Jim Reynolds

The Connected Home Care Advantage

April 26, 2017 By Jim Reynolds

Home Care > Archives for Jim Reynolds > Page 7

Wouldn't it be great if you could count on someone else to find the right companions with the right skills for your family? Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to worry about finding a backup when your regular caregiver is sick or on vacation? What about finding someone to let the plumber into the basement...fear not, we’ve got it covered!

We select caregivers to match your family's needs, providing the right companion, at the right time - with no unpleasant surprises. We are on call 24 x 7 for emergencies so you can sleep through the night. We get to know your family and your loved one's preferences so you can relax, we'll manage the details.

Every caregiver is trained using our unique system with a focus on wellness and quality of life for the client and constant communication to the family.

After mastering elder care primary skills like home safety and infection control, our caregivers are required to demonstrate a daily commitment to the dignity and comfort of our clients. We pride ourselves on developing relationships with you and your loved one.

Additionally, each caregiver uses our cutting-edge technology to keep families informed about their loved one's status. With daily reports, real-time updates, and photos, we give you the information you need – a "window into the living room" so you can relax and know your loved one is safe and comfortable.

If you or your loved one wants to stay home but needs assistance, give us a call.

We’re here to help. 978-282-5575

10 Tips if your loved one has Alzheimer’s or Dementia

April 1, 2017 By Jim Reynolds

Home Care > Archives for Jim Reynolds > Page 7

Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia are progressive and degenerative diseases that impair memory, judgment, safety, and cognitive processing for new learning and behavior. 5 Million people in this the U.S. have this disease and as the population ages, that number will only increase. We find the following tips very successful ways to interact with people who are living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia:

Make eye contact- Use face-to-face contact and state their name, and make sure their attention is focused on you. Attend to their gestures and body language to identify how they may be feeling.

Explain what you are going to do before you do it. People are more comfortable when they know what to expect.

Ask one question at a time- Don’t use “why” or “how”- these words are hard to process. Ask “who”, “what”, “where” instead.

Speak slowly, softly and calmly using short sentences. Take a breath between each sentence to pace yourself. Use only one idea or command per sentence.

Don’t ask them to “remember”. This may cause frustration if they are not able to recall current or past events.

Focus on the positive and speak to them in an adult voice, baby talk can be off-putting. RESPECT who they were and who they still are.

Do not argue or try to correct them as this can cause aggressive behavior. If they are speaking about a deceased family member as though they are still alive, you can respond by saying: “Sounds like you had a great relationship.” Ask for their favorite story about the person if they can recall long term. Show them pictures of that person they are recalling to prompt conversation.

Singing and reading are skills that are often preserved until later in the disease. Sing songs, play music, and read stories from their childhood.

Try to always agree – Don’t try to bring them back to reality; instead, use what they are saying to make conversation that may interest them.

Your attitude makes all the difference. We know it’s hard, but you’re the one without symptoms of dementia, so you are the one that needs to accept the diagnosis and adapt to this change. You have control over your thoughts and behavior so your respect and patience is key.

If you or your loved one wants to stay home but needs assistance, give us a call. We’re here to help. 978-282-5575

Finding “the right” caregiver

March 3, 2017 By Jim Reynolds

Home Care > Archives for Jim Reynolds > Page 7

Finding "the right" elder caregiver for your loved one is our specialty. We work hard to match our caregivers with our seniors. Our goal is to provide a beneficial match that will be long lasting, so we are dedicated to hiring only the best and most-experienced caregivers. The majority of our caregivers come to our agency by word of mouth and we are proud to say that many of our caregivers are related to one another. We find that the best caregivers often refer better employees. And, our caregivers are not contracted workers. We are proud to provide on-going performance evaluations by an RN to ensure that our senior clients are receiving outstanding care and caregivers are growing and learning how to be the best at their jobs.

Here are a few things that make Connected Home Care the best in-home care providers in the industry:

We identify caregivers who are the best match to provide specific care based on the individual needs of the client.
Ultimately, you are in control, you get to decide if your caregiver is the right fit.

We provide consistent schedules with the same caregiver to provide continuity of care.

Caregivers are trained to respect the values, differences, rights, and routines of our elders to support the highest level of care while maintaining a person’s dignity and independence.
Caregivers are LOCAL and EXPERIENCED. We provide care whenever it is needed, even on an emergency basis. Having LOCAL caregivers makes getting around the community easier, increases consistency of care, and puts everyone’ mind at ease.
We are available to meet special needs and requests. We can provide intermittent respite care, allowing family members to take a vacation or a break.

For more information about our services www.connectedhomecare.com If you or your loved one wants to stay home but needs assistance, give us a call. We’re here to help. 978-282-5575