.
Interactions with young people allow older adults to relate to another generation, learn about new technology and trends and serve as role models for children growing into tomorrow's adults.
The excitement of seeing the world through younger eyes can get older adults 'up and doing,' reducing depression, relieving boredom and improving health.
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Laura joined us a few weeks ago but has already become well known to many of our clients and staff.
Laura has had a long and successful career in both clinical nursing as well as business development positions where she utilized her nursing expertise to help clients transitioning from a hospital or facility to home.
She has worked at VNA Health at Home as a field nurse and intake coordinator. She was also a nurse liaison and account executive at Patient Care.
At Hartford Healthcare at Home she worked for several years as a field nurse with both medically complicated and behavioral health patients.
She is also a certified wound care nurse.
Her last position before joining us was at Health at Home in Branford where she served as Community Care Coordinator.
We are fortunate to have yet another nurse on our management team to provide clinical guidance to our caregivers and support our business development goals as well.
Please join me in welcoming Laura to our company! ■
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Providers We Love
We are privileged to have received referrals from and be able to coordinate care with many Assisted Living facilities, rehab facilities, and Medicare Home Care and Hospice agencies. Our growth is in large part due to the trust the staff in these organizations have put in our caregivers. We are likewise impressed with them and we are committed to referring to them on a regular basis
The Hearth Assisted Living Southbury, Branford, Guilford, Madison All it takes is one simple stroll through The Hearth to feel the special difference their residents experience daily. Staff are friendly, helpful, genuine. You instantly feel the teamwork among their staff. Feeling lost? The first person you encounter shows you the way. Residents are treated like family. They are happy, and enjoy telling visitors all about their home. Their secret? The Live More philosophy that is at the core of everything they do and is the essence of what makes Hearth Management different.
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Village Gate of Farmington Retirement Community
We have been familiar with Village Gate for some time as a place for meetings and a welcoming place to reside. Recently one of our favorite client families moved in and this provided us with an excuse to actually visit and explore the grounds and the lovely interior of this charming and active retirement community...
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About Always There Home Care
Always There Home Care provides compassionate, dependable and professional one-on-one care for seniors who need assistance in the comfort of their homes or residential care communities. Services from highly qualified and trained caregivers range from companionship, meal preparation and incidental transportation to personal care, medication management and RN-directed case management. Available 7 days a week, services range from a few hours a day to 24-hour care.
Always There Home Care understands that every situation is unique and creates individualized care plans to help improve a client's quality of life.
Our Caregivers
Our caregivers are totally committed, highly qualified and carefully selected individuals who are personally and thoroughly screened, bonded and insured. Most are Certified Nurse Assistants or Home Health Aides. Most importantly our caregivers are dependable and extraordinarily caring of others. In addition to their previous experience, our caregivers receive continuous training that includes dementia, hospice care, home safety, nutrition and other topics related to seniors. These highly qualified and trained caregivers are ready to help you and your loved ones with a variety of daily activities such as:
Personal care
/
Meal planning and preparation
Transportation to doctor appointments and other errands
Caring companionship
/ Light housekeeping
Medication reminders /
Information and referral services
Our personalized, nurse- supervised services are available 7 days a week and
can range from a few hours a day to 24 hours and live in care.
For more information or service needs, call 24 hours a day at:
800.348.0485 or visit www.AlwaysThereHomeCare-CT.com.
We are Always There!
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