Physical Limitations

After retiring from the Australian Army in 1979, Bob started a small handyman business to stay busy and help out the people in his neighborhood. Before long, however, he began working on larger and larger projects – full decks, complete kitchen remodels, garage additions. Within ten years, he was a full-scale residential builder with his oldest son as a partner in his company. His son became concerned about Bob’s well-being. It seemed to him that the years his father spent as a soldier and active construction worker were beginning to take a physical toll. At first, Bob simply had trouble standing up from his chair without a helping hand. He soon needed more help. His son, who had a family of his own, soon realized he couldn’t provide all of the care Bob needed.

Bob's family enlisted the help of Phyllis, a Right at Home caregiver. Phyllis arrives early several mornings a week. She waits outside of the bathroom as Bob bathes, just in case. Then she helps him get dressed by buttoning his shirt and tying his shoes. Bob loves it when she combs his hair and shaves his stubble with his electric razor. He says it reminds him of going to the barber on the Army base. Before she leaves for the day, Phyllis always gets Bob's mail and reads him the front page of the paper.

Right at Home provides numerous companionship, physical assistance, hygiene, and wellness services to Bob, including:

• Walking assistance
• Helping get dressed
• Positioning in chair when necessary
• Stand-by bathing/showering assistance
• Grooming
• Shaving with electric razor
• Safety supervision
• Cooking
• Reading aloud from books, newspapers and magazines
• Light housekeeping
• Range of motion exercises