Accredited Caregiver Specialists

Its Never Too Early For an Advance Directive

2010-04-07T09:12:00.000-07:00

"If you were to become incapacitated and unable to make decisions for
yourself, what would you want your family to do?" For many this
question comes across their mind and they answer it, but fail to
express that answer on paper. The problem with not putting it in
writing is when a situation arises where they cannot make their own
decisions, no one knows what to do. The answer comes from their
family who may have a different view of what should be done. Family
fueds often arise in situations where parties take opposing views in
regards to "what you would want". By drafting an Advance Directive you
are able to ensure that your wishes are respected and that you are not
burdening loved ones with painful choices.

Advance Directives are documents that specify your wishes for heath
care if you are unable to make your own decisions. They are used to
avoid prolonging the dying process and to prevent unnecessary
heartache and turmoil within families. Advance Directives are
basically your dying health care wishes written on paper. You are able
to specify what you want done to save your life or the limits of
medical interventions that you want preformed. You then appoint a
health care power of attorney, someone who will be responsible for
carrying out the Advance Directive. This person should also know you
well enough to weigh out the pros and cons before carrying out your
wishes.

Although we may think we are "too young" to draft an Advance Directive
be assured that you are never too young to make end of life plans. At
any point in life, whether young or old, a vegetative state or severe
impairment can be brought on by car accidents or physical illnesses.

Make sure the documents are drafted and executed in a legally binding
manner, this can be done with the help of attorney who specializes in
elder law, trusts or estates. Once you draft your Advance Directive
make sure you give copies to your doctors, surrogates, attorney and
family. Also, make sure those papers are taken with you or brought to
the hospital. Most of all communicate your wishes to relatives and
medical providers to avoid conflicts later. Advance Directives help
give others peace of mind and allow you to be in control even though
you are not mentally or physically able.

Tips for preventing falls

2010-03-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Every 18 seconds and elderly person ends up in the ER due to a fall.
In fact more than 1/3 of people over 65 fall each year and nearly
23,000 deaths are linked to falls each year. What most people do not
realize is that these deaths stem from head injuries or hip fractures
that lead to extensive hospital stays. Falls are normally caused by
loss of balance, weak muscles, impaired vision, medications and
everyday home hazards. What older adults fail to voice is just how
afraid they are of falling. Since a fall can occur at anytime they may
be afraid to be left alone but are not willing to give up their
independence. Learning how to prevent falls will not only help them
avoid injuries but it will also help them preserve their independence.

When the elder speaks to their doctor encourage them to be honest with
their level of pain. Older people tend to minimize their pain when in
reality it is in their best interest to be honest. Researches have
found that those in severe pain we 77% more likely to fall than those
with no pain. If the pain can be managed with medication the doctor
has the ability to find medications that serve their needs. If balance
is an issue ask their doctor to test of any inner ear disorders. These
inner ear disorders can cause dizziness and affect their balance.

Although it is tempting to go out and buy them a cane or walker on
your own it is highly advised that they get fitted by a physical
therapist.The physical therapist will be able to show them how to use
the aid properly. Improper use of canes and walkers send over 47,000
older people to the hospital every year.

Many older adults find having a pet therapeutic, which is very true.
Having a pet as a companion can give them emotional strength as well
as encourage them to exercise. But pets also make the home unsafe,
pets are responsible for sending 21,000 elders to the hospital every
year. Pets should be discouraged from sleeping at the foot the bed or
at the foot of chairs. Also, make sure that their toys aren't left
throughout the house as this poses a threat to any person who may walk
through that area.

Staying Safe in Cold Weather

2010-02-25T16:09:00.000-08:00

Cold weather is especially dangerous for children and older adults. Although we may not notice its affects right away the winter's cold can easily bring on Hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body's core temperature falls below 96 Degrees Fahrenheit. Hypothermia can develop in older adults fairly quickly when exposed to colder temperatures, even if the temperature change is small. Older less active adults are more prone to Hypothermia due to a low production in body heat. Diabetes and other medical conditions can also lead to a diminished response to cold weather. Even some over the counter cold medicines can lead to a poor response to drops in temperature. If you care for an older adult you should pay close attention to them when they are exposed to the cold.

Although dangerous Hypothermia is preventable. While indoors dress your loved one in layers, ensure that they are wearing socks and slippers. Set the thermostat to 68 to 70 Degrees Fahrenheit, although this may seem too warm Hypothermia can be brought on at the temperature of 65 Degrees Fahrenheit. When going outdoors it is important to make sure they keep their heads covered by a hat and that they have a scarf and gloves with them. You should also check with a doctor to see if any medications or cold medicines may increase their
risk of hypothermia.

If an older adult has been exposed to the cold and you believe that they may be suffering from hypothermia, check their temperature. A temperature of 96 degrees or less is an indicator that something is wrong and 911 should be called immediately. Some other warning signs are sleepiness, confusion, shivering, stiffness in their arms or legs, slow/slurred speech, slow reactions and a weak pulse.

Helpful ways to communicate with dementia sufferers

2010-02-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

Many of those suffering from dementia find themselves unable to
communicate their needs and fears with others. Often this leads to a
breakdown in communication between the client and their caregiver.
Although frustrating there are some ways to help caregivers
communicate with dementia suffers to help build long lasting healthy
relationships. These tips are designed to help you handle the often
difficult task of of assisting dementia clients.

1.Maintain your sense of humor
Many dementia clients still have their social skills. Telling
jokes or sharing funny stories are ways to lighten the mood and to
share laughter together.

2. When interacting be positive
Communicate with more than just your voice. Your body language
and tone or voice are other ways to convey your thoughts and feelings

3. Be clear and direct
Speak slowly and use simple words/phrases. Always refer to people
by their names rather than he/she as sometimes this may cause
confusion. If the client does not understand your question the 1st
time you ask it is recommended that you repeat the question the same
way you phrased it the 1st time you asked it.

4. Minimize distractions around them
Make sure you have their full attention before speaking to them.
If you are in a place that is very noisy you may chose to leave the
room or turn down the volume of the TV.

5. Ask questions that are easy for them to answer
Ask questions that are easily answered with Yes/No answer. Try
not to ask open ended questions that can confuse their thought
process.

6. Listen with more than your ears
Take note of their body language when they are trying to answer
their questions. If they begin to get confused or flustered you can
try to make suggestions as to what they are trying to say.

7. When they start to get upset, lighten the mood
When their mood begins to change address the negative emotion
they are demonstrating and then change the subject or divert their
attention to a hands on activity.

8. Reassure them with feelings of safety and comfort
During times when they are unsure of their surroundings or become
confused reassure them buy using a soft tone of voice or a pat on the
shoulder.

9. Use the Divide and Conquer approach
When taking on a large task help them make it manageable by
breaking the process into steps. Encourage them to keep moving forward
and help them when they aren't sure what to do next.

10. Have them share stores from the past
For most dementia clients it isn't their long term memory that is
fading so suggest that they tell you stories from their favorite
vacation. Another way to jog their memory is to pull out an old album,
ask who people are or what they were doing when this picture was
taken.

Exercise and Older Adults

2010-01-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

As most of us already know physical activity and exercise are important to both your physical and mental health. That being said there are tremendous benefits for older people who exercise. Continuous physical activity can also produce long- term benefits and many experts suggest that older adults who remain active also maintain their optimal health. Some of you may be reading this wondering what activities can do to stay healthy and for others this may be the time to start an exercise game plan.

First, you need to know what your limits are. Second, ease into your new exercise routine. Decide how often you want to exercise, whether it be once a day or maybe just certain days of the week. There are 4 main categories of physical activity: Endurance, Strength, Balance and Flexibility. For the most part most exercises fit into more than one category.

Endurance:
These are activities that increase your heart rate and breathing. Increasing your heart rate and breathing help to condition your body and may lower your risk of heart attack while increasing the strength of your lungs. You may try taking a brisk walk or taking the stairs whenever possible. If you are looking to build your physical endurance try taking a dance or aerobics class, some of these classes may be offered at your local senior center. Biking and swimming are 2 other ways to build up your endurance.

Strength:
By increasing your strength may also ensure that as you age you will still be able to carry your own groceries as you get older. To do this you can try lifting light weights.

Balance:
If you are concerned about your balance you might want to learn Tai Chi or even practice heel to toe walking.

Flexibility:
As with all exercises and especially before physical activity always stretch to increase your flexibility and to prevent injuries.

Remember that even though physical exercise is important it is also important to know your physical limits before beginning an exercise routine.

2010-01-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

Here at ACS we are commited to educating the community on the service we provide. We understand that many of those in need of care don't really know where to start in terms of searching. For some of you it is a shock to know your loved one is in need of such care and for others it is something you knew you would need eventually.

Although it is difficult for us to accept we must remember that those that are in need of homecare have a sense of loss that is often troubling to accept. They are afraid to leave everything familiar behind along with losing their sense of independence.It is important that at such a difficult time in one's life they understand moving away from home isn't the only option. By having a caregiver to supervise and assist them with everyday tasks in their home they don't have to succumb to a nursing home.

If this is your first time looking into homecare you should understand some of the benefits. Take the following into consideration:

It's Simple:
ACS is here to meet your specific needs. Together we can work out a schedule and a list of duties that you need performed. You decide if you want light housekeeping, bath assistance, meals, etc. performed everyday and you even choose the shifts you need worked. Once we have that information we will be able to place you with a caregiver.

The transition is easy:
The true benefit is that your caregiver comes to you! There is no need to drive yourself or your loved one anywhere. You'll also have a companion around who you can talk and share stories with.

The price is reasonable:
ACS was founded to provide quality, affordable, non-medical homecare for seniors! Keeping costs down is what we are here to do! It is our mission to improve their quality of life by providing them the best service at the best price.

Homecare provides family members with the PEACE OF MIND that their loved one is in the hands of a qualified individual.

Caregivers, Care Managers and Family Members

2009-12-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

Many seniors, for various reasons, face hazards when they are left alone in the house. Some might need someone to bring food and water, or help them go to the bathroom. Others, due to memory problems might be in danger of leaving the stove on, or doing something else that puts them in danger. For these seniors, just having someone around for supervision can be a tremendously valuable thing.

Unfortunately, many seniors are unable to have someone around at all the times when they need one. For seniors with large, closely-knit families, it can be easier to make sure that someone will be there, especially if the senior also has a professional caregiver for hours when family is unavailable. But for other seniors, without a lot of nearby family members to supervise, it can be a major challenge to get sufficient care. In this situation it can be useful to hire a care manager. Care managers work with seniors’ physicians, family members and caregivers to ensure that the senior is being cared for sufficiently, and is not in danger. When seniors don’t have family members to check in on them, a care manager can provide all the supervision that would otherwise be provided by the family.

Not all seniors can have people around whenever they need them. Depending on the amount of care needed, and the ability of the senior's family to provide supervision, the senior's home care needs could be met by a combination of family help and the services of professional caregivers. But for seniors without an adequate family or social support system, hiring a care manager might be the best choice.

Homecare Humor

2009-12-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

Because laughter is the best medicine, the ACS blog is going to take a break from serious topics, and bring you some homecare humor. We've searched all across the web to find the best (and most family-friendly) senior jokes. So here's a funny list of signs that you might be the right age for homecare, from your friends at Accredited Caregiver Specialists.

You know you might be the right age for homecare when:

1) Your back goes out more often than you do.
2) Your idea of a night out is sitting on the patio.
3) At cafeterias, you complain that the gelatin is too tough.
4) You begin every other sentence with, "Nowadays..."
5) People call at 9 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"
6) Your knees buckle and your belt won't.
7) Happy hour is a nap.
8)Tying one on means fastening your Medic Alert bracelet.
9)You do the hokey pokey and put your left hip out, and it stays out.
10)You light the candles on your birthday cake, and a group of campers form a circle and start singing “Kumbaya.”

Happy Holidays everybody!

How Seniors Can Beat the "Holiday Blues"

2009-12-16T12:49:00.000-08:00

People often associate the holidays with good company and happiness, and for many this is so. But for others, the holidays can be a very challenging time. For some, the stress of preparing celebrations, and the financial pressures of buying gifts can make the holidays an unpleasant time, and for seniors lacking a strong social support system, the holidays can be a time of loneliness, and especially difficult when seeing everyone else having a "merry" time. This is an important thing for all of us to keep in mind during the holidays. To prevent "the holiday blues" among seniors, social interaction is very important. If there is a senior in your life who you know might be missing out on the holiday cheer, remember to visit or at least call them, because even small gestures can make a big difference for their moods. And if you are a senior, click here to read an article on how to improve your mood during the holidays.

Season's greetings from all at ACS!

Avoiding Senior Scams

2009-12-10T16:38:00.000-08:00

This week, our blog will take a little break from the topic of home care to try to alert seniors to a potentially dangerous phenomenon. It’s unfortunate, but in today’s world, seniors need to be especially careful to avoid the scams of con-artists who prey on the elderly. One particular scam, known as the “grandchild scam” or “grandparent scam” has been making a comeback lately. This article is an attempt to inform seniors of how the scam works, so that they can know what best to do to avoid it.

In the typical grandchild scam, the con-artist will call a senior at home, saying something like “grandma” or “grandpa, I’m so glad to have reached you.” Sometimes the perpetrator will already know the name of a grandchild and attempt to impersonate them. Today, scammers can easily find many peoples’ names and information from websites like Facebook or Myspace, but the scam can work sometimes even without the perpetrator knowing the grandchild’s name. In that case the scammer would ask a leading question to the senior, such as “don’t you know who this is?” If the grandparent responds with a guess of which grandchild this person sounds like the most, the scammer will then have a name to work with. One excellent piece of advice from anti-scam advocates, is to never take a guess, and instead to respond by saying, “why don’t you tell me?” or something to that effect. After hearing that, 99% of scammers will hang up the phone.

If the scammer is successful in getting the senior to believe that he or she is a real grandchild, the scammer will then tell a sob-story about how they were in a car accident, arrested, injured, or in another unfortunate circumstance, and need money right away, in the form of check, money order, or even bank account information. The scammer might even have a co-conspirator come on the line pretending to be someone like a bail-bondsman or doctor, to validate the fictitious story. Another key to the scam is that the fake grandchild tries to convince the senior not to tell anyone about the situation. “Please don’t tell Mom or Dad” is a common statement to hear from the scammer.

This scam has been successful in extracting thousands of dollars from seniors across the country. The seniors who are most vulnerable to it are those who have lots of grandchildren, or have problems with memory. Those who are the most trusting, and generous with money are also heavily victimized.

So the key thing to remember is, regardless of how much you love your grandkids and want the best for them, you should always be suspicious of calls like this. Con artists are often people with zero conscience, and are very good at what they do. The person on the other end of the line might be very convincing, but always keep in mind that they might not be who they say they are.

Source:

http://www.scambusters.org/grandparents.html

Home Care and Caregiver Bonding

2009-12-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

Different types of home care provide different features. Certain features, such as bonding can be very important for some consumers, and not so important for others. This article is an attempt to clarify when bonding can help you, and when these features may cost you more than what you get out of it.
Caregiver bonding helps provide assurance that if your caregiver steals anything from your house, you can be compensated. But this is not always a simple matter. If you suspect that a caregiver has stolen from you, generally you must press charges in order to receive compensation for the item. For relatively small dollar value items, clients are often hesitant to do this because of the effort involved with complying with law enforcement. Instead they choose to simply discontinue service with the caregiver, and the bonding that the client has been paying for never comes into effect. For higher dollar value items however, bonding can be useful. Another situation where bonding can be useful occurs if a caregiver is hired to pay bills for a client. If a law-breaking caregiver with access to the client’s checkbook were to start writing checks to himself, bonding can ensure that all funds are recovered.
So as a general rule, bonding becomes more useful with the more access a caregiver has to valuable items. So if a client has expensive paintings on the walls, or gives the caregiver access to personal funds, such as through a checkbook, bonding can be worth the expense. But in other situations, this feature might be of a lower priority, and not worth the extra cost.

Balancing Home Care and Work

2009-11-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

Personally caring for an elderly family member in the home can be a difficult and time-consuming task. It can also be rewarding and fulfilling to take care of the people you love, and family-based home care can be great for the seniors in-need, because their loved-ones are not strangers, and through years of family life they may know how to give that person the best care. But unfortunately, the many drawbacks of this plan of care can often outweigh the benefits.

It is rare for people to have open schedules in which to take care of their loved ones full time. Especially in the rough economy of recent times, people need to work as many hours possible to make ends meet and ensure job security. This can make it very difficult to devote enough time to your senior family member to give sufficient care. Many Americans struggle every day to balance their careers with the needs of their aging loved-ones, and it can put a major strain on the caregivers, and be very damaging to their professional lives. When providing care, hours at work will inevitably be missed, and when working, it can become very difficult to remain alert due to lost sleep. One possible solution to this problem, would be to trade off caring for the senior with other family members. But this might not be an option for smaller or less closely knit families.

Another choice for care would be to get services from a home care company, such as Accredited Caregiver Specialists. Depending on your budget and schedule, this might be the best option for you and the senior needing care. In choosing what home care services might be helpful, there are several factors that you should consider: First of all, how many hours of care does the senior need? If they don't need too many hours, it might be manageable to care for them yourself. Otherwise, home care services might be helpful. Secondly, how much money would you be losing in lost wages or salary because of taking care of the senior? If this amount is higher than the rates you would be paying for a good caregiver, from a strictly money-related perspective it would be smarter to pay for home care services. But of course, money is not the only consideration.

It is a difficult choice to make, but luckily there are many options that can help improve your living situation, and the quality of life of the senior you care about.

Professional Caregiver Boundaries

2009-11-19T14:35:00.000-08:00

In any caregiving situation, it’s important that the client and caregiver have a professional relationship. While it’s great when caregivers and clients can become friends, experience has shown that in all cases, professional boundaries should be maintained to avoid certain unfortunate situations. These unfortunate situations can occur whenever a caregiver exploits a close relationship with a client for personal gain.
One of these exploitative situations happens when a caregiver takes on a live-in assignment with a client, without having a primary residence. These situations can become especially troublesome if care is stopped for any reason, because the caregiver would then have no place to stay at all, and thus may be very apprehensive about leaving the residence. ACS prohibits this practice, and requires that live-in caregivers do not act as if they have moved in, for example, by leaving a lot of their things at the client’s residence.
A second exploitative situation can occur if caregivers attempt to manipulate clients into giving them gifts or money. We at ACS have heard horror stories about con-artist caregivers who develop unprofessional relationships with their elderly clients to help them obtain gifts, or even get written into the client’s will. To prevent anything like this from happening, ACS has a policy against large gifts between client and caregiver. Small gifts, like a client treating a caregiver to a meal are acceptable, but for items with higher dollar values, we highly discourage clients from offering them. If ACS finds out that a caregiver has accepted a large gift, we will notify those who are close with the client, such as family members or care managers, to make sure that they know about the situation. Because we discourage the acceptance of large gifts among our caregivers, we will also use this information to decide whether or not to place the caregiver with any future clients.
A third situation occurs when caregivers take clients’ resources for their own personal use. When doing grocery shopping for a client, a familiar scam that unethical caregivers might attempt, would be to purchase duplicate items, and then take half of the items for themselves. This is a way of hiding the theft by making it appear like a legitimate purchase. For this and other reasons, it can be very important for clients to not only demand that caregivers provide receipts for all purchases, but also to examine these receipts closely. Here at ACS we demand that our caregivers keep track of every penny spent, so there can be no doubt about what the money was used for. Here's some good advice for seniors seeking care: No matter how close you become with a caregiver, always be careful when that person uses your money. A good caregiver with nothing to hide will never have a problem with this.
ACS hopes that all of our clients become friends with their caregivers, but this does not mean that professional distance shouldn’t be maintained. The proper boundaries can prevent theft and exploitation, and do not discourage healthy and friendly caregiver/senior companionship.

Seniors and Emergency Situations

2009-11-11T16:56:00.000-08:00

For seniors who need to have someone around to help them in daily life, it's important to have a caregiver who understands the proper procedures to follow during a medical emergency. A good caregiver will be perceptive of a senior’s condition at all times, and be able to realize if a medical emergency is occurring, and if so, to call 911 as soon as possible. It can be a major advantage for a caregiver to possess a cellular phone, in case an emergency happens away from a land-line. At ACS, whether or not a caregiver has a cellular phone to use in case of emergency is a major factor in matching caregivers with clients. After having reached 911 operators, the next step would be for the caregiver to follow all instructions until the senior is in the care of medical responders. The caregiver would then call the senior's emergency contacts, and travel to the hospital to be with the senior. At ACS the caregiver would then call our offices, and keep us informed, so that we can know about any changes to the senior's needs that might occur due to the emergency. The good judgment to recognize an emergency when it happens, and then follow appropriate emergency procedures is a quality that ACS demands from all of its caregivers.
To prepare for medical emergencies, in addition to the option of in-home care and keeping family close by, seniors who will be alone in the home can also consider purchasing an emergency signalling device that they could wear at all times. Various companies produce these devices, and they can make it possible for a senior to get emergency attention in incapacitating situations, such as after a bad fall, when dialing 911 might not be an option.
Everyone hopes that emergencies don't happen, but it is important to be prepared for them if they do.

Home Care and Senior Driving Safety

2009-11-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

For senior citizens, driving can pose many hazards that younger members of the population don’t face. While elderly people usually have the benefit of many more years of driving experience, which can lead to better decision-making on the road, certain risk factors make driving generally more dangerous for seniors. Statistics have shown that people over 65 years of age are far more likely to be killed in automobile accidents than younger people. This is due to various factors, including the elderly population's greater difficulty in recovering from injuries, as well as age-related vision, hearing and coordination problems.

This is not to say that elderly people in general are dangerous on the road. Each person has different driving abilities and habits, and a decision not to drive should be based on a person’s actual driving, not based on mean stereotypes painting the elderly as bad drivers. Many of the elderly are better drivers those who are young and inexperienced, who can be reckless, acting as if they and their cars are invincible.

Nonetheless, if you or a loved one is having a hard time driving safely, it may be time to get some help, and home care services, such as those provided by ACS can offer seniors ways to get around safer. Many of ACS’ caregivers have driver’s licenses and cars, or the ability to drive client’s cars, and are able to take clients to the places they want to go. This way, elderly people who are no longer safe to drive can retain much of the same independence of transportation that they had while driving, while keeping risks low.

It can be tough to give up driving, even if you know it is no longer safe for you. Fortunately this does not mean an end to independent transportation. Home care services like ACS can help you get where you need to go.

Sources:

http://seniors.lovetoknow.com/Elderly_Driving_Statistics

Matching Caregivers Based on Personality and Etiquette

2009-10-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

Some of the most important qualities of excellent caregivers are not learned through professional education or experience, but come from within. I am talking about the caregiver's personality, which can make the difference between a caregiver who can help enrich the lives of clients, and one who might create an unpleasant situation. Here at ACS we pride ourselves on choosing caregivers who have the proper etiquette, manners, and sensitivity to give excellent service. We understand that home care is a very personal choice to make, and only want to supply caregivers that clients would always feel comfortable with in their homes.

In choosing a caregiver with the right personality and etiquette, there are many things to be considered. First of all, punctuality is very important. Depending on how extensive the needs of a client is, the punctuality of a caregiver could be a very crucial factor. Secondly, one should try to get a sense of a caregiver's respect and sensitivity. A caregiver with rude manners, for example, one who brings up unpleasant and controversial topics of discussion, could cause major problems in the home.

These personality traits can sometimes be hard to uncover, and for someone trying to hire a caregiver without the aid of an agency, it can be a very tough process. This is one way ACS can help smooth out the caregiver search. Our application and assignment process provides ample insight into caregivers' punctuality, etiquette, and sensitivity, helping to ensure that those who we assign to clients would never cause an unfortunate social situation. Also, after a caregiver has been assigned, ACS can serve as a mediator between clients and caregivers who have any personality clashes. If any of our clients have a problem with a caregiver, they can let us know. For those who hire caregivers privately, there is no one else to help smooth out such problems. This is one major advantage of choosing an agency like ACS.

Private Hire Caregivers or Agencies?

2009-10-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

In choosing the right non-medical home care plan, there are many things to consider. Those considering home care will ponder such questions as: What level of care do I need? What can I afford? How can I know that my caregiver is trustworthy? All of these questions lead to a very tough decision, but fortunately, there are numerous alternatives to choose from that can be beneficial for each individual situation.

There are different varieties of home care services offered by both agencies and individual caregivers. For example, a person might choose to independently hire a caregiver, for example, from classified ads. While direct hiring is probably the cheapest alternative in terms of money, care seekers choosing direct hire will face the costs of time and effort, such as the amount of time spent in finding an appropriate caregiver and the effort needed to comply with the legal obligations of employment and tax reporting. Another alternative would be to go with a full service home care agency. Full service agencies hire the caregivers that they offer to clients as employees. These caregivers are usually bonded by the agencies. Bonding can offer an advantage for care seekers worried about the risk of damages occurring during care, for example by caregiver theft, but this feature also adds significantly to the costs of care. When considering how important bonding would be to you, keep in mind that homeowner’s insurance can cover many of the same damages that bonding would cover, so consult your insurance provider if you have one. Full service agencies will take care of caregiver tax reporting, and might also be able to perform services like billing insurance, which is really useful for some clients, but like bonding, also raises the cost of service. For care seekers who are concerned about the risks of direct hiring, but aren’t willing to pay for features such as bonding or insurance billing, there are registry agencies, like ACS, that offer a kind of middle ground between direct hiring, and full service agencies. The caregivers working with registry agencies are not employees of the agency, and instead are independent contractors. Registry agencies perform many of the same functions of full service agencies, such as screening, interviewing and performing background checks on caregivers, but avoid some of the more expensive features that put full service agencies out of the price range of many Americans. Working with ACS, just like with a full service agency, clients will also avoid having to spend time on a caregiver’s tax reporting, because ACS gets this done through an independent payroll service.

How can you tell which choice is right for you? It depends on your budget and the services you need. If you are someone who wants to conserve cash, and doesn’t mind performing rigorous employment screenings, and doing the paperwork of reporting taxes for employees, direct hire could be your best choice. If you are someone who is willing to pay more to make sure that everything from bonding to insurance billing gets taken care of, you might want to go with a full service agency. And if you are someone in the middle of these two extremes, who wants much of the same quality assurance and convenience offered by a full service agency, for a price closer to that of a direct hire, you might want to go with a registry agency like ACS.

How to Tell if a Loved One with Dementia is Unsafe Alone

2009-10-09T15:34:00.000-07:00

People with Alzheimers disease and other dementias can face difficulties and dangers in everyday activities that people without these problems might find hard to comprehend. For example, for someone with normal memory function, boiling a pot of water is not usually a dangerous activity. But for someone with memory problems or other cognitive issues brought on by dementia, there could be very serious risks of starting a fire. It's important for the families of dementia patients to realize that their loved ones can be in danger in places that most people would take for granted as totally safe. Depending on the severity of symptoms, it may not be safe for those with dementia to live alone. For guidance on how to judge whether or not a dementia patient is safe alone, and ways to help make these situations safer, check out the following links to articles by senior care expert Liz Macera:

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-9696-SF-Senior-Care-Examiner~y2009m10d7-Should-a-person-with-Alzheimers-disease-or-dementia-stay-home-alone

http://www.examiner.com/x-9696-SF-Senior-Care-Examiner~y2009m10d8-Fire-safety-at-home-with-a-person-who-has-dementia

The Home vs Care Facility Dilemma

2009-10-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

As we all know, when people get older they can get used to certain things, and by the time people are seniors, they can get a little set in their ways. Seniors can get very used to where things are kept around the house, become accustomed to a favorite local restaurant, or have a certain routine that they comfortably follow in their homes. Because seniors do get accustomed to the environments they have known throughout their lives, it can be challenging when seniors needing daily assistance, have to move away from their homes and into care facilities. While there are some advantages to care facilities, such as the opportunity for seniors to meet new friends in their age group, moving into one can be a tough adjustment for seniors to make. Moving into a care facility is a major change that can take away many of the places and things that seniors have grown comfortable with over decades. This is one reason why in-home care, such as that provided by Accredited Caregiver Specialists, is an incredibly valuable service for many seniors. Polls of senior opinions have shown that most seniors would prefer to stay in their homes for as long as possible. And for seniors suffering from memory disorders, having a familiar place to live can make a positive difference in the quality of their lives. Home care services make it possible for seniors to live in their homes for longer, and Accredited Caregiver Specialists, by providing in home care for seniors at affordable rates, is committed to keeping seniors’ living options open.

Sources

http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/il/home_mod.pdf

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/conditions/02/07/alzheimers.facility/index.html

http://money.cnn.com/2000/05/09/senior_living/q_retire_seniors/

The Future of Homecare

2009-09-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Taking care of our elders is a responsibility everyone must take seriously. We can all thank the older members of society for building the world we live in, and in return, we should make sure that they are comfortable and respected in their old age. But giving the elderly the assistance they need is not an easy task, and it is a task that will become more challenging in the coming decades. The “baby boom” generation is getting older, and as this happens, the elderly will take up a much larger proportion America’s population than they ever have. It has been estimated that by 2050, seniors over the age of 65 will make up 21 percent of the US population, reflecting a growth rate of 147 percent since the year 2000. This will make the task of caring for the elderly a very large one, and a task that will become more and more challenging for seniors’ families to handle on their own. This is where a business like Accredited Caregiver Specialists steps in to help. Offering services at affordable rates, ACS plans to be there for seniors in the coming decades, helping to give our elders the assistance and independence they deserve, in the environments they are most comfortable in: their homes. This is our mission.

Sources:
http://seniorliving.about.com/od/lawpolitics/a/senior_pop_demo.htm

Welcome to the ACS Blog

2009-09-18T10:27:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, and welcome to our blog. Here at ACS we decided that having a blog would be a great opportunity for us to discuss the many issues seniors face in today's world. We plan to fill the blog regularly with information on home care, health and wellness, senior events, humor, and anything else that would help enrich people's understanding of senior life. We intend for this blog to be both informative and entertaining, providing information that can help people live better, presented in a way that's readable and fun.

So check back with us regularly for helpful hints on elder care, senior news, and much more!