old Archives - Ella Home Care

November 1, 2021 by Kirk Brechbiel

The Hottest Holiday Gadgets for Senior Adults

As you begin your holiday shopping, do you have older parents or family members on your list and are stumped at what you can get them that is both useful and unique? Turn to technology! Sure, the new pair of socks or a book is always welcome presents but don’t really stand out. If you’re hoping to really brighten someone’s day and leave a lasting impression with your gift, finding the right tech gadget or tool is a great way to go.

Keep reading for a helpful list of ideas and advice for how to shop for a tech gift, particularly for older adults who may have hesitations or limitations. Through your generosity and thoughtfulness, you may be able to introduce them to a piece of technology that makes their daily life easier and more enjoyable. Here are some ideas we hope to inspire!

Keep track of easy-to-lose items with the Tile Mate Tracker

Everyone loses their keys (and other things) once in a while, and it can become more common with age. The Tile Mate helps you keep track of them and offers daily peace of mind. What’s the value on that? Best of all, its app is easy to use, and the tile itself is small, with a practical design. Simply attach it to a keychain or anything else you’re prone to lose and now you have a simple and discrete way to find it with the push of a button. There’s also a find-your-phone function which is highly useful!

Pills are a chore no more with the MedMinder

If your loved one needs to take pills on a strict schedule, but sometimes forgets, it can be a daily concern that weighs on your mind. This gift will help bring peace to everyone! Seniors with medications to manage every day will appreciate MedMinder’s reminders of when to open a pill compartment. The device’s built-in cell service connects to a monitoring station, so no phone or wireless network is needed. You can also buy refill trays that can be swapped in and out as needed.

Easy entertainment is always a welcome gift and Fire HD 8 makes it accessible to anyone

If your older parents get frustrated or confused by the television and countless remotes, a tablet may be a more user-friendly option for them to enjoy all the same entertainment on demand and in a convenient, portable size. The FireHD8 is one of the easiest tablets to use, and one of the cheapest. It has speakers and a bright screen and includes integration with services such as Amazon Prime Video. One option also comes with a wireless charging dock.

Using tech in the winter got a whole lot warmer with the COOYOO Touchscreen Gloves

Especially for people who live in colder climates, touchscreen gloves can lend a helping hand when you want to stay warm but still use your tech device. These gloves are a great price plus have the right features like thumb and index finger functionality. A perfect stocking stuffer for under $20.

If they don’t already have one, it’s time to own a Ring Video Doorbell!

This gift offers safety and convenience in one, plus a bit of entertainment! With the Ring Video Doorbell, you can detect when someone approaches your door, and see who’s there without leaving your seat — even when not at home. The device is easy to install, and the app is user-friendly. Plus, you can store and save videos if you choose the subscription service.

Give the give of never losing a password again with LastPass

One big challenge for seniors, and the rest of us, honestly, is keeping track of passwords. With LastPass, there’s only one master password to remember. LastPass takes care of the rest: password generation as well as automatically logging in. LastPass is available for smartphones and tablets as well as PCs, for protection regardless of the device being used. There is a modest annual subscription, but well worth the investment for the peace of mind it delivers.

Think beyond the power cord!

With one final thought, we want to remind you to think beyond the power cord when you’re considering tech gifts, especially for older adults. Technology comes in all shapes and sizes and is not limited to something with a screen or needs to be charged. Tech can be anything that helps to make daily life easier! So check out Amazon’s great listing of fun gadgets that are designed to not only help, but also add a smile to someone’s day.

We hope this short list of holiday tech gadgets has provided some insight and inspiration that will lighten your holiday gift-giving load. If you have a question or another idea to share, we welcome comments below!

July 1, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

5 Signs You or a Loved One May Benefit From In-Home Care

Professional in-home caregiving is a very unique industry in that it allows families to care for one another, even as generations age, while still maintaining the balance of children being children, rather than fulltime caregivers.

If you have an aging loved one, possibly a parent, aunt, uncle, or grandparents who desire to continue living in their home as long as possible, but who need some additional assistance in order to do so, then this article is for you. Consider the following reasons why you might benefit from hiring a professional in-home caregiver to provide this extra assistance, while alleviating any added stress to the family.

You don’t want full responsibility to fall on family members.

In many instances, family members are happy to step forward to offer some additional assistance to aging family members as they require it. This could be stopping by the house several times a week, driving them to doctors’ appointments, providing some meals, or running errands. These tasks are all manageable in moderation, but can quickly overwhelm any one person who feels responsible for it all, often while still needing to work and take care of their own family. A professional caregiver can assume a little or a lot of this responsibility to make caring for a loved one less stressful. Whether you need help just a few days a week, or require 24/7 care.

You want to ensure safety and the highest level of care.

Professional in-home caregivers are specially trained in the industry’s best practices to ensure safety and the highest level of care. They also have the unique desire to care for another person and are passionate about forming a relationship that meets both mental and emotional needs. Not every family has someone like this who can step forward to care for an aging loved one. In our field of work, we often see how the right caregiver can greatly enhance the quality of life for an individual.

You need more care than what any one person can provide.

Should your loved one require around the clock care, or even long day shifts, this is often more than what any one person can handle. We all need a break, and this is exactly what an in-home caregiver, or team of caregivers can provide. At Ella Home Care, we can cycle several caregivers in different shifts throughout the week to provide as much as 24/7 care. Additionally, this gives the person being cared for some variety in their week, which is something to look forward to.

You or your loved one wants to stay in their home as long as possible.

One of the biggest benefits of having the help of an in-home caregiver is that it makes it possible for an aging adult to continue living in their home much longer than they could solely on their own. In many cases, without a caregiver, the alternative is moving into a retirement community or nursing home. Should your loved one strongly desire to stay in their home, the offer of hiring an in-home caregiver can provide a desirable middle ground for additional care without needing to move.

You need reliability and consistency.

Finally, a professional caregiver provides reliability and consistency for your loved one. When the responsibility falls on family members who have other obligations like work or caring for their own family, there can be times when they can’t spend the time with the loved one that they had planned to. With a professional caregiver, this is their career and their calling. Even if an illness or unforeseen circumstance should arise with your caregiver, the agency they work for, like Ella Home Care, ensures an alternate caregiver will still cover the shift and be there to provide care as scheduled.

Are you or a loved one considering adding the help of a professional in-home caregiver to improve your quality of life?

Let us help answer your questions! Contact Ella Home Care today.

July 5, 2018 by Kirk Brechbiel

Why You Might Love a Career as a Professional Caregiver

Are you thinking about a career change? Do you desire a job where you can provide love and care for another person and truly see the impact you have on their quality of life? If you have a heart for service and enjoy helping other people, a career as a professional caregiver might be your calling.

While certainly every job has its pros and cons, being a professional caregiver can provide a ton of benefits for the right type of person. Take a look at the following reasons why you might want to consider a career as a professional caregiver.

Fulfillment – Foremost, the best professional caregivers are fulfilled by helping other people. They get enjoyment from helping another person live the highest quality of life. Even when the work is hard or they encounter challenging situations, they remain focused on the most important thing which is caring for the client and treating them just like a member of their own family.

Comfortable and Casual Work Environment – Professional caregivers also benefit from a comfortable and causal work environment. You get to work in someone else’s home and help them with essential, day-to-day activities. Sometimes your job includes going for a leisurely stroll or watching a movie together. As you bond with your client, your job can be just as enjoyable as time spent with family– because your client becomes like family!

Flexible Schedule – You can choose the schedule the best fits your needs. Do you prefer long shifts or short shifts? Can you work certain days of the week? Do you want nights and weekends off? All of this is flexible and negotiable, within reason.

Convenient Commute – You also get to work near where you live. Most home care agencies, like Ella Home Care, service a specific radius so all of our clients live in a close proximity.

Support and Education – You will have the continuous support of the home care agency’s staff to answer questions and develop solutions. Additionally, professional caregivers benefit from ongoing education to ensure the highest quality of care. You will learn and grow in your job!

Competitive Pay – Professional caregiving offers competitive pay. We want to hire qualified caregivers who are committed to their work and who go the extra mile to care for our clients. And we’re willing to offer competitive salaries and attractive work options to ensure we’re hiring the best!

Does your personality and desire for your career align with those of a professional caregiver? Learn more about what all this entails!

June 12, 2018 by Kirk Brechbiel

5 Tips to Improve Caregiver-Patient Communication

Communication is challenging. We use it in every part of our life, whether it’s verbal or non-verbal, and we rely on communication to convey our wants and needs.

Now imagine the unique challenges caregivers and patients face when trying to communicate with one another in a new and unfamiliar environment, or when health issues create roadblocks. If you have an aging friend or family member who relies on the help of a professional caregiver, know that there are tips and resources that can help you facilitate stronger, clearer communication between both parties. Take a look!

Set a weekly meeting to talk about important issues.

Pick a day and time and make it a weekly, recurring meeting where the patient and caregiver can go over important issues. It may be helpful to have a third-party sit in on these meetings, like the patients spouse or adult children. Some common topics that should be discussed are health concerns, changes in moods or behaviors, changes in needs and expectations for care, the schedule for the upcoming week and ways to improve everyone’s experience. Through weekly meetings, you will have scheduled time for discussion so issues are left unaddressed for long periods of time.

Have multiple ways to communicate.

Not everyone prefers the same communication channels. Especially with aging adults, certain technologies or skills such as speaking, typing or writing can become increasingly difficult. Be sure to have multiple ways for caregivers and patients to communicate with each other and with other members of the family. Caregivers may want to call, text or email with family members to communicate important information. But when communicating with their patient, caregivers may prefer speaking face-to-face or writing things down for them to read. Often it’s trial and error! Be patient to find the communication channels that work best for your situation – and be flexible!

Check in with each party independently.

If you are the friend or family member of an aging loved one who has a professional caregiver, you should check in with the caregiver independently of your loved one, and vice versa. This creates a safe space for open communication about hard-to-address topics. For example, a caregiver may have noticed a decline in health and need to recommend additional care and assistance for your loved one. Or your loved one may feel their needs are not being fully met and want to talk about their expectations for quality care. As a third-party listener, you are a valuable communication channel who can help mediate issues before they grow into larger concerns.

Address concerns quickly.

And when it comes to voiced concerns, the key is to address them quickly. Any issue is worth examining because a caregiver-patient relationship is quite intimate and greatly impacts quality of life for both parties. Even something as minor as a negative attitude or resistance to care can manifest into larger, more concerning issues, if not addressed immediately. Don’t forget to include your home care provider in the conversation, as they have vast experience working with both caregivers and patients to resolve just about every issue you can imagine.

Pay attention to non-verbal communication.

Equally as important as verbal communication is non-verbal cues that can give you insight into larger issues that are slowly coming to a boil. For example, a patient’s body language around a caregiver, facial expressions and mood can alert you of negative emotions that could manifest into negative behavior in the future. Likewise, a caregiver’s non-verbal communication toward a patient is another way they can demonstrate love, respect, comfort and friendship. If these important cues feel “off” or indicate there may be tension between the two parties, it’s worth addressing this early and often.

What is your favorite tip for improving caregiver communication? Or do you have another to share? Leave a comment below!

June 5, 2018 by Kirk Brechbiel

How to Keep Your Aging Loved One Safe and Healthy this Summer

Here in Central Pennsylvania, it feels like we wait most of the year for warm and sunny weather. It’s natural for us to want to get outside and enjoy every minute of it! However, we must use common sense when it comes to exposing ourselves to the sun and heat. Especially for older adults, the summer months pose real safety concerns such as dehydration, sunburn and heat exhaustion.

In an effort to keep our aging loved ones safe this summer, take a look at some tips for helping senior adults be proactive when it comes to beating the heat!

Wear Layers

Encourage your loved ones to dress in layers during the summer months. While they may feel cold in the morning or indoors with the AC on, during the afternoon and into the evening, things warm up quickly. Especially if you plan to go outside for any amount of time, plan ahead by wearing easy to remove layers that can quickly come off when the heat kicks in.

Apply Sunscreen

Even when covered up with layers, begin each morning by applying sunscreen. Whether you will be simply sitting in the sun for any period of time, or plan to be walking, gardening, etc., sunscreen is so important to keep your skin safe. Not only will it prevent the discomfort of sunburn, it will prevent serious long-term damage that may cause skin cancer. Sunscreen at every age is important, but especially for our aging loved ones who may need assistance applying it.

Give Air Conditioning Units a Check-Up

The worst time to figure out your air conditioning unit no longer works is in the heat of summer when you need it most. Help your aging loved one give their AC unit a check-up prior to the dog days of summer by scheduling an HVAC company to come and test everything out. If they do need a new unit, you will be able to plan ahead and have everything up and running before it becomes a danger to their health.

Limit Time Outside During Peak Heat Hours

Watch the forecast and plan your day accordingly. Avoid outdoor activities when temperatures reach into the 80’s and above. Be sure to also take humidity and wind into account. Early mornings are a great time to enjoy sunshine without the direct heat. Also seek shaded spots to relax, rather than placing an aging loved one in direct sunlight.

Stay Hydrated

Have cold water readily available and within reach. Some seniors may not have the ability to refill their own water bottles or drink from a cup. Be sure they have assistance throughout the day to meet these basic needs to stay hydrated. Even for seniors who are physically capable of providing themselves with water, like anyone, they will need encouragement to remember how much water they should drink in a day.

Have a Plan for Help

Most importantly, develop an action plan for getting help. Your loved one needs to know how to speak up when they feel too hot, thirsty or weak. Clearly communicate, and create a reminder, of who they should contact for any number of emergencies. Do a test run to make sure they are comfortable with the process. The peace of mind is well worth the effort!

How do you plan to help an aging loved one stay safe this summer? Share your favorite tip by leaving a comment below!

The Hottest Holiday Gadgets for Senior Adults

5 Signs You or a Loved One May Benefit From In-Home Care

Why You Might Love a Career as a Professional Caregiver

5 Tips to Improve Caregiver-Patient Communication

How to Keep Your Aging Loved One Safe and Healthy this Summer

Our Promise To You

Download Our Brochure

Contact Us