Lisa Marie Blaskie RN, CSA, C

The secret is out, our seniors are at great risk by hiring private caregivers. Read the article below.   this is what you may be facing as federal and State agencies target the underground economy.

Private caregivers and contract home care agencies are putting out seniors at risk.

Recent developments pose a big risk to home care clients when an employer agency is not utilized.

Development # 1 – Have you heard of Iola Winn? In 2005, she was a then 94-year-old woman who hired Joy Cash as an in-home caregiver (at $10/hour under the table). Cash eventually sued Winn for failure to provide overtime compensation as she worked beyond 8 hours per day. Yesterday, the appealed case of Cash v. Winn was decided and the initial judgment of nearly $125,000 in overtime pay and penalties was reversed. Lucky for Ms. Winn, but how much did it cost her in legal fees? Was the stress worth it while dealing with her own end of life issues? Did Ms. Winn even understand her role as the legal employer when she decided to hire Joy Cash?

Development #2 – The IRS has made it one of their top priorities to identify and hold accountable employers who misclassify their workers as independent contractors. When evaluating the IRS’s rules, it is evident that a home care worker is not an independent contractor. The State & Federal Government are aggressively working to find every individual and employer that misclassifies its workers. By doing this, the government will gain revenue from the employee and employer payroll taxes that are not currently paid into the system. The perceived informal relationship between client and caregiver is now on the radar!

Contact ComForcare Home Care Services for all of your elder care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable care to our seniors, veterans and disabled in the San Francisco area. Call (415) 689-8567.

Memorial Day, first called “Decoration Day”, is a day of remembrance for individuals who have perished in our nation’s service. You will discover numerous stories as to its actual origins, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were adorning graves previous to the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet offered the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead” (Source: Duke University’s Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove without doubt the origins of the day. It is much more likely that it had many individual beginnings; each of those towns and every scheduled or spur-of-the-moment meeting of people to honor the war dead in the 1860′s established the normal human need to honor our dead, each added honestly to the expanding movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not vital who was the very first, what is vital is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about compromise; it is about coming together to honor those who gave everything they had.

Traditional observation of Memorial day has diminished over the years.

Many Americans these days have forgotten the importance and customs of Memorial Day.

Since the late 50′s on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing.

In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye’s Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps.”

For those providing senior care to veterans, this is a great time to get them involved in a remembrance tradition. Ask them if they would like to place flags or gather with some old friends.

The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

If you would like information about senior care in the Marin County area, contact our caregivers at ComForcare. We are dedicated to provided quality and affordable care to our loved ones. Call (415) 689-8567.

Lisa Marie Blaskie RN, CSA, CCM

Dr. Val Gokenbach writes a timely piece on what makes a good nurse great!  This article is important for  those seniors or families that are considering home care agency for helping mom or dad.  These 5 attributes  are what families should focus on when they consider a home care agency.  Anything less and you have a for profit business only, and you know what that brings.  Having a nurse on staff with the home care agency, while not a regulation as of yet in California just makes practical sense.  The “5 Things” are key to being a good nurse attributes that make up parts of other healthcare professions but for a nurse and a home care agency are a must.

Prior to discussing my opinion of what the attributes of a great nurse are, it is important to first understand what nursing truly is and how we evolved into the most honored and trusted profession in the world. The reasons are simple; nursing is a profession steeped in rich values based on the work of Florence Nightingale, which has not degraded over time due to the character of the individuals that commit to the calling. Nursing, in my opinion, is a much higher spiritual calling than merely a profession. Our fundamental tenets have not changed over time, either. Those are described as:
■Nursing is founded on specific human values.

■Nursing is a scientific knowledge.

■Nursing is a technical skill.
These tenets are based on specific nursing values that have been studied in literature and remain pretty consistent globally. These include:

■Family values

■Happiness

■Sense of accomplishment

■Honesty

■Responsibility

■Intellect

■Human dignity

■Equality

■Prevention of suffering
In my opinion, a great nurse lives these values and clearly understands themselves and their role in this fine profession. In an attempt to translate the values into behaviors, I would identify the actions as follows:
1.A great nurse is compassionate. Compassionate is defined as the feeling of concern and sympathy for others. We need to remember that our patients, apart from cosmetic work or delivering babies, are generally not in the healthcare setting because they want to be. They are fearful and at risk of losing their health, possibly their lives, and concurrently, those visitors with them may be at risk of losing precious loved ones. They are not in control and are frightened, and they need us for support. This also means that we are consummate advocates for the patient and willing to speak up when we do not feel the environment is as safe as it can be.

2.A great nurse is empathetic. Empathetic is defined as the ability and willingness to share in the feelings of others. It does not mean that we agree with the patient or completely understand what they are going through. It simply means that we are willing to make a concerted effort to listen to them, to put ourselves in their place and to attempt to understand their challenges. This needs to be done without judgment and with the understanding that everyone has their own set of values and their own life experiences that have brought them to this point.

3.A great nurse is selfless. Selfless is defined as the ability to give to others at the expense of themselves. I have countless stories of nurses over the years that illustrate this ability to give to others. This could be as simple as missing lunch to hold a patient’s hand or to do something extraordinary for someone else. I had one trauma nurse I will never forget who was caring for a homeless man hit by a car. When the patient was being discharged back to the street, the nurse realized that his shoes were not removed during the trauma because he did not own any. His foot size was the same as the patient’s, so he gave him his shoes and wore shoe covers for the rest of the day. I felt that this was a tremendous example of selflessness. We recognized him as an everyday hero. The stories go on and on and we need to celebrate them when they happen.

4.A great nurse is self-aware. Self-aware is defined as a high degree of emotional intelligence. We are more effective in anything that we do when we understand ourselves, the way we think, and where our values are in reference to others as well as our personal strengths and limitations. Having 15 years of Emergency experience taught me a great deal about myself. There were situations where I felt extremely vulnerable and ineffective, such as dealing with abuse or trauma of small children that basically rendered me emotionally distraught for some time after the events. In that situation, I needed to learn coping mechanisms to deal with the situations or needed the support of my colleagues to trade with me or help me when those times got tough. We all need to support and help each other get through our tough days.

5.A great nurse is technically strong with a thirst for knowledge. It is our obligation as nurses to continue to remain on the cutting edge of our practice regardless the discipline. As nursing leaders, we should be reading on healthcare economics, leadership theory and other issues that impact those in leadership roles. Within the independent disciplines it is important to read journals, achieve certifications, continue our academic pursuits and read all of the information that comes from our healthcare organizations in regard to policy, product or process changes. Lack of knowledge can lead to adverse patient outcomes, and for that ignorance is no excuse but rather our responsibility.Currently we live in unprecedented economic times that will affect the quality of care we deliver. The new healthcare challenges are changing the work environment for nurses and creating value conflicts more than before in the areas of personal, professional, institutionally and social. It is time for us to put the patient at the center of all we do and work to be what we have dedicated our lives to be – The greatest nurse!

What do you think makes a good nurse great?!

Contact ComForcare Home Care Services for all of your elder care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable care to our seniors, veterans and disabled in the San Francisco area. Call (415) 689-8567.

About the Author: Dr. Val Gokenbach has a true passion for leadership and has been in administrative healthcare positions for over thirty years. As a professional dancer and fitness instructor for over 40 years, Val has led a dual life as a fitness presenter, consultant and dance instructor. She has been featured as a health consultant and guest host on multiple TV shows and QVC. As an international speaker and author, her goal is to share her life’s philosophy with all nurses and help them realize their value to the world.

Lisa Marie Blaskie RN, CSA, CCM

Janet Izzo is a nurse from Minnesota and wrote this post.  This is National Nurse’s Month and her comments contain everything I could have said.  So here are her comments on what it means to us to be a nurse.

Someone once said to me, “You are so smart. You could have been anything you wanted to be.” I answered, “But I wanted to be a nurse.”

“Did you ever think of becoming a doctor?”

“No, I always dreamed of becoming a nurse.”

And so the debate continues with loved ones, friends and last but not least, the media. Is nursing considered by the world an ‘inferior’ profession? Could we have taken longer strides and reached a little higher for that star? Some may look at it that way, but I would not trade my nursing degree for anything!

So often we hear the comment, “I had the greatest nurse when I was in the hospital” or “I’ll never forget the nurse who got me through that horrible labor.” On a personal level, I once cared for a lady who attended my church. She proclaimed one Sunday that I was the wonderful nurse who finally got her to “pass gas” after her hysterectomy. Apparently, I was her hero at the time. I suppose I could have been insulted that her remark made it sound like ‘that was all I was good for’, but I sucked it up and took it like a pro.

Yes, there are episodes on television that depict us as ‘naughty nurses’, subservient to physicians, fetching and serving like puppets. Yes, there are commercials, advertisements and bill boards that make us look ridiculous. And yes, Dr. Phil once accused nurses of seducing doctors as a ticket to marriage (I heard he apologized later in his unique Dr. Phil way). Sure the media can often times be rugged to deal with.

If the truth be told however, nurses have always ranked first in ethics and respect, and in the eyes of the public as over and above all other professions. The media may play their wicked little games and shoot for ratings at our expense but people are smart. Most of us (as well as the public) let it fly in one ear and out the other.

There will always be stereotypes in society. Our responsibility is to keep doing the job we love in the very best way we can and let the results speak for themselves. Advocate for our patients when we have to. Educate others about the nursing profession when those opportunities arise. Live with joy and seek happiness.

In the 17th century, Francois La Rochefoucauld said, “There is no greater madness than trying to set the world straight.” I would have to agree with that four hundred year old philosopher lest we make ourselves miserable and die an early death!

Contact Comfort Care Home Care Services for all of your elder care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable care to our seniors, veterans and disabled in the San Francisco area. Call (415) 689-8567.

About the Author: Janet Izzo is a registered nurse in the State of Minnesota and a member of the Minnesota Nurses Association. She is an inspirational speaker and author of “Hotel Hennepin” which chronicles her experiences working in a large county hospital in the heart of Minneapolis. The stories Janet relates in Hotel Hennepin are poignant, sad and hysterically funny, but all are amazingly true! She is passionate about the nursing profession and she now speaks to nurses and nursing students across the nation on the topic “Nurses Can Make the Difference.”

Website: www.janetizzo.com

Email: janetizzo@usfamily.net

Around the United States, registered nurses are being commemorated.

On May 6, 2012, we are joining the American Nurses Association in commemorating Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring, as part of National Nurses Week, which is held May 6-12, each year. The goal of the week long observance is to raise awareness of the importance of nursing and assist with educating people about the role nurses perform in meeting the health care goals of the American people.

In tribute to the dedication, and tireless commitment of the nearly 3.1 million registered nurses countrywide to enhance and sustain the health of the US, the American Nurses Association is honored to recognize registered nurses anywhere on this given day for the caregiving and excellent work they provide seven days a week, 365 days a year.

In honor of Nursing: all registered nurses in America are inspired to proudly wear the official ANA “RN” pin or any other pin that distinctly recognizes them as registered nurses, and/or their nurses uniform the week of May 6, 2012.

Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring

Quite often identified as an art and a science, nursing is a career that connects with serious persons with distinct likes, skills and passion because of the many options the profession suggests. Nurses are caregivers, work in emergency rooms, school based clinics, and homeless shelters, amongst others. They have many jobs – from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher – and serve all of them with devotion for the career and with a commitment to patient safety.

National Nurses Week History  

National Nurses Week commences annually on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

These dates enrich organization and make National Nurses Week a nationally recognized event. As of 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be recognized once a year. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year.

The nursing profession has been endorsed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) since 1896.

Each of ANA’s state and territorial nurses associations promotes the nursing profession at the state and regional levels. Each conducts celebrations on these dates to recognize the contributions that nurses and nursing make to the community.

If you know a registered nurse, be sure to thank him or her for their service during National Nurses Week 2012.

ComForcare Senior Services can help provide caregivers for your aging loved one in San Francisco and the surrounding area. We are dedicated to providing quality and affordable home care in our communities. Call (415) 689-8567.

Question: I’m a senior citizen and I have thrown away eggs for years eggs in the refrigerator that I’d like to use, but the date on the carton was a week ago. Are they still safe to eat?

Answer: Yes, your eggs should be fine, provided you’ve been storing them properly.

As the Washington-based Egg Safety Center notes, the dates you see on egg cartons are not food safety dates. They are most commonly used as a guide for stores to know how long they can sell the eggs.

Raw eggs will maintain their best quality for about 3 to 5 weeks after the date you bought them and took them home, assuming continuous refrigeration.

During that home storage time, the “sell-by” or “expiration” date on the carton will usually come and go. But your eggs will still be perfectly safe to use, provided they’re not cracked or otherwise damaged.

If you want to store your eggs for longer than five weeks, your best bet is to freeze them.

Contact Comfort Care Home Care Services for all of your elder care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable care to our seniors, veterans and disabled in the San Francisco area. Call (415) 689-8567.

May is Older Americans Month, a terrific time to clearly show our thankfulness for the older adults in our neighborhoods and a great time to get the elder receiving senior care at home to get out and get active!

Since 1963, areas nationwide have joined together to celebrate Older Americans Month—a proud tradition that shows our nation’s commitment to acknowledging the influences and accomplishments of older Americans.

The theme for Older Americans Month 2012, “Never Too Old to Play…” motivates older Americans to stay involved, active and involved in their own lives and in their neighborhoods.

Here are some ideas to make Older American’s Month fun and enjoyable:

Physical Activity

Here are some physical activity ideas:

• Wii bowling tournament. Wii bowling is a well-liked activity among older adults, and a smart way to connect elders and young people in an intergenerational lesson of energizing activity that supports fitness and fosters intergenerational connections.
•  Miniature golf. Miniature golf is a superb method of light exercise and a good time for people of all ages. For your Day of Play give some thought to an outing to a local miniature golf course. Call beforehand to determine if there is a group rate or senior discount. To make this an intergenerational event even more enjoyable, ask the older adults to bring along a friend from another generation such as a child or grandchild.
• Choreographed fitness. There are quite a few possibilities for fun group exercise activities for older adults. For your Day of Play you may want to organize training in one or more of these exercises in movement:

• Tai chi is a group activity in which participants move slowly and gently in unison. Tai chi improves balance and strength.
• Water aerobics is exactly what it sounds like. The gentle resistance of the water in a pool intensifies this low-impact aerobic workout. And exercising in a pool reduces the risk of injuries from falls.
• Yoga uses stretching and breathing to relax the mind and body, and it’s very good for circulation.
• Dancing improves balance and coordination. Plus, it’s a great creative outlet and way to meet new people.

Even if your senior loved one is receiving senior care at home, You are ‘Never Too Old To Play!’ Take care of the seniors in your life and celebrate National Older American’s Month.

For information about how ComForcare Senior Services can help your family with senior care in the home, call our caregivers at (415) 689-8567.

Lisa Marie Blaskie RN, CSA, CCM

Is it OK to Put Hot Food Directly Into the Fridge?

Many of us may have grown up remembering our mother’s telling us never to put hot foods directly in the refrigerator.  I did, and many of the seniors we take care of do so too.  Here is the real answer from the U.S. Agriculture Department.

Question: Can I put hot food in the refrigerator?

Answer: It’s fine to place hot food directly in the refrigerator.

Don’t worry about overheating the fridge — as the U.S. Department of Agriculture points out, the refrigerator’s thermostat will keep it running to maintain a safe temperature of 40° F or below.

What you do need to worry about is whether the hot food will cool off quickly enough to reach a safe temperature once it’s in the refrigerator. So never put deep containers of hot food in the refrigerator — instead, place the hot food in shallow containers so it will chill quickly.

A large pot of soup or stew, for instance, should be divided into smaller portions and placed in smaller containers before being refrigerated. A large cut of meat or whole poultry should be divided into smaller pieces and wrapped separately or placed in shallow containers before refrigerating.

If you prefer, you can also quick-chill the food in an ice water bath before refrigerating it.

Either way, be sure you refrigerate the food within 2 hours of cooking it.

Contact Comfort Care Home Care Services for all of your elder care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable care to our seniors, veterans and disabled in the San Francisco area. Call (415) 689-8567.

Here are some helpful and fun ways to spread the heart of gardening in your neighborhood.

Plant a Row for the Hungry at a Local Community Garden

In this land of plenty it’s difficult to imagine not having access to high quality food at a reasonable cost. Even so, for numerous Americans, obtaining a healthy meal is not always easy. It’s projected almost 33 million people, including 13 million children, try to use emergency food because they cannot find the money for the food they need.

Host a Plant Swap at a Nearby Church

The finest plants aren’t always from your nearby garden center or seed catalog. As a replacement they are collected through quick cuttings or by collecting seeds from the garden of a friend or family member. These “pass-along plants” supply both natural beauty and sentiment to your garden.

Have a Spring Cleaning Green Up Day at a Senior’s Home

Spring cleaning — indoors and out — is a ritual that marks the end of winter and the beginning of a brand-new season, and just like many things to do, it’s more fun when you share it. A senior’s home, your street, neighborhood, town park, and any other public space could use some greening up; it just takes someone to organize a small group and seniors and those providing senior care will appreciate neighbors stopping by! Yet another way to meet your neighbors.

Yard Sale Philanthropy

The appearance of spring, accompanied by lengthier days and higher temperatures, gives you ideas of green oases teeming with tomatoes and brimming with beans. Spring is also a time for cleaning out. This year, celebrate National Garden Month in an unexpected way-by visiting yard sales in search of second-hand things that every senior’s garden could use.

Organize a Garden Visit with Senior Friends, Over Tea!

Gardeners grow more than plants – every one of us has stories to share. For a change, why not share them in over tea? Socialization and admiration of another person’s garden brings joy to everyone.

Other suggestions for celebrating with seniors in your area:

• Prepare or take part in a town beautification day.
• Check out your nearby farmers’ market.
• Flatter a neighbor on his or her garden.
• Get together with neighbors to purchase compost and mulch in bulk quantities.
• Volunteer to plant and maintain a garden at your town library.
• Present a gardening article or essay to your nearby newspaper.
• Talk to an elder to learn what foods his or her family grew when he or she was a child.
• Search for neighbors from various ethnic groups to learn about their native cuisine and gardening techniques.
• Green up your street or a local park by picking up trash.
• Share a cutting of one of your favorite landscape or houseplants with a senior neighbor.
• Inventory your gardening gear (e.g., pots, seeds, stakes) and offer the excess to a local community gardening program, assisted living facility or school garden.
• Celebrate other important “green” holidays: Earth Day (April 22) and National Arbor Day (April 26).
• Volunteer at your local school’s garden.
• Volunteer at a local senior center’s garden.
• Start a neighborhood garden club.
• Share your garden’s bounty with a senior neighbor.
• Have fun doing a gardening project with a senior.
• Deliver houseplants or flowers to a nursing home, assisted living or children’s hospital.
• Donate past issues of gardening magazines to your library, or buy the library a gift subscription.

If you or an aging loved one need help with senior care, contact the caregivers at ComForcare. We provide many levels of service to help your loved one live a healthy and comfortable life at home. Call (415) 689-8567.