We’re proud to see our Galesburg team featured in The Burg for the work they do every day to help seniors remain safe and independent at home.
In the article, Agency Director Katy Packingham shares how knowing a senior’s normal routine can help caregivers recognize when something isn’t quite right. From changes in hydration and medication habits to subtle shifts in behavior, those small details can make a big difference.
Katy also shares a recent example of how our team noticed a change in a client’s routine, helped her get the medical attention she needed, and found a simple way to encourage better hydration moving forward. It’s a great example of how consistent care, communication, and attention to the little things can help us better support seniors and their families.
Full Article
When caring for seniors it’s the small things that make the big difference. Agency Director of Caring Senior Service in Galesburg, Katy Packingham, took the time to talk about why knowing a senior’s routine matters.
“When you know a senior’s routine, you’re able to look for anything abnormal. It can mean many different things (weakness, not taking their medicine, etc…). Noticing these changes can help prevent hospitalization from health problems.”
Caregivers and families should watch for any “diversion from a senior’s usual routine. If they are flip flopping nights and days, whether they’re staying hydrated, taking their medications, going to the bathroom, etc… If these changes are happening in their routines, it might be time for intervention with a caregiver.”
Consistent caregiving helps identify these changes “because you have the same caregiver and/or team plus a supervisor visiting regularly. We specifically have open communication with the family about what is going on. The more we are communicating with them. The more the family and client are open with us. The more we can do to keep them at home as long as possible. Once we notice the changes we try to figure out where the issues are. We are all about preventive care.”
If you notice these changes in a seniors routine, “seek medical help. Make a doctor appointment. If you are one of our clients, we will make the doctor appointment for you.”
Recently Caring Senior Service in Galesburg had an experience with a client where they noticed a change in the client’s routine.
“We are already in the home. The daughter lives past Chicago. The client was not acting like herself. She was hiding pills and showing signs of weakness. Our caregiver called the supervisor who came and recorded the deviation. We thought she had a UTI. We took her to prompt care and got her a prescription. She doesn’t like to drink water. She really likes Stanley cups, so we got her a Stanley cup with water flavor packets. Now she carries it everywhere and is always drinking. Hopefully this will prevent a future UTI. We handled everything within 24 hours. The daughter was notified. The daughter was here this week and was commenting on how she’s drinking and needs her cup refilled with her special tea (water flavor packets).”
If you are interested in utilizing Caring Senior Service you can call them at (309) 228-4222 option 2, make an inquiry on Facebook, or go to their website https://caringseniorservice.com/galesburg/.
Packingham would like the community to know “for those who are caring for seniors with dementia you don’t have to worry about calling us. That is what we specialize in. We will work to find someone who can service you if we can’t. Let us assist you. We want to keep you in your home for as long as possible.”
For caregivers needing support locally Jennifer Chandler administrator in the office at Caring Senior Service recommends “VNA, Caring Senior Service, Alzheimer’s Association, Bridgeway, Thrive, and Gordon Behrents Senior Center.”