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Justina Adatsi
Thanks Lydia
Hasiya Abubakasi
Joyce Asamoah
(Thanks Sabina)
Davyar Brewley
Chris Okai
Karel Steven
Lovelace Ohene-Agyekum
(thanks Lydia)
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Photo above: The Eramian brothers, Southern gentleman all! Gray, Brody and Gentry
(the newest member)
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"If you worry about
what might be, and wonder what might
have been, you will ignore what is."
~ Unknown
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Join Our List
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Greetings!
Here at Always There Home Care, we are grateful you are slowing down to read our newsletter full of items that relate to home care, home health care, aging and eldercare, as well as some useful tips for daily living. Please enjoy in the spirit of community and cooperation in which this newsletter was sent.
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You can now find us on:   
Simply click on the desired icon -------->
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Featured Article:
How to Listen to an Alzheimer's Patient
By Bob DeMarco
Two of the biggest problems Alzheimer's and Dementia caregivers face is how to cope and communicate with someone living with dementia.
Let's face it, Alzheimer's patients often say things that seem nonsensical to us; or, say things that leave us exasperated, confused, frustrated, and sometimes angry. The words they say often cause us to react negatively. The issue: are you really listening to the person living with dementia? Or, are you immediately reacting, or overreacting to their words? Once I took the giant step to the left and entered Alzheimer's World the words my mother was saying took on a new and entirely different meaning for me. I actually started listening to her instead of over reacting. I want you to imagine yourself calmly leaning up against the wall and listening to your Alzheimer's patient. While leaning up against the wall try and think about what the words they are saying really mean. You can do this exercise while sitting in a comfortable chair and imagining an encounter, episode, or incident you had with your loved one. Or, by imaging a recurring episode in your head. Read Full Article
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Perfect Smoothie Recipe
By Justina Adatsi
Frequently, we need to help our elderly clients gain a bit of weight and strength following an illness, hospitalization, or simply a loss in appetite. One of our caregivers developed this smoothie and it has earned rave reviews from many of our clients!
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1 package Carnation Breakfast
(also available in sugar free)
20 Blueberries
10 strawberries
(yes, she counts them;
you can also use frozen berries)
1 banana
� cup ice cream
2 cups milk
Blend all well in a blender!
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Can be modified to taste or consistency,
but it's great as is!
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Hospice/Palliative Care.
Is it ever too early?
Answer: Probably not.
By: Regina F. McNamara RN, MSN, MPH
Honoring my mother's wishes to die at home in peace and comfort in the presence of her family was a privilege for us. I am professionally involved in helping families come to a decision to move their loved one from typical ongoing treatment of disease from which the person is declining and there is no cure, to hospice/palliative care.
There is just one problem: I would have much preferred we had started the process earlier.
By virtually all surveys on the topic, the vast majority of Americans ideally want to die at home, without aggressive intervention. There is widespread agreement among experts in the field and physicians that more patients could enroll in hospice and many of those who enroll should do so sooner.
Yet, hospice provides care for only one third of all dying patients in this country, and patients who enroll generally do so very late in the course of illness. The median length of stay in hospice is approximately 3 weeks, and 10% of patients enroll in their last 24 hours of life.
Hospice provides innumerable benefits to patients and families. Among them; preserving the dignity of the patient and providing support to the family during the disease process and after death, avoiding the dangers of over treatment and hospitalization, and fulfilling the patient's need for comfort care in their final stage of life. Medicare and most insurance plans cover all services, medications and equipment.
So what is wrong? What are the barriers to families choosing hospice care for their loved ones?
Read Full Article
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KUDOS
from Kelly
By Kelly McNamara
Justina Adatsi
Justina is a fairly new employee with us. She came highly recommended by Lydia, so we should have expected great things! She has been such a great help to our client T D. Following a hospitalization, T D was struggling with weakness, sleep issues, low weight and adjusting to new medications. Justina has brought considerable skills to his post hospitalization issues. She is a very attentive caregiver, a smart observer of his symptoms, a good communicatorAnd to top it off, she is a great cook (see her smoothie recipe in this issue) Her notes are clear and her client is happy in her company, is getting stronger every day and is putting on weight!
Thanks for all you do Justina, it's great to have you aboard!
Pinkie Nonhlahla
Pinkie has been the caregiver for NC for several months. She has been a watchful but not overbearing caregiver for her client who values her privacy. Pinkie has a lovely way of balancing her client's safety with her need for personal space. Recently the client's long-term physician complimented Pinkie on the wonderful care she is taking of her client. High praise from a busy doctor! Pinkie made sure her client enjoyed the holidays and decorated her house in a lovely festive manor. She happily shared her birthday/Christmas eve dinner at a local restaurant with her client, Tom and Regina.
Thanks Pinkie for all you do for us and for your client!
All caregivers mentioned in this column will receive a gift card and our sincere appreciation! Many many thanks to all of you for once again extending yourselves to ensure that we are of course Always There...!! ■
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 | Photo Above: Gert, her daughter Judy and neighbors
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"Anyone who keeps the ability to
see beauty never grows old."
~ Franz Kafka
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 Providers We Love
We are privileged to have received referrals from and be able to coordinate care with many Assisted Living facilities, rehab facilities, and Medicare Home Care and Hospice agencies. Our growth is in large part due to the trust the staff in these organizations have put in our caregivers. We are likewise impressed with them and we are committed to referring to them on a regular basis
Miller Memorial Community, Meriden
Too many folks consider only the quality of interior d�cor when choosing a rehab facility. This is extremely short sighted. The real value and benefit in any rehab setting is the people. The therapists, the nurses, the aides. How attentive and responsive are they? How focused on the patient's success are they? Miller excels in this area. Their staff retention is high, they are all well experienced. Their patients do very well at home and do not return. Miller boasts an active and effective short-term rehab in addition to high quality long-term care. Miller also operates an active outpatient rehab facility for folks who have been discharged to home but miss the folks at Miller and can receive the same quality therapy in an outpatient setting. Our clients continue to visit after discharge, just to see their friends on the staff again!
Arbor Rose, Assisted Living, New Britain
Arbor Rose boasts a wonderful and caring group of staff, activity folks who keep life interesting for residents and a very welcoming environment for our pet therapy program. Our caregivers who are providing service for some residents at Arbor Rose have determined that Arbor Rose serves the best food and has the friendliest and most attentive dining staff of any facility in which they've worked. High praise indeed! Arbor Rose is the perfect environment for those who want to age in place gracefully and well cared for. Thanks to our colleagues at Arbor Rose for their continued support and trust in our caregivers. It is always a pleasure to work with all of you!
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About Always There Home Care
Always There Home Care provides compassionate, dependable and professional one-on-one care for seniors who need assistance in the comfort of their homes or residential care communities. Services from highly qualified and trained caregivers range from companionship, meal preparation and incidental transportation to personal care, medication management and RN-directed case management. Available 7 days a week, services range from a few hours a day to 24-hour care.
Always There Home Care understands that every situation is unique and creates individualized care plans to help improve a client's quality of life.
Our caregivers Our caregivers are totally committed, highly qualified and carefully selected individuals who are personally and thoroughly screened, bonded and insured. Most are Certified Nurse Assistants or Home Health Aides. Most importantly our caregivers are dependable and extraordinarily caring of others. In addition to their previous experience, our caregivers receive continuous training that includes dementia, hospice care, home safety, nutrition and other topics related to seniors. These highly qualified and trained caregivers are ready to help you and your loved ones with a variety of daily activities such as: Personal care / Meal planning and preparation Transportation to doctor appointments and other errands Caring companionship / Light housekeeping Medication reminders / Information and referral services Our personalized, nurse- supervised services are available 7 days a week and can range from a few hours a day to 24 hour and live in care.
For more information or service needs, call 24 hours a day at: 800.348.0485 or visit www.AlwaysThereHomeCare-CT.com.
We are Always There!
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