The FirstLight Care Corner

In the news: FirstLight’s director of client services Gina Kaurich discusses seniors who bully

From our Care Blog

Msnbc.com published an article this week that brought much needed attention to the issue of senior bullying. FirstLight’s director of client services, Gina Kaurich, lent her expertise on the matter. As a previous director of nursing at an assisted living facility she has seen how far senior bullying can go. According to Kaurich, there is a type of caste system among residents in many nursing home facilities that can exacerbate the mistreatment of seniors in the home. There is little research on elderly bullying but senior care experts estimate about 10-20 percent of seniors have experienced some type of aggression...

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Are You Physically Able To Be Your Parents' Caregiver?

From our Care Blog

I stumbled upon an article today on the Maturity Matters blog that raised a very poignant question: Are you physically able to be your parents’ caregiver? With the boomer population rapidly increasing and the desire to age in place greater than ever, it’s no surprise many of us will inevitably start taking care of our parents. As anyone in the home care industry can attest, the job of caregiver is -- albeit filled with love -- also a frustrating, exhausting, emotional, sometimes boring and often lonely experience. What can caregivers do to keep themselves in shape for this kind of...

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Safety First Preventing Slips and Falls in Winter

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From adding lights to salting sidewalks and choosing proper footwear, these easy steps put safety first preventing slips and falls in winter.

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Good reading: “Dad Has Dementia”

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Recently, we came across a great blog that every caregiver of aging parents should read. It’s called “Dad Has Dementia”, and it won a 2010 Online Journalism Award for Online Commentary/Blogging. The blogger began writing when her dad was diagnosed with dementia, and she records the trials and tribulations her family has encountered along the way. Today she wrote, “Five weeks after Dad died, Mom moved to New Mexico to be near me. Through serendipity and the kindness of a stranger, we were able to find her a patio home just four blocks from our house. I'm grateful for how...

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Making A List—And Checking It Twice

From our Care Blog

Now is a good time to sit down with your elder and figure out his or her priorities for the holiday season. Spend some time together making a list and setting dates to get it all done. From parties to presents, the holidays can be stressful—but with the right planning and preparation, it can also be a pleasant time filled with family bonding and fun. 1. Décor Galore. Putting up a tree and sprinkling holiday decorations around the house can create a cheerful environment filled with past holiday memories. This is also a great bonding experience for you and your...

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FirstLight makes its Nebraska debut

From our Care Blog

After dedicating some time towards various missions travelling the world and sharing their faith, Dale and Nancy Ocken became FirstLight franchisees last month. As the premiere FirstLight franchise in the Omaha market, the Ockens' business will service West Omaha, Fremont, Arlington, Bennington and Elkhorn. “We have seen how everything has changed to accommodate the baby boomers, and one of the things that will change is home care is going to be more of an option for insurance companies [with regard to] paying for their aging clients,” Nancy told the Midlands Business Journal in an article that was published earlier this...

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Customers come first

From our Care Blog

Many of you may not know that much of FirstLight’s focus on client satisfaction comes from my son’s experience working at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta. Devin, 27, worked at the hotel for three years before coming on board at FirstLight. The training he received at the Ritz taught him that customers come first; a happy customer means a happy business owner. And that’s a philosophy that can be easily transferred to elderly care. Our mission at FirstLight is helping seniors stay in the comfort and security of their own home. I’ve learned over the years—through various jobs and caring...

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Getting involved and giving back

From our Care Blog

Lately, I’ve been noticing a trend amongst seniors in the news—they’re giving back to their local communities and helping in out-of-the-box ways. A group of pro-active seniors in Burlington, Wash., for example, are helping fight crime with the town’s new Citizens On Patrol program. "So far our volunteers have already spotted a house that was broken into," Officer Tim Van Dyken, community resource officer for Burlington police told NWCN.com this week. The help from seniors is especially important as it comes at a time when budget cuts are the norm. Another story that sparked my attention this week is one...

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Couple infuses business with passion

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Growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta, John Tolbert spent a great deal of time with his grandmother when his parents were at work. While she helped raise him for many years, she unfortunately fell sick when John was a teenager. That’s when the family enlisted the help of a caregiver. Unlike a nursing home, they felt as though an in-home caregiver would give her the personal attention she required. And they were right. The experience had such a great impact on John that he and his wife, Shea, opened FirstLight Home Care this September. As the first FirstLight franchise...

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Gaming for health and happiness

From our Care Blog

Last weekend, it was announced—again—that a senior citizen bowled a perfect score on Nintendo’s Wii Bowling. But if you’ve been following your video gaming news, you know that Rhea Freeman, 85, of Houma, La. isn’t the first senior to perfect the game! Earlier this year, Dayton, Ohio resident Jack Davis, 86, announced that he had rolled 40 perfect games out of the 4,300 games attempted. "I bowled when I was younger, but not like this," Davis told his local paper. "If I bowled like this when I was league bowling in 1963, then I'd be a millionaire." Well, he's not...

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