Month: July 2018

Meet Amy!

Employee Spotlight: Amy Maples
Team Leader, Bramblewood Home

What do you do for Our Family Home?

I am the lead for our Bramblewood house in Cincinnati. In this role, I oversee the day-to-day operations of the home. I provide personal care for our residents and entertain them.

How long have you worked with Our Family Home?

I have worked for Our Family Home for four years.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

The best part of my job is working with our residents and making them happy. I enjoy interacting with them and talking with them.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I like to spend time working with flowers, riding my bike and reading. I also enjoy fishing and spending time with my daughters and grandchildren.

What have you learned working with Alzheimer’s patients/residents of Our Family Home?

I’ve learned that residents like to smile. They appreciate patience and enjoy being cared for. They also appreciate a gentle touch.

How does OFH give residents and families more good days?

We’re able to provide all of their care instead of just a few things. We get to know our residents and their families which builds trust. We’re also able to spend more time with them, whether it’s personal care or just interacting with them. We have more time to meet their needs.

We have time to put a smile on their face!

 

Our New Home

On behalf of Our Family Home, I am extremely excited to share that we recently moved into our new corporate office in Worthington, Ohio. This is an important milestone for Our Family Home as we continue to solidify our reputation for changing the way we care for seniors with memory disease. The move brings us closer to our north Columbus homes and provides new opportunities to build stronger ties with the local community and ensure the best care for our residents.

This is also an exciting time for me personally. I started Our Family Home in 2007 with one home and vision for changing the standard model of care. Today we have 8 homes in Columbus and Cincinnati and remain steadfast in our commitment to giving our residents and our families more good days.

I hope you will get a chance to check out our new office, and thank you as always for our ongoing partnership in the fight against Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Evan

Walk with Us

Please join us for the 2018 Walk to End Alzheimer’s on September 23, 2018 in Columbus.

We are pleased to announce Our Family Home and CRT Realtors have partnered for the 2018 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Affected personally by Alzheimer’s Disease, both company owners share a similar to connection to the disease.


Brian Bainbridge, owner of CRT Realtors Entrust Group, is walking for his mom, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at age 55. Brian is a member of the board of directors for the Central Ohio Alzheimer’s Association and an advocate for fundraising and awareness for the disease.

Evan DuBro, founder of Our Family Home and fellow Central Ohio Alzheimer’s Association board member, is also walking for his mom, whom he lost to Alzheimer’s Disease in 2007, as well as his grandparents.

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This event is open to participants of all ages and abilities.

Check in for the Columbus walk begins at noon with a seated opening ceremony at 2 p.m. The walk begins at 2:15 p.m. and is approximately 1.25 miles. The route begins at Huntington Park.

We hope you will consider either joining our team by clicking on the link or choosing to support our walk financially: click here.

On behalf of Our Family Home and CRT Realtors, thank you kindly for your support.

Meet Swedie!

Employee Spotlight:
Swedie Harris
Team Leader, Northigh Home

What do you do for Our Family Home?

I started with Our Family Home as a caregiver and am now a care team leader. I oversee everything that happens in our home from supervising the caregivers to overseeing daily needs such as scheduling, menu selection, cooking, cleaning and personal care.

How long have you worked with Our Family Home?

I started at Our Family Home in 2007. I was the first caregiver Evan hired when he started the organization. Evan’s mom was one of my first residents and I will never forget her.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Our residents. I enjoy interacting with them and especially like cooking for them. I enjoy the smaller setting at Our Family Home. I worked for a large center previously and much prefer Our Family Home. We’re like a family, and when you do something good, they appreciate you and notice. Because of my experience with Evan and Our Family Home, I decided to pursue nursing school with the goal of working in hospice care.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love to cook and spend time with my family. My mom is a nurse, so I like to help her. I also have a daughter at The Ohio State University studying to be a pediatrician. Together we enjoy community events and trying new restaurants.

What have you learned working with residents of Our Family Home?

That one-on-one care makes a difference. We have residents come from other places and are in bad shape. But, once we take care of them, give them love and attention, they live longer. We put our residents first. Our other duties come second. They do better when you take time and talk with them rather than rushing them into your own agenda. Sometimes they want to take walks and sometimes they don’t. I read their moods and know their personalities.

How does OFH give residents and families more good days?

We learn what our residents need and guide them through the day. We explain what we’re doing and ask them what they want. We let them have a say in what they do. We don’t rush them or force them into something. We also work to understand their personalities and offer care based on it. Sometimes that means telling jokes or singing. We understand that each person is unique.

Understanding Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

As part of our mission to be a resource to the community, we wanted to also discuss care for individuals affected by other forms of dementia, including dementia related to Parkinson’s Disease. We are more commonly known for helping those with Alzheimer’s, however, for many years now we have had a growing number of residents coming to Our Family Home with late stage Parkinson’s and have been successful in helping them.

Much like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease Dementia is a decline in thinking and reasoning with symptoms such as: changes in memory, concentration and judgment, muffled speech, visual hallucinations and delusions, among others. It is estimated that 50 to 80 percent of individuals with Parkinson’s disease will eventually experience dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Generally, Parkinson’s is a fairly common neurological disorder in older adults, estimated to affect nearly two percent of those over age 65. The National Parkinson’s Foundation estimates that one million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease today.

While much work is being done to understand and hopefully cure Parkinson’s, we do not yet have a treatment to slow or stop the brain cell damage related to Parkinson’s. For this reason, our attention focuses on care. It is important to work closely with a physician to develop the right care and treatment plan for the particular symptoms affecting your loved one.

However, as symptoms worsen, you may also find that you are no longer able to provide ongoing care for your family member. This may be a good time to explore a memory care facility that specializes in Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia and/or Parkinson’s Disease Dementia. These centers should be better prepared to provide the right care for dementia-related symptoms.

At Our Family Home, we provide in depth orientation training as well as ongoing training to equip our staff with the right tools to care for residents with various forms of dementia. In doing so, we emphasize personal connection as well as health and safety. This individualized approach to care allows us greater flexibility to meet both the physical and mental care needs of residents with Parkinson’s Disease.

If you or someone you know is looking for more information on late stage Parkinson’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease Dementia or what to expect from the disease, please contact us today. We are happy to provide resources or information.