The Fourth of July is here and it’s time to celebrate our country’s birthday! For many families, nothing is better on the Fourth of July (or really, any summer gathering), than a good, old-fashioned barbecue with all the fixings.

Your elderly loved one’s home may have been the prime location for all of the family gatherings over the years, and your aging parent may still want to host the annual gathering. But as your loved one has aged, you may wonder if having such a grand get-together is still feasible for your aging loved one. You might be concerned for their ability to host the event safely and without stress.

If your aging loved one still lives in her home alone, having a home care assistance team that can help her set up and prepare for a family gathering can be a great blessing. While family members can assist once the event begins, a home care assistance provider can help long before anyone comes over, making it easier for your parent to have the family over and celebrate.

Here are five ways a home care assistance provider can help with the party prep.

• Shopping. With any fantastic outdoor holiday barbecue, there has to be food. While we recommend having family and friends bring food offerings to share and reduce the burden of what your loved one has to create, your loved one may still have a favorite recipe she’ll want to contribute. Her home care assistance provider can help make sure she gets all of the ingredients she needs to make her famous recipe for the family.
• Decorating. A party is always more fun with festive decorations. Your home care assistance team can help make the home holiday-ready by stringing up lights, putting up flags, and cleaning up the home for guests.
• Baking/Cooking. Your loved one may need more assistance preparing her favorite dish now than she used to. She might need help following the recipe or chopping up items. A home care assistance provider can help her make her dish as delicious as it should be.
• Dressing. When the big day arrives, your loved one’s home care assistance provider can help make sure she’s dressed to impress – and dressed in clothes that reflect the occasion. They can also help her with daily routines such as combing her hair, applying sunscreen, and wearing weather-appropriate clothes.
• Cleaning up after. While family and friends will help with all of the immediate cleaning from the barbecue, it can bring peace of mind to know your loved one’s home care assistance team can help with any leftover cleaning such as taking down decorations or making sure the leftovers from the meal get enjoyed in the days to come (and then throwing them out when they’ve been in the fridge too long).

Don’t forget to take necessary precautions during the event. Here are a few tips for that as well.

• Make sure your loved one can get enough rest by having plenty of volunteers to help with the day’s chores.
• Keep your loved one away from the grill or any fire.
• Don’t shoot off any fireworks from home.
• Avoid too much sun and apply plenty of sunscreen throughout the day.
• Stay hydrated!

The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable home care assistance in Hoschton, GA, and the surrounding areas. Call (770) 965-4004 for more information.

We provide elder care in Braselton, Buford, Dacula, Duluth, Flowery Branch, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Lawrenceville, Oakwood, Sugar Hill, Suwanee, Barrow County, Forsyth County, Gwinnett County, Hall County, Jackson County, North Fulton County.

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Valerie Darling

Founder, Owner at Home Care Matters

Valerie was born in Miami, FL and after a few family moves, grew up locally in the Marietta, GA area.Valerie is the oldest of 4 (3 younger brothers).She is married and has one child.Valerie is the Founder, Owner and CEO of Home Care Matters.Valerie’s mom, Dee, is the inspiration and primary driver as the how and why the business was born.Valerie says, “My mom is never far from our thoughts.Mom was an integral part of developing and starting HCM before she passed away.Our goal is to stay true to her memory and continue to honor her with the love, values, and ethics she taught us.”

Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”

Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”

You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).

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