by Vikram Makhija | Jul 30, 2021 | Blog |
The holidays are a time for visiting your family, catching up with old friends, and spending quality time with those closest to you. It’s also the perfect opportunity to check in on your parents and make sure they’re doing well. To help you prepare for this visit, we’ve compiled our top 10 tips for an enjoyable trip home:
1) Take care of yourself
Eat right, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly before going home. You’ll be more energized to keep up with your busy schedule when you’re there!
2) Speak directly
When talking about their health or other sensitive topics try not to use euphemisms but instead speak plainly about what’s happening so that it is clear.
3) Listen carefully
Don’t jump to conclusions about what your parents may be thinking or feeling. Ask open-ended questions and really listen to the answers they give you.
4) Don’t take things personally
Your parents’ set ways can be frustrating, but don’t let it get you down. If something upsets you, try not to let it show. Take a few deep breaths and think of the good times before responding in anger or with hurt feelings.
5) Respect their wishes
They know best so respect their decisions, even if they seem strange or different than what YOU would do.
6) Be realistic
Of course everyone wants there to be clear communication between generations, but keep in mind that hearing loss often changes how people communicate. Your parents may be less likely to ask for help or opinions, making them appear stubborn. They might also say “yes” when they mean “no” because it’s easier than asking for clarification.
7) Try not to compare
Your parent and their home is hardly like your own; try not to judge them on how tidy/messy their house is or what they’ve done with the room you used as a child. The items in their homes may look different than yours, but that doesn’t mean they’re worse off than you are.
8) Respect the family dynamic
Accept your place within the family and realize that your parents will have preferences over who takes care of them and how things get done at home .
9) Let them know what is important to you
Make sure your parents know how much they mean to you and be as specific as possible about the things that matter most.
10) Don’t forget yourself!
As tempting as it may be, when visiting family don’t put all your focus on your parents’ care. Remember to take care of yourself . A healthy lifestyle will leave you better prepared for whatever the future holds .
11) Are they getting enough sleep?
Are they eating the foods that are best for them? Are they taking their medication on time? Are there any red flags you should be aware of that can help prevent a crisis?
And remember.. If your parents live far away and need additional care, consider hiring a caregiver like The Kindness Team to help provide the loving assistance they need .
The holiday season is here, and many families will spend it apart. With work, travel schedules or other obligations, we’re not always able to be with our loved ones when we want to be. But helping them maintain independence when we cannot physically be there is another way in which we can show our love – by providing professional in-home care.
12) Do they have the equipment or medication management support they need?
Our number one goal is to help your parents maintain their independence. That’s why we’d like to offer you a free 30-minute consultation with an in-home care specialist from M&Y Care LLC to discuss how we can help make this holiday season special and safe for your loved ones .
These tips will help ensure that everyone has a happy holiday!
Do some research ahead of time so you can prepare questions and concerns in advance. Also, plan a get together with friends or family members during the visit so you aren’t spending too much time just visiting with your parents. Spend a few hours each day making sure they’re getting enough exercise and socializing, but then spend the rest of your day relaxing and having fun.
A little preparation and planning before hand could make for a great visit with family over the holidays!
Conclusion : What are your thoughts on these tips? Let us know in the comments below!
by Vikram Makhija | Jul 22, 2021 | Blog |
Most families do not consider in-home care for a loved one until something severe occurs, such as a fall, a stroke, or another serious injury or condition. In a time of crisis, families may rush into a relationship with the first available care provider, who may or may not be able to fully meet their wishes and needs. In such a case, one must take time and look for the best quality home care agency.
It takes time, research, and conversations about your loved one’s home care preferences to choose the top-quality home care agency for them.
Below are the tips to narrow down your possibilities and discover the top-quality home care agency for your loved one
Do Proper Research
It’s no wonder that most people turn to the internet first when they need information on top-quality home care agency. But before you do that, you and your loved one should talk about how much care they’ll need to stay at home safely. Do they simply require assistance with household tasks or grocery shopping? Or do they require more advanced assistance, such as assistance with showering or taking medications? Once you know what kind of care you need, a search for key phrases might lead you to a trustworthy, quality home care agency. These could include the following
- Care at home
- Nursing assistance
- Personal attention
- Alzheimer’s and dementia treatment
- Transportation for Seniors
Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as clicking on the first link in the search results. The first quality home care agency on the list isn’t always the greatest option for your loved one. Get some names and basic information from online search results, but delve deeper to get the truly essential insights you’ll need. Award badges and seals of approval on company websites should not be overlooked because they can indicate that the provider is doing something right and going above and beyond to deliver exceptional service to their customers.
The Better Business Bureau is one online resource for further information (BBB). The Better Business Bureau’s website provides basic information about local businesses as well as customer reviews and complaints. Of course, each client’s experience is unique, but frequent or unresolved complaints about similar issues could indicate a problem with an agency’s quality. This indicates a low-quality home care agency.
Take Advice From Others
When it comes to locating a reputable home health care organization, a personal reference goes a long way. Request recommendations from your extended family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. They may know someone who needs in-home care, or they may have arranged for care for a loved one.
In addition, I recommend seeking guidance from medical professionals regarding quality home care agency. Request recommendations from your doctor, your loved one’s doctor, nurses, and others in the industry. Do they refer people to specific home health aides? If you come across a few agencies during your study, ask your medical professionals for their thoughts on them.
Don’t forget to look into community resources in your area, such as your local Agency on Aging. These organizations assist senior citizens and their families in locating in-home care and other services in their communities. The Eldercare Locator from the US Administration on Aging can assist you in locating services in your area. Your local senior center may also be able to make referrals for care providers.
If your loved one has a specific medical condition, such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or Parkinson’s disease, it may be beneficial to seek advice from organizations that specialize in that field. The following are some examples of associations specialized to specific illnesses:
- Alzheimer’s Association (Alzheimer’s Association)
- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) is a non-profit organization
- The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is a non-profit
These organizations may not provide specific referrals, but they can provide information on where to begin or questions to ask agencies about caring for someone with a particular illness.
Conduct interviews with your Top Choices
It’s time to start making phone calls and setting up in-person interviews once you’ve reduced your options down to the top three or four agencies. This allows you another opportunity, similar to a job interview, to determine which provider is the greatest fit before you hire them.
In our Home Care Planning Guide, we’ve included a list of possible interview questions to ask quality home care agencies. In addition, I recommend contrasting the responses of agencies to queries such as the following
- Are the quality home care agencies new or have they worked with others before you hired them?
- Do you conduct background checks on your providers, verify their credentials, and conduct drug tests on them?
- How do you prepare caretakers and assess their abilities?
- How will you ensure that the caregiver is a good match for my family member?
- Will my loved one has a steady caretaker, or will there be a lot of people coming and going?
- Who will be in charge of my loved one’s care from your caregivers?
The quality home care agency should ideally be overseen by a trained expert. M&Y Care LLC has a registered nurse on staff who provides this oversight at no extra cost. Although there are Quality home care agencies with lovely, cheerful caregivers, no trained professional from the agency ever follow up on the care provided. That is unacceptable to me. Next, check to see if the company is authorized to provide in-home care in your state. In most states, in-home care professionals are required to be licensed. For any complaints regarding the home health care agency, as well as inspection results, contact the state board or organization that licenses home care providers in your state. The public can find this information online or by calling the licensing organization.
If you inquire, most reputable organizations will be able to offer you client references. While I don’t believe it’s necessary, it can be a valuable source of additional information from someone who has walked in your footsteps. If you contact a client reference, inquire about the benefits and drawbacks of working with that agency. Have they been happy with the responses they’ve received from the agency when they’ve had questions? Have any of their issues been addressed quickly?
It’s a huge decision to pick the best quality home care agency. Take your time to look into your alternatives. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, ask questions and get more information. Make certain that the service you select will give the amount of care that your loved one requires. We’d be pleased to talk with you about your in-home care alternatives. For additional information, visit our website or contact us via email.
