Disease-Specific Care
Seniors coping with a medical condition like any of the ones listed below may even need skilled care, which can also be provided at home.
• Heart conditions
• Diabetes
• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
• Depression
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Breathing problems
• Frequent falls
• Parkinson’s disease
• Others
Neurological Disorder Care
Depending on the nature and the scope of the disease, individuals with neurological disorders can have a wide variety of healthcare and life-care needs. Those living with advanced-stage illness may require around-the-clock palliative care and highly specialized support, while others may need only basic assistance or personal care on a part-time basis. We specialize in the care of individuals living with neurological disorders — including Alzheimer’s care, Dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and more — and we can help you overcome the challenges, both physical and emotional, you face in meeting their needs.
Home Health Care Services for the Disabled
Individuals living with physical disabilities or special needs have unique care requirements. In many cases, mobility is limited and skilled care is required.
Disability Services
MERRIMACK INSTITUTE LLC provides comprehensive therapy programs, including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and active and passive Range of Motion exercises to improve mobility and develop capabilities. All therapeutic programs are administered by certified professional therapists. According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants help people participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities, or occupations. Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills and providing support for seniors experiencing physical and cognitive changes.
Mobility issues can lead to pressure sores, debecutis ulcers and, in severe cases, the need for wound care. MERRIMACK INSTITUTE LLC caregivers are trained to provide pressure relief every 15 minutes for wheelchair-bound patients, and to turn bed-bound patients every two hours to prevent complications caused by prolonged immobility. Our CNAs are also trained in the transfer of patients using Hoyer lifts and slide boards, and use the proper techniques to help patients avoid injuries and falls during transport.
Home Health/Personal Care Aides
Home health and personal care aides provide medical and non-medical home care for the disabled, chronically ill, or cognitively impaired. They can also help older adults with daily living activities such as bathing and dressing, light housekeeping and more. They work under the direct supervision of home care nurses and care managers. Home health care nurses are generally Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who specialize in providing care to patients or elderly in their home. Home health care nurses can provide an array of services ranging from companion care to highly skilled services — like medication assistance, infusion therapy, and wound care — to a range of people from infants to seniors in the comfort of home.
Post-Op and Rehabilitative Care
When someone undergoes surgery, chemotherapy, or another treatment for chronic disease management, or they suffer a significant physical trauma such as an accident, it can take time for them to regain their ability to get around on their own and manage their daily activities once again.
Our Full Continuum of Skilled Care services:
• High tech nursing
• Assistance with medical machinery, including ventilators
• Central and peripheral intravenous drug therapy, such as chemotherapy
• Administration and maintenance of catheters
• PICC line dressing changes
• Total Parental Nutrition (TPN), G-tube or other feedings
• Epidural mediports
• Wound care
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy
• Blood draws and injections
• Medication management
• Monitoring of health status
• Rehabilitation
• Assessment and management of care
• Teaching of self- or family-care techniques
• And more…
Six Reasons to Consider Senior Home Health Care Services
1) Safety. If your loved one should fall, have a seizure or experience another health-related emergency, an agency worker can contact emergency services, tend to your loved one, or even provide life saving service before help arrives.
2) Personal Care. In-home care providers can take care of bathing, nail trimming, dressing, and toileting. In-home care providers are trained to provide professional service for demands ranging from simple to delicate tasks.
3) Medication Supervision. Workers will ensure your loved one is taking their medications on schedule, and can ensure they are refilled, stored properly, and can monitor for adverse effects.
4) Companionship. Having someone you trust to spend time with is vital for happiness, and with a capable and kind provider, your loved one will receive consistent companionship with loving care.
5) Meal Preparation. An in-home caregiver can ensure your loved one receives balanced, nutritious meals every day. Plus, they can keep your loved one company while they eat. They are also prepared to meet any dietary restrictions.
6) Errand Running. An in-home caregiver can run errands for your loved one, or even bring them along. Grocery shopping can be an enjoyable outing for many seniors if they have a companion.
How To Tell When a Senior May Need Home Care
Does your loved one need help with daily activities? How do they look? Is the home in good order? Are they eating well? You will know that it is time when your loved one needs help. That’s when you need to evaluate all options, and also keep senior home option on the table. Learn more about “senior home care” ecosystem, the various options, and how to evaluate, plan, and decide accordingly.
Discussing Home Care With Seniors
It’s difficult for you to accept the fact that your aging loved one may need external home care and support. The same applies to our loved seniors, it won’t always be easy for them either. If a senior absolutely needs home care and additional support, addressing the issue of getting help for them is unavoidable, but a positive outcome is not. Approaching a discussion about such a delicate issue with sensitivity and compassion is a necessity, so we’ve come up with a few talking points to guide you during this time.
