Caring – Top Prerequisites For Working in Senior Care

Caring - Top Prerequisites For Working in Senior Care

People who trust their loved one to A Place At Home senior care in Omaha can expect competent and compassionate care at all times. For individuals who are seeking Omaha caregiver jobs, you’ll find our positions very rewarding. That’s because we only hire dedicated, qualified caregivers–those who have a sincere passion for helping others. If you’re interested in caregiver jobs here in the Omaha area, look at our requirements to see if your personal values match. If so, you’ll be an excellent candidate for our caregiver jobs!

Why Seniors (and Caregivers) Trust A Place at Home Senior Care

We look for the following crucial traits in potential new-hire senior caregivers:

  • Authentic concern for other human beings: Our caregivers embrace diversity, caring for all people, especially seniors in their care, and celebrating their unique differences.
  • Supportive and encouraging attitude: Senior caregivers are perceptive and empathetic. They’re good listeners, willing to help each senior individual where needed, and willing to step back–to allow seniors the independence they’re capable of–and even help them increase their abilities.
  • Absolute dependability: Seniors needing care can rely upon our caregivers to arrive promptly on time, and to complete their supportive tasks meticulously. Since we help elderly people with crucial daily tasks like grooming and taking medicines, we take our responsibility seriously.
  • Calm, well-prepared and responsible: Our caregivers are ready for the unexpected. They realize every day will be different and are able to react when a change of plan is required to properly care for the elderly individual. If an emergency occurs –or if the senior simply wants to do something not on the typical schedule, such as go see a friend, our caregivers respond properly. Caregivers handle each situation to protect the senior’s physical/emotional health and well being.
  • Pleasantness and cheery demeanor: We strive to be a positive force in our seniors’ lives.

A Place at Home: Trust Us for Compassionate Senior Care

At A Place at Home senior care, we know that our in-home caregivers make us great. Our careful hiring practices and high standards ensure that seniors receive compassionate, reliable assistance with the activities of daily life. Our senior support services are planned around elderly individuals’ specific needs–and designed to maintain their dignity and independence. A Place at Home caregivers genuinely enjoy caring for others. Together, we work to provide each senior the opportunity to live their best life. Inquire about Omaha caregiver jobs here.

Depression in the Elderly: 9 Ways to Help

Depression in the elderly

Elderly depression can become a serious issue during the holiday season, yet this is a busy time. You may have fewer opportunities to visit your senior loved ones personally. During the holidays, older relatives with limited mobility may feel especially “blue”, sad or lonely. Happily, there are many things you can do to help the older people in your life to avoid elderly depression during the holidays or anytime.

  1. Invite your relative out, plan regular group outings or visits: Seeing others and staying active helps fight depression. Take seniors to a reading group, movies, the local senior center and encourage crafts or similar interests. This provides social and mental stimulation, and something to look forward to.
  2. Consider Tai Chi: Tai chi is a gentle, graceful form of exercise many seniors may enjoy. This exercise can help with coordination, balance and agility and it’s often done in a group.
  3. Give an inscribed photo and wallet: Carrying photos of loved ones can help stave off elderly depression. Giving these items can help get the senior into the habit.
  4. Ensure they eat healthy meals. Bad eating habits or lack of eating can make depression worse.
  5. Tell them you care. Talk to your relative and let them know they are important in your life. Never dismiss how they feel or think/say “snap out of it.”
  6. Be sure medications are taken: Remind/help your loved one remember to take necessary meds. Set up a system, like a daily pill holder, so they won’t forget or double dose.
  7. Inform the doctor: If depression seems to hang on, and your relative allows you to talk to their doctor (or accompany them to an appointment), let the doctor know. Consider getting a referral to a mental health professional for individual/group treatment.
  8. Watch signs of suicidal thoughts. Seek immediate professional help if you believe a senior you care about is contemplating suicide.
  9. Take care of yourself as a caregiver: You may need breaks or assistance caring for your senior relative. Be sure to reach out for this help, so you can be there for your loved ones in future.

Companion Care to Prevent Elderly Depression

At A Place at Home, we offer companion care services in the Omaha metropolitan area. We ensure that your senior loved one enjoys visits from a helpful, caring individual familiar with senior care. We can help you with the above anti-depression tips and much more. Contact us today.

“The two different caregivers I’ve had come as often as they can and I like that because I get to work with the same people. If I’m upset, they notice it and they keep me from getting depressed.”
– Tammy A 04/03/18
Current Client

What Does it Take to Become a CNA or CMA?

For anyone interested in becoming a caregiver, the first step is to get a CNA license. This not only provides certification, but enables that caregiver to apply for jobs in many healthcare settings. Certification requires CNAs to complete at least 75 hours of state-approved training. In most classes, clinicals are used towards the end of the course to provide a hands-on experience. CNA classes in the Omaha area are comparable in price (usually around $400-450).

Obtaining a Medication Aide license goes a step further and enables that caregiver to pass medications in-home or in community settings. A 20-hour Med Aide certification allows you to pass meds in a home setting, while a 40-hour certification enables you to pass meds in a facility. The 40-hour certification is highly recommended in that it will allow you more options for placement and hours. CMA classes generally cost between $300-$350.

If your CNA or CMA license has lapsed or is inactive, refresher courses are available that will enable you to reactivate your licensure. Prices for these classes vary.

Classes for both CNA and CMA certification can be taken in the classroom or online, and prices vary based on the institution and course offerings and inclusions. Make sure to double check with your state requirements to assure that your program is state-certified.

Find the course that’s best for you and your career aspirations by following the links below.

CNA and CMA classes in the Omaha area

Nebraska Methodist College

  •             Four week on-campus program or six-week online hybrid program
  •             www.methodistcollege.edu

Quality CNA/CMA Classes

  •             76-hour course
  •             Payment plans available
  •             www.qualitycnacma.com

Metropolitan Community College

Clarkson College

Promise Healthcare Training Center

Midland University

Making Independent Living Possible: Gertrude’s Story

Sometimes moving to an independent as opposed to assisted living community is the best option. That’s the way it was for 85-year-old Gertrude.

Gertrude was living in a nice two-bedroom apartment in a swanky part of town. She lived near several retail and grocery stores. She also lived off a beautiful lake and her apartment building offered an underground garage.

She was doing okay, but her 3 adult children, who all lived out of town, were starting to get concerned. They were worried that Gertrude might not be taking her medications properly and there was no one to make sure that she was doing so. They were also concerned that there was no one to check on her on a regular basis.

That’s when their son, John contacted me. He let me know when he was going to be visiting Omaha. We talked about the things his mother liked to do as well as what her budget looked like, and I proceeded to set up a couple of tours for one Sunday afternoon in June.

After our tours, he and his mother chose a community that was close to her current home. They liked the atmosphere and activities that were offered and the fact that it was very close to many restaurants and shops (just like what she was used to). She would have a full kitchen, yet two meals a day would be included in her monthly rent. Gertrude would also have a heated underground garage. However, she would still have transportation for those days she did not want to drive or there was bad weather. This community also offered a contingency plan with assisted living and memory apartments.

In lieu of moving to assisted living, her family opted for A Place at Home’s Care Coordination Program where our nurse, Denise, could provide medication assistance for Gertrude. Her medications would be kept in a lock box in her independent apartment. Denise could also accompany Gertrude to all of her medical appointments since her children all live out of town.

Today, Gertrude resides in this independent living community and is flourishing from daily activities and having access to so many public areas within the building.

Gertrude’s story is similar to many that I encounter every day. Oftentimes families aren’t sure what all is included in the different types of living communities, and drilling down all the details can be confusing and cumbersome (especially when the family members live out of town). Our Senior Living Alternatives service was designed to make sure families make the best decisions for their loved ones, and part of that service also entails assessing all the needs and how our other A Place at Home services might be useful in allowing the senior to live the best life they can.

 

Digging Through the Notes: Taking Care of One of Ours

Before I was in the home care business, my grandparents used home care.

It wasn’t until last week that I realized they used A Place at Home. While looking up my profile on our computer system, my mom’s name also came up, and that led me on a very rewarding search through records one afternoon.

My grandparents have both passed away, and the daily memories I get from them usually come in passing from the pictures I have on my refrigerator. Reading their care notes last week brought both joy and sadness, but the feeling that gave me the most comfort, was the Caregiver’s compassion shown to them evidenced by the careful recording of the notes.

The amazing thing is that, had I not known who these care notes were about, I’d bet money that they were about my grandparents. That’s how detailed APH’s caregivers are when it comes to caring for and documenting the care of our clients.

“R finished 25% of her dinner and 100% of her dessert.” 

“R went to bed at 9:00 but A stayed up to watch the baseball game in the den.”

“For breakfast, A had toast with orange marmalade.”

“R visited with friends and was on the phone most of the day.” 

These notes were totally my grandparents.

Another thing I appreciated, was reading the email communications between our CEO and my mom. He checked up on them often to make sure her parents were receiving top-notch quality care.

When talking to our CEO, Dustin, I mentioned finding my grandparents’ care notes in the system. Even though they were only clients for about three weeks, three years ago, Dustin remembered exactly who I was talking about. With the hundreds of clients APH serves, he was able to say with confidence that he remembered they lived in a two-bedroom apartment over on 90th and Western, that APH provided 24-hour care, and that R was a very sweet lady.

Those are truly caring qualities of a CEO and employees. As the recruitment specialist, I do a lot of Caregiver interviews. Many applicants are well-qualified.  But my deciding factor in hiring, is asking myself if I would put this applicant with my loved one.

I’m so glad to know that when my grandparents needed care, it was through A Place at Home; I wouldn’t have chosen any other company or Caregivers for that task.

– Leigh Chaves, A Place at Home Recruitment and Retention Specialist

How We Provide the Best Caregivers In Omaha

What does it take to become an A Place at Home Caregiver?

As many home care companies as there are around Omaha, what makes A Place at Home stand out from the rest? Maybe it’s that we’re locally owned; maybe it’s the CARE model (Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, Ethical); maybe it’s our fabulous clients. Another reason APH stands out is that we’re a licensed company, and it’s not easy to become an APH Caregiver!

To become a part of our caregiving team, applicants first complete a phone interview. These include questions about why they wanted to become a Caregiver and what CARE means to them. During the face-to-face interview, the questions become more in-depth where we learn more about the applicant. It’s critical that we make sure they’re a good fit for us, and that we’re a good fit for them.

During the three-hour orientation, Caregivers learn all about APH from the company’s history, to our values, our processes, and more. They also complete a drug test, build a profile with the schedulers, and meet one-on-one with our RN, Denise. Building a Caregiver profile helps us accurately match Caregivers with clients, and meeting one-on-one with Denise in the skills lab ensures that they’re ready to provide the best care. Also, if at any time our Caregivers want to brush up on a skill, they’re welcome to come into the office and work in the skills lab and get their questions answered.

Lastly, we do background checks on all of our employees. Each Caregiver has passed a criminal background check as well as an Adult and Child Protective Services check for both Nebraska and Iowa. We also check public registries and their license(s) to make sure there have been no disciplinary actions.

Once our Caregivers complete everything, they’re ready to serve our wonderful clients. This process we go through sets us apart from other home care companies. A Place at Home takes pride in what we do, and part of that ensures we to provide the best, most qualified Caregivers out there.

– Leigh Chaves, A Place at Home Recruitment and Retention Specialist

Upcoming Events: Free Workshops on Ways to Pay for Senior Care and Caregiver Burnout

Join us for two free informational workshops this month.

June 21 – Ways to Pay for Senior Care – 3:30 p.m. at Swanson Library 9101 W. Dodge Road

June 29 – Caregiver Burnout – 2:00 p.m. at Primrose Retirement Community 1801 E. Kanesville Blvd. Council Bluffs

Read on for more information about each workshop. Anchor

Ways to Pay for Senior Care

How much will your health affect your retirement savings? Almost 70 percent of Americans who reach 65 will be unable to care for themselves at some point without assistance.  Learn about the costs associated with senior care and what kinds of programs from insurance to government assistance to getting creative with your own money can ensure you receive the care you need.     Anchor

Caregiver Burnout

There are more than 34 million unpaid caregivers providing care to adults over the age of 18 who are ill or have a disability. This can be emotionally and physically taxing on those that provide care. In fact, in a survey given to family caregivers, over 50 % responded that they do not have time to take care of themselves and 49% said they were too tired to do so.  Caregiver burnout is real. Learn more about recognizing the signs of caregiver burnout and how you can take care of yourself while taking care of a loved one.

If you are looking for a loving, caring option for keeping your loved one at home or in the place they call home, call us, we’d like to help make a difference in your life. A Place at Home provides a range of at home services, as well as advocacy, care coordination, and senior community placement to seniors in communities around Omaha and Council Bluffs.

Here’s to Positive Feedback!

We love hearing about how our clients and families feel about the care they receive from our A Place at Home team.

And while we believe that our Caregivers are the best, it feels great to hear it directly from our clients.  Here are some recent testimonials that we’d like to share.

Peace of mind

I finally have peace of mind knowing I have excellent in-home care from APH helping my 90yr old mom, Genevieve, with dressing, meals, baths and general companionship. APH makes it possible for my mom to remain at home, feeling safe and secure and enjoying the quality of life she deserves. I’m also extremely thankful for the Veteran’s Benefit hours my mom receives that Chris Cummings introduced to us. Thank you APH! – Betty M.

Putting needs first and foremost

I had tried several agencies and was about to give up on finding care for my mother when I found A Place At Home.  I gave them a try and it has been a very successful experience.  The Caregiver is very involved and caring, putting my mother’s interests and needs first and foremost.  Everyone in the company has been genuinely involved and goes the extra yard to make sure anything and everything regarding my mother is taken care of and cared for.  No matter the concern, however trite or huge, the staff works diligently to solve the situation and make certain that my mother (and I) are satisfied with the results and the services.  This company is truly client oriented. – Lisa V.

Feels good to be safe

We look forward to your constant care that we receive. It feels good to be safe. – The B**** Family

Thank you to all the families that we are allowed to care for.  If  we’ve made a positive impact on one of your loved ones, let us know! A Place at Home is proud to practice our “We are CARE” philosophy every day in everything we do.  CARE is Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful and Ethical.

Why We Love our Caregivers

Something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is how our A Place at Home Caregivers are so much more than CNAs or CMAs to our clients. They do so much more than provide cares, clean up messes, or run errands.

Our Caregivers are friends. A friendly smile in someone’s possibly lonely day. A light in someone’s life. A caring person who genuinely loves their client.

Recently I posed a question to our Caregivers asking for a special moment they’ve had with our clients that didn’t include providing cares. The responses came pouring in:

“I say prayers with my clients at bedtime.”

“I cooked my favorite breakfast for him and he loved it.”

“We went to garage sales and Goodwill and he (client) had such a good time. Couldn’t stop laughing and smiling.”

“Sometimes we just stare at each other and bust up laughing.”

“I was told by a client that I’m his best friend.”

Most of the responses I received ended with, “this is why I love my job!”  It takes a very special person to be a Caregiver, and we’re so lucky to have those kinds of employees on our APH team.

I interviewed a young woman yesterday who recently received her CNA license. She could not stop smiling. She was so excited for the opportunity to interview for the position. She told stories about people she has cared for in the past, and her passion shone through her voice. Her smile wouldn’t quit.

We’re so proud to have these Caregivers on our staff and the next time you see one of our team members, thank them. Thank them for providing such great above-and-beyond care for your loved ones.

I’m happy to say that the highlight of my day today will be calling that young woman and offering her a spot on the APH team. I’ll be just as excited as she will.

Leigh Chaves is A Place at Home’s Recruitment and Retention Specialist. This means that Leigh spends her days hiring and keeping our Caregivers happy.  She is on the front line of making sure we hire qualified, passionate and caring people to take care of our clients. This month, she reflects on how important our Caregivers are in the lives of those we care for.

 

Sam and Marlene: A Senior Living Alternatives Success Story

Our Senior Living Advisor shared a success story about a couple who were married for 53 years and needed to find a new place to call home.

Here’s the story of Sam and Marlene:

What would you do if your spouse was having memory loss?  Do you think you would be their sole caregiver?

Maybe these are questions that you might have never asked yourself. However, as the  Senior Living Advisor at A Place at Home, I see this situation often.

Recently, I received a call from a man named Sam.  Sam has been married to Marlene for 53 years. They were living in a house and Marlene’s memory had been failing for the last few years.  She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2013.  Sam could no longer leave his house without Marlene.  Sometimes he would run to the store for about an hour, but he knew that it was no longer safe for her to be alone.  Sam enjoyed playing golf with his friends but now it had become difficult because of Marlene’s memory decline.

I sat down with Sam and Marlene at their kitchen table in their home.  We discussed options.  Did he want to hire in-home care for Marlene or move to a Senior Living Community?  Did he want to move with or without her?

Sam said that he was tired of taking care of a house and worrying about yard work and snow removal.  He wanted to simplify his life and still have his independence without worrying about Marlene’s safety all the time.  It was also important for him to reside with her.

Sam provided me with his budget and location.  Together we narrowed down the options based on their needs.  Next, I set up and accompanied Sam on tours of three Senior Living Communities.  Sam and Marlene each had Long Term Care Insurance.  Long Term Care Insurance can only be used if “care” is needed.  So, Sam chose a community that had Assisted Living apartments so that they could share an apartment together.  Sam moved in at care level 0 and Marlene moved in at care level 3.  Marlene’s long term care insurance started kicking in upon their move-in while Sam’s policy would not be active yet.

Today, Sam goes golfing with his friends and knows that Marlene will be safe in their Senior Living Community.  He can still reside and spend time with Marlene but is no longer her sole caregiver.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the couple.