Holiday Check List | Senior Home Care Ohio

by Kevin K. Johnson, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)^®

Although we provide home care to primarily older adults, we have been of service to other adults over the years. I thought I’d take a moment and give you some ideas that you too might consider as your needs and circumstances arise. Consider 5 unique scenarios and ways in which non-traditional clients have used our services.

JOINT REPLACEMENT. Joint replacement needs can strike at any age, from hip or knee replacements, to torn rotator cuffs. We can help during those first few days or weeks of recovery with bathing and dressing, meal prep and running errands.
ELECTIVE SURGERY. Most men or women who elect to undergo elective surgery desire to do so very discreetly. While close friends and family can provide much needed moral support, they perhaps are not as comfortable providing hands-on help. Let us help during this sensitive process while maintaining your privacy.
WEDDINGS & SPECIAL EVENTS. Mom is coming in town for your daughter’s wedding. Mom doesn’t have the stamina to dance the night away at the reception. A Visiting Angel caregiver would be a wonderful option to keep your mom company in her hotel room.
CHRONIC ILLNESSES. Many adults suffer from chronic and debilitating conditions such as MS and Parkinson’s. Visiting Angels can help provide a break for the spouse or adult child who provides care. Taking a break once a week for a haircut or to have dinner with a friend can be very energizing for the family caregiver.
HOSPICE ASSISTANCE. You have arranged for dad to receive hospice services but you realize they cannot stay long hours with him. You want someone with dad at all times during these last days just to sit quietly and make sure he is comfortable, and to alert hospice if needed Our compassionate, experienced caregivers can be a wonderful support.

With over 12 years of experience in providing home care, we have provided services in conjunction with each of the five scenarios listed above. If you have a home care need that may transition the traditional need associated with older adults, give us a call and let us help.

We wish you and your family peace and happiness throughout the holiday season. The safety and well-being of our loved-ones is always a concern for all of us – regardless of what time of year! However, if you have a senior loved one that is alone over the holiday’s, consider having us spend time with them. Depression is a serious issue for older adults and we can help with companion care and related services. If we can be of assistance in answering questions or providing caregiving services, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the web link on the right panel of this page, or give our office a call at 216.231.6400.

I do hope that 2014 has been a great year for you. As for Visiting Angels, 2014 has been another good year of helping older adults age-in-place with as much independence and grace as possible. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve and help so many older adults with their activities of daily living and providing them with companionship especially at this time of the year. We wish each and every one of our readers a wonderful and prosperous 2015.

by Kevin K. Johnson, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)^®

The end of another year has arrived. I’d like to reference you to my post from one year ago, December 2012, titled Home for the Holidays! The focus of that post was indicators that you might look for during a visit with your aging loved ones. The information posted there remains relevant and I plan to reference it as appropriate going forward.

For many, the holidays are the best time of the year filled with family get-togethers, feasts and fun traditions; but for seniors, this can be the most depressing of all seasons as they pine for lost loved ones. And in a lot of cases, with family hundreds of miles away, seniors struggle to decorate, shop, prepare a meal and start to feel sad that they can’t move around like they did when they were younger.

Here at Visiting Angels, we offer families the vital service of hiring senior loved ones a holiday companion. Don’t know what to get Grandma or Grandpa for Christmas? How about a friend or better yet an angel — a Visiting Angel that is! A holiday companion is also a priceless gift that adult children can give themselves this year. Visiting Angels can provide them with an angel to tend to their senior loved ones’ every need as they prepare for a house full of guests or holiday event.

According to 2005 research from the University of Michigan, roughly 1 in 4 seniors (age 65 or older) suffers from depression. More than 70 percent of older Americans feel isolated and lonely. And per the Administration on Aging (2010 data) nearly one-third of all non-institutionalized older Americans live alone. “The holidays can be tough on seniors because many have lost people they loved. Plus, they aren’t as mobile to visit friends and family or even decorate or shop,” says Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting Angels. “Our caregivers socialize with seniors, take them visiting and keep them engaged instead of sitting at home feeling isolated and depressed. Plus, our caregivers give families the heads up about their senior’s state-of-mind, to differentiate between the holiday blues and full blown depression.”

We wish you and your family peace and happiness throughout the holiday season. The safety and well-being of our loved-ones is always a concern for all of us – regardless of what time of year! If we can be of assistance in answering questions or providing caregiving services, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the web link on the right panel of this page, or give our office a call at 216.231.6400.

I do hope that 2013 has been a great year for you. As for Visiting Angels, 2013 was another good year of helping the aging seniors age-in-place with as much independence and grace as possible. We thank our clients for the opportunity to serve and help so many seniors with their activities of daily living and providing them with companionship to help them at any time and especially at this time of the year.

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