NEWS | Home Health Care Agency Warrenton VA | Cleansing Water Inc

Sleep Benefits: Six Reasons to Get More Sleep

Written by bobandmarsha on February 7, 2012

A good night's sleep is good for your health

Are you having trouble getting enough sleep at night?

A good night’s sleep is not just a luxury; it’s good for your health.

Here are six good reasons to get more sleep:

You’ll live longer. Chronic insomniacs are more likely to suffer a heart attack than those who sleep well.
You’ll look better. There’s a reason why we call a good night’s sleep “a beauty rest.”
You’ll be slimmer. Women who slept five hours or fewer per night were 32 percent more likely to experience weight gain over 16 years.
You’ll be sharper. Lack of sleep ages your brain by four to seven years.
You’ll improve your marriage. Women who have trouble sleeping have more negative interactions with their husbands the next day than those who don’t.
You’ll be nicer. Exhaustion takes a toll on our spirits and can make us short-tempered.

How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

If you are having trouble sleeping at night, here are some simple steps you can take that might help:

Avoid large meals before bedtime.
Avoid drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks.
Get regular exercise early in the day.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
Don’t take naps.
Use the bed only for sleep or sexual activity.

If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do a quiet activity such as reading or listening to music.

Avoid using sleeping pills to help you sleep, if possible. Excessive use of sleeping pills can lead to dependence and worsen your sleep problems.

Cleansing Water, Inc. provides professional in-home health care services to seniors and other individuals in and around Warrenton, Virginia. We are a licensed and insured home health care agency serving individuals throughout the Piedmont Virginia region, including Culpeper County, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Rappahannock County. For more information, call (540) 341-0212 or visit CleansingWater.com.

More healthy living tips from Cleansing Water, Inc.

Categories: Caregiving News - Tags: sleep, sleep benefits

Cleansing Water Welcomes New Clinical Supervisor, Geriatric Care Advisor

Written by bobandmarsha on January 27, 2012

Cleansing Water, Inc is pleased to announce that Sharron Lewis has joined our Warrenton, Virginia home health care team as a clinical supervisor and geriatric care advisor.

Sharron Lewis, R. N.

Home Health Care Clinical Supervisor Duties

As Cleansing Water’s home health care clinical supervisor, Sharron will:

provide training for Cleansing Water’s caregivers,
provide on-site supervision for Cleansing Water’s clients and staff members,
ensure compliance with all home health care quality standards, and
adjust client care plans to optimize therapeutic interventions and best meet client goals and expectations.

Geriatric Care Duties

Sharron also will serve as an experienced guide and resource for families of older adults and others with chronic needs. She will advise and assist individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s and individuals exhibiting symptoms of dementia.

In addition, Sharron will plan and coordinate the care of Cleansing Water’s elderly and disabled clients to improve their quality of life, maintain their independence for as long as possible, and ensure that these clients receive:

Personalized and compassionate service, focusing on the individual’s wants and needs, with 24-hour accessibility;
Continuity of care: communicating and coordinating between family members, doctors and other professionals, and service providers;
Cost containment assistance: work to effectively avoid inappropriate placements, duplication of services, and unnecessary hospitalizations.

“I am looking forward to participating in community meetings designed to provide multi-dimensional assistance to our elder community,” Sharron says. She will be available to speak to community civic groups and private organizations on a variety of topics related to home health care, elder care, as well as focused topics on disease process and therapeutic intervention as requested.

Navy Nursing Experience

Sharron is a Registered Nurse (R.N.) who recently retired from a 21-year career with the Navy. She has relocated to Warrenton from Norfolk, Virginia.

During her Navy career, Sharron held clinical nursing positions in Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care, Adult Intensive Care, Perioperative Nursing and Medical/Surgical Clinical Specialist.

She also held administrative and executive positions as Associate Director of Nursing Services, Senior Nurse Executive, Associate Director of Medical Services and Director of Branch Clinics. In addition, Sharron spent three years training Navy Hospital Corpsmen.

“The Navy taught me many things, not the least of which was the value of servant leadership. I plan to serve the staff of Cleansing Water and the community at large. I have a keen sense of loyalty, a high road disposition. I look forward to expanding my clinical focus and serving the community,” Sharron says.

Cleansing Water is a fully-licensed and insured home health care agency providing compassionate in-home health care, nursing and companion services for seniors and other individuals throughout Fauquier, Culpeper, Rappahannock, Prince William and Loudoun Counties, Virginia. For more information about our services, call us at (540) 341-0212 or email joan@cleansingwater.com.

Categories: Caregiving News, Cleansing Water, Home Health Care - Tags: alzheimers care, CNA, CNA Northern Virginia, elder care, geriatric care northern virginia, geriatric care warrenton va, home companion, home health care, home health care virginia, home health care Warrenton VA, senior care, warrenton va

Home Health Care Costs Remain Steady Despite Rises in Long Term Health Care Costs

Written by bobandmarsha on October 27, 2011

The average cost of home health care has remained steady this year, even as overall long-term health care costs have risen 5.6 percent, according to a recent study by MetLife Mature Market Institute.

The average hourly costs for home health aides and homemaker/companion services remained unchanged this year, according to the study. Costs for assisted living care rose an average of 5.6% to $3,477 monthly or $41,724 annually. Adult day care services have risen by 4.5% to $70 per day.

The average rate for a private nursing home room has increased 4.4% to $239 daily or $87,235 annually.

The rising costs of assisted living and private nursing care are one reason to consider in-home health care as an alternative for loved ones needing professional, compassionate long-term or short-term health care or other assistance with the tasks of daily living.

In-home health care offers many benefits that can’t be quantified in dollars alone, including:

The ability to remain in one’s own home and familiar, comfortable environment,
Individualized attention from professionally licensed and compassionate health care providers and home health aides.

If you or someone you know is in need of in-home care while recovering from surgery, living with a chronic disease state or other health issue, or adapting to a newborn baby, contact Cleansing Water, Inc. to discuss your needs.

Cleansing Water, Inc. is a fully licensed and insured home health care agency providing quality in-home care for residents of Piedmont Virginia (Culpeper, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Prince William and Warren counties).

For More Information Call: (540) 341-0212

Categories: Caregiving News, Home Health Care - Tags: alzheimers care virginia, elder care virginia, geriatric care virginia, health care costs, home care companions, home health aides, home health care agency culpeper va, home health care agency piedmont va, home health care agency warrenton va, home health care costs, senior care virginia

Featured Caregiver: Jemma Colbert

Written by bobandmarsha on October 25, 2011

Jemma Colbert, Featured Caregiver

Cleansing Water’s featured caregiver is Jemma Colbert. Jemma has worked for Cleansing Water, Inc. since May 2009 and lives in Culpeper, Virginia with her family. She is very social and loving and has done a wonderful job working many tough physical cases. She is originally from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Categories: Cleansing Water - Tags: Cleansing Water Inc., featured caregiver, home health care aide Northern Virginia

Home Health Care Northern Virginia: In-Home Care Benefits Families

Written by bobandmarsha on September 29, 2011

Are you evaluating health care options for an elderly or senior member of your family? Do you have a family member who is recovering from surgery or has a chronic health condition requiring long-term care?

In-home health care by a licensed home health care agency can offer families the following physical, mental and emotional benefits:

1) Convenient Professional Care Delivered in the Comfort of Home

Given a choice, most seniors and other individuals requiring short-term or long-term care prefer to remain in the comfort of their own home. A licensed and reputable home health care agency like Cleansing Water, Inc. can create long-term care plans that meet each individual’s needs on many levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. In-home health care provides a greater level of personalized and caring attention, and enables seniors to retain their dignity and a level of independence that may be sacrificed in assisted living facilities or other caregiving environments.

2) Simplified Caregiving

A licensed home health care agency can simplify your life and give you greater peace of mind by providing a single point of contact for all your caregiving needs. You will save time and energy not having to deal with multiple providers for nursing, housekeeping, meal preparation, and necessary errands. Licensed home health care agencies have qualified, trained employees on staff who can provide the range of care you need, when you need it.

3) Professionalism and Peace of Mind

A licensed home health care agency will provide a professional level of care that will give you peace of mind. You will have the assurance that each caregiving employee has passed background checks and meets all state-mandated educational and training requirements to provide top quality care to your family. Hiring an unlicensed provider can endanger your family and your loved one(s). Unlicensed providers may call in sick at the last moment, or fail to show up at the expected times. When you work with a licensed home health care agency, you are assured that you are in safe hands, that your caregiver is well-trained, matched to your caregiving needs, and will deliver responsible care as agreed, on time and on schedule.

In-Home Companionship and Care Services

An in-home care agency can provide a range of in-home companionship and care services tailored to the specific needs of the individual and the family:

Conversation and companionship to provide comfort and social interaction at meal times and/or other times of day
Meal preparation: nutritious meals that maintain health
Light housekeeping: vacuuming, dusting, dishwashing, tidying up, light housecleaning
Grocery shopping: with or without the client
Respite care: an opportunity for family members to take a break from assisting senior members of the family or other loved ones in need of care
Medication reminders: make sure the client takes all prescribed medications at the right time; assist with opening medication containers and reading labels
Dressing assistance: help with daily tasks of grooming, buttoning clothing, tying shoes, putting on socks
Incidental transportation (during a regularly scheduled home care shift) to doctor appointments, barbershops, beauty salons, shopping, or other destinations
Laundry services: washing, drying, folding, putting clothes and laundry away
Recreational activities: play card games or board games, accompany on walks, assist with crafts or hobbies, accompany to church or other places.
Communicate with other family members: provide updates to all family members concerning the loved ones activities and state of health; answer any concerns or redefine services that may be needed
Ensure safety: monitor clients when they are home alone to ensure they are safe; respond to summons for help as needed

Cleansing Water, Inc., is a home health care agency providing in-home respite care for families and professional caregiving for seniors and other individuals throughout the Northern Virginia area. We are licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and maintain a commercial business office in Old Town Warrenton, Virginia. We offer a full-range of home health care services, including geriatric care management by a Registered Nurse, round-the-clock care by a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or full-time companion, and as-needed companionship and light housekeeping help.

Cleansing Water’s home health care nurses and aides are employees of our agency. That means you can be confident that all Cleansing Water caregivers are covered by Cleansing Water’s professional liability insurance and have passed State Criminal background checks. You will also enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your caregiver(s) will be well-trained in the latest Alzheimer’s professional care practices, and are trustworthy and competent to care for you or your loved one in the security and comfort of your home.

When you retain Cleansing Water as your home health care agency, you have an entire professional staff available to you and the peace of mind that comes with knowing that if your usual caregiver has an “off day,” we can provide qualified substitute care when you need it.

For more information, or to discuss your options for home health care, call Cleansing Water, Inc. today, at 540-341-0212 — or email joan@cleansingwater.com.

Categories: Home Health Care - Tags: geriatric care Fauquier VA, geriatric care northern virginia, geriatric care warrenton va, home health care agency Fauquier VA, home health care agency northern virginia, home health care Fauquier VA, Home Health Care Northern Virginia, home health care Warrenton VA, senior care Fauquier VA, senior care northern virginia, senior care warrenton va

Who Will Get Alzheimer’s Disease?

Written by bobandmarsha on September 16, 2011

Marsha and Bob Grant, Cleansing Water, Inc., Home Health Care Agency, Northern Virginia

Marsha and Bob Grant, President and Vice President, Cleansing Water, Inc., Home Health Care Services

Today, 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and placing tremendous caregiving demands on family, friends, and the American health care system.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association,14.9 million family and friends provided 17 billion hours of unpaid care in 2010 to those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The demands of providing unpaid care to Alzheimer’s patients can have its own domino effect, creating emotional distress and even triggering depression on the part of the caregivers.

The increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s in our aging population, and the toll it takes on family caregivers, raises these questions:

Who will get Alzheimer’s?
Is there any way of predicting the likelihood of getting this disease?
What sets those with this debilitating degenerative brain disorder apart from those who do not get the disease?

The first noticeable signs of Alzheimer’s include memory loss and cognitive decline, but not all people who develop such problems get Alzheimer’s disease. Recent research indicates that people with a high level of amyloid protein in their spinal fluid are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those with less of the protein.

When amyloid protein builds up in the brain, it forms sticky plaques which eventually strangle and kill delicate nerves. Scientists say it is now possible to pick up traces of an early form of amyloid in the spinal fluid before memory lapses start.

Advances in testing now make it possible to predict Alzheimer’s with 80% accuracy.

If you would like to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, click here for Alzheimer’s facts and figures from the Alzheimer’s Association.

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Cleansing Water, Inc., is a home health care agency providing respite care for Alzheimer’s patients and their family caregivers throughout the Northern Virginia area. We are licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and maintain a commercial business office in Old Town Warrenton, Virginia. We offer a full-range of home health care services, including geriatric care management by a Registered Nurse, round-the-clock care by a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or full-time companion, and as-needed companionship and light housekeeping help.