A Word From Ari:

Happy National Chocolate Day, also known as February 14th!

or for the Romantics among us, Valentine’s Day

Growing up, chocolate was very important in the Medoff household. My grandparents would bring Swiss chocolate each time they would visit us, and I remember the joy of trying different flavors of Lindt, Toblerone, and Frigor. The richness of these chocolates meant that I could not eat a lot of it, unlike M&Ms or many other American chocolate candies that seemed to be designed for us to indulge in quantity over quality.

Fast forward to a holiday party in our Durham office many years ago, a teammate of ours shared with me one of her grandfather’s sayings about eating dessert — “the best bite is the first one, and it’s all downhill from there.”

So what is it about chocolate that connects to our Arosa values? Much like European chocolatiers, at Arosa, we care deeply about quality.. For the nearly two-thirds of our caregiver teammates who are part-time with us,we treasure their contributions as much as if they were full time employees. One of our smaller offices, Inland Empire in California, won the most Caregiver and Client Satisfaction awards in 2023. A number of our clients need three or four hour shifts each day to enable them to live independently instead of twelve hour shifts, and we strive to honor those requests and make a huge difference in their lives.

As Steve Jobs famously said, “One home run is better than two doubles”.

I’ve tried to incorporate the quality over quantity ethos in many aspects of my life:

• My workouts will be shorter high-intensity 20 minute bootcamps instead of spending 40 minutes on an elliptical;
• I am getting pickier about the books that I read and putting down a book if I am not enjoying it; and
• As my travel to our offices increases and I am away from home more often, trying to be off my phone and email when I am with my kiddos, and always saying yes to that next game of ping-pong, basketball or Settlers of Catan (so long as it’s not past their bedtime!).

Let’s take this National Chocolate Day to focus on bringing our best to work each day. Let’s focus on the quality of the service that we provide. Let’s be like Swiss Chocolate – one taste and our clients know that they have chosen to work with the highest quality team.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Unless you are an Arosa Caregiver in the Southeast region and have thus far escaped the cold, many other Caregivers have experienced some dangerously cold temperatures with wind chills below minus 30 degrees in many parts of the central US in mid-January.  Even sunny California was hit with torrential rains and flooding in early February.   Whether you’re experiencing temps in the 30s, 40s, or 50s, frigid weather can pose special risks to your clients.  We’d like to share some advice for helping your clients avoid hypothermia — when the body gets too cold — These simple precautions will ensure their safety until the end of the winter season.

Hypothermia is generally defined as having a core body temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and can occur when the outside environment gets too cold or the body’s heat production decreases. Older adults are especially vulnerable to hypothermia because their bodies’ response to cold can be diminished by underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and by the use of some medicines, including over-the-counter cold remedies. Hypothermia can develop in older adults after relatively short exposure to cold weather or even a small drop in temperature.

Here are some signs of hypothermia when exposed to cool temperatures:

• Slowed or slurred speech
• Sleepiness or confusion
• Shivering or stiffness in the arms and legs
• Poor control over body movements
• Slow reactions
• A weak pulse

Here are a few tips to help older people avoid hypothermia:

• Make sure the home is warm enough. Set the thermostat to at least 68 to 70 degrees. Even mildly cool homes with temperatures from 60 to 65 degrees can lead to hypothermia in older people.
• Clients can wear long underwear under clothes, along with socks and slippers. Use a blanket or afghan to keep legs and shoulders warm.  If it’s really cold inside, wearing a beanie is helpful.
• If your client needs to go outside in the cold, it is important they  wear a hat, scarf, and gloves or mittens to prevent loss of body heat through their head and hands. A hat is particularly important because a large portion of body heat can be lost through the head. Wearing several layers of warm loose clothing helps trap warm air between the layers.
• A big safety issue in wintertime is falls. A caregiver can help prevent this common injury-causing scenario by keeping sidewalks and door entryways clear. Think of things that might tempt your client to go outside? The mail? Pets? Appointments? Be available to assist with these daily tasks while the weather is less than desirable.
• Avoid cabin fever by exercising indoors and encourage socialization by inviting friends and family over. “Brain” games such as word and number puzzles and simply reading the daily paper help maintain a sense of connection during the long winter months.

Keeping warm isn’t the only thing on your busy to-do list during the cold season. Ensuring a safe environment will lead to a happier winter for all.

Caregiver Quarterly Catch-Up

Congratulations to our ACE Winner, Lily Ayon from Orange County, California. Area Director Jackie Kim and Care Manager Hope Placentia surprised Lily at work.

Here’s Jackie’s winning nomination that earned Lily the prize:

Lily works with a client with advanced dementia and is the client’s source of comfort, care, and everyday normalcy. She is the only Caregiver that the client responds to, and she keeps her client active by going to cafes, walks along the beach, and rides on the trolley. Everyday, Lily makes a special effort to do the things the client used to enjoy including dressing up, listening to U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Lily Ayon embodies Arosa values through her work and is an example of how our caregivers help make the lives of our clients rich and fulfilling even through the struggles of aging.

Congratulations Lily. We appreciate all you do!

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PayActiv Transaction Fees Waived for March

PayActiv is instant access to earned wages. It allows teammates to access funds from hours worked in advance of payday, borrowed funds are then deducted from the next paycheck. Each transaction usually incurs a fee of $3.49, and for the month of March, the transaction fee for all Arosa teammates will be waived. 

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In honor of Black History Month, Care Specialist Helen Bynum from our Triangle office has shared an article that highlights the impact that Black community has had on the trajectory of America’s growth, culture, and prosperity.

I am glad I have a THERMOSTAT CONTROL to use with my AIR CONDITIONER UNIT (created by Frederick Jones). I dry my uniforms in my DRYER (created by George Sampson) and then use my IRONING BOARD (created by Sarah Boone) to iron them. I like to use my HAIR BRUSH (created by Lydia Newman) when getting ready for work. I can’t forget to make a PEANUT BUTTER (created by George Carver) sandwich and put it in my LUNCH PAIL (created by James Robinson). I used a FOUNTAIN PEN (created by Walter Purvis) to write out my bills to put in the MAILBOX (created by Paul Downing). Now on my way to work, I’m glad to go through the green TRAFFIC LIGHTS (created by Garrett Morgan). When I arrive at the Nursing Facility, I grab my STETHOSCOPE (created by Thomas Carrington) and badge. I take the ELEVATOR (created by Alexander Miles) to the third floor. After knocking on the door, I hear a voice say come in so I turn the DOOR KNOB (created by Osbourn Dorsey) to greet my client with a smile.

“We must never forget that Black History is American History. The achievements of African Americans have contributed to our Nation’s greatness.”

By Yvette Clark

Tips To Make Mealtimes Easier

Eating sounds like an easy task but many Caregivers have reached out asking for guidance with clients who have difficulty swallowing after a stroke or due to late stages of Alzheimer’s disease.  Chewing may become challenging.  Clients may feel nauseated from certain medications.   Or they simply might have little or no appetite.  Regardless of the reason, our Caregivers need to ensure that their clients get the nourishment they need to stay physically and emotionally healthy and remain as independent as possible.

Your Care Managers have prepared Care Plans that should be your first guidance as to how to approach your client’s needs.  Likewise, they are always available should you have any questions.  But here are some general pointers to help you make eating as pleasant as possible.

Perfect Posture

Position your clients so they are sitting up straight.  Reclining while eating increases the risk of choking. Cut food into small pieces and make sure the food is soft enough to eat.

Mealtime: a time to look forward to.

Mealtime often is a time spent with family and friends. Some might still have their spouse, but dinner time with their grown-up children might be rare.  

Take time to socialize with them.  Sit down with them. Talk to them, even if they don’t understand everything.  Avoid rushing through the meal.

Pretty Table

Flowers from the backyard in a vase can make a lovely difference. Or add a different table ornament daily that provides a topic of conversation. Think of a family picture or house trinkets. Don’t forget to check the temperature of the food and cut solid foods into smaller bites. Present what you are serving.

Take it step-by-step

For clients who can feed themselves but seem confused, provide them guidance. You might say “Pick up your spoon”. Now scoop up some mashed potatoes”. Serve meals in a consistent pace, way, and time.  Offer foods your client likes.

Give the play-by-play

For clients who need more help, identify each food as you offer it. “Here’s a bit of fish” or “Now let’s take a sip of water”.

Always encourage your clients to do as much as possible for themselves, But for clients who cannot feed themselves, here are a few best practices:

• Avoid forks
• Fill the spoon only half full
• Place the food on the center of the tongue with slight downward pressure
• Allow time for your client to chew and swallow each bite
• Vary food.  Vary food colors

Bon Appetit!

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Ask A Care Manager

Hello to our Arosa Caregivers. Like last month,  it’s a great honor to answer your questions and offer guidance and support. It is my goal to answer one question per newsletter as well as one during the Caregiver Quarterly Catch-up.

Caregiver Kathy asks:

What kind and how much information about our personal lives are we able to share with our clients? I want to make my relationship with my client personal but want to remain professional and not cross any lines.

Kathy, this is a great question.  

Be genuine and understanding of how your news and sharing affects others, like you would (or should) others we care about…..

We don’t want to be (1) unprofessional, (2) upsetting …..while still understanding that we are here to share in something special and it takes getting to know each other to make it work….   Here are a few pointers:

• Don’t share upsetting or super private information…
• Do share common interests and loves…
• Don’t share confusing or controversial things … but do share ideas and be open to discussing things together… lean less on your own opinions and more on learning new things about yourself and your client…

Do you have any questions? If so, send them to [email protected] with “Questions for Kirstie” in the subject line. If your question is published, we’ll send you an Arosa gift!

We are lucky to have you on our team! Congratulations for another year at Arosa!