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TCG BLOGIVERSARY: FORTUNATE FRIDAY

May 25, 2018

Graphic: TakingCareofGrandma.com 1 year Blogiversary Thankful Thursday - spotlight on Ostomy Care Center, Inc.

In today’s Fortunate Friday post, I want to shine the spotlight on a local business that has had a great impact on my caregiving journey with my grandma. That business is the Ostomy Care Center here in Kansas City.

Photo: Boxes of colostomy suppliesMy grandma has had a colostomy for almost three years now. She had her first colostomy in November 2013, which was reversed in February 2014, due to diverticulitis. She had her second colostomy while in the hospital in June of 2015. I have been supporting her navigate her journey of living with an ostomy.

When you have an ostomy of any kind, you have to get supplies to maintain it on a regular basis. There’s no way I could help my grandma with her colostomy without the Ostomy Care Center.

The OCC offers ostomy supplies and wound care and urological care products at wholesale prices. While the home health agency would be content to hand you a catalog and figure it out yourself, the staff at OCC personally help you figure out what you need. If they don’t have it, they’ll get it for you.

They always answer the phone and respond to emails. They are open on Saturdays so you can get what you need outside of the typical 9-5. They can ship supplies directly to customers who are unable to get to their storefront. They have even offered to deliver my grandma’s supplies in times of desperation.

Steve and Jen are super courteous and helpful and they always ask how we’ve been doing. They truly care about their customers, which is hard to find these days.

They always listen non-judgmentally to what’s going on and answer any questions I have as my grandma’s caregiver. They have provided us with tons of information to help us manage her colostomy. Steve personally offered to walk me through changing Grandma’s bag. They have been in business for over 40 years, so I know that I can trust them with my grandma’s ostomy.

I sincerely look forward to seeing them every month when it’s time to pick up her bags.

Recently when my grandma was getting home health after a hospitalization, the HH nurse said they’d be ordering her ostomy stuff. I pitched a big fit! I told them that going to the OCC was my emotional support! Did they want to rob me of that?!

Dealing with my grandma’s colostomy freaked me out at first and can be very stressful at times. Thanks to the support and coaching of the OCC, it’s been a manageable part of life for my grandma. They have truly been a lifesaver.

 

Hats off to Steve and Jennifer at the OCC! We’re so blessed to have you along for this ride! Here’s to old fashioned customer service and good people.

Visit the Ostomy Care Center online at ostomycarecenter.net

Logo: Ostomy Care Center, Inc.

· Blogiversary, Managing Healthcare

The Alzheimer’s Odyssey: Getting the Diagnosis

May 8, 2018

Graphic: image of a map with healthcare icons along dotted path; in the middle is a red X and the rest of the path has question marks

My grandma has Alzheimer’s.

It took a year of appointments and interactions with a multitude of medical professionals to confirm what I had seen play out before my own eyes for almost two years. [Read more…]

· Managing Healthcare, Uncategorized

Navigating the Journey Together: #OstomyDay2017

October 7, 2017

There are millions of Americans out there with ostomies and my grandma is one of them. Today we are showing off our Ostomy Awareness Day stickers we received from Hollister.

My grandma has had a colostomy for over two years now. She had the first colostomy in November 2013, which was reversed in February 2014, due to diverticulitis. A little over a year ago, she had her second colostomy while in the hospital. I have been supporting her navigate her journey of living with an ostomy.

Check out this infographic by United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA) that shows the basic facts about ostomies.

http://www.ostomy.org/Ostomy_Awareness_Day_2017.html

Today is also about recognizing all those who have helped us along the way.

There’s no way I could help my grandma with her ostomy without the KC Ostomy Care Center. They are super courteous and helpful and they always ask how we’ve been doing. They always listen non-judgmentally to what’s going on and answer any questions I have as my grandma’s caregiver. They have provided us with tons of information to help us manage her colostomy. They always answer the phone and respond to emails. They are open on Saturdays for off hours needs. They have truly been a lifesaver. They have even offered to deliver my grandma’s supplies in times of desperation. I look forward to seeing them every month when it’s time to pick up her bags.

Having an ostomy is scary at first and at times, but with the right support and proper care, it’s a manageable part of life for my grandma.

· Managing Healthcare

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth: United Healthcare AARP House Calls

July 5, 2017

Photo: Blue totebag reads "House Calls" - given to Grandma last year when the United Healthcare nurse came out for her first visit | takingcareofgrandma.com

The @aarp @unitedhealthcare House Calls nurse came by last month and said she could see Grandma was being well taken care of. If your loved one has an opportunity for a nurse to come check on them, even if it’s just once a year, I highly recommend it.

Photo: United Healthcare AARP House Calls mail | takingcareofgrandma.comAt first, when my grandma got the announcements in the mail, I just scoffed at them. I didn’t really see the value in something so ephemeral as an annual visit (Now I laugh as I see how quickly a year can pass!). However, after the first visit, I made a point of paying attention to the mail that comes from United Healthcare/AARP regarding her health care, because it turns out that sometimes it is actually helpful!

These House Calls are great, because since they are coming to see you, you don’t have to worry about other patients competing for the nurse’s attention. The visits are individualized. Even the scheduling of the appointment is customer driven. When I requested to be present as her primary caregiver and authorized representative, they rescheduled for a more convenient time.

Both of the nurses who came out were great. The minimum requirement for their staff is that they be a nurse practitioner, so you know the person who’s coming to your house is qualified. The nurse provides resources to learn more about issues and counseling on things that come up during the visit. The nurse can reinforce things that the doctor said or answer quick questions about things that are are going on (ie: my grandma had a rash, and she was able to help us find an OTC solution for it, as opposed to rushing off to the doctor). This time, the nurse who came happened to be a long-distance caregiver for her mother, so she naturally had a lot of good experiences and ideas to share with us. 

At the conclusion of their visit, they give you a form to hand to your doctor about things to discuss or take action on. 

Sure, being proactive and staying on your health is great and all, but the best thing about the House Calls might be the schwag! She got this collapsible tote bag (above) this year and the nifty tote bag pictured below last year . Both times, they sent her a $15 gift card for Wal-mart afterwards just for completing the visit. 

Photo: Blue totebag reads "House Calls" - given to Grandma last year when the United Healthcare nurse came out for her first visit | takingcareofgrandma.com

 

This service is offered through United Healthcare’s AARP Medicare Advantage plan.

Learn more about it at https://www.aarpmedicareplans.com/health/uhc-house-calls

 

· Managing Healthcare

#ManicMonday: Managing Grandma’s Medications

July 3, 2017

Banner: Reads Managing Grandma's Medications | takingcareofgrandma.com

As we get older, sometimes we require medication to help with health issues. Medication can be intimidating, especially if you are not used to taking it yourself.  I even have trouble remembering to take prescriptions when the doctor gives it to me. Unfortunately, when you are responsible for another person, especially one that has serious issues like a heart condition or chronic pain, forgetting about medicine is not an option.  [Read more…]

· Caregiving Like a Boss, Managing Healthcare

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