18 minute read
Senior Health
Senior health and wellness have always been priorities for the seniorliving industry, but maybe no more so than they have since the advent of COVID-19 into all of our lives. In fact, you would be challenged to fi nd a single senior-living company or community that is operating just as it did before March 2020. As the senior population has received COVID vaccinations and some restrictions have begun to loosen, senior communities and in-home services and activities are coming back and brightening the hearts of seniors across the region. See The Trainer® Midwest is a great place to go for all the medical supplies and assists our bodies need as we age. They are a medicalsupply company that specializes in the sale of orthopedic bracing, sports medicine, rehabilitation, and home-health products, and they work with insurance companies to help defray associated costs. “See The Trainer is in-network with most private insurances and is able to fi le Medicare and Medicaid,” said Owner Kristie Egan. “Just ask your health care provider to call us and ask for more details regarding coverage or product details.” Many of the products that See The Trainer Midwest carries include things that are highly benefi cial to seniors, whether they are living at home or in a care facility or community. “Folding walkers, compression stockings, back Kristie Egan braces, posture supports, and various canes See The Trainer® Midwest are just some of the products that we carry in house,” Kristie said. “We also have a number of vendors that carry valuable products for seniors that we can always order. These products include seated walkers, compression gloves, or virtually any other product that is found useful. If you have any other questions or you want to learn more about See The Trainer, visit us at seethetrainer.com/location/omaha-ne or call us at (402) 493-4747!”
Small and Mighty
Many seniors will do all they can to continue living in their own homes, where they may have lived their entire lives. Even if the time comes that they need a little help getting around or completing everyday tasks on their own, Key Home Care will do everything they can to help them stay where they want to be. Theirs is not a huge corporation, but a mighty one. Founder and Owner Sandra Miller built the company with the mission to ensure seniors can maintain their independence by providing compassionate and experienced care. “For most of my adult life, I’ve worked with seniors, and over the years I have found that we can learn so much from them, and we owe them so much for everything they’ve done,” Sandra said. “Being able to serve them is truly
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more than a community, we are a family
an honor. They are treasures and being able to help them stay wherever they call home, that’s what we strive to do.” Key Home Care provides personal caregivers for all your specifi c needs, as well as 24-hour support, free in-home consultations, and even compassionate and attentive bedside sitters. Being a smaller company allows them to provide uniquely personalized care by on-staff caregivers and basically build an extended family with clients and their loved ones. “We treat every client as an individual,” Sandra said. “There is no blanket care plan, answer, or way to provide treatment for clients. Everyone has their unique experiences and unique wants and needs, and we try to meet them there. I am the owner and have met just about every client. We are small, and we take a lot of time in matching up our caregivers with our clients. All of my clients, their families, and my employees have my cell phone number. I maintain an open-door policy with all of them.”
Navigating Your Journey
Oasis Senior Advisors Omaha is another phenomenal option to guide you in your search for senior care and make sure your loved one feels safe, comfortable, and happy while living somewhere affordable and a place that feels like home. Oasis understands that with all the senior-living options available for families to choose from, fi nding the right one with your loved one can be overwhelming. That’s why they offer FREE housing services for you and your family. Owned by Kyle Johnson, Oasis Senior Advisors is there to walk you through it and help you fi nd the community or living option that is exactly right for your loved one’s needs, likes, and budget. Kyle Johnson “We currently partner with over 65 retirement
Oasis Senior Advisors communities to help fi nd a perfect forever
Omaha and CCA home,” Kyle said. “Each community offers Home Care different services and amenities, so it’s best to work with an advisor to navigate that process rather than take hours and do all of the homework on your own. We will only recommend communities that fi t your fi nancial, medical, and geographical preferences in the Omaha Metro area. An Oasis Senior Advisor will stay with you from the start to fi nish, even joining you on tours of communities to ensure your questions are being answered and concerns are being addressed.” Oasis Senior Advisors is part of a national franchise and is an equal opportunity partner in searching for your forever home. Whether you are 100% independent and just want to downsize your home or your loved one needs high-level memory care, they are able to fi nd the perfect fi t right here in Omaha.
Affordable At-Home Care
If you or a loved one is not ready to move into a senior-living community but needs a little help to stay safely at home, CCA Home Care is there for you. Also owned by Kyle Johnson, CCA Home Care is the area’s most affordable home-care solution and screens and refers certifi ed nurse assistant (CNA) level caregivers who work privately for clients in their own homes. CCA caregivers are available to help with things like morning and evening routines, companionship throughout the day, medication reminders and administration, and transportation to and from personal appointments. Throughout the pandemic, CCA Home Care has helped seniors adapt to change and thrive. “The pandemic has changed everything we were once used to,” said Kyle said. “This industry has stayed true to serving our elderly population and has made the appropriate adjustments required to reduce the stresses of change. Many caregivers are receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, which should reduce the concerns of transmitting the virus as we begin to return to normal. CCA Home Care is recording all caregivers who have received their vaccinations and can provide that information to any client prior to allowing a visitor in your home.”
Cognitive Caregivers
If your loved one is experiencing memory issues due to Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia and the time has come that it is
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Serving the Omaha Area Signature Communities: Lakeside & Pacific Springs Arboretum Village, Immanuel Village, Trinity Village
safest for them to move to senior living, your options are multitudinous, but one of the top-notch facilities to consider is Prairie Meadows Alzheimer’s Care Center. It is a specialized Memory Care community that provides exceptional person-centered holistic care to residents with cognitive impairment. They take your loved one’s health and happiness seriously and offer unique programming for residents that helps stimulate the brain. “We do a lot of psychosocial programming for residents,” said Prairie Meadows Community Resource Director Don Woods. It is important to challenge our residents. We also do daily exercises with our seniors in our community as well as have a walking club that takes walks around our community every afternoon. Our residents are 100% vaccinated, as are most of our team members. We are offering ongoing vaccination options to help in doing our part, and we have provided a host of education opportunities for our team Don Woods members, families, and residents to help in
Prairie Meadows making their decisions about vaccination.”
Alzheimer’s Care Center While going through the pandemic has been challenging for everyone, Prairie Meadows is fi nding a bright side: They are fi nding that families of residents treasure their visits with their loved ones more than ever before. It seems that distance truly did make their hearts grow fonder—and the residents, their families, and the Prairie Meadows staff are all benefi ciaries! In more exciting news, if you’re ready to see Prairie Meadows live and in-person, they’re ready for you again!
Thrive!
If you’re looking for a senior-living community that focuses on providing whole body-and-mind health, be certain to consider Immanuel Communities. Their Thrive by Immanuel program offers comprehensive life enrichment support for Immanuel residents. The approach was created by their senior-living experts and incorporates nine elements of whole-person wellness: music, wellness, connection, faith, recreation, community, creativity, service, and lifelong learning. “Thrive programming has been a foundation to resident wellbeing as we responded to a global pandemic,” said Immanuel Vice President Marketing, Sales and Communication Jennifer Knecht. “Our dedicated employees were able to reimagine our guiding elements to remain focused on overall wellbeing and safety for those we serve. During the last year, we have helped residents learn how to use Zoom, FaceTime, Facebook and other social media to connect with their families; we’ve created broadcast fi tness resources that residents could view from their apartments; and we organized phone clubs, balcony exercises, courtyard concerts, and more. Plus, our resident portals, or touchscreen devices available at many Immanuel Communities, helped residents stay connected with community employees and services.” In non-pandemic times, Immanuel’s state-of-the-art wellness centers include indoor pools, spas, wellness classes, and one-on-one training opportunities that help residents achieve goals like managing a chronic condition or getting ready for a trip or special event. Following their vaccination clinics and successful ongoing infectioncontrol practices, residents are excited to see many of these services reopen in limited capacity. “Spiritual support is another key aspect to life at Immanuel,” Jennifer said. “As a mission-driven, faith-based organization, we’re thrilled to offer onsite pastoral support for residents of all faiths. Whether that’s help after a life-changing event or a supportive hand during uncertain times, our onsite pastors provide phenomenal benefi t across our campuses.”
Jennifer Knecht Immanuel Communities
Individual Caregivers - Free In-Home Consultations Serving Omaha/Council Bluffs and Surrounding Rural Areas
402-982-9254 Keyhomecare.us
• Refers interviewed, screened and qualified in-home caregivers • Provides quality care at affordable rates
• Places caregivers between 1 to 24 hours per day, 7 days per week • Flexible hours that can change as your needs change • No up front deposit or fees to begin services
Office@CCAHomeCare.com 11640 Arbor St., Suite 103 Omaha, NE 68144 402-398-1848 1530 S. 70th St., Suite 202 Lincoln, NE 68506 402-488-3771 CCAHomeCare.com
Cornerstone of Care
Established in 1906, Midwest Geriatrics, Inc.’s Florence Home Healthcare Center has long been a cornerstone of senior care in Omaha. Located in the heart of Florence, it is a skilled nursing community renowned for treating their residents and families with care, respect, confi dence, support, and respite. While the pandemic defi nitely served up its challenges, Midwest Geriatrics provided quality care for residents throughout, going above and beyond to keep them happy and healthy. Now they are excited to be returning to more normal activities. “Our staff and residents started receiving the vaccinations as soon as they were available to us in January,” said Midwest Geriatrics CEO Lois Jordan. “Since then, our residents have been able to resume dining and activities together while maintaining safe distances as the CDC and CMS recommends. There are still some individuals concerned about the safety of the vaccine and the length of effectiveness, but our pharmacy team is consistently educating staff and residents and offers new information as soon as it is available.” One of the most exciting changes, Lois said, is that residents and family members now are able to have more frequent in-person visits, while using proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Isolation from friends and family as a result of the pandemic was hard on everyone. With the high vaccination rate, the CDC has lifted some of the restrictions, and people are feeling a sense of relief.
Aging in Place
If your loved one wants to remain at home but needs some level of assistance to stay there, you’ll also want to consider Right at Home In Home Care & Assistance. They offer top-shelf caregiving services for almost any family and situation in southeast Omaha and southwest Iowa. Their in-home care lets loved ones enjoy health lives in the comfort of a familiar environment. “We believe in the mission, principles, and values that Right at Home was built on and try to live up to those standards in all we do,” said Right at Home Franchise Owner Kristi Benning. “We try every day to be of service to both groups. We take seriously our responsibility to those who are in need by either providing the Right Care with our wonderful care-team members, or by being a resource for them while they fi gure out what’s best for their future. We are excited to offer consistent, high-quality standards and care across Omaha, Council Bluffs, and the surrounding areas!” Right at Home tailors their care to your unique situation through a Custom Care Plan that includes whatever your loved one needs from any of their care categories, including companion care, personal care, and specialty services like Alzheimer’s or other dementia care, skilled nursing, couples care, and transitions from hospitals, nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, or surgery centers. Another terrifi c option for seniors who want to continue to live at home is CareBuilders at Home. They provide in-home, nonmedical services—not just for seniors but for people of all ages. They are dedicated to helping clients lead dignifi ed, independent lifestyles in the comfort and safety of their own homes. They provide experience and options that support aging in place and maintaining independence, including safetyalert devices, medication management, electronic dispensers, and other assistance.
Lois Jordan Midwest Geriatrics, Inc.
Kristi Benning Right at Home In Home Care & Associates Brenda Oullette CareBuilders at Home
Nancy, Daughter of CountryHouse resident
Nancy’s parents recently moved into CountryHouse and right away she appreciated the homelike atmosphere and welcoming community. If she has any questions or her parents need accommodations, Nancy knows she can count on the expert staff. “I feel comfortable and at ease knowing that the staff is caring for my folks with fun, helpfulness, compassion, understanding and expertise.” Discover care exclusively designed for those with Alzheimer’s or other typesof dementia. Schedule a tour of one of our Omaha Metro CountryHouse communities!
CountryHouse.net or 402-307-2004 Omaha I Elkhorn I Council Bluffs
“You are not alone,” said Executive Director and Owner Brenda Oullette. “We are here to help care for your loved one at home and give your family the support you need to manage the challenges of the changes you are faced with. CareBuilders at Home understands the struggles families face, and it is our mission to provide as much love and support to not only the clients we serve but also to their families.”
Trained to Serve
When your loved one moves into a senior-care community, you want to be sure that the staff not only cares about the residents but is welltrained to serve their needs. You don’t have to worry about that with the assisted-living and memory-care support teams at Ovation by Avamere Heartwood Preserve—Ovation’s newest community opening later this year in Omaha. With the additional stress that the COVID pandemic added to the sometimes-diffi cult decision to move into and assistedcare community, it’s crucial that you fi nd a place staffed by senior-living professionals who make you feel comfortable. Ovation by Avamere promotes open dialogue and effective communications with each potential resident and their families because there are many nuances to each situation. “We are here to listen to the specifi c needs of each resident and their family and create a care plan that puts the family at ease about their loved one’s care,” said General Manager Stephanie Grade. “Ovation not only has the latest technology to support each individual’s independence, but we also have one of the most extensive training programs for our team members. Our team spends two weeks learning our values and 30 days of job shadowing before they are allowed to be in their perspective role alone.”
Making the Most of Every Day
While we all have people we love and want to take care of, including those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, there may come a time when the needs of a person who has a disease are too much to for a family member to manage alone. That is when Agemark’s CountryHouse Residence for Memory Care can step in. They work with families whose loved one may be in the early stages of memory loss, so they know what resources are available if and when they need them. CountryHouse also sponsors a regular family-support group—to learn about how to cope with cognitive memory loss when it involves someone you love—and participants do not have to know someone living there to participate. They operate on the philosophy that “So long as a person is living, they are on a journey — and there remains ample opportunity for joy and for wonder.” This philosophy guides everything they do on behalf of their residents and families. In short, they don’t settle for providing a place for people just to stay. Instead, they seek to make every part of every day truly engaging to the residents who live with them — providing them with real joy and fulfi llment. “Our view of those who have memory loss is that, if it comes with physical or cognitive challenges, they’re just challenges,” said COO Marty Hug. “We don’t see age. We don’t see challenges. We just see people. And all people want the same thing: to live a purposeful, welllived life. So we focus on them individually and use our resources to give them a voice that’s heard. We help them to grow, to have fun, and to live the life they always wanted before their diagnosis.”
Stephanie Grade Ovation by Avamere Heartwood Preserve Marty Hug CountryHouse Residence for Memory Care
Our seniors are the very heart and soul of Omaha, and we’re clearly blessed to have such top-notch care facilities and services to keep them safe, healthy, and happy, even in diffi cult times. Our thanks go out to every person involved in senior care. You are truly heroes!
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Let’s work TOGETHER.
Oasis Senior Advisors Omaha is a senior living service that’s free for seniors and families. Your clients may need help finding the right senior living solution, and my clients are looking for services just like yours. Call me today and let’s work together! OasisSeniorAdvisors.com/Omaha
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The Right Care, Right at Home®
“I have worked with Right At Home for 9 years. They provide services for my residents. We find their employees to be friendly, courteous and very helpful to our residents and their families. They provide home care that makes our residents feel Right at Home." - Amy
In Home Care Services For Everyone. A Care Plan Just For You. 402-697-7536 rightathome.net/omaha-metro
