Home Care CareGivers

Posts Tagged ‘home companion’

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn’t been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn’t hate Christmas, just couldn’t find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.
Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don’t mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you’re busy, I’ll just go."
"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.
He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain’t much, but it’s hot and tasty. Stew … Made it myself. When you’re done, there’s coffee and it’s fresh."
Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old ’53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.
"You ain’t going in this thing," George said as he turned away.
"But Mister, please help …" The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain’t the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."
George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave ‘em the truck, their tires were shot too. That ‘ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.
George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn’t cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to
Himself. So he put a new one on.
"Those tires ain’t gonna get ‘em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife’s old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn’t going to drive the car anyway.
As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."
George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin’," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.
"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I’m going to get you an ambulance."
The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.
He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."
George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain’t gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through ‘ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."
George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.
"None for me," said the officer.
"Oh, yer gonna drink this.  Best in the city. Too bad I ain’t got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.
The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.
"That’s the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.
"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."
The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I’ll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"
The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."
He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it’s Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain’t much but it’s all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."
George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I’m not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I’ve lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."
George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."
He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein’ stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin’ in here with a gun ain’t the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we’ll sort this thing out."
The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I’m sorry officer."
"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.
George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.
"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"
"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.
Chuck answered him, "I don’t know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."
George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.
"Yep,"  George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."
The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"
Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy … and you too, George, and thanks for everything."
"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."
George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don’t think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."
The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can’t take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."
"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That’s all I need."
George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here’s something for that little man of yours."
The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.
"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."
The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I’ll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."
"Nope. I’m closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."
George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where’d you come from? I thought you left?"
"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don’t celebrate Christmas. Why?"
"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn’t see what all the bother was. Puttin’ up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin’ cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn’t the same by myself and besides I was gettin’ a little chubby."
The stranger put his hand on George’s shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."
George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.
"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."
The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."
George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.
"You see, George … it’s My birthday. Merry Christmas."
George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"
Merry Christmas!!
This story is better than any greeting card.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!

Phoenix CareGiver Shows How The Population Is Changing As Boomers Age

Here’s what happening: America’s population is aging rapidly thanks to the baby boomer generation. The group is living longer as a whole than any generation in our history. As this group ages it becomes a blessing and it’s also a problem that creates worries and stress for the adult children of our elders.

When family members don’t live in the same town as their parents or who simply don’t have the time to attend to them, need to be assured that their needs are getting the level of attention essential to maintain their quality of life.
Assisted living facilities and rest homes can be too expensive for most families, especially in these difficult economic times. There are professional agencies that offer many of the same services as assisted living or residential communities while the elderly retain the independence that comes with remaining in their own homes. Most seniors relish their independence and struggle to maintain it. Staying in their own home is a major component in keeping their independence.

Here are some ways that a good Home Care provider can provide peace of mind for families and seniors.

A Caregiver can assist the senior at home, running errands and accompanying the senior to doctor appointments. At home the tasks are commonly called activities of daily living (ADL)
These activities include help with cooking, cleaning, shopping, dressing assistance, performing daily hygiene routines as well as many other household activities. Home care CareGivers can help with bathing, dressing, grooming, dental care, and more when seniors need a little extra assistance. For many elderly people, simply getting in and out of the tub can be dangerous, home care caregivers are there to keep seniors safe as well as maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle.
Home care professionals can also be trusted companions, providing empowering conversations and various therapies to enhance a senior’s day. These Home Care CareGivers can also take care of other tasks that may be difficult for some seniors such as: walking dogs, answering phones, meal preparation, laundry, and more. In some cases, live in and full housekeeping services are available.

Transportation Services

Transportation for seniors falls into two categories, local errands and extended trips.

Locally a senior needs go to appointments for eye glasses, hearing aids, dentists and other medical appointments. There is also a regular need for shopping trips or visiting the local senior center for lunch or bingo. All of these can be taken care of by the CareGiver using the clients car or the Caregivers’ car.

When a senior needs to travel on a longer trip by air, rail or ship, the services of a Personal Travel Companion are required. Paid Travel Companions are skilled in travel services as well as CareGiving.

For the family of a senior, the services of a Home Care CareGiver or a Paid Travel Companion can provide peace of mind knowing that their senior is well taken care of and safe.

Phoenix Home Care can be found at Care-To-Go.com and Travel Companion services can be found at CareToGoTravel.com

Phoenix CareGiver Explains How To Keep Track Of Medications

As we age doctors prescribe more and more prescriptions. There are so many kinds, side effects, restrictions and cautions that it becomes difficult to keep it all straight and be safe. Your caregiver can help with forms to keep track. You should have a master list, a log of drugs taken each day, and a separate sheet for medications that have serious side effects or special instructions. Included here are 5 Medication Tips to keep it all straight.

The Medications List

This form should have the basic information about the medication including times to be taken and description. The information included should have name, doctor’s name, doctor’s phone and address, pharmacy phone and address. The date of birth and social security number should be here because this is how pharmacy computers identify the patient for refills.

The Medications Side Effects Sheet

This form is just what it says. The patients name, address and phone should be here of course. There should also be a listing of drug names, dosage, frequency, and classification. There should be plenty of space for side effects, special instructions and cautions. There may be one drug per page.

7 Tips For Medications

Medication Tip #1

Keep your lists of medications current as prescriptions are added and removed. Keep several copies for your reference and be sure to take one with you for each doctor visit. Another helpful idea is the list the medications by which ones are taken in the morning, at dinner, and at bedtime.

Medication Tip #2

Be sure the medications are taken the way your health provider tells you to. Your medications are intended to help improve your health now and to prevent health problems in the future.

Medication Tip #3

Be sure to take your medications even if you feel fine. Some medications are intended to run for a specific amount of time and some take a step down process to stop the medication. Most medications however, are intended to help you feel better so don’t stop without consulting your health care professional.

Medication Tip #4

• Keep organized.
• Have your medication list with you at all times and posted around the house where you take medications, Kitchen, bathroom etc.
• Keep your list divided into AM, PM, and bedtime if you have medications taken at several times a day.
• Use a pill box organizer laid out for a week and labeled for each day. You still have to mark which ones are for different times a day.
  

Medication Tip #5

Always talk to your pharmacist and health care provider about your entire list of medications. Often times you will have medications prescribed by several different health care providers. Be sure they all know your entire list of medications. Your pharmacist can also coordinate all of your medications in one place for you. This is especially important when you add a new one.

Medication Tip #6

Check your medication bottle label. Verify that the medication is the correct one, correct dosage and note any special instruction. The label will also tell you how many times you may refill it, the date it was filled and the date the prescription was written.

Medication Tip #7

When you need help understanding your medications, take an advocate with you to the doctors’ office and the pharmacy. Your CareGiver should be at each appointment with you. As an advocate, your CareGiver will be sure all instructions, side effects, and cautions are understood and written down. The CareGiver can then help with the lists you will keep as will as organizing you pill boxes for each week.

Be absolutely sure you understand everything about your medications. It is your responsibility to regulate your own health so if you don’t understand everything at the doctors’ be sure to have an advocate with you.

Medication Summary

• Learn about your medications and why you take each one.
• Talk with your health care provider and pharmacist about all your medications.
• Keep your medication lists up to date and handy.
• Organize your medications using a pillbox.
• Read and understand your medications labels.
• Take a CareGiver with you as an advocate to doctors’ appointments and to the pharmacy.

A Caregiver or in home companion is able to assist a veteran id refilling his prescriptions on line from the veterans website. On the site is a phone number where prescriptions can also be filled.

The following is a list of services that veterans and their caregivers can do for prescription refills and tracking.

MyHealthVet is an online website for personal health records and prescriptions refills and a multitude of other medical services for the veteran. There are also some great veteran assistance tools to use for veterans and their caregivers.

The website offers veterans access to veteran health care information anytime, anywhere, as well as refills on veteran issued prescriptions. Caregivers or veterans don’t have to be put on hold on the phone or wait in line when trying to refill their veterans’ prescriptions. Rather they can go to myhealth.va.gov and refill their veteran issued prescriptions.

Vets and their caregivers can:

• Refill veteran prescriptions online without waiting
• View active veteran prescriptions on line
• Choose an active prescription to be refilled
• Have the prescriptions delivered to the veterans home
• Check the status of a refill order anytime
• View, track and print veterans prescription history
• Review and print specific information about a single prescription, using the details option.

This is a tremendous service offered by the Veterans Administration for veterans. The side benefit is that a caregiver can do the refilling from the convenience of a computer and have the prescriptions delivered to the home.

In the Phoenix area Care-To-Go provides Platinum caregivers to assist seniors.  Beth Bates and Care-To-Go can be reached at 800-818-0407 or at http://Care-To-Go.com

Phoenix CareGiver Discusses Choices for Seniors Including More than Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities

Seniors prefer living arrangements that offer socialization and an active lifestyle. Staying with families may not be the only option for some elderly persons. To keep independence and remain in the familiar surroundings of a senior’s own home is usually the best option. As seniors begin to need assistance, a Phoenix caregiver can provide part-time assistance. As the level of assistance required increases, the caregiver schedule can be increased to fit the needs of the senior to allow the senior to remain in their own home as long as possible.
Some elderly people prefer not to live in the same house with grown children and their families because different lifestyles. Other seniors may require extensive caregiving to assist with daily living activities, and supervision during the day, making it difficult to live with family members. In these cases, a Phoenix caregiver can provide the required assistance up to the point where the senior needs more help than can be provided at home.

Among the choices for senior living are; Retirement Communities, Assisted Living Facilities, Residential Care Facilities, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Nursing Homes. Some facilities include all of these levels in one place.

More Residential Living Choices for Seniors

Not all elderly people have families. Some of those older people that do have family prefer not to live with adult children, nieces, nephews, or grandchildren. Some of these choices require the senior to purchase their home and others may rented on a month-to-month basis.

Here are a few ideas for elderly living:

• Retirement Communities. Some regions dedicate entire residential communities to senior living. For example, Sun City West is Arizona’s finest golf retirement community. Sun City West is a newer version of the original Sun City. Located near Phoenix, this fabulous resort-style setting is inhabited by golden age seniors who aren’t ready to slow down. The community is entirely self-contained and self-governed.
• Assisted Living Facilities. Apartment style living offers independence, yet elderly clients can request assistance with meals, housekeeping, and transportation within a radius from the facility. Transportation may include trips to grocery stores, malls, or medical facilities. These facilities usually include a dining room for meals and many recreational activities. Assisted living facilities may or may not offer nursing or other medical services. Most offer a hair salon and other personal services.
• Residential Care Facilities. RCFs for the elderly are designed for people who cannot live alone but want to maintain some measurable control over their lives. Help with personal care is provided as well as assistance with meals and other daily living tasks. There is a staff on call around the clock, but no skilled nursing.
• Skilled Nursing Facilities. Skilled nursing facilities are equipped to administer medical care such as giving medications and providing other services within the realm of nursing duties. Some facilities may provide rehabilitative therapies.
• Nursing Homes. Nursing homes provide medical care for people who cannot manage medical or personal needs at home, but who do not need hospitalization. The staff can provide medical care, as well as speech, physical, and occupational therapies. There might be a nurses’ station close by. Other nursing homes try to be more like home. They try to have a neighborhood feel. Often, they don’t have a fixed day-to-day schedule, and kitchens might be open to residents.

Selecting a Housing Facility for a Senior

The selection of the appropriate residential living situation can be a complicated issue.  First, most seniors want to be at home (usually alone).  The first choice is to try caregiving at home.  After that a choice must be made to accommodate the senior and meet the actual needs of the senior. there are several services available to help families make the right choice for mom or dad.

ElderCare For Mom

There is no doubt about it: America’s populace is ageing rapidly along with living long as as a group more than any generation in  American history. This is definitely a blessing, but this is fact that creates fears as well as tension for the children of seniors. Families who do not live in the same town as their parents or don’t want to spend time to attend to their requirements, need to be assured that the elders  are receiving the level of attention they need.

Assisted living facilities or rest homes are cost-prohibitive for most families, especially in hard financial times. Happily, in-home professionals offer a lot of of the same services as assisted living locations while the elderly keep the independent life style that they are used to in their own homes. Here are some ways that a good provider provides peace of mind for families and seniors.

Among the many factors that a lot of seniors go to assisted homes is that they cannot be counted upon to keep up with every day activities and require supervision. Home care professionals can assist the elderly with their needs, right in their own homes. These actions consist of help moving around and performing hygine activities. Professional home-care could aid with bathing, dressing, grooming, denture care, and more because seniors require more assistance. For many elderly folks, just using the bathtub could be dangerous: Home caregivers are there to assist seniors at home.

Home care professionals can also act as loving companions, providing much-needed conversation in addition to enrichment for the elder’s life. During their visit, professional home care caregivers can take care of household tasks that are not easy for lots of our loved ones such as, feeding the cat, answering the telephone, food preperation, and more.

Transport for the senior

Professional home care caregivers could be valued helpers when it comes to providing elders with much-needed transport to hospital appointments, the dry cleaners, or wherever they need to go.
For many, these services could be a cost effective and less disruptive choice than assisted living: for millions of seniors’ families, it is a blessing.

Professional Caregivers are available from Care-To-Go.com in the Phoenix area.