Category: Uncategorized

When Jim Welch, owner of SYNERGY HomeCare of Temecula, Calif., saw COVID-19 wind its way into the local area, he noticed a reduction in the need for home care, as people were afraid to have others enter their homes for fear for of being exposed to the virus. Jim quickly found himself with staff who needed and wanted to help others.

After fielding many calls from seniors about how to fulfill basic living requirements like getting groceries and prescriptions, Jim decided he and his staff would offer to deliver groceries and prescriptions at no cost for some of the local 55+ retirement communities and senior centers. 

You may be caring for your aging parent and just need someone to be with them while you run errands or take care of your own needs. Home care services are versatile, flexible and customized for your comfort, peace of mind and well-being. Every person we provide care for has a unique situation. Every home is different, every schedule is different and every person needs a different type of care to meet their needs. Some of our clients utilize us for as little as a few hours per month, and others have 24-hour care. We can do anything in between. We care for everyone, with every need.

If you’re a mom or a family member stuck in the sandwich generation, it’s vital to realize the importance of not letting stress destroy your family.

According to the National Restaurant Association, two-thirds of restaurant employees have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. With millions of tipped restaurant workers laid off, the second shockwave for them is trying to cover expenses with unemployment benefits, as tips don’t factor into the award. Servers have the opportunity to reevaluate their career path. Many are taking this time to consider a change to an industry that offers a steady paycheck and schedule, benefits and best of all,  a meaningful contribution to the greater good.

A growing concern for patients undergoing surgery is planning for post-surgery care. The fear or readmission is real and a post-surgery plan can help alleviate and prevent that concern. 

When Lisa and Mark Piegza moved to the Lowcountry from New Jersey to begin a new venture, they envisioned Mark’s parents would also make the move someday, as his mom, now 84, has shown a slow cognitive decline over the last ten years.

Four years ago, Mark’s mom, Helen, fell and fractured her hip. The surgery and recovery from the fall significantly exacerbated the decline in her memory. Life was becoming more challenging for Mark’s mom and dad, who were too far away for them to provide hands-on help or care.

No one in the family was ready for what took place last spring. Helen fell again and fractured her other hip. Complications led to three surgeries within five weeks, causing her dementia to accelerate faster than the family could have imagined.

Often, adult children and other family members fail to consider how caring for an aging parent or loved one can impact the dynamics of their family relationships until they are face to face with the situation. Siblings and close family members can live next door to one another, in the same city or across the country, but the challenge of providing care and what it will mean to them as family caregivers can be stressful. Even the strongest of relationships can become strained when roles change and people become more than sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters and take on the role of caregiver.

When thinking of caregivers, you may picture a female around 20-30 years old, assisting an elderly person. While this isn’t an inaccurate assumption, it isn’t quite fair. Today, more and more people are taking on the role of ‘caregiver.’ Whether they are caregivers of family members or by professional employment, people of a different race, age and gender are contributing to this role of service. Caregivers are daughters, wives, husbands, sons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, partners and friends.