Home Care for the 21st Century

Better Communications, Better Service, Better Quality of Life

How to prepare for Nor'easters (or what I learned the hard way during a hurricane)

Will the weather outside be frightful? Read the following to help prepare yourself and your family for this winter’s “big one”.

Each June in Florida, hurricane preparation begins. Personal “Hurricane Boxes” are stocked and insurance policies
checked. When Home Depot runs out of plywood (to cover windows), stores run out of bottled water and more than a #1 level hurricane is approaching, reality hits.

After being without electricity for several days, I have learned the following lessons- the hard way:

Posted by: Karen Banning Created on: Mon 09 December 2013 15:10 Last modified: Mon 09 December 2013 16:13

This article was posted in Your Stories, Home Safety and tagged with massachusetts, home care, weather, maine, snow, preparation, emergency, Nor'easters

Thank you!

We sincerely appreciate our caregivers and we thank them often. The work they do, their devotion and our work have brought tenderness into my life. I often tell my coworkers that my job has changed me. I am not making that up, anticipating my next raise!

Back in the dark ages, I found socializing to be awkward, embarrassment-inducing and

Posted by: Karen Banning Created on: Wed 13 November 2013 17:23 Last modified: Thu 14 November 2013 06:30

This article was posted in The Whole Elder, Caring for Caregivers, Hands-On Caregiving, Your Stories, Build Your Caring Network and tagged with elders, aging, dementia, concord, massachusetts, home care, elder care, aging in place, assisted living, maine, kennebunk

How to communicate with people with dementia (or anyone!!)

I have to confess. I am a list-maker. My excuse is that I am a visual and kinetic learner. Seeing the words in front of me and the actual movement of writing help me to remember what I have to do, or buy or who to call.

It may not be polite to carry a list of the following communication tips, but you can review them and try a few at a time. They are even useful in everyday life, especially when meeting new people.

Posted by: Karen Banning Created on: Thu 07 November 2013 17:06 Last modified: Wed 13 November 2013 17:31

This article was posted in The Whole Elder, Hands-On Caregiving, Alzheimer's and Dementia and tagged with elders, aging, dementia, concord, massachusetts, home care, elder care, aging in place, assisted living, Alzheimer's, maine, kennebunk

How to Greet People with Dementia

25 years ago, walking to an Ocean City, NJ beach with my three-year-old daughter, I sang at each street corner. "Stop, look and listen, before you cross the street. Use your eyes, use your ears, and then you use your feet!"

Approaching a person with dementia is significantly different than greeting a friend or family member. It is important for you to know that their brain is changing. They are confused or anxious. They may not remember you, that you were coming, or why you are there. To ensure that your appearance does not startle a person with dementia or put them "on edge", try the following, which is very similar to that little song:

Direction

Posted by: Karen Banning Created on: Mon 04 November 2013 10:43 Last modified: Wed 13 November 2013 17:30