Retirement Living » companionship

Visiting Angels-Real Life Story

Kemmie Turpin — Tue, 28 May 2013 21:19:25 +0000

After her mother passed away, Ann May knew that her father, Robert (“Bob”) Maroncelli, was no longer going to be able to live independently. As a nurse with more than 20 years of experience in the home care industry, Ann was well aware of the array of home care options available, and she knew that her father wanted to remain in his long-time home.

Robert Maroncelli has been able to remain in his home with the help of live-in care from Visiting Angels.

Bob and his wife, “Mickey,” moved to their home in Buckingham Springs retirement community several decades ago after they retired. An accountant, who worked most of his career for the Internal Revenue Service, Bob continued to be active in his community and his church. However, as the years passed, several health problems started to cause mobility issues. As Bob became less mobile, his wife began acting as his primary caregiver.

When Mickey was admitted to the hospital because of worsening heart disease, Ann and her sister quickly realized that their father was going to need some additional help. “I knew of Visiting Angels already, and knew the woman across the street was using them,” Ann recalled. “I called around to a couple of home care agencies and Visiting Angels was the most accommodating and the easiest to work with.”

Visiting Angels began helping Bob periodically, whenever Mickey had to be hospitalized. The family was always satisfied with the care and companionship he received. When Mickey passed away, Ann turned to Visiting Angels once again. The agency found permanent, live-in assistance for Bob within several days.

“Tina moved in immediately, and my father has really taken to her,” Ann said. “She provides personal care and helps him with ambulating, and she also does some meal preparation and generally just makes sure he is well taken care of.”

Since Ann is busy with her own demanding career and her sister lives in Connecticut, the family feels incredibly fortunate to have a quality caregiver with Bob at all times. “There is an enormous sense of reassurance knowing that he is very well taken care of; that gives us a real peace of mind,” said Ann. With the assistance of Visiting Angels, Bob continues to live in his comfortable and spacious home, where he receives frequent visits from neighbors and friends from his church.

Personal Touch Home Care-Real Life Story

Kemmie Turpin — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:19:25 +0000

“I was kind of scared,” admitted Michael Bachman when recalling his mother’s sudden move into his home. The Director of Information Technology Client Services at Towson University and an adjunct professor, Michael was preparing for a new school year when his mother, Mildred Bachman, fell and broke her wrist at her home in Allentown, Pa.

The medical and companionship services Mildred Bachman receives from Personal Touch Home Care allow her to continue to live with her son Michael.

Mildred’s fall was the first of several health problems that resulted in her moving into Michael’s home. “It’s nearly impossible to envision the amount of stress and upheaval bringing an elderly parent into one’s home can be—especially when it was a sudden, unexpected event with multiple layers of health issues involved,” he said.

After his mother started living with him, Michael realized that other health problems and her diminishing memory were going to prevent her from returning home. Unsure where to turn, he started researching home care agencies. His research led him to Personal Touch Home Care. “They really just seemed to have their act together,” he said. Personal Touch offered a unique blend of medical services and companionship. “So many of the other agencies were just focused on medical needs, and that wasn’t really what I was looking for,” Michael recalled. “I needed some degree of health services, but I really also wanted social and companionship services.”

Personal Touch assessed Mildred’s needs and devised a care plan that focuses on improving her quality of life. “They have helped her maintain her independence and continue doing the things she was already doing.” Michael said. With the help of her aide, Andrietta Allen, Mildred does puzzles, sketches and takes regular walks. She also received physical therapy and has regained full use of her wrist.

“After Personal Touch started helping us, things got so much better,” Michael said. “So many of my biggest fears about my mother living with me turned out to be non-issues.” He added, “Something that seemed insurmountable and impossible became a routine, then actually enjoyable.”

Today, Michael and Mildred are both comfortable and happy with their living situation. It still requires a lot of work from Michael and his partner Jerome, but with the help they receive from Personal Touch, they are able to maintain busy work schedules while Mildred enjoys the hobbies and activities she has always loved.

A Legacy Built with Care–Elizabeth Cooney Care Network

Kemmie Turpin — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:05:10 +0000

Betty Jane Tate met her future husband in an unlikely place: a kindergarten class¬room. Young Betty Jane and Creston Tate became fast friends, but neither the young playmates nor their peers could have ever guessed what the future would hold.

Today, sitting in the home the couple has shared for more than 50 years, Betty Jane laughed as she recalled their uncommon love story. “We’ve really been together since kindergarten,” she said. As they grew older, the pair’s friendship deepened. Soon the two were dating, and when they turned 21, Betty Jane married Creston.

: Betty Jane Tate (left) has been able to maintain her independence with a little help from her caregive Gladys Coates.

The young couple quickly settled into their life together and started a family. Betty Jane was a stay-at-home mother to the couple’s three children. Meanwhile, Creston worked his way up from positions at fertilizer factories to a job as a car salesman. He excelled in his new position and today owns several car dealerships of his own.

Even at the age of 84, Creston is still working nearly full time. However, after Betty Jane fell in their home, he began to fear leaving her alone. “My fall really scared my husband and my family,” Betty Jane recalled.

While Betty Jane was still managing the couple’s home, she had several health issues, including congestive heart failure, which was making daily tasks more difficult. The family all agreed that Betty Jane needed a little extra help.

When Creston started to look into care options for his wife, he quickly turned to Elizabeth Cooney Care Network, an established home care agency that has been in business for more than 55 years. As natives of Baltimore, the couple was already familiar with the agency and their stellar reputation. In fact, Betty Jane recalled meeting the eponymous company founder as a teenager working in Baltimore.

A visionary in the nursing-care industry, Elizabeth Cooney pioneered the concept of providing comprehensive care options for individuals of all generations and need levels. After serving as the primary caregiver for her sister while she was battling cancer, Elizabeth was motivated to help other families with their care needs.

“She understood that there was a need to provide care giving services for all generations, from children to maternity to end of life. She really understood care giving on a very personal level,” explained Elizabeth Weglein, Cooney’s granddaughter, who runs the Elizabeth Cooney Care Network today with her brother, Jeffrey Weglein.

“This was really a very innovative concept,” Jeffrey said of his grandmother’s business model. “Initially, people really didn’t understand what home care was. For many years, we had to explain to people what we did.”

As the oldest full-service home care agency in the country, Elizabeth Cooney Care Network is extremely proud of their legacy. The third generation family business is deeply rooted in the community.

“We have been helping five generations of families and individuals,” Elizabeth said. “We get hugs all the time from people who we took care of, or who we helped with their mom or dad or grandparent. We really have this extended family in the community, and we have been able to touch so many lives.”

Elizabeth and Jeffrey started officially running the family business several decades ago, but they have been involved for as long as they can remember. “I don’t think we ever lived a day without breathing, eating and sleeping this business. The nature of this business is 24-7,” Elizabeth explained.

Elizabeth and Jeffrey both started their careers in the home care industry at the tender age of 12. “We were always responsible for parts of the business,” Jeffrey remembered. “Of course, at 12, we were mostly filing,” he added with a laugh. While the siblings both briefly pursued other careers, they were quickly drawn back to the family business. It’s no surprise then that they both have a seemingly innate passion for the industry and their clients.

“We have had a very strong reputation in the business for 55 years, and we are very passionate about what we do,” Elizabeth said. Despite their longstanding reputation, the Care Network refuses to rest on its laurels, instead always pursuing new techniques and industry advances to help their clients. “We are always striving to educate ourselves about what’s going on in the industry, and we tend to be trendsetters,” Elizabeth said. “We also have a great team, who really love what they do.”

When Creston called the Elizabeth Cooney Care Network for help, he spoke with Care Coordinator Valerie Stepek, who was able to tap into the Network’s immense resources to find the right caregiver for Betty Jane. When she recommended Gladys Coates to the Tate family, she knew it would be a perfect fit. “Gladys has been a caregiver since 1996, and I could tell Mr. Tate with confidence that she was the best person for the job,” Valerie said.

Gladys now helps Betty Jane three days a week for several hours. She provides health management, housekeeping and companionship services. “Gladys is really good company,” Betty Jane said. “I’m not ready for assisted living, but I do need someone for supervision and company, since my husband is out a lot.”

With a little extra help from Gladys, Betty Jane has been able to maintain her independence. “I’ve been really satisfied with everyone at Elizabeth Cooney. I’ve worked with really nice people,” she said.

In addition to making sure that clients are well cared for, Elizabeth Cooney Care Network’s providers offer much-needed respite for family caregivers. “Caregivers need to realize that they have to take care of themselves first,” Elizabeth said. “Bringing someone in and allowing them to help can give caregivers the space they need to take care of themselves and to maintain a loving relationship with the person who needs care.”

Ultimately, the home care services that Elizabeth Cooney Care Network provides allow families to enjoy their time together and to avoid the emotional and physical burdens of care giving. From helping families who are experiencing a short-term crisis to helping individuals manage a long-term illness, Elizabeth and Jeffrey Weglein and their team of experts are always ready to provide care. After all, they are the keepers of a legacy that was built with care.

“The Perfect System” with a Home Health Aide

Lauren Searson — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:21:44 +0000

Mrs. H lives in a beautiful contemporary home in suburban Maryland that she and her husband had chosen for its design and location to friends and family. It was also the ideal home for accommodating their desire to eventually age in place.

The two met at a hospital outside of London in WWII when she was an Army nurse and he was a doctor caring for wounded pilots. “We fell in love, and when we returned to the states, we got married,” she says.

The couple had three children and proceeded to travel a great deal on overseas assignments. When her husband passed away, there was no question in her mind that she would remain at home. Unfortunately, she fell and broke her hip, but was determined to return home despite needing an extended hospital stay and rehabilitation.

While her family backed her decision, they knew she would need additional help. They then identified the homecare agency CarePlus Home Health, who connected them with caregiver Meri Tegegne.

Meri started working with Mrs. H after she received some rehabilitation at home and was able to help Mrs. H continue her exercises to properly recover. Mrs. H has since gone from using a walker to now just using a cane for balance.

When asked about her last year being Mrs. H’s caregiver, Meri says, “I feel blessed. I lost my mother about 10 years ago, so I treat Mrs. H like my mom.”

Mrs. H is equally enamored with Meri, “She is a wonderful person, very kind and loving. I can’t say enough things. It’s been a great help to me.”

While Meri provides assistance with bathing, meals, laundry, light housekeeping and companionship, the two enjoy spending their time walking around the neighborhood and visiting on Mrs. H’s deck overlooking a beautiful wooded backyard.

Not only does Mrs. H’s family feel her needs are being met, but they feel they have the “perfect system,” and Meri is a valuable team member. “On weekends we spend time as a family, and we feel very comfortable knowing that on Monday Meri will be with mom,” says Mrs. H’s daughter-in-law. “She is reliable and we know we can count on her and we trust her. Mom will say on Sundays, “I miss Meri- I can’t wait for Meri to come tomorrow.”