Retirement is commonly the “next step” after years and years of being in the workforce. You’ve raised your family and you might be slowing down health-wise or just wish to spend time doing other things you enjoy. Around 65 or so, many tend to start evaluating life and developing an exit strategy for retirement. But with retirement can come inactivity and less social opportunities so it’s important to explore ways to maintain these areas of life to stay as active, healthy and sharp as possible. (more…)

I’ll be the first to say I need more knowledge on what causes an individual to need a gluten-free diet and how you go about changing your dietary needs to meet that dietary requirement.  I found this article helpful to educate me on celiac disease and the need for individuals to be on a gluten-free diet.  More and more individuals, these days, look to a gluten-free diet to help their digestive systems.  I welcome you to read this article for some interesting information.

For many individuals, having a colonoscopy can be a frightening experience.  Most individuals don’t even want to think about it and will postpone the procedure as long as they can.  But the truth is, colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, killing more than 50,000 Americans annually, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Up to 60 percent of those deaths are preventable through screening, the agency says.  Although the benefits of a colonoscopy far outweigh the inconvenience and discomfort, doctors and researchers have nonetheless been searching for easier and more acceptable alternatives. One such test is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Developed by Exact Sciences, the stool-based screen detects changes in DNA as well as traces of blood that signal the presence of pre-cancerous polyps or cancers of the colon.  Read this article for some insightful information.

BrightStar Care Senior Vice President of Quality and Clinical Operations Sharon Roth Maguire talks about the powerful bonds that BrightStar nurses form with their clients. In this video, she discusses how home care nurses have a unique opportunity to develop deeper and longer-lasting relationships with their clients than nurses who work in other settings like hospitals and nursing homes. BrightStar Care nurses partner with their clients on their healthcare journey and share all the ups and downs along the way.

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Whether you’re a family caregiver or someone on the receiving end of care, it is important for everybody to be engaged and doing their part to understand how to promote the best outcome possible. That’s why BrightStar Care has created a helpful how-to video series geared toward guiding family caregivers and their loved ones on key considerations that encourage optimal health and care. This week, resident RN Sharon Maguire discusses explores the management of pain caused by common types of arthritis: (more…)

One of the greatest difficulties surrounding Mother’s Day is how to properly celebrate it with an elderly mother. Then adding to the equation is if your mother resides in a nursing home because this can further complicates this issue.  I welcome you to review this  resource for some good tips to happy make the experience easier.  Don’t let where your mom is take away from the whole experience that you’ve shared for years with your mom.

I’ve heard many scary stories by families that had previous gone the private aide routine before coming to my agency to get personal care assistance for their loved ones.  Too often when families go the private aide routine, they have challenges with aides not respecting the agreed upon arrangements (coming late to assignments, leaving early, talking on the phone while working, etc).  A lot of families feel uncomfortable addressing concerns with private aides in their homes because they don’t want to be the bad guys.  Also, many seniors need help with bookkeeping and will entrust their personal banking information to someone which can open a whole other can of worms.  At BrightStar, we provide families with a “peace of mind” about who is coming into their homes.  We conduct thorough nationwide background checks on our staff, along with drug tests, reference checks from previous employers, competency checks to make sure they are competent do the tasks being asked of them, we additional insure and bond our staff too.  God forbid a BrightStar employee gets hurt on an assignment, BrightStar has additional insurance cover for workers comp and more.  We address all performance issues with staff plus we can easily change out staff if it’s not a good fit.  Take a minute to review this article.

Most individuals caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease don’t realize the benefits of using respite care services to help provide relief to primary caregivers.  Some many family members (spouses/adult children) are the primary caregiver for a senior with the disease state.  Studies have shown that if the primary caregiver doesn’t get a break in the care they deliver, they will own increase their chances of burnout or injury.  Getting occasional respite care services from a home care agency, can be such a huge stress reliever!  Read this great resource from the Alzheimer’s Association.  Your friends at BrightStar are here for you.  Unlike other home care agencies, we have no minimum hours of service requirements which allows you to have us fill in while you go get a cup of coffee, meet a friend for lunch and/or go get your hair done.  You don’t have to be alone in the care of your loved one.  Let our team provide you with a “peace of mind” while you go out for a short period of time.  We can work with your budget to give you the relief you need.

With flexible work hours and the ability to develop strong, personal relationships with patients, in-home care is quickly becoming a highly desired form of employment for nurses. BrightStar Care provides a unique and appealing opportunity for nurses looking to find alternative employment options. It is one of the only national homecare companies that requires each office to have a registered nurse as a director of nursing who creates a unique and personalized plan of care for each client. BrightStar Care nurses provide 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. Click “Read More” to hear more about nurse opportunities from our resident RN Sharon Roth Maguire. (more…)