Handy Helpers Elderly Care Brochure How do I know when I might need a carer? Many people find that as they get older, everyday tasks may become a

little more difficult & that some extra help would go a long way.

There are many signs that you or a loved one may benefit from a carer

and here are some things to look out for:

• Is assistance required for physical tasks such as walking,

dressing, getting in and out of bed or the bath and is there a

decline in vision or hearing? Can errands be managed alone?

Have there been any recent falls?

• Has there been an emotional or medical crisis? Is there weight

loss, disinterest in eating, washing or changing, forgetfulness or

problems with sleeping?

• Is a disinterest shown in social activities, less involvement in

conversation or the leading of a sedentary or solitary lifestyle?

• Are there physical signs such as lack of cleanliness around the

home, burnt cookware or burn marks?

Remember that a Handy Helpers consultant will be able to discuss

these, and any other worries that you may have, enabling peace of

mind that the best solution is found. Why choose home based care? The principal objective of home care is the provision of support to

enable people of all ages to be cared for in the comfort and security of

their own homes for as long as possible.

This enables individuals to live full and independent lives, enhancing

dignity, quality of life and “freedom-of-choice”.

People in need of care are often happier, healthier and recover from

illness faster when living in the comfort and privacy of their own

homes.

Unlike being cared for in an assisted living facility, home care provides

for personalised and flexible services. Care can be customised to meet

each individual’s unique health care requirements, whilst being

sensitive to their emotional well-being.

10 reasons to choose Handy Helpers Home Care 1. Affordable agency fees We pride ourselves in providing quality

home care services at affordable rates.

2. Agreement guaranteeOur agency guarantee provides you with

peace of mind that we will find the right candidate for your family.

3. Simple & efficient application & assessment procedureSelecting

a care provider for a loved one can be a complicated and time-

consuming task. We undertake to make the process simple. By

identifying the particular needs of your family we will be able to

provide you with a care worker whose qualifications, personality and

experience best fit in with your family structure.

4. Flexible services designed to meet your exact

requirementsWhether your needs be short term, respite,

convalescent or long term, live-in or live-out, we are dedicated to

finding the right solution for you.

5. Leading providers of high-calibre staffOur reputation for

excellence has been built on our commitment to our clients and on

the quality and reliability of the candidates whom we recruit.

6. Thorough quality control measuresWe continually strive to

ensure that all of our clients needs and expectations are being met.

7. Comprehensive candidate recruitment proceduresAll of our care

staff undergo thorough screening and selection procedures. Our

background investigations include personal interviews, checking

employer references (a minimum of two), and may include medical

reports and Garda vetting clearance.

8. Expert advice on current labour lawsOur consultants can provide

you with expert advice on the latest labour laws.

9. Our professional associations We are members of the NRF, My

Family Care and Green Achievers.

10. Professional & friendly management staff here to help you

We offer you a personal service where we listen to your needs and

work as a team to make sure you get the service you want.

Advantages of home based care • Home care provides for one-on-one care and support.

• Home care keeps families together.

• Home care allows families to maximise their time spent

together, without having to worry about the personal care

duties and errands that need to be carried out.

• Home care provides respite for family members in need of

assistance.

• Home care promotes recovery.

• Evidence confirms that patients recover from illness faster when

living in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

• Home care is less expensive than other forms of health care, and

can be tailored around each family’s needs and budget.

• Home care promotes “freedom of choice”.

• Home care gives a patient an alternative to an assisted living

facility, allowing them the opportunity to live in the familiarity of

their own home and in the community in which they are

comfortable.

• Home care allows patients to be in control of their own daily

schedule.

• Home care allows patients to enjoy home cooked meals and

their own preferred foods.

Type of care available ADL (Activities of daily living) assistance

Our caregivers are here to provide support and assistance when you

are in need of help with basic activities of daily living, removing some of

the worry and responsibility of having to cope on your own.

Companionship

Companions give clients the freedom to live independently, to plan

their own schedule around their own needs, to relax and enjoy life

knowing that their health and wellbeing is being taken care of.

Companions also provide for social interactions helping alleviate

loneliness and are available to accompany clients to appointments, to

visits with friends, on walks, to the movies or to the shops and can also

read to and play board games with clients.

Whatever the client feels like doing, companions will be able to

provide for, unlike being cared for in assisted living facilities where

the client needs to follow the facilities routines.

Health and nutrition

Exercise and a balanced diet are essential for good health. Poor diet

can have an injurious impact on health, causing heart-threatening

conditions such as obesity and metabolic syndrome and common

chronic systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and

osteoporosis.

Many common health problems can be prevented or cured with a

healthy diet and balanced lifestyle.

Caregivers are trained to manage your recommended dietary

and exercise programmes, keeping you healthy and feeling good.

Housekeeping

Your caregiver can help with the smooth running and daily man-

agement of your domestic chores such as cleaning, tidying, bed-

making, laundry, liaising with tradesmen, answering the phone, taking

messages, meal preparation as well as household amenity control

(including stock taking, list making, ordering and purchasing).

They may also run errands and walk the family dog. Our caregivers are

here to help, no matter what your needs. Your caregiver’s duties can be

tailored around your requirements, helping make your life as easy as

possible.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Dementia is the progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage

or disease in the body beyond what might be expected from normal

aging. Affected persons become disoriented in time, place and in

person.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.

The most recognised symptoms are memory loss, confusion, irritability

and aggression, mood swings and language breakdown, leaving a

patient and their family with an extremely stressful and emotional

challenge.

A caregiver can help delay the onset or reduce the severity of this

degenerative disease through mental stimulation, exercise and

implementation of a balanced diet. Through support and guidance, the

Handy Helpers team provides a caring and understanding

environment in which to help the whole family through these tough

times.

Palliative care

Being diagnosed with a terminal illness can be an extremely

difficult realisation to accept for patients and for their families, and

involves complex and immense physical, psychological, social and

spiritual problems.

It is essential to provide a safe way for the patient to address their

physical and psychological distress. Usually, a palliative care patient’s

concerns are pain, fear, loss of independence, worries about their

family and feelings of becoming a burden on others. While some

patients will want to discuss psychological or spiritual concerns, others

will not. It is thus very important to assess each individual and his or her

family’s need for this type of support.

Handy Helpers will work alongside your palliative-care team, striving to

prevent and relieve suffering and to improve quality of life.

Disability care

Whether a patient suffers from a physical impairment or mental

disorder, our caregivers enhance self-determination and self-respect by

providing individualized care and support.

At-home support allows for one-on-one assistance.

Some patients will require assistance with identified aspects of daily

living (such as helping with transport, mobility and exercise routines),

while others may require full 24-hour support (such as

assistance with housekeeping, laundry, cooking, bathing and toileting,

grooming and dressing, medication administration and emergency

monitoring).

Whatever your needs, the Handy Helpers team is here to provide

tailored solutions. Our goal is to empower physically and mentally

disabled individuals to live full and independent lives, in the

comfort and familiarity of their own homes. How can we help?

At Handy Helpers we will provide you with a care plan tailored to suit

your unique needs & our carers will be able to provide a wide range of

assistance, including:

• Conversation, companionship & recreational activities.

• Exercise routines.

• Preparing meals, planning menus & offer a healthy, balanced

diet.

• Running errands, grocery shopping & planning household

amenity requirements.

• Supervision & organization of household admin such as post,

bills, etc.

• Housekeeping & laundry.

• Medication reminders & assistance.

• Bathing, grooming & dressing assistance.

• Mobility assistance, transferring & positioning.

• Toileting & incontinence care.

• Feeding assistance.

Mission Statement Through networks and interactions with the community we strive to become accessible to all sincere home care staff.

To carefully identify each client’s unique needs, and to respond to these needs with care staff who are best suited (both

professionally and personally) to fit in with the client’s family structure.

To at all times respect the values, rights, dignity and confidentiality of our clients and candidates.

To build long term relationships with our clients and candidates by ensuring that the quality and reliability of our services are upheld.

Contact details Phone

JHB: 011 805 9057 CPT: 021 975 3318

Website www.handy-helpers.co.za

Address Johannesburg

9 Hofmeyer Place, Vorna Valley, Midrand, Johannesburg Cape Town

8 Bethanie Street, Sonstraal, Durbanville, Cape Town Advice and information herein provided is intended solely as guidance and is provided “as is”, without any endorsement or representation and without warranty of any kind.