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Fun activities to safely celebrate Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day from the Cloverleaf Care family to yours! We wish you a fulfilling day with your loved ones as we celebrate the achievements of American workers. The first Labor Day was celebrated in 1882, and now 138 years later, it’s still a great time to say ‘Thank you!’ to all our workers!  A special thank you for our Caregivers! They bring joy and ease to the lives of our wonderful clients each day, especially during these challenging times!

Celebrate!

Enjoy some fun activities for Labor Day! Today, we have something special for all of you music lovers out there. We are taking you on a journey to Detroit, Michigan, for none other than the world famous Detroit Jazz Festival! Detroit Jazz Festival is going virtual this year, free for all to enjoy from anywhere in the world! It is so easy to tune in and watch the live festivities! We recommend tuning into their Facebook @detroitjazzfestival for easy live streaming! Bebop and boogie-woogie as the music sweeps all your cares away! 

Connect!

Holidays are a wonderful time to bring people together. Check out our Tech Lounge series on Zoom video chat so that you can connect to the people you love the most! Or call up our Concierge Services, we would love to cook you a special meal, or set up a Zoom video chat for you to use whenever you like. Be safe with social distancing and be in the company of your loved ones - we say that you can have it both ways! 

Challenge yourself!

My grandfather loves words! He loves crossword puzzles, word searches, and any word puzzle he can get his hands on. Enjoy this free library of printable large print word searches! What a fun way to spend an afternoon! There’s even a puzzle especially for Labor Day! http://www.qets.com/large-print_puzzles/puzzles_word-search.htm

Create a colorful healthy snack!

This is a four ingredient simple, healthy, and delicious snack or breakfast! Remember to aim for the rainbow to get a variety of nutrients, and this red, white and blue parfait will cool you off, make you feel festive, and hit the spot! https://www.tosimplyinspire.com/red-white-and-blue-parfaits.html

Don’t forget to forward this email to your friends and family, we guarantee they will enjoy the Jazz Festival and Labor Day activities too! 

We hope you have a great holiday! If you enjoyed these activities, then please “Like” us on Facebook. We can’t wait to hear from you! Don’t forget to share this article with your loved ones, so that they too can try some new fun activities this Labor Day!

For more great ideas to celebrate life from home visit our newsletter archives from this page.

All Rights Reserved by Cloverleaf Care

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Do you know the F.A.C.T.S?

When it comes to something as personal as finding compassionate In-Home Care for ourselves or our loved ones, we are faced with many questions. There is no question that is too big or too small when we are considering our own needs, or the needs of a parent, grandparent, or a special needs adult family member. We understand how challenging it can feel when you are faced with the decision of who to trust with the well-being of your loved ones. Cloverleaf Care makes it simple to get the F.A.C.T.S. to ensure that every question, concern, and need you and your family may have is completely addressed. Rest assured, with Cloverleaf Care you are going to rest easy knowing that we will care for your family as we would our own. 

Let us bring you peace of mind - from our family to yours. 

F. Our Flexible Services were designed with your individual needs in mind. We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach, and our services are as unique as you are. For example, did you know we provide concierge services? Our Thrive! Concierge Service can be used once a week, once a month, or as and when you need a little assistance! Of course, if you are in need of more, we have plenty of options for that as well whether it be hourly, 24/7, respite or short-term care You are in charge and we will find solutions that match what YOU need. 

A. Affordable packages are essential for ensuring that you receive the highest quality care at a price that fits. We believe that finances should never be a roadblock to quality support and care and we provide many options to make certain there is a perfect solution for you. Our Homecare Service Plans are flexible and designed keeping  a “Total Care Solution” approach to homecare that can be tailored to your budget. Did you know that we also provide short-term care options? Ask us about our “Home Transitions” care programs!

C. Continuous Support is one of the many ways we stand behind  you as a true partner in your or your loved one’s care. We offer 24 hour support regarding our services.  Our Elder Care Advisors can help you to understand your discharge instructions, and we help in coordination with DME, home-health and hospice care.. We also handle all aspects of long-term care insurance coordination, so that you have one less thing to worry about.

T. Total Reliability allows you to have complete peace of mind knowing that you are in good hands with Cloverleaf Care. We are bonded, insured and licensed and carry worker’s compensation insurance to protect our clients from any liability. Our caregivers are highly trained on all infectious disease  protective and preventive measures to ensure your health and safety. We think of everything, so that you only need to focus on the things that matter most  - Your health and happiness!  

S. Superior Quality is guaranteed through our rigorous hiring process to make certain that only the best home care aides make the cut! We are committed to compassionate, nurturing, and conscientious care for every single one of our clients. Our screening process was designed to ensure complete safety and satisfaction of our clients and their families. 

As you can see, our goal is not to be just another In-Home Care services company, but to set ourselves apart as your true partner in care. We take every measure to make the process of in-home care an outstanding experience. Reach out to us today to discuss how we can exceed your expectations, and help you live every day your own way!

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Zoom out of Gloom - Part 3

Welcome back to the Tech Lounge, a welcoming space for people of all ages to learn and enjoy the wonders of technology! We are going to set you up with the next installment of our “Zoom out of Gloom” series which will guide you in downloading Zoom on your iPhone or Android smartphone! Sometimes, it can be hard to venture into the new and unknown, and while phone calls and letters are always a great option, the ability to video chat with others is something that is truly special. 

It is time to grab a cup of tea, stretch, pat yourself on the back and settle into our next steps on getting Zoom up and running! This section is simply a way to make Zoom work on your cell phone or tablet! 

If you have a tablet, you can use these steps to download Zoom on your tablet as well! If you have an iPad you will want to use the instructions for the iPhone, and if you have a different tablet that runs Android go ahead and follow the Android  steps!

To download Zoom on your cell phone or tablet, go to your built in App Store and install the application. Then, open the newly installed app and sign in!

If you have an iPhone, your App Store is called “App Store”. Click here for our video with simple step-by-step instructions on how to install Zoom on your iPhone.

If you have an Android phone your App Store is called “Play Store”. Click here for our video with simple steps on how to install Zoom on your Android smartphone.

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Zoom out of Gloom - the Sequel

Get your seat belt on as we set up you up with simple steps to get your first video meeting underway! We will show you how easy it is to download Zoom to your computer and get you started on your first video call!

Technology can truly give us so many options, whether it is a video chat with your grandchildren, or an online pet store for all of your cat’s needs, and we are here to help you embrace it! In the last segment in our Tech Lounge series “Zoom out of Gloom”, we showed you how to sign up for your very own Zoom account! 

Click here to see our video if you still need to sign up for a zoom account. It’s free and simple to use. 

This week, we are going to get you up and running with Zoom! If you have been following this series, then I am sure that you are getting that tingling feeling right about now for this final act. Get your seat belt on as we set you up with the simple steps and get your first video meeting underway! We will show you a simple step-by-step example of how to download Zoom to your computer.

We look forward to hearing from you about how you are using Zoom! Send us a message or comment on Facebook! Remember my grandmother from our last “Zoom out of Gloom” article? She did not have any interest in picking up a tablet, but she wanted you all to know that she followed last week's steps on signing up for Zoom and she is so proud that she did! She wants you to know that if she can do it, then you can too!

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Thrive! Concierge Service

Cloverleaf Care’s Thrive! Concierge Service bridges the gap for those independent seniors who require just a little assistance to thrive in place! With no minimum requirements, you can use the service when you need it...

Even simple things can get just that bit harder as we age. The more sedentary and stressful of a lifestyle that we have lived, the more it takes a toll as the years advance. We miss the activities we used to once enjoy and the social interactions that added such color to our lives. But it does not have to be that way. 

We can still enjoy some gourmet meals, go for a walk in the park, enjoy a refreshing oceanside drive, visit the salon and enjoy some soothing self care, work in the garden, keep an active social calendar and continue to be engaged in our community, enjoy some companionship and talk about our memories while leafing through an album, or just talk about anything! 

All we sometimes need is just a little support from an understanding heart that can keep us active, safe, well  and socially engaged, while at the same time maintaining and even enhancing our independence.

Cloverleaf Care’s Thrive! Concierge Service is developed to deliver precisely to those needs and enable you to continue to live and love in the community where you have built your cherished memories. Our concierge service bridges the gap for those independent seniors who require just a little assistance to thrive in place! Our entire focus of this program is to support a longer and healthier lifestyle and enhance the quality of life of independent seniors wherever they call “home”.

If you are someone who is able to live independently but could use some occasional assistance with outside chores, errands, doctor’s appointments, dialysis visits, therapy appointments, maintaining a good nutrition program, staying active, keeping your social engagements or staying engaged with others and enjoying a high quality of life, then our concierge service is the right fit for you. 

There are no minimum requirements and you can use the service when you need it. It is the most flexible service brought to you by the same company who’s In-Home Care service has received the highest reputation in your area!

Would you like to continue to enjoy your independence and experience a higher quality of daily life with just a little help when you need it? Then call us today and ask us about our Thrive! Concierge Service.

The list of services includes the following:

Companionship

Play games, do hobbies and activities together

Doctor’s visits and medical, dental appointments

Visit church services, attend spiritual groups and events

Meal planning for wellness and good nutrition

Errands like going to the bank, grocery shopping etc.

Keep your daily schedule and living environment organized

Walk therapy - walk around the neighbourhood, to the park etc.

Talk therapy

Go for physical activities such as yoga, swimming, pilates and other exercise programs

Weekly event planning tailor made to your taste (socially distanced safe activities only)

Social interactions - planning a weekly activities calendar.

Visit local support groups 

We are continuously adding more services to our Thrive! Concierge Service program!

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A “woof-woof” and a “walkie-walkie”

As you may recall from our “Mint Tea and Exercise” blog, here at Cloverleaf Care we are big fans of making “fun” and “exercise” one and the same. Yes, you read that right! Just like you, we don’t want to get caught up in an exercise routine that is two parts boring and one part exhausting. We invite you to explore activities until you find something you love doing!  But what happens when your favorite activity partner needs more attention than you anticipated? Perhaps that activity partner just so happens to have four legs and a tail? Pets can be a wonderful part of our lives and our families, and we want to help connect you with ways to care for your pets! This will ensure many active days to come for you both!

Take Bob and Sally for example. They walk together with their dog, Sawyer, every morning and every evening. These days they have been walking wearing masks. Their walking route includes 3 homes that have beautiful roses in the front garden. This is their own way of indulging their love of roses, since they no longer have their own rose garden - it was getting to be too much for their age. 

Sawyer, their dog, is a scruffy grey and brown terrier mix whose personality is far bigger than his 15lb body. Bob and Sally are constantly getting after Sawyer for nudging his way into the pantry, or pulling a sock out of the hamper. Sawyer is actually eleven years old himself, but he has always had the heart of a puppy. Bob and Sally find Sawyer a wonderful exercise companion, even when the weather is a bit cloudy, or Bob and Sally would really rather just sleep in. Sawyer shows up by the door wagging his tail and watching with expectant eyes. They often sigh and smile to themselves as they put on Sawyer’s harness and leash. Sawyer also loves playing with his rope toys and toy balls and can convince Bob and Sally that there is nowhere better than their back patio, throwing the ball and watching Sawyer never tire of bringing it back to them. 

As wonderful as it is to have a daily activity companion and infinite companionship giver, Sawyer is at times more of a handful than Bob and Sally can manage on their own. Thanks to the help of Cloverleaf Care’s concierge services, online pet stores, and their granddaughter Veronica, Bob and Sally are able to manage and provide for all of Sawyer’s needs. Since Bob and Sally do not drive, they use Cloverleaf Care’s concierge services for the monthly pick up for Sawyer’s arthritis medication, and ensuring that Sawyer has a ride to all of his veterinary and grooming appointments.

Covid has created so many complications in all of our lives, and for Bob and Sally, their access to pet supplies suddenly became a challenge. For such a small dog, Sawyer sure eats a lot of food and treats (And he won’t settle for just any old biscuit, it must be the peanut butter Buddy Biscuit!). They also love enriching Sawyer’s curious and sometimes mischievous little mind with puzzle toys. Bob and Sally have been doing a lot more online shopping these days and  www.chewy.com is a favorite. This website is a great resource for any pet, dogs, cats, and more! Bob and Sally even found that they could order medications from this site, and Chewy will work with their veterinarian to approve the prescription! Depending on the medication, whether it’s heartworm preventative or antibiotics, Bob and Sally also enjoy doing some price comparisons on https://www.1800petmeds.com/. They’ve actually found that medications can be far cheaper online than through their veterinary office! All of their troubles are worth it to receive the unwavering love, licks, and tail wags of their little scruffy dog. 

Last weekend as Bob, Sally and Sawyer were taking their evening walk, Sally couldn’t help but smile to herself, grateful for their little activity partner and lifelong friend. Enjoying a pet is just one of the many activities that can keep us healthy and active. We are huge fans of celebrating yourself and the accomplishments you make every single day. Did you try some new stretches? That’s fantastic! Did you plant some rosemary in your window? Wonderful! Any step towards activity and wellness is worth celebrating. It’s all about finding something that works for you, something (or in Sawyer’s case, someONE!) that makes you smile!

Do you have a favorite exercise? Share with us via email or on facebook - perhaps someone out there will be inspired and motivated and make your favorite exercise their own!

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Once upon a Pond...

I have worked for many years in operations at Cloverleaf Care. My primary duty is to ensure that each and every client has a kind caregiver whenever they need care. Looking back at my time in this role, a particular client comes to mind. Charles, a long term client with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS for short, needed frequent and intensive care. You see, Charles was in the later stages of this progressive neuro-degenerative disease and he could no longer get out of bed or bathe on his own. Through his long-term care insurance, Charles was only allotted a certain amount of caregiver coverage per week.

I arranged for his care to be provided each morning and evening  - the caregivers would get him up and out of bed in the morning, help him with his morning routine, and prepare a fresh breakfast for Charles.In the evening the caregivers would get Charles ready for bed. As his illness progressed, he could no longer get out of bed, so bathing and turning him was an essential part of Charles’ daily care. It is hard to understand what it must be like for clients in similar situations. Many of us take our ability to clothe, bathe, and feed ourselves for granted. For Charles, relinquishing this control was challenging. He was a strong, opinionated, and passionate man. It was not easy for him to see his body changing as his disease progressed. At times, Charles would understandably become frustrated by his inability to do the things he wished he could do.

My job is both demanding and rewarding. When I set out to pair a client with a caregiver, I try to take the client’s every need and preference into consideration so that I am able to match them with an ideal caregiver for their situation and personality. At times, it was difficult to find coverage for Charles for a variety of reasons. He lived in an area that was remote and thus far for most of our caregiving staff, and the hours he needed care was difficult to match.

When Charles’ health began to significantly decline, his family had to make some very difficult decisions of what to do next. Charles was coming close to his final days and needed a lot more nursing than could be provided at home. Ultimately, the family decided to take Charles to a long term nursing facility.  His favorite caregiver Martha  was with Charles when the ambulance came to pick him up. When Martha called us later with a report for the day what she said  hit me hard and made me realize why I love working in healthcare—specifically home care. Charles lived on a property with a large pond.  He had asked the ambulance drivers to leave the door open and slowly drive around the pond, because he wanted to take one last look at his beloved pond. Charles knew that he would not be back, so his last wish was to enjoy this familiar view. The ambulance drivers did just that and Charles was able to see his pond one last time.

Charles passed away a few days after he arrived at the nursing facility. I attended the funeral and I was touched by the speeches and outpouring of love for Charles. As I walked around and looked at all the picture boards of beautiful memories, and admired the amount of people in attendance, I knew I was right about Charles. Although some may have at times considered Charles a difficult man after his ALS diagnosis, Charles was difficult because he could not control much, and what he could control he wanted to do so without compromise.

How wonderful it is to recognize the reason some people may be perceived as difficult, and show them unconditional patience and understanding. I smiled at a photo of Charles, remembering fondly his quirks and enthusiastic personality and how often he would make us smile and laugh.I felt a rush of gratitude for being one of the people to help make Charles’ days the best they could be.

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Creating a free zoom account

Signing up for Zoom is as easy as 1,2,3,4,5! 

Watch our video above, or if you prefer reading, simply follow the steps below -

Go to www.zoom.us and click the orange button: “Sign up, it’s free” in the upper right hand corner. 

Enter your Date of Birth

Type in your email address 

Zoom will send an email to your email address called “Please Activate your Zoom Account.” Go to your email and click the link. 

You are doing great! Type in your account info for Zoom such as first and last name and password. Don’t forget to write it down so you can remember later! 

Keep an eye on our blog to find more fantastic easy to follow tutorials to get you connected through technology! We know you can do it, and we’re here to help!