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Regina McNamara RN, MSN President * Kelly McNamara, Chief Operating Officer
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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Featured Article:
By Regina and Kelly McNamara
Owners, Always There Home Care
As many of our readers know, we lost our mother and grandmother Jean/Mimi in July 2012. She died peacefully at home surrounded by family while under hospice care. We miss her every day. She would have been 87 on March 12.
We take this occasion of her birthday to share some of the insights we gathered during our experience with a family member living with Alzheimer's. Everyone reading this will live with this disease at some point in his or her lives. They, a friend or family member will experience Alzheimer's, and will be lost to you. Some of these insights we learned from others and applied to our situation. We are so grateful for all those who shared their thoughts and ideas. So we pass them along.
1. Live life to the fullest up until the last day.
Alzheimer's is a heartbreaking terminal disease. But dwelling on this will not help. Smart planning will insure that persons with Alzheimer's can enjoy many outings and activities with family and friends. Always carry spares of everything. If the person uses a walker, bring along a transport wheelchair.
Read the full article |
 Short Hospice Stays May Mean Lack of Awareness
Despite the growing number of Americans seeking end of life care, the number of short stays in hospice is troublesome, and a sign that caregivers and the hospice industry see as a major lack of awareness about a key service for the dying.
A new report from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) shows that more than one in three hospice patients (35.5 percent) died or were discharged within seven days of admission last year. That rate was largely the same as in 2011.
NHPCO's analysis comes as usage of hospice, however, is on the rise. More than 1.5 million patients with a "life-limiting illness" were admitted to hospice last year, at a time of greater need - with an aging population of baby boomers eligible for the Medicare health insurance program for the elderly.
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The Man Who Used His
Own Body As A Crash Pad
We often encounter stories of heroes. Usually they are people who create brave deeds on a large scale, saving lives, serving in the military, giving selflessly to others. I originally heard this story on NPR, with both participants narrating their own pieces of the story. I wondered what was wrong with the man's voice. I soon learned of his amazing sacrifice. Here is the story reprinted, with thanks to the Alzheimer's Reading Room and National Public Radio.
In 2009, veteran Texas skydiving instructor Dave Hartsock was in the middle of a 13,000-feet-high tandem jump with Shirley Dygert, a grandmother and first-time diver, when he discovered that neither of his two parachutes would open all the way to stop their free fall. Red alerts screamed through his brain as he struggled to untangle the parachute lines. They fell thousands of feet, then a few thousand more. With just seconds left to go before impact, Hartsock opted to use control toggles to rotate his body so that he'd cushion Dygert, absorbing the brunt of the force when the two of them hit the ground.
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Worthless (But Interesting) Trivia
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Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All were invented by women.
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Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day
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The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
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In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase..."goodnight, sleep tight."
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Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S. Treasury.
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Coca-Cola was originally green.
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Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.
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(111,111,111) x (111,111,111) = 12,345,678,987,654,321
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The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)
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The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
Source: TIPS for Extraordinary Living! Written & Published by Philip E. Humbert, PhD http://www.philiphumbert.com ■
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KUDOS from Kelly
by Kelly McNamara
Justina Adasti:
Justina took on a new assignment with a very special, charming, elderly lady with complex needs who decided she wanted to be at home rather than a nursing home. Justina quickly assumed the major responsibility of meeting all her client's, L H needs on a daily basis. (Read more about Justina)
Trevor Dube:
Trevor has been the primary caregiver for EZ, a delightful, brilliant. very, very accomplished man. He was discharged from a hospital stay with significant complications. These included a great deal of difficulty walking and other medical issues. (Read more about Trevor)
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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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
Waveny Life Care, New Cannan CT
With nearly 40 years of expertise in serving the community, Waveny Life Care Network is a not for profit comprehensive continuum of healthcare to serve the growing needs of adults from all areas. They offer an impressive selection of therapeutic programs, services and living options to enhance quality of life
Within their network, all services are provided within a single organization, and without any expensive buy-in fees or long-term commitments.
Their programs include:
Waveny Care Center, a beautiful skilled care facility offering a continuum of inpatient and outpatient services to help patients achieve their most successful outcomes.
The Village is an award-winning assisted living residence that is specifically designed to enhance the lives of people with memory impairment. A licensed nurse and certified nursing assistants are on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Inn is a charming residence ideal for seniors who can appreciate the personal benefits of living independently in an active, yet intimate retirement community. The Inn can accommodate most lifestyles, it is important to know that every resident at The Inn has priority access to Waveny's high-quality continuum of healthcare services, programs and facilities, including Waveny Care Center.
Adult Day program is a lively engaging environment for elderly folks, especially those with memory impairment.
Waveny also provides home care services and outpatient rehabilitation and boast an enormous number of dedicated and creative volunteers.
A visit to Waveny is a well worth your time for anyone considering a move to another level of care. Call for a tour and stay for lunch! 203.594.5331 http://www.waveny.org/
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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.
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