Blogs

Caregiving can be a challenging profession, but it has wonderful rewards!

Angil Tarach-Ritchey RN, GCM notes five core qualities that an excellent caregiver possesses. She says, “In a paid caregiving position there are those who have something special within them and those who are just making an income.  Not everyone is suited to provide care to the elderly.  So what are the characteristics that an excellent caregiver has?

No one’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory loss conditions is quite the same. At Glenmere, our mission is to really get to know each person: likes and dislikes, personalities, unique strengths and struggles, and then tailor our care to best serve those particular needs. This focus on the individual is paramount.

What songs did your mother sing to you as a child? What music reminds you of good times? What was your wedding song? These may not be questions that you ask people every day, they may not even be questions you ask yourself. However, if you think about your own music experiences, you may find yourself being transported back to a specific memory, feeling the presence of a person who has long since passed, or feeling an emotion you haven’t felt in years.

Patients recovering from illness, injury or elective surgery are faced with the decision of whether to go directly home from the hospital or recover in a rehab facility. Home care is great when the patient is ready for that level of care; however, many times the patient needs the intensity, equipment and motivation provided in a rehab facility that cannot be provided at home. In addition, there are often barriers at home that present significant risks to the patient such as stairs leading to a second floor bed and bath, dim lighting or a lack of assistance from family members.

How many of you watch television, whether a favorite show, sports or the news? How many of you read the newspaper, listen to the radio or music, go to a barber or salon for a hair cut, enjoy talking with neighbors or visiting with family and friends? These simple pleasures remain no matter where we live or how old we are.

Engaging Residents with Memory Issues

One of the most important aspects of any Memory Care unit is the activities program.  The various programs are designed to keep the residents engaged but also provide the opportunity for success, an avenue to development social relationships, and the comfort of a daily routine.

Are your usual every day activities becoming more and more difficult to complete? Does making a meal, doing your laundry, grocery shopping, or even taking a shower seem to be exhausting and take you longer and longer?

As you get older, you may find that your needs are increasing, and you are faced with the question of:  how do I continue to live in my home safely and independently?

There are a number of different services and agencies in the community that provide additional support to seniors to help you “age in place” and stay in your current home or living arrangement:

The Friendly Home is on a culture change journey to create a home for our Members in which person-centered care and relationship-building are paramount. The culture change movement has been sweeping nursing homes across the country in an effort to transform facilities from the traditional models of medical institutions into homes where residents’ choices and preferences are honored, where residents are engaged and involved, and where actions are driven by organizational values.

"I'm Not Ready Yet!"