How is a Senior Concierge Different than a Caregiver?

Central Oregon is home to numerous in-home care agencies that provide caregivers to seniors needing assistance in all or most areas of daily living. Understandably, some  have presumed that Life Tree Personal Service is just another home-care agency. Numerous people that I have spoke to have mentioned that they are not needing a care giver because they are healthy and can do things for themselves. 

There seems to be an underlying stigma attached to having a “caregiver”. The thought of having an assistant may conjure feelings of dependency or being  unable to care for oneself. The reality is that many "Baby Boomers" do not fit into this category of care needs, yet assistance might still be needed to provide a high quality lifestyle.

Caregivers managed by home-care agencies are nursing assistants usually referred to as  personal care aides, home health aides, or certified nursing assistants.  Their primary duties consist of personal care such as bathing, grooming, feeding and helping patients with physical therapy. Many senior adults do not have the need for the services a caregiver provides, but could use a helping hand with day to day activities like errand running, home management, assistance with technology or paperwork organization. People needing an occasional helping hand are good candidates of a senior concierge service.

Life Tree Personal Services Senior Concierge services are a good fit for active baby boomers, older adults and stressed out caregivers who do not need “home-care” but would like someone who can help carry some of the load of daily living, by being available several times a month  to help with a variety of tasks. The assistance of a concierge also increases a seniors well being and makes them less reliant, or feeling burdensome on family and friends.  

Life Tree is available to work with you to create a personal service plan by reviewing all areas of your life to determine how a concierge can assist you in lightening the load of responsibilities and duties. 

Like a hotel concierge, Life Tree Personal Service concierge assistants focus on customer service, going above and beyond to ensure that our clients personal service needs are our Top Priority! 

Life Tree Personal Service is now offering transportation to seniors in Bend, Oregon!

As part of our concierge service for seniors, Life Tree is also available to transport seniors to and from Medical Appointments in Bend.

We are more than just a taxi service, as we help you or your loved ones prepare for medical appointments, accompany them to appointments, assist with paper work, take notes during medical visits and report back to family and caregivers. Our services are provided on a 1-1 basis for each individual we serve.

In addition to medical appointments, there are other ways we can assist you:

-Accompany seniors to assist with shopping and errand running.

-Assistance with visiting family and friends

- Transportation and needed assistance to special events, such as weddings,        graduations and parties.

This service is available 7 days per week. We are available for a onetime appointment/ event or for regular scheduled times.

Please give us at least 72 hours notice so that we have available appointment times. 

We look forward to serving you!

Preparing your Central Oregon Home for the Winter Season.

The Farmers Almanac is predicting a cold, wet winter in Central Oregon! By being proactive, you can prevent damage from occurring, lower your energy bills, increase the efficiency and lifespan of your home’s components, make your property safer and prepare for a beautiful spring. If you have not already done so, plan to set aside a weekend to prepare you home for the arrival of winter.  

Home, Windows and Doors

·         Check (and repair if needed) the weather stripping around windows and door frames to prevent heat loss. 

·         Replace all screens windows and doors with storm windows and doors. Examine wooden window frames for any signs of rot or decay. Repair or replace the framing if needed.

·         Check for drafts around both windows and doors. Caulk inside and out, where necessary, to keep heat from escaping.

·         Clean or replace the air filter in your furnace to ensure maximum efficiency and improved indoor air quality.

·         Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure that they are in working order.

·         Remove air conditioners from windows or cover them with insulated liners, to prevent any drafts leaks.

·         Examine exposed ducts in the attic, basement, and crawl spaces in the home and use a sealant to plug up leaks.

Lawn, Garden, and Deck

·         Trim overgrown branches back from the house and electrical wires in order to prevent iced-over branches from causing property damage or a power problem.

·         Shut off all outdoor faucets. Be sure to open the outdoor valve to allow any water to drain.

·         Spread low nitrogen fertilizer on your lawn and insulate the roots of your vulnerable plants with bark dust or mulch.

·         Ensure that rain and snow drain away from the house to avoid foundation problems.

·         Cover patio furniture with a heavy tarp or store inside a shed or garage to protect it from the weather elements.

·         Remove any attached hoses and store them away for the winter to prevent cracks, preserve their shapes, and prolong their life. 

·         Clean leaves, dirt, and pine needles between the boards of wooden decks to prevent mildew and mold growth.

·         Bring seasonal tools inside and spray them with a coating of lightweight oil for rust prevention.

·         If you have a sprinkler system, be sure to blow out the lines to prevent freezing and pipe damage.

·         Make sure you have an ample supply of ice melt or sand on hand for steps, walkways, and the driveway.

Gutters, Roof, and Drains

·         Check for missing, damaged or warped shingles and replace, as necessary

·         Check the gutters and downspouts for proper fastening, and re-secure if loose or sagging. 

·         Clean gutters of any debris. Make sure downspouts extend away from the house by at least 5 feet to prevent flooding and water damage from snow melt.

·         Ensure all vents and openings are covered to prevent birds, and rodents from getting inside to nest in a warm place.

Hire a Home Watch Inspector

If you will be away from your home during the winter months, you may want to hire a home watch professional to check on your home while you are away. Life Tree Personal Service and Home Watch LLC can check on your home while you are away and provide you with a detailed report and photos. This service provides peace of mind and can inform you of issues that need to be addressed before costly repairs are needed.

Call Life Tree at (541) 480-7601 for a free consultation.

 http://lifetreehomewatch.com/

Senior Concierge Service in Bend, Oregon Bringing Balance and Sanity to Caregivers.

Bringing Balance and Sanity to Caregivers

The Pew Research Center estimates that 47% American adults aged 40-65 are currently raising a child and supporting one or both parents at the same time.  This so called “Sandwich Generation” is feeling the crunch of supporting a multigenerational family. They face unique challenges in caring for their loved ones and often feel burdened.

The Senior Concierge industry is a new industry that is on the rise. A concierge can help bring balance and sanity back into the lives of caregivers. In the corporate world, concierges are often referred to as personal assistants. A Senior Concierge provides personal assistance to lighten the load of family caregivers by providing a wide arrange of non-medical services. Services range from daily welfare checks and companionship to seniors, help with home management, bill pay, errands, pet care, reminder services and much more.

The concept of “home” is highly significant as we age. All of us perceive home to be a part of our identity. That personal space where things are familiar, we maintain autonomy, independence and a sense of control. Many seniors today are choosing to “age at home” rather than find alternative living situations. Seniors feel secure and have a better quality of life when they have a local concierge available to assist with needs that arise. Sometimes, minor adaptations to the home environment and scheduled concierge assistance can made a huge difference in helping loved ones maintain independence. In addition, a concierge provides a warm human touch for a person who may feel lonely or isolated.

Senior Concierge’s also provide personal services to residents who reside in retirement communities. A concierge is a resource that a resident can use to increase their independence and get scheduled personal assistance to help with day to day necessities. The mission of a senior concierge is to enrich the lives of clients by delivering personal services that allow seniors to maintain an independent, dignified, quality lifestyle for as long as possible.

Life Tree Personal Service LLC, atwww.lifetreepersonalservice.com.

 (Pew Research Center, 2013) http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2013/01/Sandwich_Generation_Report_FINAL_1-29.pdf

Enjoy your collection!

“The more the merrier” may be the case in regard to good friends and great food. But, when it comes to displaying collectibles, more may just look cluttered and prevent you from enjoying your treasures.

Most of us have some type of collection that we display in our homes with pride. These collections can range from rare fresco paintings, music boxes to action figurine collections.

My grandmother became an unwitting collector of porcelain pig figurines much to her amusement. One day in the early 1980’s she came home from a weekend trip with two small pig figurine that she fell in love with and brought home. She showed off these cute piggies to friends and family and had many laughs over their sweet facial expressions.

Grandma was not an easy person to shop for, and the joy that she showed towards these “pigurines” inspired several birthday and Christmas gifts that she received over the next few years. As word began to spread about her interest in piggy themed collectibles  it did not take long before she amassed a large collection of pig inspired nick knacks, hand towels, pictures, clocks and more!

As she filled her curio cabinets and shelves with her new collection, the original figurines were pushed to the back of the display and began to collect dust. Eventually, grandma thanked family and friends for their thoughtfulness, but asked that we refrain from adding to her collection, as she was out of room.

Do we enjoy our collectibles when they become unmanageable?

I have found that we do not! In order to enjoy our collections, whether they are favored pieces of pottery, favored China or our favorite chess pieces from medieval times, we have to be able to see them to appreciate them.

Collections are best enjoyed when favorite pieces are highlighted and clutter is removed. The best way to do this is to pick out your favorite pieces and highlight them in a display. If there are many favorite pieces and the collection is too large to display, how about rotating your display. Carefully pack up your pieces that you wish to display in the future, and store them in an easily accessible place. Plan on rotating your display seasonally, or as often as you prefer.

Caring for your collection 101

Nearly all materials show signs of aging over time. In order to preserve your treasures 

be sure to do the following.

•   Keep collectibles out of direct sunlight
•  Store items away from heat sources
• Control room humidity
•   Protect from dust and oil (includes the oils on our hands that can accumulate from handling)

Most important….Enjoy your collections!

What are the elements of a Winning Universally Designed Home?

The first of earthly blessings, independence ~ 
Edward Gibbon

Do you plan on staying in your home for as long as possible? If the answer is yes, then it is time to start thinking proactively about home design for aging in place. Most seniors want to maintain their independence and remain in their own homes to age safely and gracefully.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of injury in seniors. Falling can lead to a setback in independent living, as falls often result in moderate to severe injuries. Simple Universal Design  changes, such as, removing throw rugs , installing handrails and grab bars, and raising light levels can enhance the safety of a home considerably.

Homes are traditionally constructed as a "one size fits all" unit, with little attention to the needs of seniors and people who experience disabilities. Putting thought and time into the details of adapting  your (or your loved ones) home can make the home more comfortable,  convenient, more  valuable  and will help you be prepared for future changes in abilities through all stages of life. 

The good news is that older adults can live independently for much longer in their homes if future planning strategies are put in place to minimize barriers and enhance safety.

Where Do You Begin?

Checklist

Shared Solutions America is a national non-profit organization and Resource Center. The following link provides a checklist that can be used to assess the long term accessibly of a living space.

http://www.livablehomes.org/checklist.html

Life Tree Personal Service in Bend, Oregon can assess your home and make suggestions on how to incorporate universal design principles. We can refer you to, and help you work with, remodeling specialists that have experience in performing small and large home modification projects based on the principles of Universal Design.

What are the elements of a Winning Universally Designed Home?

Kitchen – The kitchen is the single place where universal design can have the most impact. Counter tops should be at an easily accessible height. Side by side refrigerators are easier to negotiate than those with freezers either above or below. Storage and drawers should allow easy access to contents via pull out drawers or lazy-Susan-type devices. Faucets are easiest to control with a single lever instead of multiple knobs for hot and cold.

Bathroom – Some areas to focus on include: non-slip strips and floors on showers and tubs is a must; toilets that are at a comfortable height; support bars in the bath and shower as an added safety measure; walk in shower with a bench or bars or a bathtub with a door opening. 

Other helpful modifications -

·       Levered doorknobs

·       Grab bars in bathrooms

·       Levered faucets in kitchen sink

·       Handrails on both sides of stairwells and on front and rear steps

·       Grab bars in showers

·       Removal of any door threshold

·       Movable shower heads for those who must sit

·       Portable shower seats

·       A bathroom with a bath/shower and a bedroom on the first floor

·       Widened doors to accommodate wheelchairs

·       Ramps for those using walkers and wheelchairs

Valuable Resources on Universal Design and Home Adaptation

Able Data is a information and referral directory of products available for assisted living.  Able Data is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), part of the U.S. Department of Education. They do not produce, recommend or distribute any of the aids listed on their site. Links are provided to the various manufactures and with a little research you can search reviews on individual products. 

http://www.abledata.com/

Funding for Home Modifications & Programs

http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?sectionID=717&genericContentID=89799

Find remodelers or contractors who are Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS) who have been trained in aging in place home modifications, common remodeling projects, and solutions to common barriers.

http://www.nahb.org/directory.aspx?sectionID=126&directoryID=188

Get ideas and inspiration from this gallery of pictures of barrier free, accessible homes.

http://www.houzz.com/aging-in-place

Life Tree will be a presenter at the upcoming conference "The Upside to Downsizing" in Bend, Oregon

Life Tree Personal Service will be a presenter at the Stone Lodge in Bend, Oregon. Come and meet members of our team and discuss how a Senior Concierge can work for you and your loved ones. 

When: Thursday - September 26, 2013 

Come and see the free presentation being offered on "The Upside of Downsizing".

Stone Lodge - 1460 NE 27th St., Bend, OR 97701

The Alternative Way to 'Age in Place' in Bend, Oregon.....Hire a Senior Concierge!

 Life Tree Personal Service LLC offers alternative senior services in Bend, Oregon. Our great team provides a suite of advantages that none of our competitors can offer. We provide exceptional non-medical personalized assistance and home management with world class customer service. 

A majority of the non-medical home care companies have a minimum hourly service requirement of 3 to 4 hours per day. A Life Tree Senior Concierge is available to provide assistance for as little as hour per day. (A 48 hour notice is requested as to ensure time availability).

Life Tree helps seniors and their loved think proactively about aging in place. We take a modern approach to helping seniors live an optimal lifestyle by implementing the principles of universal design. The term "universal design" describes the concept of designing a persons living environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life. 

Our mission at Life Tree Personal Service is to enhance independence and dignity to help seniors to maintain a sense of independence and improved quality of life.       

Some of the Senior Concierge Services Life Tree Personal Service may provide include:

Assisting with technology setup (including social media

and video chat technology to keep loved ones close)

Assessment of the home for ways to enhance aging in place

and locate resources needed for any desired universal design modifications.

Welfare checks and companionship

Errand service  - Grocery Shopping -Pet care assistance and pet appointments

Prescription pick up/ delivery -  Medication management systems

Reminder services -      Bill paying - Correspondence assistance  - Home organization

Holiday preparation and planning

Life Tree Personal Service LLC * (541) 389-2591  *   www.lifetreepersonalservice.com 

                            

Celebrating Grandparents

September 8, 2013 is officially designated as Grandparents Day. National Grandparents Day is an annual observance in the United States that honors grandparents and other seniors, and seeks to strengthen relationships between the generations. National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife and mother of 15 children from Fayette County, West Virginia. In 1970 she began her championship for a special day designated to honor the wisdom and guidance of grandparents. She hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage that only their grandparents could provide.  

The United States Congress passed the legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents' Day and, on August 3, 1978, then-President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation. The statute cites the day's purpose: "...to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer".

McQuade’s lifelong advocacy for seniors not only led to the creation of National Grandparents Day, it also put her on a path to national prominence as a leader on senior issues and gave her the opportunity to present her views to three U.S. presidents (Eisenhower, Nixon and Carter).

Excerpt from the National Grandparents Day Proclamation:

“As we seek to strengthen the enduring values of the family, it is appropriate that we honor our grandparents."

“Grandparents are our continuing tie to the near-past, to the events and beliefs and experiences that so strongly affect our lives and the world around us. Whether they are our own or surrogate grandparents who fill some of the gaps in our mobile society, our senior generation also provides our society a link to our national heritage and traditions.”

What are your plans for commemorating this special day?

Bath Time for Brogan

My dog Brogan is not generally fond of baths...although he seems to enjoy water at all other times (as long as soap is not involved). His favorite past time is fetching toys thrown into the river.

Today I coaxed him into the bathroom to get his weekly bath and noticed that he seemed scared when he got into the tub.  I realized that he did not have good footing in the bathtub and was slipping. His slipping caused him to feel unsafe and I could see him start to panic. It dawned on me that the previous place we lived in had a textured bathtub bottom, and the slippery surface was what was causing him distress.

I paused the bath and searched the house and found a mat to put in the bath for him to stand on. He immediately relaxed and was no longer scared. How had I overlooked this simple accommodation over the past few months?

It got me to thinking about how easy it can be to overlook simple solutions to everyday problems that we humans face. There are many areas in our lives that can be slightly adjusted and adapted that can make daily life safer and more efficient.

What small changes in your environment can you make that can make a big difference in simplifying and enhancing your life?

Life Tree in the Bend Bulletin 8/30/13

Senior concierge service a growing demand

By Mac McLean / The Bulletin / @agingbeat

Published Aug 30, 2013 at 05:00AM / Updated Nov 19, 2013 at 12:31AM

Raising a teenager when you’re in your mid-50s is tough.

But when you add caring for a parent who recently suffered a stroke into the mix - a situation one of Wendy McInnis-Hall’s clients recently encountered - the stress can get overwhelming. Things like paying bills, running errands and picking up medication can fall through the cracks.

McInnis-Hall hopes her new business, Life Tree Personal Services, LLC, can help relieve some of the burden faced by baby boomers in this dual caregiver role and by seniors who want to continue living at home.

“People may not realize some of the things they need help with,” said McInnis-Hall, who started her senior concierge business two months ago. Before opening this business, she spent 12 years working with people who have developmental disabilities in Crook County and in Bend.

Even though she’s relatively new at the game, McInnis-Hall already has a list of about eight clients who she helps on a monthly basis or as needed. She helps these clients by running errands, picking up their medication, taking care of their grocery shopping and performing other tasks.

She also spends time with seniors so their loved ones can get a break, comes up with ways to make sure people take their medication properly, and ensures their bills get paid on time.

McInnis-Hall’s business and other senior concierge service businesses have been sprouting up across the country lately and are just one of a few ways people are working to meet a huge demand for services that will be created as the country’s 77 million baby boomers get older.

“It’s a huge market for our industry,” said Katharine Giovanni, founder of the International Concierge and Lifestyle Management Association, a North Carolina-based association that represents more than 200 concierge businesses around the globe.

Giovanni said the sheer number of boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — makes them a great population for her industry to serve as they age. Boomers want to continue leading particularly active lives that have a lot of tasks to manage, they want to stay in their homes as long as possible, and they had some of their children relatively late in life, she said.

“These people are going to need our services because their children are now strapped for time and now have their own careers and families to manage,” Giovanni said. She says most of the personal concierge services in her organization cater to seniors as well as people who are younger than them.

“There’s definitely been an increase (in the number of these businesses),” said Pat Brengman, president of the National Concierge Association, a Minneapolis-based organization that represents almost 500 corporate, residential and leisure concierge businesses in the country.

Brengman said that while she’s heard a lot of talk about senior concierge services, it’s still too soon to tell exactly how many such services exist because the business model is so new.

She sees these services as being the next logical step for the concierge services industry that has made its way from luxury hotels and resorts to convention centers, corporate office buildings, and most recently into people’s homes, hospitals and other health care facilities.

“There’s definitely a need for them,” she said.

Offering the same advice she gives to people who are shopping for a traditional concierge service, Brengman said it’s important to consider the person’s references and how long they have been working in the field. But she also said this last quality can be a little difficult to assess because most senior concierge services are just getting started right now and it may be hard to find one that’s had a lot of time in the game.

Finding help

According to a recent report by the Congressional Budget Office, the number of people who are 65 or older is expected to increase until seniors make up 20 percent of the U.S. population by 2050. Three different types of businesses and groups are springing up to help seniors stay at home and give their caregivers some relief:

• Senior concierge services

An offshoot of the traditional concierge industry, senior concierge services help people with tasks — such as running errands, groceries and paying bills — that their clients may be too busy or unable to perform by themselves.

• Virtual villages

Virtual villages are community-based membership organizations for seniors who live at home and independently volunteer to help each other perform tasks such as going to the doctor, minor home repairs and wateringplants.

• Home-care services

These businesses send for-profit or state-supported home-care workers to a person’s home to provide them with companionship, help them take care of tasks such as running errands and preparing meals, and to help them perform certain activities of daily life, such as using the bathroom or taking medications.