Challenges Involved In Running a Home Health Agency

There are several unique challenges involved in running a home health agency and these need to be addressed carefully before you enter this field. These challenges include:

• Long distance travel

It is important to understand that convenience of home health care is for the patient, not the caregiver. Most home health care providers will see six to eight patients in a day and if the region is geographically large, that could mean lots of travel, which can cause stress and fatigue. For someone who finds travel stressful, this may be something to consider before launching a home health care business.

• Technological upkeep and maintenance

One of the reasons home health care has become so prevalent in the last decade is the technological advances that allow high-tech equipment to be used in the home. Earlier this equipment was only accessible in a hospital or clinic but now since so much of modern home health care relies on high-tech equipment, keeping up with the latest technology and managing this equipment is something that a business owner will learn to be comfortable with.

• Working in isolation

One of the most significant advantages of providing health care in a hospital or clinic is that you have colleagues with whom to consult or otherwise ask for assistance. Home health care providers almost exclusively work on their own without the support network they usually have around. This type of work environment is something that one would need to be comfortable with in order to do the job successfully.

Associated Home Care of NJ is one of the best personal care companies that offer the most reliable home care services in New Jersey. Not just that, they can also help you set up your own home care agency. For more information, visit www.associatedcares.com or simply dial 1-844-284-4844.

Manage Arthritis Pain in Old Age with the Right Exercises

Best Home Care Agencies

The stiffness, swelling, and pain associated with arthritis severely reduce the range of motion of joints; however avoiding physical activity due to pain or discomfort can result in significant muscle loss & weight gain. On the other hand, regular exercise helps improve joint function, increase range of motion, improve flexibility, and maintain a healthy weight. Even studies suggest that older adults with arthritis who exercise are more likely to experience less joint pain than those who don’t.

Typically, low-impact exercises work best for older adults with arthritis. Some of the effective exercises for them include:

Stretching
Stretching helps reduce stiffness, improve flexibility, and increase range of motion. When done every day, ideally during the morning, stretching can prove to be highly beneficial in relieving arthritis symptoms. An ideal stretching routine is different for everyone depending on which of their joints are affected & what symptoms they have. However, stretching often involves slow and gentle movements of the joints of one’s knees, elbows, and hands.

Pilates
It is an excellent low-impact activity which stabilizes the joints & strengthens the muscles around them. It is advisable for those who are new to Pilates to use a mat rather than a machine at the beginning in order to build muscle strength safely.

Flowing Movements, Like Tai Chi & YogaBoth Tai Chi and Yoga involve flowing movements, deep breathing, gentle poses, & meditation; which increase flexibility, range of motion, and balance while reducing mental stress. You can also consider getting a DVD of tai chi or yoga workouts which are specifically for people with arthritis.

Managing arthritis in old age becomes easier when you have a reliable in-home caregiver to look after you and your needs. As one of the leading agencies for elderly home care in NJ, we are dedicated to helping seniors age in place safely and independently by providing them the care they need. Call @ 1-844-284-4844 to learn more!

Top 5 Challenges Personal Care Companies Should Always Be Prepared For

Best Home Care Agencies

Here is a list of 5 challenges you must be prepared to face if you want to stay ahead of your competitors:

1. Prepare for an increased demand

With more aging individuals preferring to receive care in the comfort of home, many agencies for elderly home care will struggle to meet the growing demand with qualified staff and capable caregivers. You can start preparing for increased demand by ensuring you have the proper systems in place to handle it. 

2. Recruiting and retaining the right staff

Ensuring that the caregivers you recruit are well-qualified is a critical part of growing your home care agency. Even though there is a high demand for skilled staff and caregivers in the field, the number of qualified applicants available can vary depending upon which part of the country you are in.

3. Get referrals

Some areas of the country have highly saturated markets, often making it difficult for an elder care agency to obtain referrals. Home care consultants such as the ones at Associated Home Care of NJ can provide marketing support to help design your overall marketing plan, web presence, and print advertising you need to get the word out about your business.

4. Establish Partnerships

Establishing valuable partnerships with new and emerging entities is the key to growing your agency. These partnerships are known to open doors to another effective way of improving referrals.

5. Training and education

The policies and procedures your agency follows need to be kept up-to-date with the latest regulations and the staff needs to be informed about the changes. This process includes educating the employees regularly and providing training to improve patient care.

Founded to provide top-quality elderly assistance services to help seniors bring purpose to their life, Associated Home Care of NJ has now grown to offer all kinds of senior care services as well as home care marketing and consulting services in New Jersey. Visit www.associatedcares.com to know more. 

You can also dial the toll-free number 1-844-284-4844 to know more.

Combating Social Isolation in Old Age

With over one-third of senior population of America living alone, isolation in older adults has become more common than ever before. Moreover, due to reasons like loss of spouse, limited mobility, chronic health problems, etc; socialization can be difficult to maintain in old age, which significantly contributes to making older adults prone to isolation. According to studies, social isolation in the elderly may lead to the following detrimental health effects:

• An increase in the number of falls
• An increase in the risk of all-cause mortality 
• An increase in the risk of developing dementia
• An increase in the risk of re-hospitalization 

If you have an aging member in your family, here is how you can help them avoid social isolation:

Boost their self-esteem through compliments – Compliment your loved one as much as possible. Positive comments can help boost their self-esteem and ensure that they do not fret over the effects of aging showing on their face or body. When they’ll have a positive body image, they won’t be self-conscious and avoid social interactions.  

Encourage them to dine with others – Whenever possible, encourage them to share a meal with others, be it with friends, family, relatives, or a church group they are a part of. Eating with others is inherently social and can also help promote better nutrition. 

Encourage them to regularly attend their place of worship – If your senior loved one is religious and has been a regular churchgoer; make sure they always attend the religious services to benefit from the social interaction as well as the sense of purpose which the worship provides. 

These small steps can go a long way in ensuring that your loved one remains socially connected. If you often keep busy due to a hectic work schedule, you can seek elderly assistance from Associated Home Care of NJ! To learn about us or our home care services, feel free to call us @ 1-844-284-4844.

3 Situations in Which In-Home Care Services Is the Best Option for Seniors

In-home care is a desired senior care option for many as it allows the patients to remain in the comfort of their home while covering various needs of the elderly. Depending upon your and your loved ones’ needs, you might want to consider other options such as senior living communities, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and more for your seniors. However, here are three situations in which in-home care services will be the most appropriate option:

• There are a lot of seniors who can take care of most of their daily needs but may need help with activities like laundry and home maintenance. A little assistance from an in-home care professional can allow the senior to function fairly well at home. In-home care is also a great option for those families who wish to have their elders at home but cannot watch over them themselves.
• There is nothing surprising about senior couples wanting to stay together. However, this can be a problem if the two of them require different levels of care. In cases like this, in-home care is a great option as a senior home care provider can take care of the seniors’ needs without having them shifted to a senior care facility.
• A lot of us turn to senior care facilities for our seniors’ end of life care wanting to rather avoid the idea of dealing with death. A lot of seniors, however, hope to spend their remaining homes in their home instead of an institution. In-home care can thus be a great way to give your loved ones the chance to spend some quality time with their family before they breathe their last.

For the best and most reliable in-home care services in New Jersey, feel free to reach out to Associated Home Care of NJ. The company was founded to provide top-quality elderly assistance services to help seniors bring purpose to their life and has now grown to offer all kinds of senior care services as well as home care marketing and consulting services. Visit www.associatedcares.com.

Ways to Help Your Senior Loved One Cope with Depression

Seniors often go through many major life changes, such as retirement, loss of a spouse, declining health, etc. which make them vulnerable to depression. It is also quite heartbreaking for family members to watch their aging loved one succumb to depression. If you have a senior member in your family, here are a few ways you can help them cope with stress and improve the quality of their life. 

• Promote a sense of purpose – The fight with depression tends to get tougher for those with no sense of purpose in life. To help your loved one keep stress, loneliness, and isolation at bay, encourage them to take up a hobby or learn something new that they always wanted to when they were young, but couldn’t due to other responsibilities. Besides that, encouraging them to volunteer for a local charity is also a great way to promote a sense of purpose in their life. 

• Encourage social interaction – Encourage your senior loved one to visit friends & extended family, go for group outings, & attend community events. According to studies, an active social life helps improve the physical, mental, as well as emotional well-being of a person, especially when they are experiencing feelings of loneliness or are depressed.

• Keep them physically active – Staying active can be a lifesaver for the elderly. Light exercises, like stair climbing, walking, etc. can help them stay in a good physical, mental, & emotional shape. You can also encourage your depressed loved one to join a group exercise class, such as Tai Chi or Yoga. This way, not only will they be able to stay fit, but also meet like-minded people and become friends with them. 

If you aren’t able to care for your senior loved one because of your other personal or professional responsibilities, leave it to our compassionate caregivers. As one of the most trusted senior home care agencies in NJ, we provide excellent care services to the elderly. To know more, feel free to visit http://associatedcares.com/ or call @ 1-844-284-4844.

Early Signs and Symptoms of Dementia

Associated Home Care of NJ

Associated Home Care of NJ

Worried about an aging loved one’s memory? Well, mild forgetfulness is a normal part of aging, and it isn’t a serious problem if you have trouble recalling someone’s name but are able to do some time later. But if the memory problems are seriously affecting your daily life, they could be early signs of dementia. While the number of symptoms you have & how strong they are vary, it is important to identify the early signs to get the right medical treatment on time. Usually, one should have two or more symptoms dramatically interfering with their everyday routine to receive a dementia diagnosis.

The initial warning signs and symptoms of dementia may include:

• Forgetting things recently learned, names, important dates, or other important information
• Repeating the same story or asking the same questions again and again
• Not being able to backtrack or retrace steps even in familiar places
• Getting confused about people, places, and time
• Neglecting personal hygiene, nutrition, and safety 
• Not being able to follow directions or stay on task
• Exhibiting sudden mood swings for no apparent reason
• Losing interest in previously enjoyed activities 

As the early signs of dementia are quite subtle & vague, it is easy to ignore them. However, if you have an aging member in your family, it is important to pay attention to any changes in their behavior, health, or other areas of life. If you notice any of the aforementioned signs, consult a doctor immediately for a complete assessment. Although living with dementia isn’t easy, having a compassionate caregiver to look after the needs of the senior suffering from this debilitating condition can be of great help. As one of the leading home health care agencies in New Jersey, Associated Home Care of NJ provides seniors with quality care at affordable rates. To know more, feel free to visit http://associatedcares.com/ or call @ 1-844-284-4844.