Seniors Home Care is Proud to Celebrate its 25th Anniversary

Over 25 years ago, Kit Whittington was the primary caregiver for her grandmother, who had been diagnosed with cancer. Kit was the only family available to assist with her care and because she also worked full time, acting as the primary caregiver grew increasingly difficult both physically and emotionally. She knew this was an unsustainable lifestyle and hired an independent caregiver to assist her. She soon discovered that her grandmother was not receiving the level of care she deserved: “At the end of the day, I checked on my grandmother and to my disbelief, I discovered the caregiver had simply not shown up. My grandmother had missed her doctor’s appointment and much needed meal. It was a debilitating moment; we were both in tears. My own feelings of helplessness and a desire for a higher quality of life for my grandmother drove me to find a better way to care for her. The motivation behind SHC is my own personal experience and I’ve built the company on a solid foundation of 25 years of consistent, compassionate caring for all clients”. 

In 1987, Kit started SHC to provide a family support system for older adults at a time when professional services of this type were rare. Kit was truly a pioneer in the industry. Today, SHC employs an around-the-clock nursing staff and over 160 caregivers to assist clients and families with achieving their unique goals and needs. Seniors Home Care is proud of the accomplishments achieved the past 25 years and looks forward to the possibilities of the future. A sincere thank you goes out to all of our loyal clients and dedicated staff. We recognize our success is a direct result of you.

Roll ‘N Pour

The Roll 'n Pour takes the worry out of pouring liquids from gallon jugs, half-gallon jugs and two-liter bottles. And it's so easy to use. Just set the container in your Roll 'n Pour and tilt it towards your glass. The Roll 'n Pour does the rest. It keeps the container steady, avoiding spills. It's great for kids and older folks who might need a little extra help in the kitchen. 

For more information please email: [email protected] or call 214-662-0358

What is a Personal Emergency Response System?

A Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is an electronic device designed to let you summon help in an emergency. A PERS has three components: a small radio transmitter (a help button carried or worn by the user); a console connected to the user's telephone; and an emergency response center that monitors calls. When emergency help is needed, the user presses the transmitter's help button. It sends a radio signal to the console. Most PERS are programmed to send a signal to a response center where the caller is identified. Within seconds a response team will determine the nature of the emergency and summon the help you need. If the center cannot contact you or determine whether an emergency exists, it will alert emergency service providers to go to your home. With most systems, the center will monitor the situation until the crisis is resolved.

Source: www.communitycare.com

Balance Difficulties As We Age.

Having both feet planted on the ground may not be as easy as we age. The body’s internal system for collecting information about its position relative to the outside world is made up of a complex sensory system. As we age, degeneration occurs to the sensory receptors. An example includes vision being affected by increase lens density. Another example is an age related decline in position sense. This means that an individual may not realize that he/she is not fully lifting his toes off the ground while he/she is walking. When the local sensory system is not acute, balance is left to the vestibular system. The vestibular system is located in the inner ear. The function of this system is to detect head position and movement. When the vestibular system starts to degenerate, elderly individuals are at risk for frequent loss of balance and falls. Diseases of the neuromuscular system can further compound the problem. People with vestibular lesions can be potentially treated with specific exercises to improve vestibular function or can be taught compensatory techniques. A one pound cuff weight around the ankles can be used to increase the awareness of ones feet and where they are in space. Head movements side to side and up and down help to retrain the vestibular system on movement. It
should be noted that one in three elderly clients complain of vertigo. The symptoms of vertigo includes room spinning, light headedness, dizziness, and feeling off balance. Vertigo results from a disturbance of the semicircular canals in the inner ear or nerve tracts leading to them. It can be very debilitating in which the sufferer does not want to get out of bed for fear of setting it off. Vertigo should be evaluated for the actual cause of the disturbance. The cause could be coming from the brain (central vestibular system) or it could be from the inner ear structures and the eyes (peripheral vestibular system). Once a cause is determined then the proper treatment can be implemented. Physical therapy can be helpful when the insult is to the peripheral vestibular system. The rationale is to stimulate an imbalance in the vestibular system to promote increased tolerance to movement. There are many specific exercises for each different type of insult to the vestibular system. A physical therapist with vestibular and balance retraining is qualified to help design the proper program for each individual. Although aging can make balance a challenge, there are treatments that can help keep ones feet planted to the ground.

Source: Keith Swensen, Physical Therapist