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Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One
Caregiving

Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak
When planning a loved one’s care, the best advice to receive is “prepare in advance” long before you need help. By waiting to the last-minute, it could put you and the loved one at risk of stress and potentially, not finding the best care. Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One
Today, close to 50 million people provide assistance for the aged, chronically ill or physically disabled family members, according to the National Association of Family Caregivers. I recommend hiring a geriatric care manager because they’re trained to assess, plan, coordinate, monitor and provide services in caring and assistance. They can help you find in-home support and housing options, and facilitate the care plan. Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One
However, if your loved one is not at a point requiring extensive help, there are other ways to prepare, start with a list of people who can offer encouragement and reinforcement. There are many resources to draw on and here’s a modest list to use to get started.

  • Find a support community — network with other caregivers. You can find support groups at local faith-based communities. The members offer valuable advice since they live with the day-to-day tasks. And connecting with others in the similar situation gives you peace of mind and comfort knowing you can count on their experience.
  • Organize legal documents — select a trusted relative, friend, or professional as the power of attorney and the health care proxy. The individual will make the decisions regarding the health and finances if a loved one becomes incapacitated. Before assigning someone to speak on a person’s behalf, make sure they understand the person’s wishes for the future. Hire an elder law attorney to review or carry out the documents, they make things easier and help those involved gain clarity about desired actions.
  • Keep a list of contacts — keep an address book with contact names and numbers of service providers including bank, lawyer, pharmacist, physician, hairdresser, yardman and others who help. Add neighbors, church connections, friends, and family. Don’t rely on memory for details.
  • Add local resources — religious and faith-based groups are reliable support, but if one doesn’t have close connections there or is not spiritually inclined, then seek out other agencies. Consider local, hands-on, with all-age members such as Meals-on-Wheels and the Area Agency on Aging.
  • Obtain a home safety assessment — have the home assessed for safety to determine whether the loved one will be safe and secure living in it. The plan will recommend immediate, short-term and long-term solutions. It will check for proper lighting and items that obstruct mobility. You’ll gain helpful insights and resources from the professional doing the safety audit.
  • Start discussions with relatives and siblings — have care conversations with the family and make a plan and consider the special interests and natural talents each person possesses that relate with the care requirements. While some are not comfortable bathing and dressing a loved one, perhaps they can cook, clean, and run errands.
    Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One
    Local Non-Profits Providing Senior Care HelpOrganizing Care for an Aging Loved One Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One
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Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care
Conditions & Treatments

Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

Caring for someone with late-stage Alzheimer’s can be a difficult and heartbreaking process, one that’s extremely hard to navigate. Family caregivers often feel like they are left without a roadmap, a situation that can lead to wrong turns and, poor decisions, and unnecessary suffering on the part of the person with Alzheimer’s. Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care
With the right information, though, family caregivers can avoid many of the most common mistakes made during late-stage Alzheimer’s care. To help ensure the comfort and well-being of your loved one, you will want to avoid the following five common late-stage Alzheimer’s care mistakes…

Ignoring the Alzheimer’s Sufferer

People with late-stage Alzheimer’s suffer from severe cognitive and physical impairments, with many losing the ability to speak, understand language, recognize their loved ones, and move around on their own. In response, some people make the mistake of treating the afflicted person as if they are not there or as if they no longer have feelings. Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care
This is a grave mistake that can lead to serious emotional consequences in the person with Alzheimer’s. Ignoring a person with Alzheimer’s can exacerbate existing feelings of isolation, loneliness, and disorientation, causing great emotional distress. By paying attention to the person with Alzheimer’s and tending to their needs, you can relieve those feelings, making them feel loved and appreciated.
Some of the ways that you can brighten the day of someone with late-stage Alzheimer’s include:

  • Making their favorite foods or playing their favorite music, which can provide sensory pleasure and trigger feelings that were once associated with happy memories.
  • Brushing their hair, gently holding their hand, or spending time next to them, which will offer the comfort and security of human contact.
  • Spending time in green spaces, which has been shown to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety in Alzheimer’s sufferers.

Poor Attention to Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is a crucial part of preventing sickness and infection in those with late-stage Alzheimer’s. Pneumonia is one of the most common complications seniors experience in the diseases later stages, and the risk of pneumonia increases if oral bacteria is not kept in check. It’s therefore important that caregivers take the time to keep teeth, gums, and/or dentures clean. Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care
To reduce the risk posed by oral bacteria, teeth should be brushed after each meal and dentures should be cleaned each night. It’s also important that caregivers be gentle when assisting with oral hygiene, using a soft-bristle toothbrush — or even soft gauze — to avoid scraping or cutting the person’s gums.

Not Changing Their Position

Many Alzheimer’s sufferers lose the ability to move on their own in the disease’s later stages. This leads to hours spent in a single position, causing bedsores, poor circulation, and “joint freezing.” As a result, sufferers experience pain, further loss of mobility, and are put at risk of dangerous infections.
To reduce these risks, caregivers should make sure that those with Alzheimer’s never spend more than two hours in the same position. Gently helping your loved one move to a new position every couple of hours will help them avoid the problems commonly associated with immobility.

Missing Signs of Pain and Discomfort

Late-stage Alzheimer’s robs sufferers of the ability to understand or use language. This makes it incredibly difficult for them to articulate when they are in pain, discomfort, or agitation. This can lead to caregivers missing or ignoring signs that those with Alzheimer’s are in distress and need assistance.
Alzheimer’s professionals believe that missed signs of pain and discomfort lead many of those with late-stage Alzheimer’s to experience unnecessary pain and suffering. With no one noticing their signs of distress, these sufferers fail to receive much-needed treatment that would relieve their pain and ensure they are comfortable through the end stages of their condition.

Lack of Communication with Doctors & Caregivers

When caring for someone with late-stage Alzheimer’s, many families rely on professional support from doctors, nurses, and professional Alzheimer’s care providers. Medical professionals and care workers typically have the information, expertise, and experience needed to handle the challenges of late-stage Alzheimer’s.
Unfortunately, many families have a lack of communication with care professionals. When caring for a loved one with late-stage Alzheimer’s, research shows that most families fail to have detailed conversations with doctors about their loved one’s treatment plan and prognosis. This leaves families with inadequate information when making key decisions about their loved one’s care. One common result of this is that families request invasive or painful medical treatments for their loved ones, even in situations where most professionals would recommend palliative treatment.
To avoid these mistakes, families are advised to have detailed conversations with doctors, medical support staff, and care professionals. These conversations should happen at the start of care and at any major change in treatment. Communication should also be maintained throughout care so that you are always aware of your loved one’s condition and treatment options.
If you require late-stage Alzheimer’s care for a family member, Visiting Angels can provide that care in the comfort of your loved one’s home. To learn more, contact your local Visiting Angels office today.
Sources:
https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-late-end-stage-caregiving.asp
http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20091014/late-dementia-suffering-often-unnecessary
Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care

Mistakes to Avoid in Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Care

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Organizing Care for an Aging Loved One
Caregiving

Putting Your Older Parent in a Home

by Kendall VanBlarcom
written by Kendall VanBlarcom

The time has come. You made the decision to put your older parent in a nursing home or assisted living facility. You didn’t necessarily want to do it, but you know deep down inside it’s best. Why do you feel so guilty and sad about it, though? How to Deal with Putting Your Older Parent in a Home
The answer lies in how you’re dealing with the decision of putting your older parent in a home. Even though it may be the best decision for your mom or dad, it’s what you’re thinking and believing about yourself that matters. How to Deal with Putting Your Older Parent in a Home

Not Good Enough

Many people who decide to put their older parent in a home feel as though they are just not good enough to care for their mom or dad adequately. They usually don’t have the time or feel they don’t have the skills.
Just because you believe you aren’t good enough doesn’t mean that you’re not. Actually, you probably are giving your mom and dad just the right amount and quality of care needed. You may be too hard on yourself.

Lazy

You may feel as though you are lazy. While you want to care for your older parent, a part of you really doesn’t want the work that comes along with it.
There’s nothing wrong with this because it is a lot of work. Caregiving is demanding – phsysically, emotionally, and mentally.
You are NOT lazy just because you have decided you don’t want to devote all of your spare time to taking care of your parent. You are choosing to protect the relationship you have with your parent, by not ruining it with resentment when you feel as though you’ve had enough after a long day of caregiving.

Selfish

You may feel as though you are selfish. Taking care of your older parent may not fall into your schedule as nicely as you would like it to, so you feel guilty about not doing it. You don’t have to feel this way, and you are NOT selfish.
You are thinking of your older parent when you decide to put him or her in a home. You are trying to provide your mom or dad with a good place for them to live where they will have everything they need. If you were selfish, you would ONLY think of yourself, and wouldn’t care where they lived or how they cared for themselves.
Pat yourself on the back. You’re stepping up and caring for your older parents.

Beliefs

Some people have a belief they MUST care for their aging parents. They believe it makes them a bad person if they don’t do it. This is untrue.
You are not obligated to care for your parents. Sure, it’s a nice thing to do, but finding a safe, healthy home for your parent is also nice.
Not all beliefs people have are warranted. You made up that belief because you felt as though that’s what you should do – it’s not what you need to do. If you can remember that, a lot of the pressure you’re putting on yourself will be relieved.
Are you still feeling bad about putting your older parents in a home? I understand how hard it is for you. That’s why I work as a personal consultant. I help people just like you deal with situations such as this, so they feel better about themselves and their situation in life. Book a session with me now. We can tackle the feelings and thoughts you’re having, so you can feel good about yourself again.
How to Deal with Putting Your Older Parent in a Home How to Deal with Putting Your Older Parent in a Home How to Deal with Putting Your Older Parent in a Home How to Deal with Putting Your Older Parent in a Home

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Providing Senior Care for a Friend or Neighbor
Caregiving

Providing Senior Care for a Friend or Neighbor

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

As the general population grows older, more and more seniors require at-home care. For the majority of seniors, that care comes from family members — their spouses, children, and grandchildren. In other cases, it comes from professional caregivers. But for some seniors it comes from friends and neighbors. Providing Senior Care for a Friend or Neighbor
According to data from the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, 1 in 10 seniors who receives at-home care considers a friend or neighbor their primary caregiver. This can happen for a number of reasons, but it most often occurs either because family members live too far away to help or because a senior is without immediate family to care for them. Providing Senior Care for a Friend or Neighbor
Some friends are close enough or comfortable enough with one another that care comes naturally. But in many cases, the transition from a friendship to a care-focused relationship can create challenges for both parties. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common challenges when friends become caregivers and how seniors — whether they’re receiving care or providing it — can manage those concerns.

Coordinating with Family

When you’re the primary caregiver for a friend or neighbor, one of the biggest challenges can be coordinating care with that person’s family. You may find that your friend/neighbor’s family members are quick to ignore your input when it comes to care decisions. In other cases, you might find that their family members take your assistance for granted, assuming you’re always available or willing to take on any responsibility they see fit.
One way to avoid these problems is to develop lines of communication early between yourself and your friend/neighbor’s family members. Let your friend or neighbor know that you’d like to exchange contact info with their family members and introduce yourself as a precaution in case of a future emergency. A quick call or email will allow you to introduce yourself, explain your relationship with the care recipient, and outline how you are becoming involved in their care. This can help open avenues of communication, making it easier to coordinate care with family members and reduce the likelihood of conflicts down the road.

Managing the Comfort Zone

Depending on the situation, becoming a caregiver for someone can push you far out of your comfort zone. That’s particularly true if you are caring for a non-family member like a friend or neighbor. If the care recipient requires assistance with personal tasks, such as dressing, bathing, or going to the bathroom, you might find these aspects of care unsettling or uncomfortable to perform.
While you shouldn’t force yourself to perform tasks that violate your personal boundaries, allowing your sense of compassion to overrule your sense of discomfort ensures that your friend or neighbor receives help that he or she truly needs. Remember that if you feel hesitant performing a task, it’s unlikely that your friend or neighbor would be asking for help if they did not absolutely need it.
If you find that the care your friend or neighbor requires has become too much for you to handle or you simply can’t get comfortable with some of the tasks required for care, it may be time to consider bringing in help from a professional caregiver. At home care agencies, like Visiting Angels, can provide assistance with a wide range of non-medical tasks and offer respite care that helps the caregiver find relief.

Medical Obstacles

One of the biggest challenges as a caregiver for a friend or neighbor can be managing the health care system. While family members have certain privileges when it comes to medical information and medical records, friends and neighbors have no such privileges. This can make it difficult to manage care for a friend or neighbor if that person suffers a major medical episode, such as a fall, stroke, or heart attack.
A simple way to remove this obstacle in advance is to have the care recipient sign an authorization that allows you to access medical information and — if needed — make medical decisions on his or her behalf. If you live in a state governed by the CARE Act, you can also have yourself listed as a person’s primary caregiver. This way, you’ll be automatically notified when the person is discharged from the hospital.
Do you have a friend, neighbor, or relative who requires at-home senior care? If so, your local Visiting Angels can help. Call your local office today to schedule a no-cost care needs assessment.

Providing Senior Care for a Friend or Neighbor

Providing Senior Care for a Friend or Neighbor

 

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How to Choose the Best Home Care Agency
Caregiving

How to Choose the Best Home Care Agency

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

Annually, more than eight million U.S senior citizens receive paid long-term care and it is estimated that by 2050, over 27 million elders will require such services. Yet another report revealed that nearly 70 percent of senior Americans aged 65 years and above will require long-term care at some point in life.

The senior home care sector is a dynamic service industry that is expected to grow owing to the increase in demand, convenience, and affordability. Moreover, home care helps in avoiding the high costs involved in hospitalization for seniors with chronic health issues and those recovering from accidents or illnesses.
The home care industry is highly fragmented with numerous players offering a wide range of senior care services in the form of medical and caregiver assistance. The increasing demand and number of service providers entering this market make it highly lucrative, and hence competitive. With more than 13 thousand home care agencies all over the country, it can be tough to decide which one will offer you the best service for your senior’s enhanced health and longevity.
The decision to choose a home care agency for your senior will affect everyone involved, emotionally and financially. Therefore, when you consider placing the responsibility of your beloved senior in paid caregivers’ hands, it is crucial to screen home care agencies before you go ahead.
Here are seven tips to bear in mind when selecting the right home care agency for your elder.

1. List Your Senior Care Priorities

Sit with your elder and other family members and note your senior’s care requirements. Your elder’s health condition and age will determine whether he/she requires help with activities of daily living (ADL), transportation, medical assistance, mobility training, speech therapy, special meal preparation, counseling, and/or rehabilitation.
For instance, if your senior lives in Albuquerque and needs to visit his/her doctor regularly, look for a home care agency that specializes in offering elderly care in Albuquerque with special facilities such as an escort service and a mode of transportation for your senior, especially when you aren’t around.
Determine whether you need a licensed medical caregiver or a skilled non-medical personnel who can attend to his/her basic health needs such as taking blood pressure, testing blood sugar, providing wound care, or managing a feeding tube. If that is the case check with the home care agency whether they offer home healthcare services too.
Numerous home care agencies offer both, non-medical home care and home healthcare services based on the requirements of their clients. Owing to the increasing prevalence of memory disorder in seniors, numerous agencies offer long-term skilled nurses who specialize in memory care, catering to seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Home healthcare is generally prescribed by a medical practitioner when he/she deems it necessary for your senior to receive medical assistance at home. Non-medical services are not prescribed by a medical practitioner; however, you can avail them when you need support. A licensed agency is equipped with a team of professional in-home caregivers who can provide care based on your senior’s requirements.
Listing your elder’s requirements will help you choose a home care agency that offers the most relevant services for him/her.

2. Keep Your Senior’s Budget in Mind

After you have penned down the services required by your senior, determine who will pay for them. If your senior is going to fund his/her home care service, you must ensure that his/her budget can provide for it.
In case your senior is financially incapable or hasn’t planned for his/her senior care, consider buying a medical insurance policy that covers the costs. The healthcare/medical services offered to your senior can be covered by medical insurance policies like Medicare or other private medical insurance firms. However, non-medical services aren’t covered by medical policies.
Insurance firms generally cover up to 35 hours per week of elder care. Talk to your insurance advisor before buying a policy and choose the one that helps you cover most of the senior care costs. We will discuss more about your insurance options in the latter half of this post.
In case your senior needs non-medical home care and is unable to provide for it, assess your family’s financial situation and list down the possible sources of funding his/her care. Corporations generally cover care for aging parents when recruiting an employee as part of their employee health insurance scheme. Check with your/your siblings’ firms for the insurance benefits offered to their employees.
You can also seek financial assistance from senior associations, healthcare foundations, and mission and veteran organizations.

3. Research on the Type of Senior Care Offered

Your elder deserves the best-quality care from trained, responsible, and experienced professionals. Before you make a choice, research the quality of care offered by the caregivers hired by home care agencies.
Make a list of senior home care agencies in your area and inquire about their services, fee structure, and skill sets. For instance, if you are a citizen of Albuquerque, look for an agency that offers senior care in Albuquerque and check if their services cater to your requirements.
The home care agency must have adequate experience and expertise in the senior care domain. Caregivers should be able to customize their care options based on your senior’s medical condition. For instance, if your elder has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the caregiver must be qualified and experienced enough to take care of him/her and offer the relevant care to manage the basic symptoms of this movement disorder.
Caring for Someone with Advanced Parkinson’s
Visit the home care agency and meet the management and the team of caregivers. When talking about your requirements, study their behavior and personality. Take your senior along and spend time understanding their work ethos and principles.
Empathy plays a key role in the senior care domain. If the management is trying to push you into making a decision without listening to your requirements, they are merely interested in making money, not in understanding your concerns.
Pay attention to the size of the caregiver’s team too. A larger agency will be able to send a replacement staff, in case the assigned caregiver doesn’t turn up. That way you always have a backup plan ready in cases of an emergency.

4. Enquire about the Reputation of the Agency

The number of years for which the senior care agency has been around is a fair indicator of their sustained track record and satisfied clientele. Check when the agency was started and meet the team personally to understand their approach towards senior care.
Reputed senior care agencies are extremely choosy about the caregivers they hire/recruit. Their recruitment process involves screening caregivers and nurses for certifications, educational qualifications, background checks, and experience in this field. They also conduct regular training sessions to upgrade their caregivers’ caregiving skills. Ask the management to share details and supporting documents on whether their team is adequately trained and qualified for the job.
You can assess the reputation of a senior care agency by verifying with references from clinical professionals, friends, and co-workers.
A reputed home care agency will not shy away from sharing the list of their clientele. Contact a few of their clients and check whether they are satisfied with the services offered. You can also check for online reviews and ratings on the agency’s website or on review websites. For instance, you can do an online search on ‘home health care Albuquerque’, and look for agencies that have earned maximum star ratings and positive customer reviews, for their exceptional senior care services.

5. Check Whether the Agency Is Licensed

The agency you choose will assign a caregiver to your senior who will be directly responsible for his/her well-being and quality of life. Therefore, the caregiver must be an expert in his/her field, compassionate, and trustworthy.
Licensed home care agencies have to comply with the state or federal standards to ensure the safety of elders and deliver quality care to them. They are accredited by a national body and are subject to periodic inspections by law enforcement authorities. They take personal responsibility for their caregivers and review their performance regularly to meet their clients’ requirements. It is, therefore, wise to check if the home care agency possesses a valid license.
Check if the agency is hiring an independent home care provider. If yes, consider your liabilities with respect to his/her taxes, insurance, medical expenses, and other obligations. An agency that hires independent caregivers based on a contract pays them without officially documenting the income. In that case, if the caregiver defaults on his/her tax obligations, it could lead to a legal issue affecting all those involved, including you.
Another factor to consider is the injury caused to the caregiver when attending to your senior. Caregivers are at a huge risk of falls, injuries, and/or disabilities when bathing, lifting, or transferring your senior. In such cases, licensed agencies cover the medical and disability expenses of their caregivers.
Licensed home care agencies recruit their caregivers as direct employees, offering them all the above-mentioned benefits. They are responsible for conducting background checks and testing them for drug/alcohol addiction and diseases like AIDS and tuberculosis. They also offer adequate worker’s compensation, backup coverage, and appropriate training to their team.

6. Explore Your Insurance Options

Long-term senior care costs can put a huge pressure on your family’s financial security. Therefore, consider your insurance options that can pay for the services offered by the home care agencies. Buying a medical and long-term care insurance policy will help you cover most of your senior’s healthcare and in-home care expenses.
Medicare, Medicaid, and private medical insurance policies cover skilled nursing services and therapies. These include administering medications (oral or injectable), ventilator or catheter management, tube feeding, wound care, speech and occupational therapy, and physiotherapy.
Medicare also covers other aspects of your senior’s healthcare, such as medical social services, medications, and medical supplies and devices. For instance, if your senior has been diagnosed with a psychological disorder such as schizophrenia, Medicare pays for the psychiatrist’s consultation and counseling sessions.
If your senior is injured due to a fall or an accident, Medicare will pay for his/her wound dressing and other medical supplies. For senior medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and toilet aids, Medicare pays 80 percent of the approved amount.
A few non-medical home care services such as assistance with bathing and using the toilet are also paid in full by medical insurance policies. However, if you choose only personal home care services (non-medical) for your senior, you do not qualify for medical insurance benefits. Home healthcare is usually prescribed by a physician who deems it necessary for your senior’s well-being, comfort, and fast recovery.
Long-term care insurance policies offered by private insurance firms typically cover services that aren’t paid by Medicare. However, the premium for such policies increases with age, so it is wise to buy them as early as possible.
Before making a decision, gain information on the fee structure of the home care agency and talk to your insurance advisor to select the most suitable insurance plan for your senior.

7. Ask about the Elderly Companion Care Services

Social isolation can impact your senior’s well-being and outlook towards life. In fact, numerous studies have proven that the lack of social support coupled with loneliness can hamper a person’s mental and physical health and his/her quality of life.
With advancing age, your senior may possibly lose connection with his/her social circle, owing to the loss of spouse or close family members and the lack of outdoor activity. However, if your senior can receive a little primary emotional support and companionship from a caregiver, it can bring him/her immense comfort and psychological support.
You do not want your elder to end up spending his/her time reading or watching television all alone. Therefore, choose a home care agency that can assign a caregiver who not only provides hands-on care but also offers respite to the family caregiver and encouragement to your senior. This way, he/she will not feel isolated and have a positive outlook towards life.
Your senior may want to socialize, visit parks or supermarkets, or even go for a movie. Talk to the agency about his/her emotional and social requirements, and check if it offers companion care services to help your elder stay connected. Most home care agencies offer a different pricing package for such services, so it is wise to research before making a decision.
When selecting a home care agency, keep your senior’s interests, comfort, and safety in mind, in order to retain his/her quality of life and dignity. No one can care for your senior the way you do, which is why he/she deserves the best, especially when he/she is aging. Choosing an ideal home care service provider for your elder can be a challenging task. The aforementioned tips will help you select the perfect home care agency for your senior, helping him/her retain his/her independence.
By Evan Thompson of Senior.one
Senior.one provides information on housing, medical professionals, financial planning services, and lifestyle options. Agency How to Choose the Best Home Care Agency How to Choose the Best Home Care Agency

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Setting Rates When Starting a Home Care Business
Housing Tips

Setting Rates When Starting a Home Care Business

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

One of the biggest questions you’ll face when starting a home care business is what rates you should charge for your services. Many first-time home care business owners struggle with this question, whether they are opening a franchise home care business or starting an independent agency. Setting Rates When Starting a Home Care Business
Ultimately, the answer depends on your market, your business model, and the kind of care you want to deliver. But in our nearly 20 years in the home care industry, we’ve noticed that many agency owners sell themselves short when it comes to pricing their care. Setting Rates When Starting a Home Care Business
In our experience, too many entrepreneurs who start home care businesses look to their price point as their key point of differentiation. While this can seem like a surefire way to gain clients, often this strategy leads to sub-optimal results.
Here’s why: Setting Rates When Starting a Home Care Business

Price Point is Often Secondary in Home Care

When family members start searching for home care for their loved ones, price point is often a second-level or third-level consideration. That makes home care distinct from a number of other services where a low price point can set your business apart from the competition in a positive way.
In home care, a low price point can be a negative point of differentiation. While most families can’t afford the most expensive level of care services, they also don’t want to compromise when it comes to the care, well-being, and security of their loved ones. Setting your market’s lowest price point can scare clients away from your business if they think that your low costs come at the price of compromised care.

Low Rates Lead to High Turnover

Hiring and retaining caregivers is the number one challenge for the modern home care business. With such rapidly expanding demand for home care services, there simply aren’t enough quality caregivers on the job market. This challenge will affect anyone starting a home care business, but it’s compounded for agencies with lower rates.
Low rates almost always lead to low wages for care staff. This makes it hard to retain your best caregivers and even harder to hire quality caregivers in a competitive hiring market. This can lead to bleeding revenue as you scramble to maintain a steady staff. It also almost always leads to lower quality care, as it becomes harder and harder to keep your best staff members around.

A Successful Home Care Business Starts with Care Itself

If you’re starting a home care business, put yourself in a prospective client’s shoes. Think, “If it were my dad, or my grandmother, what kind of agency would I want in charge of my loved one’s care? What would set that agency apart? What would be the first thing I’d look for in their service model?”
You might surprise yourself with how far down price point falls on the list you come up with. Instead, you may find yourself thinking of qualities like quality of care, scheduling flexibility, and experience of care staff.
At Visiting Angels, our success is driven by placing care at the forefront of our mission and our approach. We believe that when starting a home care business, the biggest point of differentiation you can stake your reputation on is the way you treat those in your care. That doesn’t mean charging the highest rates for home care in your area — but it rarely means charging the lowest.
If you’re interested in starting a home care business, we hope you’ll reach out to our team at Visiting Angels. Visit us online to request information on our available home care franchises.

Setting Rates When Starting a Home Care Business

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Respite Care for Family Caregivers
Caregiving

Respite Care for Family Caregivers

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

When Is Respite Care Needed for Family Caregivers?

America is filled with unrecognized heroes. One group whose selflessness is consistently overlooked is family caregivers. Over 15 million Americans support family members through at-home care and assistance, providing over 17 billion combined hours of unpaid care each year. But even if that care is unpaid, it still comes at a cost, as any caregiver who’s suffered from caregiver stress syndrome can tell you. Respite Care for Family Caregivers
Too often, family caregivers find themselves overtaxed, over-stressed, and overwhelmed. This puts caregivers at risk of burnout and can lead to high levels of mental and physical strain. One solution is respite care by family members, home health care professionals, or non-medical home care agencies.
Respite care gives family caregivers a way to make time for self-care, even while remaining their loved one’s primary caregiver. If you think you might benefit from respite care, consider the following…

Are You at Risk of Caregiver Stress & Burnout?

Family caregivers tend to go above and beyond when caring for their loved ones, but this can often result in caregivers stretching themselves thin — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Many family caregivers spend more time on care than they would at a full-time job, and it can sometimes feel like your loved one’s care has taken over your life. Respite Care for Family Caregivers
This results in what is called caregiver stress or, in the most extreme cases, caregiver burnout. Some of the signs of caregiver burnout include:

  • Anxiety, anger, and depression
  • Exhaustion and lack of sleep
  • Sudden changes in eating habits
  • Fluctuations in weight and physical fitness
  • Over-reliance on medications, alcohol, or other drugs
  • Feelings of resentment toward the care recipient

While steps such as meditation, therapy, or a healthier lifestyle can relieve caregiver stress, sometimes these changes aren’t enough. When this is the case, you may need another person who can help share the load and give you the time you need to take care of yourself.

Options for Respite Care

There are a few different types of respite care available to family caregivers, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Respite Care for Family Caregivers
Before turning to professional respite care providers, see if family members can assist with care. While family members won’t have the experience or training of a professional caregiver, they will have a pre-existing relationship with your loved one. That relationship is often invaluable when caring for an elderly person.
Other options include medical and non-medical respite care. Which kind of care you choose will depend on your loved one’s specific care needs. If your loved one relies on you for help with taking medications, for instance, then medical home care will be your best choice. On the other hand, if your loved one does not need medical assistance, then non-medical home care is often the more affordable option.
If you’re looking for non-medical respite care, you may wish to consider your local Visiting Angels home care agency. Visiting Angels caregivers offer flexible care plans, including respite care, to help share the load with family caregivers.

Respite Care for Family Caregivers

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Make a Difference by Starting a Senior Care
Caregiving

Make a Difference by Starting a Senior Care

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

Everybody wants to make a difference. That’s doesn’t necessarily mean changing the world — but it means contributing where you can. But too often in today’s world, it feels like our careers don’t really have a positive impact. We fiddle with spreadsheets, track down leads, compile reports. And at the end of the day, we wonder what impact we’ve really, truly made. Make a Difference by Starting a Senior Care
But there are businesses and careers where it’s still possible to feel like you’ve made a difference. For instance: starting a senior care business. In-home senior care isn’t just one of the fastest growing industries out there, it’s also one of the most impactful. Make a Difference by Starting a Senior Care
That was made clear by a recent study released by Johns Hopkins University. In the study, seniors who struggled with regular day-to-day tasks were provided with in-home assistance and senior-friendly home repairs. At the start of the study, participants struggled with roughly four “activities of daily living” on average. But by the end of the study, the number of activities the average participant struggled with had fallen by half. Make a Different by Starting a Senior Care

Putting the “Care” in Senior Care

At Visiting Angels, one of the top reasons we hear from entrepreneurs for starting a senior care business is wanting to make a difference. Our franchise owners are people who are driven to do meaningful work. They get a boost out of seeing their clients’ lives improve thanks to care, and it means the world to them that their success as a business owner comes with a positive legacy.
Of course, starting a senior care business doesn’t just improve the lives of seniors. There’s a ripple effect of positive change that comes with helping the elderly live more happily, comfortably, and healthily at home. Senior care agencies provide relief and respite for unpaid family caregivers. They give seniors the support they need to get re-involved in the community. And they help seniors stay healthy, creating a positive impact on an already overburdened health care system.

Keys to Starting a Senior Care Business

Does starting a senior care business seem like something you’d be interested in? If so, there are some key issues you’ll need to address:

  • Independent or Franchise? You can start a senior care business on your own, or you can build your business using a pre-set franchise model. Starting your own business allows you to build an independent brand, while a senior care franchise will offer support and guidance as you build your business.
  • Training & Licensing. Unless you’re already a trained and licensed senior care provider, you’ll need to find a program for home care training and apply for your license. If starting a franchise, you may receive substantial support in this area.
  • Choosing Your Market. Starting a successful senior care business can largely depend on choosing the right market. Consider openly available data — like demographic info portal org — to do research in this area. Make a Different by Starting a Senior Care

If you’re thinking of starting a senior care business, get in touch with Visiting Angels. Our franchise system has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs launch their very own home care agencies. For more information on starting a senior care business with us, call 1-800-365-4189 or visit us online today.

Make a Difference by Starting a Senior Care

 

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Best Franchises are in Senior Care
Caregiving

Best Franchises are in Senior Care

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

WSJ Reports that Senior Care Holds Many of the Best Franchises to Own Best Franchises are in Senior Care

Low cost of entry, high rate of return, and a rapidly expanding market are setting the senior care market apart, according to a new in-depth story by the Wall Street Journal. What’s more, the Journal is reporting that the senior care industry is filled with many of the best franchises to own. Best Franchises are in Senior Care
While the Journal’s findings will come as no surprise to existing franchise owners, they’re a welcome confirmation of what many in the industry have known for some time: that America’s aging baby boomer population and a rising demand for in-home senior care have created a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs.
As one industry insider points out in the Journal’s report: “There is no way to lose with the demographics we see.” Best Franchises are in Senior Care

Easy Entry, Big Rewards for Senior Care Franchisees

According to conventional wisdom, fast-food and casual eating restaurants are the best franchises to own — but a lot has changed in the past few years to change that. In recent years, new opportunities have opened up for franchisees across the United States, upending conventional wisdom when it comes to the franchise industry.
According to the Journal’s report, a number of factors have come together to make senior care agencies some of the best franchises to own.

  • Rapid Market Growth. The Journal reports that America’s elderly population is expected to grow by 38% from the period of 2015 to 2016. At the same time, Americans are increasingly turning away from nursing home residences and preferring in-home care.
  • Steady Long-Term Opportunity. The senior care industry’s biggest growth period will occur in the next 10-15 years, but the Journal’s findings show that America’s senior population is projected to experience continual growth well into the coming decades.
  • Low Cost of Entry. While many of the most popular franchises to own require over $1 million in capital to get started, the Journal reports that senior care franchises require only $115,000 on average, with some franchises costing less than $50,000.
  • High Rate of Return. According to the Journal, the average senior care franchise produces $118,000 in pretax income — and the best franchises to own go well beyond that. (For instance, at Visiting Angels, our average gross annual income is just less than $1 million.)

Acquiring Your Own Senior Care Franchise

At Visiting Angels, we’ve been involved in the senior care franchising industry for nearly twenty years, and we’re consistently ranked one of the best franchises to own. Needless to say, we have plenty of experience getting entrepreneurs set up with their own senior care franchises.
If you’re thinking of acquiring a senior care franchise, you’ll want to consider the following:

  • Should you acquire a brand new franchise and start from the ground up, or should you search for an existing franchise to purchase with a built-in customer base?
  • What are the demographics in the area where you’re setting up shop? It should come as no surprise that the best franchises to own in the senior care industry are in areas with aging populations and upper-middle average incomes.
  • How familiar are you with the industry? If you don’t have a background in the industry, you’ll want a franchise that helps you get trained and certified.
  • What level of support are you looking for from your franchise’s head office? The best franchises to own offer strong support to budding entrepreneurs, but can sometimes cost more.
  • How high are the franchise fees and franchise royalty rates for the franchise brands you are considering?

When it comes to senior care franchises, you’ll have plenty of options. To learn more about franchise opportunities from Visiting Angels — named the best franchise to own in the senior care industry by Franchise Business Review — simply contact us today.
 

Best Franchises are in Senior Care

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