The Benefits of Technology for the Elderly

The Benefits of Technology for the Elderly

It is assumed that the older generation is more closed off to the use of technology to enhance or improve life. While this may often be the case, not every senior is completely closed off to giving new technology a chance. The problem lies in the fact that many of the newer technologies are not as easily understood by a generation that wasn't born with iPhones, gaming systems, TiVo systems, iPads, Kindles, laptop computers, Netflix, social networks, and iPods ingrained in their culture like the current generation has been. There is an obvious gap between the younger and older generations in regards to technology, and this gap can be destructive in our communication and connection with our elderly loved ones.  

It is important to remember to be understanding and helpful towards the generation who may have different opinions, experiences, and thoughts that contribute to their view of technology and/or their lack of use of technology in their daily life. It is not an absolute necessity for technology to be used for survival and it doesn't need to be pushed on someone who isn't interested. Sometimes this lack of interest in the technology of our culture comes from misinformation or a lack of information that has been given to the elderly. Although technology isn't a basic need, there are many technologies that would be extremely beneficial for seniors. 

Some of the benefits of technology for the elderly include:

• Feelings of isolation are rampant among the elderly, and technology will provide a way for them to stay connected to family, friends, and the world. Often they have a limited ability to move or leave a specific place or a specific community, and technology can really open doors to their ability to connect with others and sustain relationships. 

• Technology can also get them a way to stay updated about family issues and events. This could include small happenings in the family, or larger events such as new births in the family. Technology provides a way for them to feel a part of what is going on in the family, through pictures and more communication.

• Cell phones, iPods, E-Readers, laptops, and more, can provide entertainment and activities that can give the elderly things to do during "down time" when their days aren't filled with as much activity as it used to be filled with. 

• Technology can increase a seniors independence, freedom, and quality of life. Many technologies allow the elderly to stay in control of their lives for a longer time.

• Tools such as internet banking, can help assist the elderly in their financial needs in a more effective way. 

In addition to the specific technologies already mentioned, there is also a category of technology specifically geared towards the needs to the elderly and those with disabilities, which is called "assistive technology". Assistive technology includes special equipment designed to help the elderly and disabled throughout their daily lives and improve their quality of life. Here is a link that will give you more information about this type of technology: Assitive Technology: An Introduction and Overview

Healthy conversations can be had with your loved one about technology, and these conversations could lead to making some positive changes in your loved one's life. Always remember to actively listen to their concerns and thoughts, and speak in a way that will be helpful not hurtful. 

Here are a couple resources that may be helpful in your understanding of this topic: 

Embracing Technology to Improve Life

Adapting Technology to Elderly People

Were Hiring!!!

We still have several job opportunities with Comfort of Home Healthcare.

Please forward this link to anyone you know that might be interested in working for us.

Come on in and fill out an application and you can get an interview on the spot!!!!

We are located at 2207 S 36th Street, St. Joseph MO. (There is some road construction so look at the map below to see the detour on how to get here)

Comfort of Home Healthcare Open Positions: 
(Caregiver Tip: The more available you are on when you can work, the more hours we can give you)

NEW!!!! DAY SHIFTS IN WESTON MO!!!! (Posted 7/28/14)

Personal Care Attendant/Direct Care Aide (Caregiver)

Comfort of Home Healthcare has several of these positions open! We are in the need of part time and full time caregivers.
Comfort of Home Healthcare provides caregiving services in the home of seniors and people with disabilities.
If you are a person who feels compassion for others and is drawn to take care of people, this is the perfect match for you!
All shifts are available, but the majority of our open positions will be either evenings and/or overnights.

Personal Care Attendant/Direct Care Aide (Caregiver) Rosendale/Savannah

Comfort of Home Healthcare is looking for a couple outstanding Direct Care Aide's to work evenings and some weekends in the Rosendale/Savannah area. Will pay mileage to get you there and back.

House Manager

Comfort of Home Healthcare is looking for a outstanding person to fill a management position with our company. Any client of Comfort of Home Healthcare who receives more than 16 hours of service daily will have one person dedicated to manage that particular home.

This position is typically a 40 hour weekly position and works the day shift in that home, but must be available 24/7 to answer questions and take calls from staff in that home.

Link to Comfort of Home Healthcare Application
(for your convenience, just print it and bring it in!)

Map with Detour

Depression and Suicide Prevention

Depression and Suicide Prevention

in the Elderly

There is no age group that is immune to depression, but statistically the elderly suffer with depression resulting in suicide more than any other age group or group of people. Statistics show that the elderly comprise about 13% of the United States population but they are responsible for over 18% of the total suicides in the United States. Even though depression is very common in the elderly this does not mean that it can't be treated. Often the cause of suicide in the elderly is depression that is left untreated or mistreated. 

Depression can result from various changing circumstances, but is ultimately a chemical imbalance in the brain. The symptoms of depression can be recognized more quickly if you are aware of what you should be looking for in yourself or in your loved one. It is vital that depression does not go untreated, because it will result in a low quality of life and could lead to attempted suicide. 

Here are a few warning signs that someones may be struggling with depression:

• Loss of interest in things or activities that were previously found enjoyable. 
• Cutting back on social interactions, self-care, and grooming.
• Breaking medical regiments. (Such as prescriptions, diets, etc.)
• Expecting or experiencing a significant personal loss.
• Feeling hopeless and/or worthless.
• Loss of appetite, loss of energy, and weight loss.
• Insomnia and restlessness.
• Suddenly putting affairs in order, giving things away, or making changes to wills.
• Stock-pilling medication or obtaining other lethal means.
• Preoccupation with death or a lack of concern about personal safety.
• Expression of suicidal intent. 

In addition to specific warning signs that you can keep watch for, there are also specific characteristics or situations that may put a person at high risk for depression. A person does not need to have all of these characteristics, but these characteristics may be contributing factors to putting someone at a higher risk for depression. Some of these include:

• Increased age.
• White male.
• Divorced.
• A major psychiatric disorder.
• Misuse of alcohol or drugs.
• Any medical illness.
• Family discord.
• Financial trouble.
• Physical disability.
• Unrelieved pain, or chronic pain.
• Loss and/or grief. 
• Social isolation or solitary living.
• Inability to face and manage crises. 

If you recognize any of these characteristics or warning signs in yourself or your loved one, it is necessary to get help right away. The best way to get help is to visit your doctor and be honest about what is being experienced, from there your doctor can assess your well-being and take the steps they feel necessary to better your health. Your doctor will have more information about medications that need to be given or taken away, and about lifestyle changes that may need to take place.

Your loved one needs to know that the lines of communication are open, because it may be a daunting task for them to come to you about the problems associated with depression. If you are more aware of the symptoms, you will be more effective in preventing depression and suicide in your loved one. 

Unfortunately, the chances of suffering with depression or knowing someone who is suffering with depression is extremely likely. In the case of depression, awareness may be prevention. We must be ready to act when we are faced with these situations, especially in our families. 

This article will give more research based information about depression and suicide in the elderly: Suicide in the Elderly

We Have Moved!

Our Francis location has been bought and is being renovated for its new owners. Please note that Comfort of Home Healthcare has moved its offices to:

2207 South 36th Street

St. Joseph MO 64503

Click HERE to find on Google Maps!

Business Grows from Personal Experience

We are so excited to share with you that Comfort of Home Healthcare had an article written yesterday about its success!!!

Tad and I sat down with a reporter from the News Press and did our interview that we appreciate so much. Reporters have a difficult job in condensing a 30 min conversation into 150 words or less. With that being said, I wanted to give you a little lead-in to the story that our article did not have room for. 

I just wanted to be clear that Comfort of Home Healthcare was a shared vision between Tad and I. Also that we could not have excelled the way we have without the support from our loving families and supportive community that helped two guys start a business from nothing. We are also blessed with a number of wonderful employees that take care of our clients as if it were their own families. 

I also would like to mention that being a primary caregiver is one of the most difficult tasks one can be challenged with in this life. I have witnessed Tad though the years being the primary caregiver for is son and am in awe of how he manages it day in and day out and has done it for over a decade. It is inspiring to see and I feel privileged to have him as a business partner and our clients are blessed to have that kind of commitment and determination in giving their own families the care that they deserve. 

Lastly I wanted to clarify that with my In-laws, my wife was the primary caregiver and poured her heart and soul into giving her parents the best care anyone could wish for their own family. I wanted to clarify that because I want to give credit where credit is due and we see all to often that not all families come together in times of crisis. She is a little angel for our family and we would not be where we are today without her. 

Being a caregiver to anyone, being a parent or a child , is truly a family affair in every since of the word. 

Thank you to everyone who made this possible!! Tad and I are truly humbled and blessed by all our support over the years. 

Original article can be found HERE. 

Tad Ulmer and Jason Douglas share a lot of common ground.

They’re both fathers. Primary breadwinners for their family. Passionate about caring for people.

But perhaps the most notable thing they have in common is experiencing that moment of complete exasperation and loss — that “I’ve had it” moment that brought them together to create Comfort of Home Health Care.

When Mr. Ulmer and Mr. Douglas became caregivers for family members who needed 24-hour attention, they realized the difficulties involved with finding quality care. It was an uphill battle from there.

For Mr. Ulmer, it was with his son. Mr. Douglas, his in-laws.

Mr. Ulmer’s 15-year-old son Brandon was in a car accident that left him paralyzed on his left side and recovering from major brain damage. Brandon lived in a nursing home for five years before returning home. Mr. Ulmer shuffled 150 to 200 different caregivers in and out of his house trying to find quality service.

“They wanted to run my life,” Mr. Ulmer said. “They wanted to force caregivers on me that I knew were not good.”

He battled staff just to get Brandon a shower every day.

Mr. Douglas spent several years taking care of his dying father-in-law. After he passed away, he became the primary caregiver for his mother-in-law, who had Alzheimer’s disease. He was plagued by lackluster staff that didn’t fulfill their family’s needs, he said.

Mr. Douglas’ frustration brought him to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, where he met Rebecca Evans of the Small Business & Technology Development Center. She knew Mr. Ulmer was facing similar difficulties and encouraged Mr. Douglas to give him a call.

That night, Mr. Douglas was at Mr. Ulmer’s house with a vision.

One month later, they had gotten their business license. A month after that, they had sold everything they owned and cashed in their 401(k) plans.

And a few days into 2011, they were moved into their office and were ready to take their first client.

Mr. Douglas said the clients’ needs always come first.

“It’s weird having other people come in your home,” he said. “It just is. There’s no way to sugarcoat that. And (other home health companies) say, ‘Hey, this is how we’re going to do it.’ Whereas we come in and say, ‘How do you want us to take care of your loved one?’”

And if that means it costs more money, so be it. For the first six or eight months of working the business, neither of them brought home a penny.

Mr. Douglas vividly remembers having to sell a car to pay his bills one month because they had nothing left. It was his last — and only — option.

“The first month we were able to take money out of here was the month after I had no idea how the hell I was going to pay the next month’s bills,” Mr. Douglas said. “God’s gonna help you out, but He’s gonna make you sweat it a bit first.”

After three years of operation, they’ve grown to 89 employees.

Comfort of Home recently started expanding into Kansas City, and they said they hope to continue to grow into other surrounding areas.

Only a year and a half into the business, they’d already surpassed their three-year projections. They hope to continue to grow while providing quality service.

“It can be tough,” Mr. Douglas said. “In this job, you can have basically the most rewarding day of your life one day and the toughest day of your life the very next day. You never know.”

Elderly Care is a Family Affair

Elderly Care is a Family Affair

Your elderly or disabled loved ones are at crucial points in their life, filled with many changes and new circumstances. During this time your loved one needs support and help in planning their future and making sure all of their needs are properly addressed. No one should walk this road alone, and so the care of your loved one needs to become a family issue. Often family members are the caregivers to their elderly or disabled loved one, so they too may be experiencing many life changes. The best way to care for your family is to make sure that you are coming together as a family, making compromises when necessary, and making decisions based on the needs of the entire family. 

"Seniors are at a vulnerable stage of life. They often face multiple health concerns and loss of physical and cognitive function. More than ever, seniors need the support and love of family members. Seniors often have difficulty expressing their needs, desires and preferences, so they must have someone to advocate for them. And who is more qualified for that than the people who know them better than anyone else in the world?"

To be able to be the advocate for your loved one during this often difficult time, is such a rewarding opportunity. If you and your loved one are able to work together and communicate effectively, this will increase the positive outcomes in both of your lives. 

It is not uncommon for family members to be the sole or primary caregiver for an elderly or disabled family member. "A new study of caregivers says that one out of three adults in the U.S. currently serves as a caregiver." Caregiving is no easy task, and takes up much of the caregivers time and energy. If you are in this position it may be necessary to consider some in-home healthcare options for your family. In addition to this, it is important to ask the right questions when you are considering a plan for your elderly or disabled loved one's care. 

Here are some questions that may be helpful to consider:

• What is the best way to talk to my parents or loved one about their healthcare needs?
• How will the care they need be funded?
• What is the safest, most comfortable, most appropriate care option for my loved one?
• Is there a family member nearby who can be of assistance at a moment's notice?
• What types of services or help does my loved one need-- for instance, bathing, eating, transportation, medications, etc.?
• How do my loved one's religious affiliation and personal preferences influence the care decisions we need to make?
• What types of senior care are available? How do they differ? How does each one address my parents specific needs?

Here is a resource that gives more statistical, and practical information on this subject:

Caring for Elderly and Disabled is a Family Affair

Missouri Business Development Program; Comfort of Home Healthcare

Hey, check it out! Comfort of Home Healthcare was highlighted in piece from the Missouri Business Development program!!!

Original Article Can Be Found Here!

Comfort of Home Healthcare, LLC – St. Joseph

Jason Douglas, co-owner and co-founder of Comfort of Home Healthcare, LLC, a home health care service based in St. Joseph with a satellite office in Gladstone slated to open later this year, didn’t start adult life as a health care entrepreneur.

He was a relief pitcher for the Missouri Western State University Griffons.

His repertoire included a wicked curve ball that had opposing hitters flailing away — or “They’d hit it 400 feet!” he laughs. He threw in the low 80s — good enough for college, but he knew the majors would be a long, hard climb. “I chased a lot of foul balls, raked the infield dirt a lot,” he admits.

The curve ball life threw at him when first his father, then father–in-law, then mother-in-law became incapacitated requiring round the clock care was tougher to handle. His father passed away at home with family present and hospice care; his mother-in-law too. Not so his father-in-law. Staying on top of the often unprofessional caregivers was virtually a job in itself, he recalls. With all this going on, he still held down jobs with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s St. Joseph branch, Blue Sky Home Care and Midland Empire Resources for Independent Living, where he saw what good caregiving looked like.

Tad Ulmer’s (left) son, Douglas (center) suffered traumatic brain injury in an auto accident. Jason Douglas is on the right.

Meanwhile in St. Joseph, truck driver Tad Ulmer received the phone call every parent dreads. His teenage son had been badly injured in a car accident and had been rushed to the hospital. Then things got even worse. He learned his son had suffered traumatic brain injury and would never walk again — in fact, would never feed, dress or bathe himself again, requiring 24-hour care. Ulmer too was frustrated with the care his son received at nursing homes; he says he believes staff stole and he saw them berate his son. When he registered a complaint, one provider suddenly stopped coverage.

The energetic, entrepreneurially minded Douglas had also been taking classes on entrepreneurship and small business through the SBTDC in St. Joseph. He and Ulmer met at a chamber event and clicked, realizing their vision of caring, professional at-home care could be more than a vision.

Douglas then met with Rebecca Evans, director of the SBTDC in St. Joseph, and began bombarding her with questions about partnerships, how to write a business plan, labor and employment law, office space, alternative financing and much more.

Finding office space was surprisingly easy. Evans knew that Mo-Kan, the regional planning and economic development group in St. Joseph serving northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas, needed new businesses for its incubator. “Originally, we were just going to work out of our homes,” says Douglas. “Mo-Kan leased us space for $175 a month.”

This building in St. Joseph is home to Comfort of Home administrative services.

Financing was tougher to field. The business didn’t require a great deal of outlay, mainly payroll; even so, Douglas had to cash in his retirement plan, sell the family Toyota and more just to issue paychecks. Banks were reluctant to loan two inexperienced businessmen the capital for an untried venture. Together, however, the team explored and secured a low-interest loan from the state of Missouri, enough to get the fledgling business off the ground.

The first months were terrifying, Douglas says, but his faith and the help of the SBTDC pulled him though. “We had to sell almost everything we owned!” he says. “There was no money the first few months, not a dime. But you don’t know what you’re capable of when there’s no other option. It really makes you focus when you are a trapeze artist and the net is taken from underneath you.

“We were also smart enough to realize when you don’t know what you don’t know, and we found someone who does know what she knows … Sometimes the Lord makes you sweat it a little bit.”

Evans even secured a video segment for the partners with TV station KQTV, shown at the St. Joseph chamber’s annual banquet, among other venues.

“Now we are off and running!” Douglas says. “We jumped in the deep end and we found ourselves swimming.”

And he and Ulmer have never looked back. The firm today has 70 and plans to hire 20 more employees; has around 40 private and two public (Missouri Division of Mental Health, Medicaid) clients; enjoyed gross sales of more than a million and a quarter last year; and is negotiating to locate a second office in Gladstone, north Kansas City.

Douglas says the firm’s largest obstacle by far has been finding the right people. (Yes, he’s also acting HR director.) He and Ulmer first looked at candidates’ prior experience, certifications and the like, but now Douglas says he looks more for character. Skills can be taught. Caring and steadfastness can’t.

“I say [in interviews], If you’re just looking for just a job, there’s Taco Bell right down there. There’s a bank there. We need people who want to help other people.” In fact, he says he won’t let anyone enter a home he wouldn’t have in his own home.

The partners and their families have suffered and emerged not just better people, but better business people. Douglas knows, however, that he doesn’t have all the answers.

He does have the answer to the age-old question of which came first, the chicken or the egg.

In business, “They come at the same time! That’s the answer.”