Month: December 2022

Home for the Holidays in Harrisburg: Family Activities

With Harrisburg being the capital of PA, you can anticipate a flurry of activities around the holidays. You read the descriptions and get all excited, but then wonder how well the event will be when bringing your family, including elder members. If you have an in-home caregiver in Harrisburg, PA, breathe a sigh of relief. Your aide can provide many supports to make the event memorable with less fuss on your part.

So where might you go? Since it’s a sweet time of year, why not visit Christmas is Sweet Lights at Hershey? This is a drive-through event (hey, no walking!) with over 600 displays. If you cannot go, your AmeriBest aide can drive for you. Do not miss getting hot chocolate. It’s fantastic.

There’s also Hershey Park, filled with decorations and presenting special programming; You’ll see 5,000,000 lights everywhere you go. Stop at the ticket office for complete accessibility information should your senior family member require it.

For something laid back, head to the Capitol in Harrisburg with your AmeriBest aide and enjoy the incredible tree in the rotunda. While you are there, you may stumble across a concert.

A half-hour away from Harrisburg in York, you can check out a model railroad display featuring a 2,700 ft. layout (a quarter-mile track). The engines might not be circling your tree, but there are regular open houses that will fit your schedule throughout the holidays.

Watching movies at home is fun, but what about going to a real movie theater for your senior’s favorite holiday title? The Majestic Theater (Gettysburg – under 1 hr away from Harrisburg) will show A Christmas Carol on various dates. Take your trusted AmeriBest aide with you so they can settle your senior in, and you grab the popcorn.

About 30 minutes south of Harrisburg, you can gather the family together for the Trail of Lights at Country Creek Produce Farm. There is a driving trail for those with mobility issues. Food and beverages are available (tip: try the doughnuts).

Twenty minutes away on December 1st, your aide could take your loved one to a relaxing, fun wreath decorating. It takes place at the Costwater Distillery.

Move It Inside If You Wish

If you don’t want to travel or the weather makes it impossible, there’s a lot you can do with your family, including seniors! For example, while you’ve seen dozens of outdoor lights, how about making your light festival inside the house? Even if your senior cannot manage the strings of lights, you can bet they’ll want to direct the action.

Play holiday trivia (you can make up the questions or buy a game set). Have a family bingo night, or bake cookies. Just think about the things your family has always enjoyed together and make minor adaptations suited to your loved one’s condition.

In-Home Caregiver in Harrisburg, PA

If AmeriBest already serves your family, your aide will come with a bucketload of ideas for celebrating the holidays. This person can help with planning, shopping, and decorating, making your job much easier.

Considering getting a professional in-home caregiver in Harrisburg, PA? Or becoming one? AmeriBest will answer all your questions! You can reach us in three ways:

Our online contact form: HERE

Email: info@ameribest.org, or

Call 717-545-2920

How Much Does Senior In-Home Care Cost?

Surveys tell us without a doubt that the vast majority of seniors want to age in place, staying in the comfort of home. As a result, the need for home care services like those we provide at AmeriBest Home Care is growing by leaps and bounds. Looking for a Personal Care Assistant Philadelphia? Not sure where to begin? It can all be very confusing, but one thing you definitely need to know about is paying for home care services.

Let’s dive into it!

Senior In-Home Care Cost

The cost of caregiving varies greatly from region to region. Things impacting how much senior in-home care costs include the services you need and how often you need them. Everyone’s financial situation is different, so creating an affordable retirement plan is important.

Talking to a financial advisor if you have assets doesn’t hurt. Also, check if you have any long-term insurance that may help with fees. On average, it costs about $5,000 a month for either an independent caregiver or hiring one through an agency like AmeriBest. In Philadelphia, the costs are about $700 lower. If your loved one is in the unenviable position of needing round-the-clock care, the cost leaps up to over $19,000.

How do those numbers compare to nursing homes? Aging in place is less expensive. A semi-private room in Philadelphia will run over $11,000.

Personal Care Assistant Philadelphia: Pay Options

Besides any savings and investments you may have, there are several ways of getting help to pay for home care. First, if the senior is a veteran, the VA covers a variety of health benefits, including long-term care.

Next comes Medicare. The government provides health insurance for people over 65. Medicare may cover the cost of skilled at-home care, including:

Medical supplies for your home
Skilled nursing care
Physical therapy
Speech therapy
Part-time, professional home health caregivers
Physical, occupational, or speech therapy
Medical supplies for home use
Part-time home health aides

Your loved one’s physician is essential for receiving this care, as a doctor must create the plan of care and certify the individual as homebound. Also, Medicare does not cover meal delivery, personal care, or homemaker services.

Medicaid

So, where does Medicaid fit in? Medicaid is tailored to low-income individuals. Every state has specific requirements for qualification. In Pennsylvania, a person must be a US citizen. Other qualifiers for people who need insurance assistance include:

Being pregnant
Being the parent or legal guardian of a child under the age of 17
Have a disability
Have a family member who lives with you that has a disability.

The amount a person can make in a month, and have in resources, changes annually.

Your Personal Care Assistant Philadelphia

Traversing the world of insurance can be frustrating. AmeriBest Home Care is here to help. Once we know more about your specific situation, our team offers guidance on obtaining financial help. Contact our Philadelphia office any time with questions using our online contact form. You can also call 215-925-3313 or email ino@ameribest.org.

We look forward to providing you with professional knowledge and support.

How Are YOU? Caregiver Self-Assessment

Being a caregiver is rewarding but often exhausting. If you are the friend or loved one of an individual in need of home health care in Harrisburg, PA, trying to go it alone, it’s a good idea to do a self-check from time to time. After all, you cannot help others when you are drained and out of sorts. So, how are YOU?

The American Medical Association created a measuring tool. Physicians use it to assess anxiety and stress among family caregivers. There are yes and no questions. Depending on the results, the physician may suggest in-home health care services that AmeriBest proudly provides in Harrisburg, PA.

An example question would be, “During the past week, have you felt completely overwhelmed?” That inquiry could be followed by, “Have you felt torn between your family, work, and caring for your loved one?” The idea is to get a general feel of the caregiver’s stress levels. When the rankings are particularly high, it’s worth looking for support, including getting in touch with a professional aide who takes some of the work off your hands. At AmeriBest Home Care, we take pride in our staff’s ability to effectively work with a wide range of people.

At first, you might feel hesitant about both the assessment and reaching out to a professional service. That’s perfectly normal. Family caregivers represent a majority of support for aging loved ones with chronic problems or functionality limits. We all want to be able to help successfully, feeling that, as a family, we’re best suited to knowing and meeting our loved one’s requirements.

But there are challenges to providing help to your loved one. You play many roles beyond your family station (son, daughter, cousin, etc.). You are the cook, maid, nurse, and driver, just to name a few. With all that responsibility, it’s easy to lose sight of your own needs. They fall into a backdrop of activity until a day arrives when you’re sick, worn out, frustrated, and ready to give up. It’s a terrible moment for anyone.

Remember, you are “only human.” There are limits as to what each of us can handle. This is why so many families turn to agencies like AmeriBest Home Health Care of Harrisburg, PA. They want a trustworthy company with high professional standards. Our staff receives ongoing training to keep them informed of “best practices” in the ever-changing home caregiving industry.

More importantly, our aides focus on the family as a unit. While they come to your home to help your loved one, the entire household has input on many matters, including answering questions about the individual’s favorite foods, tv shows, and activities. The integrated social nature of proficient caregiving is incredibly important. Depression and anxiety can run high in families who have done everything alone.

home health care harrisburg pa

If you’d like to learn more about what AmeriBest can off you, you can reach out to us anytime.

Use our online form HERE. Alternatively, you can call our office at 717-545-2920 or email info@ameribest.org

Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Amusement in Philly for Your Entire Family

Holidays redirect our focus to home and family. Celebrations abound. You may wonder what amusing and engaging holiday activities in Philadelphia you can enjoy with seniors. Then, you start thinking about how to take care of them, particularly in public areas. That’s where Home Care Services Philadelphia come into play.

Light Displays

Our aides can help you plan your entertainment, prepare for it, and assist you during fun and games. Philadelphia has numerous activities in which you can participate. There are also breathtaking light displays like Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo and the drive-through Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm (ideal for individuals with mobility issues). You can find other light show options HERE.

For a shorter excursion, go to City Hall on December 1 for the tree lighting celebration. Your aide from our home care service in Philadelphia can spot your loved one so everyone can enjoy the view.

Shopping

Then there’s shopping. Seniors love looking for treasures for their families. From November 18 – January 15, the Peddler’s Village hosts over 60 specialty shops. 1 million lights surround the shopping area. Don’t miss the Gingerbread display.

You can find more vendors in the Christmas Village, 110 all told. Gifts from local artists and international crafters abound. You’ll find seasonal delights throughout the area, including hot apple cider. This event has wheelchair accessibility. Let your AmeriBest caregiver push along at a pace everyone can enjoy comfortably.

Ballet

What about attending The Nutcracker, taking place from December 9-28? It takes place at the Academy of Music. As a classic holiday event, seniors will find themselves humming to the music with delight.

At Home

There are times when you don’t want to leave the house. Thankfully there are a lot of activities you can enjoy with your loved one in the comfort of your home. And your AmeriBest caregiver can assist or guide them. Examples include:

Digital Greeting Cards. Have the individual create a list of people they want to whom they want to send holiday wishes. There are tons of E-card companies from which to choose. Just Google it!
Fireside Gathering: Set a day at the hearth for sharing family stories over hot cocoa. Your chat can become a holiday tradition.
Movie Binging: Have your aide help you gather a list of nostalgic classics for the day. Prepare a snack tray and beverages. Create your movie theater by closing the curtains. Watch for as long as your individual desires.
Remote Shopping: If your senior has mobility issues, shopping in stores may prove difficult. So, why not have your caregiver sit down with that person with catalogs and a computer at the ready? Go through gift ideas one-by-one, so your loved one feels wholly involved.

There’s also scrapbooking, putting up holiday decorations, making cookies, and wrapping presents.

In-Home Care Services Philadelphia

The holidays get hectic, but having professional caregivers on hand releases a lot of stress and worry. You can go out and take care of your holiday errands with one of AmeriBest Home Care aides taking wonderful care of your loved ones.

By the way, our services aren’t just for the holiday season. We can help your family year-round. Contact us to learn more. Our Philadelphia office number is 215-925-3313.

Or email info@ameribest.org