Comfort Keepers® creates quarterly bylined articles for the media.  If you would like to receive the full text of any of the articles listed below, please contact Kelly Templer at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  or via phone at 312-829-4350.

All Home Care is Not the Same
The increasing senior population has led to incredible growth in the largely, unregulated home care service industry.  With many independent companies springing up across the country, it is not always possible for consumers to understand the key qualities that determine a safe and reliable provider. 

Home care services provide a range of assistance, while allowing seniors to remain in their own homes.  The majority of agencies offer a mix of:

		Daily living assistance – meal preparation, running errands and transportation
		Personal care – grooming, dressing guidance, toileting and bathing
		Home making – light housekeeping and laundry
		Specialized services – companionship, shopping, “TLC” phone calls and 24-hour emergency response

Preparing for Future Care Needs
Very few individuals want to think about their future needs for aging services and long-term care until it becomes a necessity, which can often lead to poor planning. The biggest consequence of poor planning is a rushed decision which may not fit the individual’s needs. Planning ahead for unexpected illness, injury, or simply the typical needs of the elderly, can eliminate quick decision making on a wide variety of aging service options. In addition, planning in advance increases an individual’s choices and gives them a say in the type of assistance they receive.

Assisted living facilities, retirement communities and nursing homes frequently have a waiting list for admission. When a unit opens up, it will usually be offered to individuals on the waiting list before someone without an application. In-home care service providers, such as Comfort Keepers, typically do not have waiting lists and allow for the client to continue living independently in the comfort of their own home.

Beat the Heat
Every summer, thousands of Americans suffer from heat stroke, heat exhaustion and dehydration.  And each year, an average of 300 people in the United States dies from heat-related illnesses, according to reports from the Center for Disease Control.

Seniors are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses as their bodies do not effectively cool down and it takes longer to recover when they get overheated.  As the temperature starts to rise, it is important to take a moment to think about ways to beat the heat and avoid unnecessary illness. 

The New Juggling Act: Work and Caregiving, Coping With Double Demands
Caring for an aging parent is never an easy task, but this task is made much more difficult when trying to juggle caregiving with a career.  Family members are often forced to choose between one and the other: “Do I go to my 3 o’clock meeting or take my mother to the doctor?”  Managing both these tasks can often increase stress while decreasing your capabilities on one or both of these. 

According to a national study conducted by MetLife and AARP, employees caring for family members aged 50 or older are widespread and increasing.  Nearly 25 percent of all households have at least one adult who has provided care for an elderly person in the last 12 months.  In addition to their caregiving responsibilities, about 64 percent of these family caregivers are employed, creating a ‘juggling’ act between work and caregiving.