Category: Home care Harrisburg

An AARP study indicates that 77% of adults older than 50 prefer to age in place.  Home health care agencies Harrisburg, PA can provide the assistance you need to keep your loved one at home as long as possible. They offer help with daily tasks so seniors can live independently and enjoy a high quality of life.

The Benefits of Seniors Aging in Place

Aging in place offers several benefits to seniors. Here are some to consider:

Improves Mental Well-being: Seniors that stay in place are happier. Positive mental well-being is conducive to improved physical well-being. It reduces anxiety and depression that may contribute to pain and disease.

Saves Money: Nursing homes are typically more expensive than living at home with a home health aide. A home health aide is a money-saving option for people on a fixed budget and their loved ones.

Maintaining Community Connections: Many older adults have valuable community connections. They may be friendly with their neighbors. They may participate in community organizations. Checking into a nursing home would mean losing these beneficial ties.

Preserves Independence: Seniors enjoy having control over their lives. They like to make their schedules, shop for items that make them happy, and live in a comfortable setting. Aging at home allows them to continue living independently into their twilight years.

It Benefits Cognitive Function: Age-related memory loss is more likely to affect short-term memory than long-term memory. Taking a senior from their home reduces their connection with their long-term memories stripping their foundation for stimuli. It causes seniors confusion and stress. It increases the risk and severity of cognitive decline.

Home Health Care Agencies of Harrisburg, PA

Home health care agencies Harrisburg, PA support aging in place by delivering high-quality medical and personal care in the comfort of your own home. Facilities can work out a plan that takes care of your loved one’s needs so they can live more independently in other ways. Here are some of the services we offer:

• Personal care assistance such as help getting dressed, bathing, preparing food, etc.
• Personal errands: Home care aides can take clients to the grocery store and accompany them on other daily errands. They can also take them to a from doctor visits.
• Medical Assistance: Aides can provide light medical assistance. They can check vitals, oversee medication administration, and assist with some treatments.

How AmeriBest Can Help

There are many home health care agencies Harrisburg, PA to choose from, but AmeriBest takes an approach that sets us apart.

AmeriBest provides high-quality care to the valued members of our community. We assess our client’s needs and develop a plan best suited to their lifestyle. We match them with a skilled, compassionate aide that fits their personality type and has experience dealing with their conditions.

Your loved one will be happiest aging in place. Ameribest offers the care they need for optimal well-being. Contact us to find out how we can improve your senior relative’s quality of life.

As your loved ones get older, they may require extra care. You may choose to check your relative into a senior facility. But an AARP study shows 90% of adults over 65 prefer to age in place. Your best choice is to hire an in home caregiver Harrisburg, PA. The aid will assist your loved one with daily tasks. They will help them with personal and medical care. They will provide them with the assistance they need to live independently in their home.

It’s essential to find in home care services Harrisburg, PA that offer the right balance of skill and compassion. This article will discuss what to look for in your home health aide.

Compassion

The literal meaning of compassion is “to suffer together.” It is a feeling that develops when you see someone suffering and feel motivated to relieve their pain. It is not the same as altruism or empathy but a related concept.

Compassion can be developed, but it cannot be learned. It is an innate quality often found in medical professionals.

So how does compassion come into play regarding in-home care services Harrisburg, PA? A home health aide will see the difficulty their client is having. They will come up with ways to make things easier.

This may include outright assistance. For example, if the senior has trouble eating, the caregiver may feed them.

Or the aid may use an angle that allows seniors to complete tasks independently. For instance, they may help a loved one rearrange their home to give them better access to the items they need often.

Skill

Skill is another necessary trait an in home caregiver Harrisburg, PA must have.

There are several skill sets a caregiver must develop. They must know the medical treatments their client needs. Their knowledge ensures they will oversee clients so they take their medications on time. They may also administer medications and treatment if recommended.

There are also several soft skills a caregiver must develop. They must be patient and put their client’s needs before their own. They must be adept at time management to ensure their caregiving duties are completed. They must be observant so they can recognize signs of deteriorating health.

What Sets AmeriBest In-Home Care Services Harrisburg, PA Apart

AmerBest believes we stand out thanks to our skilled, compassionate health aides and nursing assistants. We hire paraprofessionals that are vetted, trained, and covered by insurance. They can help clients with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).

We realize our highly skilled staff would be nothing without compassion. Our home aids will show a sense of caring and warmth while dealing with their clients. Our low turnover rate ensures your loved one receives consistent care from the same team member.

The decision to get your loved one additional care is not an easy one to make. Contact AmeriBest to discover what our in home care services Harrisburg, PA entails. We will help improve your elderly relative’s quality of life.

Aging affects every aspect of our lives, including physical health, mental well-being, and social connections. It can also lead to a decline in physical and mental health. At AmeriBest Home Care, we believe in enabling seniors to live quality, independent lives by providing home care assistance in Harrisburg, PA. One of the best ways we’ve found to help seniors live independently is to promote regular physical activity.

The Benefits of Physical Activity

Regular physical activity improves physical health outcomes, including reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It also leads to better mobility, balance, and flexibility, which are crucial for maintaining independence as we age.

Physical activity also has a positive impact on our mental wellbeing. It can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve cognitive function, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Regular physical activity has also been shown to improve sleep quality, which is increasingly important as we get older.

Physical activity also improves social connections. From daily walks in the community to exercise classes and groups, physical exercise provides additional opportunities for seniors to meet and engage with others in their community. This contact reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation in older adults.

How Home Care Helps Incorporate Physical Activity into Daily Life

Home care aides can help seniors incorporate physical activity into daily life with ease. Caregivers can help seniors find enjoyable and sustainable activities. They can also provide companionship for activities like,

• Walking
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Gardening
• Dancing
• Yoga

Caregivers can also help seniors engage in strength-training activities that improve strength and balance. They can also help seniors gradually increase their physical activity so that they don’t injure themselves or take on too much too quickly.

Are You Looking for Home Care Assistance in Harrisburg?

Regular physical activity can have numerous benefits for older adults, including improved physical and mental health and social connections. Finding the right activity is key, and an AmeriBest Home Care assistant can help. Contact us today. One of our program coordinators can discuss your needs and help you select the program and services that are right for you.

Has your aging loved one expressed a desire to age at home, but you worry about their care and safety? In our modern age, family members aren’t always able to serve as primary caregivers for their aging loved ones. For those who started their families later, they still have young children they’re caring for. Others have careers and financial responsibilities that demand too much of their time. In many cases, they simply live too far away from their loved ones to be a caregiver. If you need elderly care in Harrisburg, PA for your loved one, it’s important to know what to look for and how to find the best services.

Plan Ahead for Senior Home Care in Harrisburg, PA

The first step to finding elderly care services is to plan before you need them. Consider what you or your loved one may need as you age and how your living situation might change. Will you age in the home you live in, or do you plan to move into a smaller home or apartment? Do you have a chronic health condition that will create complications as you age? You should also consider your family history and how your parents and grandparents age.

If you’re approaching this as you need home care for yourself or a loved one, these are still key questions to ask.

What Support Does Your Loved One Need to Age at Home?

Once you’re looking at the reality of aging at home, it’s important to consider what your loved one needs to live independently. You have many choices for elderly care in Harrisburg, PA. Knowing what your loved one needs will help you make the right choices. It’s important that you,

• Talk to your loved one about their needs and concerns.
• Look at their personal care routines and if they need assistance with them.
• Consider the household chores they have, including shopping, and determine if they need help with them.
• Look at their diet and dietary needs.
• Take into account their health and medical care needs.
• Look at their financial situation to see what they (and you) can afford and what financial support options are available to them.
• Consider their community activities and if they have regular access to family and friends.

Match Needs with Resources

In some cases, your loved one may have most or all the resources they need to age at home. If they don’t have a chronic illness or limited mobility, for example, they may not need additional assistance with household chores or personal care (however, you should still plan). If they are part of a religious organization, they may have volunteers around them willing to help with household chores, transportation, or even personal care needs. They may have family members around them that can serve as part-time or even full-time caregivers.

As you consider your loved one’s homecare needs, it’s important that you take these resources into account. You empower your loved one to stay connected to family and community, which leads to better outcomes when aging at home. You also help them focus on what additional services they may need to ensure all their needs are met.

Are You Looking for Home Health Care in Harrisburg, PA?

If you’re looking for home health care for you or a loved one, contact us today. One of our program coordinators can discuss your needs and help you select the program and services that are right for you.

 

It’s important to choose the home health services that you need, whether for yourself or for your senior loved one. With so many providers to choose from, how do you choose from the home health care agencies in Harrisburg, PA? Let’s look at what you should consider when choosing a provider for yourself or your loved one.

A Checklist of Questions

As you consider providers, it’s important to ask the right questions to help you judge their services. Here are some questions you should include in your checklist.

• How long has the provider been serving the community?
• Do they provide literature that explains their services, eligibility, cost, fees, and funding?
• Do they have a “Patient’s Bill of Rights” and what does it contain?
• Do they have an annual report for the public or other educational materials for the public to review?
• How do they select and train their employees?
• What credentials and certifications do they require of employees?
• Does it provide personnel policies, benefits, and malpractice insurance?
• How do they go about evaluating a patient’s needs? Who do they speak with to determine specific needs?
• Does the provider include the patient and family members in creating a care plan?
• How does the provider handle request to change the care plan?
• Do the patient and family receive a copy of the care plan?
• Are treatments and tasks documented?
• Do caregivers educate the patient and family members about the care being administered?
• Do supervisors oversee patient care? How often?
• Who can the patient or family contact with concerns, questions, or complaints?
• How does the provider resolve problems or follow up on concerns?
• What are the emergency procedures that caregivers follow?
• If necessary, are caregivers available 24/7?
• What are the financial procedures of the provider?
• Is there a statement explaining costs and fees provided to the patient and family?
• What are payment options?
• Does the agency provide education or guidance regarding financial and health care assistance?
• How does the agency ensure patient privacy and confidentiality?
• What references can the agency provide?

When you receive references, be sure to follow up on them. Ask them questions like,

• Do you frequently refer clients to this provider?
• Do you have a contractual relationship with the provider and do you require that they provide a certain quality of care?
• Have you received feedback from other patients about this provider and what kind of feedback did you receive?

Assessing Home Health Care Agencies in Harrisburg, PA

Once you’ve received answers to the questions on your checklist, it’s important to review them with your loved one, family, and their physician. Determine what questions are most important to the needs of your loved one. If you’re unhappy with the answers that you received, then the agency may not be the right choice for you. Interview multiple agencies to match the services and care they offer with what your loved one needs.

Looking for a Top-Rated Home Care in Harrisburg, PA?

If you’re looking for home health care for you or a loved one, contact us today. One of our program coordinators can discuss your needs and help you select the program and services that are right for you.

Do you have an elderly loved one who needs senior care in Harrisburg, PA? Family members are the first people most seniors turn to when they need care. Whether you’re looking for respite care options while you care for your loved one or you’re looking for home-based senior care in Harrisburg, PA, let’s look at what AmeriBest Home Care offers your loved one.

What Is Senior Care?

Senior care is a broad term that covers a wide array of services. Senior care services in Harrisburg, PA can include personal care services (bathing and personal hygiene), medication management, meal planning and preparation, chore assistance, and transportation. Depending on a senior’s needs, Medicaid may cover some or all their home care needs.

What Does AmeriBest Home Care Offer Seniors in Harrisburg, PA?

AmeriBest Home Care provides reliable, community-based home care for seniors in Harrisburg. We tailor our services based on what your loved one needs. We can provide,

• Support services
• Respite care
• Transportation assistance
• Light housekeeping
• Activities of daily living (ADLs)
• Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)

All of our paraprofessionals are vetted, trained, and covered by insurance. In addition to providing you with expert caregivers, we can also train friends or family members to serve as a caregiver for your loved one.

What Are ADLs and IADLs?

Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the everyday tasks we do to care for ourselves and our home. These include personal care activities like bathing and dressing.

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are also everyday tasks, but ones that require more planning and forethought. They include things like getting around the community, paying bills, shopping for groceries, and managing money or paying bills.

How Do I Choose Senior Care Services?

It’s important to choose senior care services that your loved one needs. Often, their physician will recommend types of services based on evaluating their ADL and IADL capabilities. Listen to your loved one as well. What concerns do they voice about living independently? What frustrations do they show with daily activities? AmeriBest Home Care works with seniors and their families to ensure they receive the services they need to live independent and healthy lives.

Are You Looking for Senior Care in Harrisburg, PA?

If you’re looking for home health care for you or a loved one, contact us today. One of our program coordinators can discuss your needs and help you select the program and services that are right for you.

Affordable, quality home health care is important to aging at home and living independently. Community First Choice (CFC) was established under the State Plan as part of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. For Pennsylvania residents, it allows for seniors and people with disabilities to receive cost-effective community-based care. So let’s look at what community first choice does for Harrisburg residents.

What Is Community First Choice?

As part of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, Community First Choice provides funding for home and community-based care for people who meet the Medicaid criteria for institutional care. This allows them to live at home in their communities and saves money versus institution-based services.

Why Home and Community-Based Care Matters

The most important reason that home and community-based care is important to Harrisburg residents is because it is, overwhelmingly, what they want. Whether living with a disability or aging, people want to live independently, near their families and communities. Home and community-based care gives them that ability.

In addition, home and community care is less expensive than long-term care in a public or private institution. Per recipient, the state of Pennsylvania saves about $30,000 annually with home-based care over nursing homes.

What Services Are Included in Home and Community-Based Care?

For seniors who qualify for home and community-based care, AmeriBest Home Care provides a wide variety of services to meet their daily needs. These services include,

• Transportation/ escort services
• Social services/ case management
• Nutritional counseling/ education
• Personal care
• Homemaker chore services
• Home delivered meals

Do You Qualify for Home and Community-Based Services?

The state of Pennsylvania offers 12 Home and Community-Based Services to meet the needs of seniors and those with disabilities. At AmeriBest, we can educate you on eligibility requirements and assist you with follow-ups until you are approved.

Are You Looking for Home Health Care in Harrisburg, PA?

If you’re looking for home health care for you or a loved one, contact us today.

One of our program coordinators can discuss your needs and help you select the program and services right for you!

March is Women’s History Month. At AmeriBest Home Care Harrisburg, we’re excited to honor the women who helped shape what care is through their work and advocacy. Let’s look at some of the most influential caregivers in history.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

Though Franklin Roosevelt’s polio left him paralyzed, he still became President in 1933. As strong and influential as he was during a tumultuous time in US History, it was the care that his wife Eleanor provided that enabled him to be the leader we remember today. When Franklin Roosevelt passed away, Eleanor continued to advocate for effective and empathetic care for those who needed it most.

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler

In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first African American woman in the US to earn an M.D. degree. She focused her work on the care of women and children and further secured her place in medical history with her Book of Medical Discourses.

Anne Sullivan

When Hellen Keller lost her sight and hearing from scarlet fever as an infant, her family saw little hope for her. However, Anne Sullivan rose to the challenge, helping Hellen learn to communicate and interact with the world around her.

Hellen Keller

With the help of Anne Sullivan, Hellen Keller was able to overcome incredible obstacles to become an activist and speaker. Among her numerous causes, Hellen Keller became a fierce advocate for people with disabilities.

Debbie Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds was best known as a Hollywood actress (Singin’ in the Rain as well as the voice of Charlotte in Charlotte’s web). She was also the mother of one of the most beloved actresses in science fiction – Carrie Fisher. What most don’t know is that Debbie also spent her life as a caregiver to her own mother and grandmother when she was 14 and even her own daughter Carrie when she showed signs of depression and bipolar disorder.

Rosalynn Carter

Another First Lady on our list, Rosalynn Carter, became a caregiver at the young age of 12 when her father was diagnosed with leukemia. In addition to serving as a caregiver for other family members, she has written books about caregiving and started the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers to promote the health, strength, and resilience of those who dedicate their lives to serving others.

AmeriBest Home Care Harrisburg, PA

If you’re looking for home health care for you or a loved one, contact us today.

One of our program coordinators can discuss your needs and help you select the program and services right for you.

February is American Heart Month, with the theme “Live to Beat.”. It’s a time when various organizations encourage individuals to focus on cardiovascular health. At AmeriBest in home health care Harrisburg PA, we have seen firsthand the toll a heart attack can take on a person and their family during our work. Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. To put it in perspective, one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease. In 2020, this equated to nearly 700,000 individuals.

The caregivers at AmeriBest have been trained to recognize the signs of a stroke or heart attack. They observe closely, especially with people who have hypertension, which is a contributing cause of cardiovascular problems.

Heart Health

It’s not as hard as you might think to deter your risks of cardiovascular disease. The first step is understanding your risks by talking to your physician. Taking preventative measures matters.

What are these measures? Main boil down to ongoing self-care. Here are a few:

Eating Healthy. Keep salt and saturated fat to a minimum. It’s ok to cheat. Just remain aware of what you’re consuming. AmeriBest’s Aides can prepare nutritional meals for your loved one.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep. Practice sleep hygiene. Shoot for 7-8 hours a night. Create a daily ritual for yourself for the time you get up and the time you go to bed. Don’t nap too much.

Move it! Endeavor to get about 2 ½  hours of activity weekly. If that sounds like a lot, it equates to only 13 minutes daily over 7 days. Focus on low-impact cardio exercises that increase your heart rate. Walking, yoga, swimming, and cycling are examples. These types of exercise have minimal impact on joints.

Reduce Stress: For example, say your loved one knows a person who really rattles their cage. Limit how much time they spend with said individual. Activity (ah, ha #3) helps decrease anxiety, as can laughter, yoga (yes, it’s true), meditation, socialization, journaling, and keeping up with your personal hobbies. All these things provide mental distraction.

Know your numbers, specifically your blood pressure which is now easy thanks to home cuffs. If you cannot coordinate the cuff, ask the AmeriBest aide to help you.

If practicable, remain an active participant in your health. If you have questions, ask them, and insist on answers. You are your own best advocate.

Socialize: An in-home caregiver from a home health care agency like AmeriBest has trained personnel who take an interest in your loved one’s favorite activities. Studies show having interaction offsets depression, too.

Hiring a Home Health Care in Harrisburg, PA 

When you reach the point when you know you can’t go it alone as the primary caregiver to your loved one, it’s time to consider professional aides. Whether or not your loved one has cardiovascular problems, seeking in-home assistance comes with many questions. The professionals at AmeriBest are here to answer them and provide the necessary information you will need going forward.

Reach out to us:

Online https://www.ameribesthomecare.com/contact-us/

Telephone: (717) 545-2920

Email: info@ameribest.org