If you’re a family member or an adult child caring for a senior parent, you understand it’s a complex relationship. The roles you traditionally held are reversed. Now that you’re in the position of providing senior care, it’s up to you to explain the doctor’s instructions and make sure your parents are taking their medications. You’re the teacher to the person who once taught you.
The caregiver role can be incredibly stressful but try to remember that while you are thrust into a new role, so are they. To them, it probably feels like only yesterday they could jump into their car to run errands or hop on a flight to explore another country. Now, not only is their world a lot smaller, they may be forced to navigate it with a walker or scooter. But it’s important to remember, they are still the same people inside, even if their mobility and level of independence have changed. Respectful Senior Care Strategies As a quality home care agency, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton understands that family caregivers play an integral role in keeping their loved ones safe and happy at home. We also know that this role comes with a lot of stress. Below, we have put together a list of senior care strategies that can help family caregivers respectfully communicate, engage, and care for their loved ones. Subtly Assist Them Many seniors want to feel as independent as possible. Even though they may need assistance stepping off a curb, they don’t want to feel dependent. Those are the times to subtly assist. You can casually offer help with a comment like, “Wow, this curb looks slippery, let’s hang onto one another!” By inserting yourself into the situation, they won’t feel as needy. Listen to Them The world spins quickly for elderly people, and they may not be current with trending topics. They may instead wish to regale you with tales from their younger years. Let them. You may know the stories by heart, but if sharing them gives your loved one joy, then that’s all that matters. Defer to Them Over a holiday or family dinner, it’s easy for seniors to get lost in the conversations whizzing around them. Take opportunities to ask them what they think or encourage them to share a story about the topics being discussed. Giving them center stage can help to make them still feel connected to the family and the world around them. Gift of Your Time Time is a precious commodity, so give them quality time. You may have spent several hours on a Tuesday going to and from a doctor’s appointment. But, if possible, make a plan to pick up dinner another night that week and bring it over so you can enjoy a movie together. Their days are often full of maintenance-type, medical-driven tasks, so gifting your time to make new memories is priceless. Empathize with Your Senior Picture yourself in 40 years. Would you want to be treated differently just because you’re wearing a sweater or carrying a cane? Try to relate to what this new chapter is like for them. We know you want the best for your loved one, but we also understand that providing elder care is challenging with a busy life. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, now is a good time to ask for help. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is here to support you and your family with senior home care services. We can provide care in a way that makes sense for your family and your needs. Our professional in-home caregivers can handle personal care and household tasks, like showering, dressing and preparing meals, so you can focus on spending quality time together and building lasting memories. Together with your family, we will give your loved one all the respect and love they deserve. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning home care agency that has been providing quality in-home care for the elderly and people with disabilities for over eighteen years. Countless families have benefited from our respite home care, dementia and Alzheimer’s care, companionship service, live-in and 24-hour senior care, transitional aid, and elder home care services in Norwood, Westwood, Dedham, Needham, Newton, Boston’s (Upper) Back Bay, Brookline, Canton, Dedham, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Natick, Roslindale, Stoughton, Watertown, Wellesley, and West Roxbury, and neighboring communities in Massachusetts. The non-medical assistance Visiting Angels Newton/Canton provides can significantly impact your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Call us at (617) 795-2727 to book a free in-home consultation with one of our knowledgeable case managers today!
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Being a caregiver is a rewarding job that allows you to care for older adults who need help while supporting and positively impacting your community in Massachusetts. It is challenging to work as an independent caregiver; that’s why most caregivers choose to work for a home care agency. If you are on the hunt for a caregiver job but don’t know what kind of agency to work for, here are some things to remember when applying and interviewing for your next caregiver job. What to look for and ask your potential employer
1. An agency that sees the value of their employees’ hard work. These agencies offer competitive pay, bonuses, and the opportunity for a raise. They also put effort into recognizing outstanding performance with awards to exemplary employees. 2. An agency that cares for the well-being of its employees. They provide paid sick leave when you get sick and need to take some time off. They offer benefits such as 401K retirement programs and competitive health insurance plans. They are willing to work with their employees to provide them with a flexible work schedule or allow them to work part-time. 3. An agency with supportive management and staff who will encourage and support you throughout your career as a caregiver and be there for you when you have any questions or experience challenges with your clients. 4. An agency that provides on-the-job training to ensure its caregivers will be successful and ensure they understand the role and expectations of the job. 5. An agency that values its staff and invests in them by offering their staff training courses to further their knowledge and skill set. The basic requirements of a caregiver Finding your dream job is one thing. Getting hired for it is another, so you must ensure that you meet and exceed home care agency’s basic requirements. The best home care agencies strive to provide the best care to their clients by choosing the best caregivers to work for them. These agencies will likely require a minimum of one year of experience as a caregiver, including either caring for an elder in your family or having experience as a professional caregiver. Most agencies will require you to be either an HHA or CNA-certified caregiver. Other conditions may include passing a background check, a TB test, the ability to speak, read and write English, and having good references. Good home care agencies will also choose compassionate employees dedicated to their job as a caregiver. Read this article to learn more about what home care agencies look for in caregivers. Join our team today! If you are looking for a rewarding job where you can provide comfort and assistance to seniors, have the support of a caring and experienced office staff, and have room to grow and develop your skills as a professional caregiver, we are the agency for you! Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has been providing home care services to seniors in Brookline, Boston’s (Upper) Back Bay, Canton, Dedham, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Stoughton, Watertown, Wellesley, Westwood, and West Roxbury, and neighboring communities in Massachusetts since 2004. We genuinely value our caregivers and provide them with the training and support needed to succeed in their careers. This could be the perfect fit for you! If a caregiver job at Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is something you are interested in pursuing, we would love to meet you! Click this link to apply for a caregiver job today or call us at (617) 795–2727. Many seniors are choosing to age in place at home instead of moving to an assisted living or nursing facility. To maintain a good quality of life, some seniors may need additional assistance with their medical or personal care and daily household tasks. Deciding whether a “home care nurse” or an “in-home personal caregiver” is required is a crucial first step. What Does an In-Home Caregiver Do? An in-home personal caregiver provides non-medical assistance for adults needing personal care, including daily tasks. Professional in-home caregivers help older adults maintain their independence, continue living at home, and age safely and comfortably. Caregiver tasks may include:
What Does a Home Care Nurse Do? A home care nurse is either a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who offers nursing-level medical care to individuals in their home. Home care nurses provide treatments that may include:
Which Type of Care is Right for You? The first step is determining whether your loved one’s needs are medical or non-medical. If your loved one needs in-home medical support, discuss their situation with a doctor. In-home care provided by nurses is typically recommended by a physician and paid via insurance. Care is limited to the individual’s physician-documented medical needs. In-home nurses often provide care for the short term (during the time of a patient’s illness or injury). Some patients with chronic or progressive conditions may need in-home medical assistance indefinitely. The duration of visits is also limited to the time it takes to provide the recommended care. Examples include a one-hour visit for a monthly infusion or a 15-minute visit to change a dressing and administer medication. If your loved one needs non-medical personal assistance, a professional home care provider from a reputable home care agency such as Visiting Angels Newton/Canton might be the right choice. Clients and their families can select the required hours and tasks, even if those requests are for respite care only. Visiting Angels offers numerous types of care arrangements, including:
About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning home care agency providing high-caliber in-home care services for seniors and people with disabilities for over seventeen years. Countless families have benefited from our at-home care, senior companion support, in-home respite care, live-in and 24-hour home care, dementia, and Alzheimer’s care, transitional aid, and private duty care services in Stoughton, Natick, Wellesley, Dedham, Needham, Brookline, Canton, Watertown, Jamaica Plain, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Upper Back Bay, Westwood, and neighboring communities in Massachusetts. The non-medical assistance provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton home care can significantly impact your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. It is so important to research and consider options carefully when looking into a home care agency to assist your loved one. Some agencies may not provide adequate screening or training of their caregivers. Also, finding a compatible caregiver for a client is crucial and should be a priority to the home care agencies you consider. Here are 15 questions to ask when contacting home care agencies. 1. How do you recruit caregivers, and what are your hiring requirements? In-home caregiver jobs have different requirements. Most highly regarded home care agencies require CNA or HHA certifications. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, for example, hires CNAs and HHAs with experience in caregiving, and the caregivers typically have a strong employment history in caring for seniors. 2. What types of screening and background checks are performed on caregivers before you hire them? You want to ensure that the agency has checked the caregivers’ background through legitimate records and databases, not through an unverifiable source. 3. Is your agency bonded and insured, and does your agency meet all state and local requirements? Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is bonded and insured. It not only meets Massachusetts state requirements but is also an award-winning home care agency. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best Home Care Provider and Best of Home Care Employer awards from Home Care Pulse, an independent satisfaction and quality assurance company, for the past six years. 4. What kind of health-related training, if any, do your in-home caregivers have? It’s essential to ensure that the caregiver or home health aide you choose is appropriately trained for your needs. For example, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton provides an orientation class for new caregivers, Visiting Angels University, an online educational program, and a partner program with a local community college. Caregivers are taught how to assist clients with transfers through Hoyer lifts and gait belts, provide comfort to seniors with dementia, and other crucial skills to help ensure clients are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. 5. Does your agency provide specialized and continuing education for caregivers? A good agency will have caregivers trained to handle specific needs, such as dementia care, through specialized education. Some agencies may have advanced training programs available, such as Visiting Angels’ Palliative Care Training. 6. How are your training programs developed? Reputable agencies like Visiting Angels often provide training that has been developed with nationally recognized experts, such as their Dementia Care Professionals of America (DCPA), which is an Alzheimer’s Foundation of America-sponsored formal training and qualification program for caregivers. 7. What competencies will the caregiver have (e.g., lifting and transfers, homemaking skills, personal care skills including bathing, dressing, toileting, behavioral management training, cognitive support)? Not every situation will require a caregiver with all of these skills, but it is important to know what a caregiver can do. Be sure to share your loved one’s requirements and ask the agencies you are contacting if they have caregivers available with the skillsets needed to provide the appropriate support to them. 8. How do you assess what the caregiver is capable of doing? Not every caregiver is a match for every client’s needs. A good agency will conduct an initial assessment to determine the client’s requirements and evaluate each caregiver’s skills, strengths, and personality to provide a good match. 9. What is your policy on providing a substitute caregiver if a regular caregiver cannot provide the contracted services? Emergencies happen, but you need to know that your care needs will still be met. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton and other quality agencies have policies to ensure that clients are not left without a caregiver. 10. If there is dissatisfaction with a particular caregiver, can they be replaced “without cause”? Home care is very personal, and sometimes the right match between caregiver and client doesn’t happen right away. An agency like Visiting Angels Newton/Canton will work with you to find a different caregiver to make sure your loved one is cared for, and you have peace of mind. 11. Does the agency provide a supervisor to evaluate the quality of home care regularly? How frequently? Does supervision occur over the telephone, through progress reports, or in person at the older adult’s home? A combination of monitoring, such as telephone and in-home visits, is recommended to ensure the best level of care. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton assigns a case manager to each client and their family. The case manager supports the client and their family every step of the way. The office and on-call staff are also available to assist and support clients and their families twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. 12. How long has the home care agency been in business? A national franchise should have a high level of agencies with a long track record — at Visiting Angels, 60% of all franchises have been in business five or more years, which is more than 10% higher than the national average. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has been in business for over seventeen years. 13. How does the agency stay abreast of new techniques and research in home care? Franchise agencies usually have a strong network of ongoing skills training to draw on. Still, every agency should participate in local network and education opportunities to ensure they are providing the most current care modalities. The Visiting Angels Newton/Canton staff and owners participate in ongoing training and franchise conferences regularly. 14. What hours can the caregivers work? When are they available? You need to be able to schedule help when you need it, and a good agency will work to provide care. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton offers hourly care, 24-hour home care and live-in services, temporary or long-term care, weekend and holiday care, as well as respite for family caregivers. 15. Can we meet the caregiver before the person starts work? Meeting and approving the proposed caregiver before hiring helps to reassure you and prepare your loved one. Caregivers and clients build a special bond and feel like part of the family if there is a good match. Starting up home care for a senior loved one can be daunting. Too often, families don’t know what questions to ask, so they choose an agency that may not be the right fit. It’s so important to ask questions and be confident that the agency you choose can stand by you when you need them. We hope these questions will help you feel more confident in your choices. If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones in Newton, MA, and surrounding communities, contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton at 617–795–2727. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning home care agency providing high-caliber home care services for seniors and people with disabilities for over seventeen years. Countless families have benefited from our home care assistance, senior companion support, respite for family caregivers, 24-hour and live-in home care, dementia, and Alzheimer’s care, transitional aid, and home health care services in Dedham, Needham, Natick, Wellesley, Stoughton, Brookline, Canton, Watertown, Jamaica Plain, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Upper Back Bay, Westwood, and neighboring communities. The non-medical assistance provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton home care can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. If you are interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones, contact us today at 617–795–2727 to schedule a free in-home consultation. Each year, countless seniors break and fracture bones due to slips, trips, and falls. According to the National Safety Council, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths to individuals age 65 and older. Something as simple as tripping over a rug or slipping on a wet spot on the kitchen floor can be life-threatening. Hip fractures are a particular danger. The recovery period can take up to 12 months, may require transitional care, and comes with a significant risk of life-threatening complications.
Older adults are more prone to falling due to failing eyesight, hearing problems, stiff or painful joints, less muscle tone, and poor coordination, among other reasons. Heart diseases, diabetes, thyroid problems, blood vessel problems, and nerve damage can also affect their balance. Sometimes medications cause dizziness and can result in a fall. Your senior loved one may wish to age in the comfort of his or her own home. It is crucial, then, to implement fall prevention measures to keep their living space safe. Visiting Angels home care services has a Safe and Steady Fall Prevention Resource Guide that can help you identify risk factors in your senior loved one's home and take steps to reduce the risks of suffering a fall. It contains essential information about
Fear of falling should not stop your senior from staying active. A home caregiver can engage your senior in an exercise program that's right for them, such as taking walks or gardening. Your loved one will get regular exercise to improve strength and muscle tone and keep joints, ligaments, and tendons flexible. Home caregivers for seniors will provide peace of mind in the event of an injury or accident. In a worst-case scenario, a senior could fall and remain on the floor, be injured for several hours or days because they live alone, cannot move, or are unable to make a phone call. Professionally-trained caregivers regularly check in, call and visit elderly clients to ensure they are cared for and safe. Should a senior suffer a fall or accident, an HHA-certified home caregiver will be able to get help quickly. For more information on fall prevention and home care services, please call 617-795-2727. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning home care agency providing high-caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home senior care, respite care, elder companion care, live-in and 24-hour care, dementia and Alzheimer's care, transitional aid, and at-home living assistance services in Brookline, Boston, Canton, Dedham, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Stoughton, Watertown, Wellesley, Westwood, and nearby communities. The non-medical care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Call us at 617-795-2727 to book a free in-home consultation with one of our knowledgeable case managers today! |
AuthorVisiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning in-home care agency that provides high quality home care to seniors and disabled adults in Greater Boston, MA. Archives
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