Happy New Year!!!

As we wind down the last day of the year, Comfort of Home Healthcare would like to wish you a wonderful 2015!

 “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” 
― Neil Gaiman

Tips for Seniors in the Winter Months

You wouldn't know it being 50 out on December 15th, but winter is going to be here any moment. 

If you yourself need a little extra help now and then, if you are caring for a loved one, or even if you’re loved one just recently needs a little bit of extra help. Here are some tips that you’re going to need to keep yourself or your loved ones safe for the next couple of months.

·       If you are not able to do everything for your own. Ask for help silly!!!

The most important tip to keep in mind is to ask for help. If you need help to clear the drive, sidewalks, etc. don’t hesitate to ask a family member, neighbor, social service agency or hire a professional. Really, don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

·       If you’re worried about your loved one.

o   Check in on them regularly, if you live out of town, arrange for neighbors/family to check in.

o   Arrange for someone to keep sidewalks shoveled and de-iced.

o   Make sure your loved one has emergency supplies.

o   Arrange transportation if need be, have groceries delivered, etc.

o   Hire a professional in home care agency such as Comfort of Home Healthcare to come in and help take good care of your loved one during these months.

·       Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!!! There are a handful of likely scenarios that are going to happen during the winter season, prepare for them.

o   Power Outages - At some point, a winter storm is going to lead to a power outage. Make sure there is easy access to flashlights and a battery powered radio. Stockpile warm blankets. Keep some non perishable food and water stored away. Here is a winter weather checklist you might find useful.

§  Oxygen – if you or your loved one is on oxygen you/they most likely have a generator supplying it. If your power goes out you will need backup tanks. Have a supply of both large tanks and smaller portable tanks readily available.

o   Home Heating Safety

§  Service the furnace every fall to make sure it’s in working order.

§  Have all chimneys and flues inspected yearly and cleaned as needed.

§  Install and upkeep on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

·       Using a fireplace, gas heater or lanterns can lead to carbon monoxide poising. Be SURE to pay special attention to the carbon monoxide detectors and get an updated one if needed.

§  Keep a fire extinguisher handy, replace as needed and know how to use it.

§  Place space heaters at least three feet from any curtains, betting, etc.

·    

   Stay Inside – This is an easy one. If you don’t have to get out, don’t. Seniors are more susceptible to hypothermia. Conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, severe arthritis and even some medications can limit the body’s response to cold.

o   IF you have to go out – Dress appropriate, even for a “walk out to the mailbox”. One slip and a fall could mean that your outside for longer than you anticipated.

·       Fight Wintertime Depression – Not being with others and spending more time indoors can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

o   Call family members and check in daily. Get as much contact with others as possible.

o   If you are the family member, call your loved one as often as possible. Even a short daily phone call can make a big difference. If you can visit, even better!

These are just some simple tips and are not intended to be all encompassing. Be sure to get with your family and create a plan as everyone is different and will have different needs.

We hope you find this helpful and hope that you and your loved ones stay safe this winter season. Like always; Comfort of Home Healthcare is here to help, call us if you need anything!

We are looking for some outstanding caregivers!!!

Comfort of Home Healthcare is looking for some outstanding people to join our family!

If you are the type of person that longs for meaningful work and not just a job? This is the opportunity for you. It's not every job that you can come home at the end of your shift  knowing that you personally helped another person.

John Wooden said, “You can’t live a perfect day until you do something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” Here at Comfort of Home Healthcare, that's exactly what you get to do!

Right now we are looking for people in two locations. 

We are looking for Direct Care Aids for people with disabilities in the North Kansas City/ Gladstone area. 

Kansas City Job Post Can be Found Here.

We are also hiring for all positions in St. Joseph MO (Immediate need for caregivers who want to work with seniors)

St. Joseph Job Post Can be Found Here.

You can apply for a position in a number of ways. 

• HERE is a link to our application.
• Either Email or Fax it to us. 
• info@comfortofhomehealthcare.com
• Fax 816-901-3054

• Call us anytime from 8am to 4pm, Monday through Friday. 816-671-0298 ask for Melanie.

• If your interested in the St. Joseph area, you can drop by anytime from 8am to 4pm, Monday through Friday. 2207 South 36th Street, St. Joseph MO.

• Kansas City applicants, please set up a phone interview with Melanie at the number above. 

We look forward to hearing from you and hopefully welcome our newest member of the Comfort of Home Healthcare family!

Direct Care Staff.. What is it?

Comfort of Home Healthcare commonly posts information about seniors and how to be a caregiver for them. This is a growing concern for many of us with ageing parents and grandparents. 

Did you know that Comfort of Home Healthcare also provides support for people with disabilities? 

We recently posted some information trying to recruit employees for  open positions working with people who have disabilities and ran across some videos that accurately depict what these employees can expect on a shift with us. 

We wanted to share this video with all of you. You might have a passion for helping others and have not thought about working with people other than seniors. 

There are very few jobs out there that you can honestly say that you helped another person at the end of your day and feel good about it. 

Well, this is one of those jobs... With Comfort of Home Healthcare you get to have a job your passionate about. Let me tell you that is pretty rare in this day and age. 

 

If you have any questions and/or feel this is a great fit for you, let us know. We are more than happy to talk to you.

Direct Care Staff Wanted!!! Gladstone MO

Are you tired of meaningless jobs? Wish you had a job where you feel like you have made a difference? Look no further!!

Comfort of Home Healthcare is looking for some outstanding people who have a passion for helping others for our growing in home care services for people with disabilities!

We are hiring for staff to care for two gentlemen with disabilities in an ISL (Individualized Supporting Living) home. All shifts available!

Job Duties Include (but not limited to)

Will perform various duties necessary to provide complete care of clients within established standards, policies and procedures. These duties include but are not limited to; strict adherence to care plan and outcomes, positive behavior training, social interactions training and maintenance of accurate documentation.

Also some other diversified duties including, but not limited to; light housekeeping, meal preparations, laundry and companionship.

CNA, First aid & CPR, Level 1 Med-Aide, Abuse and Neglect, PBS, a plus (will train the right candidates).

EOE/D/V

All employees must pass background check and commit to drug screenings.

Must have valid drivers license, proof of auto insurance, ability to follow instructions, and have excellent time management and multitasking skills. 

If you feel your a good candidate, please download our application HERE. 

You can submit your application/resume in any one of three ways:

1. Email it back to us,  info@comfortofhomehealthcare.com
2. Fax it over to us, 1-816-901-3054
3. Mail it to us. 2207 South 36th Street, St. Joseph MO 64503

Once we receive your application/resume, we will contact you and conduct an initial phone interview. So please make sure you have submitted the correct phone number to reach you.

Thank you for your interest and we hope that together we are a great fit and you can be a new addition to the Comfort of Home Healthcare family!!

If you have quesions, please keep phone calls to regular business hours. Mon-Fri, 8am - 4pm.
Ask for Melanie, 816-671-0298

In Home Care 101!

Most phone calls we receive are from people who have never had never needed any type of in home care before and don't know what is out there.

From this initial conversation I have a quick talk of what I call "In-Home Care 101", or the basics. There is a very common misconception out there that Medicaid will pay for in home care. Medicare will pay for some things, but extended care is not one of them.

So here it is, a very simple and short explanation: In Home Care 101

First off, Medicare will pay for SKILLED NURSING only. You need a physician order to qualify for all skilled nursing/Medicare services.

Think of skilled nursing as task oriented; a nurse will come out to the home and perform some sort of task (E.g. bath, med set up, wound dressing, physical therapy). Once they are finished with that task, they leave.

The two main services for medicaid skilled nursing is 1. Home Health and 2. Hospice.

Here is a blog from a home health agency that explains Home Heath in further detail. 

&     Here is a article that explains Hospice in further detail.


For many people skilled nursing is not enough and they need caregivers to come out and help with their loved one for longer period of time. This brings us to In Home care; you can think of it more as time oriented rather than task oriented services.

This is the type of services that Comfort of Home Healthcare provides. We can go in and provide what is called ADL's or activity of daily living. We come in and do some of the same services such as bathing and medications etc, but we can also do some of the other tasks that your loved one can no longer do themselves such as toileting, cooking, cleaning, etc.

These services range anywhere from 3 hours a couple times a week, all the way to 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Unfortunately Medicare does NOT pay for these type of services. However Medicaid will pay for some of these services.

Since Medicaid is income based, most of our phone calls do not qualify. This leaves families to pay out of pocket for in home care services.

If your loved one was a veteran or the widow of a veteran there might be some assistance from the VA, but that is about it. There are some other assistance but too few would qualify to put in this post.

This all can get very confusing. If you need any further assistance or have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact our office. We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

The Aging Process: What Can Be Expected?

The Aging Process

What Can Be Expected?

From birth, we begin to experience the lifelong process of aging. Most of our life this is marked by constant growth and new abilities. There is a point in ageing when a person's health begins to deteriorate or decline physically and mentally. The elderly population can often be misunderstood as they begin to go backwards, but this is a natural part of the aging process. Understanding the aging process will allow us to help enhance the quality and even the quantity of an elderly persons life. 

Not all of the effects of aging are harmful, such as the thinning of hair, hair turning grey or white, skins thins and becomes less elastic, wrinkles will be more present, and weight may change or become more concentrated in a specific area. Even though there will be more obvious changes that take place, there will also be changes that happen inside the body and that will effect the overall health of a person. These changes may vary depending on genes, lifestyle, and disease, but there is a "normal" pattern that is observed as people enter their later years (typically age 65 and older). 

Some very specific changes that will take place as a part of this process include changes in: (www.agingcarefl.org) 

• Eyesight: Loss of peripheral vision and decreased ability to judge depth. There may also be a decrease in the clarity of colors. 
• Hearing: Loss of hearing accuracy, especially sounds at the higher end of the spectrum. Also, decreasing ability to distinguish sounds when there is a lot of background noise. 
• Taste: Decreased taste buds and saliva. 
• Touch and Smell: Decreased sensitivity to touch and ability to smell.
• Arteries: Stiffen with age. Additionally, fatty deposits build up in your blood vessels over time, eventually causing arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries). 
• Bladder: Increased frequency in urination. 
• Body Fat: Increases until middle age, stabilizes until later in life, then decreases. Distribution of fat shifts, moving from just beneath the skin to surround deeper organs. 
• Bones: Somewhere around age 35, bones lose minerals faster than they are replaced.
• Brain: Loses some of the structures that connect nerve cells, and the function of the cells themselves is diminished. 
• Heart: This muscle thickens with age. Maximum pumping rate and the boy's ability to extract oxygen from the blood both diminish with age. 
• Kidneys: Shrink and become less efficient.
• Lungs: Somewhere around age 20, lung tissue begins to lose its elasticity, and rib cage muscles shrink progressively. Maximum breathing capacity diminishes with each decade of life. 
• Metabolism: Medicines and alcohol are not processes as quickly. Prescription medication requires adjustments. Reflexes are also slowed while driving.
• Muscles: Muscle mass declines, especially with lack of exercise. 
• Skin: Nails grow more slowly. Skin is more dry and wrinkled, and heals more slowly..

The better we understand the aging process, the more efficiently we can help our loved ones during this time. Although this time may be marked by significant physical, mental, and emotional changes, this is also a significant time for people as they get to spend time with their families, reflect on life, try new things, and make lasting memories. It is important that we are able to talk to our loved ones about what they are experiencing, even though we may not directly or fully understand the process yet. 

There are some contributing factors that will help strengthen the elderly during their aging process, and that are known to help with both the length and quality of life. Some of these factors include:

• Dietary and nutritional factors. 
• Moderate consumption of alcohol.
• Physical activity throughout life.
• Sexual activity continues in later years.
• Social involvement factors.
• Physical environment factors.

Being actively involved in your health now will most likely result in better health conditions in your later years. It is necessary that we stay knowledgeable about the aging process, for the benefit of ourselves and our loved ones. 

Discovery health provides a very helpful resource that gives more specific information on the aging process: The Aging Process