Submitted by Good Samaritan Society–Services@Home
Aging is part of life, but losing your independence doesn’t have to be. We all have different needs as we age. If we are lucky enough to have family that is able to help, we can stay in our homes longer than some of our friends. But what if you are not that lucky or if your family is not able to help as much as they would like to or as much as you need them to? Fortunately for families like Betty Kertai and her son, Kevin Bunch, Good Samaritan Society-Services@Home was able to fill their need.
Betty lives at Palmer Hills Independent Living facility and her son, Kevin, was worried that she may need to move to an assisted living facility for safety reasons. Betty has lived at Palmer Hills for a couple of years and has been able to utilize Good Samaritan
Society–Services@Home in the past, since they have an office on-site. However, until recently, she was not taking advantage of all they have to offer. Betty’s son Kevin scheduled a meeting with the on-site Care Coordinator, Rosina Boddicker, to discuss options on keeping his mother in her apartment. “He was worried about basic things like making sure his mother took her medication on time each day, making it to meals, and just having someone to check in on her from time to time,” said Rosina. If you have an older loved one living on their own, you understand his concern. Even if you live in the area, you cannot always be there to check on your loved ones, as much as you would like. Rosina worked with Kevin’s wishes and Betty’s needs and schedule, to develop an affordable care plan that would allow Betty to keep her independence and stay in her home. Good Samaritan Society–Services@Home currently provides Betty with scheduled wellness checks, medication reminders, meal assistance, laundry, and other daily living assistance as needed. Rosina said, “The best part is that we will be able to adjust the level of home care as we move forward.”
Angel Heard and Morgan Wooldridge are the main caregivers taking care of Betty. They are there to make sure her needs are met and she is happy. Since they are on-site, they also have the ability to check in on her several times throughout the day. The convenience of having them there on-site is hard to beat. The extra attention you get just by being close is hard to translate into hard numbers
Good Samaritan Society–Services@Home wants to help individuals retain their highest level of health and success in their activities of daily living wherever it is you call home. They have established offices in Bettendorf, Muscatine, Clinton, Moline, North Liberty, and Geneseo to serve the Quad Cities and surrounding areas.
Services can include:
- Relief and respite care
- Companionship
- Memory Care
- Personal hygiene and grooming
- Dressing
- Bathing
- Meal preparation
- Assistance with light exercise
- Ambulating
- Medication reminders
- Light Housekeeping
- Laundry
- Errand services and appointment escorts
- Shopping assistance
Betty has been able to stay at her home and even considers her caregiver, Angel, her best friend. Kevin stated that with Good Samaritan Society–Services@Home’s help they have found an affordable alternative than moving into an assisted living facility. Betty has become great friends with the staff. “This has been a great experience for everyone involved and we are happy to share this opportunity with others who may also be in this same predicament looking for a little extra help.”
How do you know when your loved one needs more help?
- Unexplained bruises—Could indicate falls or poor balance
- Noticeable weight loss—May mean poor appetite due to illness or an inability to prepare food or do routine tasks like grocery shopping
- Disinterest in hygiene or housework—Can indicate depression
- Unpaid bills—Could indicate depression, issues with memory, or overwhelming but undisclosed financial circumstances
- Uneaten and spoiled foods in the refrigerator—May indicate a poor appetite because of an illness or issues with memory
- Expired or unused prescriptions—May mean issues with memory or a refusal to comply with a physician’s care plan
Where do you start?
The first thing you want to do is call and make an appointment for Good Samaritan Society – Services@Home at 844-359-4446 to come and discuss your needs and costs. Before you schedule the appointment, be sure to have a list of what your needs are. If you are comparing several agencies, you should have a list of questions prepared ahead of time such as:
- How long has the agency been serving this community?
- Does the agency have brochures describing the cost?
- Is the agency licensed (if your state requires one)?
- Do they write a plan of care and update it on a regular basis?
- Are services available 24 hours per day?
- How do they hire and train the caregiver?
- How do they screen their caregivers? (This one is very important… not all homecare companies screen their caregivers—you don’t want someone you can’t trust alone with you in your home!)
- How do they ensure patient confidentiality?
- Do they have procedures in place for resolving problems?
- Do they offer references?
- Do they offer referrals if cost is a concern?
The goal of Good Samaritan Society–Services@Home is to provide a variety of care solutions that will enable an elderly person to maintain a sense of independence and to remain in familiar, common surroundings, thereby creating an environment where they are loved, valued and at peace. This contributes greatly toward a feeling of well-being, self-worth, and fulfillment. In addition to providing the highest degree of independence possible for a person, our services are designed to reduce the family’s burden and stress of caregiving so that the time spent together is quality time. An elder companion is a solution that not only meets the needs of the care recipient, but the care providers as well.
If you, or someone you know, might benefit from our services, call our branch office nearest you to learn more. Please take advantage of our free consultation to discuss services available to fit your needs.
Bettendorf Office: 563-359-4444
Moline Office: 309-736-7414
Clinton Office: 563-242-2308
Geneseo Office: 309-944-3727
Muscatine Office: 563-263-0530
North Liberty Office: 319-665-2492
Toll free: 844-359-4446