Category: Caregivers

Self-Care: An Essential Tool for Caregiving

The saying “you must fill your cup before filling others” is a quote that holds true with caregiving. Although the bonds and fulfillment of caring for others can be a driving force for caregivers, caregiving can also be quite a taxing role to take on. Meeting the needs and responsibilities of those in your care can oftentimes lead to negative effects on the caregiver’s physical and mental well-being. Neglecting to address these effects may eventually take a toll on both the caregiver and those in their care. Whether you are a family caregiver or a professional caregiver, making time to care for yourself is essential and should never be seen as selfish.

When providing care, it’s natural to prioritize the needs of your loved one over your own, but doing so can lead to caregiver burnout and negatively impact your mental and physical health. It’s essential to keep an eye out for symptoms of burnout and take appropriate measures to prevent it.

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

Trouble sleeping too little or too much
Exhaustion that makes daily tasks difficult
Feelings of dread, guilt, being overwhelmed, or anxiousness
Easily agitated
Physical symptoms—headaches, stomach aches, getting sick more often, changes in weight
Withdrawing from people or hobbies you enjoy
Feeling disconnected from reality or that caregiving is taking over your life

Self-care is not selfish. It’s essential for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Taking care of yourself and addressing these symptoms allows you to better care for your loved ones. Self-care can help you:

Reduce Stress: Find ways to help you manage the stress that may be brought on by caregiving. Blast your favorite tunes, take a walk, write your thoughts down in a journal, meditate — whatever your style may be, find what aids in a significant and positive impact on your stress levels.
Boost Your Immune System: When you’re not taking care of yourself, you’re more likely to get sick. Taking time to rest, eat healthy, and exercise can help keep your immune system strong.
Improve Your Mental Health: Setting time aside for yourself can help improve your mood, reduce anxiety, and prevent depression.
Enhance Your Quality of Life: When you’re taking care of yourself, you’re better able to enjoy life and take pleasure in the things that matter most to you.

Self-Care Tips for Caregivers

Here are some self-care tips that can help you maintain your physical, mental, and emotional well-being while caring for others:

Take Time for Yourself: Whether it’s a few minutes or a few hours, it’s essential to take time for yourself each day. Use this time to do something you enjoy, such as reading a book, taking a bath, or spending time with friends.
Prioritize Sleep: Sleep is crucial for your physical and mental health. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Exercise Regularly: Exercise has been proven to reduce stress, improve your mood, and keep you healthy. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day, such as walking, yoga, or swimming.
Eat a Healthy Diet: Eating a balanced diet can help you stay healthy and energized. Aim for plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is a practice that can help reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. Try meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga to help you stay present in the moment.
Reach Out: Seek help from a professional if needed or create a support network for yourself. Simply having someone to talk to or listen can be so cathartic.

Self-care is essential for caregivers. By taking care of yourself, you’ll be better able to care for your loved ones and enjoy a higher quality of life. Remember, self-care is not selfish. It’s a necessary part of being a caregiver.

Still unsure if you are experiencing burnout? Try this caregiver assessment from the American Medical Association.

Commemorating Caregivers

National Family Caregiver Month — Every day, but especially the month of November, is a time to commemorate the caregivers in our lives and across the country, draw awareness of caregiving issues, educate the community, and increase support for caregivers.

Providing care for loved ones is rewarding and fulfilling but can also become overwhelming. Studies indicate that a vast majority of caregivers experience anxiety and depression as it is easy to get wrapped up in the health of loved ones, as well as see it as a foreshadowing of what may happen to oneself. This emotional and physical toll on caregivers is called burnout.

While caring for others, caregivers tend to forget about themselves or push their needs aside. Caregivers advocate for a healthy diet, routine exercise, mental practices, and proper treatments with their clients. Still, it is important to practice what they preach and habituate these daily practices in their own lives as well.

“One must fill their own cup before filling others” is a saying that’s often easier said than done. But through continuing to empower and support the caregivers in our lives and community, the adverse repercussions often associated with caregiving can be reduced and diminished, enabling caregivers to provide care for themselves and loved ones longer and stronger.

Ways to Support & Commemorate Caregivers

Routinely reach out and check on the caregivers in your life.
Ask about their day.
Offer a helping hand with daily tasks (laundry, dishes, housekeeping, etc.)
Lend a listening ear or shoulder to lean on.
Cook them a meal or invite them out to dinner.
Write a thank you letter about the amazing care they have given you and your family.
Encourage them to seek mental health services if necessary.

Whatever it may be, find a way to make the caregiver in your life feel included, heard, and loved.

Ways to Recharge as a Caregiver

Practice healthy living with routine exercise and a balanced diet.
Find time for a hobby that makes you happy and feel accomplished, creative, or peaceful.
Discover a mindful practice that brings you peace of mind or an outlet to channel your emotions.
Journal. Getting your thoughts out on paper (or digitally) can be very therapeutic.
Establish a support system however feels best for you — through friends and family, a support group, etc.
Reach out when needed, either to your support system or a healthcare or mental health professional.

Never feel guilty for taking time for yourself. Taking the time to care for oneself can ultimately lengthen the strides in your life as well as those around you and those you are caring for. If you’re a family caregiver and struggling with caregiver burnout, please reach out to us and let us help you care for you.

Caregiver of the Month: Wanda Walker

Caregiver of the month, Wanda Walker, has been a caregiver with A Place At Home for almost four years.

If you were to meet Wanda in person, it would be obvious why the team chose her as caregiver of the month. You can hear her boisterous laughter through walls, and her smile will light up a room. She’s been a favorite among A Place At Home clients over the years, and it’s no wonder.

“She’s always smiling and laughing. She has a great attitude anytime you see her, and she really cares for her clients. She rarely calls out, and she’s always willing to help.” – Rebecca Matthews, Care Coordinator

Wanda has been caring for others since she was nine years old. At the time, her mother was diagnosed with Lymphoma, which ultimately took her from this world. Wanda promised her mother before she passed that she would always help those that need help. It wasn’t an empty promise. Caring for others is something that Wanda holds dear.

“It’s in my heart – like when I cared for my mom, it makes me feel good.”

Wanda’s clients feel the same way about her – she has a profound impact on the lives of the people she cares for. One of her current clients, Mr. Hartwell, expressed his appreciation for Wanda’s time with him. Mr. Hartwell is legally blind and shares that Wanda does outstanding work for him. She takes care of his meals, makes sure his apartment clean, and orders his groceries.

“I can trust her with everything… I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Wanda has a special gift of getting her clients to open up and engage with life. Part of that might have to do with her cooking. Every single client Wanda has cared for has shared their appreciation for Wanda’s cooking. To that, she says, “When I see my clients, there’s a smile on their face, I can get them to open up, and they eat!”

While Wanda has been caring for people since she was a child, she’s been a professional caregiver for 25 years. With all that experience under her belt, the best piece of advice she gives to new caregivers is to treat their clients like they would treat one of their family members. That outlook has served her and her clients well over the years. That, and her love of caring for others, which she says she plans on doing forever. “I enjoyed caring for others when I was younger, I enjoy doing it now, and I’ll do it until my dying day.”

If Wanda’s passion for caring for others resonates with you, apply to work with us today. Experience what it feels like to positively impact the lives of seniors in the metro area!

A Place At Home Honors First-Ever National Caregiver of the Year

The 2020 Caregiver of the Year went the extra mile in providing exceptional care.

The 2nd Annual A Place At Home Franchise Convention was held in late September. This event marks a time for franchisees to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the past year. This year also marked the first-ever recognition of the National A Place At Home Caregiver of the Year. Franchisee’s submitted nominations from all over the country for one caregiver that went above and beyond the call of duty, demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to delivering quality care to clients and their families and lives the “We are CARE” philosophy.

“We received many nominations from all over the country and each one was inspiring. It was difficult to choose just one winner,” said Jerod Evanich, President and Co-Founder of A Place At Home.

However, there was one nomination that painted a detailed picture of how one person went above and beyond the call of duty. The nomination read:

“Dave came on with A Place At Home after decades of working in the insurance business. He wanted to do something more “rewarding” in his 60s. He got his CNA/CMA and began working to make people’s lives better.

Dave treats all clients like family. He creates a unique bond with each client he works with. He is always on time, never calls out, and makes sure everything is done to his best ability.

Dave has worked for the past year with a very high acuity client. He instantly bonded with the young client (49) who due to a rare set of circumstances went from a successful businessman to a barely communicative paraplegic overnight.

He has spent countless hours working as the main caregiver for this client and his family. Not only does he transport the client to his MANY weekly therapy appointments but works one on one with him in his home. Dave is consistently cheering this client on to make his next personal best in his daily bike exercises and always makes notes when a personal best has been reached.

Dave has worked with therapists at Madonna to learn this client’s individual therapies and continues them at home as well as trains other caregivers working there in how they can help him gain strides.

When he heard their anniversary was approaching, he took it upon himself to plan a romantic dinner out so the client could surprise his wife. He took the client out to get a card, made reservations at a nice restaurant, planned for a special dessert, and took time out of his off time to transport them over there in the client’s wheelchair van so they could surprise the wife.

Dave does everything he can to try to relieve some stress off the wife who is also a mother of four and a doctor. Life for her is crazy and Dave makes sure there is always one less thing for her to worry about in his care for the client. Dave’s level of commitment to not only the client but also to our company goes above and beyond anyone I have ever seen.”

Dave walked into A Place At Home – Papillion shortly after they opened their doors in 2019. Dave interviewed for a CNA position and said he was looking for something that would fill his heart. He had retired from insurance and was now searching to do something more meaningful with his time.

“I remember thinking where the heck did this guy fall out of the sky from?” said Rick Perkins, Owner of A Place At Home – Papillion.

Dave was placed with Don in August of 2019 and the two found an instant connection. They not only share common interests but are also from the same town and attended the same college. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that brought these two together. But citing six degrees of separation, Dave said, “There are no coincidences. I’m blessed to be a part of Don’s life.”

As blessed as Dave feels, Don and the A Place At Home team consider themselves equally fortunate to have Dave fulfilling his personal mission: to touch as many lives as possible as a caregiver.

Dave is firm in his belief that you must have a servant’s heart to work in this industry; you must have empathy, and be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s this mindset that awarded Dave Caregiver of the Year. While he was happy to be awarded this honor, it’s his internal compass that drives his actions.

“At the end of the day, I lay my head on my pillow, and I know I made a difference.”

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Caregiver of the Month: Brandi Thomas – A Life Spent in Service to Others

Brandi Thomas, June’s Caregiver of the Month, comes from a long line of nurses in her family. She shares, “The bar has been set really high for me for a long time.”

If you were to try to get a hold of Brandi Thomas- to say, interview her for winning Caregiver of the Month, it would be immediately apparent that she has little time to sit and chat. For her clients at A Place At Home, she works seven days a week. One might think that’s excessive.

For Brandi, her whole life has been about caring for others since she was eight years old.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Brandi spent her childhood following her mother, who provided nursing care for seniors. She spent time with the people her mother cared for, providing companionship to those that didn’t have family members in their lives. That companionship was the start of a lifetime of caring for others. She gained more experience, including working for the state of Nebraska for five years. The people she was caring for suggested she take her knowledge and use it to become licensed. That’s what she did, and she says, “I’ve never regretted it since.”

Brandi is working on furthering her education to get a degree in nursing, following her family members’ footsteps. Though she’s put her plans on hold because of the pandemic, she will be enrolling in the nursing program at Metropolitan Community College. She comes from a family of CNA’s, RN’s, and Nurse Practitioners. COVID-19 upsetting the timeline for her plans doesn’t phase her at all.

“I was raised not to be a quitter.”

Brandi enjoys working with individuals who have dementia, the most. They can be challenging, but she feels that working with them betters herself as a nurse and an individual. She takes great pride in the trust she’s built up with her clients. Taking time to find out what they’ve been through in life, their experiences, and who they are as individuals. “When they talk about certain things, and they just light up, it makes me so happy, because they know there’s somebody there to listen to them.”

“I want it to be a memorable experience for them, where they want me to come back, and they feel comfortable with me being there.”

Her advice to new caregivers? “Build that rapport, that relationship. Over time you’ll understand why they act the way they do.” For Brandi, she has a long, passionate future ahead of her. She finds joy in caring for others, and for her, the impact she makes in the lives of others is what counts. “This kind of work is more than just a paycheck. It is about true care and compassion and understanding.”

If you have a passion to care for others and a desire to make an impact, apply with us today!

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Pearl Miller – One of a Kind

From War-Torn Liberia to Omaha Nebraska, Pearl Miller is one of a kind.

If you ask Cheryll, who Pearl Miller cares for through A Place At Home, you’ll have no doubt about why she was chosen as Caregiver of the Month for May. Pearl has been caring for Cheryll full time for nine months, and the impact she’s made on Cheryll’s life in that short time is evident.

“I appreciate everything about Pearl. She’s an angel, she looks after you, every little detail. She has a sense of humor. She pushes you when you need to be pushed.”

While Cheryll is the most recent person Pearl has cared for, she is far from the first. Pearl’s experience as a caregiver started when she was a young girl in Liberia. She and her siblings took care of their grandparents, and great aunts and uncles. Helping those that couldn’t do for themselves. “At the time, I didn’t know anything about ‘caregiver’. I was just helping a family member.”

Pearl’s caring nature comes to her honestly; her mother was the town doctor. Pearl shares that her mother went to medical school but didn’t finish. Instead, she used her skillset and knowledge to serve the people in their community. No one at that time could afford to go to a hospital. And when war came to Liberia, at the age of 13, Pearl followed behind her mother, caring for the sick and wounded. It was then Pearl decided what she wanted to do in life.

“From there, I started learning how to care for people when they are hurt, when they are wounded…and so I started thinking, this would be a good thing to do, to help people.”

Pearl came to the US when she was 17, to escape the war. She started her CNA career in Maryland, and started medical school, but didn’t finish. She got married, and gave birth to her son, who is now in his fourth year of college studying cyber security. In Maryland, she worked in a nursing home for years. When she came to Nebraska, she went back to school for phlebotomy, and travelled with the American Red Cross. The traveling was difficult for her son, who was young at the time, so Pearl started working in homes as a CNA.

Pearl has been working with A Place At Home since the first year they opened their doors. While she’s taken time away over the years, they are grateful that she keeps coming back. Pearl says that she’s encouraged working for A Place At Home, because the employers “are very friendly and kind, they talk with me like we are on the same level.”

“They make me feel like I am a part of it. And that plays a major role.”

Pearl says her favorite thing about being a caregiver is seeing the results of her work. She’s worked in all kinds of settings, including caring for people in a mental health facility. And when she sees progress in those individuals, she feels satisfaction. “When I’m working, and I see results, I’m like, okay, I’m doing something.”

Her advice for those just getting into the field? Patience, and empathy. “If you put yourself in their shoes, and you also have patience, you will work forever, and everything will go well for you. I always put myself in the patient’s shoes. And by doing that, we are loving ourselves and taking care of ourselves more.”

For Cheryll, Pearl is definitely producing results. Not just physically, but in a way that means even more: “I consider her a friend, too. She’s one of a kind.”

If Pearl’s advice on patience and empathy strike a chord with you, apply to be a caregiver with A Place At Home today!

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Touching Lives is Something Different: Patricia Mbianga

Patricia Mbianga is April’s Caregiver of the Month. Patricia’s passion for caregiving stems from her faith. She shares, “I pray every morning before I leave my house – let me make a difference in anybody I meet on my way”.

For her clients at A Place At Home, her prayers have certainly been answered. Being a caregiver for three years with A Place At Home, Patricia has made a difference in numerous lives. She laughs as she talks about one client in particular, whom she no longer provides care for. They run into each other occasionally at the grocery store. She hears her name being yelled across the aisles when she’s spotted, the woman racing across the store in her wheelchair for a hug.

Patricia was in school when her parents passed away, both from cancer. She wasn’t able to be there to care for them. Now she’s compelled to care for other people. When she first came to the US, she started out as a volunteer caring for others. She shares that she treats each of her clients as if they were family. “I take care of them like they are my parents… when I’m with a client, I do it fully, with everything in me.” She says if you can care for others with love and respect, everything flows.

“She’s one of the most committed and dependable caregivers we have” – Kris Perkins, A Place At Home – Omaha’s Executive Director

While Patricia wishes she could stay scheduled with all of her clients permanently, her schedule does require change occasionally. She’s currently working toward her PhD in Microbiology and has a young son who is currently in middle school. Her three older daughters are grown and out of the house. Two of them are in college, and one works in public administration. Patricia says she’s grateful for the flexibility she’s able to have working with A Place At Home.

When she found out she had been chosen as Caregiver of the Month, she says she was shocked. And really happy that her work is appreciated. Patricia likes working for A Place At Home; she appreciates the work that we do.

“I really love A Place At Home, they’ve really given me the opportunity to do what I love doing”.

At A Place At Home, we are grateful to have Patricia who says with a passion that you can see and feel, “it’s not just the money, we can always make money. Touching lives is something different.”

Does Patricia’s story resonate with you? Apply for a job with A Place at Home today and join the ranks of essential personnel that are so desperately needed, where they are needed – in the lives and homes of seniors in the Omaha community! Consider becoming a caregiver and apply to join our team today.

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Self-Care in the Midst of a Pandemic – Essential Now More Than Ever

Self-care has become an often-touted buzz word in the last few years, and for good reason. As the world spins around us, we find ourselves taking care of our children, our jobs, our houses, our parents… the list goes on and on. There is one thing that remains the same as our lives evolve: you cannot effectively care for others if you’re not taking care of yourself. In the year 2020, with the world seemingly tilted on its axis due to the global pandemic that is COVID-19, self-care is even more relevant than before.

All of us have found ourselves at the mercy of the uncertainty of what will come next. Indeed, we are in a situation that few, if any of us, have any familiarity with. Now more than ever, we need to practice self-care. This is true if you’re an essential employee, or an essential family member trying to hold your life, and the lives of your loved ones together. Even in the surrealness of today’s world, there are things you can do to find balance.

Fuel Your Body

With restaurants across the nation closing their dining rooms, and grocery shopping whittled down to a once-weekly affair, it’s easier than ever to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Much of our mental health is connected directly to the physical health of our bodies. It’s easy to slip into a routine of shopping for non-perishables right now. However, ensuring you and your family are consuming lots of fruits and vegetables keeps your immune system strong and your mind balanced.

Staying active is another great way to fuel your body. You don’t need fancy equipment to stay active; get out and explore your neighborhood with your pet, or a hike in nature.

Fuel Your Mind and Spirit

Even if you’re considered an essential employee, your time outside of work has likely opened up as recreational and social activities have closed down. Use this time wisely. Dive into all the things you might have complained about not having time for in the past. Read books, learn new recipes, write, get back into an old hobby that you haven’t had time for. The activity itself doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you enjoy it, it fills your cup and keeps your thoughts occupied on something other than COVID-19.

Fuel Your Relationships

Now isn’t the time to get together with your friends – but you can still stay in touch with them. We have the opportunity now to utilize technology and social media for more than scrolling. Start a weekly group chat and do a virtual “happy hour”, or use zoom to play a virtual game of Pictionary. Reconnect with those living in your household now that you all have time. You’re in the same place, go for walks together. Take advantage of having nowhere to be and cuddle up on the couch for a movie night.

The world is far different than it was just a couple of months ago, and it can be easy to let the pandemic and all that comes with it consume your thoughts. Instead, we invite you to turn your TV off, put your phone down, take a breath, and take care of yourself in a way that allows you to focus on all the things you have in your life to be grateful for.

If you’re still finding yourself in need of extra help, there are still ways to make every day life easier. Contact us to set up a free consultation.

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Always Room For More: Amy Dirks

Caregiver of the month, Amy Dirks, has been a caregiver with A Place At Home for almost three years. She was nominated after going the extra mile to ensure shifts were covered. If she couldn’t do it herself, she made arrangements for someone else to cover them.

Amy has been a caregiver for two decades. After leaving a career as a high school teacher to follow her passion for taking care of others. It’s a passion she comes by honestly. Growing up, her mother was an LPN at a nursing home, taking care of the senior residents there, as well as Amy and her seven siblings. When Amy was 15, her mother’s care extended to encompass Amy’s grandparents, also.

Like her mother before her, Amy has found herself caring for a family member. She spent two years driving over two hours away from her home each weekend to care for her brother, who has recently passed away after his battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It was important to her brother that anyone caring for him was formally trained to do so. It was important for Amy to be able to care for her brother, so she did the training necessary to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

Amy’s sense of responsibility to those in her charge is nothing short of remarkable. When she found out that one of her clients needed care overnight on Easter, Amy was quick to step in, sharing that she couldn’t stand the thought of them laying in bed all night without anyone to attend to their care. Never mind that it was a holiday, and last minute. Amy’s response was, “I’m taking this on myself in case something happens. They come before a lot of my personal needs”.

“Amy is an incredible asset to the A Place At Home family. Not only is she always willing to pick up shifts last minute to help out, but she is always a pleasure to work with. Amy treats all her clients like family and perfectly exemplifies our CARE philosophy.” said Kris Perkins, A Place At Home – Omaha’s Executive Director.

Amy has a similar regard for A Place At Home, her appreciation for the support she receives from her employer even more evident in the midst of a global pandemic. “I have felt comfortable. Anytime I need something they’re willing to meet me to get supplies. Whatever I need, I know I’m taken care of. I feel that I’m in the right place.”

Make no mistake, events in today’s world have had an impact on Amy. She’s grateful to still be working, sharing, “COVID-19 impacted me 100%. I can’t go into facilities now so I don’t endanger my clients. I have confidence we are all taking the same precautions to not spread it. It takes everyone to get through this.”

We are grateful for Amy’s dedication to her clients, and for her approach to caregiving, which she says comes from a book she read as a child titled, There’s Always Room for One More, the story of a Scottish man who welcomes anyone in need into his heart and home, regardless of how full his house becomes. Amy feels the same way about her role caring for others: “There’s always room for one more person that needs help to bed at night. No matter what the call is, I do it.”

Interested in becoming a caregiver?

Does Amy’s story resonate with you? Apply for a job with A Place at Home today and join the ranks of essential personnel that are so desperately needed, where they are needed – in the lives and homes of seniors in the Omaha community! Consider becoming a caregiver and apply to join our team today.

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Caregiver Continues To CARE During Coronavirus Outbreak: Tina Edorh

Caregiver of the Month, Tina Edorh, continues to fill shifts through the Coronavirus pandemic. While our community takes steps to work from home, Tina understands that our most vulnerable population still needs care.

“I leave my worries behind when I go into a client’s home. I bring a positive attitude and try to help make their day better,” Tina shared. Tina has a very calm presence about her. She said that after her first visit with a client they keep requesting her back.

Tina also provided care when she lived in West Africa nearly a decade ago. She hasn’t seen her family back in Africa since she left, she moved to two different states, learned to speak French and English, earned her CNA and grew her family with two more children since moving to the United States.

Tina started with A Place At Home’s care team back in November 2019. “Tina goes above and beyond for her clients. She’s very responsive to office staff and has had great feedback from all clients that she visits,” said Dani Sloan, HR Director of A Place At Home – Omaha.

A Place At Home’s Coronavirus Prevention Plan

Caregivers are required to thoroughly clean their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water immediately after entering a client’s home. They are given specific training on reducing the risk of illness. This training is revisited and emphasized regularly.

A Place At Home’s prevention plan is available for all caregivers in order to keep clients and themselves healthy. We also encourage all staff to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidance for preventing the spread of illness. Handwashing, remaining at home when sick and following all precautions when working with clients who are sick are a priority.

A crisis reveals our character. A Place At Home’s “We are CARE” philosophy is a commitment to our core values. Those values are Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical. We continue to practice those values and our top priority is providing the highest quality care for our clients.

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