Category: Brand Specific

  • Why Professional Post-Operative Care is Important for Elders

    While it is often hoped for that an elderly loved one that has undergone surgery will receive an improved quality of life, the initial recovery period after the surgery leaves them vulnerable in a variety of ways. Though you could have been taking great care of your elder prior to the surgery, they will most likely require a registered nurse that has performed extensive post-operative care

    For residents of Wicomico County, MD, Coastal Home Care has offered the services of highly-trained and certified nursing assistants and caregivers, for tasks such as medication management, hospice support, and dementia caregiving. In our nearly 10 years working in home caregiving, we have proven ourselves to be among the best services in the area.

     

    Here are some reasons why getting your loved on a nurse for post-operative care is important:    

    Assurance in Recovery

    One of the key factors in ensuring elderly individuals properly recover from their surgeries is to make sure their bodies stave off illness and infection. As knowledgeable as you may be in caring for your loved one, assuring that they recover from a recent operation is a very different experience, requiring extensive knowledge in potential illnesses and infection and the ability to promptly identify and treatment as soon as symptoms appear.

     

    Differences with Age

    A nurse’s knowledge and skills is integral to an elder’s post-operative recovery due to the sheer differences their body has compared to those that are younger. As we age, the body’s natural regenerative ability slows down, making recovery from serious surgeries a lengthier process than when we were young. On average, elderly patients have a higher risk of mortality during their recovery. This means it is vital that a professional is standing by at all times to check on your loved one’s condition in all stages of their recovery.

     

    Consistent Monitoring

    Most individuals already have busy schedules on top of caring for their loved ones, thus caring for them after their surgery is much more difficult. In order to properly monitor your elderly loved one’s recovery, hiring a nurse will not only ensure they are always looked after, it will also promote a faster recovery by having critical symptoms treated as soon as they arise.

     

    Coastal Home Care: Comforting Post-Operative Care in Wicomico County, MD

    Hiring a nurse to perform post-operative care for your aging family member will increase the likelihood of a fast and smooth recovery. It will also certainly maintain your loved one’s comfort throughout their rehabilitation, with their nurse providing nutritious meals, prompt medication management, and watchful assistance as they travel around your home.

     At Coastal Home Care, we thoroughly train our nurses through an intensive, hands-on process to certify their abilities in identifying, treating, and comforting their patients with nearly any condition or ailment. We have provided satisfied post-operative care to patients throughout Wicomico County, Maryland, who have found the personalized treatment our nurses provided both comforting and essential to their full recovery. 

    If you have a loved one that is planned to undergo a serious operation, contact us at (866) 687-7307 for any questions and future assistance.

  • Signs Your Loved One Needs Hospice Support

    Aging can be a difficult process to accept, it is important to recognize the signs of declining health and the need for a different type of care. Understanding potential signs that the end may be near will help reduce anxiety and allows you to honor your aging parents’ wishes. If you’re searching for hospice support services, come to the certified professionals at Coastal Home Care in Wicomico County, Maryland.

    At Coastal Home Care, we assist you to ensure that your elderly loved ones are consistently provided with the best care possible. Our certified nursing assistants are trained and experienced in providing hospice support services. We strive to meet each client’s personal needs and wishes. Below we have listed a few signs of when it’s time for hospice care:

     

    Dimensioning Health 

    If your aging parents has a terminal illness and they want to have comfort and time with loved ones before they go, hospice care may be the answer. Hospice care focuses on pain relief and symptom management rather than curing the illness. Hospice care can begin when a doctor decides the patient’s life expectancy is six months or less if the illness follows its usual path.

     

    Difficult To Manage Symptoms 

    As we age, pain often begins to increase in the last two years of life, becoming most intense in the last four months. This can lead to other issues, including shortness of breath, restlessness, and anxiety. If you notice an increase in pain or other difficult symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, trouble swallowing, or pressure ulcers that don’t improve with treatment, hospice care can help.

     

    Frequent Visits To Doctors & Hospitals

    If your loved ones are making frequent trips to the doctor’s office or hospital, it’s a sign that their health is declining. Having hospice care will assist them, and hopefully, prevent some of these visits.

     

    Need More Help

    Are your aging parents not able to do personal care activities as they once had, such as bathing, getting dressed, or eating? Or are they not able to move about independently, using a wheelchair or walker? Perhaps they are not able to communicate as well as they used to. If they’re not feeling well most of the time or they stopped doing things they used to do, these are signs that they may benefit from hospice services.

     

    Confusion Or Restlessness

    Older adults at the end of life may feel confused or agitated, even combative at times. They may not know where they are or what’s happening around them. If they are becoming restless, they may begin having hallucinations or delusions. Or if they begin sleeping too much it’s a sign that their body’s process is slowing down.

     

    Loss Of Appetite

    If you notice your loved ones have a reduced appetite and unexplained weight loss, it can be a sign the body is slowing down or isn’t digesting food properly. Or perhaps they aren’t eating much, or they don’t feel hungry but still try to force themselves to eat.

     

    How Hospice Care Helps

    A person under hospice care will receive services ranging from clinical to emotional, social, and spiritual care. The Coastal Home Care team of professionals aim to help create a comfortable environment for your loved one. We work together with your family members and friends to tend to the level of comfort your loved one desires. Our caregivers will help your family member to fulfill their end-of-life wishes and goals.

     

    Coastal Home Care: Dependable Hospice Support Services in Wicomico County, MD

    Deciding whether hospice support services is the right decision for your loved one isn’t easy. At Coastal Home Care in Wicomico County, MD, our team of hospice care professionals acknowledges and take into consideration family, friends, and caregivers’ thoughts regarding your loved one. Coastal Home Care recognizes that providing hospice care and making a comfortable environment for your loved one and is of the utmost importance.

     

    Contact us at (866) 687-7307 to schedule a hospice consultation today.

  • Differences Between an At-Home Dementia Nurse & A Facility Nurse

    Recent reports have indicated that over 15 million families in the U.S. have cared for a loved one with dementia. It is a widespread condition, with symptoms that are both emotionally and physically challenging, especially when caring for those with a more severe stage of dementia. In order to provide the best possible care, a variety of services and facilities have become available, such as assisted living facilities, nursing homes, at-home dementia nurses.

     

    For many residents in Wicomico County, MD, Coastal Home Care has been the trusted home care service for families in need of nurses and caregivers highly-experienced with patients that have dementia. We also excel at a number of caregiving services, including Hospice Support, Medication Management, and Elder Care. Our certified nursing staff is trained extensively to perform a “Plan of Care” evaluation to tailor their service to suit every patients’ needs.

     

    Here are some key differences between the experience dementia patients have between getting care from facility nurses and an at-home nurses:


    Bright, Familiar Spaces

    One key difference between receiving care from an at-home nurse and another at a nursing facility is the environment in which your loved one will be cared for. While not all nursing facilities are like this, many have been found to be drab, dark, and rather confusing to navigate. For those living with dementia, these kinds of setting will likely cause frustration, confusion, and other negative emotions. On the other hand, at-home caregiving is more likely to provide these patients a more comfortable and familiar space to live in, which has shown to result in fewer doctor’s visits and health complications.

     

    Consistency in Caregiving

    Another significant distinction between facility and at-home caregiving for dementia patient is the difference in patient care systems. For nursing facilities, one nurse will mostly likely care for multiple patients at once, leaving gaps when each will be left unattended and at risk of getting lost or hurt. That doesn’t mean the nurses themselves are negligent, but simply overwhelmed by the number of patients they have to care for. However, at-home nurses are hired to provide personalized care for individual patients at certain scheduled times, ensuring that you loved one has all of their needs attended to.

     

    Overall Quality of Life

    Finally, at-home and facility nursing provides differing experiences for dementia patients in terms of their quality of life. Nursing facilities do provide several activities and amenities that patients would enjoy doing, such as playing their favorite music from their earlier years and taking them on walks through the facility’s grounds. 

     

    At-home caregivers can provide these as well, but with the added benefit of allowing more independence and variety. At-home patients are able to perform their daily routines without fear of injury or causing damage, as their caregiver accompanies them throughout their tasks. Also, as mentioned before, at-home care services also result in fewer health issues, thus indicating that it has a positive effect on patients’ quality of life.

     

    Coastal Home Care: Reliable Dementia Nurses in Wicomico County, MD 

    There are a number of differences between facility and at-home nursing for patients with dementia. How much these matter depends on the particular situation surrounding your schedule, budget, and especially your loved one that is experiencing dementia.

    At Coastal Home Care, we offer services for affordable dementia nurses, elder care nurses, and companion caregivers, all in order to make ourselves available to you and all customers throughout Wicomico County, Maryland. Our desire to ensure that patients with dementia, and their families, obtain the support they need to continue living happy, comfortable lives.

    To learn more about our services, contact us at (866)-687-7307, as well as for a free estimate on our caregiving services

  • How Senior Care Has Changed Over the Years

    Senior care has evolved over the years, in the past, there weren’t many options for seniors except to live at home. Nowadays, seniors have many options when it comes to their care, they can choose to live in nursing homes or communities, or have home care. Here at Coastal Home Care, our certified nursing assistants are trained and experienced in providing personalized senior home care in Wicomico County, Maryland, to individuals. We understand the value home care offers to our clients and the security it brings to their families. 

    At Coastal Home Care, we treat each client with the utmost respect and protect their privacy and dignity. All care plans start with a personal assessment performed by a Coastal Home Care Registered Nurse. Below is the history of senior care:

     

    The Beginning 

    In the first century of our country’s history, there were no such things as home care services, nursing homes or assisted living. Life expectancy was around 37 years old and society was mostly rural. Historically, care for the elderly was managed primarily by families. In the United States, the industrial revolution created circumstances that caused a shift in the traditional care model. 

    The increasingly urban society caused many families to have all members of the family, including children working six days a week for 12 hours a day. This left families unable to care for seniors, which made them turn to facilities for the mentally ill or almshouses for care. Almshouses were grim, packed, poorly maintained, and plagued with disease and crime.  

     

    Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

    Established in 1935, the Social Security program sought to eliminate almshouses and give seniors the financial means to live independently. The program succeeded in its goal, and by the 1950s, almshouses were all but extinct. In 1965, the passage of Medicare and Medicaid offered readily available healthcare to seniors. Throughout the 70s and 80s, regulations passed to create care standards for nursing homes. 

    As life expectancy increased, due to modern medicine, the number of senior care facilities grew as well. In the late 1980s, nursing communities started to become more specialized, offering new services such as physical therapy, rehabilitation programs, occupational therapy, speech and hearing therapy. These were designed to improve all aspects of seniors community lifestyle. 

     

    Current Senior Care 

    Senior living communities are becoming more dynamic to better cater to the needs of each individual. Senior communities must provide more than healthcare to convince seniors to make the move. Amenities like on-site entertainment, dining options, social enrichment, and physical fitness are becoming more common. Individuals now have greater control of their care and the ability to dictate their own lifestyle. 

    Many seniors today are turning away from traditional nursing homes and instead look for home care and community living arrangements that also provide in-house care. One of the advantages seniors have today is access to technologies that allow them to stay in their homes longer. Technologies, such as virtual assistants allow them to contact people, provide entertainment, and hook up their entire home including lighting and thermostats. 

     

    Dependable Senior Home Care in Wicomico County, Maryland 

    Senior home care has come a long way since the almshouses of the late 1800s. A great senior living community can make all the difference between simply living and living well. It is important to be aware of every possibility surrounding that choice, including the realities of home care service. Coastal Home Care offers dependable senior home care to Wicomico County, Maryland, and surrounding areas. We are proud to offer trained nurses who are dedicated to giving care and support to our clients.

    For additional information about our services, please contact us at (866) 687-7307.

  • Hospice Care Today: What Does It Entail?

    Caring for a loved one diagnosed with a terminal illness is an arduous experience for them as well as their family and friends. While there is no limit to the amount of support and affection provided by you and others close to your loved one, it can be difficult to focus on providing them with sufficient care, whether it be clinical, emotional, or spiritual. When your loved one has decided to spend their last days surrounded by love and care from you and significant others, hiring a professional hospice support service can help ensure the best quality of life.

     

    At Coastal Home Care, we have a team of experts in hospice support services who provide the highest quality of comfort and caregiver support through clinical assistance, such as pain management, and spiritual and emotional relief. We have provided hospice care to many throughout Wicomico County and to many more across Maryland and Delaware. We know what it’s like to see a loved one pass and devote ourselves to helping them and their families in their time of need. Here are what hospice care entails: 

    When Should Your Loved One Receive Hospice Care?

    Since every patient’s condition is different, so are the circumstances in which hospice care should be provided. Hospice care is usually considered once a doctor has indicated a particular patient has six months or less to live. It also depends on whether the patient and their doctor have agreed on ensuring the patient’s comfort instead of actively pursuing any remedial treatment.

     

    Simply put, when a patient learns their terminal illness is incurable, the focus of their care shifts from treatment to sustaining a comfortable quality of life, which is the primary aim of hospice support services. 

    What is Hospice Care and What does It Entail?

    Planning

    We communicate with our patients and their loved ones and discuss the various concerns they may have toward the end of their lives, as well as concerns regarding commitment to hospice support services. This mainly involves reviewing the various treatments they’ll need to support their quality of life, such as medication for pain and other symptoms. Financial arrangements such as burial and insurance concerns are also among the factors we help our patients smooth over in the planning process. We also encourage that they maintain some control over their personal lives by sharing and clearly stating their preferences to friends and relatives, in case they are no longer are able to immediately make decisions for themselves at a later time. 

     

    End-of-Life Counseling

    This aspect of hospice support involves assisting the patient and their loved ones through the process of grief and acceptance of their passing. It occurs throughout the hospice process. Through both emotional support from our trained staff and additional counselors, to spiritual guidance from chaplains, we aspire to ensure that both the patient, their family, and their friends, are all prepared for what’s ahead. 

     

    Daily Living Assistance

    Hospice support also entails aiding our patients in their everyday routines as much as we can, to allow for some semblance of regularity and normalcy in their lives. This helps by providing them with the materials and assistance that give them comfort and ease of mind, whatever they may be. Our professional caregivers do this through performing household chores, such as washing clothes and cooking their patients’ meals, providing companionship and emotional support. Everything we do is to provide our patients with the best treatment possible from the comfort of their home.

     

    Excellent Hospice Support Services in Wicomico County, Maryland 

    In the end, what’s important to understand about hospice care is that whatever form it takes depends on the patient. At Coastal Home Care, we recognize every individuals’ needs and preferences as the core of our diligent hospice support services. From Wicomico County, Maryland, to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, our professional nurses and highly-experienced caregivers have provided an array of home care services, such as elder care, companion caregiver, post-operative care, and medication management. We are among the most qualified home care services in the region and have had numerous clients provide us with satisfactory feedback for our work.  

    To discuss the possibility of hospice caregiver support for your loved on, contact us at 866-687-7307.

  • The Pros and Cons of Home Care

    As your loved ones grow older, you’ll have to begin thinking about the possible ways in which they can receive the care they need and deserve. Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, as well as reliable home care services, each provide a different range treatments, plans, and benefits. 

    At Coastal Home Care, we ensure our patients’ comfort, health, and well-being are prioritized, as we provide highly personalized elder care services. For nearly a decade, we have been leaders in the home care industry, ensuring quality service through our rigorous training and assessment of our professional nursing staff. We are driven in providing the best possible home care to your loved ones. Below, we compare the benefits and the disadvantages that home care may bring, so you can decide whether it is right for you and your family:

     

    Independence

    Pros: Amongst all other elder care services, home caregiving is likely the one that allows for the greatest amount of independence among seniors than any other. While assisted living facilities provide caregiving to a certain degree, home care is unparalleled, in the sense that your loved one will be able to live within the comfort of their own home. Along with a home caregiver, they’ll be able to perform their daily routines with hardly any difference to them than in the past.

    Cons: While some may benefit from the independence that home care provides, others could begin to feel isolated from their loved ones and other people in general, becoming depressed and inactive. In this case, a situation has arisen in which they are better suited for an assisted living facility.

     

    Quality of Care

    Pros: Elderly patients that benefit from home caregiving receive more focused and individualized treatment than they would in other facilities, wherein a single nurse must care for ten or more patients at a time. While your loved one’s nurse will be fully aware of and consistent with their patient’s condition, a nurse at a hospital or nursing home will more likely overlook important details that could lead to catastrophe for an elder.

    Cons: Of course, while it is more likely that the quality of care your loved one will receive under a home caregiver will be better, it comes at a particular risk. While state and federal laws regulate the quality of care provided in a licensed nursing facility, home care services are generally unregulated. Thus, it is up to you to research and look around for the right company for you and your loved one.

     

    Finances

    Pros: The costs of a home caregiver are much less than for a space in a nursing home or assisted living facility. The payment structure is also very flexible, allowing you to control the caregiver’s schedule according to your own, as well as your budget.

    Cons: However, the costs may increasingly add up over time. The costs for the caregiver, maintaining the house, missing work to help with more significant issues, and for further services and care over time, all eventually add up to make home care costlier than before.

     

    Trustworthy Home Care Services in Maryland & Delaware

    How and where your aging loved ones receive their caregiving depends on the specific needs based on their physical condition. Home caregiving is one among several options to choose from, with its own distinct benefits and hindrances. At Coastal Home Care, our personalized home care services outmatch those provided by other alternatives. We have an incredibly well-trained staff who undergo a stringent assessment of their skills and behavior and are given hands-on experience with patients living with a variety of conditions. For almost a decade, we have made it our passion to care for the well-being of our clients. Contact us today to schedule a home caregiver or for more information on our services.

  • 3 Ways an In-Home Caregiver Can Assist Your Loved One

    As our loved ones grow into their autumn years, concern grows over how they will be able to function alone, and whether we can sustain a balance between caring for them and ourselves.  Though trying to make this commitment is admirable, it is also extremely difficult and can’t be maintained for long. That is why Coastal Home Care is among those that seek to help our patients and their families through our personalized in-home caregiver services. Like every family, each patient is different, with a variety of needs and preferences that make up their daily routine. Our patented Plan of Care assessments, completed by our highly-trained nurses, ensures that all areas of care are met precisely for each individual. Here are some of the ways in which our at-home caregivers can help make your loved one’s daily life easier: 

    Safe & Assured Independence

    As your loved one gets older, their mobility tends to become limited and difficult, and their body becomes gradually more prone to pain and injury. These developments make them increasingly vulnerable as time goes on, especially if they are left alone. However, the likelihood of any incident decreases when a caregiver is present. This provides your loved ones with the independence they’ve always had, but with a greater degree of safety and security of their physical well-being. 

    Personalized Care

    Many heartbreaking incidents have been reported in which caregivers at an assisted living facility could not or did not provide the help that was required for an elderly patient. This is often because the great number of patients they have to care for simultaneously causes them to overlook the needs of individual patients. In contrast, at-home caregivers are able to learn about every aspect of your loved one’s healthcare needs and proactively attend to them, guaranteeing your loved one remains healthy and comfortable in their hands. 

    Consistent Service

    Along with learning about their patient’s individual needs and preferences, an at-home caregiver also helps provide a sense of stability and familiarity compared to other elder care services and facilities. Your loved one will not only have a nurse to take care of them, but also a companion to talk and spend time with, ensuring their comfort remains throughout their days. 

    Dependable In-Home Caregiver Services in Wicomico County, Maryland

    There are many caregiving alternatives you can find for your elderly loved one, however none can match the singular attentiveness and assurance of comfort that in-home caregiver services guarantee. At Coastal Home Care, our primary focus is to provide our elders with trained, experienced nurses that desire to help maintain their independent lifestyles, while also ensuring they remain healthy and safe within their routines. Contact us at 866-687-7307 to find an excellent caregiver and companion for your loved one today.