September 5, 2024 • 26 mins
Can you recognize the early signs when a loved one might need in-home care? Join us on this episode of the Comfort Keepers Daily Podcast where we explore the key indicators such as missed appointments, forgotten medications, and noticeable weight loss. We provide you with practical strategies for initiating these crucial conversations early, ensuring that they are supportive and non-intrusive. Discover the potential risks of delaying these talks, which could lead to increased health decline and a need for more intensive intervention. We also delve into the emotional hurdles seniors often face when accepting help and offer advice on how families can build trust and maintain open lines of communication during this transition.
Managing the costs of in-home care doesn't have to be daunting. Learn how in-home care options can be both affordable and beneficial for your loved one's well-being compared to assisted living. We go over financial resources and insurance options you might not have considered, including Medicaid, VA benefits, and long-term insurance plans. Our episode also covers the balance between caregiving and preserving independence through interactive caregiving methods. And, stay tuned as we celebrate the exemplary work of Kristi, a dedicated professional whose contributions have made an indelible impact on clients and communities alike. Tune in to gain valuable insights and practical tips for navigating the complexities of in-home care.
Please visit our website for more information: https://www.comfortkeepers.com/offices/florida/davie/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Comfort Keepers Davy podcast,
where we elevate the humanspirit.
Here's your host, ChristyGroulet.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello, hello everyone , and welcome back to another
episode of the Comfort KeepersDavy podcast.
I'm your co-host, jeremy Wolf,joined by, as always, your host,
christy Groulet.
Christy, nice to see you, hello.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
It's great to see you too.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Great to be back in the hot seat.
We're going to get into somegood topics today.
We're actually going to gothrough.
This is some stuff we actuallycovered in the past and in other
episodes.
However, there are suchimportant topics that I want to.
I thought you should go throughand readdress them again, and
it's really I'm going to kind ofhit you a rapid fire with a
bunch of cool questions aboutthis, like when to start asking
(00:48):
for help, recognizing the needfor assistance.
Let's start there.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
What are some of the early signs that indicate that a
loved one may need in-home care?
Missing appointments, missingtheir medication, looking as if
that they are losing weight thatcould be an indicator that
they're not preparing theirmeals properly, or even grocery
shopping.
Those are some of the easiestand, like, quickest things.
Holidays are upcoming, sothat's really, really the time
where I have my phone ringing.
(01:19):
I would say in excess, becausepeople are seeing family members
that they don't see regularlyand they're like oh man, man,
mom's condition, she just looksdifferent, she doesn't she's not
doing her hair, not doing hermakeup.
There's, there are things thatjust don't feel like mom or dad
and those are very early umindicators warning signs yeah,
just red flags to look for yepum.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So, once you determine there could be a an
issue or a need for help, orjust start looking into this
further, how can family membershave a conversation about
in-home care without makingtheir loved ones feel
uncomfortable or dependent Cause?
I know we again, we talkedabout this before the elderly
generations.
(02:01):
They're typically stubborn.
They're not the ones lookingfor help, they're the ones that
say I don't need help.
I can do this all on my own, sothe parents really need to come
in there, or the loved oneswhoever's primary caregivers for
these folks need to come inthere and have these
conversations.
What's the best way to do that?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I think the best way is to start conversations
earlier.
So let's just use the exampleof I'm visiting.
I don't live in the same stateas my parents or even across
town.
I'm seeing that the house isn'tas tidy as it normally is Some
things that are minor, but I'mnoticing them.
I think a great way to approachthe conversation is to simply
(02:38):
ask would it be helpful ifsomebody were able to come and
just help you?
Do this like once a week?
Or what do you think aboutsomebody coming to help twice a
week to do X, y, z, whatever?
It is not making it feel likeforce, like hey, I'm going to
call somebody a company becauseyou clearly can't do this on
your own.
When it becomes more of an openconversation and you are
(03:01):
solving a problem that they seethat they have, but they don't
want to be the first one toadmit it, that's the easiest way
because then it can evolve fromthere and it may just maintain
and that's all that your lovedone actually needs.
So just a very casualconversation and not making it
seem as though you as a familymember or primary caregiver are
(03:23):
trying to take anything awayfrom them.
But hey, let me, just let mereach out.
I know people.
Let me get somebody in here tohelp you once a week.
Usually they're a lot moreacceptable.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, like you said, the earlier the better, right
you wait until it gets too, youwait too long and it becomes
more difficult to have theseconversations.
The earlier you can startbringing these topics up.
You're kind of like slowlyplanting seeds to prepare for
that moment where you actuallyhave to take action on it.
What are some potential risksassociated with waiting too long
(03:56):
to start having theseconversations?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yes, I was just getting ready to say, yeah, okay
, I feel it.
So when you wait too long itbecomes a very overwhelming
process In my experience withfamily members to have the
conversation you have, a lot oftimes your loved one is very,
very closed off to even thinkingabout it.
(04:20):
That one day a week or even acouple hours a week is not going
to cut the actual level of carethat they need.
So bringing somebody in fulltime, even 20 hours a week, is a
lot to ask somebody to agree toif it's never been talked to,
talked about before.
Yes, and I think the otherthing really when we look about
(04:40):
risks is if we are to that pointtoo.
A lot of times a health hasdeclined so much and then
there's need for even additionalassistance.
On top of a company like my own, you may actually need more in
the home, just depending onwhatever the situation might be.
So little conversationsstarting out so much easier than
(05:05):
the multitude that could allcome all at once.
It can be done.
It's just a lot harder andtaxing on everyone.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Indeed indeed.
So what are some in line withwhat we're talking about, with
having these conversations andit being difficult to navigate
this with these elderlygenerations?
What are some common emotionalbarriers seniors face when
accepting help and how canfamilies support them through
that process?
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So I think some of the barriers is just simply, I
don't know somebody who's goingto come into my home and this is
my space being worrisome of astranger quote unquote coming
into your home, which is a veryunderstandable thing.
There does need to be some typeof a relationship, which is how
we build before we step intothe home to even meet somebody
(05:56):
for the first time.
You also get the individualswho are I can do it myself, I'm
just going to do this like oncea week or instead of you know,
doing it, just trying to thinkof like, let's say, let's say
that this person normally,religiously, goes to a family
gathering every Sunday.
(06:17):
Okay, let's just say that thatis the routine.
It's been the routine for yearsand years and years, and all of
a sudden they're not coming,they're not feeling well,
they're tired, and then thatbecomes now the routine.
So I think that I think thatwhen you come in, a lot of
people are just they try to comeup with excuses, right, like I
(06:37):
can't come every Sunday, but Ican come once a month or
something, um, and that's justwhere you need to continue to
dig.
You need to dig and you need tobe able to be confident to say
that listen, mom, dad, whomeverwe can find somebody that you
trust, that I trust to, to comein and just try it out to see if
it does actually help, and thatusually is really the winning
(07:00):
conversation that happens.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Yeah, and you had talked in the past about kind of
introducing the help.
This is what you do at ComfortKeepers.
You kind of bring in your teamas a friend of the family and
not an outsider that's there tokind of take control of their
life, but really just like hey,this is, you know, talk a little
bit about that that approachthat you take to build trust and
(07:25):
confidence and kind of let theguard down so that they are open
to receiving help.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
A hundred percent.
So we don't just come in almostlike a contractor because they
hear we're here to do a job andbuy.
That is not at all how we work.
So if I am approached by afamily member, then I want to
know everything that I possiblycan about the person that
they're looking for help for.
Then I want to know everythingthat I possibly can about the
person that they're looking forhelp for.
Who is it?
What is their lifestyle?
Who lives with them?
Are they in the same state,same town, whatever it is and
(07:51):
then we want to coordinatewhether they're able to be there
physically.
When we come and introduceourselves to.
We don't come in with aclipboard, a briefcase Again,
things that make you feel, Imean, just sterile or not as
friendly.
I'm coming in with myself and Iwant to meet you in your home.
(08:12):
You're inviting me in, and ifsomebody is able to be there
with that individual, thatconversation is so much more
comfortable to be had.
If not, then we are definitelyup for having the loved one
that's out of state on FaceTimeor on a Teams call or even on
speaker phone.
So they're still a part of theentire process.
We always tend to have familymembers pop up on a phone call
(08:33):
somewhere and we welcome thatbecause we want to be trusted by
everybody and that helps reallyrelieve stress or anxiety that
their loved one may be feelingif they're not there or if
they're still easing into theidea of getting help from
outside of the home.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Well said and obviously you take great
preparation and precaution anddealing with these matters to
optimize the effect for yourclients.
On the other end of thatspectrum, right, you have
somebody that doesn't have yourknowledge and expertise.
They're facing this situationwith their loved one.
They're looking for help.
What are some of the keyfactors that families should
consider when choosing anin-home care provider?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
There's a whole long list for that, jeremy, but one
of the biggest things, I think,is how does the communication
work with, whatever the agencythat you are working with?
So, are you going to benotified if there's a change in
condition of your loved one?
Are you going to be notified ifa caregiver does not go to
(09:35):
their scheduled shift?
Are you going to be notified ofX, y, z?
Communication is key.
Every single time that I'vecalled a family member about any
of the above mentioned, theyare very grateful to know,
because it's not going to betheir loved one calling them to
tell them those updates, andthat's usually something that
they really, really enjoy.
(09:56):
I think it's important to knowwhat is your vetting process.
Are your employees W-2employees or are they
contractors?
And that's a huge thing when itcomes to the really the brand
promise that we bring and thepeople that work for us.
They're vetted, they aretrained, they believe in our
mission for what it is, and I'mnot just contracting someone to
(10:17):
come and fill a shift.
That is not what people are tous.
They're individuals with needsand we are there to meet them at
.
Their needs are to us.
They're individuals with needsand we are there to meet them at
their needs.
So I think it's very importantto understand what is your
recruitment process for yourcaregivers.
Background screening, all ofthose things are so important to
again bring peace of mind tothe whole family unit as an
(10:38):
individual or as a family, andthen also to the individual that
would be receiving care.
You don't want somebody that'scoming into your home who hasn't
had the level two backgroundscreening, that hasn't had all
the proper training, not justsome Joe Schmo off the street.
That's hey, I need a job Like.
That's not how it works.
We go through a very lengthyprocess to ensure that we have
(10:59):
the right individual.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yeah, so I'd imagine that and you tell me right, I'm
just kind of going through it,the process of you kind of go
into this evaluation and then,based upon the individual that
needs help, now that you're thengoing back and matching them
specifically with a caregiver ofcomfort keepers.
That aligns in terms ofpersonality compatibility.
Obviously that's of buildingthis relationship right.
(11:26):
So, and you're doing all that.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
And it's what we do and it's not what everybody does
, but we're very proud of thatBecause sometimes there's a very
unique need, whether there's alanguage barrier, even an age,
demographic that someone wouldfeel more comfortable having
right.
We will do our absolute best tofind that person and if it
(11:47):
doesn't work the first time,that's okay.
That's not a loss.
People, personalities, don'talways get along.
That's where communicationcomes back to us and we go right
back into okay, who do we havein mind?
We love to do those firstface-to-face with our caregivers
in person, not just sendingsomeone to your home because
we've called to tell you that,okay, we've got somebody,
(12:09):
they're coming out today ortomorrow.
We actually have one of ouradmin go and meet with the
caregiver and the client fortheir very first shift so that
they have a familiar face ofcomfort keepers meeting someone
new, just like we wereintroduced to their loved one by
a family member.
So we continue to have thispass off of introductions, very
(12:30):
personal again, to keep comfortand confidence high.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
What types of services are you providing at
Comfort People?
So I know you do a lot ofdifferent things, but there's
this distinction and I thinkthere's a misconception with
people between in-home care andhome health care, where you guys
don't actually perform medicaltype services.
Talk a little bit about thevarious types of services that
you offer to your clients.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
So it's easiest to say that Comfort Keepers offers
two main branches of services.
One considered personal careservices, the other one is home
and community services.
The other one is home andcommunity services.
So personal care is going to beyour dressing, grooming,
bathing, bathroom needs,hands-on assistance in the home,
(13:16):
whether that's needed or not,and then your home and community
.
That's going to be your lighthousework, your meal prep,
transportation to doctor'sappointments, your companionship
, and then both of these goals,both of these whole list of
services that we do is to remain, is to help our individuals
stay safe, healthy and happy intheir home.
(13:36):
What we do not do home health.
Home health is provided bynurses.
That's where we're talkingabout wounds care, ivs,
medication management.
So, yes, more of the medicalroute, and that is not what we
do in the home.
We can complement thoseservices because we'll do the
things that they cannot do orthey do not do in the home.
(13:59):
We come in and fill in thosegaps.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
In a time where everything is incredibly
expensive.
Inflation is through the roof.
I mean, it seems like you can'tgo anywhere right now without
spending a fortune of money.
Talk about budget andaffordability of this.
What should families know aboutthe costs associated with
in-home care, and are there anyfinancial resources or insurance
(14:26):
options that can help withthese matters?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Mm-hmm.
So that's a loaded questionbecause it really depends on the
needs.
Truly it does.
It's a very hard economy rightnow 100% but it is cheaper to
keep your loved one in theirhome than it is to have them in
an assisted living.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Not to mention a lot healthier for them to stay as
long as they can.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Yeah, mentally the home that they've been in.
They are surrounded by theirmemories, everything that's
taken place there.
Nine times out of 10, likekeeping somebody there is better
for their overall well-being.
So one of the things that I cantell you about Comfort Keepers
and pricing and such is that Idon't require that is a big
(15:12):
thing.
I do not require you to have myservices eight hours a day,
seven days a week.
I do not require that.
There are agencies that have aminimum and they do require you
to meet that minimum, whetheryou need it or not, and that is
just not our approach to care.
We're there to be there whenyou need us, so that is
something that's very helpful.
It can be built upon.
(15:32):
There's no long term contracts.
One of the other things, too, isthat there are a lot of funding
sources, and it's really abouthelping your loved one ensure
that they are being put intocontact with those local
resources.
So, whether it's state Medicaid, there's a lot of different
Medicaid funding options thatcan help, from a few hours a day
to a lot more, depending onwhat your loved one may qualify
(15:57):
for.
There are services through theVA, whether you are a survivor
of a veteran widow or you are aveteran yourself.
There's also long-terminsurance plans that people have
paid into their entire livesand they don't realize that
there is a clause for in-homecare, and those such as farmers
insurance, Genworth Bankers Life.
(16:18):
They're great policies that, ifyou don't use them, I mean
they're just going to be sittingthere and most people don't
know Exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
That's why it's important to also work with a
trusted insurance agent.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
That has your best interest at heart.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
That can tailor and structure all these plans so
they can tell you what you haveavailable when you're having
these problems.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
It's so much.
And if you don't right, if youdon't have that one individual,
that insurance agent, it's justa matter of calling the numbers
that are on your insurance cards.
And I know nobody loves to beon hold forever.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
As you said that, I got a feeling of dread.
I was like, oh, I don't want to.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
I know and I'm like saying like I would love to be
able to take that burden on fromsomeone, but the truth of the
matter is I cannot call onanyone's behalf because I am not
their POA, I am not them and soI will not get any information.
But if they call and they askdo I have any benefit?
Even Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage plans change, I swear, every January 1st
they change and I'll think Iknow them all and then they
change and I'm not.
(17:20):
I'm just saying you call, youmay have a plan.
You had no idea.
You check the box and that'ssomething that you get.
So it's worth the phone call.
And if they say, yes, we dooffer coverage for in-home care
great, then that's where you getto start calling in-home care
agencies to see who then canhelp.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Yeah, so a bit of a double-edged sword when it comes
to bringing in outside help,because at one level, if you
bring in somebody that is toocontrolling over the environment
, it could take away the feelingof independence from the person
that needs care.
So how do you, at comfortkeepers and in home health care
(18:01):
or home health care services ingeneral, structure to support
and enhance the independence ofyour clients while at the same
time taking that burden off ofthem for all these things,
because there's a fine balancebetween those.
Yes, right, if you go too farin either direction, it could be
, you know, disadvantageous.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Yeah, yes, so counterproductive, maybe.
So comfort keepers, we callthat interactive caregiving.
So think about I'm coming intoyour home, I'm going to help
with laundry.
It's hard for you to put yourlaundry in or take it from your
washer and put it into yourdryer.
(18:42):
It is a fall risk.
You're weak, not balanced.
Those are things that make ithard for you to stay up with
your laundry.
I'm going to go ahead and putyour laundry in, but when I
bring the laundry out to fold it, I'm going to sit with you and
together we're going to foldlaundry.
So when we can do something withthe person that we're helping,
(19:04):
we could be meal prepping.
I'm in the kitchen and I'mpreparing everything on the
counter, whatever, and maybe allI'm going to ask is that they
help set the table.
Very simple we look for a wayto interact every single time so
that we are not just doingwhile they sit or while they do
nothing.
(19:24):
If they cannot participate,that's completely acceptable,
but that what we want to makesure of is that we are involving
them in any way possible tokeep their mind sharp, to keep
routine going and even justgetting up and down, moving
around, just even here and there.
Very little, not crazy amounts,it's good.
(19:45):
It's good for everyone's health, everyone's overall well-being.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Absolutely All right.
What else I got for you,christy, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
These are like everyday phone calls that come.
I mean phone calls every day.
They're very common questions,which is really good, because
there's not a silly questionthat's out there and every
family has a unique story, andso it may not fall into the
context of what we're talkingabout.
I still would encourage peopleto call because I promise
(20:18):
there's always something that Iwill come up against.
That I've not heard yet, butwe've always worked through it,
so I just want people to knowthat we're very empathetic and
we want to be helpful.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Oh yes, you are Any common safe.
Before we wrap up here, anycommon safety concerns things
you can offer before they'veactually reached out to get
information on home health care,just some ways to make sure
that their loved ones areprotected when they don't have
somebody there helping them inthe house.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
So one of the things that I recommend is everybody
well, not everybody, but a lotof people have ring cameras and
they have other sorts ofexterior cameras.
I think that this is importantfor a couple of different
reasons, because if a familymember, somebody living in
Florida, but family lives in theMidwest somewhere not in
(21:10):
Florida, mom's there by herselfand let's say that she takes it
upon herself to hire somebody tocome help a couple of days a
week, that's fine, mom's makingher own decisions, that's great.
What I have seen happen is Ihave seen people get taken
advantage of when they are infact paying somebody I say under
the table, just privately, tocome in and help when a family
(21:33):
doesn't know until it's too late.
The worst case, the worstcircumstance, jeremy, I've seen
is somebody's actually moved inwith a loved one, a total
stranger, and none of that wasknown to the family until they
came for a birthday, I believe.
And they who is this personliving with mom?
Ok, so one.
It's just nice to see somebodycome and go, it's nice to see
(21:56):
your family member come and goand they look good.
But it's also good to keep tabsof who's coming in, especially
in today's world where ourseniors are taken advantage of
in so many ways, over the phoneand in person.
It's very sad, so I'm veryvigilant when it comes to some
kind of cameras.
The other thing, too, is Ithink it's worth asking when
(22:16):
you're with your loved one abouttheir medication.
Medication mismanagement is oneof the scariest things that can
happen, and if you're unawareof what your mother is taking in
her medication, but in aconversation you can just ask so
curious what kind of medicineare you on, mom?
(22:37):
How do you organize that?
How do you know when to take it?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I think it's important.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Yes, Pill planners are a big deal Pill planners, I
think.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
I need one of those already, jesus, I'm feeling it.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
So pill planners are great, but the next time you go,
are the pill planners beingfilled?
Are they being filled properly?
Is the AM going in the AM or isit going in the PM?
Are we doubling up on certaindays when we shouldn't?
There's a lot of accidentalthings that can happen with
medication.
So even just having theconversation and being aware of
(23:12):
what your loved one is takingregularly is really important,
because sometimes we misdiagnoseourselves.
When we see someone and we'relike man, they're really like
acting off or they're reallysick.
It could be they're takingmedication improperly and that's
giving them.
The side effect that we'reseeing is something different.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
A couple things.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
So let me just preface what I said about me
needing the pill thing.
It's, it's.
It's mostly for like vitamins,I should say, because my wife is
like you got to take the, youdon't take the b with the d and
you don't do this and you don'tdo that, and I got to go to each
bottle and and it's like Idon't even take them.
So I need to get one of thosefor my vitamin.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Yeah I mean it's good for organization period?
It really isn't't.
It's a visual reminder, justsaying most individuals, as they
age, they may have to take moresupplements, whether it's a
vitamin or a prescription, andit's good to know that they're
keeping up with it and there'snot excess.
Or what are they doing with theexcess?
(24:17):
Are they pulling out an oldpill bottle?
That's not at all what theyshould be taking now.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
I see this happen the most when somebody goes to the
hospital and then comes home andthey've got new medication, new
medication with old medication,and now I've got all these
words that are this long forthis, this and this, and mom or
dad just says, yeah, I just, Itake, I take it what I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I truly seen some crazy things.
So it's just, it's a goodconversation to have to be in
the know so that you can see,man, do I need to try to help
mom get this organized better?
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Absolutely so.
For anybody out there that'slistening that has seen some
changes with their loved ones.
Maybe it's their parents, maybeit's friends.
Whatever the case may be, reachout to Christy at Comfort
Keepers.
As you can see, she's a wealthof knowledge and it can only
benefit everybody involved tostart having these conversations
(25:17):
early, even if it doesn't turninto immediate care like you
talked about, just opening thedoor to that when it comes time
to get that help, it's going tojust make it that much easier.
So, christy, keep doing thegreat work.
I always say this you are a rayof sunshine.
You are doing such great workin the community and many
different communities, for yourclients and beyond, and also
(25:39):
educating on this platform.
So truly, thank you for allthat you do, because you do
great work.
Yeah, thank you To ourlisteners.
Thanks for tuning in, and wewill catch everybody next time
on the next episode of theComfort Keepers Daily Podcast.
Everyone, take care, have awonderful day and we'll see you
next time.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Bye, bye.
Thank you for listening to theComfort Keepers Davey podcast.
For more information, visitcomfortkeeperscom or call
954-947-7954.
Welcome to the Comfort Keepers Davy podcast,
where we elevate the humanspirit.
Here's your host, ChristyGroulet.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello, hello everyone , and welcome back to another
episode of the Comfort KeepersDavy podcast.
I'm your co-host, jeremy Wolf,joined by, as always, your host,
christy Groulet.
Christy, nice to see you, hello.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
It's great to see you too.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Great to be back in the hot seat.
We're going to get into somegood topics today.
We're actually going to gothrough.
This is some stuff we actuallycovered in the past and in other
episodes.
However, there are suchimportant topics that I want to.
I thought you should go throughand readdress them again, and
it's really I'm going to kind ofhit you a rapid fire with a
bunch of cool questions aboutthis, like when to start asking
(00:48):
for help, recognizing the needfor assistance.
Let's start there.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
What are some of the early signs that indicate that a
loved one may need in-home care?
Missing appointments, missingtheir medication, looking as if
that they are losing weight thatcould be an indicator that
they're not preparing theirmeals properly, or even grocery
shopping.
Those are some of the easiestand, like, quickest things.
Holidays are upcoming, sothat's really, really the time
where I have my phone ringing.
(01:19):
I would say in excess, becausepeople are seeing family members
that they don't see regularlyand they're like oh man, man,
mom's condition, she just looksdifferent, she doesn't she's not
doing her hair, not doing hermakeup.
There's, there are things thatjust don't feel like mom or dad
and those are very early umindicators warning signs yeah,
just red flags to look for yepum.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So, once you determine there could be a an
issue or a need for help, orjust start looking into this
further, how can family membershave a conversation about
in-home care without makingtheir loved ones feel
uncomfortable or dependent Cause?
I know we again, we talkedabout this before the elderly
generations.
(02:01):
They're typically stubborn.
They're not the ones lookingfor help, they're the ones that
say I don't need help.
I can do this all on my own, sothe parents really need to come
in there, or the loved oneswhoever's primary caregivers for
these folks need to come inthere and have these
conversations.
What's the best way to do that?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I think the best way is to start conversations
earlier.
So let's just use the exampleof I'm visiting.
I don't live in the same stateas my parents or even across
town.
I'm seeing that the house isn'tas tidy as it normally is Some
things that are minor, but I'mnoticing them.
I think a great way to approachthe conversation is to simply
(02:38):
ask would it be helpful ifsomebody were able to come and
just help you?
Do this like once a week?
Or what do you think aboutsomebody coming to help twice a
week to do X, y, z, whatever?
It is not making it feel likeforce, like hey, I'm going to
call somebody a company becauseyou clearly can't do this on
your own.
When it becomes more of an openconversation and you are
(03:01):
solving a problem that they seethat they have, but they don't
want to be the first one toadmit it, that's the easiest way
because then it can evolve fromthere and it may just maintain
and that's all that your lovedone actually needs.
So just a very casualconversation and not making it
seem as though you as a familymember or primary caregiver are
(03:23):
trying to take anything awayfrom them.
But hey, let me, just let mereach out.
I know people.
Let me get somebody in here tohelp you once a week.
Usually they're a lot moreacceptable.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, like you said, the earlier the better, right
you wait until it gets too, youwait too long and it becomes
more difficult to have theseconversations.
The earlier you can startbringing these topics up.
You're kind of like slowlyplanting seeds to prepare for
that moment where you actuallyhave to take action on it.
What are some potential risksassociated with waiting too long
(03:56):
to start having theseconversations?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yes, I was just getting ready to say, yeah, okay
, I feel it.
So when you wait too long itbecomes a very overwhelming
process In my experience withfamily members to have the
conversation you have, a lot oftimes your loved one is very,
very closed off to even thinkingabout it.
(04:20):
That one day a week or even acouple hours a week is not going
to cut the actual level of carethat they need.
So bringing somebody in fulltime, even 20 hours a week, is a
lot to ask somebody to agree toif it's never been talked to,
talked about before.
Yes, and I think the otherthing really when we look about
(04:40):
risks is if we are to that pointtoo.
A lot of times a health hasdeclined so much and then
there's need for even additionalassistance.
On top of a company like my own, you may actually need more in
the home, just depending onwhatever the situation might be.
So little conversationsstarting out so much easier than
(05:05):
the multitude that could allcome all at once.
It can be done.
It's just a lot harder andtaxing on everyone.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Indeed indeed.
So what are some in line withwhat we're talking about, with
having these conversations andit being difficult to navigate
this with these elderlygenerations?
What are some common emotionalbarriers seniors face when
accepting help and how canfamilies support them through
that process?
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So I think some of the barriers is just simply, I
don't know somebody who's goingto come into my home and this is
my space being worrisome of astranger quote unquote coming
into your home, which is a veryunderstandable thing.
There does need to be some typeof a relationship, which is how
we build before we step intothe home to even meet somebody
(05:56):
for the first time.
You also get the individualswho are I can do it myself, I'm
just going to do this like oncea week or instead of you know,
doing it, just trying to thinkof like, let's say, let's say
that this person normally,religiously, goes to a family
gathering every Sunday.
(06:17):
Okay, let's just say that thatis the routine.
It's been the routine for yearsand years and years, and all of
a sudden they're not coming,they're not feeling well,
they're tired, and then thatbecomes now the routine.
So I think that I think thatwhen you come in, a lot of
people are just they try to comeup with excuses, right, like I
(06:37):
can't come every Sunday, but Ican come once a month or
something, um, and that's justwhere you need to continue to
dig.
You need to dig and you need tobe able to be confident to say
that listen, mom, dad, whomeverwe can find somebody that you
trust, that I trust to, to comein and just try it out to see if
it does actually help, and thatusually is really the winning
(07:00):
conversation that happens.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Yeah, and you had talked in the past about kind of
introducing the help.
This is what you do at ComfortKeepers.
You kind of bring in your teamas a friend of the family and
not an outsider that's there tokind of take control of their
life, but really just like hey,this is, you know, talk a little
bit about that that approachthat you take to build trust and
(07:25):
confidence and kind of let theguard down so that they are open
to receiving help.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
A hundred percent.
So we don't just come in almostlike a contractor because they
hear we're here to do a job andbuy.
That is not at all how we work.
So if I am approached by afamily member, then I want to
know everything that I possiblycan about the person that
they're looking for help for.
Then I want to know everythingthat I possibly can about the
person that they're looking forhelp for.
Who is it?
What is their lifestyle?
Who lives with them?
Are they in the same state,same town, whatever it is and
(07:51):
then we want to coordinatewhether they're able to be there
physically.
When we come and introduceourselves to.
We don't come in with aclipboard, a briefcase Again,
things that make you feel, Imean, just sterile or not as
friendly.
I'm coming in with myself and Iwant to meet you in your home.
(08:12):
You're inviting me in, and ifsomebody is able to be there
with that individual, thatconversation is so much more
comfortable to be had.
If not, then we are definitelyup for having the loved one
that's out of state on FaceTimeor on a Teams call or even on
speaker phone.
So they're still a part of theentire process.
We always tend to have familymembers pop up on a phone call
(08:33):
somewhere and we welcome thatbecause we want to be trusted by
everybody and that helps reallyrelieve stress or anxiety that
their loved one may be feelingif they're not there or if
they're still easing into theidea of getting help from
outside of the home.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Well said and obviously you take great
preparation and precaution anddealing with these matters to
optimize the effect for yourclients.
On the other end of thatspectrum, right, you have
somebody that doesn't have yourknowledge and expertise.
They're facing this situationwith their loved one.
They're looking for help.
What are some of the keyfactors that families should
consider when choosing anin-home care provider?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
There's a whole long list for that, jeremy, but one
of the biggest things, I think,is how does the communication
work with, whatever the agencythat you are working with?
So, are you going to benotified if there's a change in
condition of your loved one?
Are you going to be notified ifa caregiver does not go to
(09:35):
their scheduled shift?
Are you going to be notified ofX, y, z?
Communication is key.
Every single time that I'vecalled a family member about any
of the above mentioned, theyare very grateful to know,
because it's not going to betheir loved one calling them to
tell them those updates, andthat's usually something that
they really, really enjoy.
(09:56):
I think it's important to knowwhat is your vetting process.
Are your employees W-2employees or are they
contractors?
And that's a huge thing when itcomes to the really the brand
promise that we bring and thepeople that work for us.
They're vetted, they aretrained, they believe in our
mission for what it is, and I'mnot just contracting someone to
(10:17):
come and fill a shift.
That is not what people are tous.
They're individuals with needsand we are there to meet them at
.
Their needs are to us.
They're individuals with needsand we are there to meet them at
their needs.
So I think it's very importantto understand what is your
recruitment process for yourcaregivers.
Background screening, all ofthose things are so important to
again bring peace of mind tothe whole family unit as an
(10:38):
individual or as a family, andthen also to the individual that
would be receiving care.
You don't want somebody that'scoming into your home who hasn't
had the level two backgroundscreening, that hasn't had all
the proper training, not justsome Joe Schmo off the street.
That's hey, I need a job Like.
That's not how it works.
We go through a very lengthyprocess to ensure that we have
(10:59):
the right individual.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yeah, so I'd imagine that and you tell me right, I'm
just kind of going through it,the process of you kind of go
into this evaluation and then,based upon the individual that
needs help, now that you're thengoing back and matching them
specifically with a caregiver ofcomfort keepers.
That aligns in terms ofpersonality compatibility.
Obviously that's of buildingthis relationship right.
(11:26):
So, and you're doing all that.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
And it's what we do and it's not what everybody does
, but we're very proud of thatBecause sometimes there's a very
unique need, whether there's alanguage barrier, even an age,
demographic that someone wouldfeel more comfortable having
right.
We will do our absolute best tofind that person and if it
(11:47):
doesn't work the first time,that's okay.
That's not a loss.
People, personalities, don'talways get along.
That's where communicationcomes back to us and we go right
back into okay, who do we havein mind?
We love to do those firstface-to-face with our caregivers
in person, not just sendingsomeone to your home because
we've called to tell you that,okay, we've got somebody,
(12:09):
they're coming out today ortomorrow.
We actually have one of ouradmin go and meet with the
caregiver and the client fortheir very first shift so that
they have a familiar face ofcomfort keepers meeting someone
new, just like we wereintroduced to their loved one by
a family member.
So we continue to have thispass off of introductions, very
(12:30):
personal again, to keep comfortand confidence high.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
What types of services are you providing at
Comfort People?
So I know you do a lot ofdifferent things, but there's
this distinction and I thinkthere's a misconception with
people between in-home care andhome health care, where you guys
don't actually perform medicaltype services.
Talk a little bit about thevarious types of services that
you offer to your clients.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
So it's easiest to say that Comfort Keepers offers
two main branches of services.
One considered personal careservices, the other one is home
and community services.
The other one is home andcommunity services.
So personal care is going to beyour dressing, grooming,
bathing, bathroom needs,hands-on assistance in the home,
(13:16):
whether that's needed or not,and then your home and community
.
That's going to be your lighthousework, your meal prep,
transportation to doctor'sappointments, your companionship
, and then both of these goals,both of these whole list of
services that we do is to remain, is to help our individuals
stay safe, healthy and happy intheir home.
(13:36):
What we do not do home health.
Home health is provided bynurses.
That's where we're talkingabout wounds care, ivs,
medication management.
So, yes, more of the medicalroute, and that is not what we
do in the home.
We can complement thoseservices because we'll do the
things that they cannot do orthey do not do in the home.
(13:59):
We come in and fill in thosegaps.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
In a time where everything is incredibly
expensive.
Inflation is through the roof.
I mean, it seems like you can'tgo anywhere right now without
spending a fortune of money.
Talk about budget andaffordability of this.
What should families know aboutthe costs associated with
in-home care, and are there anyfinancial resources or insurance
(14:26):
options that can help withthese matters?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Mm-hmm.
So that's a loaded questionbecause it really depends on the
needs.
Truly it does.
It's a very hard economy rightnow 100% but it is cheaper to
keep your loved one in theirhome than it is to have them in
an assisted living.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Not to mention a lot healthier for them to stay as
long as they can.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Yeah, mentally the home that they've been in.
They are surrounded by theirmemories, everything that's
taken place there.
Nine times out of 10, likekeeping somebody there is better
for their overall well-being.
So one of the things that I cantell you about Comfort Keepers
and pricing and such is that Idon't require that is a big
(15:12):
thing.
I do not require you to have myservices eight hours a day,
seven days a week.
I do not require that.
There are agencies that have aminimum and they do require you
to meet that minimum, whetheryou need it or not, and that is
just not our approach to care.
We're there to be there whenyou need us, so that is
something that's very helpful.
It can be built upon.
(15:32):
There's no long term contracts.
One of the other things, too, isthat there are a lot of funding
sources, and it's really abouthelping your loved one ensure
that they are being put intocontact with those local
resources.
So, whether it's state Medicaid, there's a lot of different
Medicaid funding options thatcan help, from a few hours a day
to a lot more, depending onwhat your loved one may qualify
(15:57):
for.
There are services through theVA, whether you are a survivor
of a veteran widow or you are aveteran yourself.
There's also long-terminsurance plans that people have
paid into their entire livesand they don't realize that
there is a clause for in-homecare, and those such as farmers
insurance, Genworth Bankers Life.
(16:18):
They're great policies that, ifyou don't use them, I mean
they're just going to be sittingthere and most people don't
know Exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
That's why it's important to also work with a
trusted insurance agent.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
That has your best interest at heart.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
That can tailor and structure all these plans so
they can tell you what you haveavailable when you're having
these problems.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
It's so much.
And if you don't right, if youdon't have that one individual,
that insurance agent, it's justa matter of calling the numbers
that are on your insurance cards.
And I know nobody loves to beon hold forever.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
As you said that, I got a feeling of dread.
I was like, oh, I don't want to.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
I know and I'm like saying like I would love to be
able to take that burden on fromsomeone, but the truth of the
matter is I cannot call onanyone's behalf because I am not
their POA, I am not them and soI will not get any information.
But if they call and they askdo I have any benefit?
Even Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage plans change, I swear, every January 1st
they change and I'll think Iknow them all and then they
change and I'm not.
(17:20):
I'm just saying you call, youmay have a plan.
You had no idea.
You check the box and that'ssomething that you get.
So it's worth the phone call.
And if they say, yes, we dooffer coverage for in-home care
great, then that's where you getto start calling in-home care
agencies to see who then canhelp.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Yeah, so a bit of a double-edged sword when it comes
to bringing in outside help,because at one level, if you
bring in somebody that is toocontrolling over the environment
, it could take away the feelingof independence from the person
that needs care.
So how do you, at comfortkeepers and in home health care
(18:01):
or home health care services ingeneral, structure to support
and enhance the independence ofyour clients while at the same
time taking that burden off ofthem for all these things,
because there's a fine balancebetween those.
Yes, right, if you go too farin either direction, it could be
, you know, disadvantageous.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Yeah, yes, so counterproductive, maybe.
So comfort keepers, we callthat interactive caregiving.
So think about I'm coming intoyour home, I'm going to help
with laundry.
It's hard for you to put yourlaundry in or take it from your
washer and put it into yourdryer.
(18:42):
It is a fall risk.
You're weak, not balanced.
Those are things that make ithard for you to stay up with
your laundry.
I'm going to go ahead and putyour laundry in, but when I
bring the laundry out to fold it, I'm going to sit with you and
together we're going to foldlaundry.
So when we can do something withthe person that we're helping,
(19:04):
we could be meal prepping.
I'm in the kitchen and I'mpreparing everything on the
counter, whatever, and maybe allI'm going to ask is that they
help set the table.
Very simple we look for a wayto interact every single time so
that we are not just doingwhile they sit or while they do
nothing.
(19:24):
If they cannot participate,that's completely acceptable,
but that what we want to makesure of is that we are involving
them in any way possible tokeep their mind sharp, to keep
routine going and even justgetting up and down, moving
around, just even here and there.
Very little, not crazy amounts,it's good.
(19:45):
It's good for everyone's health, everyone's overall well-being.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Absolutely All right.
What else I got for you,christy, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
These are like everyday phone calls that come.
I mean phone calls every day.
They're very common questions,which is really good, because
there's not a silly questionthat's out there and every
family has a unique story, andso it may not fall into the
context of what we're talkingabout.
I still would encourage peopleto call because I promise
(20:18):
there's always something that Iwill come up against.
That I've not heard yet, butwe've always worked through it,
so I just want people to knowthat we're very empathetic and
we want to be helpful.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Oh yes, you are Any common safe.
Before we wrap up here, anycommon safety concerns things
you can offer before they'veactually reached out to get
information on home health care,just some ways to make sure
that their loved ones areprotected when they don't have
somebody there helping them inthe house.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
So one of the things that I recommend is everybody
well, not everybody, but a lotof people have ring cameras and
they have other sorts ofexterior cameras.
I think that this is importantfor a couple of different
reasons, because if a familymember, somebody living in
Florida, but family lives in theMidwest somewhere not in
(21:10):
Florida, mom's there by herselfand let's say that she takes it
upon herself to hire somebody tocome help a couple of days a
week, that's fine, mom's makingher own decisions, that's great.
What I have seen happen is Ihave seen people get taken
advantage of when they are infact paying somebody I say under
the table, just privately, tocome in and help when a family
(21:33):
doesn't know until it's too late.
The worst case, the worstcircumstance, jeremy, I've seen
is somebody's actually moved inwith a loved one, a total
stranger, and none of that wasknown to the family until they
came for a birthday, I believe.
And they who is this personliving with mom?
Ok, so one.
It's just nice to see somebodycome and go, it's nice to see
(21:56):
your family member come and goand they look good.
But it's also good to keep tabsof who's coming in, especially
in today's world where ourseniors are taken advantage of
in so many ways, over the phoneand in person.
It's very sad, so I'm veryvigilant when it comes to some
kind of cameras.
The other thing, too, is Ithink it's worth asking when
(22:16):
you're with your loved one abouttheir medication.
Medication mismanagement is oneof the scariest things that can
happen, and if you're unawareof what your mother is taking in
her medication, but in aconversation you can just ask so
curious what kind of medicineare you on, mom?
(22:37):
How do you organize that?
How do you know when to take it?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I think it's important.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Yes, Pill planners are a big deal Pill planners, I
think.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
I need one of those already, jesus, I'm feeling it.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
So pill planners are great, but the next time you go,
are the pill planners beingfilled?
Are they being filled properly?
Is the AM going in the AM or isit going in the PM?
Are we doubling up on certaindays when we shouldn't?
There's a lot of accidentalthings that can happen with
medication.
So even just having theconversation and being aware of
(23:12):
what your loved one is takingregularly is really important,
because sometimes we misdiagnoseourselves.
When we see someone and we'relike man, they're really like
acting off or they're reallysick.
It could be they're takingmedication improperly and that's
giving them.
The side effect that we'reseeing is something different.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
A couple things.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
So let me just preface what I said about me
needing the pill thing.
It's, it's.
It's mostly for like vitamins,I should say, because my wife is
like you got to take the, youdon't take the b with the d and
you don't do this and you don'tdo that, and I got to go to each
bottle and and it's like Idon't even take them.
So I need to get one of thosefor my vitamin.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Yeah I mean it's good for organization period?
It really isn't't.
It's a visual reminder, justsaying most individuals, as they
age, they may have to take moresupplements, whether it's a
vitamin or a prescription, andit's good to know that they're
keeping up with it and there'snot excess.
Or what are they doing with theexcess?
(24:17):
Are they pulling out an oldpill bottle?
That's not at all what theyshould be taking now.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
I see this happen the most when somebody goes to the
hospital and then comes home andthey've got new medication, new
medication with old medication,and now I've got all these
words that are this long forthis, this and this, and mom or
dad just says, yeah, I just, Itake, I take it what I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I truly seen some crazy things.
So it's just, it's a goodconversation to have to be in
the know so that you can see,man, do I need to try to help
mom get this organized better?
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Absolutely so.
For anybody out there that'slistening that has seen some
changes with their loved ones.
Maybe it's their parents, maybeit's friends.
Whatever the case may be, reachout to Christy at Comfort
Keepers.
As you can see, she's a wealthof knowledge and it can only
benefit everybody involved tostart having these conversations
(25:17):
early, even if it doesn't turninto immediate care like you
talked about, just opening thedoor to that when it comes time
to get that help, it's going tojust make it that much easier.
So, christy, keep doing thegreat work.
I always say this you are a rayof sunshine.
You are doing such great workin the community and many
different communities, for yourclients and beyond, and also
(25:39):
educating on this platform.
So truly, thank you for allthat you do, because you do
great work.
Yeah, thank you To ourlisteners.
Thanks for tuning in, and wewill catch everybody next time
on the next episode of theComfort Keepers Daily Podcast.
Everyone, take care, have awonderful day and we'll see you
next time.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Bye, bye.
Thank you for listening to theComfort Keepers Davey podcast.
For more information, visitcomfortkeeperscom or call
954-947-7954.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.