love Archives - Ella Home Care

August 9, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

A Perfect Match: How Ella Home Care Finds the Best Caregiver for You

At Ella Home Care, we go much deeper than simply matching an available caregiver with a new client. We have a careful process for how we assess the needs of a client, as well as their personality, interests and hobbies so that we can provide them with a caregiver who is as close to a “perfect match” as possible. Are you curious to know more about our process? Read on to learn the steps we take to find the best caregiver for every situation.

We take time to really get to know you.

First, a member of our team comes out to the home for an assessment. The assessment is like a meet-and-great where we get to know each other and determine what services will be needed to keep that person living independently in his or her place of residence. We also ask the person what kind of personality and traits he or she would like in a caregiver. For some, a strong and outgoing personality is a good fit, while others may be better suited for a quiet personality.

We consider the areas of expertise needed.

Next we take inventory of what is expected of a caregiver. If a lot of hands-on tasks are involved, like bathing and transfers, we look to our experienced staff who are accustom to providing those services like our CNA’s on staff or other skilled caregivers. We also make sure our caregivers of physically capable of providing such care and can do so safely.

We take into account pets, interests, and hobbies.

If the person has any pets, we make sure our caregiver is not allergic to or has issues working around animals. We also try to match someone with a pet with a caregivers who also loves pets. This commonality can help to create a bond right from the beginning. We also try to identify interests and hobbies and when possible match a caregiver who has a shared interest or hobby. Many times, a client will request someone who is a good cook, someone who likes the outdoors, or someone who likes conversation and we do our best to accommodate this.

We make sure everyone feels comfortable and prepared.

Once we have obtained all the necessary information to make an informed decision, we carefully review our roster of available caregivers to see who may be the best fit. If the client wishes to meet their caregiver in advance of their first day, we are happy to arrange this. In fact, we recommend that the client and caregiver meet prior to the start of their working relationship to ease into the transition and to make things more comfortable. This also allows the caregiver to see the home in which they will be working, allowing them to prepare anything they may wish to bring with them to help them in caring for the client.

Could you or someone you know benefit from the care and assistance of an in-home caregiver? Contact Ella Home Care today so we can help you find the right option to meet your needs!

August 3, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

How an In-Home Caregiver Can Help Even When You’re Not at Home

Just as the title would imply, an in-home professional caregiver most commonly provides care for aging loved ones who wish to stay in their home as long as possible. However, there may be situations that arise that call for this person to receive care outside their home for a period of time. For example, an injury or procedure could require a short hospital stay or a few days or weeks in a rehabilitation facility.

During this time, a professional caregiver serves just as important of a role as ever by continuing to care for this person in their new location. The doctors and nurses on-site will care for their major medical needs, while the professional caregiver is there to assist with their daily hygiene, dressing, and eating. And they are there to provide a lot more than that! Here are four benefits of having an in-home caregiver care for a loved one even when they’re not in their home.

A Familiar Face

When your loved one is in the hospital or in short-term care at a rehabilitation facility, their caregiver will provide them with something familiar. When you’re out of your home environment, it can be lonely, unsettling and even scary, especially for older adults. With a professional caregiver, that person has something that feels safe, familiar and normal.

Continuity of Care

A very important role a professional caregiver plays is providing continuity of care. When someone is in any type of short-term care, they will likely be working with many different nurses and doctors in a short period of time. This can make it challenging to be sure your loved one is receiving consistent care tailored to their needs and expectations. With a professional caregiver, you know you will have one thing that remain constant throughout it all.

Personalized Attention

More than just the physical care of your loved one, you want to be sure they are being cared for emotionally and mentally. A professional caregiver is available to listen, talk, and simply spend time with a person. This personalized attention can greatly enhance the healing and recovery process.

Your Eyes and Ears

Most importantly, when you cannot be with your loved one, you will have the professional caregiver there to help be your eyes and ears for all that is going on. As doctors or nurses stop by ask questions and do their assessments, the caregiver can provide you with updates. They can also alert you of any concerns or requests they have. This gives you both the peace of mind and certainty that your loved one is receiving the top quality care.

Could you or someone you know benefit from having a professional caregiver? Contact Ella Home Care today so we can tell you more about our process and determine if this is the right fit you!

August 14, 2018 by Kirk Brechbiel

How to Grow a Stronger Family Bond at Any Age

The bond of a family is one of the greatest gifts you’ll ever have I your life. But as families grow and change over the years, it can be challenging to keep a close bond with those you love. You may not see each other as often as you wish or schedules can get so full that there hardly seems time for quality visits.

However, growing a stronger family bond can happen at any time, no matter how much time has passed or the distance that may between family members. Take a look at several things you can do right now to grow a stronger family bond at any age!

Be intentional about visiting one another

Months and then years can fly by in between visits with family, especially if you don’t take care to schedule your visits. Some families take annual vacations together, some spend certain holidays together. Figure out what works for your family, then stick to it! The most important point about growing a stronger family bond is to stay connected. Be intentional about seeing one another on a regular basis. Schedule it like you would any other important commitment!

Use technology to your advantage

Thought technology is often seen to be a replacement for face-to-face connections, in situations where family is spread out across the globe, technology can actually help you to reconnect. Use apps like FaceTime or Skype to be able to see family members as you talk to them. Though it will never replace seeing each other in person, you feel more connected than if you were only communicating by email or phone. There are many other apps, like Marco Polo which allows you to easily send short video clips to family so they can hear your voice and see your face every day.

Remember the milestones

Remembering family members’ birthdays, anniversaries and other major milestones is another great way to strengthen your family bond by showing them you care. Mark these special dates on your calendar so you remember to send a card, small gift or text on these days. If you have a big family, it might be easier to keep these dates in a spreadsheet and then at the start of each new month spend an hour or so writing all the cards you wish to send so that they’re ready to go!

Create something together
One final idea to strengthen your family bond is to start a family “project.” Pick something that everyone can help with! Creating a family scrapbook is a great idea because it allows everyone incorporate their own unique memories and add things that someone else might forget. Near or far, you can collaborate on this project together, sharing pictures, captions and stories to include.

A similar idea is a “memory quilt” where family members each create their own square to be sewn together into a larger quilt. Everyone’s square will be different which will create a colorful and fun quilt! Best of all you can share the blanket, with one family member keeping it for a year before sending it on to another family member to enjoy.

Is your family bond as strong as you would like to be? What steps have you taken to strengthen this bond? Share your ideas by leaving a comment below!

July 17, 2017 by Kirk Brechbiel

Ways to Tell You Have a Quality Caregiver

When you trust your loved one’s care with anyone but yourself, you want to feel confident that the person has the values and principals of a top-quality caregiver. Simply put, you want them to care for your loved one like they were their own mother or father. It can be hard to fully assess the true qualities of a potential caregiver in your first few interactions with them. However, there are several key signs you can look for that are positive indicators that you have found a quality caregiver. Take a look!

They are responsive.

A quality caregiver makes communicating easy. This means that you can easily reach them to convey a message at any time, whether that’s related to your loved one’s health or the caregiver’s work schedule. Most importantly, they stay in constant communication with you when working so that if you have a question or are just checking in, you get your answer in a timely manner. This responsiveness demonstrates their attentiveness to your loved one as well.

They are reliable.

Another trait of a quality caregiver is that they are reliable and consistent. Habits of calling off work or arriving late are causes for concern. Both you and your loved one deserve a caregiver upon which you can rely. If you can’t rely on them to do something as straightforward as show up on time, how can you rely on them to give medications on time, keep proper records or follow any other special orders?

They are proactive.

A quality caregiver is also proactive. This means they actively seek ways to make improvements to your loved ones quality of life by introducing new activities or recommending safety precautions around the house. You know a caregiver is invested in their job when they go above and beyond what is expected out of their compassion for another person.

They are trustworthy.

Knowing if a caregiver is truly trustworthy often takes time. You must watch what they do in various scenarios to full assess their integrity. Do their words and actions align? Are they forthcoming if there’s an issue or incident? Does anything seem odd or off with your loved one or their home? If you need clarification because something doesn’t add up, ask the caregiver directly! Allow them to prove their trustworthiness with an honest response.

They form real relationships.

A caregiver who is truly committed will develop a true friendship with your loved one that is much deeper than just taking care of their basic needs. A quality caregiver will take an active interest in their life experiences, hobbies and family. This is fulfilling for everyone! The caregiver enjoys their job; the loved one feels physically and emotionally cared for; and the family feels peace of mind and joy from this relationship.

They have recommendations.

A quality caregiver should have no issue providing you with a list of references who will sing their praises. Be sure to follow-up and speak with these references! Ask them for stories and examples of situations where the caregiver demonstrated compassion. If they are employed through a home care agency, also ask the employer to provide a character reference. If everyone shares the same impression of the caregiver, you can feel confident they will provide your loved one with top-quality care.

Do you have experience working with a quality caregiver? How did they demonstrate integrity and compassion? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

A Perfect Match: How Ella Home Care Finds the Best Caregiver for You

How an In-Home Caregiver Can Help Even When You’re Not at Home

How to Grow a Stronger Family Bond at Any Age

Ways to Tell You Have a Quality Caregiver

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