Who Helps Keep Mom & Dad at Home in Their Own Beds?
December 1, 2014
Q: Who Helps Keep Mom & Dad at Home in Their Own Beds?
A: Arise Home Health Care
Heels dug into the ground. Jaw set. Many elderly persons are resistant to moving from their home to an assisted living or long-term care facility. We don’t blame them one bit. (No matter how “user friendly,” a facility is not a family home.)
When an elderly individual has needs that can’t be met by a spouse or other relative, a move from the residence is often proposed. The benefits of the move are clearly, rationally indicated––safety, improved care, peace-of-mind for concerned family––all good things. (Read “Moving Elderly Parents: Convincing Mom and Dad”1..) However, left unspoken are the intangibles––the security of a private bathroom, the contours of a favorite chair, and the enjoyment of watching small critter activity from a perch on the porch swing. Years of living have fashioned a familiar cocoon of comfort and memories for the elderly person. Yet now, when he or she is dealing with the challenges of aging or infirmity, the family (albeit reluctantly) adds another burden to their loved one––loss of a home. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Truly, there IS no place like home. This is why Arise Home Health Care brings caregivers into the home to specifically address challenges facing an aging parent and make his or her transition into the sunset years easier on everybody.
Corrine* and Daryl* need the day-to-day to be easier, but they are NOT ready to move. Eighty year-old Corrine is dealing with Parkinson’s Disease. (See “What is Parkinson’s Disease,” Parkinson’s Disease Foundation2..) Her husband Daryl––a gentle, caring man who has been her sole caregiver––cannot continue. And even though they are private people and uncomfortable with allowing strangers into their home, they met with Paula, our Registered Nurse Case Manager. Paula sensed their discomfort and put them at ease while conducting the assessment.
“She sat on the floor in front of us like she was part of the family,” says Corrine, astonished. Daryl was also impressed. Paula’s first suggestion was a pill carousel for Corrine’s complex medication regimen, which helped them immensely. (Something as simple as a medication dispenser can make such a difference for a caregiver!)
So, Daryl is happy to have Arise staff as part of the in-home care team. Being a caregiver to a loved one with Parkinson’s Disease is no easy task. (See “Implementing the Team Approach to Treating Parkinson’s.”3.)
The couple likes and trusts Becky, the certified nursing assistant who helps Corrine with bathing and rehabilitation exercises in addition to housekeeping duties like cleaning and doing laundry. As a companion, Becky also reads to Corrine––a generally sweet, peaceful, and positive person who sometimes needs help with her moods. Parkinson’s can produce sadness, apathy, and anxiety.
Part of the anxiety is fear of losing control. (It is unsettling to adjust to rotating shifts of health care aides in a care facility.) A home caregiver service lets Corrine control the delivery of her care. Corrine is also particular about how tasks are completed and how she, her husband, and her home are treated.
“In my home, I have more control of my care,” says Corrine. “I feel very thankful to have home health care. It has helped make it possible for me to remain in my own home.”
Home is not only where the heart and hearth are, but for us at Arise Home Health Care, it is our platform for care delivery. We provide senior services in the home because we know how important the intangibles are to wellbeing … the homemade meals, the firmness of the bed, and the familiar sounds of the neighborhood on a summer’s afternoon.
No doubt, as we age, we’ll each want to remain in our home, just like Corrine and Daryl. And someone will remind us, as they were reminded …
We can age in place independently because Arise cares enough to make in-home senior services available in the greater St. Cloud, Minn., area.
Do you have a question for our professional Arise Home Health Care staff? Contact Us.
* Not the individual’s real name
Resources:
1. “Moving Elderly Parents: Convincing Mom and Dad,” http://www.aplaceformom.com/senior-care-resources/articles/moving-elderly-parents
2. “What is Parkinson’s Disease?” http://www.pdf.org/en/about_pd
3. “Implementing a Team Approach to Dealing with Parkinson’s,” http://www.pdf.org/en/summer07_team_approach