1. Assessment of your home care needs

First, your home care needs should be assessed. A thorough assessment of where you or your loved one may need assistance in must be done so that the right home care provider can be assigned. Special care must also be given if you or your loved one is suffering from memory loss, loneliness or dementia. This should be discussed so that the right caregiver can be assigned.

2. Long-term care insurance

Another important consideration is the costs of home companion services. Our rates are affordable and competitive. We can accept most long-term care insurance.

3. Company background and worker qualification

You should also look into the background of the home companion agency you are considering, making sure that they are licensed, reputable and insured. The care givers should be qualified for the job, and credentials should be thoroughly evaluated to ensure quality of care. For your protection, you should also make sure that the company’s caretakers are insured.

4. Responsiveness of the company

The home companion agency should always be ready to address any questions you have, as well as any emergencies or situations that arises. You should always be able to speak with someone when you call the company 24/7.
Choosing the right home companion agency for your needs is essential to ensure that the care given is commendable and up to the task. Remember these top considerations so that you will have a smooth and excellent relationship with the home companion agency you choose for you or your loved one.

5 Ways to Cut Breast Cancer Risk

Breast cancer may be the most common cancer among women, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something to help prevent it.

We can’t control all risk factors, like age or race, but we can try to control others, like weight gain and alcohol use.

1. Maintain your ideal weight. Women who gain a lot of weight after age 21 have higher breast cancer risks than women who maintain a health weight throughout life. To keep your cancer risk low, avoid weight gain by eating a healthy diet and staying active.
2. Drink alcohol in moderation. Having a glass of wine now and again is not bad for your health. But drinking several glasses a day can up your breast cancer risks. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
3. Talk to your doctor about hormone therapy. Some women receive hormone therapy to cope with menopause symptoms. Recent results from the Women’s Health Initiative showed that women who took combined hormone therapy (estrogen and progestin) had a bigger risk of breast cancer. Speak to you Dr. before using hormone therapy.
4. Follow recommended screening guidelines. Cancer screening exams, such as the mammogram, are medical tests done when you’re healthy and you don’t have any signs of illness. They help find cancer at it’s earliest stage when chances of successfully treating the disease are greatest. Women should get clinical breast exam every 1-3 years beginning at age 20. Beginning age 40 – yearly exam with mammogram. In between exams, practice self-breast exam.
5. Get your breast cancer risk assessed. Every woman has a unique set of breast cancer risks. Depending on your lifestyle, personal and family health history, you may be more likely or less likely to develop the disease.

If you need further information about self-breast exam, ask me for it. I have help for you.
Paula Mann RN
Advocates On Call

1. Identify what your loved ones need

Do your loved ones need basic household assistance such as housekeeping, cooking and grocery shopping? The right home care service provider should be able to provide the perfect match for what your loved ones need, so they can continue to enjoy their daily lives.

2. Do your research and ask for recommendations from people you trust

Your relatives and friends may be able to recommend a good home care service company or provider to which they can attest offers excellent services. The Internet has also made it easy for you to research about what other people are saying regarding the services of an agency.

3. Talk to the company or agency

There is something to be said about personally meeting a home care service provider and talking to them to see if they can provide the services you need and meet your expectations. The best home care services should be able to provide individualized care for your loved ones, to ensure that all their needs are met. Also, the people they employ should be kind, compassionate and a true companion.

When you live apart from your elderly loved ones, you tend to worry a lot about their health and how they’re doing. You wonder if they’re taking care of themselves well, if they’re eating right, and if they’re getting enough exercise.

Though you wish you could take care of them yourself, you have your hands full with work, your own family, and managing your household. So it’s really impossible for you to get away regularly and make sure your loved ones are taken care of.

You may have considered putting them in a senior facility or a nursing home so you know that someone will be looking out for them. The problem is, (delete coma) they really don’t want to leave their home. They want to stay in familiar surroundings that they’re comfortable in, not in an institutional, expensive facility. It is difficult and an effort to make new friends.

So what are your options? You can try forcing them to move, but you really don’t want to do this because you know change is difficult especially at their age. You can simply leave them alone and hope for the best, but you’ll just end up stressed and worried all the time. You do have one more option – to get a home care provider to ensure you and your family peace of mind.

Home care services are becoming more popular nowadays because there are a lot of seniors and older adults who prefer living in the comfort of their home rather than going to a senior facility. A home care service provider can help them with their daily activities of living as well as provide much needed companionship and conversation to ensure that they’re happy, safe and receiving good care. This is especially important if your loved ones are alone now, and they may suffer from loneliness and depression if they don’t have any companion.

In addition to companionship, a home care provider’s duties include meal preparation, light housekeeping, grocery shopping and errands, medication reminders, providing transportation, and doing laundry. You can choose to hire someone who comes for a couple of hours a few days a week or every day. We also provide 24/7 companionship and care for your loved ones.

So if you don’t want to leave your loved ones safety, well-being, and health to chance, getting home care services is definitely the best solution. You will sleep better at night and not worry so much when you know that your loved ones are in well provided for and in capable hands.