A recent article in the Nashville Business Journal tells the story of one Nashville medical staffing provider and his journey to starting his own homecare and healthcare staffing business. BrightStar owner Ron Benkert left his job as a home developer to provide care, from childcare to elder care, to individuals, families and organizations in the Nashville area.
Having observed the bonds many people have with their homes during his 29 year-long career inspired him to get into the business of helping to keep them there: "I felt drawn to people who wanted to be able to stay in their home and still be able to enjoy their home," he said. Read the rest of Ron's story here.
By Susan Baida, Co-founder of
http://www.ecarediary.com/
End of Life planning is very personal, emotional and controversial. When my uncle suffered from a pulmonary embolism that left him in an irreversible coma, my mother was determined to keep him alive in hospice care. He was breathing on his own, but was diagnosed as brain dead. The damage caused by the lack of oxygen flow to his brain was too great. She couldn't bring herself to stop the intravenous feedings which would result in him dying within a few days. So he was kept alive with daily feedings, baths and massages. He lasted this way for 20 months until his death in May 2008.
My uncle did not have advanced directives which are documents such as a living will and healthcare proxy that provide clear direction of a person's wishes should they become incapacitated. He was only 56 years old and didn't think about this type of preparation because he was relatively healthy beforehand.
I think most people are like my uncle and don't think about getting these documents until they are in early stages of a long term disease. My father-in-law is a perfect example.
When my father-in-law was first diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 77, it appears he began immediate preparations with his lawyer. After having the documents drafted and signed, he told my husband, John, about them and where they could be found. While John did not want to think about end of life care for his father, he was both surprised and impressed by his father's level of preparation and detail. His healthcare proxy identified John as having power of attorney should he become incapacitated. His living will stated explicitly that he did not wish to be kept alive if the medical diagnosis indicated no hope for his full recovery.
On July 24, 2007, my father-in-law, at age 83, suffered from a stroke that left him in a comatosed state. He was able to breath on his own but needed a feeding tube to get nutrition. The doctors conducted various exams. We learned that he not only suffered from a stroke but that he had advanced cancer which had not previously been diagnosed. The doctors gave the family the diagnosis that his conditions were irreversible and that he would pass away within 6-8 weeks if maintained on life preserving devices.
John and the family had little choice but to honor my father-in-law's wishes as outlined in his advanced directives. One day later, he was taken to a hospice where he was kept "comfortable" with pain medication and warm blankets. Three days later, he passed away peacefully and with dignity surrounded by his family.
Both my uncle's and my father-in-law's deaths were incredibly tragic and painful to witness. However, I think the decision-making process was made easier on John's family because my father-in-law documented his wishes which relieved them from the burden of these difficult end-of-life decisions.
The lesson learned here is to prepare for end-of-life care with advanced directives. I don't think it is ever too early because, with the unpredictability of life, we can become incapacitated at any age. In fact, my husband and I, despite being in our 40s, have completed advanced directives in case something should happen to us and we become incapacitated and unable to execute our wishes.
Visit eCareDiary's Legal Documents page to learn more about advanced directives.
If you go to any of our locations and ask them to share client stories, they will undoubtedly have many, different tales to tell. But there may be a few similarities across the board. One thing that never changes is that those who come to us for home care, whether it's basic respite care and sitter services or highly skilled nursing care and physical therapy, didn't plan for it. People don't typically think about these types of considerations for the future and, even if they do, often times, it's not in much detail.
But one thing that is certain is that, no matter who you are, as soon as you're born, you are aging. And once we or our loved ones get to an age when additional assistance may be needed, it's good to have at least thought through a few things. That's why we've come up with five ways families can start thinking about the future (without having an anxiety attack) by engaging in some self-reflection that can help your decision-making later in life. Go through these considerations yourself and then pass them along to a loved one:
- When you need help, do you prefer to solve problems yourself or do you like working in a team? Do you know know your limits and when to ask for help? Do you enjoy making new friends? Are you a social butterfly, or more of an introvert? Be sure to consider these things, as they may help your family to determine a living arrangement everyone can feel good about down the road.
- First, think about what you value most in the people you work with: work ethic? A team player? Do you like to be left alone? Now, think about what you value most in the people you spend recreational time with: humor? A good cook? Someone who calls often, or not at all? Are they spiritual? One day when you or a loved one needs a caregiver, compatibility will be imperative, so it's important to identify characteristics you like and others not so much.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses? Think both physically and mentally. For example, are you a worrier? Try to establish a fitness routine to manage your stress that you can adapt as you age. Another example: if you're 35 and your eyesight is already poor, consider your needs down the road if it progressively worsens. Or maybe you've got an existing medical condition that you manage - talk to your doctor about ways to manage it as you age.
- Where do your close family and friends reside? Are they far away or right next door, and do you see that changing in the future? How important is it to you that you are within driving distance to those who mean the most? Do you have a career that requires that you or your partner/spouse to remain in a certain geographic area? Be realistic with yourself about what is most important to you.
- And finally, what do you enjoy doing? What gives your life meaning and purpose? Exercise? Cooking? Going to the movies? Gardening? Sports? Fishing? Whatever it is, hold on to these things, and make sure that, no matter where you are in life or whatever your abilities are, you are able to keep them up as long as you can. Even if you need assistance someday, be sure to find a provider that will help you to see this through.
Being prepared doesn't need to be a daunting task, but rather a journey of truly understanding yourself and your loved ones so as to make the best, most educated decisions possible.
And for those who are already facing the challenge of finding homecare for a loved one, we've got you covered. We've developed a free Homecare Prep Kit to provide additional guidance and empower families with helpful, tactical tips. Click here for the free kit!
In case you missed them, or maybe you're not even on Twitter yet, we wanted to re-cap all of @brightstarcare's Tweets for the month of April. We strive to share helpful articles, tools and Websites and hope the following will be of value to you. Enjoy!
Happy Friday! #FF @InsideElderCare @eCareDiaryJohn @shellyasun @nytimeshealth 11:00 AM Apr 30th
Caregivers, have you used an iPad yet? If so, what do you think? Could it be the clipboard of the future? Weigh in now! 9:53 AM Apr 30th
Care and Teamwork http://ow.ly/1Ff9y 9:16 AM Apr 30th
Elder Abuse and Health Reform: http://ow.ly/1DdVP 2:45 PM Apr 26th
Smile: This will surely make your tail wag! http://ow.ly/1DdTO 2:10 PM Apr 26th
http://ow.ly/1DdJy @InsideElderCare provides great tips on selecting a caregiver. Caregiver compatibility is imperative: http://ow.ly/1DdO0 12:35 PM Apr 26th
Warning: Stroke http://ow.ly/1DdIc 11:05 AM Apr 26th
One Memphis Homecare Team's Story http://ow.ly/1DdGE 9:53 AM Apr 26th
Memphis Homecare Providers Take Team Approach http://ow.ly/1BhC7 8:50 AM Apr 21st
If you can't prevent a stroke, can you at least identify one? http://ow.ly/1ANsz 9:00 AM Apr 20th
@pamelamarie8 not to our knowledge! But feel free to check them out at brightstarcare.com/find-a-location/az 8:59 AM Apr 20th
Do you know the signs of a stroke? http://ow.ly/1yxFq 2:15 PM Apr 14th
Thanks for the RT @DinaDwyerOwens! Isn't Henry adorable? Pets can be wonderful. http://ow.ly/1y4FV 1:10 PM Apr 14th
Interesting, we live in a culture that resists aging. What do you think? RT @GuyKawasaki Can a restricted diet slow aging? http://u.nu/97ib8 12:00 PM Apr 14th
Have you experienced the healing power of pet therapy? Share your story: http://ow.ly/1y4FV 2:59 PM Apr 13th
RT @GuyKawasaki Why eating your veggies may not be enough http://ow.ly/1y2D5 1:05 PM Apr 13th
Thanks for the RT @allseniorhomes! 12:55 PM Apr 13th
@eCareDiaryJohn Weighs In: What Health Reform Has In Store for Caregivers http://ow.ly/1xqvT 12:15 PM Apr 12th
It's tough being a parent: http://ow.ly/1xrJv How can parents work through and rise above all the noise? 9:09 AM Apr 12th
Pets and Healthcare: Read the touching story of Maple Grove's Henry http://ow.ly/1xpws 8:03 AM Apr 12th
How Healthcare Reform Impacts Caregivers http://ow.ly/1vfKK 9:30 AM Apr 8th
Maple Grove Homecare Provider Adds Therapy Dog to the Team http://ow.ly/1vfz8 11:40 AM Apr 6th
"Home Sweet Home" and keeping it that way http://ow.ly/1u51Y 7:00 AM Apr 6th
Sandwich Generation: Far From Appetizing http://ow.ly/1u4ZO 10:00 AM Apr 5th
Don't wait for a terminal diagnosis! It's never too early to find your passions and follow them http://ow.ly/1u4XP 7:00 AM Apr 5th
Always be prepared with these easy steps: http://ow.ly/1u4Vt 1:00 PM Apr 2nd
March was a great month! Check out the month in Tweets and see for yourself: http://ow.ly/1u4Rl 12:00 PM Apr 2nd
#FF @BoomerHealth @AgingTechnology @InsideElderCare @shellyasun @HealthSociety 10:00 AM Apr 2nd
Thx! RT @BoomerHealth Nature's Rx: Phytonutrients in broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower & cabbage fight carcinogens. #cancer 9:00 AM Apr 2nd
What are other believed causes of autism? Is it helpful that the issue is gaining so much attention? http://ow.ly/1u1OB Weigh in! 7:00 AM Apr 2nd
Thanks for the RT @Navywife67! 6:10 AM Apr 2nd
What will emerging technology like this mean for caregiving? Thoughts? RT @AgingTechnology Check out LifeLedger -- http://ow.ly/1tLLT 12:30 PM Apr 1st
Thanks for the RT @DinaDwyerOwens! Many can truly benefit from staying home. 11:37 AM Apr 1st