SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA
Mechell Vieira, owner of BrightStar Care of San Luis Obispo, a home care agency that also provides medical staffing solutions, in light of San Luis Obispo being named the “Happiest City in America,” educates families on being conscious of the mental well-being of ageing loved ones who have increasingly limited capabilities but remain the same mentally. “This relates to the ‘Happiest City’ news because it’s a big deal to be cut off all of a sudden from a community that’s so tightknit if the ageing person loses mobility or can no longer drive,” said Vieira, a second-generation San Luis Obispo native. “There is a very strong sense of community in San Luis Obispo.”
The idea that an elderly person is frail and unable to care for themselves, let alone their spouse, can be devastating to them. “They would no sooner ask for help from their grown children to care for their ailing spouse than they would have asked the government to give them free money when they were growing up struggling during the Depression,” added Vieira. “The changing labor laws have doubled and tripled the cost of care in the home and the money they had saved up goes out the door quicker than they ever thought it would.”
Furthermore, the homes of many elderly are marked with peeling paint and disrepair as they are often too tired to take proper care of the home and too proud to ask for help. “They can’t get to church or their house of worship, and they can’t get to the grocery store,” said Vieira. “Their children are too naive or unaware their parents are struggling. Their community clubs and organizations where they found joy are also now out of their reach.”
For these reasons, Vieira stresses that it’s important to learn who the elderly person is and who they once were. “I often counsel families dealing with dementia to love the person they are, and to not try and ram their past down their throat,” concluded Vieira. “Make sure you speak to them, not around them. Ask them for input in the development of their plan of care. Oftentimes how you phrase a question will dictate your success.”
About BrightStar Care of San Luis Obispo
BrightStar Care of San Luis Obispo provides quality home care, caregivers and medical staffing solutions to families and businesses in the San Luis Obispo County area. Its home care agency services include Alzheimer’s/Dementia care, companion care, personal care, child care and transportation services.
About the NALA™
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