Help My Senior

Easing the struggle of the family caregiver

The nation is turning its attention to the goal of improving nursing home conditions, and we all hope that this will work for the good of everyone involved.

As I’m sure you know, President Biden used his State of the Union speech in February to announce a boost of nursing home standards. In turn, nursing home operators complained of a lack of federal funding for these initiatives, if Congress takes action.

In the speech, Biden criticized a growing trend toward investor-owned, profit-driven facilities. As an alternative, the Biden administration has been working to develop home- and community-based care.

It seems to me that the national mood is turning toward better care at home for the elderly and those recovering from rehab.

Social workers and other discharge planners will be better prepared if they know trustworthy and dependable home care agencies in their area.

A Troubled Woman

This brings to mind the situation of a young woman I met years ago who worked as a secretary for a group of psychologists.

She herself had experienced various mental health issues, but had gotten relief with an unexpected method: people who simply cared for her.

She told me that she spent some months in a mental health institution run by Catholic sisters.

“Did you receive psychotherapy?” I asked. “Any kind of special counseling?”

“No.”

“Well, what helped you?”

“The nuns just took care of me … talked with me.”

I was surprised that what helped her was not the full weight of the sophisticated methods of psychotherapy backed by all the theories behind it that have been developed by highly-respected professionals over the last one hundred years. (I don’t remember whether she had received psychiatric medication.)

The lesson I took away was that many human problems get taken care of when there are people truly watching out and caring for another’s good. Caregivers who can spot a problem, a troubled emotion, or a looming physical problem and give their personal attention and compassion toward the individual.

FirstLight Provides Dependable Care

That’s the kind of concern that you’ll find among the caregivers of FirstLight Home Care of Deerfield/Lake Forest. They have a true human concern for their clients as well as a knowledge of how to deal with various problems.

I’m impressed with the stories I hear about them, as I’m sure you’ve read about in earlier articles of mine.

Are you looking for well-trained non-medical caregivers who can assist patients at with ADLs? Those who truly care for their clients?

Check out FirstLight Home Care of Deerfield/Lake Forest.

They help the elderly or disabled carry out the activities of daily living, whether in their own homes, or in an institution. They are well-trained, knowledgeable, patient, and consistent in their work.

FirstLight Home Care has qualified caregivers in northern Cook County and Lake County, Illinois.

Why not contact FirstLight Home Care owner Caleb Johnson at 240-880-6555, or email cjohnson@firstlighthomecare.com. Visit FirstLight’s website at www.lakeforest.firstlighthomecare.com.

Your patients will be happy that you put them in touch with the right people.