What Does it Take to Work in the Assisted Living Industry?

 The senior living industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the USA, with a forecasted 1.2 million employees need by 2025. This makes it a great industry for people who are looking for a career that’s in high demand, but there’s much more to working in this industry than just having valuable skills. Here are some insights into what it takes to thrive in this industry, from our assisted living team in Gloucester County.

 

What Roles are Available in the Assisted Living Industry?

 

 Assisted living communities are all about teamwork, so a wide range of roles and specialists are needed to work together to provide a high-quality living experience. These roles can include:

• Personal care – Certified nursing assistants, orderlies and personal attendants who assist with tasks of daily living (grooming, bathing, eating, dressing, etc.) and (depending on role) medical assistance (medication management, wound care, monitoring, etc.)
• Medical teams – Headed by a Medical Director who oversees medical care, this team can include Registered Nurses, therapists, wellness specialists and doctors.
• Administrative staff – This team oversees the administrative side of the community, including day-to-day-management and the co-ordination of all the different departments.
• Housekeeping and maintenance staff – From laundry and janitorial services to maintaining the grounds and buildings, these staff departments play a critical role in keeping the facility safe, attractive and functional.
  

Why Working in Assisted Living is So Rewarding

 

Every day is different – While routines and schedules are part of a well-organized community, there is plenty of variety in every role, especially in caregiving. Caregivers need to thrive on new challenges and have to have a flexible approach to their work, but you’ll never get bored.

• You learn a lot – Caregivers and assistants have to have a lot of training to take on these roles, so you get plenty of opportunities to increase your skills. Your on-the-job experience will be full of variety too, as you have to assist seniors with a wide range of physical and mental health conditions.
• Your co-workers are a team – It’s common for most organizations to refer to their employees as a team, but nowhere is this more true than in assisted living. Your co-workers have a unique understanding of what this job takes and everyone joins in to support each person whether it’s a good or a bad day.
• You get to connect with residents – Unlike in medical facilities where patients come and go every few days, assisted living means residents are generally here for the long-term. This is something that many staff members love, as they get to form close relationships with different residents and their families, and share each other’s stories and lives.
• The work is meaningful – Even on the toughest day, the work you do makes a real difference in someone’s life. Working with seniors is very fulfilling and having the opportunity to care for people, assist them in their daily tasks and bring companionship into their lives is very satisfying!
  
  

Visit Our Warm and Welcoming Assisted Living Community in Gloucester County

 

 Pitman is an assisted living community in Gloucester County, NJ, offering high quality, scalable assisted living services in a comfortable, well-supported and beautiful environment.

As part of the United Methodist Communities network, we also offer rehabilitation, access to therapists, hospice care, respite care and memory care and support services. We welcome seniors from all faith backgrounds.

To find out more about our assisted living community, please visit our website at https://pitman.umcommunities.org/ contact us today or book a personal tour.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/what-does-it-take-to-work-in-the-assisted-living-industry/

The Best Apps for Seniors

Technology is invaluable when it comes to supporting a high quality of life for seniors, from helping families and loved ones stay in touch to ensuring rapid medical support when needed. Here are some of the best apps for seniors, from our senior home health care services team in NJ.

• Lumosity – This app is packed full of games and activities designed to keep the mind active and thriving. From memory games and puzzles to riddles and more, the app is diverse enough that anyone can find an activity that they enjoy. This mental stimulation is key to staying sharp and fighting disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

• Pandora – Everyone loves music – it uplifts you, brings back great memories and gets those feet dancing! This app allows you to access the music you love whenever you want, from playlists that follow certain moods (relaxing or inspiring content) to personalized radio stations filled with all your favorites.

• Senior Savings – This app helps track down local discounts and savings, which is ideal for bargain-hunting seniors. It tells you exactly which companies have specials on for seniors, from hotels and restaurants to retail stores.

• Red Panic Button – This app works in the same way as a medical alert necklace – instead of wearing one of those, you can just press a button on your phone to alert emergency services that assistance is needed. It also sends out the current location, so emergency services can easily find someone in need.

• Senior Phone – Smartphone interfaces can be confusing for many seniors who aren’t used to using complex devices, or who have trouble reading or identifying icons close up. It replaces the standard Android interface with a large-text, simplified version, including large buttons for “call” or “text” as well as options for sending an SOS message in an emergency.

• LibriVox – This provides access to over 15,000 free audio books in a wide range of genres all recorded by volunteers. These can be streamed over Wi-Fi or downloaded for listening at a later stage. It’s a great option for seniors who love to read but have started to find it a challenging activity.

• MedWatcher – Medication management can quickly become a challenge for seniors and missing critical medication, taking conflicting medications together or accidentally overdosing is a real risk. This app was developed with the FDA and helps schedule all medications for you and has a comprehensive directory of drug descriptions, uses and side effects.

Senior Home Health Care Services in NJ Promote Well-being, Independence and Quality of Life

At United Methodist Communities in New Jersey, we understand the challenges of providing expert medical care and companionship to seniors while encouraging a full and independent life, which is why we’ve developed our HomeWorks program.

Through this senior independent home care program, trained and certified home health aides can assist seniors and their families through comprehensive senior home health care services. Each care plan is designed around the client’s exact needs, filling in with necessary assistance while allowing your loved one to remain in the comfort of their home.

For more information on at home care for elderly or to contact fully qualified home health aides in New Jersey, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/elderly-home-health-care-nj/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/the-best-apps-for-seniors/

What is Palliative Care

Palliative care is a specific medical care service offered at our senior residence, The Shores in Cape May County New Jersey. Here is some insight into what this service entails and how it works, from our team.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is a set of medical services designed to improve the quality of life for residents with serious illnesses and their families. It identifies, assesses, and treats symptoms. These health conditions may include any stage of cancer, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and more. It is appropriate at any age and can occur alongside curative treatment.

In palliative care, a team of doctors, nurses, therapists and other relevant health practitioners address the needs of residents and their families offering psychosocial and spiritual support, as well as bereavement counselling, if indicated. This focus may also positively influence the course of illness.

The team customizes care plans for residents’ specific needs, which could include loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, anxiety, depression, and difficulty sleeping. The prescribed treatment and therapies aim to prolong life. People also call palliative care, comfort care, supportive care, and symptom management.

In order to deliver the most benefit, the team takes time getting to know each resident’s specific needs and concerns. They communicate often with each other, the resident, and loved ones to ensure thorough monitoring and efficient follow-up.

Palliative care is important because curative treatments for serious illnesses are sometimes taxing on the residents. Professional assistance can make a big difference in managing any side effects. Starting a palliative care program upon diagnosis of a serious illness benefits residents and helps ensure a better quality of life.

What is the Difference Between Hospice Care and Palliative Care?

The Shores in Cape May County provides both palliative and hospice care services. While both palliative and hospice care provides comfort, these services are very different.

Palliative care can begin at diagnosis, and continue at the same time as the treatment designed to cure the disease or health condition. It offers a support system to help people live as actively as possible.

Hospice care begins only after curative treatment brings no further improvement. Hospice starts when a medical professional determines that the person is not going to survive beyond six months.

Customized Palliative Care at the Jersey Shore

The Shores, a part of the United Methodist Communities in New Jersey, provides dedicated palliative and hospice care through Bridges, located in an assisted living neighborhood. Trained and experienced professionals in medical, emotional, and spiritual care bring UMC’s compassionate approach to the treatment of medically challenged seniors. Our program focuses on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for residents and their loved ones through customized care programs and support.

If you choose our Bridges neighborhood for your palliative care needs, loved ones are encouraged to bring plenty of home comforts along with them. At The Shores, we offer many amenities for residents and families, including linens, Wi-Fi, 24/7 food availability, dining rooms, café, outdoor courtyards, life enrichment programs, beauty/barber salon, music room, and much more. Most importantly, we recognize that we are caring for families, as much as for the palliative care residents in our community.

To find out more about our hospice in Cape May County, please visit our website at https://theshores.umcommunities.org/hospice-care-nj/ or contact us today and organize your visit.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/what-is-palliative-care/