A reluctant senior accepts home care in Grand Rapids

 

Our Fall Season

Accepting the fact that you need some help to stay at home is not easy for many. Irene has been fighting her family about accepting help for over a year. We met with her several times; we met her family, and we had many phone calls and conversations with her and the family. Despite all our efforts, Irene was still very hesitant to let anyone come in to her house to assist her.
This summer, sadly, Irene fell and injured herself, lying outside for 8 hours before a neighbor came home and called 911. After her stay in the hospital, the family contacted us saying she REALLY needs some help. We made the first huge step by going to her home and doing an assessment. Luckily, for the entire 18 months she was resisting help, our wonderful provider, Char, was making bi-weekly contact with Irene and checking in over the phone. We did not charge the family for the phone check-ins; that is something that Char decided to do on her own after we took her to breakfast with us on one of our early meetings with the family.
It was because of the relationship that was built over the phone that Irene was finally willing to accept help from Char. We started small and with some hesitation, but Char is now providing service to Irene 3 days per week. Our initial plan was to help Irene around the house; do some housecleaning and help her get some things organized.
The service plan has really grown/changed and Char and Irene go out almost every day we provide service now. Irene says she is happier than she has ever been. It has improved her quality of life so much. Irene is now able to go to the grocery store and pick out her own groceries rather than relying on her kids to get them for her. Irene has 3 adult children that are all boys. She is so happy to have Char around that she claims it is like having the daughter she never had. One of her sons told us that his mom is actually eating for the first time in years and smiling more than he can remember.
Irene was a tough cookie to crack, but now that she has accepted help she has completely changed. Irene trusts Char very much and they have built a wonderful relationship. In fact, Char has very specific instructions (from Irene) to call Irene every time she gets home after leaving her house so that Irene can be sure she made it home safe and sound. Thank you Char for doing such a wonderful job and for being such an asset to Irene's life. I know that the two of them mean a lot to each other and they are the embodiment of what Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home services is all about!

Amanda Thrush, LPN
Client Relations Director

Fall Prevention

Every fall season we like to mention FALL PREVENTION. Here are four tips for seniors this fall season to prevent falls:
  1. Begin a regular exercise program.
  2. Have your vision checked.
  3. Have your doctor review your medicines.
  4. Make your home safer.

Seniors Helping Seniors will provide an in depth home safety checklist to help with fall prevention for any of our clients at no cost. This is just one of the services we offer. For non-clients a home safety assessment can be provided for a reasonable fee. Call our office if you or a loved one has any concerns about fall prevention.

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release – July 21, 2011

Please Contact:

Dave VanderLinde Jr, CSA

616-234-0190

Davejr@homehealthcaregrandrapids.com

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New Resource Available for Grand Rapids Area Seniors and Their Families

 Grand Rapids area seniors now have a new resource to help them age successfully. Dave VanderLinde Jr., CSA, with Seniors Helping Seniors, recently completed a comprehensive course through the Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) and earned the designation of Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)^®.  SCSA is an international organization that has trained more than 20,000 professionals to meet the changing needs of a growing senior population. 

  “The health, financial and social needs of seniors are different and more complicated than those of any other age group.  SCSA keeps professionals from a wide variety of fields abreast of all these issues by providing education, training, support and communication resources to those of us dedicated to serving seniors,” Dave VanderLinde Jr. said.

 The explosion in growth of the senior population is one of the most important demographic developments of the 21^st century.  Two-thirds of the people who have lived past the age of 65 are alive today.  In the United States alone, seniors (age 65 and older) number 35 million and will continue to increase (with women being the largest segment), leading an unprecedented shift in the age of the population.  By 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Census predicts there will be about 70 million people who are 65 and older – one in five Americans will be seniors.

 This demographic shift requires an educated response in how professionals work with seniors and the challenges and opportunities they face. Dave said, “With more people living longer, we are already beginning to see changes in how seniors function in our society, from retirees who choose to start a second or third career, to various forms of alternative senior housing and new approaches to diet, exercise and overall health care for seniors”.

 As a CSA, Dave VanderLinde Jr. will participate in continuing education that emphasizes ethical selling and business practices and volunteer service specific to seniors.

 About SCSA

The Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) is a national organization that educates professionals to work more effectively with their senior clients. Founded in 1997, SCSA teaches an integrated approach to the health, financial, and social aspects of aging. Professionals who obtain the designation as Certified Senior Advisors (CSA's) are able to integrate this knowledge into their professional practices. They've learned how incredibly gratifying it is to help seniors achieve their goals, and the seniors they've worked with have learned how important it is to work with someone who truly understands their age-related circumstances.

About Seniors Helping Seniors® In-Home Services

Started in 1998 as one woman’s dream, Seniors Helping Seniors® franchises are now located in 36 states with over 165 franchises across the country. The company is unique in the industry because it concentrates not only on those seniors who need care, but also on providing meaningful work for loving, caring and compassionate seniors who want to supplement their retirement income. To learn more about the franchise opportunities with Seniors Helping Seniors email info@shsmichigan.com

Press Release

PRESS RELEASE 

June 27, 2011                  

                                                                                 

For Immediate Release

Independence Day is Celebrated Every Day by Many Area Seniors

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 4^th of July. Independence Day. For many aging Americans the word independence is meaningful every day. On July 3, Marjorie T. will be turning 100 years old. It is a special day for her as well as Amanda Thrush (several decades behind) of Seniors Helping Seniors because they share a birthday on the eve of our great country’s “birthday”. Marjorie does not want to be in a nursing home, but rather, she wants to stay right where she is, living with her grandson and his wife in Ada. She wants to be as independent as possible. Their situation is not unique as many seniors are living longer and want to maintain their independence. But as anyone who provides care for an elderly relative knows, care giving comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. Amanda met with Marjorie and her family to see how Seniors Helping Seniors could help. After getting to know Marjorie, she matched her up with Rita Chorley to provide respite care, allowing Marjorie’s grandson Dan and his wife Margaret to get out of the house knowing they did not have to worry about Marjorie.

Rita is a very active senior herself who found Seniors Helping Seniors to be a good way for her to get out, help other seniors maintain their independence and supplement her retirement income at the same time. “They are so happy to have people their own age around them. So I can see that it makes a big difference in their lives and that’s what I like to do, is make a difference in their lives,” says Rita about her experience with Seniors Helping Seniors. Another thing that Rita loves is the flexibility. She gets to choose when she wants to work and how much work she wants to take on, giving her the ability to spend time with her family as well as those she is providing care for.

Although it is quite a feat, it turns out that having that century birthday is not as rare as it used to be. The United States has the greatest number of centenarians in the world, estimated at 70,490 on September 1, 2010. Did you know that the majority of centenarians, about 85%, are women? In developed countries, the prevalence of centenarians is about 1 in 6,000. Centenarians are the fastest growing segment of the US population. About 15% of centenarians live independently, completely on their own.

Not all of SHS’s clients are 100. Some like Eleanor W. of Grand Rapids just turned 90. “Elaine is like having a second daughter and I don’t know how I would be able to live on my own without her,” says Eleanor about her provider, Elaine W. Eleanor is able to live independently in a condo on the NW side of Grand Rapids and receives care from Elaine three times per week.  Elaine assists Eleanor with housekeeping, chores and personal grooming. The SHS office in Grand Rapids has provided service to about 200 seniors in the community since opening in 2009. Owner Dave VanderLinde Sr. says, “When we met the founder Kiran Yocom in 2009 and had the opportunity to see her passion for helping seniors and serving both sides of the equation, Judy (his wife) and I knew this is what we were being called to do in the next phase of our lives. We have been actively involved in running the senior citizens group at Saints Peter and Paul Parish for over a decade and this was an opportunity to do even more for those seniors that need help and also a great way to give other healthy seniors a way to earn a little extra money in this economy. It really is a way to give and receive.”

A family owned and operated business in Grand Rapids, Dave and Judy brought their daughter Amanda and son Dave Jr. into the family business early on. “I was working in nursing homes and just felt like a walking pill dispenser. I saw so many seniors that didn’t want to be there and in many cases if they had a little help at home, could have stayed at home longer. They could have been independent instead of going into the nursing home. I got into nursing because I love working with the elderly and now working at Seniors Helping Seniors it is my job to assess the seniors that need help and match them up with the right loving, caring and compassionate provider that works with us. I am doing what I love now; spending time with our greatest generation and helping them celebrate their independence every day.”

Dave Jr. assists the family business as a Regional Owner for Seniors Helping Seniors. With several thousand baby boomers turning 65 every day until 2029 the number of seniors in our community is growing daily. “We doubled our number of offices in Michigan last year from 4 to 8 and are seeing more growth. Many entrepreneurs are realizing the need for these services in their communities across the state; especially after having their own personal experiences with aging relatives. Even more rewarding for me is when I get to help out with some of the small home repair projects that we do for some seniors. The gratitude they show for some of the things that seem so little is the most gratifying part of what I do. When I helped Linda Spencer with some things around her house and got a big hug, smile and thanks it really brought home how important these services are to seniors who are struggling to maintain their homes to stay independent,” adds Dave Jr.

“People are thrilled with the personalized quality of care and companionship they receive through Seniors Helping Seniors in-home services” says Judy VanderLinde.  Throughout Michigan Seniors Helping Seniors franchises are providing thousands of hours of service every month and demand is increasing. “There is clearly a need for our special brand of caring service that helps seniors maintain their self respect, stay in their home independently, and be connected to their community,” relates local caregiver Suzanne Woods.  

To celebrate their second anniversary the local Seniors Helping Seniors office will be having an annual picnic to recognize some of the outstanding caregivers who work for them, thank the receivers who allow SHS to serve them and show appreciation to others in the community who have supported their venture. Stop and chat, there will be plenty of information that you can take for a friend or loved one.  The picnic is being held at Millennium Park on Wednesday August 17 from 12PM – 2PM.  For more information on the picnic and for directions you can contact Seniors Helping Seniors at 616-234-0190. 

“We are excited to present our first Kiran Yocom award to one of our providers at this year’s picnic,” says Amanda Thrush. “The award is named after our founder who spent 14 years working with Mother Teresa and it is being presented to one of our providers who has a passion for helping other seniors and the same loving, caring heart as Kiran,” continued Amanda.

Seniors Helping Seniors provides a variety of help including companion care, transportation to doctors and healthcare facilities, around-the-clock in-home care, basic handyman services, lawn and garden work, food shopping, cooking, cleaning, personal grooming, respite care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care and more.  Seniors Helping Seniors has about 165 locations around the country and 8 in Michigan.

Seniors Helping Seniors Franchises are located in 36 states. For more information on Seniors Helping Seniors in-home services, or its franchise system, contact Dave VanderLinde Jr.

Phone:  (616) 234-0190

Email:   info@shsmichigan.com

Website:  www.seniorshelpingseniors.com/

New Franchise Opens in Michigan

Our Seniors Helping Seniors family here in Michigan is growing! A big welcome to our newest Partners, Nancy and Sarah. They will be providing the same services for the elderly in their community that we do in the greater Grand Rapids, MI area for those seniors who want to maintain their independence and stay in their own home.

This is our 8th franchise in the state of Michigan, dedicated to providing loving, caring and compassionate in-home health care for seniors. Some of our services include: Companion Care, respite, Alzheimer's care, handyman services, yard word, meal preparation, transportation, medication reminders and other non-medical home care services.

The full press release for Nancy and Sarah can be read below -

For Immediate Release - April 26, 2011  

Mother and daughter team join forces providing heartfelt assistance for senior citizens in Northern Macomb and Southern St. Clair counties providing jobs and in-home assistance.

Rochester Hills, MI – To help meet the growing demand of older Michigan residents who want to remain in their own homes and stay as self-sufficient as possible Nancy Olson and her daughter Sarah Mullins have established a new Seniors Helping Seniors^® in-home service franchise location in Rochester Hills. Their office will be providing services for seniors throughout Northern Macomb / Southern St. Clair Counties, and they will be hiring local seniors to help provide services.

Seniors Helping Seniors in-home services offers loving, caring, compassionate non-medical services by seniors for seniors to help them live independently with dignity and respect.  Seniors Helping Seniors Receivers are matched with senior Providers. They provide services, such as: companionship, transportation, meal preparation, overnight stays and handyman services among others. Providers are seniors with the heart of a volunteer, but are compensated for their time.

Nancy has had experience providing care for family members. “Through this experience I have learned how quickly circumstances can change in a family due to illness and/or aging and how important it is to be able to find caring, reliable people to step in and help families cope with those changes.”  She realizes how much her own mother and aunts could have benefited from Seniors Helping Seniors services and looks forward to the opportunity to help other families.

                                                         

After Nancy lost her husband she cared for a woman with cancer and helped her stay in her home.  “I found great satisfaction helping this woman each day.  Small things became big memories. She had no appetite and was very thin. I could carry her upstairs to help her bathe, change and get tucked her into bed.  She wouldn’t eat for her sons but with persistence and patience I was able to find things she was willing to eat. Although she only lived another three months, those months were some of the most rewarding for both of us. We formed a genuine bond and friendship. We began as strangers and ended as friends. That relationship motivated me to make the decision to bring Seniors Helping Seniors services to our area.”  

Sarah, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), has seen a change in healthcare from patient based care to finance based care focused on volume and cost. Sarah has always enjoyed working with people and providing them quality care. “I am so excited to have this opportunity to be involved in seniors’ lives and to help them remain independent and living in their own homes.”   My mother and I are embarking on this franchise endeavor mostly because of past personal health hardships in our own family.  We want to be able to create a safe, compassionate place for people to turn when they need help.  After experiencing what it is like to go through a long illness as the sole caregiver we recognize the need for quality, empathetic care.  We would like to become a trusted resource for our community.  We have always felt the desire to help others and we believe this will be a way to put words into action.”

The Seniors Helping Seniors organization differs from other area services in that they find providers who are mature and have a lot in common with those for whom they are helping. These providers are people who truly want to help others and have the heart of volunteers not just employees motivated by a paycheck. These providers welcome to opportunity to provide comfort and care to members of their own peer group while supplementing their incomes.

Both Nancy and Sarah are active in the community. Nancy has volunteered in the Rochester Hills community schools.  She has also participated in the Rochester Junior Women’s League, and the annual Wayne State University brain tumor fund raiser.  Sarah has volunteered with the Fayetteville, NC MacPherson Presbyterian Church Youth Group, the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society (A no kill animal shelter), The Salvation Army Christmas gift drive and was a member and volunteer for the Fayetteville, NC chapter of the Jaycees. She has been a leader of the Family Readiness Group for the 37^th Engineer Battalion from 1999-2003 at Fort Bragg, NC.  Sarah is also active in the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation annual walk-a-thon.

“We know that in order for our Franchise Partners to be successful in this industry, they need to have a passion for both working with seniors and doing good. When we met with Nancy, we knew that she had the heart we look for in our Partners along with the desire to be successful. We did not talk to Sarah until after both of them went to an Open House in Reading, PA to meet our founders, but we were very pleased to hear from the home office that Sarah had many of the same qualities as her mother. We know that Nancy and Sarah will be a wonderful resource within their community as well as a great addition to our growing Seniors Helping Seniors family here in Michigan.”  Dave VanderLinde, Jr., Regional Owner Michigan

Philip Yocom, and his wife, Kiran Yocom, co-founded Seniors Helping Seniors in-home services, which began as a non-profit organization serving Berks County, Pennsylvania over ten years ago. The original Seniors Helping Seniors center continues that tradition, providing over 1,000 hours of service every month.

Philip Yocom said, “What began as a heartfelt mission to fill a need that was not being served by our local community is now being recognized as a prime business opportunity being fueled by the fastest growing demographic in our society.” He continued, “We want the existing Seniors Helping Seniors organization and our franchises to be the first place that seniors in need of non-medical services and those seeking extra income call.”

Seniors Helping Seniors organization has grown to over one-hundred franchises in over thirty states including Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Philip adds, “We support all of our franchises with the expertise we have gained in running the Seniors Helping Seniors Berks County office.  We also provide marketing, sales, management, and technology support. We believe we have found a practical, cost-effective way to help seniors remain independent and continue contributing to their community.”

How Seniors Helping Seniors Can Help Seniors with Transitional Moves

Seniors Helping Seniors is known for helping seniors maintain their independence in their own home for as long as it is safely possible. However, for a number of reasons (Alzheimer's, Dementia, changes in health, falling, etc.) in many cases it may be necessary for someone to move into an assisted living facility or nursing home. It is also very common for seniors to downsize and move from a single family home into a condo or townhouse.

In either situation, Seniors Helping Seniors is still there to help. When it is time for you to move, we understand the challenges that come with packing up a home that you may have been in for decades. Our senior providers have an understanding of what it is like to have been in the same home for many, many years and who better to help you prepare for a move? We also can help you get settled into your home - unpack, hang those pictures, put the dishes away and even look through all those photographs you uncovered during the move and talk about the "Good old days".

But in this housing market, before we get to any of that, first you need to sell your home. And that is where someone like Julie Stone from Staged to Sell can come in.....

Moving Made Easy for the Senior Community

Moving from known surroundings to a new home can be mentally and physically exhausting.  Whether you have chosen to down size or are in need of assisted living, the move can be overwhelming.  Where do you begin?  Working with a professional home stager can make the transition to a new home easy and less stressful.   

You need a professional home stager if you …..

-Feel overwhelmed by the moving process.

-Do not know where to begin.

-Do not know how your existing furnishings will fit into your new space.

-have a hard time deciding what to take to your new home.

-Worried about selling your existing home.

SERVICES PROVIDED;

Downsizing – Helping you make the decisions of what items to take with you is an important step in the moving process.  Arrangements can be made for the items that will not be moving with you.

Space Planning - A floor plan will be developed prior to your move to determine where your items that you are taking with you will fit.

Home Staging  - When preparing your home to sell in today’s market, home staging is the very best proven way to help a home sell faster.  Staging sets the scene throughout the house to create immediate buyer interest throughout the home.  Each room is staged so that it appeals to the majority of home buyers.   Currently, 94.8% of staged homes, on average, are selling in 37 days of less versus a non-staged home is selling, on average, of 182 days.

SPECIAL OFFER – Available to the first 50 clients of 2011 – sign up for a home staging consultation and receive a space plan for your new home FREE.  Contact Julie Stone Accredited Staging Professional and Interior Designer at 616-581-2759 or  WWW.stagedtosellbyjulie.com

SERVING THE SENIOR COMMUNITIES IN WEST MICHIGAN

Thanks for providing this information Julie!