BrightStar Care of Cedar Rapids

Over the last several weeks and ongoing, we have looked at our "Caregiver's Favorites List" from orientation to find some of their favorite snacks or drinks and dropping them off at their shifts to show a small token of appreciation from us!
Our office and clients are so lucky to have so many people who devote their lives to caregiving!
If you're one of our staff members and haven't received your "thank you", the surprise it out of the bag as it will be coming😊
It's also such a plus to get to see our clients and hear their positive feedback on our caregivers💙💛

Today we remember all those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been forever changed by loss, injury, and sacrifice.

Thank you to all of the grandparents who showed us the importance of family, taught us traditions from the past, and surrounded us with unconditional love! Today we celebrate you. Happy Grandparent's Day!

Many factors can contribute to heart disease, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and being overweight. However, it’s never wrong to start learning how to improve heart health. Follow these tips for a heart-healthy lifestyle: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/heart-health-tips/

Our August Caregiver of the Month was Carmen!

it Great
The Right Thing
Open and Honest
with Passion
What You Say

Thank you Carmen for all that you do for your clients 💙💛

To all of the nurses and caregivers across the country who work hard to provide the best care for our clients – Thank You. You are truly changing lives, and we appreciate you today and every day.

Heather, our Business Development Manager became a Dementia Friend and Dementia Friendly Champion.
Dementia touches all of us in either a personal or/and professional way and this is an amazing way to learn more to be a dementia friend in the community.
As a champion, Heather will also be providing education to BrightStar Care employees to pass along this important information. We are so excited!
Thank you to the Dementia Friendly Iowa for the opportunity and the passion behind it💜💜

One of our quarterly in person nurse's meetings was held last week with Director or Nursing Stacy leading with topics relevant to updates in protocols, current census, coming up with ways for scheduling to be efficient, and any other questions or comments that come up. Attending last week were our nurse's Maria, Gloria, and Melinda.
Our nurses are in touch with each other, caregivers, clients, and office staff on at least a daily basis and generally more than once a day for good continuity of care. We're so lucky to have each and every one of them💙💛

Having a loved one experience dementia and paranoia can be heart-wrenching. That’s why we have created a guide to help you provide care and support. Learn more here: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/dementia-paranoia-connection/

Improve your or your loved one's heart health with these tips on eating healthy, exercising and managing stress: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/heart-health-tips/

Selecting someone to care for a family member at home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. Here are some aspects of care you may want to consider: https://www.brightstarcare.com/home-care-guide/how-to-choose-home-care/

Respite care is the provision of short-term relief to family caregivers. The time span of respite care can vary, and you may need only a few hours, but you might need more time recharge and spend time doing something other than caring for your loved one. Read this article to learn if you can benefit from respite care: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/what-respite-care/

Our Nurse Case Manager, Maria, led a CPR class for several of our caregivers this month.
Maria and our DON, Stacy, took a "Train the Trainer" CPR class last month.
Going forward, they will be leading our BrightStar Care of Cedar Rapids/Iowa City caregiver's CPR classes.

Our July Caregiver of the Month is Ashley!

it Great
The Right Thing
Open and Honest
with Passion
What You Say

Thank you to Ashley and all of our awesome caregivers!!

Talking about home care with loved ones can be tough. Get tips for having a productive conversation in our free home care guide. Learn more here: https://www.brightstarcare.com/home-care-guide/talking-about-home-care/

Elder care scam calls and texts target vulnerable older adults, exploiting their trust and financial well-being. Read this article and learn how you can protect your loved one from fraud: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/elder-care-scam-calls/

Not sure how to cover the cost of home care? Learn more about available options from long-term care insurance to Medicare Advantage. Learn more here: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/paying-for-in-home-care/

Today we celebrate the sweet land of liberty! May your day be filled with family, fun, and fireworks!

Veterans have performed an incredible act of service for our country, and they deserve to be treated with the utmost respect. If you have a veteran loved one, be sure to find them the proper care and support they need. Learn more here: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/care-veterans/

⭐BrightStar Skills Fair⭐
🔹 For 3 Days and options for morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate our caregiver's schedules, we held a small group, 5 section skills fair.
🔹It helped to update our caregivers on skills, processes, and the best part was getting to see them all in person in a short time😊
🔹 Maria our Nurse Case Manager led a session on:
✋ Proper Handwashing Technique
🤐HIPAA
🛑Client and Caregiver Boundaries
🎲Played a game related to her training

⭐BrightStar Skills Fair⭐
🔹 For 3 Days and options for morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate our caregiver's schedules, we held a small group, 5 section skills fair.
🔹It helped to update our caregivers on skills, processes, and the best part was getting to see them all in person in a short time😊
🔹 Stacy, our Director of Nursing led a session for:
🚽 Ostomy Bag Training - pre ostomy prep, emptying the ostomy, post ostomy clean up
💛Reassurance that our nurse's will come on site for any necessary training for the caregiver and client success

⭐BrightStar Skills Fair⭐
🔹 For 3 Days and options for morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate our caregiver's schedules, we held a small group, 5 section skills fair.
🔹It helped to update our caregivers on skills, processes, and the best part was getting to see them all in person in a short time😊
🔹 Gloria, one of our Full-Time Field Nurses led a session on :
🩺🤒 Vital Signs Training
🔹Blood pressure
🔹Temperature
🔹Pulse

July 4th activities and crafts are a great way of keeping the whole family busy and allowing them to express their creativity. 4th of July crafts can also be a form of therapy for seniors, helping them to keep their minds sharp and their hands busy. Get your 4th of July crafts ideas here: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/4th-july-craft-ideas/

⭐BrightStar Skills Fair⭐
🔹 For 3 Days and options for morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate our caregiver's schedules, we held a small group, 5 section skills fair.
🔹It helped to update our caregivers on skills, processes, and the best part was getting to see them all in person in a short time😊
🔹 Heather, our Business Development Manager, who is also an Occupational Therapy Assistant led the session on:
💪What a Home Exercise Program is and what it may look like prescribed from PT/OT
🙋‍♀️Demonstrating technique for following the written exercise program and asking from direction from a therapist, educated family member, or contacting the office with any questions
🛀Hand Care/Foot Care/General suggestions for assisting with bathing with our clients with dementia

⭐BrightStar Skills Fair⭐
🔹For 3 Days and options for morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate our caregiver's schedules, we held a small group, 5 section skills fair.
🔹It helped to update our caregivers on skills, processes, and the best part was getting to see them all in person in a short time😊
🔹Sarah our Customer Care Manager led a session on:
🌩️ Bad Weather protocols
💻 Documentation and our mobile documentation system

Skills Training Day 2

Join us in wishing all of the dads and father figures a very happy Father’s Day. We sincerely thank you for all the lessons you taught us and the values you instilled in us. Enjoy your day!

Our June Caregiver of the Month is Sherri!

it Great
The Right Thing
Open and Honest
with Passion
What You Say

Thank you to Sherri and all of our fantastic caregivers!!

Summer is in full swing and with it comes the long-awaited sunshine. While the sun can provide many benefits, it can also be detrimental to our health if we do not take care to protect ourselves. Read this article to get your sun safety tips. https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/sun-safety-everyone/

🎤Are you looking for a caregiver roll that allows you to work 1:1 with clients, build great relationships, and get paid weekly?
🌟BrightStar Care is looking for caring and compassionate individuals, who have experience, to join our team of the best and brightest homecare and facility staffing caregivers. As caregivers, we operate around the clock and have all different shift lengths and types available!
🙌Some great perks are:
Weekly pay
Flexible schedules
Paid trainings
Opportunity for growth
Reward programs

We are currently looking for:
💛Caregivers in the Linn, Johnson, and surrounding counties
💙💙Apply at: https://www.brightstarcare.com/locations/cedar-rapids-iowa-city/careers/apply-now/Or Search on Indeed for BrightStar Care Cedar Rapids for the caregiver position. We look forward to hearing from you!

Family caregivers experience burnout at an alarming rate. Get some tried-and-true tips for avoiding caregiver burnout from BrightStar Care. Learn more here: https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/tips-caregivers/

On this Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Their courage and dedication will always be remembered and honored

Explore essential insights for caregivers supporting loved ones with ALS, with tips from a BrightStar Care manager emphasizing preparation and ongoing support. https://www.brightstarcare.com/about-brightstar-care/resources/when-kindness-caregivers-meets-cruelness-als/

Let's come together today to celebrate and honor all moms and mother figures! Happy Mother’s Day! May your day be filled with cherished moments and surrounded by the love of your dear ones.