Page 3 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - April 2017 - 24-04

Senior Times - April 2017 Page 3
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HOME CARE
By: Pat Slayton RN, MSN Co-Founder of Home Care Transitions, Inc.
Many times taking your medications can be challenging. A solution is to have a nurse help set up a “pill box” to ensure medications are appropriately taken. This might be your simple option for starting care assistance in the home for your loved one. The choice is yours.
You may, however, want to start with homemaking, changing the linen, or shopping and errands; you may even need transportation to and from appointments. These are but a few of the services that
can be of great help to you and your family or loved one.
Agencies, such as ours offer many
levels of care and can customize your care plan to suit specific needs. Many times
our service can come to give relief to
a caregiver who wants to do their own errands and this is their opportunity to
get out. We call this respite care. Being with a loved one who might be homebound or needs great assistance in getting out
can be exhausting and the “caregiver” must be relieved from time to time to lessen burnout. We all need a refreshing experience to get rejuvenated to handle
the care of another.
We hope that this gives you an idea
of how care in your home can help you
be mobile, in good health, and living your life to the fullest. You are looking at Senior Times because it is a useful tool
to explore solutions that will meet your need for a change in a living situation;
look to home care as a useful tool to
being independent for as long as possible.
We look forward to assisting you with that choice too.
The following is an account of my family’s experience with receiving care in the home for a parent.
Some time ago in the 90’s we were faced as a family to choose from the many options of care for my parents. Our father was in the hospital and died quite unexpectedly, which was a shock and also a wakeup call for us. As a nurse who had worked in homecare,
I vowed at that moment we would not
have this same experience for our surviving parent, our mother, who little did we
know at the time would die 18 months
later surrounded by her family with the
care of Visiting Nurse, Hospice and Private Duty services. This experience was much different. It was more compassionate with loving care and support for my mom, as well as our family. The team of caregivers from social workers, to nurses, to spiritual care,
to the private caregiver making coffee for the family while supporting the patient with her needs and comfort, were all wonderful. We can say with heartfelt gratefulness
that home care during this time was a healing experience.
A year later as a family we started our home care agency and began our new
home care journey. Since that time we have helped many families who have been in our previous situation, too many to count really, as we took this knowledge and experience to create a company that understands
and gives the same support and caring experience that we had received.
Whenever you need care, or wherever you live, finding the appropriate match for in-home services is out there for you. The best way for you to start is to assess your needs before it becomes urgent and you will find a fit that promotes safety, welfare and happiness.
The need for additional care for a loved one can be a challenging time for all family members. Choosing an established agency can be helpful as all of the care is often coordinated with licensed nurses and care teams and is assessed on an ongoing basis. Everything from the living quarters of an aging loved one to the simple tasks of daily living such as cleaning, shopping and of course assistance with personal care can be provided. That might translate to assistance with nursing care and/or an attendant in your home. They may also provide other services, like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and help with bathing.
We believe there are many options for you and your family regarding home care. The best way for you to start is to assess your needs and find a fit that promotes safety, welfare and happiness.
Cocoa & Canvas
Friday, April 28, 2017 Lakeview Assisted Living • 14661 Helmer Road South.
Please join Ganton Senior Communities for a second evening of sipping on hot cocoa, painting and raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Our painting instructor, Breeze Wattie, will guide participants in painting a flower. Participants will be able to select multiple colors to customize the painting and sip on hot cocoa from our hot cocoa bar - all while raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association.
The cost is $35 and includes all your supplies, hot cocoa bar and your 16" X 20"”painting, which participants can take home the night of the class.
To RSVP, send an email to Alyssa Jones at a.jones@gantonsc.com. Checks can be made out to Lakeview Assisted Living and mailed to Lakeview Assisted Living, Attn: Alyssa Jones, 14661 Helmer Road, Battle Creek, MI 49015. Please include the following information with your payment: Name, phone number, email address. Class is limited to 30 participants.