Keeping them home
by Robyn McCloskey
As the baby boomer generation continues to age and live longer lives, many adult children are faced with the dilemma of how to best care for one or more of their elderly parents. Compounding that fact is the reality that many of these adult children are also a part of the “sandwich generation,” not only caring for their aging parents but for their growing children as well. Thereby complicating matters due to limited time, resources and energies. It is especially difficult when dealing with not only just one but in some cases more than one parent who is unable to live independently but is not prepared to move into an assisted living facility, preferring instead to live either at home or in the home of one of their children. Fortunately, for Bucks County, help is available as there are a variety of solutions. Gaining in popularity are home health care agencies—agencies that specialize in providing tangible help via trained professional home health care aides. Whether it is a franchise home health care agency such as Comfort Keepers or the independently owned and operated Be Home Care, there is a plethora of resources readily available. “People hate to lose their independence,” as Beth Ann Shrewbrooks of Comfort Keepers states, “we strive to help them sustain as much independence as possible,” she goes on to say. And she backs up that statement with her role as one of the four owners of Comfort Keepers.
Comfort Keepers and Be Home Care offer many different choices and levels of care that can be easily tailored to fit any given situation as they readily and professionally assess the needs at hand, solve the problems and provide the necessary answers through their professional staff of in home care givers. These agencies specialize in providing vetted and trained home health care aides to meet any and all needs that may arise. As Linda Cooper of Be Home Care explains, “Not everyone is cut out for this type of work, it takes a special person.” And that is exactly what she looks for when hiring home health care aides. These agencies also take great care and time in finding the “right personality fit” for you and your family. For instance, if your dad is a math whiz or your mom a Shakespeare aficionada, they will go so far as to try and find a caregiver with similar interests.”
Cooper also said that if for any reason whatsoever the family decides that an aide is not working out, a different aide is provided for you. From 24-hour round-the-clock supervision to as little as a few hours a day or even just once a month, these compassionate home health aides strive to give the same level of care and companionship that a family member would provide. Cooper goes on to explain the benefits of a “health care team” approach, where up to three or more people are assigned to a specific client, so that if an emergency arises the responding aide will be someone the family already has a working relationship with rather than a stranger they have not yet met.
While these home health aides are not medical personnel and therefore cannot perform any invasive medical procedures, they are equipped to perform a myriad of tasks ranging from bathing and feeding to running errands, fixing a light meal or accompanying their charge to the store or even a movie. If professional nursing services are required, these agencies can provide that as well. They are even equipped to aid in the difficult and sobering task of end of life care. They can also provide specialty care for clients with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other mental as well as physical challenges.
It is estimated that over 40 million Americans, mostly baby-boomers are currently helping to care for an elderly parent. Professional caregivers and home health aides help ease not only the physical burden but the emotional as well. By simply sitting with your loved one, performing light household chores, accompanying them to a doctor’s appointment or gently reminding them that it is time for their medication, a well-deserved respite for the family is only a phone call away.
Another important service that these agencies provide is working on your behalf as a liaison to the medical community or even other family members. For instance, if circumstances dictate that your loved one spend time in the hospital, a nursing home and/or rehabilitation center a home health care aide will visit these facilities as many times as requested and provide a detailed written account back to you. They can even be on hand to help ease the transition with the release from a health-care facility to back home again. For many familial caregivers, navigating the world of eldercare is new and unknown territory. These professionals are a vital resource and can help educate family members on what should be done for your loved one as they are fully trained and knowledgeable in all areas of caring for the aging.
Sherwood points out that the benefits of a franchise agency such as Comfort Keepers is that you have the myriad of resources and backing of an established larger company while Cooper, of Be Home Care prefers the autonomy of an independently owned agency as she feels they can more readily adapt to the demographic of its clientele. Sherwood strongly encourages potential employers to “do their homework” and make a decision based on what works best for them and their family. It is also prudent to do your homework regarding the financial aspect of in home care. It is wise to research and exhaust all financial options such as Medicare and Medicaid as well as heeding suggestions from the Council on Aging. You will find that both Comfort Keepers and Be Home Care are priced competitively.
Thanks to agencies such as Be Home Care and Comfort Keepers and people such as Linda Cooper and Beth Ann Sherwood not to mention their employees, finding the best care for your loved one need not be a formidable and daunting task. Help is only a phone call away. These places provide peace of mind for you, the elderly parent and all those involved. And you can’t put a price tag on peace of mind.
For more information about Comfort Keepers call 800-477-3145 or visit www.comfortkeepers.com and for more information about Be Home Care, call 267-429-0438 or visit www.beHomeCARE.com.