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  • A CARE ADVANTAGE LIFE: ELIZABETH MAKO

    A CARE ADVANTAGE LIFE: ELIZABETH MAKO

    WHAT IS AN HCS?
    There are many different elements involved when holding the role as a Home Care Specialist (HCS). Primarily we are the liaison between the in-home private duty care company and hospitals, rehabilitation centers, assisted living facilities, and many other healthcare services or accommodations. But we don’t stop there. We also work closely with any professional in the aging life care industry – elder law attorneys, care managers, and financial planners.

    As an HCS, I try to be a resource to my clients and their families covering a wide range of care needs. For more about our in-home care services click here

    ‍I typically consult with clients and families on care options. Care Advantage offers specialized programs targeting different needs—from hourly to 24/7 care, a 7-day live-in caregiver program, or private duty skilled nursing for high acuity patients. But in the background, there is a whole team of experienced care services professionals who support the client through the onboarding process and help to make each client experience a positive one.

    DAY TO DAY
    Every day starts with a strong plan. Time management is the key to a successful day because on a busy day anything can happen. Some days I’m answering back to back calls from social workers and case managers. Other days, I’m focusing on our email messaging about a new program. The variety and pace of the day keeps me on my toes.
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    ‍IT’S GOOD TO TALK
    ‍    The best way our team supports each other is through clear communication. The attention to detail regarding each case determines its success. We can take any curveball thrown at us because we have a constant line of communication and having each other’s backs. Dare I say, over communication?

    One person I’m talking with regularly is my amazing staffer, Ivonne. She’s in charge of caregiver availability, schedules, and match-making clients. With every client, there are core questions that must be answered. With all the moving parts, I try not to let any questions go unanswered. As she says, “tie it up with a bow”.

    ‍ADAPTING DURING COVID
    ‍    Before COVID, you would see me driving around in my Jeep, slinging brochures and handing out business cards. In March 2020, with concern for the safety of our team and clients, Care Advantage made the smart decision to have our care family work remotely when possible. For me and other HCS’s it took a few weeks to adjust not seeing everyone in person, missing the hugs and smiling faces. On the bright side, the new circumstances offered new opportunities. Was I working from a card table and a plastic chair? Yes. Was I talking to my clients in my fuzzy slippers? Perhaps. But like I said, you have to see the bright side.

    Care Advantage was an early adopter to providing COVID+ care by establishing a COVID Task Force. The task force includes a nurse accompanying the caregiver on day one of a client’s care. Safety is our top priority. Protocol requires multiple health screenings prior to care starting (from both a client and caregiver touchpoint), understanding the home environment, and offering COVID-19 testing.

    I feel so lucky to have an experienced and supportive team around me and I am very proud to serve those, in the safest place possible, each and every day.

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  • Is Alzheimer’s and Dementia Home Care Right For You?

    Is Alzheimer’s and Dementia Home Care Right For You?

    Everything gets a bit more complex when a loved one has Alzheimer’s or dementia. All of the sudden, he or she may be confused or forget schedules and plans. And such forgetfulness may upset or depress your loved one. At that point, you must decide whether to be a devoted caregiver yourself or to hire outside help.

    Recently, these conflicts gained a new dimension: COVID-19. Now, you must reduce your loved one’s risk of infection from both the outside world and yourself. Instead of trying to manage this burden alone, turn to Coastal Home Care. We proudly provide reliable Alzheimer’s and dementia care to folks in Wicomico County, MD. Our home care services allow your loved one to live where they choose, and our updated care methods will help maintain their health.

    Here, we discuss how Alzheimer’s and dementia care can help ease the dangers posed by COVID-19:

    Our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care

    First, let’s outline our standard care practices for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. We strive to help them enjoy their independent lives by focusing on specific concerns:

    • Instead of solving all issues at once, we work through daily obstacles. We help patients to create routines and practices that help them manage symptoms and care for themselves.
    • We also try to help patients feel comfortable. The memory loss that occurs with Alzheimer’s and dementia can make them feel baffled and depressed. So, we tweak common tasks and give them chances for self-expression.
    • We maintain our patients’ well-being. Dementia patients often wander or stop physical activities. Thus, we adapt patients’ homes for safety and prepare for accidents.

    How We Have Adapted Caregiving for COVID-19

    Next, let’s detail how caregivers adapted their processes for Alzheimer’s and dementia care in response to the pandemic. We have summarized the strategies for COVID-19 care on our website already, but let’s review them here.

    We’ve added wellness checks to our routine duties. Now, both caregivers and patients are screened daily for COVID-19 symptoms. We also conduct mental health screenings on patients to address symptoms of loneliness and depression.

    We’ve also boosted our cleaning procedures. Caregivers already helped patients with cleaning, but now they disinfect frequent-use surfaces including light switches, countertops, faucets, and so on. What’s more, caregiving now requires increased hand washing.

    And since many families are protecting their loved ones’ health through distance, caregivers promote activity and connection. We help patients combat boredom by urging them to perform daily activities and hobbies as well as self-care. We can also help your loved ones stay in regular contact with Zoom and Facetime.

    Benefits of Hiring a Dementia Caregiver during COVID-19

    So, how can hiring a caregiver for your senior loved one help you (and the rest of your family) in the COVID environment? We’ve already posted advice on caring for elders during COVID-19 and how the pandemic might affect them. But our services suit Alzheimer’s and dementia patients particularly well.

    Even though many families mean well by isolating their loved ones, this may confuse a dementia patient. So, our caregivers can remind them about the situation during visits. We can also check for symptoms while ensuring that we don’t introduce the virus ourselves.

    Also, if your loved one has coronavirus symptoms, you and your family should avoid contact with them. A caregiver can get them to a hospital safely thanks to our training with infectious diseases. You need not endanger yourself or your family’s health.

    Contact Coastal Home Care for Reliable Caregiving in Wicomico County, MD

    In such a difficult environment, we know the challenges of an Alzheimer’s or dementia patient can feel hopeless. That’s why you should not take it on alone: by reaching out to Coastal Home Care, your loved one can receive professional Alzheimer’s and Dementia care at their home in Wicomico County, MD. Call us at (866) 687-7307 to discuss your options for home care. We’re available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week!

  • Responsibilities of Professional In-Home Caregivers

    Responsibilities of Professional In-Home Caregivers

    When an elderly family member reaches a point where they need the help of a caregiver to provide care and support on a regular basis, can also signal a time when their loved ones must make some difficult decisions. Families frequently have to decide whether to place them in a facility setting or elect for in-home care services. In-home care services in many instances are becoming the preferred choice for a number of reasons, but mainly because they can be customized to meet the specific needs and wants of the client. But what exactly can you expect from an in-home care program, and how can your loved one benefit from it?

    Detailed below is a rundown of some of the most critical duties and responsibilities of professional in-home caregivers.

    Preparing a Care Plan

    While the issues that necessitate in-home care services may be broadly similar, the truth is that every case is unique in some way. In other words, a care plan that is working for one person may not necessarily work for your loved one. This is why Care Advantage companies conduct a detailed in-home care assessment by a RN before starting any client services to ensure the needs and wants of the client are met.

    Assess Medical Needs

    Most, if not all seniors, have some special medical needs. A lot of them live with chronic conditions that require close monitoring, multiple medications, and regular hospital visits. In-home caregivers understand this, and when you hire them, they will help monitor your loved one’s medical needs and help him or her with keeping track of medical appointments, assessing pain levels, and provide medication reminders when needed. However, it will still be necessary for you to continue discussing your loved one’s health with their doctor and other relevant health professionals on a regular basis.

    Basic Personal Needs

    Many seniors will to some extent, require assistance with basic personal items, such as bathing toileting, transferring in and out of bed, and grooming.  Although in many cases seniors may still be healthy, issues such as loss of sight and reduced range of movement mean that they will, at some point, need to be assisted with these basic and personal tasks. If your loved one is in such a situation, you can count on professional in-home care services providers to help them, and consequently, make their lives more comfortable.

    Meal Preparation

    In addition to basic personal tasks mentioned above, meal preparation is another task that seniors may need help with. Even if your loved one is relatively healthy, and he or she can perform more basic tasks, without any help, meal preparation can be quite exhausting and even risky for them. A professional caregiver will help with going grocery shopping, preparing meals, and ensuring that your loved one is staying nourished. In other words, hiring an in-home caregiver will ensure that your loved one is receiving the sustenance and hydration they need in order to stay healthy.

    Housekeeping

    As your loved one ages, taking care of his or her house can become very difficult or even impossible task. As such, they might need help with housekeeping tasks, such as washing the dishes, vacuuming, and taking out the trash. Professional in-home care service providers help with these tasks and therefore, hiring one will ensure that your loved one is living in a clean and organized environment.

    Transportation

    Another important duty of a caregiver has to do with providing transportation. As people age, their hearing, sight, and reaction time deteriorates, and this makes it significantly risky for them to drive. Unfortunately, convincing some seniors to stop driving can be quite an uphill task. The good news is that in-home care service providers will help your loved one with transportation. Hiring a professional caregiver to take care of your loved one will go a long way in persuading them to quit driving without necessarily preventing them from going out.

    Companionship

    ‍In addition to the physical needs mentioned above, seniors also need emotional support. One of the most common challenges that seniors struggle with has to do with loneliness. Unfortunately, loneliness can contribute to mental health issues such as stress and even depression. By seeking the services of a professional in-home care services provider, you can rest assured that your loved one will have someone to interact with regularly, which will help promote their emotional wellbeing, and in turn, help to avoid social isolation which can lead to a decline in overall health, which will go a long way in boosting their overall quality of life.

    The Bottom Line

    As you can see, the importance of in-home care service providers cannot be overemphasized. These kind, compassionate professionals play an important role in helping seniors and other incapacitated persons to live more comfortably. They help with physical needs and offer emotional support as well. If you have an elderly loved one, it may be wise for you to seek the services of professional in-home caregivers. If you are looking for a reliable in-home care services provider in Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, or Delaware, the Care Advantage, Inc. family of companies is your best choice. Feel free to contact us today for more information about our organization and the range and quality of services that you can expect from us.

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  • How We’re Caring For You During Covid-19

    How We’re Caring For You During Covid-19

    While safety precautions have always been part of the way we deliver care, we want to make sure our clients know exactly how we’ve augmented our precautions during COVID-19. We’re taking extra steps to make sure we’re keeping our clients, their loved ones, and our vulnerable population safe. Here are some of the key steps we’ve implemented, plus the “Why” behind them.  We’re also providing cautionary steps you can take and resources you can use for getting tested for COVID-19, symptomatic or not symptomatic!

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    WHAT WHY
    We are fully stocked on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including masks, gowns, gloves and goggles. We’re ensuring distribution is effective for all team members and clients. It matters to protect our clients and our staff. Without appropriate PPE, care cannot be provided and spread cannot be prevented. We’re very fortunate to have never run out of PPE. We continue to work closely with the Office of Health Care Quality to ensure adequate supply is maintained at all times.
    Whenever we are providing care in a client’s home, we always wear a mask (in addition to standard precautions). This is whether someone is symptomatic or not; masks are always worn. That way there is no accidental exposure.
    For COVID-19 presumptive or positive cases, we’re using full-droplet precautions–goggles, masks, gown and gloves. Full-droplet precautions prevent transmission to anyone else and ensure safe and great care at your home.
    We have extensive protocols in place for testing, tracking and screening. All clients get a COVID-19 screener completed with every visit, and all team members complete a COVID-19 screener daily. We have a robust tracking system to ensure follow-up of all potential exposure cases that are reported to us. The most common situation we’re currently running into is when a family member of a client develops symptoms, not our staff or our client. In these situations, we treat it as a positive case and will do full PPE until COVID-19 is ruled out. This is to protect our client, staff and community against transmission.
    We’ve developed a consistency score to minimize the number of staff coming into a client’s home. Our internal consistency score takes into account things like how many hours a client has in a week, the client to caregiver ratio, and level of need of the client. By having a baseline score, we can minimize the number of staff coming into a client’s home, protecting our clients and their families to an even higher degree
    We have a Registered Nurse in-house to manage and monitor all clients. As a Home Health company in the state of Delaware, we are required to have a Registered Nurse on staff.  Our RN/Clinical Director ensures we respond quickly and intelligently to any situations or exposures. Home Care companies do not have an RN overseeing care.
    We have extensive COVID-19 protocols and testing requirements in place for all scenarios, including possible exposures and COVID-19 positive cases. No team member with COVID-19 symptoms can work until they are medically cleared (even if they do not have COVID-19). Why? Because there are no shortcuts to safe, reliable care. Our primary purpose is to deliver care to you with safety that’s consistent on every visit, with every interaction. You can be 100% confident that we know how to be prepared, what to look for, how to track, and how to follow-up.

    WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

    To protect your vulnerable loved ones:

    • If you live with them, do the minimum CDC recommendations at ALL TIMES, no exceptions.
    • If you’re sick, get tested immediately and maintain distancing when possible. It’s inconvenient but it could save a life.
    • ALWAYS alert Silver Lining if you’re getting tested for COVID-19 or if you’ve developed symptoms. This will ensure we can protect our team members and prevent transmission to others. We’ll do full-droplet precautions (use of PPE with goggles, mask, gown, and gloves) until COVID-19 is ruled out.

    If you’re visiting a vulnerable loved one:

    • Never go if you’re sick.
    • Always wear a mask the whole time (so as to not infect commonly touched spaces).
    • Wash hands prior to entering, before and after eating, after toileting and after exiting

    HOW TO GET TESTED:

    Testing is FREE by federal mandate. You will not have a copay to use your insurance. For the mail-order option, you can choose to either go through your insurance or pay out of pocket. Different testing options have different results time. The primary reason to get tested if you’re not symptomatic is because you’ll be in an area where maintaining social distancing is not possible.

    Know Your COVID-19 Status – Order a mail order kit – Want to go on vacation? See family? Get tested before and/or after!

    Access COVID-19 Testing at Home – You can go through your insurance and the testing is free. Or you can pay out of pocket.

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  • COVID-19 Advice for Caring for Sick Elders

    Caring for a loved one during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic can be challenging if you don’t have the proper guidance you need to provide care efficiently and safely. As the CDC has provided expert recommendations for seniors who are already sick, elder care providers at Coastal Home Care are prepared to help your loved one if they require additional care and companionship.

    At Coastal Home Care, our companion care providers are taking the necessary safety precautions and adhering to the CDC, state, and local health guidelines. We understand that we are being faced with difficult times, but our team remains current on the pandemic and is trained to provide the companionship your elder needs at this time.

    Here’s what we recommend if you are caring for a sick elder or are considering additional companionship support:

    Watch for Signs & Symptoms

    The CDC has stated that people with “underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.” If your elder is experiencing the signs below, seek medical assistance immediately:

    • Difficulties breathing
    • Chest pain and/or pressure
    • Confusion
    • Insomnia
    • Bluish lips or face

    Be attentive to your elder and have their primary care doctor’s contact information ready in case of an emergency. Coastal Home Care providers are trained in cases of emergencies so you can trust us to ensure your elder will receive medical attention immediately, especially in emergencies.

    Take Care of His/Her Basic Needs First

    Keeping your senior hydrated with a lot of fluids and having them rest regularly will help their systems function properly. As they consistently receive those essential needs, their body will be strong enough to fight off whatever sickness they may have.

    Be sure to contact their primary physician for instructions for proper care. If they recommend over-the-counter medications, then help your elder take those in a timely manner and refill prescriptions as needed. Our companion care providers not only offer assistance with this, but they provide a real connection with your elder so they are able to find more contentment in their daily lives.

    Assist them with grocery shopping. During the pandemic, grocery shopping has been made more accessible and easy with online shopping apps that are available for people who feel more comfortable staying home. For example, Instacart allows you to choose a grocery store, shop, pay online, and have your groceries picked up or delivered to you.

    Provide pet care as needed. As a companion, taking care of an elder’s pet is often an additional task we are given. Just as much as our companions care for your elder, we care for their beloved pets too. If you are providing elder care, maintain distance between your elder and their pet while they’re sick to ensure your elder is receiving a sufficient amount of rest.

    Keep Yourself Protected

    Considering the on-going pandemic, limiting contact with yourself and your elder is crucial. You might need to eat in separate rooms and avoid sharing common objects or implement increased cleaning and disinfection routines. Making sure you are wearing personal protective equipment is also a requirement our companion care providers adhere to while providing the companionship your elder needs.

    If you are caring for an elder at this time, ensure you are also following standard social distancing, cleaning, and disinfection procedures as necessary.

    Choose Compassionate Companion Care Providers in Sussex County, DE

    At Coastal Home Care, we have the experience and training to provide personalized companion care support for your senior’s needs. We understand that each individual has their own personal needs and will create a customized Plan of Care that’s specific to each individual. Companion care options will vary depending on what the individual’s specific quality of life needs are.

    Let’s discuss your elder’s needs today! Call our companion care team at (866) 687-7307 to schedule a consultation.

  • PAMELA HOPEWELL, MAKING A DIFFERENCE

    PAMELA HOPEWELL, MAKING A DIFFERENCE

    Teaching a 78-year-old woman how to infuse IV medications for her cognitively impaired son with endocarditis.

    Finding a vein in the middle of the night for a 6-year-old boy with osteomyelitis.

    Managing the wounds of a sprightly 100-year-old woman so full of life and wisdom.

    These are just a few of the patients (and moments) Pamela remembers in her career as a nurse; a career that has taken her from the front lines of health care to life as a consultant and then on to her role as the Chief Operating Officer of Care Advantage, Inc.

    “Being a nurse has been the foundation of my career, no matter the role or responsibility, I have always placed the patient at the center of everything I do.  Ensuring our patients have a great experience and achieving the best possible outcome is job number one for our skilled team.  Focusing on patient centered goals and getting the patients and caregivers involved in the care is where the magic happens.  When patients establish goals that they want to achieve, they work harder to achieve those goals so they can quickly get back to their prior level of function and regain their independence.”

    ‍THE EVOLUTION OF HOME CARE

    The skilled care division at Care Advantage covers close to a three-hundred-mile radius serving patients across the state of Virginia. The three branch offices consist of All About Care, Paradise Home Care (both in Richmond, VA) and Virginia Home Health and Hospice which is based in Rural Retreat, VA. All three locations offer state of the art clinical programs designed around helping the elderly population who experience acute or chronic, health conditions. These programs and the clinical care we provide, serve to help our patients regain their independence and age in place. Home is where all patients want to be. Patients actually do better in their own home environment and recover more quickly than they do in hospitals or any other inpatient facility providing care.

    “I have seen a major transition in home healthcare over the span of my career,” Pamela said. “When I first became a nurse, the focus of health care was institutional, primarily hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. There was very little knowledge of, or respect for, the home health industry three decades ago. I believe this to be true primarily because healthcare providers knew very little about providing care in the home setting or the outcomes that were achieved. In the mid to late 90’s, the majority of care being provided was managing and teaching chronic illnesses like diabetes, CHF and COPD, performing/teaching wound care and managing oral medications.  While those are still skills that we provide today, the level of care has really been elevated in the home setting. Today, we care for tracheostomy or ventilation dependent patients; we manage pleurx draining systems and wound vacs, which is a vacuum assisted closure system used to heal major wounds; we also infuse all types of medications through an intravenous line as well as care for patients on the same day they’ve had joint replacement surgery. So, not only are we providing more complex care than ever before, the cost of providing this care is less than 3% of the total US health care expenditures which was $3.65 trillion in 2018 according to the latest CMS analysis.”

    A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CARE

    After working many years as a consultant, Pamela’s interest in joining the Care Advantage team grew, more so after discovering that the company was founded by a local nurse, Debbie Johnston. Pamela knew, with a nurse leading the company, that the patient would have to be the core of their focus which resonated well with her guiding principle…

    “Care for the patient first and everything else will fall into place.”

    “As it turned out, Debbie Johnston’s philosophy for Care Advantage, did, in fact, mirror mine and joining this team has proven to be a great decision,” she said. “Debbie has been caring for patients in Virginia for nearly 30 years and being able to continue her legacy was an honor that I was proud to have.”  

    At Care Advantage, we take great pride in meeting the needs of our patients and my teams focus on every aspect of the patient; we take a holistic approach to care as so many times,  it’s not the physical component that presents a roadblock to achieving goals but more times than not, it’s the financial, psychological or spiritual need that must first be addressed in order to achieve the overall goal.   The Holistic care approach always delivers the best care and the best possible outcome for our patients.

    CARE DURING THE PANDEMIC

    “These are definitely not ordinary times for healthcare providers,” Pamela said, acknowledging the crisis of COVID-19.  “Knowing the volume of patients and clients that we had to care for when this pandemic hit, we knew we had to move quickly to develop new policies, procedures and protocols that would enable us to continue caring for our patients and clients.”  

    “We quickly created our physician-led COVID-19 Response Team that was comprised of the most highly skilled and seasoned professionals we had who helped us prepare for what we knew was coming.  We developed training in-services and refresher courses along with online education and simulation drills to ensure that our staff were prepared, equipped and ready to care for our patients all the while protecting themselves as they cared for patients on the front line.  Initially, we all had a fear of the unknown, not understanding this virus.  It did not take us very long to realize that this was what we were trained for…to care for patients in need, COVID-19 positive or not.  This was our chosen field and together, we rose to the occasion and met the challenge head on.  We continued educating our clinical teams on Infection control, cross-contamination prevention, proper donning and doffing of personal protective equipment, this was an ongoing event across the company.  We quickly moved to secure ample amounts of PPE ensuring the continued safety of employees and patients. It brings a level of comfort knowing that our employees are prepared and protected with every visit they make.”  

    “I’m incredibly proud of my teams and our organization. We pulled together and faced this pandemic as one collective, adaptable, caregiving team.”

    This sense of readiness is part of Care Advantage’s mission of service. Whether it’s for a patient in need, a middle-of-the-night emergency or an innovative solution to a one-of-a-kind problem, Pamela and her teams are on the front lines caring for patients all across the state of Virginia.

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  • Stronger than Ever

  • Connecting Clients With A Home Care Agency

    Connecting Clients With A Home Care Agency

    Most clients don’t want to call a home care agency for assistance. After all, we don’t want to need help as we age. And most of us don’t want to pay for it. More often than not, a match between a client and a home care agency starts with a referral from a professional source (like your doctor), a family member (usually a son or daughter), or a close friend or neighbor. People who are close to the client usually take the first step in researching care options.

    So when do you know if someone close to you would benefit–and even enjoy–having home care?  You educate yourself on key indicators of help. Our Level of Need Calculator looks at some key factors that contribute to someone needing assistance. Being aware of recurring scenarios is also important. Some scenarios that indicate it’s time to acknowledge the need for help are:

    • Frequent falls
    • Frequent doctor appoints
    • Increase in urinary tract infections
    • Forgetfulness
    • Trips to the emergency room
    • Increase in medications

    When these indicators are not acknowledged, health outcomes are usually poor. Ignoring them increases the likelihood of a lifestyle change being forced rather than chosen (i.e., a broken hip from a fall means moving to a a rehab hospital).  If you or your loved one wants to stay home and age in place, it is critical to be alert to these scenarios. Keep in mind that home care doesn’t have to be permanent, invasive, or even from a professional company.

    What do I do if I need help or someone I know needs help?

    1. Call, or email. Even if we’re not the right fit, we’re happy to answer questions and get you connected with the right resources. We can go as fast or slow as you or your loved one needs to go.
    2. Plan. Call an elder law attorney. We have three that we highly recommend. Take a peek here. They can help you protect what you have and plan for the quality of life you want to have. The sooner the better. We recommend this step for any client. For some clients, an elder law attorney will meet with you and you won’t need any services. For others, an elder law attorney can be the difference between staying at home as long as you want to or being forced to leave your primary home and move to a facility.
    3. Take a look at our Resource Center for more information like Payment Options, Veterans Benefits, and Who we Are at Silver Lining.

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  • How COVID-19 is Affecting Your Aging Loved Ones

    How COVID-19 is Affecting Your Aging Loved Ones

    The pandemic has changed many aspects of our daily lives. Those affected most by these changes, along with the risks in contracting the coronavirus, are the elderly. Limitations have made it difficult for them to perform their normal activities and access the resources they need to live healthily and comfortably.

    At Coastal Home Care, we have taken strides to improve our services in response to the pandemic so that we are able to continue providing the highest quality caregiving services possible. Our nurses are trained to provide personalized post-operative care, dementia and Alzheimer’s care, and hospice support. Along with our service, we also ensure our caregivers are prepared to follow local and federal guidelines regarding COVID-19.

    Here is what we’ve learned about the potential effects of the pandemic on your elderly loved ones:

    Lack of Physical Activity

    Among the biggest effects the pandemic has is the overall reduction and limitation of physical activity. Most of us, including our elders, end up becoming more sedentary while in quarantine, which can lead to some very detrimental health effects.

    Some of these include:

    • Reduced strength and muscle mass
    • Joint flexibility
    • Bone strength
    • Higher blood pressure
    • Higher risk of stroke and harmful diseases

    While it can be difficult to stay active during these times, it’s best to support your loved ones by ensuring they do what they can. Take them out for a walk through the neighborhood, or help them perform indoor exercises at home with whatever equipment you have, along with some instructional videos you can find online.

    Increased Isolation

    Another effect that can deeply impact your elderly loved ones is the absence of family and friends due to social distancing. For many, this can lead to feelings of isolation, further leading to depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

    According to the CDC, such conditions can result in raising a number of health risks for elders, including an increased risk of dementia, heart disease, and stroke.

    To diminish these risks, we recommend making as much contact as possible with your loved ones, whether it be by phone call, or through online video calls such as with programs like Skype or Zoom. Also, depending on your family’s social distancing practices, try meeting outside or for short increments of time.

    Additionally, you can also hire a caregiver from Coastal Home Care, who is trained and equipped to maintain current health and safety standards while assisting with and caring for the needs of elderly patients.

    Insufficient Medical Care

    The availability of healthcare providers has also been affected by the pandemic, with many hospitals and practices maintaining strict holds on non-emergency visits and appointments.

    This is done in an effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19, as many potential carriers could be mixed in with other patients seeking care for other conditions.

    Although it is good that your loved one avoids any chance of getting sick, they may need medical care at some point during quarantine, and it could put them at risk if they don’t receive it when they need it.

    We recommend having family regularly check on their condition, while also utilizing telemedicine services as a temporary alternative to a direct doctor’s visit.

    Ultimately, if an emergency arises, you can and should seek medical emergency services. Hospitals and practices all take the proper precautions to prevent exposure.

    Coastal Home Care: Qualified Post Operative Care in Wicomico County, MD

    The ongoing pandemic has deeply impacted everyone, and while many of us are able to manage the effects, it’s important to take care of those who are more vulnerable, especially our beloved elders. One way to do this is by hiring a caregiver from Coastal Home Care.

    Our registered nurses are trained in providing high-quality post-operative care, medication management, and many more personalized caregiving services. We provide regular companionship, as well as thorough health monitoring and welfare management.

    Contact us at (866) 687-7307 to schedule an appointment with a professional caregiver.

  • SKILLED DIVISION APPOINTS NEW MD

    SKILLED DIVISION APPOINTS NEW MD

    All About Care and Paradise Home Care, (part of the Care Advantage, Inc. family of brands), and represent the skilled division of the company, offering Medicare-certified home health services, programs and resources, has announced the appointment of a new Medical Director, Dr. Gohar Abbasi.

    Dr. Gohar Abbasi began his medical journey in Pakistan, earning his M.B.B.S. at Rawalpindi Medical College. He completed his residency at the esteemed Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For nearly 25 years, Dr. Abbasi has amassed a depth of knowledge in caring for patients in-home, hospitals, rehab facilities and nursing homes.

    Dr. Abbasi has been stationed all over the state of Virginia, working in large hospitals, rehab centers, a regional jail, hospice care, and more. Dr. Abbasi is board certified in three different medical practices, including Rehab medicine. Dr. Abbasi works closely with home-based facilities to extend a helpful reach to those with diverse needs and circumstances. Today, Dr. Abbasi is the Medical Director at Colonial Heights Rehab Center, working each day to improve the level of care that our industry provides.

    “Dr. Abbasi has dedicated his career to ensuring care is given on the highest level. He delivers care that is patient centric, and we admire his practice philosophy that no patient feels forgotten.” Says Pamela Hopewell, Chief Operating Officer of Care Advantage, Inc., All About Care and Paradise Home Care. “His values align so well with ours of Compassion, Attitude, Respect and Excellence that we felt he was the ideal Medical Director to advise and lead our clinicians to deliver the absolute best care in reducing hospitalizations and promoting positive patient outcomes.”

    Dr. Abbasi will play a key role on the skilled home health team which is made up of therapists and nurses who will benefit from his clinical insight and expertise. He will also advise on current patient focused programs offered by All About Care and Paradise Home Care as well as being involved in the development of new clinical pathways.

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    ALL ABOUT CARE & PARADISE HOME CARE

    Located in Richmond VA, All About Care & Paradise Home Care are Medicare certified skilled home health companies, committed to providing exceptional skilled care services to patients in their home. Our skilled home health professionals manage and evaluate the patient’s plan of care, while partnering with their physician to ensure continuity of treatment and best possible outcomes. We offer a wide range of services, programs and resources including Skilled Nursing, Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies.

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