Relationship-oriented Senior Care
One of the prime concerns when new care givers are hired at Seniors’ Choice at Home is that the new employee has the ability to develop a relationship with the client. We do not want a care giver to make lunch for a client, leave him or her eating along at the kitchen table and go into the living room and watch TV. We want the care giver to sit down with the client, eat with him or her and carry on a pleasant conversation relevant to the client.
Last week a caregiver took her client to a scheduled doctor appointment. In the past this client who has significant memory loss, would be taken to an appointment, and when asked about going out for coffee, a ride or lunch afterwards, would always opt to go directly home. Because we’ve had the same care giver available for most appointments, a relationship has developed and finally, the client agreed to doing something instead of going directly home. The care giver stopped at a Baker’s Square, picked up some treats, drove to a picnic table by a lake (it was one of those few days lately that wasn’t cloudy or rainy,) and the two of them enjoyed a lovely time together.
Having the same caregiver is so important, especially for clients with memory loss. The importance of the relationship cannot be over-emphasized. Continuity and familiarity are comforting. Routines help people with memory loss feel secure. Care givers who work for Seniors’ Choice at Home know this and seem to have the knack of working well with their clients. Check out the website: www.seniorschoicemn.com or call Marilyn at 763-546-1599 for more information.
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