October 25, 2019
When I opened my home care company 10 years ago, I attended a weeklong training on various aspects of the home care industry. At one session, we were asked to describe what we believed the ultimate caregiver would be like. I can’t remember how I replied, but 10 years later, I now know what and who I would describe...
Wendy McHaney: It's never too late to reinvent yourself
September 27, 2019
When is it too late to start a new career, reinvent oneself, or follow a lifelong passion? According to Carolyn Worthington, editor-in-chief of Healthy Aging Magazine, the answer is never. Since September is Healthy Aging Month, Worthington encourages the aging population to use September as the motivation to take stock of where you’ve been, and what you would really like to do. To get started on the re-invention, Worthington offers some tips to help think outside the box and reach one’s full potential...
Wendy McHaney: Small glimmer of hope on horizon for dementia prevention
Dec 21, 2018
This past weekend, my kids and I binge watched our favorite Christmas movies, watching at least two each day. I had not watched “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” in a few years, and now that I teach classes and facilitate presentations on Alzheimer’s and dementia at least once a month, I couldn’t help but “diagnose” the elderly relatives of Clark and Ellen...
Victoria home care company instrumental in development of nationwide recovery care program
October 21, 2018
About 15 percent of the elderly are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after being released to go home, which is a growing problem, McHaney said. Reducing readmission rates is important because The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spends $11,200 per readmission, which translates into billions of dollars annually...
Wendy McHaney: It's important to re-evaluate home safety with the elderly
August 10, 2018
A couple of weeks ago, I rode a banana boat with my daughter while on vacation at the beach. The captain of the jet ski that towed the giant inflatable banana-shaped boat made it his mission to fling his passengers off the boat as many times as possible. As such, he drove the jet ski at breakneck speed and whipped the boat around with 180-degree turns. My shoulders, neck and back still have not recovered...
Wendy McHaney: Making, saving memories
June 22, 2018
My kids have been at camp for almost three weeks now, and one of my favorite things about camp is they have no contact with the outside world other than through writing letters .The lag time in communication between me and them can be a bit frustrating on both ends as we are all used to instantaneous responses through texts and phone calls. But it is certainly fun to come home from work and find a letter or two in the mail telling me about their favorite activities and any awards they’ve received. Every year, I make each kid a photo album with all of their camp photos, and I add an envelope to the inside, back cover of the book to store all of the letters they sent to home...
Best Home Health and Hospice: Senior Helpers
April 29, 2018
Senior Helpers has provided elderly clients and their families with dependable and affordable care since 2010. Owner Wendy McHaney said their main priorities are client care and client satisfaction. "Our mission when we first started was to provide the best products we could and the best care," McHaney said. Senior Helpers offers non-medical in-home care and specializes in Alzheimer's and dementia care. With more than 40 caregivers, Senior Helpers is dedicated to hiring quality staff members to take care of their clients. The home health care service has added a transitional care program to help people to transition safely from rehabilitation and back in home hospitalization...
Wendy McHaney: What kind of legacy do you want to leave?
April 13, 2018
As we age, knowing whether we are leaving a legacy becomes more important to many seniors. “Legacy” has been defined as a gift or a bequest, that is handed down, endowed or conveyed from one person to another. It is something descendible one comes into possession of that is transmitted, inherited or received from a predecessor. The idea of leaving a legacy is the desire to be remembered for what you have contributed to the world, a lasting footprint always to be remembered by those lives you have touched...
Helping children deal with Alzheimer's
March 17, 2017
Since opening Senior Helpers almost eight years ago, my children have grown up with an understanding of dementia and Alzheimer's and have participated in various events with me promoting awareness of the disease and raising funds for the Alzheimer's Association...