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You are here: Home / Archives for assisted living

assisted living

Verde Valley Caregivers Driving Healthcare Solutions

February 28, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition provides transportation for elderly, disabled ‘neighbors’.

Miller Bizardi loves his job as driver for Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition (VVCC), and it’s just as rewarding for him as it is for the neighbors he drives.

VVCC gives clients, fondly referred to as “neighbors,” rides for kidney dialysis, doctor appointments, grocery shopping, medication pick-up, friendly visits and
more.

“We even take care of pets when our neighbors are hospitalized,” said Bizardi. “That includes taking pets to veterinary appointments as well.”

“Caring always comes first, and we are building and rallying the entire community to care,” said VVCC Executive Director Kent Ellsworth. “That’s basically what we do, and we make sure we reach out to every little town throughout the Verde Valley to ensure we are reaching people in need and help to solve problems.”

Realizing that elderly people often want to stay in their home, the place they love, Ellsworth said, “We help those who are trying to make it on their own.”

“We don’t charge the people we serve, they’re struggling right now, they’re unable to drive due to health conditions at an advanced age, the last thing they need is somebody charging them for the next bit of help. So, what we want to do is make sure there are no barriers to getting them the assistance they need.”

Medical alert devices are also provided at no charge. “Our dispatch is available from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” said Ellsworth.

“They are the nicest people and I’m so grateful for them,” said VVCC client Lynn Newman, who has lived in Sedona for 23 years. “If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to move. They have been taking me to my physical therapy appointments every week since 2020.”

New to VVCC is a partnership with Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) to provide virtual care assistance to NAH patients who need help with telehealth appointments. The program will provide the device, software and volunteer staff assistance enabling patients to have telehealth appointments with their health care providers.

“We are grateful to be able to partner with the volunteers at VVCC on this program that will increase access to care for many patients that have difficulties leaving their homes for their medical appointments or experience challenges with technology,” said NAH Director of Telehealth Systems Travis Boren.

Transportation services extend as far north as Flagstaff and south to the Phoenix metro area. Ellsworth estimates that just this year alone, staff and volunteer drivers have driven nearly 500,000 miles.

After retiring, John Wozniak was looking for something to occupy his time, so he volunteered to be a driver with VVCC. “I wanted to help people and this opportunity came up. The people are very grateful and happy to have someone to take them places. It makes you feel like you’re giving back.” Wozniak volunteers three or four days a week and has been a volunteer driver for six years.

“We have so many people we are serving right now who need to get to dialysis. If they had to pay out-of-pocket, it would cost them at least $120 a day for a round-trip,” said Ellsworth.

“We are also funded by grantors and receive governmental and municipal contracts such as from Arizona Department of Transportation and the cities of Sedona and Cottonwood,” said Development and Communications Manager Linda Clark.

The VVCC staff includes 13 and 180 volunteers. “We cater to individuals with disabilities as well as the elderly,” said Ellsworth.

“I just love working here,” said VVCC Call Specialist Veloy Habinck, who has worked at VVCC since 2017. “I’m a team leader and my responsibilities are making sure we’re all on the same page here by keeping systems updated and distributed properly.”

Verde Valley Caregivers was founded in 1992 by a coalition of Sedona churches, City of Sedona, Kachina Point (assisted living facility), and Verde Valley Medical Center. QCBN

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

To contact VVCC, call 928-204-1238 or go to vvcaregivers.org.

Filed Under: Business, Education, Local News, Tourism Tagged With: assisted living, City of Sedona, elder care, Kachina Point, Kent Ellsworth, NAH, Northern Arizona Healthcare, Sedona churches, Verde Valley Caregivers Coalition, Verde Valley Medical Center, VVCC

Home Modifications Can Help Seniors as They Age

August 7, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

The vast majority of Americans aged 65 and older, about 90%, say they want to continue to live in their own homes as they gain in years.

Sandy:  Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime! Warm then hot then blistering hot and hotter. And let the monsoons pour!

Tom:  Sounds counterintuitive, but I agree. Let’s hope the monsoons, as our summer rains are known, make a long-lasting appearance this year.

Sandy:  Everything is so dry. This might be a good time to remind our readers about being firewise. To our readers, please check with our local fire departments to find out what the fire regulations are. And when towing a trailer, make sure those tow chains do not drag. It is so easy to cause a brush fire with those dragging chains and the sparks they create.

Tom:  Great point. What will we talk about this month? What are your most frequent calls these days?

Sandy:  Well, Tom, I receive all kinds of calls. The cutest call I received last week was from an elderly woman. She wanted to adopt a doggie and wanted my help on where to go to find one. Her current dog is 17 years old and is in failing health. She wanted a new medium-size dog to bring into the home before her current doggie crosses the rainbow bridge. The Yavapai County Humane Society only had small dogs, so I told her I would make a few phone calls on her behalf. Other than the dog adoption call, I have had numerous calls from homeowners, the elderly precious seniors who are trying to decide if they should stay in their home as they age. It is a dilemma and can be pretty daunting if they don’t have good information.

Tom:  So very true. As an architect, I have spent quite a bit of time using the American swith Disabilities Act information as part of what we can apply to what the industry calls “Aging in Place.” There are two questions folks need to ask themselves regarding staying in their home or moving to other locations.

Sandy:  I bet the first question should be, “Are they comfortable where they are currently living?” Do they know the neighborhood, the neighbors, are they close to services, things like that?

Tom:  Spot on, Sandy. That is the key first question. If the answer is no here, then moving to an incorporated all-encompassing living facility that can better support their needs makes sense.

Tom:  If the answer is yes, well then, we suggest looking around to see what changes or improvements might be needed in order to make aging at home a bit simpler and easier and less stressful.

Sandy:  I would venture to say that changes in the bathroom would be first and foremost for ease and convenience and of course, safety. I receive so many calls to remove the bathtubs and install walk in showers with shower seats and grab bars. Many families want showers without curbs to support wheelchairs.  Getting in and out of a tub can certainly be a challenge for folks with mobility issues. What is some of your sage advice here?

Tom:  Yup. Great place to start, as that room ranks as the most accident-prone space in the home and the most dangerous part of this room is the tub/shower.

Tom:  In an ideal situation, we would remove the tub and replace it with a zero-entry shower. That is a shower that has no curbs.

Sandy:  No tub, no curbs, that certainly reduces a major tripping hazard. With a seat in the shower and a handheld faucet, many issues could be solved.

Tom:  We also recommend having the floor surface that is non-slip. While mats can help that, they can also move.

Sandy:  What if someone wants to keep their tub? Can you install grab bars to help?

Tom: Yes. We would install at least three. One vertical bar at the entry point to help stabilize the movement over the tub’s edge, and a second, typically on a 45-degree angle along the long wall of the tub. This facilitates sitting down, and if you are standing, the angle helps catch you if you fall. The third one is horizontal just above the faucet or tub filler. This helps sitting up and preparing to stand.

Sandy: What other modifications do you see most often when converting a bath for the elderly or for that matter someone who is in a wheelchair or has health challenges?

Tom:  The vanity sink faucets could be replaced from the turning type to a paddle design.

Sandy:  The ease of the on and off is pretty apparent. I would think this would apply to the kitchen sink as well.

Tom:  Yes, and door handles, but one more item in the bathroom before we move on, the toilet. At least trade out for what is known as a “comfort height” water closet if not an outright handicapped height. The increased height is what helps. Grab bars in this area help as well.

Sandy:  So that could be four or five grab bars in a single bathroom, and I know they are worth their weight in gold the one time you need them and those that get used every day for safety assistance.

Tom:  Yes, they are.

Sandy:  So, move us on to the rest of the house. What room is next?

Tom:  Let’s talk kitchen. You mentioned the paddle handles for the sink, that is important. The other aspect of the kitchen’s usability are the cabinets.

Sandy:  Upper shelves can be hard to reach and keeping the most used items on the lower shelves is the smart thing to do here. Heck, I already do that, and pull-out shelving is awesome!

Tom:  Great! We like to recommend installing pull-out drawer shelves for the lower cabinets, Sandy; we are on the same page. Often, a good cabinet shop can retrofit your existing cabinets with these back-saving devices.

Sandy:  How about counter space? Moving pots and pans around can be difficult if the counters are too far from the cooking surfaces, or the refrigerator.

Tom:  Yes. Couple of things here. One, there should be a minimum 18” to 24” of counter on each side of a cooking surface. At least one counter near the refrigerator and pantry. The other back-saving modification would be to have the oven with its racks about counter height and the same with the microwave.

Sandy:  Lifting in and out of those necessary appliances can be an issue. There are other household simple modifications that can be made to help staying in your home. Simple things like area or throw rugs are tripping hazards. Lighting needs to be brighter and that could be as simple as changing a bulb.

Tom:  You are correct. A lot of things that can be done to make your home safe and comfy for years to come.

Sandy:  And a lot of those things can be DIY! How cool is that. Mr. Renovations!

The vast majority of Americans aged 65 and older, about 90%, say they want to continue to live in their own homes as they gain in years. Many seniors are worried about their financial futures. Approximately 15% of seniors surveyed by the AARP say they are not confident their finances will last through their retirement years and 8% have no financial plan for retirement. The good news that we shared with you in our column this month is that these changes for making your home safe will not break the bank.

Tom: For our readers, Sandy, while it seems simple to remain in their home, it is possible that homeowners will need to make some adjustments to their daily routine or even need to make some modifications to their home as they age, such as the ones we discussed. With some research and helpful resources, anyone can find ways to make aging in place safer and more convenient.

Thanks, readers, for stopping in and reading “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. Until next month! QCBN

By Tom Reilly and Sandy Griffis

Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-778-0040

Remember to tune in to YCCA’s Hammer Time every Saturday and Sunday morning 7 a.m. on KQNA 1130 AM/99.9 FM/95.5FM or the web kqna.com. Listen to Sandy and Mike talk about the construction industry and meet your local community partners. Hammer Time is a great way to start your weekend.

Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: aging, assisted living, Sandy Griffis, senior living facilities, seniors, Tom Reilly, Yavapai County Contractors Association, YCCA’s Hammer Time

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