Warning Signs: The Seven Activities of Daily Living, with Marlene Diaz

*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

The following podcast is provided by hospitality home care and answers for elders radio, and welcome back to answers for elders radio everyone. I am here with Marlene Diaz from hospitality home care. Marlene, welcome to the program thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here. Well, I’m glad you’re here too, because we’ve talked before about caregivers and your what your company does here in greater puget sound and, of course, being that you’re a what we call non Medical Home Care Company, I really wanted to take the time to talk to you a little bit about you know, there’s certain aspects that we are warning signs that we look for when it’s time to make that change to maybe bring mom or dad some help in the home. Tell us a little bit about you know what kinds of things are what we call the seven Adls. What are those warning signs, I guess, of when it’s time to bring mom or dad in? So one of the things is forgetfulness, for getting to take medications. That’s a big one. A lot of times they forget to take medications or are hiding them because they don’t know what times they need to take them. Or the other side of it is too, is they might forget that they talk at took their pill and then they take it again. Yes, the that’s another one too, I’m sure. So what do you do in that case? In do you come in and kind of help remind a senior you know when it’s time or what? What specifically do you so in those situations they’re not just forgetting how to take medications, they’re forgetting to date to prepare meals or they’re no longer knowing how to turn on the stove. That’s when a caregiver comes in and you know she’ll start meal prepping for them and labeling stuff. Where’s were as everything at? You know, where’s the plates, where’s the UN you’re what meal you’re going to have next, and having those things ready and right. The family then has to be able to prepare those Medi sets and get them ready for the caregiver in order for the caregiver to provide them and them. And so, just to back up a little bit, obviously you know it depends on what a seniors mind mindset is. You’re talking about somebody that has like that forgetting less piece. Yeah, there’s a lot of seniors that may not be able to do meal preparation just due to mobility issues or situations. So each situation, I’m sure, is unique. Is that correct? Yes, it is okay. So, you know, talking about meal preparation and medication management, those are basically two of what we call Adl’s activities of daily living. Mor Lein, and you know, as we as we look at a senior, you know, one of the things that I keep emphasizing there are no cookie cutter solutions. Every single senior is different, every single you know. I mean there’s and so obviously the plan that they would need is customized and every situation. Is that correct? Yes, it is okay. And then, and so obviously, as your is, you’re working with, you know, a family. Some of the questions you’re going to be asking is obviously what’s their favorite food? Right? So when we go out into a home, before we send any caregivers out there, we doing what’s called an assessment. This is a three page assessment. Sometimes we can get through it within forty five minutes. Sometimes it’s last quick, sometimes it takes us about two and a half hours. And these are pretty basic questions. What are their likes, what are their needs. What have you noticed? What kind of equipment do they have? What are we working with? Does this person need a whoyer lift? Do they have grabbed or as a whoyer list? A whoyor lift is a mechanism that we use to lift somebody who’s either deadweight and or, you know, unable to move any of their limbs and put them in to, you know, either a wheelchair or put them back into bed, depending on the situation. Just wanted to make sure with our we have to we have to remember that most of us, including me, don’t know all thesels. So so as you as you assess the senior, obviously some questions that you’re going to ask the family and ask the senior. Is You know, what are your favorite things? What do you you know? Where do you shop? What kind of of you know? What’s your schedule? What kind of you know, food do you like to eat in the morning and it? Does that help? I mean, I’m sure you’re doing a lot of that in your assessment. It does we ask you know, what time do you typically get up? Do you NAP during today? What time do you usually go to bed? When do you like your meals? What type of meals do you like at a certain time? What kind of snacks do you like? Do you have any hobbies? Can their caregiver and as assist you and play some card games with you? Do like to go out to the senior center? Do you like to go out for walks? Those are just some of the little things that we do ask and, you know, one of the things that I think that so valuable is the whole companion piece, which is really about socializing. One of the things that we know, especially in the state of Washington, we have such a high dementia ratio compared to other states and and it can be escalated through isolation. And so one of the things that we really encourage with seniors is to make sure that they take, you know, the time to, you know, to find ways to socialize and, you know, with a caregiver, to be there for them to talk about and, you know, and to share their stories. That’s important, very important. It is very important. We currently have a one of our clients who she talks about the same thing over and over again and the caregivers heard this story a million times, but she’s okay with it. But they go out and walk around the mall, she loves to window shop. So that clears her mind that little bit of time, whether it’s an hour or two hours, they go out, they window shop and she forgets about everything else. So then she’s that have her mind’s opening up a little bit more when she’s out. Sure, and so, you know, they go out and they have lunch or they have a yogurt or whatever it is, and then they head back home and you know, things like that are what helps them. And even going out on a drive, if it’s you know, even if they don’t get out of the car, it’s having that exposure to sunlight and to be out in the daytime is so important rather than being locked up at home. It is. And they go out for walks. It just depends on the day. Yeah, I know if it’s rainy they’re going to go out to the mall and yeah, and that’s something that they really enjoy. But walking around the neighborhood, they also do that and they love to garden together. Oh, I love that. That’s so important. So, Marlene, just reminding we are here talking to Marlene Diaz and Marlene is the office manager of Hospitality Home Care. Marlene tell us a little bit about where you serve. We serviced king and Pierce County okay, and and you guys are do provide services to families, primarily and and let’s talk about some of the other things that you guys help with. Obviously there’s the whole bathing, dressing grooming side. Tell me a little bit about that. What you do. So we also do what financial assistance? So somebody’s not paying their bills on time, I’m able to go out into the home and help them set something up or get something going. Also, I maybe I have a lot of resources from being in this field for twenty years. If somebody’s not being able to go to the doctor, I’m able to find them the resources to have a home doctor or to see somebody else. We do transportation assistance or that’s the take. Yes, it is. A lot of families aren’t able to take the time off to take them to the doctor, but still want to be involved and know exactly what’s going on. Sure, and then, obviously you know one of the things that I think. Then two is is that just being there as a just as somebody that comes every day. It’s something that a senior can look forward to, you know, to have an anticipation would no matter what it is. It’s so valuable in the quality of life, I think, and a lot of time seniors if they’re if they’re isolated at home, they lose that and that’s the sad part. You know, we’ve had a lot of statistics about how so many seniors are isolated without regular visitors, and it breaks my heart. You know, I wish we were a society that we’re more mindful of our older adults. Unfortunately, that hopefully will change over time, but again we see that often times and somebody like you guys can come in and really establish a wonderful relationship with your loved one. Now, how do you match up a caregiver with a family, which is what does that look like to you? So it depends. When I match up a caregiver with a client, I try to make sure that they’re going to be able to be social together, that this caregiver is going to be able to have a great conversation with this client, that she’s going to be able to provide the care that this client needs. I got to let you know I do have some older caregivers on my staff, so I let that so then I’m able to pair them with somebody who’s a little bit easier, sure not to care for that needs a little bit more companionship and ultimately those have been great pair pay I can imagine that’s is a wonderful model too, and I think it’s something that even an older caregiver that maybe you know a senior themselves, it gives them purpose, it’s something that they’re making a difference every day, which is so important. It’s so valuable for sure. So one of the things, Marlene, I always talked about on the show is, you know, a lot of families think, oh mom or my mom and dad are just fine, so I don’t have to worry about these things. And you know, here’s the thing that’s interesting about home care that eat families out there may not know. Number One, you guys do respect care, I’m assuming. So somebody’s recovering from a surgery or heart attack on a temporary basis, you guys are available to come in and kind of help in the recuperation. You know, tell us a little bit about what that looks like to a family. So in those situations more able to come out. Of course we do an assessment every time just to make sure that we’re doing what the family want, you know, the client or the family wants that for that client. And then I of course, I’ll introduce my caregiver, bring them out and we’ll do whatever they need. Whether they’re getting back from Rehab and they need PT assistants, my caregiver is going to go there and tea is physical therapy, yes, and they’ll be able to go out there and assist daily with those you know, a physical therapy routine, whether it’s just walking around or getting you know, helping them build that strength back, or it’s feeding them, you know, making sure that they get good meals or to a DR appointment or anything like that. So one of the things that I always talk about is establishing that relationship before you need it. They’re you know, and this is talking to our listeners, you know you may have a loved one at home and they might be just fine right now, but there’s there may come a day. I don’t I always say don’t compare, prepare for what will happen, prepare for what could happen, and we all realize that there could be some day that mom or dad need help. And if mom or dad need help in the home, the last thing you want to be doing when they’re urgently needing help at the time is not have that relationship. So set that a relationship in advance and I’m so glad Marlene, you are here. Could you tell us a little bit about how to reach you? You can reach me at to zero six nine hundred and sixty six nine thousand and that is the the main office number, and our website is hospitality homecare.com. Marlene, it’s been such a pleasure of having you on the program today. Thank you for having us. The preceding podcast was provided by hospitality home care and answer for elders radio. To contact hospitality homecare, go to hospitalityhomecare.com.