News

Right at Home Corporate

• A Loved One’s Dilemma
  

  “When I came to realize that my lifetime partner would require a caregiver in order to live at home, it was a shock. What do I do? Where do I turn?” —Hall of Fame Broadcaster Al McCoy

   As the “Voice of the Suns” professional basketball team in Phoenix, Arizona, Al McCoy has been calling play-by-play action for more than 35 years. One of his toughest calls came in 2011, however, when the Hall of Fame broadcaster was faced with finding a caregiver to stay with his wife, Georgia, while McCoy was travelling with the Suns. 

  “Fortunately for me, a close friend told me about Right at Home,” McCoy recalled. “I had looked into other companies and potential solutions and was very confused. When I called Right at Home, the owners came to my home and met with my wife and myself. Just meeting and talking with them lifted a big weight off my shoulders. Then meeting with their employees, I was even more confident this was going to be exactly what was needed.”

  During that meeting, McCoy confided that he was uncomfortable leaving his wife alone, explained Becky Leuer, who owns the Right at Home office with her husband, Mark. “He also said that for most people, it’s not the idea of getting help when you need it, it’s the idea of having somebody you don’t know in your home,” Leuer acknowledged.

  ‘I was lucky that a friend of mine recommended Right at Home to me.’—Al McCoy  

  Whenever McCoy was out of town for games, as well as during in-town games, Right at Home provided a live-in caregiver to be with his wife. “We have a caregiver, Maria, who has been with them from the beginning and they absolutely adore her,” Leuer noted. “Maria is a wonderful lady who does everything she can to make her clients comfortable and happy.”

  In addition to companionship, Maria helps with meals and other in-home care services as needed. After the Suns ended their season, Right at Home provides service three days a week while McCoy attends to his various business interests.

  “We have other clients who require similar services for a loved one when they are required to travel out of town on business,” Leuer stated. “In many cases where a caregiver starts out providing assistance a few hours a day a couple of days a week, the family and their parents are so pleased with the service that they end up increasing the number of hours our caregivers are with them. That scenario is pretty common.”

  “The folks at Right at Home are there to provide the service that you need,” McCoy added. “I cannot begin to tell you how much their service has meant to me. I was lucky that a friend of mine recommended Right at Home to me. That’s why I would do the same for any family with the same need.”

  
  
  
• New Tools Specifically Designed for Seniors
  

  Today’s seniors are benefitting from the cutting-edge field of gerontechnology that develops products and services to improve the quality of life and make work and leisure easier for people as they age. Although many older individuals are hesitant to join the digital revolution, the new gerontechnology science is working to bridge the gap between seniors avoiding high-tech tools altogether. Here are a few of examples of “nana technology” to help seniors manage their wellness:

  • Handheld electronic magnifiers allow for reading small print, and some include a built-in camera and “freeze image” function to capture magnified text and graphics.
  • E-readers download books and other texts wirelessly so seniors can read material in a larger font and bypass driving to the library or bookstore.
  • Tracking systems help monitor the whereabouts of people such as Alzheimer’s patients who are at risk of wandering.
  • Mailbox alerts use sensors on the mailbox to notify an older person when the mail has arrived so the individual doesn’t have to go outside and check several times a day.

  The following senior tools are currently in development:

  • Intelligent telephones for people with memory problems use a caller ID to display a photo of the person calling, the relationship of the caller and notes about a previous conversation to nudge the call recipient’s memory.
  • Walking aids will automatically come to a person via remote control or direct the person away from obstacles. Electronic shoe insoles will send small vibrations to the foot to help maintain a person’s balance.
  • Robotic nurses will help home care workers lift and carry people who cannot walk or who fall and need immediate assistance.

  Although assistive technology helps seniors and eases the burden on caregivers, gerontechnology will never replace an individual’s need for human touch and personal interaction that only people can offer.

  Which gerontechnology products would you like to see developed?

  
  
  
• The Aging Eye – Macular Degeneration vs. Glaucoma
  

  Eyesight changes are common with older age, but two diseases, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, can significantly affect the vision of seniors. In Americans older than 55, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of impaired eyesight and blindness. AMD occurs when the macula, a small area in the retina (the tissue lining the back of the eye), deteriorates to affect sharp central vision used primarily for driving, reading and other close-up tasks.

  Currently AMD affects more than 1.75 million people in the U.S. and falls into two main forms: dry, resulting in gradual blurred central vision, and wet, causing more rapid distorting of central vision. The causes of AMD are not fully known, but risk factors include age, genetics, race (Caucasians are at highest risk), smoking and certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure and obesity.

  Glaucoma is an eye condition that develops when too much fluid pressure, called intraocular pressure, builds inside the eye. In a normal eye, fluid flows through a mesh-like channel, but with glaucoma, this channel is blocked and the increased pressure decreases peripheral or side vision. Glaucoma can affect anyone, even infants, but occurs most often in people over 40 and who have a family history of the disease. Glaucoma also can stem from an eye injury, severe eye infection and blockage of eye blood vessels.

  Although neither disease has a cure, medication and/or surgery and some dietary changes and multivitamin supplements can help prevent permanent vision loss. Complete eye exams with dilation are important annually for seniors, particularly those with a family history of eye disease. To help your loved one cope with any form of limited vision, Right at Home provides companionship and homemaking services. Preventing and treating progressive loss of vision is vital to seniors’ health, independence and enjoyment of daily living.

  Is it time for your loved one’s annual eye exam?

  
  
  
• May Is Older Americans Month
  

  May is Older Americans Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions and achievements of senior citizens nationwide. Commemorated annually since 1963, this year’s Older Americans Month focuses on the theme, “Never Too Old to Play.”

  The 2012 Older Americans Month salutes the spirited endeavors of an increasing number of older people who volunteer and participate in community service groups, faith-based organizations, arts and recreational groups, and online social networking. 

  According to the Administration on Aging, approximately 40 million senior adults—people 65 years or older—live in America, comprising 13 percent of the U.S. population. One of every eight Americans is a senior citizen, and this number is expected to reach 72.1 million older persons by 2030.

  As part of this year’s Older Americans Month, every person is encouraged to interact with at least one senior and enjoy more playful social interactions such as games, sports, contests and other forms of intergenerational engagement. Here are suggestions for showing appreciation to senior adults any time of year:

  • Enjoy a leisurely phone call to an elderly friend or relative
  • Visit with a senior in person and do something you both enjoy (drink coffee, watch a classic movie, look through photo albums)
  • Bring over a home-cooked or takeout meal and eat together
  • Offer to help out around the home and yard
  • Plan a fun social activity or take a recreational/arts class together
  • Keep in regular touch through visits, calls, cards and social media

  To find ongoing opportunities to celebrate and support older Americans, contact your local Area Agency on Aging by visiting www.eldercare.gov or calling 1-800- 677-1116. Right at Home is honored to provide services, support and resources to older Americans year-round.

  Who will you celebrate during this May’s Older Americans Month?

  
  
  
• Catch Up on the Latest Home Care Industry News
  

  You have probably read about the many high-tech eldercare products developed to keep seniors safe at home. But how does in-home care figure into this new trend? Find out in the April edition of the Caring Right at Home enewsletter, available now.

  Also, do you have questions about Medicare? Read "What Every Baby Boomer Should Know About Medicare" in the latest issue of Caring Right at Home for five ways to help you make the most of your Medicare benefits.