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How to Prevent Family Caregiver Burnout

From our Care Blog

In November, we celebrate National Home Care Month and National Family Caregivers Month, two observances that are core to FirstLight Home Care. Throughout the month, our FirstLight blog will focus on providing the tools, tips, resources and peace of mind so many family caregivers need. We invite you to comment and share the challenges and rewarding experiences you’ve encountered throughout your caregiving journey. Because family caregiving is emotionally and physically draining, it can lead to caregiver burnout. For many, taking on the role of family caregiver is unfamiliar territory. While caring for a loved one is a worthwhile responsibility, it...

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Finding the Right In-Home Caregiver

From our Care Blog

In November, we celebrate National Home Care Month and National Family Caregivers Month, two observances that are core to FirstLight Home Care. Throughout the month, our FirstLight blog will focus on providing the tools, tips, resources and peace of mind so many family caregivers need. The first step is finding the right in-home caregiver. We invite you to comment and share the challenges and rewarding experiences you’ve encountered throughout your caregiving journey. Home care can be a lifeline for seniors who are aging in place, as well as those living with a disability or recovering from an illness or injury....

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Solutions to Help Your Loved One Age in Place

From our Care Blog

October 15 – 21 is National Aging in Place Week. This is an annual effort to expand awareness of the Aging in Place movement and the available means for seniors to remain in their homes for as long as they would like. Here are four things to consider when elderly parents choose to live home alone: Create a Safe Space Aging parents living at home need to feel safe. It is important to work with them to remove any potential hazards in the key rooms they live in: the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Some basic changes include: Installing bathroom rails;...

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More Than Just Book Learning

A young Certified Nursing Assistant has her FirstLight experience to thank for steering her toward a career in nursing. D- had learned a lot about various disorders and conditions in her four years studying neuroscience at the University of Delaware. But the Kinnelon native knew she wanted more hands-on experience actually caring for people with various health problems, so she earned her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification one summer during her time off, and after graduating in May 2016, landed a job with FirstLight of Glen Rock. “Boyd and the staff were so friendly right from the start, and they...

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Home Care: Enhancing the Lives of People with Developmental Disabilities

From our Care Blog

For an estimated 5 million people in communities across the United States, developmental disabilities are part of life. Their conditions – autism, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy, to name a few – may impact physical capacity, language, learning or behavior, but not their spirit. When people with these different abilities are connected to the right opportunities and resources, they can live secure, fulfilling lives. March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. And the observance is an opportunity to explore how we can all do more to help our neighbors, friends and family members who have developmental disabilities live side-by-side with...

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The Home Care Decision: What to Look for In a Partner

From our Care Blog

For people who are aging in place, navigating the typical activities of daily living can be an ongoing challenge. Home care can be a lifeline.

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A Caregiver Keeps Her Cool

Home health aide Lateefah Gary wasn’t going to take no for an answer. The elderly woman she was caring for would not let anyone touch her laundry. But Gary knew the woman needed clean clothes, so Gary would empty her hamper into a bag when the woman was in the bathroom, then sneak the bag out, bring the clothes home to wash, then bring them back again. It was just another day on the job for Gary, who was recently named FirstLight’s Caregiver of the Month. “Clients with dementia can be challenging,” says Gary, matter-of-factly, “but I like a challenge.”...

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Like Family

Care Giver of the Month January 2017 Like Family January’s Caregiver of the Month takes care of her patients as if they were related It was Christmas morning and instead of being at home with her own family, Schlinda Reid was helping her patient get dressed and ready for the day. “He was having breakfast with the grandkids and his kids and wife, and they were all just super-happy that I was there so Pop-Pop was able to be up and eating Christmas breakfast with them,” she remembers. “Even though it was a holiday, 365 days a year, there’s always...

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New Year’s Strategies for the Family Caregiver

From our Care Blog

By Beth Bourgault, Caregiver, FirstLight Home Care of Salem, Mass. FirstLight Home Care 2016 Caregiver of the Year Being a family caregiver is both a rewarding and challenging role. Becoming a primary source of care – when you used to be a daughter, son, sister, brother, wife, husband, friend – can be overwhelming. And it can place a strain on your most valued relationships. As a FirstLight caregiver, I work with many clients who are fortunate to have a loved one also providing support and participating in their care. While each situation is different, many of the challenges are the...

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Give Your Loved Ones the Gift of Memories This Holiday

From our Care Blog

One of the joys of aging is sharing stories. For many older adults, stories are a connection to the past and evidence of a life well-lived. And for the families of these historians, stories are a way to preserve memories for years – and generations – to come. With so many family activities during the holidays, it’s an ideal time to capture these treasured stories. But when it comes to building this type of family history, where do you begin? Following are some simple steps you can take to plan, capture and archive treasured stories from the older adults in...

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