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Caregiver Matters - Tips for Caregiving

agency matters

8/23/2022

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Seniors are living longer, and families are increasingly called upon to provide some type of caregiving assistance in the home to protect their health and well being. As they are called upon to assist with personal care needs, as well as the various Activities of Daily Living, these family members can feel the pinch and pressure of their already full calendars.  The "Sandwich Generation" can quickly find more on their plate than they are able to handle!

When the need for care becomes more than the family can provide, it's a safe bet that something has to change. While some families opt for moving their loved one to a Assisted Living or Long Term Care facility, others enlist the aid of a Home Care Agency. These agencies are able to provide trained, licensed and qualified staff who can provide assistance to seniors in their home. Many seniors can safely stay in their own homes with 12 to 20 hours a week of help from a caregiver. 

This is not only an option, but it's both a healthier and less expensive option than facility care. Seniors who stay in their own home tend to live longer, healthier and happier lives than those forced to move into a care facility. If the individual needs a minimal amount of homecare, it is much, much less expensive than facility care. While home care for 20 hours per week can cost between $25 to $30 per hour, ($500 to $750 per week), the cost for assisted living can cost between $3,500 to $5,000 per month!

At Visiting Angels, we pride ourselves on our rigorous hiring process! We do a five panel drug test with all applicants, and perform a nationwide fingerprint based background check!  Our staff are covered by Workmen's Comp, as well as a million dollar liability insurance policy!  Families who hire private caregivers run the risk of being financially responsible if the caregiver is injured on the job, or there is a problem with the caregiver in any way.

Research agencies... check out their reviews on Google! See what other people are saying about them, and make your decisions accordingly! Don't wait until you are totally burned out to ask for help!  Allow a good agency to send help, and then you go be the "son", "daughter" or family member!

Click here for more information!
www.visitingangels.com/bartlesville

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love matters!

2/7/2022

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Today is my daughter's birthday... She is my oldest, the first one to make me a "daddy". I love my two sons just a much, but there's something special about a "daughter/daddy" relationship. The same goes with my boys and the relationship they have with their mom. Today I took her out for a birthday lunch, just the two of us. We will do the family birthday dinner tomorrow night, but it was a great time for her and me to just hang out. 

One of things I have on my repeating task list is to periodically ask my kids about their "bucket list". I've challenged each one of them to dream- about things they would like to own, places they would like to visit, things they would love to experience, and so on. I want to visit with them about their dreams so I can dream with them, and help support them in their pursuit of those dreams. That means planning for the future, setting priorities and sometimes making hard decisions in life. Why do I do it? I mean, I really do have enough on my own plate to keep me busy, and they are grown adults! I do it because I love them, and I want the very best for them.

In a nutshell, isn't that what it means to discuss, plan for and engage the topic of home and health care with aging parents? We love them, and we want the very best for them. For a quality future, living where THEY want to live, it does require planning for the future, setting priorities and yes, sometimes making hard decisions. Why go through all of that? You know the answer to that question. Because you love them, and LOVE MATTERS!

There are so many issues when it comes to caring for aging parents! I'd love to recommend a great resource for your consideration. Check out "Taking Care of Mom & Dad: A Beginner's Guide to Caring for Your Parents" (click link to check this out on Amazon). This fantastic resource was authored by 17 different Visiting Angels Franchise Owners from around the country, most of whom have a decade or more in the home care industry!  

Love is fulfilling, it's exciting and it's a part of who we are when we are at our best. But more than that, Love Matters, and love is worth the time and effort it takes from us to do it well. So get out there, and if your parent or parents are still living, have some of those conversation! Love Matters!

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Family matters

3/17/2021

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The seniors in our lives are among the most precious gifts we possess! Parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends, the elderly among us need and deserve our love and respect. Some of those providing the gift of care are family members who provide much needed assistance to a loved one. Others are paid professional caregiving aides who work in the home health or medical fields.  Either way, it is hard not to fall in love with these wonderful people who are being cared for!

There are several very critical things to remember when it comes to caregiving and family. Handling these issues well is vital to the quality of life for the senior. 
  1. Effective Communicate- if you are a caregiver, do the very best you can to communicate effectively and consistently with the family members of the senior. Families who are not able to be the primary caregiver appreciate it so much when they are kept in the loop of information and need.
  2. Respect Family Dynamics- This senior has spent decades building relationships with various family members. Some of those relationships are positive, while others may be distant or strained. It is not the responsibility of the caregiver to "fix" anything. However the caregiver needs to be aware of the relationship dynamics in a family, and sensitive to any special issues or situations that can arise because of those unique situation.
  3. Acknowledge Boundaries- In every caregiving situation there are boundaries that must be communicated, understood and respected. Sometimes those boundaries involve personal space. Other boundaries might focus on financial or property issues. Still other boundaries may include topics of conversation or issues that should or should not be discussed. A quality caregiver learns the boundaries by asking questions, watching interactions closely, communicating regularly with the senior and family members and by responding appropriately to a crisis when it happens.
  4. Ask for Help- You should never feel alone as a caregiver. Communicate with family members of the senior as needed and as you are able. Encourage visits, phone calls, Facetime or other types of communication from family members with the senior.  If you see problems that are beyond what you feel qualified to understand or help with, then seek out professional counsel from experts in the senior care industry. 

Understand your role as a caregiver. If you are a family member, you've taken on a huge responsibility. It can be full of both joy and heartache. If you are a paid professional or a volunteer, know that you have legal, ethical and even moral responsibilities to provide the very best care for your senior. They may not be your family, but you should care for them as if they were the dearest member of your own family. 

If you would like more information about caregiving issues as they relate to family matters, contact the amazing people at Visiting Angels of Tulsa!

Visiting Angels of Bartlesville
1401 SE Washington Blvd.
Bartlesville, OK 74003
www.visitingangels.com/bartlesville

dritter@visitingangels.com

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    Author

    Page Cole is a leader in home care in Oklahoma. He has published the following resources for Seniors-

    "LifeChest- Gathering Your Most Important Life Information in One Location"

    "Taking Care of Mom & Dad- A Beginners Guide to Caring for Your Parents"


    "Protecting Your Nest Egg- Fraud Protection for Senior Citizens from Con Artists, Thieves and Scams"

    "Life Hacks for Seniors: Tips and Tricks for Older Americans!"

    All of these resources are available on Amazon.com!

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Tulsa, OK 74120

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Tulsa, OK 74120

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  • Home
    • Book: Taking Care of Mom & Dad
    • Book: Protecting Your Nest Egg
    • Book: LifeChest
    • Book: Life Hacks for Seniors
  • Caregiver Matters - Tips for Caregiving