The Caregiver's Toolbox

Today we speak with Kathy Kemp a geriatric care manager and owner of Sage Advice, located in Arlington, Massachusetts. In a previous blog and podcast, we listed all the reasons why we appreciate geriatric care managers and why people like Kathy Kemp are so important for seniors and their families. In this episode we talk to [...] The post Interview with Kathy Kemp, Geriatric Care Manager appeared...

Senior loneliness is a quiet epidemic with a big price tag attached to it, explains a WSJ article that was published in December. As the baby boomer generations continue to grow older, spouses pass away, divorces occur and families are no separated by hundreds of miles as it is more common to move away from where [...] The post Senior Loneliness: A Quiet Epidemic with a Big Cost appeared first on...

Overtime affects agencies as it limits how many hours a caregiver can work without costing the company (and thus the client) more money. While overtime laws are a net positive, they prevent caregivers from accepting more jobs without increasing the costs.  So clients and caregivers are disappointed that they can not work more with clients the [...] The post Overtime and Home Care appeared first on...

Today we have a great interview with Alex DeNoncour of Oakley Home Access down in Narragansett RI.  Don't let that location fool you for a moment, they are moving into the Massachusetts market helping senior purchase and install ramps, grab bars, stairlifts and other durable equipment that allows seniors to live in their home as [...] The post Alex DeNoncour of Oakley Home Access appeared fir...

Often, we get families that are interested in shorter blocks of time with our caregivers. This has advantages and disadvantages which we discuss.  We are happy to accept all cases that we receive regardless of their size, but there are difficulties with staffing these types of cases.    Additionally, some families question why tasks are [...] The post Understanding Short Hour Cases appeared first...

Today we talk about short-term rehab and understanding why people need to use their services after leaving a hospital, like having a fall and breaking a bone.   Many think that after leaving short-term rehab that the skip right out of there, which is usually not the case.  More help is needed in the home through [...] The post Understanding Short-Term Rehab appeared first on Minute Women Home Care...

Today we talk about some articles we briefly touched on when we had Tyler Gates, a financial advisor come and speak with us a few weeks ago. Tyler was the focus of that podcast but we thought these articles were important enough to dedicate a podcast to them. We talk about: Saving (or lack thereof) [...] The post Boomers, Saving & Employment appeared first on Minute Women Home Care .

When providing care to older adults, it can take a long time compared to the time we need to do the same tasks.  When you list out what we do in the first hour of our day, it ends up being a long list. Get out of bed Put on slippers Make Coffee Brush teeth [...] The post Care Can Take A long Time appeared first on Minute Women Home Care .

 A recent article in the Boston Globe brings up the alarming concern about physician burnout.  The profession is "struggling with the unyielding demands of electronic health record systems and ever-growing regulatory burdens." We discuss: What our experiences have been with doctors How we view electronic records The ongoing regulations of health care Pajama time! Cost of employee turnove...

Today we talk about a WSJ article about how employers are unprepared for the caregiver crisis that is affecting their employees. Many of the employees are stressed out because they are balancing work life with their personal life that involves being a family caregiver. While this problem is occurring now, it is expected to worsen as the [...] The post Are Employers Unprepared for the Caregiver Cri...

Today we talk about taste and smell and how those are affected as we age and what to do about the situation with your loved ones. We go over the following topics: Issues regarding taste & smell often overlooked as seen as “not critical to life” Reality: Increased rates of accidental gas poisonings & gas [...] The post Seniors: Taste & Smell appeared first on Minute Women Home Care .