REPOST: Caring for others as a foster parent

Seeing there is extra room in their hearts and home, Delbert Gutierrez and his wife felt that they wanted to participate in a foster care program.  In an article for Willits News, Delbert shares how the program became beneficial to them and the children they took home.

In 2008, my wife and I separately were thinking of participating in a foster care program. Our children had all left home and we had extra room in our hearts and home. Without discussing the idea, we both thought we had the time and energy to give back to the children in our community.

I spoke to a few friends about the idea of becoming a foster parent and learned about the Multi Dimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) program with Redwood Children's Services (RCS) through my great friend, Sal Ricco. Sal told me about a staff member from RCS who spoke to his Rotary club about the real need for foster families so I thought it was time to approach my wife.

Though my wife and I hadn't communicated with each other about our interest in foster care, I knew she would be excited about the idea. I took it upon myself to take my wife with me to RCS to get an application, not knowing what she would say. Right there in the parking lot we agreed this was what we wanted to do and filled out the application for becoming a foster parent.

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Soon after we submitted our application the MTFC Program Supervisor, Wendy, contacted us. I was very excited we would be embarking on this journey and we started to schedule the initial trainings for this new program RCS was launching. This new treatment program had seen great success in other places so we were happy to be part of bringing it to our community. Almost immediately after completing our certification we had our first youth.

MTFC program is a time-limited treatment program addressing the need to "break the cycle" by introducing a very structured, strength-based approach to youth in foster care and the families they are returning to. Being very structured and working as a team, RCS is able to gain great strides with the youth and families, decreasing the risk of children reentering the foster care and probation system.

Our first experience was very trying for us as we didn't have experience with some of the situations that came up. This was a radical shift from how we parented our own children as the program is very structured. We quickly learned that our compassionate and caring personalities must be evenly coupled with a rigorous following of the program system in order to keep with the treatment program of MTFC.

Learning this helped us to provide a means for a successful placement for the children we have cared for.

We have continued to learn new ways and techniques as foster parents within the MTFC program. Being successful, however, is not our success alone. RCS has provided great support to us through our supervisor, Wendy, who has been so helpful and always available, but also through foster parent meetings once a week where we discuss our children, and weekly visits with RCS staff of family therapists. Another major support for us has been our own immediate family. Our adult children have been a great help to us over the years we've been foster parents, treating our foster children like their own family and supporting us in the work we are doing.

Since becoming MTFC foster parents, we have cared for seven youth. Four of our foster kids have graduated the MTFC program and one is due to graduate in July 2013. We find great pleasure in seeing these children out in the community and whatever they are pursuing or are involved in, we feel like they are our family and take great pride in their success.
 

As the agency continues to expand with over 250 locations, BrightStar care offers services that are easily accessible employing professional caregivers and registered nurses trained to provide companionship and assistance while taking care of a wide variety of medical conditions to ensure the well-being of patients.  For more details, visit this website. 

Care options: Obtaining good homecare

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Fundamental to a physically impaired person's care system, high-quality homecare can be delivered through several means. The care industry has a hardworking and creative workforce for families and friends looking for excellent service for their loved ones.

Healthcare advocates, such as the United Kingdom Homecare Association, Services for Independent Living, and BrightStar Care promote good practice to influence every single care entity in the country in developing a well-functioning work environment and building mutual relations with industry leaders. Home-based care providers can either be privately owned or publicly operated. In any case, they are governed by strict protocols and are mandated to follow policies for the most professional operations.


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Homecare firms were established to protect the basic rights of a human being. The institutions allow people to enjoy life—amid an impaired physical condition—and their rights to good physical well-being, psychological welfare, protection from any form of abuse, financial security, respect for cultural identity, and freedom to take control of personal possessions.

In spite of the economic recession taking a toll on the care industry, homecare providers remain steadfast in providing creative ideas and solutions for the advancement of the sector. In addition, some forums have been created as cites of suggestions to help improve opportunities for people needing support. The Guardian's Homecare Hub, for example, has successfully compiled suggestions from various sectors of the society.


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Tapping into various opportunities can bolster the quality of any country's home-based care system. Visit this website for more insights about the care industry.

Cerebral palsy: How you can help loved ones take control of their life

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The ability to move freely is something that most people just as freely take for granted. For those who suffer from cerebral palsy, it is something to be treasured.

Cerebral palsy is a congenital condition wherein brain damage leads to an impairment of motor skills. It encompasses the brain and the nervous system, resulting in temporary or permanent paralysis of particular areas of the body. Cerebral palsy also manifests in the loss of sensation of tremors and other uncontrollable body movements.


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Currently, no cure exists for cerebral palsy. Treatment can help patients overcome physical disabilities, manage the symptoms or develop adaptations in accomplishing their tasks. More sophisticated physical and occupational therapy have advanced better adaptation techniques for the affected. Combined with speech therapy, drugs for controlling seizures, surgery, braces, wheelchairs, and devices that will aid in communicating, new methods of coping with the condition have yielded functional individuals.

Cerebral palsy is not the end. Many patients are able to live normal lives, especially with love from their family and friends. While severe cases require lifelong care, mild cases can forgo special assistance. With enough care, support, and understanding, people with cerebral palsy can face the world and live their lives as other people would.


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Visit this website to get a list of the conditions for which BrightStar Care’s care professionals are capable of providing assistance.

A country for old men

Japan is known to have the world’s oldest population due to a number of reasons: improved nutrition, medical developments, better health care, education, and economic well-being. The Asian country seems like a great nation for the seniors, but the growing number of older adults is putting a strain on the country’s economy.

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The new Japanese government is no comfort for many old Japanese people. Straight from the mouth of Finance Minister Taro Aso were harsh words that painted Japan as a place that will soon to be an unwelcoming fortress for its ageing nation. Also holding the position of deputy prime minister, Aso said the following during a meeting of the national council on social security reforms: "Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die. I would wake up feeling increasingly bad knowing that [treatment] was all being paid for by the government. The problem won't be solved unless you let them hurry up and die." The comments have caused offence not only in Japan itself, but also in other countries.

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Meanwhile, in the United States, there has been an official report saying that Americans are sicker and die younger than other people in other wealthy nations. And many took this report unacceptable and unfavorable, since, like Japan, the United States is a wealthy nation, and could afford its citizens high-quality health care.

The stark difference between the two nations though is that the US values its seniors, and strives to answer to their needs. America’s leaders devise and maintain solid programs for the elderly.  Privately-held healthcare institutions that cater to seniors are also ubiquitous. The US, though still far from perfect, still is a pleasurable country for old men.  

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BrightStar Care is a healthcare institution that offers top-notch care for children, adults, and elderlies. Learn more about how it takes care of seniors at its official website.

Is it time to get a new nanny?

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The nanny is a great help in parenting, especially if you are a working parent. She looks after the welfare of your children. She gives you reassurance that your kids’ needs are being provided for even in your absence.

However, your children grow over time and the nanny’s skills may not be adequate for their changing needs. You know it’s time to get a new nanny when:

1. Undesirable changes in the children are perceived. When your babies start talking and their nanny cusses a lot, they might learn foul words from her. Likewise, your toddlers’ exploring nature may get on the nerves of the nanny. Sudden withdrawal from other kids and getting frequent bruises might be a sign that your children are being emotionally or physically abused by their child care provider.
   
   



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2. The nanny becomes disrespected by your children. Your children acquire new learning as they progress in school. If your kids seem to be brighter than the nanny, they could ridicule and distrust her for the perceived inadequacy.
   
   
3. The nanny becomes “unfit.” The nanny’s gender, for instance, may not be an issue for your newborn babies. But when your babies grow, they take gender roles and develop a need to relate with their nanny. Mannies, male nannies, can effectively bond with young boys, especially those who need a male role model and a father or big brother figure.

Getting a new nanny can be difficult, especially if your family has become accustomed to the ways of the old one. However, your children’s well-being is of utmost importance. When your gut instinct tells you to hire a new nanny, go for it and make the change.

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Brightstar offers professional nanny services for the changing needs of your growing children. Follow this Twitter page to get more childcare tips.

Anticipatory grief: Dealing with a dying elderly

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They say when you conquer death, you can conquer all fears. But for the families of a dying elderly, conquering the thought that their loved one isn’t going to be with them for long requires endurance and courage. These people have to endure seeing their loved one grapple with pain that worsens over time, a scenario which puts the entire family in constant state of emergency. In addition, there’s stress from managing finances, funeral plans, and end-of-life care needs.


As they can only do so much to manage the gloomy experience, a better option is to anticipate loss before it actually happens. Though it cannot make coping with loss easier, anticipatory grief breaks down the whole lot of burden into chunks, enabling family members to see through the situation and manage fears bit by bit.


 
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When there’s still time to prepare, families can begin accepting the loss by envisioning life without the dying person – they can now assign someone else to do the things the dying elderly used to do, like cooking for the whole family.


Anticipating grief is also an opportunity to get closer with a dying loved one. Family members can make amends or resolve issues. If the dying person is religious, families can join him in praying, or they can talk about his last wishes whenever he is willing to open up.


 
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Though anticipatory grief is one of the hardest kinds of grief to deal with, family members should make the most out of the situation, and focus on the positive. After all, life doesn’t stop – life goes on.  


It is BrightStar Care’s passion to care for the elderly. Learn how you can make life easier for the elderly by visiting this website.

And the healthiest generation is...

It isn’t the baby boomers, that’s for sure. One might think that, with all the technological advancement and strides made in discovering cures for a number of diseases, each succeeding generation would be healthier than the one that came before it. Unfortunately, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that the baby boomer generation – adults who were born in the post-war birth explosion (from 1946 to 1964) – cannot make that claim.

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Perhaps because of the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle this generation subscribed to, they appear to have the highest number of cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol among all current generations. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed that only 13 percent of baby boomers achieved an excellent health rate compared to other generations, where up to a third achieved the same health score. In addition, around 7 percent of baby boomers now require the assistance of a device to walk, whereas only 3 percent of the previous generation required the use of canes or similar walking assistors.

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While it may seem good news that baby boomers, despite their health conditions, appear to be living longer than previous generations, this means that they are living with disabilities, disorders, or chronic illnesses for a longer time period as well.

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BrightStar Care provides assistance to families facing the challenge of caring for a loved one. This website has more details about the company’s services.