Thank you again to all for your continued support on keeping everyone safe and doing your part not to spread the virus!!!
Be a part of the Maximum Care website!!
Contact Yenica if you have anything you would like to see in the website. Topics, suggestions, comments, all open, as long as is within our policies, procedures and to enhance education.
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Announcements:
Be advised, Maximum Care Inc., will be closed Nov 25th thru Nov 29th, 2020 due to holiday!
**There is a new phone policy under Policies and Procedures. Read, sign, and submit to compliance.
Maximum Care will be sending new Policies in the mail. Please read, sign, and submit to compliance. Keep policies for your record and return the sign off form of the policy.
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Make sure to check out our:
page!!!! All you have to do is go to the homepage and click on our f (Facebook)!! you are welcome to like our page. You can also let me know if you like the Information I am putting out through the website. Feedback is always welcome. You can even send me a personal message. Get involved, have a voice!
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Live all you can; it’s a mistake not to.
It doesn’t so much matter what you do in particular so long as you have your life.
-Henry James
Life is a roller coaster. Sometimes is fun, thrilling, scary, painful, exciting, breath taking. Our goal is to have the best ride ever; even when the roller coaster has its path, bumps, pick up, drop off, turns, flips, etc.
As we go through life, we get to make decisions on which rides we want to stay on and which ones we get off of and never get back on. Make a plan, see different roller coaster, see which one is the one that is going to be the most exciting, fun, breathtaking. A memory to never forget.
Remember your goal is to experience this ride with the best memories you can. They say “Take a picture it will last longer”. Some might mean it in a sarcastic way because you are starring, others might say it arrogantly but what if I told you there is a different way to look at it. Take a picture so it can last as long as you can see it. I take many pictures, my family at times are rushing me, they tend to say “please stop”, “I’m tired of smiling”, but they love to look back at them and recall the memories.
Pictures can take you back to memories. Memories that can bring you hope, guide you back to what matters to most to you.
Take a picture of the most beautiful moment and see the magic happen.
For the past couple of weeks, we have talked about changing the way that we think in different topics;
9/14/20 Choosing the right job
9/21/20 Seize the day
9/28/20 Be the change for the world
10/5/20 Positive thoughts
10/13/20 Let your light shine
It is all important as I have mentioned in the previous newsletters.
This week’s newsletter is dedicated to making sure that you think of you, take care of you, understand your needs and wants. Needs and wants go hand on hand. There are ways for our wants and needs to cross paths.
Wants vs Needs
It is funny that the definition is so black and white. Wants is something you want but your budget doesn’t allow and needs are things that you must have to survive.
However, our mental health doesn’t always agree with the black and white. Is much greyer. Why must we go through life without the wants?
Let’s think outside the box for one moment:
Professionals say going on a walk is a need to survive due to being a form of exercise, helps our heart, our oxygen, etc. The want would be, “I want to see beautiful things”. So, if we decide to walk through the Allentown Rose Garden enjoying the beauty does it make the need any less or the want any less. It all goes together. Balance is the key. Balance: stability of one’s mind or feelings.
Be your own champion!
The Champion
C – Courage: the ability to do something that frightens one
H – Hurt: all for honor
A – Attitude: working through patience and pain
M – Motivation: desire or willingness to act
P – Persevere: persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Stay consistent
I – Integrity: Innovative: make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas.
O – Optimistic: hopeful and confident about the future
N – Necessary: because you are never giving up
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Thank you to the DCW for bringing to our attention that there is a need that must be gone over:
Working with Visually Impaired Elderly
It is difficult for the elderly to come to terms that they are visually impaired. At times we forget to be empathetic. Imagine 75 years you were able to see your family, your favorite color, your favorite flower, the roads and trees as you drove, etc. Now imagine the day you wake up and at first it just looks like a faded color, then loss of certain colors, followed by only shapes to finally being in the dark and unable to see. Now in the dark, no longer can you see.
As caregivers our role is to help them with this transition and assist them with their everyday needs. At times, as caregivers, we forget that we are an extension of the participants that we care for.
Many times, the family can’t be there for them or they do not have family, therefore it becomes our job to assist them with their daily needs. Such as cook, clean their home (including the bathroom), doing laundry, or any number of other activities that they are not able to do on their own.
Safety:
Reduce the risk of slipping, tripping, and falling by:
Making sure floors are clear of any spills, cords
Removing clutter
Removing carpet that may be easy to trip over
Applying non-slip coating to tile floors
Rubbers soled shoes with strong grip
Activities
Activities help elderly stay happy and comfortable.
Listening to Music and Dancing
Exercise
Reading stories and listening to audiobooks
Playing with pets
Movies - Many movies and TV shows have been adapted with audio descriptions.
Board/Card games - playing cards have been adapted with braille on the corners (very discreetly), making it simple for people who are blind and visually impaired to pick up and play. Board game – scrabble, dice game,
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Stop on in and visit the MaxBucks Café!!! We will be happy to serve you. On us!!
We would like to do our best to be supportive of our workforce!!!
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Announcements to assist our participants and family:
Memory Café:
Is just that!!!!
Café where the participants can sit with friends, by themselves and share some memories and anything current on their mind.
You can Google Memory Café and you will get a good idea. This is a free community service that the organization Morningstar Memory Café by Senior Solutions are providing and not meant to be sales pitch.
Diagnosis is left at the door – a time for fun, a time to laugh – even if it means laughing at yourself. Mild to Moderate Dementia and their care partner.
Letter will be sent to all participants updating them on the Covid-19 and any other communicable disease steps that Maximum Care Inc is taking to keep everyone safe.
If you would like to volunteer feel free to call!
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Incentives
Activities:
Help us come up with creative things to do with our elderly! What do you do for your clients?
We would like the caregivers to take 20 min of their shift if possible, to do creative things with their clients. We are the first and maybe the last person our clients see in the day or even week. Loneliness is a big part of their lives. Let’s take some time to show them that we are not just personal care or home care but show them that they are not alone.
Creative Based Incentive Contest:
1. Come up with a creative and fun activity to do with your client
2. Call, text or email Yenica with the activity (610-264-2353, 484-781-4603, or yenicamaximumcare@gmail.com)
3. The office staff will vote
4. Winner will receive a gift card
Refer a caregiver to Maximum Care Inc.:
You will receive $50 after 100 hrs worked. (At least within 2 months).
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Travel Recommendations:
The Pa Dept of Health has recommended that if anyone travels to certain states that they quarantine for 14 days. Due to the daily changes from CDC and Pa Dept. Of Health, call into Maximum Care for instructions in regards to your travel plans and the impact that it may have.
Maximum Care Inc is following the recommendations at this time. If any changes come up, we will be posting it in the website Maximumcare.online. It is your responsibility to make staffing aware if there is any client’s that will need to be covered while you are out either in quarantine or vacation.
Follow the following steps to request anytime of:
Give us as much notice as possible.
Either request “The time off request form” or your letter for time off should include the following: Name of Cl, day of service and time. State where you will be going and for how long.
Email or mail the requested time off. Take note that we must put everything in the new system, even if time passes, we need everything in writing.
Reminder:
At this time due to the use of the EVV system we understand that documenting is difficult. Call the agency with any concerns you may have that you would like it to be documented. Especially if a client is refusing personal care or assistance of any kind. Call the agency if you need guidance with a client or have any question on the care that you are providing or feel that needs to be provided.
Maximum Care has also developed a form that is recommended to DCW to fill out when taking any kind of payment for items from clients. Call and request the form to be mailed to you or come into the office to get the form.
GPS
Maximum Care Inc is under state regulations to follow strict guidelines to pay DCW and to bill for all visits.
Maximum Care’s Inc responsibilities are to make sure that everyone is using EVV properly, pay all DCW properly, and to bill for the proper authorized hours allotted to the participant.
We also supervise all clock in & clock out within the range and schedule time.
The system alerts Maximum Care if you clock in or out when you are not within GPS range. Example: you cannot clock in from the LV Mall when you are supposed to be in the client’s home. It will alert us and show us an address and map of your location when you clock in or out. If you are out of range this may cause delay of payment. If for any reason you need to clock in or out of range due to participant, you must call the agency and make us aware. For example: If participants have therapy, Dr appointments, dropping them of or picking up from a program, etc. Call Maximum Care for special instructions to ensure contractual permission.
It is your responsibility to inform the office, it is not Maximum Care Inc responsibility to call and confirm the “Why’s”. Maximum Care can reject the visit until further investigation is done which will delay your payment.
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STAFFING REMINDER:
Make sure you communicate with the Staffing Department of any changes that need to be made to your schedule, availability, address, email, phone number, etc. It is important to keep all parties informed and the lines of communication remain open.
Open Work: If you go under more on the home page then click on open work tab, it will keep you posted on hours that are available at this time and the areas. Call Staffing to enquire about the open work available.
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PAYROLL REMINDER:
EVV system must be used to make sure that there is no interruptions, delays, or problem with direct deposit. In the future your pay will not be able to be processed if you are not using the system.
If your schedule changes for any reason we it is your responsibility to call it in. This way we can fix any discrepancy to your schedule.
If you are having any problems with the system call and report it to Yenica “Jen” Buskirk.
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SAFETY TRAINING
Read the Fire Safety Training Monthly Newsletter to develop safety at the forefront of client/employee daily activities.
Keep an eye open for the Direct Care Worker (DCW) Safety Implementation Form. Remember you are our eyes and ears; with your assistance we can continue to keep everyone safe.
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COMPLIANCE REMINDER:
Make sure that your employment file is within compliance to continue employment with Maximum Care. Compliance is no longer waived with all the contracts. Example of things that must be up to date are: all car information, CNA license, annual TB, annual physical. If any concerns or questions re: your file please contact Yenica “Jen” Buskirk at 610-264-2353 or yenicamaximumcare@gmail.com.
The Monitoring form must be done every shift.
If any questions please call Yenica “Jen” Buskirk at 610-264-2353. The monitoring form is under the more tab and then the Covid-19 prevention & infectious control tab.
You can submit it to the office by either emailing yenicamaximumcare@gmail.com or mailing them to the office.
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Stay Connected
There will be a set date and time where the caregivers/direct service worker will be able to contact the agency once a month. During the call they will be able to express but not limited to any concerns regarding their job, client, safety, etc.; complaints, grievances, training and/or web site suggestion. Our goal is to keep the lines of communication open between employee and employer.
11/11 @ 2pm A thru L, 11/13/2020 @ 2pm M thru Z
The phone number for the monthly teleconferences is 701-802-5077 with the access code of 6456087#. It will be considered long distance, please keep in mind when using landlines.