New Horizons In-Home Care | Corvallis

Events in April

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:44:32 +0000

For those of you living in the Willamette Valley we would like to invite you to attend any or all of the upcoming events that we will be participating in. Come visit our booth and find our more about us.

April 3-4 (8:15 am – 4:30 pm)

Gerontology Conference

OSU – Corvallis, OR

CH2M Hill Alumni Center

April 5 (1 – 6pm)

Health Fair

Florence Event Center

Florence, OR

Florence 7^th Day Adventist Sponsor

In addition Donna Peterson, MA our Community Relations Coordinator will present in the afternoon - “I’ve Lost My Keys – Have I Lost My Mind”.

Free to the public.

April 12

Florence Health Fair

Florence, OR

Keep Health In Mind: 10 Tips to Keep Your Memory Sharp

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:02:56 +0000

Have you every searched for your glasses only to find them on top of your head? Do you wonder if you are losing your mind? PROBABLY NOT!

Memory loss is a common complaint of people over 50. People fear that memory lapses are a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. Only 10 percent of people over 65 get some form of dementia, so people who occasionally forget things simply have too much on their mind.

It is impossible to predict memory loss; you can do your best to prevent it. Listed below are the top 10 ways to keep your brain working at its maximum potential.

According to the Mayo Clinic there are several ways you can keep your memory sharp. Here are the 10 tips they give.

Exercise your mind – learn new things – language, musical instrument.
Stay physically active.
Ear, drink (water) and be healthy.
Develop a system of reminders and cues.
Take time to remember things.
Learn relaxation techniques.
Keep a positive attitude.
Talk to your doctor about memory concerns.
Check your levels on blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
Keep your perspective. Everyone has difficulty remembering things from time to time.

For more information contact the Corvallis Office of New Horizons In-Home Care - 541-752-9059.

New Year’s Greetings

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:19:39 +0000

On behalf of the Corvallis, OR office of New Horizons In-Home Care we would like to send a very Happy New Year to all of our clients and professional partners. May this coming year bring you good health and prosperity.

The Sandwich Generation Dilemma

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:32:08 +0000

I was pleasantly surprised in the November Woman’s Day magazine Katie Couric had written a short article about the dilemma of being part of the sandwich generation. She is raising her two daughters and her father had passed the previous year and left Katie’s mother alone. Katie could deal effectively with her children but having to help her mother added a new dimension to her life. Katie has three siblings and they all live several miles away from their mother. Part of their concern was what will happen to their mother if she falls and cannot get up. Oh, there was the wonderful alert necklace, but she seldom wore it. Her mother refused to move to a community that serves older individuals – saying “Everyone there is so old,” calling it “God’s waiting room.” And as long as her mother has her cognitive ability she has the right to make decisions for herself. Her mother is fiercely independent and if someone trys to decide for her by trying to help her out of the car, she gets upset. She also feels as if medical professionals treat her as if she is a “potted plant.”

Katie has a wonderful outlook on this situation she says, “The most important thing is to keep talking about it as a family, and to keep Mom involved in the discussion. Whatever we decide, we’ll do it together, and I take some comfort in knowing we’re not the only baby boomers dealing with these questions. There are no easy answers. Mom sacrificed for us her whole life, and we want to help her age with dignity, as gracefully as possible.”

When my mother, who had early stage Alzheimer’s and lived 1700 miles away from me needed some help, I recruited the assistance of an in-home care agency in her area that was licensed in her state. Instead of telling her it was in-home care we told her it was a friend of someone I knew who did housekeeping. I gave her a gift of 3-hours of housekeeping every other week. This way I had someone who could have the eyes and ears for me. My mother embraced this gift with open arms. Children need to help their loved ones keep their dignity. Independence is the biggest need for an older person and they do not want to accept help based on the ageism in society that says “because you are an older person and need help you are no longer of value.”

HERE IS A FAMILY SOLUTION FOR HELPING AN AGING PARENT– New Horizons In-Home Care in Corvallis, OR (which serves all of Linn-Benton counties) has numerous ways to help your loved one in their home based on their need. Think about giving them a gift this Christmas (you can introduce the service in the same way that I did with my mom – New Horizons In-Home Care can help with that). Call for a free, no obligation assessment (we can call it a review of services, etc. instead of an assessment when we meet your loved one). Call and talk with one of our nurses to set up a meeting at 1-888-256-9800 or 1-541-752-9059.

Wishing You Happy Thanksgiving

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:49:38 +0000

The staff at New Horizons In-Home Care in Corvallis, OR wishes a Happy Thanksgiving to all of our clients, their families, and the professionals we work with in the Linn-Benton area! We are thankful for many things – of which are … Continue reading →

Corvallis Office Training On Medication Administration

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:09:18 +0000

New Horizons In-Home Care Corvallis, OR is licensed as a Comprehensive State Licensed In-Home Care company. What that means is that we can do both medical as well as non-medical care in a persons residence. If one is to provide medical care they need a full-time nurse on staff. We have three. This means we can do medical tasks as well as medication administration.

There are certain requiements for all the staff in the event they are to administer medications. We have on-going medication training for all new staff. With this in mind we are providing training this week. It intails the following: State mandated one hour training for medication administration for current New Horizons caregivers. Power point presentation to be presented by Nurse Care Managers. The next class will be October 30, 2012 with two different times; 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Following the presentation will be return demonstration of filling medication pill box from a case scenario, filling out medication sheets, followed by a test your knowledge quiz.

Corvallis, OR has a New Economic Development Manager

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:57:23 +0000

On November 14th the Corvallis, OR Chamber of Commerce will introduce the new City of Economic Development Manager, Tom Nelson, and the Economic Development Commission’s Chair, Elizabeth French, as they speak on Economic Development and business in Corvallis.

The City of Corvallis adopted 4 main Economic Development goals earlier this year, as well as hired Tom Nelson, to focus entirely on Economic Development in the Corvallis area. Join the Chamber members and guests in hearing how the Economic Development Commission arrived at these goals, progress on the goals, the current Economic Development successes and more.

The event will be at on November 14 at the First Presbyterian Church from 12-1 pm. Contact the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce for more information at:

541-757-1505

Social Drinking May Cause Brain Damage

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:43:32 +0000

Drinking a couple of glasses of wine each day has generally thought to be a good way to promote cardiovascular and brain health. But a new Rutgers University study indicates that there is a fine line between moderate and binge drinking — a risky behavior that can decrease brain cells by 40%. In a study to be published in the journal Neuroscience on November 8, lead author Megan Anderson, a graduate student working with Tracey J. Shors, Professor II in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology, reported that moderate to binge drinking — drinking less during the week and more on the weekends — significantly reduces the structural integrity of the adult brain.

The researchers discovered that at the legal level of intoxication 0.08 percent in rats – which would be about 3-4 drinks for women and five drinks for men — the number of nerve cells in the hippocampus of the brain were reduced by nearly 40 percent compared to those in the abstinent group of rodents. The hippocampus is a part of the brain where the new neurons are made and is also known to be necessary for some types of new learning.

This study demonstrates that social drinking may be more detrimental to brain health than what has previously been thought.

New Member of the Corvallis, OR Office – Stacy Cole

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:22:12 +0000

The Corvallis, OR office of New Horizons In-Home Care has a new nurse care manager. Her name is Stacy Cole and she has an extensive background and career. Recently Stacy was asked to give us her biography and she provided us with the following.

I have been a career student for many years obtaining several degrees; all of which are obtained due to my previous goals. As I worked with mentally and behavioral young children, I developed a passion for mental health which lead to a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology. Along the way I became interested in other courses and gained associates degrees in business administration, computer and science, and, office administration.

However, that did not seem to fit what my interpersonal voice was telling me. I addressed many educational goals while leaving one very important one out; Nursing. The medical field was were I seemed to be intrigued yet for many years didn’t feel I was ready to commit; I think it had to do with maturity level. All-in-all, that day came and it couldn’t have been at the most perfect time in my life.

I obtained my ADN through Linn Benton Community College and began working as a Psychological Nurse at a local non-profit organization. Psychology is still a profound part of my research that now incorporates all aspects of medical care. Hand in hand nursing provides care for a number of situations and my passion is to help anyone and everyone that comes in my reach. After working as a Psychological Nurse I began feeling as though I wasn’t utilizing my nursing skills as I would like. Having one of my friends hired on with a company known as New Horizons In- Home Care as a CNA and hearing about how much she enjoyed her work I began to take notice and decided to check up on the possibilities of nurse careers. As it so happens a nurse case manager was available and I applied. And well, the happy ending to this story is I was hired!!!

I have been married for 7.5 years with two wonderful children a boy who is almost 7 and my daughter who is almost 20. I have lived most of my life in Oregon with the exception of 8 years in Utah. My love and passion include sports, family, camping, shopping, and animals. I am currently working towards my BSN having only 10 weeks until completion.

WOW! What an asset for New Horizons In-Home Care and the Linn-Benton Community it serves. New Horizons In-Home Care offices are at 1318 N.W. 9th St. Ste. A, Corvallis, OR. We have caregivers throughout the Linn-Benton area and serve the cities in those counties. Please feel free to stop by our office in Corvallis, OR to meet the staff. Stacy is one of the three nurse care managers we have there and any one of them will be pleased to talk with you about the needs you have or that of your love one.

You can also call the office in Corvallis, OR at 541-752-9059.

How To Help an Alzheimer’s Individual Who Is Agitated

NewHorizonsCorvallis — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 22:07:02 +0000

Individuals with Alzheimer’s can often misintrepert their environment due to the sensory damage in their brain. Here are a few helpful hits on things to do:

Use calm, positive statements
“Back off” and ask permission
Reassure
Slow down
Add light
Offer guided choices between two options
Focus on pleasant events
Offer simple exercise optionns
Try to limit stimulation

Things to say:

May I help you?
Do you have time to help me?
You are safe here.
Everything is under control.
I apologize.
I’m sorry that you are upset.
I know it’s hard.
I will stay with you until you feel better.

Do not:

Raise your voice
Make sudden movements
Show alarm or offense
Corner, crowd or restrain
Demand, force or confront
Rush or criticize
Ignore or argue
shame or condescend