FirstLight Home Care

The foundation of our company starts with the amazing caregivers we employ. It’s why we treat them with respect, ensuring they’re recognized, heard and trusted within our organization.

We also provide rewarding opportunities to help improve the lives of others, as well as the chance to be part of a dynamic and stable team of professionals. In everything we do, including in the way we treat our caregivers, we offer encouragement, support and a first-class place to work.

Some other reasons to consider a job at FirstLight Home Care include: • Our values. We’re dedicated to living out our core values each day, from client happiness, peace of mind and excellence to personal growth and accountability. We want to help our clients and our employees thrive and strive to exceed the expectations of both. • Our relationships. When you work with us, you’ll see a difference in the relationships we cultivate. Relationships come first at our company, not only with those we care for, but our employees, as well. We promote a culture of advancement, thoughtfulness and communication. It’s why so many of our caregivers have been with us for years. • Our respect. At the end of the day, we truly value our caregivers and the job they do. We rely on our team to deliver quality care and to enhance the well-being of those we serve. It’s why we want to help our caregivers succeed through opportunities for training, advancement and other ways to learn and grow. With FirstLight Home Care, you can find a job as a caregiver that helps you reach your potential and shine.

See for Yourself Why Caregivers Love Their Jobs at FirstLight Home Care

If you’re wondering more about what it’s like to work for FirstLight Home Care, we invite you to visit our caregiver page at: https://www.firstlighthomecare.com/why-firstlight/our-caregivers/ and watch a few videos of some of our top team members. These are individuals who work for our team and love every minute of it. They can give you a first-hand look into what it’s like to care for our clients and be a part of our company.

If you’re interested in learning more about the caregiver jobs available in your local area from FirstLight Home Care, contact us today at 208-758-8090. See our rewarding opportunities at: https://www.firstlighthomecare.com/blog/2021/02/18/caregiverjobs-offer-a-career-with-meaning/

This article is provided by Brad Leggat and Matt Zastrow, owners of FirstLight Home Care of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. For more information, visit www.coeurdalene. FirstLightHomeCare.com or call (208)758-8090.

Overcoming Isolation:

Parent Resources for Navigating A New World

By Heather Hamilton-Post

“I always had a desire to connect with other mothers. Pregnancy is something that is so new to first time parents. You are hit with so many different viewpoints, advertisements for products, and cautionary experiences that make you start to seriously question how ready you really are. There are so many times I wanted to know firsthand from moms just what worked for them,” says Lisa Southorn, who, with her husband Dave, welcomed their first child in November of 2021.

“I think dealing with a pandemic and lack of exposure to normal in-person relationships you might otherwise build with parents such as in a birthing class, really made me feel more alone,” she explains.

For anyone who has endured pregnancy, birth, or early parenthood in the last two years or so, the experience is undoubtedly different from their many predecessors. While it is not uncommon for new parents to report feeling suddenly changed and newly isolated, a global pandemic certainly doesn’t do anything to bring new parents the sense of community that many crave.

Whether embarking on a difficult breastfeeding journey, struggling to combat feelings of postpartum depression, or navigating the sometimes difficult waters of family vaccination status, new and early parenthood is best approached with the support of a community.

Plan to Attend!

Of course, this looks a little different now than it did two years ago.

Finding Community in Chaos

Southorn describes experiencing self doubt throughout her pregnancy and as she began her breastfeeding journey. She also describes a sense of missing out on some of the fun parts of a non pandemic pregnancy – like in person birthing classes and more support in the delivery room and even at home. She says it was a juggling act at first, requiring a constant risk analysis as she and her husband navigated new parenthood together. The sense of isolation was real.

Sadly, Lisa’s experience isn’t unique. If you’ve scrolled through a Twitter feed or stood around a break room water cooler, you’ve probably heard a version of the headline that’s been floating around for, at this point, years: American Parents are in Crisis. There are reports of mothers gathering, organized via social media, to scream while distanced but together, out in a field. Parents, especially mothers, are quitting their jobs in record numbers. Without options for face-to-face support, breastfeeding rates amongst low income populations, when compared to those of babies born outside the pandemic, are in decline. Infants who received any breastfeeding at 1 month decreased from 79.66% to 76.96% (p = 0.139). The percentage of infants who received any breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months significantly decreased from 64.57% to 56.79% (p = 0.001) and from 48.69% to 38.62% (p = 0.0035), respectively.1

Remote services became the norm, and for many organizations, continue to be offered rather than face-to-face support. Like everything else, this presents significant challenges while offering new opportunities.

The Advantages of Remote Service Models

Although remote support systems and gatherings can leave participants feeling disconnected, they do offer the potential to reach parents in remote locations, or those who may have other children at home, lack transportation, or otherwise have difficulty leaving the house. Often, the costs associated with remote methods are less because they don’t require an individual space, complicated technology, or logistical costs. For