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April 9, 2020 by Kirk Brechbiel

Social Distancing for Seniors: How to Prevent Loneliness

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, the term “social distancing” has become a part of our daily language. However, it’s so important to keep in mind that this is better described as “physical distancing” as social connection remains imperative, now more than ever.

Especially for our senior population, feeling social distant is a constant battle. As they are among the key population most likely to need serious medical care as a result of contracting COVID-19, this has led to less and less physical interaction from friends and loved ones. Even those who have professional care, whether this is in-home or in an outside care facility, physical contact has decreased as caregivers and medical professionals work to “flatten the curve.”

What we hope to share in this article are tips and solutions for maintaining a safe physical distance from our aging loved ones, at least until no new cases of COVID-19 have emerged, while still staying connected socially to ensure loneliness is kept at bay.

  1. Utilize technology.

Everyone appreciates a phone call or text to check in, but don’t undervalue the need to see each other’s faces. It changes everything! You will feel so much more connected to your loved when one when you use Zoom, Face Time, Google Hangouts, Facebook’s Messenger App. Set a weekly (or even more frequently) time to connect and make it a priority.

  1. Check in often.

We have ample tools to stay connected, but they’re not doing much good if we don’t make it a point to use them often. Commit to hearing from your loved one, ideally daily if you can. This ensures they never go more than 24 hours without a check-in. Hearing back from them daily will also give you peace of mind that all is well.

  1. Become pen pals.

Now more than ever, people really appreciate receiving a good old-fashioned letter in the mail. Sure, it takes added effort than a phone all or text, and that’s the point. Become pen pals with a senior and you two can exchange letters that will serve as a beautiful memory you can re-read and look back on in the future.

  1. Mail a care package.

Speaking of snail mail, take this one step further by sending a care package to an aging loved one. Consider including some activities or treats they enjoy, but may not be able to go out and get on their own. Many online retailers can bundle and ship such items to them directly and are taking all precautions to keep their items sanitary and safe.

  1. Ask directly about how they feel.

Checking in is the first step, but the next important step is being sure to ask your senior friends and family how they feel. Are they feeling anxious, lonely, unwell, or depressed? It’s human to not want to openly share our emotions, especially if they are negative. Yet, when someone asks us directly, we are far more inclined to share the hard truth – which also provides an opportunity to get help.

  1. Help answer their phone, app, or social media questions.

Adult children, you are so vital to your aging parents right now. In an effort to feel connected to the world during social distancing, they will turn to technology, much of which may confuse or frustrate them. Be patient and kind when helping them with their IT questions. This is one of the most loving gestures you can show.

  1. Create something to look forward to in the future.

Finally, give both you and your aging loved one hope for the future and a time when things will feel normal again. Consider planning your first in-person get together. Ask them what they would like to do – and plan it out! Pick a location and an activity. Possibly make a day of it and also ask what you can help them do around the house that needs done. They will be so grateful for the thought, and for something to look ahead to.

Do you have an aging loved one struggling from the isolation and loneliness during this time? Consider implementing a few or all of the above tips this week to help them through the challenges so many of us are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most importantly, maintain safe practices for you and your family so we may all overcome this soon and get back to seeing one another in person. Stay well!

Filed Under: Blog, Caregiver, Home Care Tagged With: aging adults, aging population, assistance, care, coronavirus, covid-19, covid19, depression, elderly, emotional care, healthy, help, home care, loneliness, older, older adults, outreach, professional care, relationships, safe, seniors, sickness, social distancing, stay home, stay safe, virus

April 6, 2020 by Kirk Brechbiel

How to Protect Our Seniors from COVID-19

Commit to not seeing one another in person.

This is a hard piece of advice, but one that must be followed to the best of all of our abilities. Unless you are providing essential care to your aging loved one, please commit to not seeing them in person during the quarantine. Even the best precautions can fall short and it would be devastating to feel as though you passed on the virus to someone for which you care deeply.

Reinforce social distancing and staying home.

When you do check in with your loved one (by phone or computer), take the opportunity to reinforce the importance of being serious about social distancing and staying home. You may find that they don’t understand the need to do so, or maybe are still going out and about to run their own errands. Be sure to communicate the facts and that your request to follow recommendations comes from a place of love.

Run errands for them.

While you are reinforcing the need for older adults to stay home and social distance, offer to run errands for them, if you are low-risk and able to do so. Try to combine this with your own errands. You can pick up their groceries and other necessities like medications. Doing so eliminates their need to leave the house and reduces risk of exposure.

Remind them often of the CDC’s recommendations.

As the United States learns more about COID-19, the CDC’s recommendations are evolving. Be sure to check in with your aging loved ones to ensure they have received the most up to date information and are following it. Also guide them to where they can go to review these recommendations first-hand, such as online or offer to mail them an article.

Help answer their questions and concerns.  

Many people feel anxious during these times because they have questions and concerns that are not being properly addressed. When speaking with a member of our senior population, ask them if there is anything you can help clarify. You might be surprised by what your mom or dad don’t know or don’t understand. Use this as an opportunity to educate them with correct information.

Ensure they have professional help, if needed.

Finally and most importantly, when checking in with your loved one, be sure their essential needs are being met. Ask whether they have what they need to keep up with their personal hygiene, cooking, and cleaning and have the ability to do so without risk of injury. If you find your aging loved one cannot get by on their own, yet still wishes to remain living in their home, hiring a professional caregiver may be a solution. During the COVID-19 pandemic, home care agencies can provide professional caregivers who help seniors with their basic needs while taking every precaution to not spread the virus. This allows families to safely social distance while not worrying about the care of their aging relatives.

From our family at Ella Home Care, we hope you stay well and stay home during this time. Though this is among the hardest circumstances our world has ever faced, we thank you for doing your part to help keep everyone – including our loved senior population – safe and healthy.

Filed Under: Blog, Home Care Tagged With: aging adults, aging population, assistance, care, coronavirus, covid-19, covid19, depression, elderly, emotional care, healthy, help, home care, loneliness, older, older adults, outreach, professional care, relationships, safe, seniors, sickness, social distancing, stay home, stay safe, virus

November 13, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

5 Things Ella Home Care is Grateful for in 2019

As we approach Thanksgiving, many of us start to turn our minds toward the many things for which we can be grateful for in the current year. 2019 has brought change and growth for Ella Home Care, as well as one more year of doing what we love to do – help others! This alone makes us want to pause for a moment to reflect on the many reasons to smile and give thanks this year, and every year.

Join us as we offer five reasons we are feeling grateful heading into the holidays. We would love for you to join us in reflecting on some of your own feelings of gratitude this year, and helping to make this the season of grateful hearts!

  1. Grateful for new office space

Last year, Ella Home Care made the move to our new and expanded location at 839 Market Street in Lemoyne. As the business has continued to grow and evolve, it was the right decision to look for space that could grow with us. We are grateful to have found exactly that! From this new location, we are better able to serve our clients and caregivers with additional space and a dedicated area to provide ongoing training and education for our caregivers.

  1. Grateful for a great core of staff and caregivers

It so often goes without saying (but really it needs said!) how much we appreciate and rely on our caregivers to be the face and the heart of Ella Home Care. Without them we wouldn’t have a business, and we wouldn’t be able to serve as many aging adults as we do now. We are grateful for every hour, every task, and every sacrifice they make to serve others.

  1. Grateful for the wisdom we gain while serving our aging neighbors

If there is one thing you can never have too much of, it’s wisdom. We are grateful that this career allows us to gain wisdom and expand our perspectives each and every day. Our aging neighbors are a great source of wisdom. Though we are honored to be able to care for them, it’s really a mutually beneficial relationship. The love and wisdom shared is reciprocated 10-fold.

  1. Grateful for the connections we make and relationships we build with our clients and caregivers

Just about every aspect of what we do comes back to relationships. It takes a relationship built on trust, love, and understanding to care for another person especially in a time of need. Our caregivers exemplify this every day. Ella Home Care is grateful for the connections we make through our clients and caregivers, and to be witness to the ways in which new relationships bloom daily.

  1. Grateful for another fulfilling year of doing what we love

One more thing that has us feeling extremely grateful this season is for another year to do what we love – provide top quality care and comfort to our aging neighbors. We don’t take for granted that every year is a blessing. We intend to continue to grow and expand into 2020 and beyond, embracing every success along with every challenge and change that comes our way.

As we approach the end of 2019, what has you feeling grateful? Let’s keep the gratitude flowing by finding something to be thankful for each day!

Filed Under: About Us, Blog Tagged With: aging, aging adults, camp hill, caregiver, caregiving, caring, elderly, ella home care, grateful, gratitude, harrisburg, home care agency, home help, in home care, lemoyne, mechannicsburg, older, pennsylvania, relationships, seniors, thankful, thanksgiving

October 4, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

Trick-or-Treat at Every Age: How Senior Adults Can Celebrate Halloween

Halloween fun has no age limit. There are many activities that can be enjoyed by the teeniest trick-or-treaters all the way to the most seasoned “ghouls” and “goblins.” All it takes is a little creativity and a spirited attitude. For our senior adults, Halloween can be a fun and festive holiday with much to enjoy. Take a look at a variety of ways in which you can partake in Halloween activities at any age or ability level.

Decorate Your Space

Halloween decorations are just plain fun! There’s no other time of year when you can hang fake cobwebs and spiders or put out props like a skeleton candy bowl and have no one bat an eye. Take full advantage of this! Halloween decorations are around every corner. A quick trip to the dollar store will yield you with enough décor to make your living space festive for the season. It will also bring a smile to any visitors you have over throughout the season.

Pass Out Candy

Another staple of Halloween is being visited by trick-or-treaters. For senior adults, this is a great activity that allows you to partake in the fun without requiring much more than sitting on your porch with some treats. Better yet, invite over family, a neighbor, or a friend to sit with you. Together you can enjoy the creative costumes, giggling children, and all the sights and sounds of the season.

Dress the Part

Finding some festive Halloween attire is another easy and accessible way to celebrate the holiday. You can even ask a friend or caregiver to help you with this, if needed. A decorative sweater, or Halloween print scarf will instantly put you in the spirit of things. Even something as simple as some fun Halloween socks will brighten the day. If you do choose to handout candy to trick-or-treaters, the kids will love seeing you in a witch’s hat or clown nose!

Involve Your Pets

Just because the days of parading around children in costumes are behind you, you may still have some furry friends who can fit the part. There are endless options for pet costumes available online and in-store. If a friend is looking to treat you to a surprise, suggest this as an idea for something that would be a thoughtful gift. Seeing your beloved dog or cat looking like your favorite Halloween character will certainly bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Share in Other people’s Enjoyment

Finally and most essentially, Halloween is a prime time to share in other people’s enjoyment of the holiday! Kindly ask friends and family to share pictures with you of their children’s costumes and their home décor. Whether by text, email, social media, or in person, these photos will allow you to experience Halloween joy, even if you can’t be there to see it in person.

Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Share how your celebration has evolved over the years in the comment section below.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: activities, aging adults, aging population, celebrate, decor, decorate, decorations, elderly, festivities, fun, halloween, ideas, inspiration, october, older, party, senior, senior adults, spooky, trick-or-treat

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Ella Home Care
Address:
839 Market Street
Lemoyne, PA 17043

Phone: (717) 379-1793
Fax: (717) 695-2892

Email: info@ellahc.com

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