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October 11, 2021 by Kirk Brechbiel

Tips for Preventing Isolation in the Winter Months

The winter months can be hard on anyone, but especially our senior adults who already face the challenge of feeling isolated daily. The colder weather and wintery conditions create new challenges for staying connected in person, getting outside, and keeping spirits high. In order to stave off the “winter blues” it’s important to have a game plan and take proactive measures going into this season. Keep reading for our best tips for helping anyone, but senior adults in particular, feeling positive and connected during the winter months.

Develop an action plan now.

Before the dead of winter sets in, put a plan in place for events and activities that you can look forward to. When you leave your social schedule to chance, it’s far more likely that days and weeks will pass without much outside activity. While you have the energy and motivation to stay busy and connected during the winter months, commit to social engagements that you can put on your calendar well in advance. Whether it’s for you or a loved one, you’ll see these coming up on your calendar and they will offer a bright spot to look forward to. Even if you don’t feel like sticking with your obligation when the time arises, this will provide the encouragement you need to break away from dull habits and try something new. Speaking of which…

Try something new.

Beyond just meeting up with friends for coffee or a card game, look at the winter months as an opportunity to try something new and different. Explore a hobby you’ve always wanted to try or volunteer your time toward something productive. There is a lot you can still do from the comfort of home thanks to technology that enables us to be connected from afar. Make it a goal to end the winter season having gained a new skill, friend, or pastime.

Find people to hold you accountable.

Let friends and family members know now that you need their help during the winter months to check in regularly and to provide encouragement. As the season changes, the days get shorter, and the temps drop, it can be tempting to revert to daily habits that are comfortable yet stagnant. While it may feel good to “stay in” in the moment, the effort you put forth to see other people and partake in activities will always leave you feeling far more fulfilled. The best thing you can do is to ask a friend or family member to hold you accountable for the obligations you place on your schedule that help you stay connected and get out of the house every so often. A phone call or text to check-in will go a long way!

Be receptive to help.

And finally, know when you need help and be open to receiving it. If you ask someone to visit you regularly, check-in or encourage you with opportunities for events and activities throughout the winter, make every effort to say “yes” as often as possible. What may seem uncomfortable or like extra effort at the moment will be the nudge you need to keep you out of a slump and to avoid the winter blues. Plus, saying “yes” to social offers will always give you more opportunities to make memories you’ll cherish for years to come.

With the change of any season comes a new set of challenges as well as opportunities for joy and growth. We hope this advice will help you and your loved ones more into winter confidently with a plan to seek joyful moments of connectivity.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

November 5, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

How Senior Adults Can Stay Healthy this Flu Season

For many, the winter season is the best season of all. It brings with it the holidays, snowy settings, and fun family traditions. Unfortunately, this time of year is also when we see a lot more illnesses floating around, especially among our aging adult population. Germs can spread rapidly with everyone spending more time indoors and at social gatherings. So what can you do to protect yourself from catching the flu bug this season? Take a look at our top tips for how senior adults can stay healthy during the winter months.

Get the Flu Vaccine

One very important line of defense against the flu is to start with a flu shot. Especially for our senior adults, this can greatly reduce your chances of contracting the flu. More than just the inconvenience of being sick, the flu poses a substantially greater risk to our aging population who can suffer severe side effects and a very long recovery time compared to younger generations. Flu shots are widely available and most commonly free.

Maintain Good Hygiene Practices

This flu season, make it a commitment to stay ahead of germs by practicing smart hygiene. This means thoroughly washing your hands after using the restroom or when out in public spaces, and washing your hands every time before you touch food, your mouth, or eyes. This is a very simple yet highly effective step for reducing flu germs, and any other germs, from calling your home their home.

Stay Active

Staying active in the winter is not always easy, but it is worth it. Getting in a little bit of physical activity every day has been proven to boost your immune system which wards off illnesses like the flu. In the dark, winter months, staying active can also boost your emotional wellness. Getting out of your home, seeing friends and neighbors, and stretching or moving your body is good for the mind, body, and soul.

See the Doctor – Only When Necessary

When you come down with a common winter illness, the best thing to do is to rest and give yourself time to get over the illness at home. For something that appears common, non-life-threatening, and is showing signs of improving, you don’t need to rush to the doctor to confirm the obvious. The doctor’s office is frequented by sick people, so every time you come in for an appointment you’re also exposing yourself to additional germs. If symptoms worsen or become severe, absolutely see a doctor, but otherwise try to avoid public places where germs tend to follow, like a doctor’s office.

Avoid Crowds and Limit Travel

Another smart tip to limit your exposure to the flu this season, especially for our aging population, is to avoid large crowds and limit travel. Again, these public spaces tend to be where large amount of germs reside. By exposing yourself to them, you’re also exposing yourself to these germs. Limit your risk by sticking to smaller, more personal spaces and using good hygiene to get rid of any germs that may have come home with you.

Focus on Hydration and Nutrition

Finally, focus on drinking lots of water and fueling your body with good nutrition. This will help give your body the resources it needs to produce a healthy immune system and put up a strong line of defense against germs. Increase your intake of Vitamin C to further boost your immune system, and incorporate some herbal teas into your diet to soothe dry throats while offering additional hydration.

The bottom line to staying healthy this flu season is to be proactive and smart with your health habits. If you haven’t already gotten flu shot, the best time to do that is now. Also, stock up on supplies like tissues antimicrobial wipes, and hand sanitizer so it’s quick and convenient to keep hands and surfaces clean. With a little planning ahead you can save yourself from the negative impact of coming down with, and spreading the flu this season.

Tips for Preventing Isolation in the Winter Months

5 Things Ella Home Care is Grateful for in 2019

How Senior Adults Can Stay Healthy this Flu Season

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