In a perfect world, you would be able to take care of your aging parent in your home or theirs, relying only on family to help you. But the reality is that caring for an aging or ill parent is a full-time job that can take a toll on the caregiver. Add to that the demands of raising a family, working, and other responsibilities, and chances are you’ll need a little assistance along the way. That’s where the angels come in. Visiting Angels is a national network of franchised non-medical senior home care agencies providing senior homecare to help elderly and older adults continue to live in their homes. These caring, experienced home caregivers provide up to 24-hour care in the comfort of your own home. You can be confident that your caregiver is qualified and has excellent references. “Character counts,” says Richard Bitner, of Visiting Angels. “We hire only experienced caregivers who pass a rigorous screening process.” The company also emphasizes the intangible traits of the caregiver, such as a caring personality. Many of the company’s caregivers have grown tired of the Medicare model taking over healthcare and appreciate the opportunity to do one-on-one personal care for elders. The staff at Visiting Angels works with each family to develop an individualized program to manage the daily needs of the client. They then match those needs to the best possible caregiver; caregivers are then introduced to the family, who has the final say in the selection process. “We want our clients to look forward to a visit by their caregiver,” says Bitner. “That’s why the client is in complete control from start to finish.” After the caregiver has been placed in your home, the company continues its personalized contact through telephone check-in and home visits to make sure you and your caregiver are a good match. Although Visiting Angels are non-medical home care providers, they can provide a vital link in patient care. In cases where seniors are coming home from the hospital or a nursing home, the caregiver will consult with doctors, nursing home staff, social workers, physical therapists, and of course, the family, to establish each client’s personalized needs. Although Visiting Angels do not dispense drugs, they can help monitor whether the patient is taking their medication. In addition to offering joyful companionship, Visiting Angels will do light housekeeping, run errands, prepare meals or do shopping. They can also serve as a respite care provider for families dealing with the care of a loved one. They can also provide special assistance for adults who need Alzheimer's home care or dementia care. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning senior home care agency serving Wellesley, Natick, Newton, Needham, Canton, Watertown, Brookline and nearby communities. Since 2004, countless families have benefited from our dementia home care, Alzheimer's care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior care services. If your loved one needs home care assistance, please contact us at 617-795-2727 for a free in-home consultation!
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There are many services that home care providers can deliver, from professional medical care to support services. Physicians and NursesPatients can be visited in their homes for medical treatment by Physicians, Registered Nurses and Licensed Nurse Practitioners. These medical professionals can treat patients and provide skilled services including injections, intravenous therapy, wound care, patient education, and patient assessments. Speech, Occupational, and Physical TherapistsSpeech, Occupational, and Physical Therapists also aid individuals as home care providers. Speech Therapists work with patients to restore speech, and they also aid patients in breathing, swallowing, and muscle control. Occupational Therapists use techniques and equipment for patients with physical, developmental, social, or emotional problems. This helps patients to function in their daily lives more independently. Physical Therapists use exercise and massage to restore mobility and strength to injured patients. Social Workers are an important category of home care providers. They coordinate services for a patient, and can evaluate patient needs to find resources for an individual. Dieticians counsel on nutrition and give dietary guidance for patients based on their needs. Homecare AidesA home care provider that assists patients with general activities in their homes is a Homecare Aide or Home Caregiver. They help with walking, getting in and out of bed, bathing, and dressing. They also perform tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, companionship, and medical reminders. They work with physicians, hospitals, social workers, and the families to develop individualized programs.
Unlike homecare aides, Homemaker and Chore Workers do not help a senior client with personal care nor do they provide companionship. They only assist in household duties like laundry, cleaning, meal preparation, and shopping. At a high quality home care agency such as Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, homecare aides are trained to provide assistance with compassion and always treat their clients with dignity and respect. They have been instructed and provided guidance by CDP certified Case Managers in homecare services for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to help them take better care of clients with these illnesses. They may also possess skills such as the use of Hoyer lifts and other mobility devices. Also, a good personality match between the caregiver and the client can help to ensure an excellent outcome in their relationship. When hiring homecare aides, it is a good idea to consult Home Care Pulse, a client satisfaction survey firm that conducts interviews with homecare users and compiles reviews for caregiver agencies nationwide. Home Care Pulse gives awards to the best home care agency in each state annually. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton of Massachusetts is proud to have received these awards for years, including Best of Home Care Leader in Excellence, Provider of Choice and Employer of Choice Awards. If you are interested in non-medical homecare services in Wellesley, Newton, Canton, Dedham, Needham, Brookline and nearby cities and towns in Massachusetts, please contact us at 617-795-2727 or visit our website at https://www.visitingangels.com/newton. With America’s population aging, billions of dollars are spent each year on senior care expenses. But with economic worries affecting many families, cutting costs has become more important than ever. With a little creativity, seniors and their families can save a substantial amount of money. Compare PricesFamily members and caregivers can help seniors out by comparison shopping for goods and services online. Changing homeowner’s insurance policies alone can save hundreds of dollars each year. Review all bills and find out if it is less expensive to bundle services like phone and cable. Take Advantage of Existing ServicesThe fall prevention alarms advertised on television can be a great tool to help seniors prevent serious injuries from falls and other medical emergencies, but most of them come with a costly monthly monitoring fee. Look for a personal alarm system that can connect directly to 911 and charges no monitoring fees and has no service contracts. Consider Home CareAccording to a 2007 MetLife survey, the average annual rate nationally for a private room in a nursing home is $77,745 and is steadily increasing each year. The annual base rate for an individual residing in an assisted living community is $35,628. The average annual cost of home care can be half the cost of nursing home care. An organization like Visiting Angels Newton/Canton provides a cost-effective alternative to assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Caregivers provide up to 24-hour elderly assistance in the comfort of the senior’s home. Homecare services makes it possible for seniors to remain in their homes and maintain their independence by providing help in areas such as light housekeeping, bathing and dressing, errands, transportation and mobility assistance. Choosing a home care agency is an important decision. You would want to hire a professional home care aide who is professional, experienced and compassionate, one who always treats the client with dignity and respect. This is all the more important when your loved one suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Specially-trained Certified Dementia Practitioners (CDPs) can offer more specialized care that will make a difference to the well-being of your loved one. Reverse MortgageMany senior citizens have owned their homes for decades and can take advantage of a reverse mortgage -- a loan that allows a homeowner to convert a portion of their equity into cash. Unlike a traditional mortgage, repayment of a reverse mortgage is not required until the borrower no longer uses the home as their principal residence. Buy in BulkSeniors often use the same products, such as personal care items or incontinence supplies, month after month. Purchasing such nonperishable items in bulk online or from a warehouse store can save a great deal of money. Also consider signing up for automatic monthly delivery for health and personal care products. Auto delivery ensures products will no longer run out and shipping is often free.
To find out if home care is right for you or your loved one, please visit https://www.VisitingAngels.com/newton. (ARA) - The catch phrase says it all. Adult children who are caring for their parents while also raising their own family are known as “the sandwich generation.” These caregivers find themselves pulled in many directions -- caring for a parent, raising their children, keeping their marriage healthy and often holding down a job as well. On top of all this, adult caregivers are thrust into the awkward and often unwanted position of feeling like they’re parenting their own parents. “It can be unsettling to find yourself in this role,” says Richard Bitner of Visiting Angels, a national network of franchised non-medical senior homecare agencies. He points out that this reversal in the parenting role can give rise to stress for both parents and caregivers. A recent survey by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that an estimated 22.4 million U.S. households -- nearly one in four -- are providing care to someone age 50 or older or have provided care during the previous 12 months. As these caregivers have discovered, it takes a lot of time, energy and patience to care for an aging loved one, and often it can seem like all of these attributes are in short supply. It’s not surprising, then, that guilt coupled with resentment are prevalent emotions among caregivers. “Caregivers’ lives have been turned upside down,” says Bitner. “Despite the fact that they love their parents, caring for a parent is a big responsibility that affects the whole family.” Plans for the immediate future go out the window. Schedules that were already jam-packed and complicated need to be reworked. Children may resent the new demands on their parents’ time and attention. With all these added stressors, experts emphasize the importance of caretakers looking after their own physical and emotional health. “You can’t take care of someone else without taking care of yourself first,” agrees Bitner. This involves getting help from others, whether it be from siblings, a support group or a health care service. Home Care Services for Natick/Wellesley MA and nearby areasThe staff at Visiting Angels understands this need. The company provides non-medical caregivers who go into clients’ homes to offer companionship or the elderly parent, do light housekeeping, run errands, prepare meals or do shopping -- all services that can provide a respite for families dealing with the care of a loved one.
“You can be confident that your caregiver is qualified and has excellent references,” says Bitner. The company hires only experienced caregivers who pass a rigorous screening process. They also look for intangible traits such as a caring personality. Many of the company’s caregivers are former hospital staffers looking for the opportunity to do one-on-one personal care for the elderly “We work with each family to develop an individualized program to manage the daily needs of the client and then match those needs to the best possible caregiver,” explains Bitner. Caregivers are then introduced to the family, who has the final say in the selection process. Once the caregiver has been placed in the home, Visiting Angels continues its personalized contact through telephone check-ins and home visits to make sure the match is a good one. About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to elderly and disabled adults. Countless families in Newton, Needham, Brookline, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Natick, Wellesley, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood and nearby towns have benefited from our dementia care, Alzheimer's care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior home care services. While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a big impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Call us at 617-795-2727 for information! |
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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