Live Free Home Health Care, LLC. - Bristol, New Hampshire

All posts within: better quality of life

Friday, March 02, 2012

Experience a better kind of home care

A question I am asked quite frequently by prospective new clients is what sets Live Free Home Health Care apart from other agencies they are interviewing. What sets us apart is quite simply the fact that we are a true full service agency. What I mean by that is often times when a family first contacts us they are simply looking for a little bit of help for mom or dad with some basic things like light housekeeping, healthy meal preparation, or companionship. We can certainly do all that. But as a Registered Nurse with almost 15 years of experience working with the elderly, I understand that needs will change over time as your loved one continues to age. At some point they quite likely will need more hands on care in order to maintain their safety and independence at home. That is the peace of mind we are able to provide you, we are able to start off with basic care needs and also able to continue to provide care as time progresses. Most private duty home care agencies simply cannot offer the level of care and support that we can because they do not have nurses or nursing assistants on staff and they are not trained to recognize subtle changes that may occur.

It all starts with that first meeting. To ensure that the proper care plan is created, one of our Registered Nurses, usually myself, meet with all new families. Together we create a safe plan of care that is customized to fit the level of care needed at that particular time. If the care is currently basic like companionship or healthy meal preparation we can provide you with a companion caregiver and because we have professional nurses on staff and licensed nursing assistants we know how important diets are for people with diabetes and other health conditions. Agencies who only employ non-licensed staff simply cannot offer this level of expertise. If more hands on care is needed, help with transfers from bed to chair, assistance with personal grooming, medication reminders, wound care, things of this nature, then we can provide a licensed nursing assistant who has gone through an extensive course and passed a state licensing exam. In our experience we can actually provide this level of care at a lower cost than other agencies provide non licensed caregivers.

Once the care needs are established I work with our Care Manager Tammy and our scheduler Michelle, who herself is a licensed nursing assistant, to choose the right team to provide care. It doesn’t end there however. Often times what I hear from families who have come to our agency after being with other agencies or I hear from caregivers who have worked at other agencies is that they are amazed at the amount of ongoing training and supervision that we provide for each and every case. Our lead licensed nursing assistant, Stacy, ensures that our staff of caregivers is continually trained and that they are comfortable with all aspects of their job. I am not shy about saying that I know from experience that we invest more in ongoing training than any other agency. That is my nurse background in me. I take very seriously the trust that families place in us and I feel I owe it to them to ensure that I only place the care of their loved ones in the hands of very well trained caregivers.

This is the value Live Free Home Health Care brings that most competitors cannot. Because our caregivers are either licensed nursing assistants or care providers trained by one of our nurses, we can spot potential health problems and intervene before it worsens or causes a hospitalization.

Inviting an agency into your home or a loved one’s home for personal care or home medical needs is a big step. Wouldn’t it be more comforting to know that the agency you choose has professionally trained nurses overseeing the care that is provided? To see more on what sets us apart from the competition click here.

Tags:   better quality of life, Live Free Home Health Care

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Thursday, February 02, 2012

High Tech Home Care Options for Aging in Place

Technology is transforming the possibilities for aging safely at home. From fall prevention to emergency alerts to medication reminders, devices are allowing more seniors to “age in place” in the comfort of home. The following are products to consider for loved ones receiving in-home care:

• Webcams: Installing webcams throughout the home allows both family members and caregivers the ability to virtually check in on the senior at any time. Webcams also allow family members who live far way to video chat with their loved ones.

• Sensor Monitors: In conjunction with webcams, sensors can be placed throughout the home to track movement. These are particularly handy for seniors with ambulation or wandering issues. Most sensor systems connect to a TV or computer monitor and an internet connection.

• Medical Alert Pendants: These handy devices have been around for a few years now, but continue to be updated to increase effectiveness. They are worn by the senior and the button is pressed in the event of a fall or other emergency, connecting the senior to 911 or another emergency response service. Check out Live Free Home Health Care’s medical alert pendants .

• Automatic MedicationReminders/Dispensers: These are perfect for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. An alarm goes off, alerting the senior to take his or her medication when an alarm sounds, and dispenses the correct dosage. If the senior misses a dose, an alert is sent to a 24 hour care center after 30 minutes. Check out Live Free Home Health Care’s medication dispenser .

Technology is increasing the level of independence that seniors can have in the home. If you're looking for a partner in home care in Concord, the Lakes Region or Central New Hampshire, contact Live Free Home Health Care today at 603-217-0149, and let us help make your life a little easier.

Tags:   better quality of life, eldercare, home safety, medical alert, medication management

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Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Home for the Holidays: Recognizing Care is Needed

Holiday visits sometimes greet family members with alarming signs that additional care or daily assistance is needed in the home of aging loved ones. With busy schedules or long distances separating families for much of the year, subtle (or not-so-subtle) indicators can easily be missed. This year, make holiday visits a time to evaluate the needs of elderly relatives, and encourage in-home care solutions that will enhance quality of life and ensure safety at home long after the holidays are over. Remember that checking for warning signs is not for the purposes of judgment or criticism; it’s a check for wellness, wellbeing and safety.

Right away, an unexpected disheveled appearance of a loved one may be noticed during a holiday visit. Failure to keep up with daily hygiene routines such as bathing, tooth brushing and other basic grooming could indicate health problems such as dementia, depression, or physical impairments. Inspect to see if clothes are clean and if the individual appears to be maintaining good grooming habits.

At the dinner table, appetites may appear to be healthy during the holidays, but noticeable weight loss without trying could be a sign that something’s wrong. For the elderly, weight loss could be related to many factors, including difficulty cooking or loss of taste or smell. Sometimes weight loss is a sign of a more serious underlying condition, such as malnutrition, dementia, depression, or even cancer.

Additionally, any big changes in the way things are done around the house could provide clues to health. For example, scorched pots could mean forgetting about food cooking on the stove. Neglected housework could be a sign of depression, dementia, or other problems. Check to see if the lights are working, the heat is on, the bathrooms are clean, or if clutter is blocking the walkways of the home.

But most importantly, during holiday gatherings, slow down and be sure to include elderly relatives in family traditions. After the holidays, if you’ve determined that additional care might be necessary for your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us at 603-217-0149. At Live Free Home Health Care of Concord, New Hampshire, we are here to help you determine the best plan of long-term care that will meet your loved one’s needs.

For further resources on recognizing care needs over the holidays, click here .

Tags:   better quality of life, caregiver tips, eldercare, holiday blues, home companion, private duty agencies

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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Understanding Care Coordination

Aging relatives will require different levels of care as they lose certain abilities and become more dependent on caregivers. For family members, understanding care needs and what is involved with different levels of care is an important first step in coordinating a long-term care plan. In-home care agencies, like Live Free Home Health Care, are valuable resources for families. Specifically, we provide an assessment to determine care needs and then work with the patient or family to develop a plan for care, provide guidance along the way, and implement and monitor care and services. As industry experts, in-home care agencies know how to maximize available resources to assure that all needs are met, and that the care at home is safe, comfortable, and efficient.

Activities of daily living are often the first items of care that an elderly person will require. Traditionally, these include, but are not limited to:

• Bathing

• Dressing

• Personal hygiene

• Exercise

• Walking, transfers and repositioning

• Meal planning and preparation

• Housekeeping – cleaning/laundry

Other non-medical services that you may want to consider including in a care plan are companionship services, as well as respite services to provide relief and rest to the family caregiver. To learn more about coordinating care for an elderly loved one, click here.

At Live Free Home Health Care, serving the Lakes Region and Central New Hampshire, we have the experience, compassion, and patience necessary to help you and your family coordinate a successful and beneficial plan of care. Contact us today at 603-217-0149 to find out more.

Tags:   better quality of life, home care

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Wednesday, September 07, 2011

It Takes a Village: Coordinating Long-term, In-home Care

There's no place like home, and numerous studies show that elderly people prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes as opposed to relocating to an assisted living facility or nursing home. When navigating the many services to help make aging at home comfortable and safe, planning may require the input of a professional who fully understands all of the options and can help coordinate services. Proper care coordination from an eldercare specialist will help everyone involved feel much more organized and at ease.

Who Can Help?

For many elderly people, long-term care assists with many aspects of their life, including diet, physicians and medications, and activities of daily living. Trying to coordinate all of these facets can be a daunting task for a family caregiver. What most people do not realize is that home care agencies, like Live Free Home Health Care in Concord, New Hampshire, can help identify, locate, and coordinate all of the components for successful long-term care—even uncover options that may not have been first considered.

For more information about care coordination, please click here .

Live Free Home Health Care of Concord, New Hampshire is here to help you determine the best plan of long-term care that will meet your needs and maintain your quality of life as you age. If you're looking for a partner in care coordination in the Lakes Region or Central New Hampshire, call us today at 603-217-0149, and let us help make your life a little easier.

Tags:   better quality of life, eldercare, home care, private duty agencies

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