Keeping families in communication regarding their loved one is a challenge, especially when separated by many miles and even time zones. Because Villa Home Care offers SOLUTIONS, we are very excited to announce the addition of a Family Portal to our services.

Families are now able to log into their secure on-line account and share information with other family members, with their Care Manager, view the caregiver schedule, the Care Manager assessments and even access and print medication lists. Peace of mind can be at your fingertips.

Our investment in this technology is another demonstration of our commitment to provide you with the tools you need to keep your loved one living independently for as along as possible. We feel this is so vitally important to our families that we are offering this valuable feature at no cost to our clients.

For more information on our family portal, please contact us at Villa Home Care at 602-957-9300 or 1-888-880-6588 or contact@villahomecare.com.
Karen Jeselun, RN, CEO, CCM

Recently we have had several requests for live in services. For those of you not familiar with this level of care, a Caregiver would be assigned to the home for a block of consecutive days, such as 2 days, or perhaps 4 days. The Caregiver then “lives” with the client. There are a couple of caveats to the service, though. First of all, the client has to allow the Caregiver to sleep at least 6 hours, or be up no more than 3 times per night. Also the client has to provide a private sleeping area for the staff member. All food is also provided by the client. For some clients, this is a great solution to having “eyes and ears” in the home, and can be more financially feasible than around the clock “awake” staff. Contact us for an assessment to see if this service would be appropriate for your loved one at 602-957-9300 or 888-860-6588. Email Villa at contact@villahomecare.com.

1. CHANGE IS HARD! Making recommendations to older adults who may have lived with safety hazards their whole life is not always well received. My parents are a perfect example. Recovering from hip surgery at age 89, my Mom’s Physical Therapist had suggested that the scatter rugs be removed from her pathways so that she could navigate safety with her walker. Of course, that could not be done because “those rugs have been there for 64 years”.

2. COMPROMISE MIGHT BE THE ANSWER! The rugs had to stay, but we were able to place double-sided sticky tape underneath to secure them to the floor. Think creatively!

3. SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE TO FAIL! OF course, we never want them to fail by getting injured. There really is a fine balance here. Allowing an older adult to make their own decisions, even those decisions we may not fully agree with, may be the only way to go. Time and time again, I have found that they will eventually arrive at that same conclusion we did– only this time it is their idea.

Recommendations:
Be patient.
Be innovative.
Be understanding.
Be there for them.

The mention on “The Big War” to many of our clients brings memories of fighting in the rain forests of the Soloman Islands or in the countryside of France. They looked upon this as a responsibility or a commitment – something that just had to be done and they were the ones to do it. Our freedom as a country was at stake. Our very independence was being threatened.

Now most of these men and women are in the 80’s, 90’s, or even 100’s. The word “freedom” has taken on a whole new meaning. Their freedom and independence is at stake every day.

The first freedom that I think about when working with our older clients is freedom to make decisions. Many older individuals really manage quite well – at least until that out of state adult child swoops in off of the plane and starts making plans for Mom and Dad – plans that they really don’t need or want. Priorities may need to be established with Mom and Dad’s participation and agreement, and decisions made together. In other words, adult children need pick the battles that are the most critical, and work on strategies for those, but again, do it together.

Daughter, Angela, and son, John, very much want their 89 year old Dad to sell his home and enter an assisted living facility. Since their Mom died four years earlier, he has become very reclusive in their minds. His house is really too big for him to maintain. After sharing their concerns with their Dad (for several months), he agreed to hire a housekeeping service, he has a handyman on call to fix the leaks and other routine problems, and has a caregiver coming twice a week for 3 hours to take him out for lunch, get groceries, and to bridge games.

Another crucial freedom for our older clients is the freedom from harm. As we get older, one of the biggest fears people have is fear of crime. No one can argue that this is a vulnerable population. Every day we hear of scams going on, particularly those involving the elderly. They trust the nice man who shows up at the door wanting to trim the bushes, or reroof the home. The telemarketer calls and the young lady on the call is so “ kind and concerned”, that a check just has to be written to the cause that they are promoting. And then, of course, there are those horrible situations of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. In Maricopa County, Arizona, Adult Protective Services handles 10,000 cases each year. This number is estimated nationally to be 1.5-1.84 cases of elder abuse and exploitation annually.

Ron’s mother, Sara, was confined to a wheelchair. She lived alone, but had a caregiver to assist her with her daily activities for eight hours every day. Ron lived next door. The caregiver noticed that whenever Ron stopped by during the day, Sara would cower in her chair. She would speak very quietly to him, and always agreed to his demands. The caregiver reported this situation to Adult Protective Services after she noticed several new bruised on Sara’s legs and back. Sara is now living in a safe environment where she does not have to fear for her well-being..

Respect is a really great attribute. We “earn” respect. Our older clients have earned respect and deserve respect from us all. Freedom to be respected and honored is another freedom that our older generation deserves. The life experiences are priceless. How can respect be shown? In our every day conversations. In our decisions. In our body language. Ageism means that we patronize older folks. Unfortunately our society reveres youth. This is not true in other cultures where families come together to care for an older loved one as they move along the continuum of life.

Mary Lou had three grandchildren that she adored. She felt so blessed as they lived nearby. However, Mary Lou’s dementia was progressing. She often got lost in her assisted living community. Her grandchildren became fearful, and didn’t understand why Grandma kept asking the same questions over and over. Mary Lou’s daughter, Janice, found several books to help her children understand what was happening with Grandma. They were able to relate to her in ways that she could handle and they spent many pleasant hours – just being together.

Lastly, we need to address the freedom to fail. Yes, sometimes we need to step back as professionals and as sons and daughters, and let our parents make those decisions that we believe are not the best. We may be surprised, though, when they don’t fail. This WWII generation “made do”. They have developed great ingenuity. They have a “stubborn” streak that no one is going to change. Let’s give them the opportunity to “fail” or maybe even succeed!

Beverly and Jake have many struggles. Beverly has macular degeneration and recently fell and broke her hip. Jake, at age 91, has been her primary caregiver for years. They recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. Jake insisted on getting Beverly home following a 3 week stay in a rehabilitation facility following her hip replacement surgery. Their three children tried and tried to talk with Jake about placing their Mom in an assisted living facility, but Jake would hear none of it. His response was “I want her at home for her last months”. A safety net was set up with Home Health Services and a caregiver to help get Beverly up, bathed and dressed every morning, to help Jake with some of the physical care needs of his wife. Jake and Beverly have since come up with many ingenious ways to keep her safe in their home, and she is actually greatly improved in her strength and mobility. They sit together outside on warm days holding hands.

Freedom and independence. Freedom to make decisions, freedom from harm, freedom to be respected and the freedom to fail are so critical. Let’s all help those older persons in our lives be as free as they can – and as independent as they can be.

This next statement may surprise you, especially coming from the owner of a homecare company with a large staff of caregivers. Families who call us for help may not always need caregivers. In fact, often, families call looking for professional expertise to help manage a situation in which they have no experience.

We have positioned Villa Home Care to be that expert – to partner with our family members and their loved ones – and walk alongside of them through the continuum of the aging process.

Initially that older adult may only need bimonthly visits from the Geriatric Manager with ongoing communication through our secure on-line family portal. These visits may or may not include medication management, accompanying the individual to physician appointments or other necessary activities.

As the continuum moves along, the GCM’s ongoing assessments may pick up on a decline in the functional abilities of the client, perhaps physical or mental abilities. In these situations, the GCM would be in a position to recommend the implementation of technology or some assistive devices. Perhaps a few hours of caregiving might be appropriate at this stage.

Lastly, as the client’s deficits increase, outside resources may be utilized such as hospice, home health or alternate care settings, such as assisted living facilities or group homes.

We are finding that this approach helps to conserve precious financial resources and yet meets the need for independence and dignity for our older clients.

For more information on our continuum of care, call Villa Home Care at 602-957-9300 or 888-880-6588. Email us at contact@villahomecare.com.

Villa Home Care just sponsored a contest where we asked our Caregiving staff why they do what they do. Caregiving can be a very tough profession. It continually poses physical, emotional, and mental challenges. The patience, kindness, and love that is shown each and every day is incredible, so we wanted to celebrate and thank our staff. I wanted to share excerpts of the responses with you.
“Villa Home Care takes pride in searching for only the best caregivers to meet their clients’ needs, which is why I take pride knowing I work for the best company!”
“It makes me extremely happy when all my clients tell me how they always look forward to seeing me every time I am scheduled.”
“To me, caregiving is more than a business type relationship – the people at Villa Home Care have a unique caring way that makes our clients feel like we are all one family, and I love it so much!”
“It makes me proud to see how Villa Home Care cares and communicates with the clients.”
“I love being able to keep the client at home and not alone.”
“Working for Villa has given me the opportunity to meet people like Mrs. K. who has introduced me to learning German. Through her guidance, I have learned to say simple phrases and introductions.”
“I have learned what it means to be part of something special. To meet people and share a part of their lives is something that constantly inspires me.”
“Working for Villa amazes me; here is a company that truly cares about me, what I want to be, and how they can help me along that path”.
45% of our past client either return to us at some point or refer a friend to Villa for services. Our Caregivers are, without a doubt, why this happens!!
To experience the quality of our staff for you or your loved one, please contact us at 602-957-9300, 1-888-880-6588 or contact@villahomecare.com.
Respectfully,
Karen Jeselun, RN, CCM, CEO

AI would venture to say that many of us are aware of older adults who could benefit by some assistance at home but refuse. The reasons given vary. “I don’t want a stranger in my home.” “It costs too much.” And the most frequent reason – “I don’t need any help!” As adult children of aging parents and as professional Geriatric Care Managers, we would like to provide an easy answer to this dilemma, however there isn’t one. Often what must happen is that the older person has to fail living at home independently. That sounds a bit harsh, and we don’t want them to fail by getting injured or harmed. But they have to come to the realization themselves that in order to remain in their own home, they must have assistance. Sometimes that assistance can be as little as one hour once or twice daily, or six hours once a week. Once a “foot in the door” is accomplished, trust is established, and a positive relationship begins with the Caregiver, services can be enhanced to better meet the needs of the individual and achieve their goal of staying at home!

Karen Jeselun, RN, CCM, CEO

As we age, our relationship to food changes along with our bodies. When we’re younger, we might grab fast food on the run and not think twice about it. In later life, however, eating well can be the key to staying mentally sharp, emotionally balanced and energetic, with a strong immune system and a positive outlook.

• Focus on good carbs. Opt for whole grain nutrition (brown rice, whole wheat bread, rolled oats, barley, millet), not refined “white” products, such as white bread, white rice, or products made with white flour.
• Raw equals roughage! Aim to eat at least one daily serving of your fruits and vegetables raw. This not only preserves their nutritional value, it’s an easy way to eliminate constipation. Raw fruits and veggies are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes to aid digestion. Plus, there’s no preparation involved. If you have difficulty biting or chewing, cut your apple or carrot into bite-sized pieces. Or try a green salad with grated zucchini.
• Steaming is the best way to cook vegetables; it preserves nutrients. Light sautéing is next. Boiling leeches nutrients—but you can use the leftover cooking water as soup stock!
• Go lean on protein. Fish, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts and tofu all count as protein, so it’s easy to vary your healthy protein choices. Try skinless turkey or chicken, or fish, baked, broiled, grilled, steamed or poached, and you’ll savor the flavor while adding healthy, low-fat, low cholesterol nutrition to your diet. Go easy on red meats, which contain saturated fat, and on salty meats such as bacon or ham.
• Bone up on calcium. All dairy products are not created equal. Milk, cheese and yogurt retain their calcium content; cream cheese, cream and butter do not. As part of a healthy senior diet, choose fat-free or low fat dairy products. If you’re lactose-intolerant, consider lactose-free and lower-lactose products, such as hard cheeses and yogurt. Or, a calcium supplement might be a better way for you to meet your calcium requirement.
• Choose first-rate fats. Get your “good” fats from oils such as olive oil and sunflower oil, avocados and avocado oil, nuts and seeds.
• Keep it moist. In addition to drinking enough water each day, aim to consume foods with a high water content. Staying properly hydrated flushes toxins from your body, relieves constipation, helps keep your joints flexible and your mind clear. High water content foods include melons, grapes, cucumbers, onions, apples, cabbage, and, of course, soup!

The information above is from an article from helpguide.org titled, “Eating Well As We Grow Older”

To read the full article, click here. Or see our other senior nutrition resources.