Posted: Thursday, May 31, 2012 3:30 pm | Updated: 10:38 pm, Sat Jun 2, 2012.

Daisy Home Health Care comes to Faribault By REBECCA RODENBORG rrodenborg@faribault.com Huckle Media, LLC | 1 comment

It’s not Driving Miss Daisy, yet, but a new home health care office is doing everything it can to fill a growing need in Rice County.

Manager Tami Blegseth said the Daisy Home Health Care office has experienced a “whirlwind of busyness” since opening in February, and she expects the client base to only grow as more families learn of their services.

“I’ve been working in this field for a long time and I knew there was a need for good home health care. Now we’re filling that need,” Blegseth said.

Daisy Home Health Care is a subcompany of Daisy Health Services that focuses on providing home health care on a 24/7 basis. Services range from accompanying a client on a shopping trip or walk to bathing, grooming and eating.

“It all depends on what the client’s needs are,” Blegseth said. “If mom and dad aren’t doing too well and the kids aren’t living in town, we can simply stop by two times a week to make sure laundry is being done and meals are being prepared. It can be as little or as much as need be.”

While Daisy Health Services’ main focus is on the elderly and adults with needs, Blegseth said her office serves more children with special needs than adults.

“There are a lot of resources for children in this community, and we just add to that,” she said.

And Driving Miss Daisy was no joke — it’s the name of another subcompany of Daisy Health Services that provides transportation and accompaniment services for the elderly and to all individuals with disabilities, chronic illnesses or injuries.

Blegseth said the transportation piece won’t be implemented in Rice County until a need is seen.

The Faribault office currently employs 12 people — some from Faribault and others from Northfield or surrounding communities. Blegseth said the employee’s background, experience, home address and even personality are considered when pairing them up with a client.

“We have CNAs, PCAs, home health aids that we can send out, but it all depends on the client’s needs,” she said. “And we have to get to know the client and make sure the person going into the home to care for them will get along well with them.

“We strive to make everyone comfortable so it goes from being someone new coming into my house to take care of me and turns into, ‘My friend is coming out for a visit,’” she said.

Daisy Home Health Care even offers a home health aid choice for family members taking care of an aging relative. Blegseth said that family member could be hired on as an employee and trained.

“That way if there is a granddaughter taking care of her grandmother, she can receive real training and take better care of her, while being an employee of ours,” she said.

Reach Rebecca Rodenborg at 333-3128 or follow her on Twitter.com @FDNRebecca

Preventing Falls
If the elderly live with you or alone you should pay special attention to potential hazards in the home environment to prevent fall and accidents. Serious falls can cause injuries that incapacitate a senior or may even lead to death. www.daisyhomehealth.com
Falls cause injury-related death among the elderly and the disabled loved ones, which in return may increase the stress and length of caregiving http://ping.fm/1MSIo
So be part of the solution in keeping our seniors and the disabled safe within the environments that keep them around longer particularly in a place that is closest to their heart, their home.

Get and stay active: Adults should get 2.5 hours of aerobic physical activity per week and perform strengthening activities two days a week, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services department
Elder Care Info: MN http://ping.fm/PUfId

Get and stay active: Adults should get 2.5 hours of aerobic physical activity per week and perform strengthening activities two days a week, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services department

HOW TO HAND CAREGIVING STRESS
The stress of being a senior caregiver can seem overwhelming in order to deal with the stress, do the following to relieve stress.
• Express Yourself: Don’t repress it— Repressing stress will make things worse. Enjoy the little things and moments that matter to you and your loved one, then Laugh, Cry, do something for yourself that you may relax such as a walk in the park, get a massage and remember to reach out to loved ones for support.
• Determine the cause of your stress- financial, family issues, relationships and many more, try to fix these issues and seek help from experts. Etc.
• Have me Time! — It is important to make time for yourself. Do what you enjoy, things to help you relax to take off your mind from the stress. Read a book, take a walk or even watch a movie to relieve the stress of care giving.
• Above all Wear a Smile, Not a Frown— and avoid negative reactions to situations.
Be proud and keep a positive attitude and things will get better with time, time heals as the saying goes!
Above all seek help from community resources: http://ping.fm/gXxJq

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