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Welcome to the Caring Table. I am your host, Dianne Frana, where we gather for meaningful conversations and the life experiences that connect us all throughout the Lehigh Valley and beyond. At Caring Table, we believe every story matters and no one should navigate life's transitions alone. Each episode brings real conversations, encouragement, compassion, and practical insights for families, seniors, caregivers, and communities that support them.
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Thank you for joining us today. Pull up a chair. Take your seat at the Caring Table. Every voice matters and everyone has a place at the table. This is our eighth episode of Caring Table Podcast. Welcome. And today I feel the conversations we will have will touch many hearts. Our guests today that are joining us is James Sawada and Kim Emrich.
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They are from FirstLight Home Care. Kim is a business developer and James is the owner and also the coauthor of a book, Sassafras and Grandma Francis. It shares about a grandparent going through dementia Alzheimer's, which is one big umbrella. And that's our topic today. Today's episode will be aired for the first time on June 21st for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia.
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The extended daylight can sometimes disrupt their internal body clock, which helps regulate sleep, mood and daily routines. Longer evenings and later sunsets may lead to confusion, difficult falling asleep or staying asleep, greater agitation or restlessness. Sundowning changes in appetite, energy, or mood. So welcome Jim and Kim. Thank you for being on our podcast. I would like you to start and just tell us a little story about each of you and what brought you into the elderly care.
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Thank you. Thank you so much for having us. It's exciting to be here. I am fairly new to senior care. I was in corporate America for many years, and my mom got sick a few years ago and had to be on hospice, and I felt a little guilt not being in Vail before, and the people that did take care of her were so compassionate and caring that I just wanted to be part of it.
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And so I left my lifelong career and decided that it was time for a change. And, having a direct impact on somebody's life is just amazing. And just seeing how this whole community has been a wonderful experience for me so far. So a lot of people who are in the industry have a personal experience. It's relate back to which that leads me to Jim, that I know he does as well.
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So similar to Kim, I also have a different history that kind of led me here, and I spent over ten years in the dementia field, and it's a national work I did, and a couple of years ago, something kind of triggered me, and my wife and I wrote, a children's book on dementia that you talked about earlier, that unfortunately, both my parents developed dementia.
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So I'm also a caregiver or at least a giving care weekends and the coordinating care during the week for my parents. And through that experience, I came across home care. And I really, one of the caregiver was really great. And she took care of them like, almost like her family. And that made a huge difference, the compassion she had.
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And just really got to the point where, like, I think I like to start a home care agency of my own with that same kind of spirit. And I came across FirstLight home. Care to be the one that can deliver compassionate care, but also the program around dementia? That's kind of how that started and decided to do that in Lehigh Valley.
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Do you feel you focus on the dementia for your workers? Are you training them in that? A little more detailed? So the agency itself doesn't just focus on dementia. We maybe about 40% of our clients have dementia, but we do have a big, I guess, program around that. So we hire many of their caregivers already come with significant experience caring for someone with dementia.
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But we also do training both for caregivers and office staff is trained on our model, and caregivers will come in for all day training and part of that program is really about how to work with their remaining abilities. So many people know about the dementia, many people know about what they cannot do, but what we like to do is as a home care agencies, how can we work with what they can do at different stages of dementia?
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So whenever we work with them, we want our clients have their best day. When the caregivers come for the interview process, we ask them what their comfort level is with dementia. All timers, clients. And when we do set up an assessment to meet with a client, we ask them background questions to, to get a feel of their personality and then try to fit the caregivers up with the personality that would fit best for the client.
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And if they are, if they do have dementia and the caregiver has a comfort level with that, of course we flag that and make sure that their caregivers is placed then with with that client that has the dementia in working in special education and then coming to the elderly care field. I feel whether it was in special ed or with the elderly population, they can sense who genuinely cares and you're going to get a different reaction when they know that you care.
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A positive reaction, which I think is very important to have that compassion. My personal opinion is it's not something you're taught, it's something that is within you that a gift that you were given and to share. Yeah. So one thing that Kim and I often talk about too, is that caring for someone with dementia requires incredible patience. It's sometimes can be very stressful and only find someone who is very comfortable and almost enjoys, find joy in caring for these people.
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They tend to be very patient. And when they do get assigned to people without dementia, too, they're very patient and compassionate. And that's kind of what we know. This like you said, it's just something that's in them versus something that we can teach. I see that across the board. It brings everyone together, and it's comforting for the family to know that they can leave knowing their loved one spouse or parent are in good hands, and that's what you want them to be at peace with that as well.
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Another topic I want to bring up is Sassafras and Grandma Francis, the book. What inspired you to do the book? So part of the work I did, I spoke with many families who are caring for their loved one who has dementia, and I also went to some university to have an opportunity to kind of look at the brains of dementia clients do.
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And so it did different things, but I often had different families who are kind of having somebody just got dementia diagnosis and then just ask me about what they can do. Of course, I'm not able to give a clinical advice, but I often recommend it. Like here's a book that you can read about it that I really liked because I personally also read on different books on dementia.
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But then one day, sometimes people talk about the impact it has on their children or grandchildren. In this case, oftentimes somebody who is suffering from dementia, I couldn't find anything. And certainly the children don't react to explanations that work for adults. And I felt that was very important that we have some resource. So it became a little bit of, casual conversation my wife and I were having and one weekend trying to sketch it out to became a little bit more complex project.
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And hey, let's just make it really helpful for people. Just a little of ideas just ended up becoming a much bigger project for us. But and I'm glad that we took on that challenge, I believe it's a market that needed to be addressed because of my experience working in special ed, and mostly it was with eighth grade and younger.
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So the elementary level and it's important for them to understand, but to understand in their level. The book itself, which I did read and my great niece is actually have it because of my mom having all timers. Sometimes they'll be scared, not understanding, but it's coming to their level to them to understand. And I think it's very important to children to know that and know what is going on, isn't it's not how they used to be, and this is why they're doing it.
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And understand that concept and grasping it. And sometimes they may be afraid of being around people with it, or when they go to visit their grandparents with their in the memory care. And the other residents in this way, it I think it just shows them and prepares them for what is going on. So I often give this books away because, I mean, the really whole reason we wrote this book is to help those children.
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And we heard the feedback. They really helped their child or, grandchild makes us feel good that they did. And, you know, we donated to some libraries and things like that too. But, so I'm glad it's helpful. That's what's funny, is how it starts. A lot of times things start small, like just at your kitchen table, just in discussions, and it grows.
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I mean, I can say with the podcast, I felt meeting with families or loved ones of people who are aging and not knowing and they feel they're alone. And I'm like, somehow, how can I get the news out to them and make a difference and have open conversations so they know they're not the only ones? That's usually what's inspires.
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Yeah, yeah. Start small. Just an idea, right? Yes, yes. What do you feel is important when you're providing the care for the connection between the seniors and the families? What lessons is there for them to learn? You know, the family and understand? I think sometimes, especially when the family member is maybe a daughter or son, there's maybe a different city or maybe across the country, and their parents have dementia and they're very frustrated.
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It's important to teach them or let them know that it's not that they're not trying to do things, but they're really that their brain is deteriorating and they cannot function like they used to. So hopefully understanding that would help those, children to have a more realistic expectations about their parents. And then there's also not so much conflict, but more about, you know, time together, enjoy their time together instead.
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It's not that they're resisting the cooperation. They're not capable. Yeah. And they have to understand not having that ability and that it's changing. It's the circle of life, you know, to understand that. What do you find, Kim, when you're meeting? Because you do the home assessments. So what do you see that the either their children are the lumber and what they're going through, even the spouse understanding.
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Yeah, there's definitely different approaches. The children are very understanding of what their parents are going through and being and giving guidance and, and wanting to fill the needs that, that need to be done. Instantly. And then there's, the children that are frustrated and dealt under, they as adults are not understanding. My job, I feel, is to walk them through what we can, do for them and just help them age in place and, and give them the best life that they can in the current walk that they're in, aging in place.
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It's huge. It's one thing to focus on because when you do a change in their environment and their routine, it can go south fast, you know? So you want to be able to provide long term in a structured environment. Just adding some services on care as needed. So James, I know you have a product. Are we safe in touch 24 seven.
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And I would like you to share that, you know, with our audience and what it does while you're caring for their loved one or their parents. So Always in Touch is our proprietary program. We are able to watch our clients when we are there with them, but sometimes we are unable to be there. So with the approval of our client and the family place, this technology device almost looks like, Echo or Alexa for the Amazon.
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It monitors how clients are doing even when we are not there, and to kind of advise us as to, some of the risks that may have. And that way we can have a conversation with the families about, hey, maybe have your mom or dad looked at for this and, so we can provide a care in that level and just to make sure that that they're safe.
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So, for example, it monitors using the bathroom more often. There could be a sign that, UTI is on the horizon. So it the information gets sent back to our care coordinator. They're able to log that. They're experiencing some things that could be unhealthy and that they need to look into it now, does it will let them know if they're eating habits change.
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It does kind of monitor based on sound. So whatever we can pick up through the sound. So if there is a sound related to eating or just health related, it's only picking up the health related sounds and conversations. But if there's a conversation about eating or perhaps something around cooking and so on, that that would be picked up and then if there's if it triggers something important that would be flagged on that not eating live, refusing to drink all of those things.
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And it creates like a, a base to what their normalcy is and then goes from there whether or not their behaviors are changing. And that is, information that is given to the family to let them know. And that's a key, because that's where it does start of, of a decline, because sometimes dementia, Alzheimer's plateaus and then the change in behaviors.
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And then this way you could be aware in which behaviors and, and a different approach could be used for them as well. We are there caring for them during the day. But then we find out maybe mom or dad is up at night, maybe even sounds a little bit more unstable when they're walking. So we'll get that and they will be able to advise the family to, hey, like your mom is always up from this time to that time.
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And you know, she's sounds very unstable. And you might want to either have a neighbor check in or if you need to have us to go there, maybe we could do that just to have the conversation so that we can keep them safe, because the last thing we want is something that happens and maybe falls. And then the point Hospital also will try to avoid those.
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This is all doing a lot of physical awareness of eating habits, behaviors. But all this needs to be covered with compassion, how it impacts the seniors mentally and emotionally when they have the compassion coming from people, showing them that you know them, feeling that people around them they're surrounded by people who genuinely care, which is very important. That goes for the clients as well as the family.
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I feel like a lot of times in my case, I enjoy talking and meeting with the family to show compassion for what they're going through, too, given the experience that they're having with their loved one that's really struggling. So I just want them to know that we're there for them as well, to help them through it, to provide a safe haven for their family members, for for their parents to be there for them and to walk them through the experience.
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So if there is a child that is even out of state, I think this provides them just that extra level of eyes on, you know, to say, you know, that that were there watching them, they give them that extra care and peace of mind. You're giving them compassion as well. In support, which is so important. They're not sure where to go sometimes for things that are happening.
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They don't understand that they're not the only one going through this. And the more people that are there to help and guide them through, it helps them in the long run, both them interacting with their loved one or their parent and just in their daily function. Because this does go affect your life that you're living every day. And they can be very isolating both for both of them.
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So it's good to have a resource to help with the care that compassionate care. And as well as just having somebody that has the information and knowledge to help them through some of these circumstances that they come across right now. Speaking with compassion. Caregivers who have experience in dementia tend to be compassionate, but we also ask each one of the caregivers to write their we call it the heart or compassion statement.
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And the Kim has one to actually not just the caregivers. I have one their pledge to how they care of our clients in a compassionate manner, and we put them on the back of our badge. So each our individual statement so we remember why we are doing it, our why as to why we're doing that. So that right there is that's a nice support for the actual caregivers we all have face a bad situation or a bad day, and it's one thing after another.
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And just to read that reinforces which is that's a great idea. That's one of the caregivers wrote this statement. She wrote that my client is not giving me hard times. They are having hard times. Oh wow. Deep breath and smile. That's what she wrote. So, you know, that is that's beautiful though. Yes, yes. And it's the truth. Yeah, it's the truth.
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They're not giving us a hard time. It's they're having a hard time for someone whose brain is functioning. We don't understand what they could even possibly be going through. And sometimes saying, I learn from our caregivers how to be compassionate, reading their statements, too. So it's kind of nice to see all these statements. I think we all learn from each other, and that's where you have to be open.
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There's so much to learn and be willing every day to learn something new and learn from others. I know myself with residents or the students that I taught. I'd learn from them as well every day and you walk away with that positive attitude. What do you think makes you different from the other home care agencies that are out there?
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We are relentlessly pursuing the idea of the how to make our clients life best day, every day we serve them, whether that's bringing the technology we are home care agency first and foremost. We want to provide the dependable and the, you know, compassionate care to keep them safe. But we also want them to have a good time. And when we're there.
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So we're looking into different things that would give them pleasure too. So that's kind of our pursuit. That's what we try to do. And also purposeful that, you know, each of your caregivers, I feel, are there for a purpose because they've wrote their motto and their statement. We do a look on the inside, try to as much as possible that they have that deep care and compassion that they need.
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It's not just going and collecting a paycheck. It's having that compassion for others. Our care coordinators, too. I feel like they go above and beyond and they literally get excited over when they find somebody that has right, they get excited over finding that special caregiver that has those abilities and that connection, that has that connection. That's great. Yeah, I mean, it starts at the top with James.
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James is a very compassionate person. His heart is full. And I think all throughout the organization, that's what we're trying to present when we do go out there. And I do believe it's coming out and that's showing through. I want to create a safe space for them to flourish. Being compassionate. Yes. Yeah. So what is the takeaway that you would like the biggest takeaway from today for people to understand the message.
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We are an agency that have that compassion each and every day. They get to know how they're feeling and what we can do to provide the best care for them, not only physically but emotionally as well, that are caregivers can and do provide that type of service. I enter this area more out of, caring for parents and kind of like I wanted to fulfill what I wanted to do.
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So we are, like I said, kind of pursuing this idea of trying to make our clients their best every day. And then some of the things may not make a whole lot of financial sense, but we just try to do because that's what we want to do. So that's the kind of, agency we are. And separately, I know we also talked about the book and the children sometimes can be, you know, it's important for the children to understand what their grandparents are doing, and maybe their memory may fade, but, their love does not.
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So I hope that they'll take away and, be able to develop a great relationship with their grandparents despite their dementia. Right. And that that's a strong belief. I mean, my mom's neighbor and one thing she said to me, she has a hard time going to see my mom now going through it because she wants to remember the good, the time she had before.
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She wants to remember her helping her shovel snow and planting flowers. So sometimes people are at a different place, so we have to respect them at the place that they're at, but also for them to understand what the person is going through is important also, and that this is a disease. It's not their personality, it's they had traumas sometime in their life while they're going through dementia all the time, it may come to the forefront and understanding that.
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So make them aware whether it's positive or negative. There's always a why that is generating that behavior and triggering it. Your mom or dad may not be what you wish they were, but we will try to meet them where they are right now. Exactly and love them for who they are, who they are for this day. Well, thank you for coming.
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Glad you shared your heartfelt experiences and the message behind the book, Sassafras and Grandma Francis conversations like this remind us of how important compassion, connection, and honoring our seniors truly is. Thank you and we will be back with you next time. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Thank you. Until next time, take care of yourself and those around you.
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There is always a seat for you at Caring Table Podcast. Please let me know your thoughts and any changes we should make. Thank you for listening. Talk to you next time.
