HomeTimesThe Newsletter for “Those Who Care” from America’s Choice in Homecare.

April 2017

Senior Care Tips for Spring CleaningAs the world shakes off another winter, it’s spring cleaning season once again. At Visiting Angels, we look forward to spring cleaning each year. As America’s senior care experts, we know how important a clean and clutter free home can be for seniors.“A clean home makes caring for a loved one that much easier,” says Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting Angels.“Yearly spring cleaning is a fantastic chance to evaluate and improve your loved one’s home living conditions.”For some, spring cleaning might seem like a big job to tackle. But the benefits for seniors, especially those who require – or may soon require – senior care are too big to sweep under the rug.

With yearly spring cleaning, you can improve the safety of your loved one’s home by eliminating hazards and increase ease of living by reorganizing or replacing items. Visiting Angels can help evaluate your loved one’s quality of life and identify whether increased assistance is needed.

Six tips to make spring cleaning easy when caring for a senior loved one1. Have a Plan. Before you start cleaning, make a checklist of the areas you need to cover and tasks that you want to accomplish. Go

over this plan with your loved one and use their input to add to, modify, and improve your cleaning goals.2. Invite Other Family or Friends to Help. Cleaning as a team makes spring cleaning easier and faster. More importantly, it gives you

an excuse to get friends and family together, providing your loved one with company. Treat your loved one to a home cooked meal or to dinner on the town with you and your fellow cleaners when the job is finished.

3. Involve Your Loved One. As any senior care expert can tell you, getting your loved one involved in any task is important. With spring cleaning, your loved one will be able to provide useful information about what should stay, what should go, and what should be moved for improved accessibility. Even better, if your loved one has the strength to help with lighter tasks, cleaning can be great exercise.

4. Go After Clutter First. Getting rid of clutter helps improve home safety. It also makes it easier to clean. Organize items and get rid of unused clothing, furniture, and appliances. It will make your job easier and your loved one’s home safer.

5. Throw Out Expired Items. Having expired medication or food around can be dangerous – especially if your loved one struggles with memory issues. Do a thorough clean of your loved one’s medicine cabinet, fridge, and pantry to reduce the risk posed by expired items.

6. Test Safety Precautions. When spring cleaning, use the opportunity to test any safety precautions or senior care safety items in your loved one’s home. Check the secureness and stability of grab bars, test fire and carbon monoxide detectors, and perform an overall evaluation of your loved home’s home safety.

Sometimes, spring cleaning can reveal that your loved one is struggling with their current living conditions. If you feel that your loved one may benefit from in home senior care, give your local Visiting Angels a call. We’ll be happy to discuss your loved one’s senior care options.

HomeTimesThe Newsletter for “Those Who Care” from America’s Choice in Homecare.

April 2017

"I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping somebody else. I mean, I feel like, I get to go into people’s homes and be a hero. I've been hearing Visiting Angels commercials on the radio and my husband said, "You know honey, you could do that." To me, life is so precious. I think people are precious and it’s a part of how I'm made - to just want them to know their valuable. I feel like, when I can give that dignity back to them or to say to them, "… You know,

this not bother me. Taking care of you is a privilege and I'm blessed to be able to help you." I think it's how I'm wired. I'm very sympathetic and empathetic. I'm so grateful that people can call visiting angels and have somebody come into their home. That’s what they want. They want to be with family and the family wants them to be with able to stay in their home. This is the best job. You should try it. It worked for me." –Rebecca T., Visiting Angels Caregiver

Snapshots of a Visiting Angels Caregiver...

What Kind of People are Visiting Angels Caregivers?If you ask Visiting Angels care givers what lead them to be in the service of seniors and disabled adults, the answers might not surprise you. The ability to care for someone's spouse or parent is a very deep-rooted character strength. Listen to how these real life caregivers responded when asked about the path that lead them to caregiving and the reason they continue to remain a Visiting Angel.

"There's a lot of people out there that just need a little extra care and sometimes they can't get it. Their family has to work, and I can come in and fill that need. You acquire new friendships. You get to know them, they get to know you. You walk in the door… they have a smile on their face… that makes my day. I brighten up their day.

They have somebody to talk to. You can bring them a little plant or something just to make their day. Visiting angels is a great company to work for. They are very caring. They are very knowledgeable. If you have any problems, you can come to them. They have all the information that you need for your clients. It’s just a great company to work for." –Regina S., Visiting Angels Caregiver

"What I saw was an opportunity to use my caring and my natural instincts to want to help other people... and get paid for it. Knowing that your there when they really need you; that’s the most rewarding part. When a person looks at you and recognizes you- even though you know they are getting disabled through a form of

dementia - but you KNOW they recognize you and they care about you... and they know that you care about them, that's the reward. They don't have to be perfectly dressed, or coiffed or articulate or a captain of industry- you just care about them. You care about them because they are there; because they are a human being with dignity. All I have to do is say, 'How can I help you?' and I'm making a difference in the world and it feels rewarding. At the best of times, it’s fun and at the worst of times, it’s a little bit of an adventure." –John R., Visiting Angels Caregiver

I was always around my grandparents. So being around them and the way they cared for me was something that made me want to give back. I'm just a caring person, period. If anybody wants something from me, I'm going to give it to them. You have to just care for somebody. I'm a mother. It's just in me to make sure that I take care of my babies and take care of myself, so I want to give that to somebody else that is not getting it. It's just in me. Caring is just in my heart. That’s what I do. That’s who I am. I'm a care-giving person. Visiting Angels are great people. They’ve loved me since I’ve started. They’ve worked with me and I’ve worked with them. –Kalinda T., Visiting Angels Caregiver

HomeTimesThe Newsletter for “Those Who Care” from America’s Choice in Homecare.

April 2017

Pork ChoPs CroCk Pot APPlesAuCe

Serves: 4 servingsIngredients: 4 thin (14 oz) boneless pork loin chops, center cut1/4 tsp paprika1/2 tsp garlic powder1/2 tsp dried sage1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste1 tsp butter2 tbsp flour (leave out for gluten free)1/2 cup apple sauce for serving on the side

Serves: 12 Servings Ingredients: 8 medium apples (Use a combination of Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, etc.)1 strips of lemon peel – use a vegetable peeler1 tsp fresh lemon juice3 inch cinnamon stick5 tsp light brown sugar (unpacked) – or agave

InstructionsSeason pork chops with paprika, garlic powder, sage, thyme, salt and fresh pepper to taste.Place flour on a small flat plate and lightly pat the chops with flour, shaking off any excess flour so they are lightly coated.Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter when the pan is hot. When the butter melts, place chops in the skillet and cook 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Turn over and cook an additional 3 – 4 minutes, or until the internal temp is 145° F. Remove from the pan and set on a platter to rest for three minutes.Nutritional InformationServing Size: 1 chop • Calories: 180 • Fat: 8.2 • Carbs: 4.8 g • Fiber: .3 g • Protein: 20.3 g • Sodium: 29.3 mghttp://www.skinnytaste.com/pork-chops-and-applesauce/

InstructionsPeel, core, and slice the apples. Place them in the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon stick, lemon peel and brown sugar. Set crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours. Stir apples occasionally, apples will slowly become a delicious applesauce. Remove cinnamon stick and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth or if you prefer a chunky sauce, leave sauce intact.Nutritional InformationServing Size: 1/4 cup • Calories: 65.9 • Carbs: 17.5 g • Fiber: 2.8 g • Protein: .2g • Sugars: 12 g • Sodium: .6 mghttp://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-applesauce/

HomeTimesThe Newsletter for “Those Who Care” from America’s Choice in Homecare.

April 2017

™ Registered trademark of Living Assistance Services, Inc. Each Visiting Angels office is independently owned and operated.

America’s Choice In Homecare®Since 1998, Visiting Angels has been providing adults and seniors with

the needed assistance to continue living at home. At our nationally known, locally owned agency, it is our mission to maintain the

independence and familiar surroundings for those in need.

We offer help with personal care, light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, shopping, companionship, respite care for families, live-in care and assistance with daily living activities. Call us today for a free,

no obligation consultation! We care every day, in every way!