We’re very excited to announce the sale of a new franchise covering in the Austin, TX, area to Mark Stroinski.  

This franchise, which will be based in Cedar Park, TX, is home to more than 50,000 seniors and includes the municipalities of West Lake Hills, Lakeway and Northwest Hills.

Mark brings to his franchise not only a great set of business management skills, but he has also had personal experience taking care of a senior loved-one. He is an enthusiastic entrepreneur and looks forward to bringing top-notch care and improved quality of life to the senior population residing in the Austin area.

“It’s a great privilege to be opening the new LivHOME franchise serving the Austin area. Having experienced first-hand the challenges of caring for an elderly loved-one, I’m a strong advocate of aging at home,” he says. To read more, click here.

For more information about LivHOME’s franchise program, contact Mickey Goldkorn at 323-932-1320 or visit the LivHOME franchise website at www.livhomefranchise.com.

“This growth comes from the strength of the LivHOME brand, along with the exceptional support provided to our franchisees. Great, large territories are still available throughout the country, and our dedicated, hands-on support team will ensure that every franchisee gets the level of attention that has fueled the success of the franchise program to date,” notes Mimi Zeller, SVP of Franchising for LivHOME.

In the latest article by Steve Barlam, MSW, LCSW, CMC on parentgiving.com, Steve  gives some tips to focus on the positive aspects of the senior’s life and make the holiday gathering a happy and cherished event for the senior.

This past weekend, Steve Barlam, MSW, LCSW, CMC, was interviewed on the David Solie BlogTalkRadio show. On the show, "The Aging in Place Dilemma: Outside Care in the Home," Steve discusses the different family dynamics and how to engage and partner with parents to provide for the best aging in place experience.

Around the holidays, families often come together and notice that things aren't as they always were. Steve gives 10 tips to help address the situation.

LivHOME Care Managers are experts in geriatric care and are available throughout the holidays to help families address the care needs so that the experience is a positive one.

LivHOME works closely with rehab professionals to enhance quality of life for seniors.

In the latest issue of Rehab Management, an article by Steve Barlam,MSW, LCSW, CMC and Gary King, CMC, "Rehab Professionals Play Key Role for Seniors," focuses on how rehab professionals can work to adapt seniors' living environment to their condition and limitations.

LivHOME can team with rehab professionals to conduct home safety assessments and ensure that the transition home is a smooth one.

We’re happy to announce the sale of 3 franchise territories to Chris Foster. The territories cover the greater Atlanta area, home to about 2 million residents and more than 150,000 seniors.

The combined Atlanta franchise, which is based in city of Atlanta, covers Barron, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, Rockdale and Coweta counties. It includes the municipalities of Atlanta, Buckhead, Marrietta and Sandy Springs.

Chris, a longtime Atlanta resident and seasoned entrepreneur, has purchased the LivHOME Atlanta office and will work to provide area seniors with the highest quality of professionally led at-home care. His Care Manager, Lennie Alsaybar, RN, will continue to provide superior Care Management services, to oversee the quality of care offered to clients. 

Chris first became interested in at-home senior care as a consumer, seeing the positive benefits private home care had for his father, who wished to remain in his own home as he aged. Chris explains:

“Seniors work hard all their lives for the homes they have and 90% prefer to stay in their homes for as long as possible. I want to give Atlanta-area seniors that gift through LivHOME’s brand of professionally led, at-home care.”

For more information about LivHOME’s franchise program visit the LivHOME franchise website at www.livhomefranchise.com.

As the holiday season approaches, and festivities are under way, it's important to remember that "happy" times are sometimes the most difficult for families who are dealing with a loss, or anticipating a loss. LivHOME Care Managers' expertise can help families work through these difficult times.

In this new episode of The Senior Care Podcast by LivHOME, Steve Barlam, LivHOME’s Chief Professional Officer, addresses the topic of anticipatory grief, which can occur, for example, when a senior is suffering from a terminal illness.  He addresses topics including: how families can handle such situations and keep their sadness from impacting the last days with their senior loved one; what family members can do to help seniors in hospice care; ways to deal with holidays and birthdays, which can be difficult for seniors in these situations; and ideas for helping still-healthy seniors deal with sadness during holidays.

www.livhome.com/podcast

As Mike Nicholson, LivHOME's CEO, notes: "We are honored to have LivHOME included once again in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies. This is a testament to our longstanding commitment to deliver the highest-quality care to seniors who wish to remain safe and secure in their own homes. With the recent launch of our nationwide franchising program, we are now able to provide this same level of service to an even broader base of seniors and their families."

We are pleased to announce that LivHOME has won an Award from the National Mature Media Awards for our "How Can I Help You?" booklet.

This represents the 10th award won this year by LivHOME's marketing program. LivHOME has won 9 other awards in 2011 for marketing, advertising, web, collateral and PR work.

To learn more about LivHOME's professionally led home care model, visit www.livhome.com. To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit www.livhomefranchise.com. 

Those caring for seniors with dementia must pay attention to their own needs, advises Steve Barlam, LivHOME's Chief Professional Officer. Striking a proper balance in key areas can help.

In LivHOME's latest episode of The Senior Care Podcast by LivHOME, Helping Those Who Care for Dementia Sufferers, Steve discusses the challenges facing those who care for seniors suffering from dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. He suggests finding ways to balance caregiving efforts with the caregiver’s own needs in areas such as self care vs. care for the senior, safety vs. dignity, holding on vs. letting go, and doing it all vs. having others help out.

 “The cognitive decline of a loved one can be exceptionally painful for those family members serving as caregivers. In addition to taking on new, demanding duties, family caregivers grapple with the emotional conflicts that arise when longstanding roles change and their own personal needs are set aside,” Barlam says.

 He adds: “Caregivers must learn to strike a healthy balance between conflicting needs by setting aside time to care for themselves, bearing in mind the potential consequences of various choices, learning to let go of the way things used to be, and knowing when -- and how -- to seek outside help.”

 The episode can be found at The Senior Care Podcast’s homepage, www.livhome.com/podcast.