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Home Instead CAREGivers give their elderly clients companionship and one-on-one human contact to reduce isolation and provide a quality of life beyond the basics of traditional care. That kind of human contact means the elderly have someone they can talk with and lean on - someone who can be a friend and companion. It’s often the little things in life that the elderly miss and need the most. Home Instead CAREGivers become like a surrogate family member to help meet those needs. Here are a few examples: Whistling A Happy Tune When Home Instead Senior Care began service for the 80-year-old couple, the husband had just been released from the hospital. His wife wasn't feeling well and seemed overwhelmed with his care. The CAREGiver assisted the husband and, when he was asleep, went to work pampering his wife. She helped the elderly woman fix her hair and pick out special jewelry to wear. The two started talking about music from the 1930s and 1940s and soon they were singing. By the time the CAREGiver left, the woman was whistling a happy tune and feeling like a princess! Filling the Void It didn't take Home Instead Senior Care's office long to realize that their 60-year-old client was in constant pain. She suffered from several health problems including a severed nerve in her back. The client was eating junk food and suffering from bouts of depression. The CAREGiver realized that the woman was just a very lonely person who wasn't getting a lot of attention. So, the CAREGiver looked for common ground and built on that. She discovered that they both had similar personalities and personal background. The CAREGiver began shopping for and preparing nutritious meals and accompanying her client on trips to the doctor. She has seen a drastic improvement not only in the physical state of the woman, but in her mental and emotional condition as well. Making Friends By watching the Home Instead CAREGiver with her 70-year-old client, you'd think they had been friends forever. Together, they go to restaurants, shops and special events and spend summer days gardening. By all accounts, they have a wonderful relationship. But, that good relationship has not always been the case. At first, the client didn't accept the CAREGiver at all. So the CAREGiver decided to go the extra mile, becoming interested in and determined to be even more involved in her client's life. The client now has a beautiful flower and vegetable garden, and the two often attend flower shows. He loves birds so they go on walks. "I really enjoy going over there now," the CAREGiver said. "He seems like my own father. We've come a long way." The Way Life Used to Be The Home Instead Senior care representative will never forget the first time she saw the house -- dark, dreary and depressing. Beer bottles cluttered what once was a beautiful garden. Inside lived the client -- an elderly woman -- who was dying from cancer. Her son suffered health problems. A dedicated CAREGiver went to work, helping to organize the cleaning of the house and yard, from top-to-bottom, hauling out sacks of garbage from the refrigerator. She cooked for her client and, on nice days, took her into the garden. She was so happy and neighbors started to visit again. When her son saw everything the CAREGiver had done, he said: "This is the way life used to be." A Reason to Get Out of Bed She was an 84-year-old woman who spent her days in an assisted living facility, not doing much, but feeling lonely. She had recently left her home and neighborhood of 40 years and felt like she was loosing her independence. The staff encouraged her to join activities, socialize and go on facilit |
