Things You Should Consider Before Changing Professional Caregivers

 Finding the right professional caregiver for your senior loved one often takes time, adjustment, and patience. In the current caregiver crunch, when there are more HHA and CNA caregiver jobs than qualified caregivers, having a compatible and competent caregiver is valuable. But your loved one’s needs may change over time, perhaps due to memory loss, a stroke, or a new illness, and their current caregiver may not be suitable for the assistance needed. You may begin to consider requesting a new caregiver. Navigating a caregiver change requires honest communication between family members and your care manager and articulated expectations from family members. Here are a few things you should consider.

Key Questions to Ask Before You Change Caregivers

If you are contemplating a caregiver change, first ask yourself if you have given the home caregiver enough time with your loved one.

Take time to talk with your loved one’s professional caregiver and the home care services provider to share your concerns. They may be able to help navigate the issues.

Also, be honest with each other and yourselves. A few fundamental questions to ask yourself and your loved one:

• What is missing? For example, does your loved one need a different type of care or attention? Is there a personality conflict?
• What makes you or your loved one uncomfortable?
• Are there changes the professional caregiver could make? And if so, make a list and share that with the caregiver and provider.

If you can’t resolve the issue with the caregiver and your home care agency. An experienced agency will work to see if they can provide another caregiver more suited to your needs.

Before You Make a Change

If the current provider cannot meet your family’s needs or if your family isn’t comfortable staying with the agency, it is best to do your research before you make a switch.

Some questions you should be prepared to answer:

• Did you sign a contract or an agreement? If so, read it in full to understand your obligations.
• Are you required to give notice? If so, how much notice are you required to provide?
• Are you required to provide written notice?
• Will there be administrative or exit fees for terminating the contract or agreement?
• Will a caregiver change affect any insurance that may be covering payments? And if so, how much time will be needed to make those changes?

Also, please keep in mind federal regulations require home health care agencies to be more responsive to their clients or risk losing Medicaid or Medicare funding. While it remains unknown when the changes will be fully implemented, it seems clear that new rules will continue to focus on the rights of the client and families.

Going Forward with the Change

You and your loved one should never feel pressured to stay with a professional home health aide who does not meet your needs or an agency with which you remain uncomfortable.

If you and your loved one decide that changing home care agencies is the best option for everyone, be sure you have vetted a new home care provider before ending your agreement with your current provider. Here are the critical first steps to follow to help you:

• Provide adequate notice to your current agency. Inform them you will no longer require their services (again, refer above to important notes about the contract you signed).
• Alert your insurance or bank to ensure payments continue on time, so there is no lag in caregiving.

Remember, too, to be patient as your loved one adjusts to a new professional caregiver. Sometimes, it just takes time. And sometimes, there’s a better fit. Either way, the critical thing to realize is that this is a problem that a superior home care agency like Visiting Angels can solve. Contact us today for a free in-home consultation.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA has been providing high-caliber in-home care services for seniors and people with disabilities for over eighteen years. Countless families have benefited from our at-home living assistance, companion care, respite support, live-in and 24/7 home care, dementia and Alzheimer’s care, transitional aid, and private duty care services in Natick, Wellesley, Dedham, Needham, Stoughton, Brookline, Canton, Watertown, Jamaica Plain, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Upper Back Bay, Westwood, and neighboring communities. As a result of our exemplary home care service, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best of Home Care Leader in Excellence Award; the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice Award; and the Best of Home Care Employer of Choice Award from the national client satisfaction survey firm, Home Care Pulse, for six years. We have been honored to receive the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work award for seven years and one of the ten best places to work in Massachusetts in 2021 based on diversity and inclusion. Our dedicated and well-trained caregivers love their CNA jobs and HHA jobs.

What to Look for in Senior Care

If you have never cared for an elderly loved one, you might think that anyone can provide home care services. However, if you have cared for a parent or grandparent, you know that high-quality care takes a unique mix of skill, patience, and experience. It’s an essential point for anyone hiring home care services: high-quality senior home care means experienced senior home care.

To most people, that means hiring a caregiver with a proven background in senior services. While important, this is not all you should look for in senior home care. It’s just as crucial that you’re choosing a qualified, well-respected agency. If the agency is a part of a more extensive network, you’ll also want to consider their experience as an organization.

Trusted & Proven Company-Level Reputation

America’s most trusted caregiving companies are well-established names with proven track records. Usually, the easiest way to find qualified senior home care is to look for companies with a history of high-quality care.

The best home care companies earn their reputations by sharing resources, knowledge, and experience at every level of their organization. They also set and enforce rigorous caregiving standards, giving clients and their families peace of mind.

Families choose Visiting Angels for skilled elder home care. As a company, Visiting Angels has more than 20 years of caregiving experience. Over the years, it has created a rigorous support network for its local offices, allowing them to share knowledge and expertise. Every office is provided with the systems, tools, and educational resources needed to deliver truly exceptional care.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has been a member of this franchise since 2004. Our excellent customer feedback has enabled us to win Best of Home Care from the national client satisfaction survey firm, Home Care Pulse five years in a row.

Local Knowledge and Experience

If you’re hiring a caregiver through a local home care agency, you should evaluate the agency carefully. How long have they been in business? How are their relationships with their clients? Which systems and standards do they use to ensure high-quality care?

An experienced senior care agency will have rigorous staffing and screening standards, reducing the risk that you’ll be assigned an unqualified or untrustworthy caregiver. They will also have systems in place to measure and monitor caregiver performance.

At the same time, a great agency can help you make sure that your loved one receives the right kind of care. Every senior who receives home care has unique, individual needs. If elder care services aren’t adequately tailored to these needs, their quality of life can suffer. An experienced senior home care agency will work with you to customize a plan to best support your loved one. They will also help you plan care around your loved one’s schedule and your family’s financial situation.

Knowledgeable, Compassionate Home Care Providers

Knowledgeable senior home care depends on skilled home care providers. Prior caregiving experience makes it easier for caregivers to juggle various tasks, attend to seniors’ physical and emotional needs, recognize early signs of age-related decline, and build a rapport with their clients. HHA and CNA certification also helps to ensure a standard level of competence.

At Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, we place tremendous value on caregiver knowledge. We’ve developed rigorous recruitment guidelines to find the most qualified, most knowledgeable, and most trustworthy caregivers possible.

To ensure you find the right fit, we also allow you to Select Your Caregiver®. This way, you can be sure that your loved one is matched with a home care provider who can meet their needs and who will have a complementary personality.

Are you looking for senior home care in Newton, Wellesley, Natick, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood, or nearby towns for your loved one? Contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton today to request a free consultation.

What is the Caregiving Crunch and Why It Matters to Your Senior Loved One

As baby boomers age, America has more seniors than ever before. By 2060 it is estimated that the number of Americans over 65 years old will rise to 98.6 million, with 19.7 million people aged 85 or older. 

With so many seniors in the population, it begs the question: Who will care for those who can no longer care for themselves?

This potential problem has become known as the “caregiving crunch,” and it could be argued that it has already begun. Twelve million Americans require care today, and by 2050, it’s estimated that number will be more like 27 million, with over half of those needing care suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

How Did It Come About?

Between 2000 and 2016, the average age of an American according to the census bureau rose from 35.3 to 37.9 years old, with statisticians placing the blame for this rise on the baby boom, the post-World War II period from 1946 to 1964 when birth rates were high. Baby boomers started turning 65 in 2011 and more of them will be entering their senior years until 2029.

Added to the increased population, advances in medical science and data technology are helping people live longer. People are now more health conscious, illustrated by things like declining cigarette sales since the 1980s and wellness food trends growing. As medical treatments improve and people live healthier lives, the average age of mortality has reached 78.6 years, up from 74.7 only 30 years ago.

As well as people living longer, people are also more likely to be living alone. Although 90 percent of people marry, nearly half of all marriages end in divorce.  In 2010, the US Census Bureau estimated that 28 percent of seniors were living alone.

How Does the Caregiving Crunch Affect You and Your Senior Loved One?

Americans are very reliant on family members for caregiving in their senior years. Around 34.2 million Americans provide unpaid care to a senior. Ninety-five percent of those are providing care to family members. In total, these unpaid caregivers are offering $500 million of free services to family members, more than three-times what Medicaid pays for professional care each year; however, if you live alone, with no spouse and no family members, this isn't a viable option. As a result, more and more people are turning to professional home care or nursing home care. The number of seniors receiving professional in-home care is continually rising, and since 2015, more seniors have received in-home care than those who receive care in nursing homes.

Effectively, there are not enough caregivers to look after the number of people who require help. In the next decade, it is estimated that demand for caregivers will outstrip supply by over three million. Moreover, it doesn't just affect those seniors who have no family. The shortage will affect seniors who have family caregivers needing respite. It will affect seniors living with a condition that requires support. It will affect seniors whose family members can't care full-time due to work or other commitments. Families are more likely than ever to be spread geographically, so those who live far from loved ones are also more likely to be affected.

The quality of care is also a worry. As experienced professional caregivers’ schedules become fully committed, it’s more likely that families in need may mistakenly turn to unqualified and inexperienced caregivers.

Getting Professional Home Care Service

It is important to prepare yourself by researching options and speaking with professionals who can answer your questions and help you plan services. If your loved one has an existing relationship with a caregiver and receives care through an agency, he or she is more likely to be able to adjust services as needed.

Look into professional senior home care through a larger agency. While local caregivers may be available, a national brand may be able to offer more options. Going with a larger brand also tends to provide peace of mind to the family of the senior. Hiring through a large home care agency means you know that the caregiver has been through a vetting process and should be bonded, licensed and insured, offering a level of reassurance that you won’t find hiring through the personal ads.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton senior home care agency provides high-quality in-home care services to seniors and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our dementia home care, companion care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior home care services in Westwood, Norwood, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Natick, Dedham, Watertown, Stoughton, Roslindale, Wellesley, and nearby towns. The services provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton will be sure to make a big impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Call us today at 617-795-2727 for more information.

What to Do When Your Loved One Needs Long Distance Care

You took that fantastic job offer in another state. Mom and dad were healthy and fine. As time passed, you were promoted and became successful. Dad passed away and mom is not doing well on her own. She’s reached an age where daily assistance may be necessary and you’re a 1,000 miles away. How do you manage this situation without picking up and moving your family or your mother? If this scenario sounds familiar, remote care giving might be the answer.

Visiting Angels supports remote care giving, taking the burden off families and loved ones of those that need care. “Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are not the only options available,” says Richard Bitner, President of the national franchise, Visiting Angels. Non-medical home care services allows your loved ones to live where they want to be … their own home.

Visiting Angels has over 300 senior home care agencies around the country to help educate families and provide care to seniors and people with disabilities. Here are some questions to consider when determining if your loved one needs professional care:

• Does your loved one need assistance with walking?
• Has their physical and/or emotional health been declining?
• Are they able to prepare nutritious daily meals?
• Are they able to shop for themselves?
• Are they able to manage their bills and financial responsibilities?
• Are they taking their medications on time?
• Are they still able to drive safely?
• Are they in need of companionship?
• Are they able to dress and groom themselves?

If your answers to these questions highlight a loss of ability for your loved one to care for themselves independently, professional elderly home care might be an option for you. When considering agencies, choose one that can offer more than basic homemaker services, including dressing, bathing and other hygienic activities. If the home care agency is based in Massachusetts, be sure to check that it is bonded, insured and accredited by Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts.

For piece of mind for you and your loved one, understand the caregiver’s background and experience. Home care agencies should be able to provide you this along with conducting a criminal background check on its employees. You also should be able to meet with the caregiver before you agree to services to make sure that personalities match and you are comfortable with the service they provide.

“And you should be entirely comfortable with the person helping your loved one,” adds Bitner. “For example, at Visiting Angels, we try to match the personalities of our clients with the personalities of our home caregivers. If something doesn’t fit, we find someone who does. This makes everyone happy and allows us to give the best care possible.”

Since home care services are non-medical, they currently are not covered by Medicare. But you do have options. Elderly home care services can be paid individually or by long term care insurance. Often, funds from associations are available as well. For example, contact the organization that is involved with the illness that your loved one is afflicted with. Funds are sometimes available for their members.

Veterans and their spouses might qualify for the Disability Pension for Aid and Attendance. Others decide to take out a reverse mortgage. Whatever your situation, the proper research can determine the best route for financing care.

Most importantly, stay in contact with your loved one and the people involved in their care. Establish periodic phone calls and visit when you are able. Conversation shows you care whether you are in the same room or across the country.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton senior homecare agency provides high quality in-home care services to seniors and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our dementia home care service, Alzheimer's care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and elder home care services in Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Natick, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood and nearby towns. While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a big impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Call us today at 617-795-2727 for more information!

Everyday Eldercare Needs

Summary: Routine tasks and responsibilities, such as housekeeping, personal grooming, and health maintenance may become overwhelming for a senior.  In-home eldercare can help with these chores and be the support one needs to remain in their homes. 
​________________________________________________________________________  

Many seniors are able to live independently, but there are some daily tasks that may become too much for them.  In their younger days, one would take for granted the ability to do the laundry or clean the kitchen. To an elderly person, with perhaps some physical limitations, these tasks are daunting and overwhelming.  In-home caregivers are great supports for families who need help with a loved-one with these tasks.    

Statistics are showing more and more seniors choosing to age at home (1). The goal is to be able to live on their own with support, as needed.  The continuation of their routines in their homes and communities is good for their physical and mental health.  A family may consider a nursing home or assisted living facility when a parent starts having trouble with basic responsibilities. In some cases, this may be necessary, but with some daily assistance with their routines, aging at home is becoming achievable to more and more seniors and people with disabilities.    

Some everyday routines that loved-ones may need assistance with are meal preparation, housekeeping and errands. The choice to have specialized meals prepared, daily exercise routines, cognitive health exercises and monitoring and reminders on which medications to take, can, in some cases, enhance someone’s life and well-being.  Perhaps tasks like getting dressed and basic grooming and hygiene are a challenge for an individual, but with assistance, these tasks can be accomplished with little stress.  Having a daily grooming routine has been shown to improve mental health and elevate a person’s mood (2). A companion can assist with these chores and more while allowing a person to remain in their homes.    

An in-home elder care service provides loving and secure caregivers to help with shopping, light cleaning and food preparation.  They assist with tasks of which an individual may no longer be capable, day or night; therefore allowing them to stay in their homes safely and happily.  An in-home elder care service can be an alternative to an assisted living facility or nursing home, and their caregivers are available part or full time.   

1. https://www.inclinator.com/5-benefits-aging-in-place/
2. http://miamihomecareservices.com/blog/personal-hygiene-and-its-importance-for-seniors/ 
 
 About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton:
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our dementia care, Alzheimer's care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior home care services in Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Natick, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood and nearby towns . While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a big impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Call us at 617-795-2727 for information!

Why Choosing the Right Caregiver is So Important

As the number of seniors in the U.S. continues to grow—indeed, the first “Baby Boomers” will turn 65 in 2011—so does the market for non-medical senior homecare services.  Chances are, you will at some point be looking for a caregiver for an elderly family member.  Visiting Angels is one of the nations leading providers of non-medical senior homecare, with over 170 locations nationwide.
 
According to Barney Freiberg-Dale, co-owner of Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, Massachusetts, “At Visiting Angels, we are dedicated to working with clients and their families to ensure the best possible non-medical home care services.  Nothing is better than providing the quality care that allows an elderly client to stay in the comfort of their own home.”  
 
“Today’s seniors wish to maintain their independence and quality of life as long as possible,” states Barney Freiberg-Dale.  “At the same time, their adult children are often sandwiched between taking care of their own offspring and helping their elderly parent, who may live hours away.  That’s why our non-medical home care agency has become popular in the Newton, Canton and nearby areas.”
 
“Many seniors do not require a nurse, but simply need the assistance Visiting Angels provides helping with the tasks of daily living,” continues Barney Freiberg-Dale. 
 
Visiting Angels’ services include, meal preparation, basic household chores, personal hygiene, shopping, companionship and, in some case, providing a respite for family caregivers. In addition, for clients who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia, Visiting Angels provide caregivers who are trained in dementia care techniques, and we provide guidance to family members, so they have tools and skills to assist with their loved-ones as well. Our Alzheimer’s home caregivers and dementia home caregivers always treat clients with dignity and respect.
 
Due to the increased need for such assistance, many non-medical homecare agencies are sprouting up across the landscape. However, not all agencies are alike, and it’s important to understand the differences.
 
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton understands that each client has unique needs. Therefore, we design a personalized care plan for each client, based on the results of an initial in-home consultation by one of our case managers.
 
Then we carefully choose the right caregiver for the client, considering factors such as technical skills, personality traits, and experience.
 
Our home caregivers are professional, experienced and always treat clients with respect and dignity. They are trained with the use of Hoyer lifts, gait belt or other transfer equipment.

We are on call 24/7 at 617-795-2727, always ready to provide help to your loved one. And, we have a large pool of back-up caregivers. Your loved one will not be alone if your regular caregiver cannot provide service due to unexpected circumstances.
​
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice, Leader in Excellence and Employer of Choice from Home Care Pulse for years. Our quality is recognized! If you loved one needs senior home care assistance in Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Canton, Watertown, Brookline and nearby areas, please call us at 617-795-2727 for a free consultation.
 

Let an Angel Help You Care for Your Loved One

In a perfect world, you would be able to take care of your aging parent in your home or theirs, relying only on family to help you. But the reality is that caring for an aging or ill parent is a full-time job that can take a toll on the caregiver. Add to that the demands of raising a family, working, and other responsibilities, and chances are you’ll need a little assistance along the way.

That’s where the angels come in. Visiting Angels is a national network of franchised non-medical senior home care agencies providing senior homecare to help elderly and older adults continue to live in their homes. These caring, experienced home caregivers provide up to 24-hour care in the comfort of your own home.

You can be confident that your caregiver is qualified and has excellent references. “Character counts,” says Richard Bitner, of Visiting Angels. “We hire only experienced caregivers who pass a rigorous screening process.” The company also emphasizes the intangible traits of the caregiver, such as a caring personality. Many of the company’s caregivers have grown tired of the Medicare model taking over healthcare and appreciate the opportunity to do one-on-one personal care for elders.

The staff at Visiting Angels works with each family to develop an individualized program to manage the daily needs of the client. They then match those needs to the best possible caregiver; caregivers are then introduced to the family, who has the final say in the selection process.

“We want our clients to look forward to a visit by their caregiver,” says Bitner. “That’s why the client is in complete control from start to finish.” After the caregiver has been placed in your home, the company continues its personalized contact through telephone check-in and home visits to make sure you and your caregiver are a good match.

Although Visiting Angels are non-medical home care providers, they can provide a vital link in patient care. In cases where seniors are coming home from the hospital or a nursing home, the caregiver will consult with doctors, nursing home staff, social workers, physical therapists, and of course, the family, to establish each client’s personalized needs. Although Visiting Angels do not dispense drugs, they can help monitor whether the patient is taking their medication.

In addition to offering joyful companionship, Visiting Angels will do light housekeeping, run errands, prepare meals or do shopping. They can also serve as a respite care provider for families dealing with the care of a loved one.  They can also provide special assistance for adults who need Alzheimer's home care or dementia care.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning senior home care agency serving Wellesley, Natick, Newton, Needham, Canton, Watertown, Brookline and nearby communities. Since 2004, countless families have benefited from our dementia home care, Alzheimer's care, companion care, elderly care, respite support, transitional aid, and senior care services. If your loved one needs home care assistance, please contact us at 617-795-2727 for a free in-home consultation!