home care business - Senior Home Care Franchise

Nutrition and Aging

Your nutritional needs change as your body ages. Physiological changes occur slowly, over time, constantly altering your body systems and their nutritional requirements. Life’s events, illness and injuries, genetics, lifestyle choices and socioeconomic events influence these physical changes to speed the aging process even more. Even though your body has changed over the years, chances are good that your eating habits have remained the same.

As you age, you lose lean muscle and gain body fat. Physical activity usually decreases with age, and this means you need to take in fewer calories each day. The challenge is to meet the nutritional needs you had when you were younger, while consuming fewer calories.

One way to do this is to cut down on your fat intake: fat contains more calories than does protein or carbohydrates. High fat diets are also associated with many chronic and serious diseases, such as heart problems and obesity.

You should try to get 60 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, preferably complex carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables contain complex carbohydrates, are low in calories, and contain no fat. Fruits and vegetables also contain fiber for digestive health. Grain products, cereals, seeds, nuts, and beans are also good low-calorie, no fat sources of fiber.

Iron, calcium, and zinc levels can drop as you age. Eat vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables to improve absorption of iron. Tomatoes and cheese are good sources of calcium. Eat low-fat meat, eggs, and seafood for zinc.

Vitamin E may play a role in slowing the development of Alzheimer’s disease, while low levels of vitamin B12 are associated with memory loss and age-related hearing loss. Whole grains, peanuts, nuts, vegetable oils, and seeds are rich in vitamin E, while meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy foods increase vitamin B12 levels.

As you age, it becomes increasingly important that you take in more calcium, fiber, iron and protein, and vitamins A, C, and folic acid, which is a form of vitamin B9.

Supplements can improve your nutrition as you age. Consult with a professional with experience in nutrition and aging to learn how to slow the aging process in your body today.

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Three Types of Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation in one or more of your joints. Normally associated with senior citizens, you can get arthritis at any age. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, redness and a decrease in range of motion in a joint. These symptoms are often more acute in the mornings and subside throughout the day.

The pain of arthritis is associated with joint damage. Joints are those moveable points where two or more bones meet. The ends of these bones are coated in cartilage to allow these bones to slide over each other smoothly. A tough membrane, known as the joint capsule, encloses all the joint parts. The synovium lines the joint capsule and secretes synovial fluid, which lubricates the joint and nourishes the cartilage.

Osteoarthritis

In osteoarthritis, normal wear and tear damages the cartilage in between bones. This damage may become significant enough to allow bone-on-bone contact, resulting in the ends of bones grinding against one another. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is a chronic disease, caused by many years of use.

This degenerative disease worsens over time, causing increasing pain and disability. Doctors use imaging, like x-rays and MRI, to diagnose arthritis. A doctor may order blood tests to rule out other causes of pain, like rheumatoid arthritis. Your doctor may opt for joint fluid analysis, or send fluid drawn from the joint to the lab to rule out gout and infection.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis describes a condition where the body’s own immune system attacks the joint and inflames the synovium, causing swelling, pain and redness. This is a very destructive disease, destroying cartilage and bone within the joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition, causing pain, swelling and loss of function, and can cause long-term disability.

Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by excessive levels of uric acid in your blood. Not everyone with high uric acid levels experiences gout, but some people accumulate this uric acid in the synovial fluid in one joint. These people may produce too much uric acid, or their bodies have a hard time getting rid of it. Acute gout typically affects one joint, often the big toe. Chronic gout, or gout that keeps coming back, tends to affect more than one joint. There is no known exact cause for gout, but some groups of people seem to experience gout more than others do, including men, post-menopausal women and people who drink alcohol.

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Study Shows Blood Pressure Drug Reduces Alzheimer’s Risk

A recent study led by Johns-Hopkins shows that taking certain blood pressure medications reduces the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, a devastating condition that affects more than five million people in the United States.

Blood pressure drugs that reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease

The research team analyzed data previously gathered on 3,000 elderly Americans. The researchers found that people over the age of 75 with normal cognition who used certain blood pressure drugs had half the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. The drugs include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, commonly known as ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin-1 receptor blockers, or ARBs for short.

Diuretics, commonly known as “water pills” also proved beneficial in those whose minds were still sharp. Additionally, the researchers found diuretics reduced the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in those who were already showing signs of mild cognitive impairment. Other blood pressure drugs, particularly beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers, did not show promise for reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Indentifying new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is critical to improving the health and well-being of an increasing number of older Americans. Alzheimer’s is a common cause of social and intellectual decline that substantially decreases the quality of life for the elderly.

Senior citizens living at home alone or in an assisted living facility should always take medications as directed to get the most out of drug therapy. Sometimes these treatments deliver more benefit than they had advertised.

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Fall Prevention Checklist for Non-Medical Home Care Workers

Senior care patients who choose to remain in the home experience more independence, while still remaining healthy and safe. However, home care business workers should keep a close eye on their patients’ environments for anything which might put a patient at risk for falls. Among the elderly, falls are the most frequent cause of injury-related death, but they can also lead to reduced mobility and a decreased sense of security. Here is a brief checklist of hazards for non-medical home care workers to help keep their patients safe from falls:

Perception Problems

Seniors often experience hearing loss, vision problems, mental confusion, and decreased feeling in their feet, which can all cause them to misjudge situations when moving around the house.

Medications

Medications such as vasodilators, anti-hypertensives, sedatives, or pain medication can have side-effects which affect perception. Be aware of what types of medication the client is taking.

Physical Conditions

Many chronic conditions and disorders like osteoporosis and arthritis can make moving around difficult.

Previous Injury

Prior falls and previous injuries can make it difficult for seniors to navigate environments which previously gave them no trouble.

Improper Footwear

Shoes with rubber soles, slippery soles, or heels greater than 1.5 inches can cause problems. Avoid these types of shoes, and suggest walking shoes with elastic laces.

Floor Hazards

Scatter rugs, uneven surfaces, bathroom rugs, and thick plush carpet can all cause problems for seniors. Where possible, suggest they repair damaged flooring and install more consistent surfaces.

By keeping a lookout for falling hazards, non-medical home care business employees can keep their clients safe in their homes.

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Manage and Motivate Your Non-Medical Home Care Franchise Employees

Whether you’re just starting a home health care business, or you’ve been operating a non-medical home care franchise for some time, it’s likely that you realize your staff is your main product. Because home care franchises are often small businesses, the loss of one employee can really put your operation at risk. Because your home care staff is crucial to your success, it’s important to help your employees feel motivated. Here are a few tips to help you motivate your greatest asset:

Think Like a Larger Company

While your home care business will start small, it’s important to recognize key factors which make larger companies successful. In medium and large companies, there are policies for employee time off, performance evaluations, and salary reviews. Similar policies in your smaller operation could make your employees feel confident that they are being treated fairly.

Transfer Your Knowledge to Your Employees

While you and possibly your spouse or business partner have been trained by your franchisor regarding the ins and outs of the home care business, your employees have had no such advantage. It’s up to you to provide training to your employees. You’ll want to be able to rely on each member of your team, but you can only do so if each of your employees is familiar with his or her role in your company.

Establish Accountability for Each Employee

It’s easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day operations of your home care franchise that you fail to hold your employees accountable for performing their duties properly. As the owner of a small business, you will need to make time to evaluate employee performance, offer coaching in areas of weakness, and help employees set goals.

Accept Feedback

Remember that each employee has something to contribute, and be willing to accept suggestions and feedback from them.

Treat Employees with Respect

Whether you have one employee, or one hundred, it’s important to respect everyone who works for you, not only as employees, but also as individuals. People want to feel appreciated. Remember to provide positive feedback on employee performance, and not just focus on where they need to improve.

Employees look to the owner of the franchise for both leadership and motivation. If a home health care franchisee gives his or her employees a clear idea of their duties, as well as training, feedback, appreciation, and respect, it’s likely the employees will be motivated to perform to the best of their abilities.

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Six Most Common Non-Medical Home Care Responsibilities

When you first start your home care business, you may be doing all the jobs yourself, from handling incoming calls, to going out into the field as a non-medical home care provider. Here is a short list of responsibilities non-medical home care workers provide as part of the business:

Companionship

Non-medical home care primarily provides companionship. An ideal home care aide does offer assistance with daily tasks, but also builds a relationship with the client, and helps him or her participate in activities both in and outside the home.

Meal Preparation

Depending on the visitation schedule, a home care provider may be required to prepare a number of meals and snacks for the client, and usually does cleanup afterwards.

Errands and Transportation

Grocery shopping, pharmacy pickups, taking pets to the vet, transporting the client to appointments, taking the client shopping or to the post office are all examples of typical errands a client may require.

Mail Sorting and Light Bookkeeping

A home care provider can help sort through the mail and help the client decide what must be kept or thrown away, and which bills need to be paid, as well as what to do with any other personal correspondence. Often, depending on what the client and the family have decided, the care provider will assist with check writing and balancing the checkbook register. Unless any other services have been designated legally, most home care workers will not be required to get more involved in the client’s finances.

Housekeeping

Some tasks can be done by the care worker, such as vacuuming, dusting, making beds, laundry, cleaning bathroom and kitchen, and changing light bulbs. Other tasks will require the home care worker to assist the client in arranging for professional services.

Personal Care

Most responsibilities in this category include assisting with bathing or showering, oral care, assisting the client in and out of the bathroom, hair care, dispensing medication, and dressing.

Naturally these responsibilities can vary, depending on the client’s needs and the specific nature of the home care franchise or business. It is important to agree on these responsibilities in the beginning of the relationship with the client, as well as the fee schedule and the times these services will be required.

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Find Your Unique Advantage: Employee Retention at Your Home Care Franchise

We often think about the hiring process as the employee selling his or her skills to the employer. But because of the nature of the home care business, the single biggest barrier to growth in the first three to five years will be the ability of your business to attract and retain the best staff possible. Your home care staff is vital to your franchise, and you want to offer a high quality product to your clients. The key to your success is finding and keeping the best people to work for you. How can you accomplish this task, when recruiting and retention can be such a challenge? Why would someone want to work for your in-home care franchise instead of all of your competitors’ agencies? Creating a competitive recruiting advantage is just as important as creating a competitive marketing advantage. Examine your business to see if it possesses one of five qualities employees are seeking:

Meaningful Work

Home care can be a very rewarding profession. Prospective employees want to work for a company they can be proud of while feeling that their work makes a difference in other people’s lives.

Opportunity for Advancement

Most employees want an opportunity to learn new skills and grow within their profession. Some wish to move into positions which involve more responsibilities and challenges. Does your company promote personal and professional growth?

Work Relationships

The average person spends 2,000 working hours per year. They want to work with people who like them, and they want to like the people with whom they work. Is your company an enjoyable place to work? Do your employees get along well?

Appreciation and Recognition

No one likes to feel like their work goes unnoticed. Do your employees feel appreciated? Are there incentives for good performance?

Compensation

Someone who is just working for the sake of making a paycheck is not likely to be supporting your marketing strategy or your franchise’s mission. However, it’s important that your employees feel they are being fairly compensated for their work and are earning competitive wages.

Once you’ve found which of these aspects embodies your unique recruiting advantage, be sure to focus on it when you’re hiring to staff your business. Create a message that is exciting and interesting, and which makes people want to work for you.

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How to Assess Your Home Care Business for Growth: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

Whether you’re just starting a home care business, or you’ve been in business for years, you’re most likely on the lookout to grow. There is no set formula for growing your home care franchise, but there are many tools and processes you can use to grow your business. The very first step to growing your company is to accurately assess your current status. Here are five questions to ask yourself in order to get a clear picture of where you stand:

What is the current size of your company, compared to your biggest competitors?

This can be hard to judge. You can get information by requesting copies of Medicare cost reports on your competitors. While these reports can often be several years old, you can get an idea for comparison. Another resource can be your local business newspaper or publication which lists several categories in your area and the top 25 companies for each of them.

How fast is your franchise growing?

While the economy has been sluggish in recent years, the rise in the U.S. retired population and an increasing desire to keep long term care costs down means that the home care business is steadily growing.

Where does your company stand in your local market?

Engagement is a key factor in answering this question. Find out what people are saying about your business. Do surveys of both customers and referral sources, with a focus on how your company compares to competitors.

How does the employment marketplace view your company?

Your employees will talk to friends and other prospective employees in your area. How does your company stand out as a place to work? Customer relations and employee relations are mirror images of each other. If your in-home care business has a reputation for being a great place to work, it’s likely to have a reputation for being a great place to receive care.

How do you measure up in your patient surveys?

Are there scores on your patient satisfaction surveys which consistently show room for improvement? Think of ways to implement those improvements. Are there testimonials you can use to show other potential customers the way your home care franchise stands out from the rest in your area?

Once you have a clear picture of where your home care business stands, you can create a plan for the direction and specific strategy by which you will grow your company.

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Home Care Businesses Offer Peace of Mind for Long Distance Relatives

Your senior care franchise can provide a valuable service to families with elderly relatives who live in a different city or state. Nearly seven million caregivers reported living an hour’s drive or more away from the loved one for whom they are responsible. Some of these long-distance caregivers are concerned with how to increase their participation in the lives of their loved ones, while still allowing them to remain in their homes. Often, long-distance caregivers rely on the telephone for the majority of communication, but sometimes a weekly telephone conversation is not enough. Visits from your home care franchise employees can often be a long-distance caregiver’s first line of defense against possible problems. A home aide can assist with basic functions like housekeeping and hygiene and also notice changes in the client that could indicate deeper medical problems.

Your home business staff can provide eyes and ears to long distance caregivers, and your company can provide a valuable tool for keeping your client safe and happy in his or her own home. A non-medical home aide can keep a care log for the client’s long distance relatives and keep them up to date with their loved one’s general state of and happiness. More elderly patients wish to retain their independence as late into life as possible, and their families are often concerned whether or not remaining at home is the best option. Be sure to let your clients and referrers know that your home care staff is trained to provide services to your clients and their long-distance loved ones.

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Corporate Culture and Running a Home Care Franchise: Important Takeaways

As a home care franchisee, you know that your home care staff plays a large part in your success. In fact, it’s been reported that up to 85 percent of a company’s assets are now intangible. These intangible company assets include human knowledge and talent, so you’ll want to nurture and develop your employees in any way you can. You also want to motivate your employees to improve and recognize their efforts to retain your top performers.

Two-thirds of employees surveyed said they believed corporate culture is very important to the success of their organizations, as well as one of the largest influences on morale and productivity. When you decided to start your own home care business, you were probably careful to determine if the franchise fit with your own personality and business goals. Hopefully when you staffed your business, you selected employees who meshed with these values, as well. But how do you continue to promote and improve your franchise’s corporate culture?

While it’s true that initially your franchise’s culture will take many elements from that of the franchise itself, your particular franchise will change and evolve over time. To ensure that your franchise remains a great place for you and your employees to work, you will want to build a strong corporate identity. While owning a home care franchise differs from working in the corporate world, you may be able to take away some valuable pointers from other organization’s corporate culture.

Focus on building strong trust relationships and hold your employees to high standards of accountability. Train and develop employee skills, and also work on developing open lines of clear communication between staff members. Utilize resources and tools effectively, and stay on top of industry innovations. Emphasize recruiting and retaining outstanding employees, and look into implementing employee reward and incentive programs, such as “Employee of the Month” and “Outstanding Customer Service” awards. By cultivating corporate culture in your home care franchise, you can maintain one of your businesses’ most valuable assets: your employees.

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