Caregivers

Latinos in the Workplace Conference
Date: March 10, 2016
Time: 7:30 am – 11:30 amLocation:
Flamingo Conference Resort & Spa
2777 Fourth Street
Santa Rosa, CA

Join us today as we celebrate Latinos in the Workplace.  We salute this amazing group of people that are such an absolute important part of our Community!

An educational forum that seeks to help all employers provide a safe, productive and enriching work environment for Latino employees and empower Latinos to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Speakers and Topics:

Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane, 3rd District
Opening Remarks

Brett Martinez, President & CEO, Redwood Credit Union
Building Organizational Culture and Leadership from Within

David M. Lanier, Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency

Juliann Sum, Chief of Cal/OSHA Division of Occupational Safety and Health
Providing a Safer Workplace in the 21st Century
Diana Ruiz, President and Founder of the Women’s Global Leadership Initiative
Effective Strategies to Recruit, Retain and Develop Latino Talent

Andre Arbelaez, President of … Read More »

The Holidays can be an especially difficult time for families.  It is also a time that our Team can band together, and do some of our most important work.  Below is a letter we just received, that truly honors the importance of not only What we do, but How we go upon it.

December 7, 2016

 Staff at Hired Hands Homecare
10 Commercial BLVD, Ste 102
Novato, CA  94949 

Dear Friends at Hired Hands, 

Thank you so much for honoring the life of Rody with the planting of a tree in his name.  That is a lovely way to be remembered, and will be appreciated by our family. 

Each day I think of the fine people who were involved in Rody’s care.  I think of the consistent and constant arrivals with a smile and a good morning … Read More »

Sonoma’s September Employee of the Month

Our latest Employee of the Month is Zufan Almedom! Zufan began working for Hired Hands Homecare in December of 2015. Zufan brings to the table years of CNA experience, a positive attitude and a willingness to jump in and help when needed. Thanks Zufan!!

“I called the house to check in and spoke with Katherine. She told me Zufan has been great with her husband and she asked that we send Zufan back to cover nights whenever she can. She’s really proactive!”

 During our conversation, Becky told me that Zufan and the staff have been doing a wonderful job and Becky is glad we have her on their weekly team!

 I called Sharon to check in, introduce myself and see how Zufan had done today. Sharon told me, “Zufan was wonderful! She helped Lee with a bed … Read More »

 …but not of the crimes you think you committed.

You think you’re guilty of not spending enough time with your loved ones. That you’re guilty of failing them because you are considering part-time in-home care or a full-time skilled nursing facility.

No. Here’s what you are probably guilty of instead:

Working too hard
Neglecting your own emotional and physical health
Judging yourself too harshly

Although immensely rewarding, caregiving for a cherished family member is one of the hardest things you will ever do, and the role of caregiver often comes at the busiest stage of one’s life. Caregivers in California often have full-time jobs on top of caregiving, plus children and spouses who need attention, too.

How do I know if I’m working too hard? The first thing you need to do is admit that you’re working too hard. Pull out a sheet of paper and make … Read More »

Here is Linda!

Linda Gasaway has been chosen as the Employee of the month for September.

She has been with Hired Hands Homecare a little over 3 years.  Linda has been a rock star go-to caregiver for those hard to staff 3 hour shifts.

We can always rely on Linda to show up and do an outstanding job. Her clients love her and have only high praise feedback about her job performance.

Most of us are juggling a number of balls at any given time, and for caregivers, it often feels like they’re juggling knives and flaming swords on top of it. It’s common to feel overburdened and guilty when you’re a caregiver for a loved one, whether that person is your spouse or your parent.

Guilt can manifest in many ways. Maybe you feel like you’re spending too little time with your loved one. You may feel guilty about considering an assisted living facility for your loved one. You might feel guilty when your loved one’s dementia-fueled behaviors caused you to snap. Or you could feel guilty about neglecting your own children’s needs in order to care for your senior loved one.

The most important things to remember are: You are doing the best you can, and it’s okay to seek help.

Let’s take … Read More »

Assisting a senior you love with personal care needs – tasks like taking a bath, getting dressed, and helping with toilet needs – can be uncomfortable for both the senior and yourself. It requires the senior to set modesty aside and allow herself to be vulnerable. And when Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia is added to the mix, the senior’s feelings of distress may become overwhelming, resulting in an outburst.

The exact trigger behind these outbursts can vary from one person to another, but some of the more common reasons are:

Loss of control. A person’s sense of independence can feel as though it’s slipping away in a number of areas for older adults, and trying to remain in control over the most basic functions becomes even more important.

What can help: Help the senior to feel as much in control … Read More »

Picture how it would feel to wake up in an unfamiliar place, unable to remember how you got there or even what your name is. Complete confusion swiftly turns into fear and anger, and you may find yourself lashing out at the stranger standing beside your bed, speaking to you in a soft voice.

This scenario paints a bleak and sadly accurate picture of an Alzheimer’s patient’s reality. Now imagine standing in front of a person you love, and having that person look at you with no recognition whatsoever. Each day your heart breaks a little bit more, but you push through the pain and go on with your caregiving duties for your loved one with Alzheimer’s.

According to the latest report from Alzheimer’s Association, a whopping 17.7 billion hours of care are provided by family caregivers each year to those with … Read More »

Gina is July’s Caregiver of the Month for Hired Hands Homecare – Santa Rosa! Gina began working for Hired Hands Homecare in May of 2015. She has been reliable, hard working, positive and always stays calm and centered.  She is also an extremely talented Caregiver, adept at assisting with all Activities of Daily Living, along with the skills and knowledge required to work with Alzheimer’s and Dementia clients.

“I called Deb to find out how Gina’s first shift had gone. She told me that Gina was great! Deb asked that we send her back whenever Dolores is not available.”

 Joanne says she really LOVES Gina! “She’s pleasant and has been cooking up a storm!”
Thank you, Gina, for being AWESOME!!

Darlene MacDonald- Darlene has worked for Hired Hands Homecare for over 3 years. Darlene is a very hard worker. She goes above and beyond to get things done.

When Darlene was in her CNA class, she finished at the top of her class and scored a 100% on her final examination.

Darlene is an animal lover. She has two dogs Casey is a Yellow Lab and Sydney is a Chihuahua. She has a guinea pig named Rose that her and her family rescued at a local park and she feeds the local stray cats.

Darlene likes to read, bird watch and take hikes. Darlene’s favorite aspect of care giving is being able to brighten someone’s day and to help them be more independent.

Darlene, THANK YOU for ALL you do!
The Hired Hands Homecare Team~