Firstlight Resources

Get involved! A little goes a long way

From our Care Blog

Brian Kreindler, owner of FirstLight Home Care in Columbus, Ohio, is facilitating a Current Events Talk and luncheon for seniors next week at his local Jewish Community Center. The luncheon will focus on discussing politics and the upcoming election. Events like this are a great way for seniors to GET INVOLVED and interact with others in the community. It also gives Brian a chance to network with other small business owners and potential clients in the area. For those of you who are looking to become more active in your community or want to volunteer and make a positive contribution...

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Connecting with a person who has Alzheimer’s Disease

From our Care Blog

I'm excited to share another guest post with our readers today. Ellen Woodward Potts is the co-author of A Pocket Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver and here she discusses how to connect with a loved one who has Alzheimer's Disease and shares some of her own personal experiences. At FirstLight, we believe if you have met one person with dementia, you've only met one person. That is, each individual will talk, act, remember, and behave differently, not simply because of what stage of dementia they are in, but because they are who they are. That's why we've developed a unique...

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Hospitals need to revamp to cater to aging population

From our Care Blog

According to a recent article on USA Today’s website, an astonishing one-third of hospital patients older than 70 leave more frail than when they arrived. Further research shows that even after they are released, nursing home care or rehabilitation can be necessary. The elder care experts quoted in the article believe that this is a result of “conventional hospital care focusing on treating disease rather than preventing frailty.” So what can be done to help better the quality of care our elderly are receiving? Many hospitals have implemented walking programs to help get the seniors out of bed and moving—a...

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Caregiving Does Not Discriminate

From our Care Blog

I'm happy to introduce another guest blogger this week. Cindy Laverty is a nationally recognized caregiving expert who has dedicated her life to empowering caregivers. Today, she discusses her personal experiences as a family caregiver. Caregiving does not discriminate and caregiving usually happens when we least expect it. If not managed in an organized way from the beginning, it has the potential to rock and wrack your world. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. I know this to be true, because it happened to me. Several years ago, I was one of those people literally...

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When the daughter becomes the mother

From our Care Blog

Today’s post was written for us by Cindy Smith, a close friend and client of FirstLight Home Care. Here’s what she has to say about her experiences finding care for her elderly mother. I never expected to become a mother again at the age of 50. It was the first in a series of shocks. However, the person I am taking care of is not a child. It is my mother, one of the most precious people in my life. My father was always the healthy one, the strong one, invincible in his own way. Never been in the hospital,...

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FirstLight Home Care scores high on franchisee satisfaction surveys

From our Care Blog

Great news to share as we cap off another week here at FirstLight! We’ve been ranked #22 on Franchise Business Review’s list of the Top 50 franchise systems that rank highest in franchisee satisfaction. We are the youngest franchise system EVER to make the Top 50 rankings so this is a huge milestone for the company! The rankings are based on a survey that asked franchisees questions related to training and support, system communication, franchisor/franchisee relations, financial opportunity, business lifestyle, and overall satisfaction with their business. Ninety-three percent of FirstLight’s franchisees participated in the Franchise Business Review satisfaction survey. The...

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Former FirstLight executive opens own location in North Dallas

From our Care Blog

Our former director of business development and team support, Kevin Stewart, recently retired from his position to open a FirstLight location in Richardson, Tx. Stewart has spent the past two years working with us at the corporate level, helping to build this company from the ground up. A certified franchise executive (CFE) with a career in the franchising industry that spans over 25 years, Stewart is an immeasurable asset to FirstLight and has contributed substantially to the success and growth of the brand and our franchisees. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, Stewart will have the opportunity...

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GO RED for American Heart Month

From our Care Blog

February is not only the month of love and affection but also American Heart Month with today being National Wear Red Day. The purpose is to create awareness for and fight against heart disease, which is the number one killer of women. Did you know that more women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined? As alarming as the statistics and numbers are, it proves that it is essential for women and men to take proper care of themselves and actively try to live a healthy lifestyle. The American Heart Association offers great advice on its website...

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How far would you go to help someone in need?

From our Care Blog

A touching story hit the media this week about a 101-year old woman in Detroit who was evicted from her home by a HUD foreclosure in September. Sadly, the elderly woman, Texana Hollis, was left outside in her wheelchair with her few belongings in a trash receptacle. Hollis has since been living with a long-time friend but news of the eviction travelled quickly. Concerned community members have started a fund for her and donations are pouring in. A contracting company is even building a wheelchair ramp for Hollis where she is currently staying. Unfortunately, Hollis’ scenario happens all too often...

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Do caregivers deserve overtime? We think so.

From our Care Blog

Many people, including the elderly, caregivers and home care agencies, are wondering how the Dept. of Labor’s proposed changes to the companionship and live-in worker regulations will affect the in-home care industry. In 1974, these regulations originally created a limited exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay requirements to domestic service workers (i.e. casual babysitters, home companions, maids/home help). Although the regulations have gone unchanged, the in-home care industry has changed dramatically and grown substantially. Yet, the earnings of in-home care employees remain among the lowest in the service industry—the caregivers that are now employed by in-home care agencies...

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