Harmony Home Health’s professional in-home caregivers are true blessings to the families they serve. So much so that Harmony has decided to share those blessings with the faith community this holiday season! Harmony is offering FREE assistance to caregivers and their families in the form of “Gifts of Care” and will be giving 20 different families a day of complimentary in-home health care for their loved one starting on December 9^th. The gifts are to honor the 12 Days of Christmas and the 8 Days of Hanukkah.

Family caregivers are often overwhelmed by the needs of their loved ones but do not seek assistance when they most need it. They are so busy being the loving spouse, daughter, son, relative, friend, and neighbor that they lose sight of their own health needs. Caring for loved ones with Dementia and Alzheimer’s can be all-consuming. Tending to the physical needs of an aging parent or handicapped relative takes a lot of time and energy. The holidays are a prime time for caregiver stress levels to rise and depression to set in as they feel the weight of their responsibilities and the impact of not caring for themselves. It’s a perfect time to bestow unexpected blessings on these selfless angels and let them know that they are not alone.

The team at Harmony is passionate about family caregiver support and putting the needs of the caregiver in equal standing with those of the person needing care. These “Gifts of Care” are the perfect opportunity for us to step in and assist family caregivers with those tasks they can’t find enough time for or simply be an extra pair of hands to help with their loved one’s daily needs during this busy time of year. These awards are open to anyone struggling with the care of their loved one. Some ways we can help may include preparing meals, doing a little housekeeping, shopping for groceries, helping with decorations, driving to appointments, or simply providing companionship. Family caregivers can apply through their local church or synagogue.

Call today for more information…(727) 723-7532.

 Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah from Harmony!

 

With the winter season upon us, Harmony’s “elves” are on the road delivering comfy fleece blankets to all our clients. We want every member of our extended family to know  that we are thinking about them and sending them HUGS from our entire team this holiday season!

This is the time of year when we dust off our attitude of gratitude and let it shine! But why does it take a holiday to remind us of the blessings we live with every day? No matter the struggles or obstacles that cross our path, we can always find something to be thankful for every day…we just have to remember to take the time to look. The best and purest gifts in our lives are the ones we take for granted –they bring an unexpected smile to our faces, inspire us to take action, soothe us when we are weary, and strengthen us when we need it most. They are simple and genuine and crystal clear when we take the time to really see them. Starting this Thanksgiving, open your eyes each day to the wonder of the blessings around you and see your life through new eyes. Thanksgiving is not just one date on the calendar…it’s truly a way of life.

 

Most family caregivers are age 45-64 and are responsible for the care of a spouse or parent according to a recent survey done by the National Family Caregivers Association. They are often the sole primary caregiver for their loved one who typically lives with them and their greatest need  is respite care. Their greatest concern is taking care of their own physical, emotional and mental health at the same time as their loved ones.

During this special month of November dedicated to recognizing, appreciating and celebrating family caregivers, we challenge you to reach out to someone you know who is in this role and encourage them to explore community resources that can help. THEY ARE NOT ALONE. There is respite care available so they can tend to their own health needs and emotional support when they need it most.

The holidays can lead to significant caregiver burn-out and depression. It’s not always easy balancing the needs of your loved ones against your own. Don’t wait another day or another minute…reach out right now and let a family caregiver know they are valued.

Are you a caregiver? Did you know that there is a presidential proclamation declaring the entire month of November as a time to recognize and appreciate YOU??? We are thrilled to recognize all family caregivers — private and professional — during this special month. From support groups to workshops to identifying resources for families in need, Harmony is with you every step of the way.

Please take a moment to listen to this radio interview with Linda Burhans, Caregiver Advocate and Author of “Good Night and God Bless” (a memoir of her caregiving experience with her mother). She speaks to the host of the Caregiver Hour Radio Show on WHNZ 1250 AM about how family caregivers can find the help they need.

In addition, you will hear the new song written for and about caregivers by Hip Hop Saves Lives founder, Chad Harper. He and his group were inspired by Linda’s own caregiving story and worked closely with the Harmony team to compose lyrics that will truly touch your heart.

Click link below to listen…

Caregivers Rock! 

In an effort to reach out to caregivers and truly celebrate who you are and all you do, Harmony Home Health is sponsoring a special evening called “Harmony in Caregiving” on November 21st. Linda will be speaking about love, laughter and hope in the caregiving experience. Please click HERE to go to our Events calendar and scroll down for all the details.

 

For this week’s blog, we’d like to share a wonderful feature article written about our fearless leader, Jonathan Bowman, CEO and founder of Harmony Home Health. The heading above says it all. If you would like more insight into what motivated Jonathan to start this unique company and what’s behind his success, please CLICK HERE.

 

[This article was shared with the permission of Positive Impact Magazine.]

“Remember when…?” How many meaningful conversations begin with those two words? How many wonderful memories do they evoke? Our lives are the sum of the memorable moments we collect and it is heartbreaking to see our loved ones lose hold of those anchors. We measure growth, progress and success by our past experiences and we savor them more and more as we age. What can we do to help our loved ones keep those memories safe? What can we do to help preserve their quality of life?

The answer is early detection. Whether or not there is a family history of Alzheimer’s disease or related illness, early memory screenings can help get your loved one the help they need before it’s too late. If your loved one answers “yes” to any of these questions, they may benefit from a memory screening:

• Am I becoming more forgetful?
• Do I have trouble concentrating?
• Do I have difficulty performing familiar tasks?
• Do I have trouble recalling words or names in conversation?
• Do I sometimes forget where I am or where I am going?
• Have family or friends told me that I am repeating questions or saying the same thing over and over?
• Am I misplacing things more often?
• Have I become lost when walking or driving?
• Have my family or friends noticed changes in my mood, behavior, personality, or desire to do things?

A memory screening is not used to diagnose any particular illness and does not replace a consultation with a qualified physician. However, memory screenings can serve as a tool for recognizing a problem is beginning and allow your loved one the opportunity to address it themselves before it becomes too disruptive or limiting in their daily lives.

 November 15^th is National Memory Screening Day and Harmony Home Health is one of several recommended sites in the Tampa Bay area where you can receive a FREE memory screening. All screenings are confidential and conducted by qualified professionals in a private, comfortable area. For more information about the FREE memory screening on November 15th, click HERE.

 

Some people think that optimism is about living in a Pollyanna world where everything is nice and bad things never happen to good people. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. Optimism really is a courageous state of mind – one that comes from a person’s desire, effort, and choice to accept and make the best of difficult situations. Certainly, the road of optimism is not without its potholes. And that’s especially true from those in caregiving positions.

If you serve as a caregiver long enough, you’ll undoubtedly come face to face with setbacks and unexpected events that have the potential to be devastating. People and situations change, and your ability to remain optimistic will surely be tested against fear of the unknown. Refusing to engage in the all-too-common “woe is me” lament takes courage.

The optimistic caregiver believes that defeat is a temporary setback – isolated to a given situation. He or she wants the best possible outcome and therefore concentrates on finding something positive and hopeful in what appears to be a hopeless situation. This is a caregiver who understands a basic principle of human nature: You usually see whatever it is you are looking for. So be optimistic, it goes a long way.

Harmony Home Health prides itself on having a culture of caring and professionalism with the goal of providing dependable, high-quality care services to our community. The main ingredient for that is to employ caregivers we would trust to take care of our own family members. Compassion, skill, reliability, and responsiveness to the needs of others  are the qualities we look for and have been fortunate to find time and time again. As a rule, we are thoroughly committed to supporting and recognizing the extraordinary service professional and family caregivers provide every day to their clients and loved ones. Celebrating caregivers and the selfless job they do is a TOP priority for us! Therefore, we have decided to dedicate one blog a month to recognizing one of our own. We are thrilled to highlight Shamieka Serrano in our very first Caregiver Spotlight on this website.

Shamieka was chosen due to her complete and utter dedication to her clients.  Since joining our family, she has responded willingly whenever we called no matter the time of day or distance. She was quickly matched to a client that needed care 7 days a week. Shortly after that, her vehicle broke down. Despite continuous struggles with transportation, this single mother of two never complained and always showed up at her shifts with a bright smile on her face. Even riding the bus 4 times a day, every day, to accommodate the split shift her clients requested didn’t alter her positive attitude. We are thankful for Shamieka’s commitment to our clients and to the Harmony philosphy.

In recognition of her efforts, Harmony nominated her for the Wheels of Success car given at the New Age of Caregiving Symposium last month. On the day officially declared “Tampa Bay Caregiver Day,” Shamieka was handed a new set of car keys and our Harmony Team was there to applaud her outstanding efforts. We are happy to report that she now has reliable wheels getting her to and from her clients – a 2001 Honda Accord. Congratulations, Shamieka, and thank you Wheels of Success!

You’ve hung in there and are ready for the “final four” steps on this caregiver challenge we issued a few weeks ago. Go easy and stay calm…you can do this…

 

#9      Accept your feelings (all of them). Not-so-positive feelings (such as frustration or anger) about your responsibilities or the person for whom you are caring is normal. It does not mean you are a bad person or a bad caregiver. You are simply and wonderfully human.

#10     Stay healthy by eating right and getting plenty of exercise and sleep. Don’t just preach this advice to those you love, live it yourself. This is the only body you get, take care of it and it will last you a lifetime.

#11     Develop new tools for coping. Remember to lighten up and accentuate the positive. Use humor to help deal with everyday stresses. Laugh out loud as often as possible.

#12     Visit a caregiver support group. Sharing your feelings and experiences with others in the same situation can help you manage stress, locate helpful resources, and reduce feelings of frustration and isolation. You are not alone!

This week is your chance to be the best caregiver to yourself. Identify which step above is most needed and pursue it — full force. Once you’ve had a taste of what it feels like to replenish, you will find ways to incorporate these steps into your daily life more easily. Don’t let them overwhelm you…just find one step that speaks to you TODAY and take it. Tomorrow, you can take another step.