Photos in top banner: Emma and Lillian Krumenacker (Jessica's Children) camping out; Charlotte (Regina's Grandniece) and Elmo; Nora (Regina's Granddaughter) playing w/ Ryan's toys while he's at school; Luke Dolan (our graphic designer's son) celebrating his 2nd birthday!
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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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12 Ways to Control Caregiver Stress & Sadness
By Bob Demarco | Alzheimer's Reading Room
Some of the biggest problems we face in dementia care are stress, sadness, and depression. As a result, we need to take proactive steps to insure we avoid deep sadness and stay on mission.
Sadness is a normal human emotion. Sadness is often triggered by a difficult, hurtful, challenging experiences, or situation.
In our case, caring for someone living with dementia can lead to a deep sadness.
Deep sadness often feels like depression.
When this happens we sometimes lose our ability to function properly. It sometimes feels hopeless.
In order to reduce sadness we as caregivers must take action to insure we don't fall into the trap that often comes with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia.
1. Don't take on more responsibility than you can handle. Learn to ask for help when you need it. Consider putting together a team of friends and relatives to share the burden. Don't go it alone.
2. Adult Day Services. Adult day care services take place in a professional care setting in which adults living with dementia, receive individualized social and health services for some part of the day, or all day. Typically, caregivers avoid day services when their loved says they will refuse to go. This is common. In fact, while most dementia patients complain about this they actually thrive in day services.
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KUDOS
from Kelly
By Kelly McNamara
Sameda Amegashi - ANGIE! When we were
seeking an extra special live in caregiver for a
lovely lady who deserved not only wonderful
personal care and maintenance of safety but
also a delightful and engaging companion, we
immediately thought of Angie.
Since Angie is in high demand among other home care agencies as well as ours, we had no idea she might possibly be available... But Voila! As it turned out she had just left a position in a nursing home and was seeking a home care assignment. Fate and luck at it's best.
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Not Taking Yourself too Seriously
I'm flying to San Francisco on United out of Boston. I have nearly four million air miles, but I watched the video of the flight safety demo because it was so appealing: United employees having fun and determined to have us understand how to put on the life vest and oxygen masks. I found it engaging (there was a colorful dinosaur and an occupied golf cart simulating turbulence careering down a hill) and also ingenious. Other airlines are attempting the same thing (I understand one of them with some nudity).
One Halloween I walked into my bank and all the tellers had costumes on. My UPS driver always has biscuits for the dogs (after their obligatory barking). I told my auto service manager that I wanted a fun loaner, so she sent over a high-end Porsche sports car. The new Teslas, when put into their highest performance mode, ask, "Would you rather call your momma?"
Deadly serious is usually just deadly. We need to stop taking our work and ourselves as if we are deciding on the fate of civilization, stop regarding every meeting as a high holy day. I give the benefit of the doubt to those who don't take themselves too seriously (which is why I loathe people in rest rooms talking on their phones, awash in self-importance, as though they are brain surgeons on call when, in fact, they're insurance adjusters on vacation).
So here's my mantra for this week: Don't take yourself too seriously and have some fun. In so doing, I guarantee you'll bring joy to others. ■
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Not everyone should buy long-term care
insurance but everyone should have a
long-term care plan
A Few Things to Consider
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70% of people over the age of 65 will need LTC at some point in their lives
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LTCi helps to ensure loved ones are not on the hook physically, financially and emotionally for long-term care needs. Their funds can remain invested and LTCi allows an income stream to continue so the family can continue their lifestyle as planned.
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With people living longer, there are times that four generations might be living and someone in their 50s could be raising their children while helping their parents and grandparents. By having a LTC plan in place, it can ease the obligations of the one person trying to do it all.
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Typically, long-term care services are a new expense that people don't plan for. Some people say "We'll use social security for it or our retirement income if the need arises" but what happens if those funds already allocated for something else.
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When planning for the future, people should consider if they were to need to hire home care services which can cost $6,000-9,000 per month, where would that money come from?
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Alzheimer's is on the rise. By 2025, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer's disease is estimated to reach 7.1 million which is a 40% increase from the 5 million over age 65 who are currently affected.
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A recently published study found that there are a very high number of families that are spending more money to care for their aging parents than on raising their children. Long-term care insurance is about protecting those we love by insuring against an unknown.
Long-Term Planning Associates, LLC
Tel: (203) 331-1818 Ext. 2 | Fax: (866) 297-7758
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What Does Love Mean?
See How 4-8 Year-Old Kids Describe Love
By: Ladan Lashkari, Dec 29, 2010
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds: "What does love mean?"
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think...
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca - age 8
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss." Emily - age 8
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate." Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6
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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
Kindred Care at Home / Formerly Gentiva Home Health Care Services Stratford, Old Saybrook,
Hamden, Farmington.
Their services include: Skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational and speech language therapy Neurorehabilitation, wound care, disease and pain management, medication management and education. They maintain a special expertise in dementia care.
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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
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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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