In our later years, we gradually lose independence in our lives. The support of family, friends, and professionals is critical to healthy aging, but as the little things add up, we may realize that we’ve lost too much control.

Especially for seniors with dementia, it’s critical that care is provided with the goal of empowering an individual to remain as independent as possible. That sense of control and ability does wonders for a patient’s mood and wellbeing.

This article in the San Francisco Examiner highlights the need for senior independence and how to ensure a patient always feels in control.

What makes freelancers so happy? Why do service providers, like healthcare workers, prefer working independently? Is having control of your own business and setting your own work schedule really that beneficial?

Nursing Referral Service has supported independent homecare providers since 1946, and we’re committed to empowering freelance nurses and CNAs by providing services to help them succeed in their careers.

In her article for the Wall Street Journal, Katie Mogg explains why freelancers are among the most satisfied when it comes to their careers.

Older adults have always been a favorite target of criminals. Exploitation can take various forms, including scams, fraudulent investments, identity theft, coercion, or undue influence and can result in severe financial loss, jeopardizing the financial security and independence of seniors.

The senior healthcare industry is full of examples of nefarious providers taking advantage of their position of trust to coerce, influence, and steal. It’s frightening to think that the staff of a nursing home or a private home caregiver might take advantage of your own parent or grandparent, and at Nursing Referral Service, we’re passionate about protecting our clients.

This checklist from Charles Schwab provides signals that might serve as clues that your parent is being financially exploited. In addition to this advice from Schwab, also be sure every individual who has access to your loved one is thoroughly screened and vetted. A clean criminal background check is a good start, but an extensive portfolio of client references showing years of fidelity is even better.

Institutional care has had its issues for decades. Covid glaringly exposed those vulnerabilities in group settings, like assisted living, rehab facilities, and nursing homes. And, while no longer in panic mode, home-based health care still looks like the better choice.

This article from World Economic Forum is part of a larger discussion titled, Shaping the Future of Health and Healthcare. It explores the benefits of homecare from a global perspective, while highlighting ways to make it more accessible to all families.

It’s a decision that almost every family eventually faces: What’s the best way to care for mom or dad?

There are stark differences between home care and institutional care, with glaring pros and cons to both options. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and each family must make the choice that best suits their unique situation.

Cost, consistency, skill level, safety, reliability, actual amount of engagement with a caregiver, ability to form a relationship, impact on the family — so many elements to consider.

In this brief article, David Fixter shares his thought process when he evaluated care options for his mother, along with some important questions to consider.

Whether a professional or a dedicated family member, every caregiver needs to remember to care for themselves. While giving your all to another, it’s easy to neglect your own health.

In this interview from Daily Caring, you’ll find critical self-care tips from Eldercare Consultant and Social Worker, Debbie Drelich.

Overworked and underpaid, staff in nursing homes have been leaving facility jobs in favor of homecare or other careers, entirely. And this was pre-Covid.

The pandemic of the past two years has exacerbated the exodus of healthcare workers from nursing homes and assisted living facilities. What were already bleak working conditions, have been spotlighted by Covid as high-risk, understaffed, and lacking adequate resources and training.

Truly dedicated care providers have been drawn to private homecare for the direct one-on-one client relationship, the opportunity to see real and lasting impacts from the care they provide, and to earn significantly higher wages.

In this article from The Washington Post, Rebecca Tan exposes the struggles caregivers face and why they have been abandoning nursing homes at a record pace.

The senior care industry has been crushed by the worst caregiver shortage in history. The confluence of a global pandemic and increased unemployment benefits have resulted in families across the country coming up empty-handed in their search for help.

Caregivers left nursing homes and care facilities in droves when working conditions plummeted in the early months of the Covid-19 lockdown. Many shifted to homecare. But as conditions in care facilities continue to decline, the incredible surge in demand for homecare services has created an unprecedented deficit in the supply of caregivers.

This report from News Channel 12 in North Carolina is just one of numerous examples of the pain being felt by families everywhere.

Families across the U.S. are finding it harder to find private home caregivers. Pandemic fears, stimulus checks, unemployment bonuses, reduced hours, and low Medicaid reimbursement have all contributed to making the nation’s senior care workforce question their career path.

Exacerbating the problem, more families are avoiding institutional care after long-term care facilities were ravaged by Covid-19. Couple the reduction in the care workforce with this surge in demand, and we’re thrust into a very difficult situation with no clear answers.

The New York Times’ Paula Span explains why it’s harder than ever to find exceptional private homecare.

As the Covid-19 pandemic drags on, it has changed the way we see so many aspects of our lives.

One spotlight has been on the viability of long-term senior care. Now, more than ever, families are aware of the glaring benefits of private in-home care. Home care is the safest, most comfortable option available. And the benefits of a real relationship with your own private caregiver are undeniable.

In this article for Hartford Business Journal, Liese Klein examines the benefits of home care compared to facility-based care and reveals the impacts experienced by the pandemic.

As infections rise, the toll Covid-19 is having on seniors goes beyond symptoms of the disease. Isolation is killing seniors and devastating families.

Many families made the choice to put their parents in a home for the sake of community and socialization. What this pandemic has shown us is that home truly is the best place to be.

The Washington Post’s Rachel Chason reveals the often unnoticed impact Covid-19 is having on our families.

Our local senior care facilities, nursing homes, and rehab centers are facing incredible turmoil in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s no surprise that infections and deaths are taking a toll where large groups of our most vulnerable population reside.

The statistics provide further evidence for the critical need for private home care. In the midst of a global emergency, the safest place to be is in your own home, and we continue to help families access the best private care. Escaping all risk of infection is impossible, but being at home with your own private caregivers significantly reduces the risk of exposure when compared to being in a group facility surrounded by dozens of other residents and staff.

The Washington Post offers a series of articles updating us on the impact Covid-19 is having on our local care facilities:

Coronavirus cases at local nursing homes pass 2,000; families seek transparency

Coronavirus takes root in D.C.-area elderly care facilities, as they scramble for PPE and available workers

Dozens of cases, and 10 deaths. Inside Maryland’s worst coronavirus outbreak.

Freelancers in every industry, from bakers to writers to homecare providers, are fearful of losing their ability to work independently. Legislative efforts at state and federal levels threaten the existence of the growing gig economy. Without protection for freelance workers, the cost of services rise drastically, and worker independence disappears.

CNBC’s Annie Nova reports the impacts new state laws are having on freelance entrepreneurs.

Balancing family, work, and caregiving is stressful any time of the year. Throw in the added expectations around the holidays, and it’s enough to bring out the Grinch in any of us.

Lee Woodruff shares supportive ideas from her experience as a family caregiver and provides perspective on what should be a joyful time in our lives. Read Lee’s advice and tips for de-stressing and getting the most out of this holiday season at AARP.

Traveling to spend time with family over the holidays can be tough. Traveling with someone who has dementia can compound the complications.

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America offers nine tips to help make your trip as smooth as possible.

Looking ahead as we age can be frightening. As revealed in a recent poll, seniors really don’t want to be stuck in a nursing home. The comfort and familiarity of our homes plays a crucial role as we age, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to stay there.

Darla Mercado of CNBC writes about the fears and costs of aging.

The New York Times’ Andy Newman shares the story of Marjorie Salmon, a live-in home caregiver. It’s a real look at the lives of caregivers and the crucial role they play. This story shows just how difficult this job can be and the toll it can take on a life. No amount of money is enough to compensate a truly caring and dedicated caregiver. But it shows why the low wages paid by Medicare, Medicaid, and home health agencies aren’t sustainable. The people on the front lines caring for America’s elderly population deserve to keep most of the money paid for care. It’s why we operate with a focus on supporting the entrepreneurship of freelance caregivers who have a direct relationship with the families they care for.

Read Andy Newman’s story at The New York Times.

The search for senior care is daunting. Finding great care is a full time job.

This article offers a peek at one family’s challenges, as well as some valuable tips to help navigate this complex journey.

From qualifications and background checks to reliability and professionalism…identifying those elite caregivers is our business. The best caregivers don’t work for home health agencies; they work independently. We know where to find them, and we help connect families with them every day.

Check out what Eleanor Laise discovered as she investigated the world of homecare for Kiplinger.

Nobody likes change. Care Manager, Karen McPhail, shares tips to help transition a family member who may be resistant to the care they need. These valuable steps come from Karen’s years of experience in helping families in Northern Virginia find customized solutions to their aging needs.

Get Karen’s tips at Eldementals.

Many families aren’t aware that options exist outside of nursing homes. The shift in focus to profitability, when combined with ever-declining reimbursement rates, has created an environment in which the patient is an afterthought.

If someone you know is faced with the decision of how to access nursing care for a loved one, be sure they’re aware of their options. Private in-home nurses provide the opportunity for focused one-on-one care, during which relationships are built and health outcomes are significantly greater.

See the full article at NY Times.