Finding in home elderly assistance frequently helps the elderly continue living alone. A good case in point is my widowed sister who was living alone and becoming a bit unsteady on her feet. This prompted her family to purchase an emergency service plan that provided a senior assistance device that enabled her to call for assistance in case of an accident. Who hasn't seen the commercial with the female falling and crying "I've fallen and I can't get up," and not felt her fright and hoped that no one you knew would ever be in the same spot. As well-worn as the in home care service commercial might seem, this type of senior assistance service has been helping many to live alone at home longer than they might have without it. Living nearby to my sister, we were first on the in-home care company's notice and were happy to help her get back off the floor after a tumble or escort her to the hospital when needed.
The family began to notice some revealing signs that she might also require certain types of elder assistance with food shopping and cleaning. Her home wasn't as spotless as it once was and she seemed to be eating less and less. We took her to the physician to make certain she was all right. Once she had a clean bill of health, we began searching for affordable elder assistance in her home. We learned that there are in-home care programs we could look into and that she might possibly get some assistance from Medicare .We learned Medicaid might provide senior help also.Following the Medicare Guidelines, we began looking at the various elder care programs and discovered our own state's organization via The National Association of State Units on Aging . We discovered a program called Passport that provides senior assistance in the home and helps elderly to live independently as long as possible. Some of the elder services available include individual care, in home delivered meals, adult daytime care, health equipment, chore help, social work counseling, dietary counseling, self-reliant living help, medical and non-medical transport and community transition. There were other programs we learned of and it was comforting to know that there was a great deal of assistance we could go to if required in our community.
During one of my sister's later falls, she broke her arm and after a brief emergency room visit we discovered she would require physical therapy. The family was pleased to learn that Medicare compensated for the therapist to provide in home care and wouldn't have to fret how they were going to take her to therapy. This kind of elder care service met her immediate needs and the therapist helped her to learn how to maneuver safe and sound about her own environment. He also made some safety suggestions for improvements around her house, which provided senior assistance for the future also.
Steve Joyce: CEO and Co-founder of EldercareABC.com
Steve’s last ‘real job’ was as the Brand Manager for one of the largest privately owned pharmaceutical companies in the UK. There Steve managed the branding and promotional campaigns for analgesics and antihypertensive products. His tenure was accompanied by a 368% growth in his product portfolio. Stephen was responsible for the creation and execution of market research, product launch, direct-mail, and consumer awareness studies.
In 2007 he authored ‘Teaching an Anthill to Fetch: Developing Collaborative Intelligence @ Work’. It became an instant best seller on Amazon and has been translated into German (Wiley Business Books) and Korean, with five other languages pending.
In the 90’s Stephen and Sandra moved back home to Ireland specifically to help care for his parents and unwittingly began a 10 year care experience. It was that experience that inspired them to found EldercareABC.com.
With his extensive knowledge of collaborative processes and a deep knowledge of complex project management, Stephen has assembled a team of specialists to serve those involved in the care of an aging parent. Creating a place where caregivers can be heard and contribute to their own emotional and psychological well-being and that of their fellow community members.