Author: Risa Margulies

Meet Our Caring Client Service Manager Associates

Posted on by Risa Margulies

From L to R: Jennie Ray, Savannah Staubs, Meghan Jackson, Katie Cash

Our Client Service Management Associates are not only compassionate and hardworking but also integral to the Family & Nursing Care team.

While you might not get the chance to see them in person often, you likely have heard our Client Service Management Associates on the other end of the phone when you call Family & Nursing Care. They help ensure lines of communication are kept open even while the Client Service Managers are out in the field visiting clients and their families.

This close-knit team — Jennie, Savannah, and Meghan— have much in common, and it’s not just their passion for helping enhance the lives of older adults. This group is empathetic, responsive, and knowledgeable, making them the perfect active listeners and points of contact to form relationships with clients and their families and gain a sense of how to best help them. The Client Service Management Associates innately know how to help clients and families feel heard, comfortable, and confident in their next steps. What’s more, in working closely with Client Services Managers, the Associates gain valuable on-the-job experience, making them skilled candidates for promotion when the time is right. Katie Cash was recently promoted from the Associate group to Client Services Manager.

Their unique blend of perspectives and backgrounds adds that personal touch the Family & Nursing Care team strives to achieve with every interaction. Prior to joining our team, these Associates’ work varied including elder care, case management, working with marginalized communities, teaching, and real estate.

When these D.C. Metro natives aren’t at work, they enjoy biking, painting, making pottery, and spending time with their families, friends, and pets.

2023 Begins with a Win! Family & Nursing Care is Voted the Area’s “Best In-Home Care Provider”

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Best of Bethesda Winner logo 2023

 

Here at Family & Nursing Care, we began 2023 by celebrating being voted “Best In-Home Care Provider” in Bethesda Magazine’s Best of Bethesda Readers’ Poll!

Each year, Bethesda Magazine, a local feature and lifestyle publication, enlists its readers to vote on Bethesda’s best of the best — from restaurants to businesses to bars to shops to health care providers. Readers are encouraged to write-in votes to identify local companies they believe provide premium service to their customers and community, while making the Bethesda area a great place to live, work, and play.

We are proud to say the 2023 Best of Bethesda: Best In-Home Care Provider award marks the 8th year Family & Nursing Care has been voted for this honor. We are humbled and honored to receive this distinction as it’s public recognition like this that enables us to reach out and provide support to even more clients.

We would like to thank the clients, Caregivers, and professionals with whom we are privileged to interact. By placing your trust in us and allowing us to continue our valuable work, we can keep moving forward in making a difference in someone’s life every day!

Client Spotlight: Phyllis Sheerin Ross

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Phyllis Sheerin Ross is full of gratitude for the big and small beauty each day has to offer, like watching the sun rise with a steaming hot cup of coffee, surprise calls from friends, spending time with her family, and relaxing at home while listening to her favorite tunes that can range anywhere from a violin concerto to old time rock and roll.

When reflecting on the favorite year of her life, Phyllis recalls 1961 and her first real job as a Correspondent for Book of the Month Club in New York City. Even though the job had its share of learning curves, Phyllis thinks back to her first apartment in Greenwich Village – a converted hotel room with only a hot plate to cook on – with pride as it was a symbol of independence and an exciting time to grow and thrive in adulthood. She recounts getting her morning bagel and being so happy that she could tip the server, as well as making forever friends in the Village, including her future husband, Earl.

Though long past that New York rush era in her life, through Family & Nursing Care, Phyllis is able to maintain her independence with the support of a Caregiver who provides companionship to admire today’s joys, re-live fond memories, and lean on in tougher times. When Phyllis first met her Caregiver, Selam, her beloved cat Bugsy was feeling a bit shy. He hid under the bed, and it took some sweet talking and crunchy cat treats to get him out of his shell. Now that initial reticence feels like a distant memory. Bugsy is like a teenager in love when it comes to Selam, constantly nuzzling up to her and purring. Phyllis sees her Caregiver as a vital part of her family now and the trio continues to make so many new memories together.

As we head into 2024, Phyllis says her only resolution this year is to abide by John Wesley’s (1707-1791) “Rule of Conduct”:

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

 

Family & Nursing Care Select – A Home Care Agency That Advocates on Your Behalf

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Family & Nursing Care Select is a home care agency that employs rigorously-screened and highly-qualified Caregivers to provide home care to older adults.

Upon starting care, a Supervisory Nurse will meet with you to assess the client’s needs and create a Plan of Care. Clients and their families enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing there is a Registered Nurse (RN) overseeing the care, checking in regularly, and making any adjustments needed.

Experience the benefits and comfort of Family & Nursing Care Select

  • Our home care agency is focused on compassionate and reliable in-home care.
  • Our nurse oversight is welcomed by adult children who find the extra reassurance comforting or are not able to check in on their loved ones regularly because they live too far away or their schedule will not allow it.
  • Each Select Caregiver, as an employee, receives ongoing supervision and training specific to the health conditions and individual needs of each client. Each Caregiver is also covered by the company’s professional liability and worker’s compensation insurance.
  • Caregivers are paid by Family & Nursing Care Select.
  • Client invoices are sent and payable every other week.
  • As an added service to clients with Long-Term Care Insurance, Family & Nursing Care Select help clients and their families better understand the benefits offered by their policy and helps them file the requisite paperwork for
    reimbursement (see more information below).
  • Our Caregivers receive overtime pay when working 40+ hours/week. Unlike many other agencies, we don’t pass this cost on to you. We absorb that cost so that clients experience the many benefits realized from superior continuity of care with greater consistency of Caregivers.

Flexible Commitments to Meet Everyone’s Unique Needs

Many people aren’t aware of the flexible nature of home care. Care can be arranged for just a few hours a day up to 24 hours a day. There is no long-term obligation.

We recognize that every family’s needs are different and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. People who try home care experience such positive changes in their life and in the life of their loved one that they often choose to receive services long term. We work together with you to find a solution for your unique family situation.

A Home Care Agency that Advocates on Your Behalf

While services from a private duty home care company like Family & Nursing Care (both Family & Nursing Care Classic and Family & Nursing Care Select options) are not eligible for reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid, or general health insurance, most Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) policies reimburse their policyholders for these private duty services.

LTCI policies reimburse policyholders either a daily, weekly, or monthly maximum amount for home care to assist them with activities of daily living. Some policies will also have a benefit for home care if your loved one is diagnosed with a cognitive impairment, and needs dementia or Alzheimer’s care.

As an added service to our clients who have LTCI, Family & Nursing Care Select helps you better understand the benefits offered by your policy and helps you file the requisite paperwork for reimbursement. We first have a conference call between the Long-Term Care Insurance carrier and our Family & Nursing Care Select Long Term Care Manager to support you in getting a full understanding of the criteria, benefits, and next steps to a successful and smooth experience with the claims reimbursement process.

Family & Nursing Care Select can also assist you with getting reimbursements from your LTCI carrier for the cost of our Services by submitting the necessary claim documentation to your LTCI company.

Our specialized support allows us to advocate on your behalf.

We believe it is our job to ease your mind and present solutions to your challenges—not cause you more paperwork and aggravation.

 In need of home care services? Contact us to get started!

Activities of Daily Living

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are essential personal tasks that people do on an everyday basis. Some examples of ADLs include bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, meal preparation, feeding, toileting, continence care, transferring, and lifting. Older adults often have trouble performing some or all ADLs on their own.

Caregivers can help clients perform these activities of daily living as needed. The help provided by the Caregiver is completely dependent upon each individual client’s needs. For instance, one client may require a Caregiver’s full assistance with bathing or showering, while another may need the Caregiver to simply monitor the activity to ensure the client is safe and help reduce the risk of a slip and fall. This individualized level of assistance is applied by the Caregiver to all ADLs.

The Caregiver will also familiarize themselves with the full spectrum of the client’s abilities and needs in order to allow the client to maintain independence where and when they can. For example, a client may need help with preparing a meal, but be perfectly capable of feeding themselves. In this case, the Caregiver will cook a meal for the client, but will not overstep and try to assist with feeding. If the client’s needs change over time, the Caregiver can adapt to those needs.

There may be instances where a client is not receptive to receiving the needed help or care. This can especially be the case if the client has dementia, which can cause them to become agitated. Caregivers have the skills to maintain open communication with the client and their families regarding care. For example, the Caregiver will use a very calm tone and demeanor to ascertain the client’s preferences and comfort level with receiving care and will clearly explain to them about how the help will be provided.

To learn more about our home care services and why thousands of families choose us, call us at 800-588-0517.

Mobility Assistance

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Mobility issues are common amongst older adults. When mobility assistance is needed, a Caregiver can help with getting up, walking, transfers into or out of bed or a chair, turning/positioning in bed, range of motion exercises, and more. Increased physical activity, assisted by a Caregiver, can help boost a client’s mood, decrease stress, and increase alertness.

In addition, Caregivers can provide a helping hand and safety monitoring to decrease a client’s risk of slipping and falling. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in the U.S., falls are the leading cause of injury and injury death among adults age 65 and older. The Caregiver can help ensure that the client is able to move about safely.

To learn more about our home care services and why thousands of families choose us, call us at 800-588-0517.

Companionship

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Companionship can be vital to the mental and physical well-being of older adults.

As individuals age it can become harder to keep up with normal routines and social activities. According to the CDC, older adults, particularly those who live alone, are prone to develop feelings of social isolation and loneliness that can lead to serious health conditions. Caregivers can provide companionship support that helps clients feel comfortable, secure, social, and well-cared for.

Caregivers can provide companionship services including:
• Assistance/company with normal routines
• Taking for a walk
• Providing company at mealtime, social activities, or family events and other functions
• Shopping/Errands
• Accompanying to appointments
• Transportation*


**Standard IRS mileage rates may be applicable.

To learn more about our home care services and why thousands of families choose us, call us at 800-588-0517.

Support Services

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Many times, a chief reason for utilizing home care services is allowing older adults to maintain their independence and stay in their own home for as long as possible. Caregivers can help with that goal by providing support and a helping hand to clients with light housekeeping duties including:

    • Laundry
    • Washing Dishes
    • Taking out the trash
    • Maintaining Bathroom Cleanliness
    • Maintaining Bedroom Cleanliness
    • Vacuuming/Dusting
    • Making the bed/changing bed linens

To learn more about our home care services and why thousands of families choose us, call us at 800-588-0517.

Nutrition

Posted on by Risa Margulies

Specific attention to dietary needs, preferences, and restrictions, is very important to keeping older adults healthy and well-nourished. Caregivers can perform a variety of tasks to help meet the nutritional needs of clients including:

  • Preparing meals/snacks
  • Assisting with feeding
  • Feeding
  • Encouraging fluids
  • Restricting fluids

In addition, Caregivers can help a client to follow any dietary guidelines set by their health care team or dietician, or by their own personal preferences such as a vegan, vegetarian, or kosher diet.

To learn more about our home care services and why thousands of families choose us, call us at 800-588-0517.