Caregiver Connection

Challenges and obstacles are an unavoidable part of being a personal care assistant. These challenges present a real danger not only for the home care patient but also for the personal care assistant as they work to provide quality home care. Instead of shying away from these challenges, a home care professional should embrace them by learning about and preparing for the problem as much as possibl...

Family caregivers face many different challenges when caring for a parent that is suffering from a disease or illness. Aside from providing for their parent's daily home care needs, many family caregivers also take care of their own family as well. The blending of these two roles is inevitable and the caregiver will eventually have to answer the question: "How is grandma doing?" *The content on th...

At Best Care, we not only strive to be a quality Minnesota home care agency, but also to provide helpful caregiver resources and assistance. One of the most common questions we receive is "Can I get paid to care for a family member?" Our website has a  page that provides some basic information on getting paid to care for a family member, but we felt we could do more. *The content on this podcast i...

There are hundreds of Minnesota home care agencies that all claim to provide the same services. As a personal care assistant, it can be difficult to know which agency is the right match for you. A simple search will return the names of many companies; however, the majority of the time, using this process to select a home care agency simply does not work. *The content on this podcast is for informa...

As a personal care assistant providing home health services, it's a safe bet that your life is pretty chaotic. Balancing multiple patients' medications, daily plans, and personal requirements while trying to keep up with your own life can be exhausting. Without an effective way to stay organized, it's easy for home health professionals to become overwhelmed by the many demands of their job. *The c...

According to a study conducted by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 72% of family caregivers live within a twenty-minute drive of their loved one they provide home care for, and 13% live within an hour. This means that 15% of all informal family caregivers live an hour or more away from those they provide home care services for. *The content on this podcast is for informational or edu...

In the US, the average caregiver is a 49-year-old woman who is married, employed, and cares for her 70-year-old mother. While there are many men that work as personal care assistants or provide home care for a family member, women spend much more time providing personal care services. On average, a female caregiver spends nearly 50% more time providing at-home care than her male counterpart. *The...

Providing home care for a family member or friend is one of the most important tasks you will ever have. However, it is a safe bet that when the time comes, you will have little experience in home care and won't know where to start when it comes to being a great personal care assistant. This lack of preparedness can often lead to trivial mistakes in your home care services that waste time and migh...

An exciting announcement was made at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference: Over the past 40 years, Alzheimer's and dementia rates have steadily declined in the U.S. In fact, an American adult age 60 and older today has a 44% less chance of getting Alzheimer's when compared with a U.S. senior citizen 30 years ago. Researchers largely attribute this reduction to improved cardiovascul...

Caregiving is an incredibly rewarding career. Very few professions allow a worker to make a real difference in someone's life. Every day, family caregivers and personal care assistants give of themselves to make life easier for others struggling with a physical or mental disability. While there is no better feeling than helping others in need, home caregiving also comes with many stressors and cha...

It's human nature to feel called to provide care for a loved one in need. Whether a sick child staying home from school or an aging parent, home care services are a part of all of our lives. When it comes to aging parents, at-home care usually begins with a weekly visit to see if they need to run an errand or to just spend time together. However, this weekly check-in can quickly turn into a much l...

At Best Care, we strive to stay current on new information related to activities that benefit home caregivers, and while we focus on helping seniors, children, and individuals living with a disability find quality caregivers, home nurses and personal care assistants that are best suited to support their unique needs, we also like to provide ways to improve home healthcare for caregiver as well. *T...

There are many individuals in need of home care services who choose to avoid it because they have heard negative rumors about home health care agencies and personal care assistants.  These beliefs are generally based on misconceptions and, while some of these myths may hold water, the majority are just that: myths. We here at Best Home Care want to set the record straight on a few of these misconc...

Traumatic brain injuries ( TBIs ) are serious problems that can result in lifelong consequences. Though a person's return from the hospital due to TBI is often met with joy, as family members are reunited, caring for a family member with a brain injury has its challenges.  *The content on this podcast is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical ad...

Personal care assistants and family caregivers are lucky to have such a great job! Home care is a very rewarding career that allows an individual to make a valuable difference in the lives of others. Home caregivers are very important in providing home supportive services for those they provide. While it may be easy to fall into a day-to-day routine, it's important to always be at the top of your...

A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that  two out of every five adults in the U.S. currently provide home care for a sick or elderly relative. The researchers also found that the number of caregivers in the country increased by 10% from 2010 to 2013. Experts believe that this rise in family caregivers is due to more Baby Boomers requiring care and their inability to afford profession...

As baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond, their children are finding themselves as part of a growing community known as the  Sandwich Generation.  The sandwich generation is the generation of middle-aged individuals who are pressured to care for their aging parents and growing children. In addition to the physical and emotional support required of children, the sandwich generation also prov...

As any medical professional will tell you, proving health care is a lot of work. As a  personal care assistant you have likely experienced this first-hand. From early morning medication assistance to late night emergency calls, it's easy to become overwhelmed by everything there is to do. This feeling of being overworked will only get worse the more home care patients you are responsible for. *The...

Ask anyone you know what their favorite song is and you are sure to be in for a long-winded answer as they struggle to narrow it down to just one. From the songs you sang as a kid to that annoying radio hit you can't get out of your head, music has, and will continue to be, a constant part of all our lives. For thousands of years, music has played an integral role in human existence; however, it h...

One of the major factors that lead to disability and loss of independence among the elderly is falling and fracturing one or both hips. Research suggests that recovery at home can reduce the extent of disability. *The content on this podcast is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. For more...

When you provide a friend, family member, or other loved one with care services, you are helping that person to live a more comfortable, independent life. While that individual's life becomes easier, the home caregiver's life often becomes busier. Providing home care is a demanding, if fulfilling, responsibility, and one that may lead to burnout for the caregiver. *The content on this podcast is f...

If you could do anything for the rest of your life, what would it be? This is a common question to determine what we feel is most important and what activities we enjoy the most. These interests typically have nothing to do with our daily work, but instead are things we do out of a personal passion.. *The content on this podcast is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substi...

Any family that has gone through the process of selecting a senior living community knows it can be lengthy and difficult. Long wait lists can leave seniors in limbo for months or even years while the need for care continues to grow. This is where transitional home care comes in. *The content on this podcast is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute professional med...

A  personal care assistant  plays many roles in the life of a senior. Perhaps one of the least appreciated aspects of their service is the psychological benefit they provide for their clients. Isolation, boredom,  depression , and vulnerability can make a senior's emotional life difficult and even lead to serious medical issues. *The content on this podcast is for informational or educational purp...

Arey ou interested in receiving PCA Services ? In order to receive PCA Services in Minnesota, you will first have to meet with a Public Health Nurse in your county to have a PCA Assessment. To schedule a PCA Assessment, you must contact the Public Health Department for the county you live in. For county contact information, you may contact a Minnesota Home Care Agency. *The content on this podcast...