Turning an Alzheimer's Diagnosis Into Something Positive

 In a previous post, we share the story of how Katie Couric was moving through life as a "sandwich generation" child, at times feeling pushed to the point of being overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing care.  A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can be one of the most disheartening experiences a person may ever experience, and can lead to the same conclusions.  The journey of dealing with the disease, and of caregivers seeing a loved one progress with Alzheimer's can often lead to feeling as if one is completely isolated and alone.  It's very important to remember that there are others dealing with the same issues, and in some cases turning the experience into a positive event.
 Samuel L. Jackson recently shared his experiences with his family's Alzheimer's struggles, and how he became involved in the search for a cure.  You can read the complete article at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/samuel-l-jackson-opens-up-725419

  He also partnered with Maria Shriver to create a quick video sharing personal tales and how it has inspired them to become involved with charities focused on this disease.  The video is well made and worth the few minutes to watch, especially if you're struggling with the same challenges...


  While you may not be inspired to become as involved as these recognizable names, it's helpful to know that there are others that are involved in making a difference where they can.  If you need help dealing with issues brought on by family demands or chronic illness, or know someone that does, call our office.  We work with families & local organizations that can provide guidance, advice, or just offer to listen.  Don't try to go it alone.

We are not alone...

 No, this is not about extraterrestrials.  We're referring to the inevitable cycle of going from "being the

child and depending on parents" to "being the child that is caring for parents, and family, and career...".  It usually happens slowly, so slowly that most people are unaware until they are nearly pushed to a breaking point.  A light usually goes on at that point, and a decision is made to make changes.  The biggest problem here is that most people have waited far to long, and in an effort to set things right quickly, they make poor choices.
  Well known journalist Katie Couric recently began posting some articles about this transition.  She does a great job of explaining her family's situation, their challenges, thoughts, and plans.  One of the best quotes she makes is "Whatever we decide, we'll do it together, and I take some comfort in knowing we're not the only baby boomers dealing with these questions. There are no easy answers."
  You can read the entire article here.  It's an easy read and gets quickly to the point.  If you're feeling this pinch, or know someone that is, give us a call.  We work with families on a daily basis to find a solution that will work best for them.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

 

The Pitfalls of Contracting Home Care

 Recently, lawsuits were launched against a large In Home Care company regarding their business practices.  In a nutshell, the company acted like a 'Placement Agency', locating workers that would then act as caregivers in private homes.  The workers would be paid directly by the client, and the Home Care Agency would bill the client for a finder's fee.  It's also important to note that the agency would not be licensed as a Home Care provider.

  In this scenario, the worker is actually a contractor working directly for the client, and not the Home Care company.  This means that the client in essence has hired their own employee, and is responsible for all taxes, social security, insurance, etc., that must be filed with state and federal government.  Even if the worker claims "1099 Contractor" status, all payments must be reported by the client, and the contract employee is liable for the payments.  The Home Care company has no obligation to perform any of these duties.  The lawsuits are claiming fraud, neglect, misrepresentation, and concealment of information to name a few.

  Probably the biggest draw to this sort of agreement is that the hourly costs are lower, typically by about %20 when compare to a licensed Home Care Agency.  However, when the liability of maintaining, reporting, and accurately managing the previously mentioned employee relationship is factored in, those savings are quickly lost.  The reality is that liability & costs are easily higher.

  At Home Helpers, all of our staff are employees of the agency.  They have undergone background checks, receive recurrent training, and are covered by our insurance policies.  As employees, all payroll requirements are covered by us.  When shopping for care services, these are critical items to keep in mind!  Be sure to look at the bigger picture!!!  Visit us online at www.lknHomeCare.com to learn more about us and our services.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Purchasing a Medical Alert Unit - Final Chapter

In the final installment of our series on Med Alert Systems, we'd like to offer a few quick tips on some of the items/features that are often overlooked in these systems.  Remember, the ultimate goal is to make an intelligent purchase!

One question we hear frequently is what is the difference in a "911 Dialer" and a full Medical Alert systems.  "911 Dialers" are typically available at drug stores, department stores, etc. They advertise a "One time fee", which is the purchase price, and no monthly fees.  While these may look similar to a Medical Alert unit, they differ in that they have one function: Dial 911.  On the surface, this may seem to meet the basic requirement.  However, there are drawbacks to this type of device, not the least of which is the ability to test it on a regular basis without contacting the 911 emergency center. If it's not tested regularly, how can you confirm it's function???  In addition, this type of unit does not provide health information to the responders, nor does it allow for "lesser needs" calls, such as having a neighbor or family member be contacted for some reason.

Before making your purchase, you should ask where the monitoring center is located. During a crisis clear communication is crucial, and adding an off-shore accent to deal with can slow things down.  Finally, on-going support & service are important.  When you're depending on a device for emergency events, it's comforting to know that, if there is a problem, it's easily resolved.  Local service is invaluable in this regard.

All of the units carried by our agency are installed & supported locally, our monitoring is provided by a CSAA 5-star U.S. center, and we're close by.  Feel free to view the most popular units we have on our web site.  If you have any questions,  give us a call.  We'll be glad to assist you in any way we can!

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Purchasing A Medical Alert System - Part 3

 We continue our multi-part series on Med Alert systems with explanations of options and features that one should understand before making a purchase.  As you'll recall, we previously mentioned that

our standard system has a button which is worn by the user, has a range of about 300' on average, and will contact our monitoring center when the button is pressed.  But what other options are available? In Part-3 we'll highlight a few of the most popular:

1) Critical Information Forwarding.  All of our Direct Link products have the option of forwarding critical information to the emergency responders. For instance, if someone is on a complex drug regimen, or under treatment for an illness, our units can provide that information to the responding agency.  In addition, if there is a hidden key outside of the home that will allow easy entry, the responders will be informed of where to find it!  This is a great feature when you consider that when emergency responders arrive at a locked home, they will typically break a window or door to gain access. Knowing that a key is available to enter the dwelling is invaluable. BTW, this is a free option on all Home Helpers Direct Link products!

2) Fall sensing. This should be a consideration for any person that is a fall hazard. In this case, the button has a small sensor in it that will detect when a client falls.  It will then automatically activate an emergency alert request without additional intervention from the user.  Fall sensing will typically add a small cost to the monthly rate, but for someone who is unsteady, it is well worth the expense.

3) 2-Way Pendants.  With a standard alert system, after sending an alert, the user will speak to the call center through the base unit. If they are too far from the base to converse, the next action would typically be to dispatch emergency responders. 2-Way Pendants allow the user to speak through the pendant! Also, these units typically have more range than a standard pendant, continuing to function up to about 600 feet from the base.  This is a good choice for someone who likes to be out of the home, but is still in the neighborhood.

4) Mobile Units. A mobile medical alert uses a cellular network to communicate with the monitoring center, and incorporates a built in GPS receiver. This allows the user to travel anywhere there is cellular coverage, and if help is needed, the GPS will identify where they are located. Assistance can then be dispatched to that location!

With the exception of #1 above, adding options tends to increase cost. If the option is not really needed or provides some value, then the buyer should consider saving that money! Besides, upgrades can be made at any time.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Purchasing A Medical Alert System - Part 2

In Part 1 of our series on Emergency Alert Units Explained (also know as life lines, life alerts, etc.), we covered the basics of what the units

consist of, and what each piece does. In this part, we'll cover a few of the variations to the basics. 

In most cases, when a user presses the 'Help' button on an alert unit, the device calls a monitoring office that will proceed to determine what the true need is. This historically took place over a telephone line.  However, with the popularity of cell phones, not all users still have a traditional home phone.  Alternatives are 1) Voice Over IP (VOIP) which travels over an internet connection. Providers such as Vonage, AT&T U-verse, Time-Warner Cable, Magic-Jack, or Comcast are examples of VOIP phone providers. For an alert unit to function properly with these requires a special digital unit. The second option is 2) a Cell Based unit which will make the call to the monitoring office over a cell network. By the way, the Cell Based unit operates completely independently of any cell phones or plans that you may have.

It's important that you choose properly here!  If a regular phone line is available, then a standard phone emergency alert unit will provide the best reliability at the lowest cost.  VOIP compatible devices will be slightly more expensive, and a Cell Based unit typically has the highest cost.  However, if there's no home phone of any type, the cell based unit is obviously a good choice. Make certain that there is good cell coverage for the carrier that supports the unit where it will be used.  Some rural areas that have sparse cell coverage can be problematic.

Prior to installing a cell unit for any client, our office always performs a search to determine how close the nearest cell tower is to the planned location of use.  This assures our customers that a good signal is available and they will receive reliable service.  We also test all of our units with the clients during the install to confirm proper operation, regardless of the type, and instruct them to repeat this test on a monthly basis.  This will let them confirm ongoing proper operation so that in the event of an emergency, they can be confident that the unit will work!

In Part 3 of this series, we'll discuss features & options that are available with all of our Direct Link emergency alert devices.  Many of these features set us apart from all of our competitors! In the meantime, you can view our most popular units by clicking here.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!