Local Families Turn to New Quiz for Guidance with Aging Parents

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) --01/11/2012 -- You just returned home from holiday break with the horrifying realization that Mom or Dad needs help. You kept quiet in front of your parents to not disrupt the good time, but when you got back home and settled into your routine, Mom's forgetfulness or Dad's clumsiness has haunted you. You and your siblings don't agree on the severity of the problem. You're panicked. Unsure. How are you supposed to know if Mom or Dad needs help and to what degree?

That's why Senior Helpers, one of the largest in-home senior care companies in the nation, has created Senior Helpers' Stay At Home Score quiz. It's a quick, eight question quiz adult children take to help determine whether their parents can live independently in their own home.

The quiz was created for Senior Helpers by Dr. John Bowling, a professor at Southern Oregon University and an expert on senior care and positive aging. After you take the quiz, you have a good indicator on whether Mom or Dad needs help.

"Aging parents may insist they're well enough to live in their own homes even if they're not," says Dr. John Bowling, senior care and positive aging expert, and creator of Senior Helpers' Stay At Home Score quiz. "I developed this quiz to give adult children a guideline to determine their parents' needs, whether they are self-sufficient, if they can live at home with help from an in-home caregiver, or if it's time to move them to a place where they can get round-the-clock care."

Senior Helpers' Stay At Home Score Quiz (http://www.stayathomescore.com)
(Below are two sample questions. There are five answers that range from Never to Always.)

1) Support - My parent has easy access to a caring support system of family and friends that he/she can rely on for daily assistance with physical, financial, and emotional needs. These family members and friends can provide this support willingly, without compromising their own daily lives and schedules.

2) Mobility - My parent is very mobile and can walk indoors and outdoors easily, without falling. He/she can get into and out of bed, chairs, showers and tubs easily, and can climb stairs without slipping or pausing. He/she can safely operate an automobile and navigate city streets and highways.
This story affects so many in your community because of the growing population of seniors who will need help as they age.

DID YOU KNOW?*
• More than, 10,000 people will officially hit senior status each day of the New Year (2012).
• 1 in 8 adults in America is a senior.
• The U.S population will add one new senior every 13 seconds this year.
• About 10,000 Boomers will turn 65 every day.
• This phenomenon will continue, every second and every day, for the next 18 years.
• The senior population (65 and older) in 2030 is projected to be twice as large as in 2000, growing from 35 million to 72 million and representing nearly 20% of the total U.S. population.

- U.S. Census Data

We are happy to provide you interviews with families in your community who took the quiz and got the answers they needed about their aging parents. We will also provide interviews with local senior care experts. Please help us tell your community about the quiz at http://www.stayathomescore.com. Also, feel free to publish the quiz.

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility.

The company has 300 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About Stay At Home Score Quiz
The national survey polled 335 Americans over age 55. Senior Helpers commissioned the Stay At Home Score Quiz, an eight question quiz adult children take to determine their parents' independency and self-sufficiency. The quiz was developed for Senior Helpers by Dr. John Bowling, a professor at Southern Oregon University and an expert on senior care and positive aging. The purpose of the quiz is to determine whether aging parents can live in their own homes independently, can live in their own homes with help of a caregiver or if they need to move to a place with round the clock care. Visit http://www.stayathomescore.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Senior Helpers Raises Fall Prevention Awareness

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/07/2011 -- The first day of fall traditionally marks Fall Prevention Awareness. One out of three adults age 65 and older falls each year, but less than half of those seniors talk with their healthcare providers about it. Falls have become a nationwide health problem - a problem that is largely preventable. That's why Senior Helpers, one of the leading in-home care providers for seniors in the nation, has highly trained caregivers who can help spot danger zones in and around seniors' homes and can help seniors move around their environment more carefully.

"Up to 30 percent of those who fall suffer injuries such as hip fractures or head traumas," says Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers. "Those types of injuries not only make it hard for seniors to live independently, but those injuries can sometimes be fatal. Our caregivers are there to provide families with the comfort that someone is watching over their senior loved one and helping make sure they're living in a safe environment."

Fall Prevention with Senior Helpers' Caregivers:
• Exercise Regularly – caregivers help choose activities that increase leg strength and improve balance in seniors, such as Tai Chi.

• Eye Check-ups – caregivers make sure senior loved ones have their eyes checked by a doctor at least once a year and have their eyeglasses updated as needed. A good tip: consider getting a pair with single vision distance lenses for activities such as walking outside.

• Safety Proof the Home – caregivers reduce tripping hazards in the home, make sure grab bars are installed in the tub/shower and next to the toilet, ensure stair railings are installed, and improve lighting throughout the home.

• Review Medications – caregivers have a doctor or pharmacist review medications/prescriptions to let them know what may cause side effects, such as dizziness or drowsiness.

"When seniors fall, they usually develop a fear of falling, even if they're not injured," says Ross. "That fear can easily turn into a senior choosing to limit their physical activity which in turn increases their risk of falling again. That's where our caregivers come in; they help to prevent falls and help seniors cope with fall-related fears they may already have."

Did You Know?
• In 2008, 82% of fall deaths were among people 65 and older.

• In 2008, more than 19,700 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries.

• Fall-related fractures occur more than twice the rate for older women than for older men.

• More than 90% of hip fractures are caused by falls. And white women have significantly higher hip fracture rates than black women.

• Direct medical costs of falls equaled $28.2 billion last year alone.

This story affects all seniors and their families in your area. Help us spread the word about Fall Prevention Awareness and our tips to keep seniors safe. We are happy to set-up local interviews and provide photos/video to move this story forward for your readers/viewers.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

New research reveals in-home care is MORE AFFORDABLE than other alternatives

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/09/2011 -- With the collapse of the housing market, older Americans can't sell their homes and move into assisted living. So in these desperate financial times, they're turning to an alternative source for care that will save them money in the long run. New research reveals in-home care is much more affordable than the cost of a nursing home. So much so, that at least a third of seniors recently polled said they wouldn't even be able to afford a single month of care in a nursing home.

A new cost-of-care survey by Genworth Financial (a company that specializes in long term care insurance) reveals the cost of facility-based care, such as nursing homes, has steadily increased over the past six years - an increase of more than $17,000 a year. However, the cost of in-home care has marginally gone up, making it still quite affordable.

That's why Senior Helpers, one of the largest in-home care companies for seniors, wants to raise awareness about the affordability of in-home care for the elderly. "So many of our seniors have found that in-home care is a great solution during this recession when they need some extra help," says Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers. "Plus, now seniors are using equity in their own homes to pay for help. A recent survey commissioned by Senior Helpers reveals that 94% of seniors would rather live in their own home as they age instead of in a nursing home or assisted living facility. We want seniors to know they can remain independent and stay in their homes and still get quality care."

COST OF CARE:

Over the past six years, the cost of facility living has increased more than 4%/year – while the cost of in-home care has slowly climbed by about 1%/year

In-home care is MORE AFFORDABLE than the alternatives:

Nursing Homes: Provides skilled nursing care, 24 hours a day. The average cost for a private room is roughly $78,000/year.

Independent Living Facilities: Provides housing, meals, personal care and 24 hour supervision. The average cost can be up to $42,000/year.

Assisted Living: Provides "hands-on" personal and medical care for those who are not able to live by themselves, but do not require constant care. The average cost is roughly $39,000/year.

Continuing Care Communities: Require a contract in advance for a lifetime commitment from the community to care for the senior. Entrance fees range from $20,000 to more than $400,000. In addition, seniors pay a buy-in fee to the community and monthly maintenance fees.

THE SOLUTION:

In-home care provides a low-cost alternative with the luxury of being cared for in your own home. Plus, seniors can use the equity in their homes to pay for their care. The average cost for in-home, non-medical care is $19/hour. If you calculate care for 4 hours a day/5 days a week, that adds up to only $19,760/year.

"Too often, family members feel the pressure care for their aging loved one without outside help. In fact, 40% of caregivers who work full time report missing work on a regular basis to care for an elderly loved one," says Ross. "Senior Helpers' caregivers can be there for your loved one from just a couple hours a day to eight or more hours a day. They provide a wide variety of care such as bathing seniors, monitoring medications, running errands, cooking meals, or simply keeping your senior company."

This story can touch a huge portion of your audience. Help us tell this emotional story that has concrete solutions. Senior Helpers hopes to educate your community about the cost of long-term care and provide a solution during these tough economic times. We are happy to provide interviews with seniors and their adult children, as well as elderly care experts.

A recent baby boomer study reveals…

• 60% worry about their ability to pay for healthcare in general and long-term care in particular.

• 66% of those surveyed said that with nursing home fees averaging $6,500 a month, they couldn't afford more than three months of care.

• More than 40% said they couldn't afford a single month of care in a nursing home.

• Americans remain in denial about the challenges they'll face in retirement.

Foreclosures and Senior Living:

• The profit from their home is considered their "nest egg" and lifeline in the senior stage of life – they can't afford to lose this money.

• In-home care is a low cost alternative.

• Since 2002, the number of patients using in-home care has grown by 20 percent.

• Between 1998 and 2008, the number of Americans living in nursing homes shrank by about 6% to slightly more than 1.2 million.


Sources: Genworth Financial 2011 Cost of Care Survey, journal Health Affairs (July 2011), Stay At Home Score Quiz, U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, survey by the SCAN Foundation and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (boomer study), AARP

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has nearly 300 franchises in 40 states and one Canadian province offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Strategic Partnership to Improve Quality of Life for Diagnosed Individuals and Families

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/08/2011 -- With the incidence of Alzheimer's disease escalating and the needs of families dramatically increasing along with it, Senior Helpers, one of the largest in-home care companies for seniors in the nation, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA), one of the nation's leading non-profit foundations dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals with the disease and their families.

"This partnership was an easy decision for us at Senior Helpers because of our commitment to educating families and their elderly loved ones about the different stages of dementia and how to cope with every aspect of the disease," says Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers. "Alzheimer's is not only devastating for the senior living with the condition but it also creates a tremendous strain on the family. Our caregivers know first-hand what it takes to combat this devastating disease, and we feel this partnership can further help families cope, emotionally and physically, one step at a time."

Currently, as many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, a brain disorder that is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. While Alzheimer's disease is not considered a normal part of aging, the risk for seniors developing this devastating disease rises as they get older; in fact, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease doubles every five years, beginning at age 65.

As part of the strategic partnership, Senior Helpers and AFA will co-sponsor educational conferences and webinars related to care issues, and collaborate on other projects that promote improved quality of care for the dementia population.

In addition, Senior Helpers is proud to be a silver sponsor of AFA's National Memory Screening Day on November 15, 2011 and encourages individuals with memory concerns and those who want to check their memory now and for future comparison to take a free screening. On this day, many Senior Helpers locations will be promoting the event and providing free, confidential screenings and educational materials in communities throughout the nation. Each screening is a five to ten minute, non-diagnostic test; while the results do not represent a diagnosis, they are seen as a significant first step in early detection of a memory problem.

Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease (according to AFA):

1. Memory loss - especially of recent events, names, placement of objects, and other new information

2. Confusion about time and place

3. Struggling to complete familiar actions - such as brushing teeth or getting dressed

4. Trouble finding the appropriate words, completing sentences, and following directions and conversations

5. Poor judgment when making decisions

6. Changes in mood and personality - such as increased suspicion, rapid and persistent mood swings, withdrawal, and disinterest in usual activities

7. Difficulty with complex mental assignments- such as balancing a checkbook or other tasks involving numbers

"While we all await a cure for Alzheimer's disease, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America strongly believes that education and optimal care are the most effective tools to tackle this public health crisis," says Eric J. Hall, AFA's Founding President and CEO. "We look forward to collaborating with Senior Helpers to spread this message across the country and help this deserving population."

*Sources: Alzheimer's Foundation of America, National Institute on Aging, the Harvard School of Public Health

Did You Know?:
• Alzheimer's disease is among the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S.

• It's estimated that one to four family members act as caregivers for each individual with Alzheimer's disease.

• Alzheimer's disease costs U.S. businesses more than $60 billion a year, stemming from lost productivity and absenteeism by primary caregivers, and insurance costs.

• The annual cost of caring for one individual with Alzheimer's disease ranges from nearly $18,500 to more than $36,000, depending on the stage of the disease.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Holly Springs, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/21/2011 -- A deadly heat wave is melting most of the country but as it turns out, many senior citizens, most vulnerable to the heat, may be ignoring the warnings. A study out of Kent State University shows 90 percent of respondents over the age of 65 were aware of heat warnings, but most seniors thought the messages were targeted toward "older Americans," a group to which they did not think they belonged.* That's why Senior Helpers, one of the largest in-home providers for seniors in the nation, has started a program called "Heat Helpers," caregivers who come to the home to keep the elderly safe in this sweltering summer.

"Nobody wants to admit they can't deal with extreme heat like they used to. That's why it's so important to have someone check on your elderly loved one when you can't be there," says Peter Ross, CEO and founder of Senior Helpers, one of our nation's leading national in-home senior care providers with a "Heat Helpers" in your town. "Heat safety has changed… from new FDA guidelines on sunscreen to health recommendations for water intake seniors need to stay hydrated. It often takes an extra set of eyes and ears to make sure seniors are doing everything they can to stay protected."

How Senior Helpers' "Heat Helpers" Works:
Senior Helpers caregivers come to the senior's home to help them with daily activities like cleaning, cooking and yard work, which may be too strenuous in these brutal temps. Caregivers also make sure seniors are taking proper precautions to beat the heat.
• Stay well hydrated – Caregivers remind seniors to drink water throughout the course of the day, even if they're not particularly thirsty. As adults continue to age, the amount of water retained by the body decreases substantially.
• Maintaining a cool environment – Caregivers close blinds and curtains keeping the house cool, even in triple digit temperatures. Caregivers also have battery operated/hand-held fans readily available to keep their seniors comfortable. Most seniors are budget-conscious, so it's important for caregivers to be sure the AC is set to a proper, cool level and it's working. Caregivers can also be responsible to check filters once a month.
• Stay in air conditioning in the afternoon – The hottest part of the day is from 3-5 p.m. Caregivers provide inside activities like playing cards, going to movies or the mall to keep seniors active inside to avoid spending time outside during the most dangerous hours of the day.
• Eat plenty, but eat light – Caregivers prepare light food because heavy foods, like meat and cheese, tend to make the body work harder to digest, using more water and generating more body heat .
• Follow new sunscreen guidelines – Caregivers are well versed on the FDA's newly released guidelines about sun protection. Seniors are more prone to sunburn because their bodies have less water. Caregivers educate seniors about these new regulations such as there's no such thing as "sweat proof" or "water proof" sunscreen. Or that you must re-apply sunscreen every two hours for it to work effectively (new guidelines listed at the bottom of the release).
• Copies of health care information - In the event of an emergency, caregivers can have copies of senior's prescriptions, health insurance card, and phone numbers of health care providers on-hand.

"We want to do everything we can to make sure our seniors don't make heat headlines," says Ross. "Even if your elderly loved ones say they're staying safe in the heat, it's always a good idea to have someone check up on them."

Tell this story with local seniors, "Heat Helpers" caregivers and local senior care experts.
*http://sheridan.geog.kent.edu/pubs/2006-IJB.pdf

Sources: American Cancer Society, the Skin Cancer Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Journal of Public Health, American Medical Student Association

What We've Learned From the FDA's New Sunscreen Guidelines:
• There is no such thing as "sweatproof" and "waterproof" sunscreens. These words are no longer allowed on sunscreen labels.
• Sunscreens can claim to be "water resistant" but the company has to put a label on their product stating the sunscreen only offers 40 or 80 minutes of protection while swimming or sweating.
• You must re-apply sunscreen every two hours for continued sun protection.
• Use sunscreens with UVA and UVB protection, also known as "broad spectrum" protection.
• Only broad spectrum sunscreens with 15 SPF or higher provide any type of sun protection (15 – 30 SPF is recommended).
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About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.
For more information, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

Did You Know?
• Every year since 1998, more people die from extreme heat in the U.S. than from floods, tornadoes and hurricanes, combined.
• Heat waves are often called the "silent epidemic" or the "invisible natural disaster."
• Unlike natural disasters that have wreaked visible, violent havoc this summer, heat waves often strike victims within the confines of their homes.
• To top it off, the American Medical Student Association finds that the general public perceives heat waves as uncomfortable and inconvenient instead of life threatening.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

70% of moms would move in with daughters over sons

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/05/2011 -- As the old saying goes "A son is a son 'til he takes him a wife. A daughter is a daughter all of her life." A new national survey shows mothers may indeed believe that saying, counting on their daughters as they age. Just in time for Mother's Day, the national poll found 70% of mothers with both a son(s) and a daughter(s) would overwhelming choose to move in with their daughter over their son if they could not take care of themselves. 68% of mothers say that, as they age, daughters will take better care of them than sons will. And 65% of mothers say their daughters, over their sons, would most likely want them to move in.

The newly released national survey polled 335 Americans over age 55. The survey was commissioned by Senior Helpers, one of the leading in-home providers of senior care and the creators of the Stay At Home Score Quiz, (http://www.stayathomescore.com). It's an eight question quiz that determines if the elderly can live independently in their own home. Adult children take the short quiz to help them determine their parents' independence and self-sufficiency.

While sorry sons may need to step it up in their mother's eyes, it wasn't all bad news for men.

• Nearly 80% of parents say their own children (both sons and daughters) will take care of them as well as they, themselves have taken care of their parents.

• Almost 70% of both mothers and fathers say their children (both sons and daughters) would pay out of their own pockets to care for them as they age.

• An overwhelming 94% of both mothers and fathers say they would rather live in their own home as they age instead of moving in with any of their children or to a nursing home or assisted living facility.

How The Stay At Home Score Quiz Helps
"The survey clearly shows that most aging parents have faith in their children to take care of them as they age, but they almost always prefer to stay in their own homes ," says Dr. John Bowling, senior care and positive aging expert, and creator Senior Helpers' Stay At Home Score Quiz (http://www.stayathomescore.com). "Aging parents may insist they're well enough to live in their own homes even if they're not. I developed this quiz to give adult children a guideline to determine their parents' needs, whether they are self-sufficient, if they can live at home with help from an in-home caregiver, or if it's time to move them to a place where they can get round-the-clock care."

Other Survey Findings:

Fathers Are Nearly Split On With Whom They Would Move In
The latest survey reveals fathers view moving in with their sons more favorably than mothers do. Nearly 52% of fathers surveyed say they'd rather move in with their daughters while 48% say they'd rather move in with their sons. And, 57% say their daughters would want them to move in while 43% say their sons would want them to move in.

Fathers Mixed On Who Makes the Better Caregiver
Fathers are also kinder to sons than mothers when rating sons' care-giving abilities. 65% of fathers say their daughters will take better care of them while they age and 35% say sons will take better care of them.

HAVE YOUR AUDIENCE/READERS TAKE THE 8 QUESTION QUIZ http://www.stayathomescore.com

Tell the story of children taking care of mom, so the survey comes to life. We can provide:

• Interviews with senior care experts who can talk about the challenges of taking care of elderly parents

• Interviews with families with aging parents

The survey of 335 men and women over age 55 with both a son(s) and a daughter(s) was conducted by a third party on April 25, 2011.

About Stay At Home Score Quiz
Senior Helpers created the Stay At Home Score Quiz, an eight question quiz adult children take to determine their parents' independency and self sufficiency. The quiz was developed for Senior Helpers by Dr. John Bowling, a professor at Southern Oregon University and an expert on senior care and positive aging. The purpose of the quiz is to determine whether aging parents can live in their own homes independently, can live in their own homes with help of a caregiver or if they need to move to a place with round the clock care.

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has nearly 300 franchises in 42states and one Canadian province offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist senior living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.
For more information, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Unemployment falls, Americans still wondering ‘Where are the Jobs?’

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/22/2011 -- The national unemployment rate has fallen below 9 percent for the first time since 2008 according to the most recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – so the big question for out-of-work Americans is this: Where are the new jobs?

Look no farther than the Baby Boomers and the aging U.S. population, which is the catalyst behind a thriving national and local senior care industry adding thousands of new American jobs each month. This year alone, the national senior care industry is on pace to hire more than 100,000 new in-home senior caregivers.

"Every 13 seconds another American will turn 65, and that will go on for the next two decades" said Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, a leading in-home senior care company with nearly 300 locally owned offices from coast to coast. "Senior care is an evolving need and we're growing like crazy in this area trying to keep pace with demand."

"We employ more than 6,000 caregivers nationwide, and our locations are hiring two new caregivers per week on average," Ross added. "Right now, our company alone is on pace to add more than 3,000 new caregivers this year."

GREY MEANS GREEN FOR SENIOR CARE INDUSTRY

• There are currently about 37 million seniors in the U.S., accounting for 12 percent of the population. In two decades, there will be more than 70 million seniors; 1 out of every 5 Americans will be over 65 years old.

• More than 43 million people in the U.S. – 19 percent of adults – currently provide care for an elderly family member or friend.

• Americans are having fewer children than in previous decades (3.7 kids per family in 1960 – less than 2.1 kids per family today). *source World Bank and C.I.A.

• Fewer kids combined with more aging seniors is creating a growing demand for private senior care

"These changing demographics are creating a big shortfall in our collective ability to care for our aging loved ones – which translates into a huge, immediate demand for qualified private care," Ross explains. "Demand for in-home caregivers is already at an all-time high. It's a booming industry, and there is no sign of a slowdown in sight."

Media Contacts:
Jon Weiner jweiner@seniorhelpers.com 919.459.8161
Sue Yannello syannello@seniorhelpers.com 919.459.8162

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has nearly 300 franchises in 40 states and one Canaidan province offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.
For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

As the first ‘Baby Boomers’ officially hit senior status, businesses and families feel the effect

Holly Springs, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/25/2011 -- Between 1946 and 1964, more than 76 million children were born in the United States who would become the most influential generation of our time: the Baby Boomers. The Boomers have blazed a social trail and left a lasting mark on the American economy and now, this January, the first of the Baby Boomers are turning 65 – officially hitting senior status.

As this happens, the United States is bracing for an extraordinary population shift. Experts predict this mass aging trend to significantly affect economic and social dynamics for decades to come, providing both major challenges for families and big opportunities for businesses in the senior care industry.

Starting This Month:

• About 10,000 Boomers will turn 65 every day

• The U.S population will add one new senior every 13 seconds

• This phenomenon will continue, every second and every day, for the next 18 years

"The demand for trained caregivers to shoulder some of the burden of caring for aging loved ones is already the highest it has ever been," said Peter Ross, founder and CEO of Senior Helpers, a leading national in-home senior care provider. "Lots of families simply don't have the time, ability or training to provide the kind of care elderly individuals often require on their own. We're adding caregivers across the country every day and over the next several years as the Boomers continue to age, we're going to see unprecedented growth across the industry to help families handle this overwhelming responsibility."

What Lies Ahead for the U.S.*:

• There are currently about 37 million seniors in the U.S.

• Seniors account for 12 percent of the population

• As Boomers age over the next 2 decades, there will be more than 70 million seniors in the U.S.

• Seniors will account for more than 20 percent of the population by 2030

• At that point, 1 in 5 Americans will be a senior

*Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Growing Older, Living Longer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the continuing rise in life expectancy seen throughout the twentieth century is due to a number of great medical and public health achievements: more prevalent vaccinations against diseases, improved work place safety, improvements in highway safety and the declining mortality rate from traditionally life-threatening diseases.

"People today are simply living longer than previous generations, and the longer seniors live, the more likely it is that they will need some help to stay independent," Ross said. "When this happens, it's often difficult for families to deal with on their own, which is why senior care businesses will continue to grow as a vital resource for families who just can't do it all themselves."

Tell this story on the impact of the first Senior Boomers with senior care experts, caregivers and local families who can provide a real example to demonstrate this growing trend. This is an important story that affects the entire population and every member of your audience, let us know if we can help you tell it.

Media Contacts:
Jon Weiner, jweiner@seniorhelpers.com, 919.459.8161
Sue Yannello, syannello@seniorhelpers.com, 919.459.8162

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has more than 340 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Elders’ elves help seniors with everything from ‘Gift Wrap to Google’

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/10/2010 -- You may have seen them around but just didn't take notice. Elders' elves drive the cars, open the doors, and wait in the lines for their aging friends who can't do it on their own anymore. They hunt for deals, decorate, wrap the presents, and help seniors shop online. They are Santa's Senior Helpers, and they aren't from the North Pole.

Caregivers from Senior Helpers, a leading national in-home senior care provider, are doing the little things and helping thousands of seniors from coast-to-coast prepare for the holidays. Whether they need errands to be run, cleaning to be done, or even online shopping assistance, Santa's Senior Helpers are lending a helping hand to embrace the season.

"The holidays can be tough on seniors, especially those who aren't able get out and to do things like they used to," said Peter Ross, founder and CEO of Senior Helpers. "We care for seniors in their own homes year round, but the holidays and this time of year tend to bring additional challenges that require an extra set of hands and feet."

"From gift wrap to Google, our caregivers are taking care of everything seniors we care for need to celebrate the holidays," Ross added.

Two new trends many seniors are embracing this holiday season are more online shopping and increased experimentation with Internet-based technologies. Santa's Senior Helpers show them how to find the best deals online and help seniors learn to use newer communication tools, like Skype and social media platforms, to connect with family and friends that may be far away.

Fast Facts About Seniors Online*

• The number of seniors using the Internet has almost doubled since 2005
• 57 percent of seniors plan to shop online for holiday gifts in 2010
• 52 percent plan to do at least one-fourth of their shopping online this year
• 26 percent of Americans over the age of 65 are using social networks and online communications tools

*Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project / Extend Health, Inc.

"We work with seniors living on their own each day and we understand how difficult and frustrating it can be when they realize they can't do it all by themselves anymore," Ross said. "The holidays can be a hectic and physically demanding time for a lot of people. We're helping seniors by shouldering some of the burden so they can focus on enjoying the season, which is really what this time of year is all about."

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has over 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Innovative concept allows caregivers and family to record seniors’ life stories for family and future generations

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/02/2010 -- Senior loved ones are a rich resource of family history and unforgettable stories. The tales that span the course of a lifetime capture the essence of the individual and, in so many cases, preserve their living legacy. Through the natural course of time, these stories can be lost or forgotten – but a new national partnership aims to fix this problem.

Senior Helpers, a leading national in-home senior care provider, and LifeBio, a company dedicated to permanently preserving family memories, are now teaming up so the timeless stories of seniors from coast to coast will no longer be lost in old age or the passing of generations.

The companies are now working together to offer Senior Helpers' clients and their families the chance to capture life stories of aging loved ones by way of a memorable keepsake.

"One of the core responsibilities of our caregivers is to form a relationship, a friendship, with the clients they work with day in and day out," says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers." These relationships lead to great natural conversations as seniors talk about fond memories of the past and tales from their younger years. This new partnership with LifeBio is a perfect connection for our clients and their families – an easy way to turn a lifetime of stories into a permanent document and a lasting chronicle of an aging loved one's story."

LifeBio's Life Story Journal and Memory Journal, now available through participating Senior Helpers franchises, are bound books with specially designed questions written to engage seniors' memories and help them recall significant moments in their lives. The book is left in an elderly loved one's home so family and caregivers can pick it up, ask a few questions and document a senior's story over the time they spend together. The LifeBio journals can also be used by Senior Helpers caregivers as preventative exercises for seniors at-risk of dementia and Alzheimer's development – working to stimulate the brain and memory in specific, targeted ways.

"Everyone has a story to tell, and the tools we provide at LifeBio help aging loved ones share memories and life's journey with their family in a very meaningful way," said Beth Sanders, LifeBio Founder and CEO. "As a national leader in senior care, Senior Helpers works with thousands of older adults each day. The company's caregivers hear inspiring stories of things that have happened through the course of their clients' lives. Working together, we can help seniors and their families document all of these unique and priceless memories so the kids, grandkids and great-grandkids can all get a sense of who these individuals are and all that they have accomplished so far."

LifeBio's Life Story Journal and the Memory Journal are both available to Senior Helpers clients at a significant discount off the retail price – an offer available only through a local Senior Helpers office. For more information, visit www.seniorhelpers.com and contact a local franchise in your area.

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/

About LifeBio
LifeBio helps people of all ages to capture life stories and build relationships. Every person is unique with incredible experiences to record and share. LifeBio provides easy, accessible, affordable tools for reminiscing and recording what matters most. LifeBio provides journals with biography questions, an online autobiography template at www.lifebio.com, and a variety of other resources. LifeBio connects seniors with family members and caregivers to promote new conversation. For more information, please visit http://www.lifebio.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Families try new techniques for National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/11/2010 -- Half of all Americans know someone who has Alzheimer's disease. For one third of us, that person is a family member. The growing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease among seniors is an increasing national concern, particularly now as we sit on the cusp of an unprecedented demographic shift. The first of the Baby Boomers turn 65 in January and 20 percent of the population will be seniors within the next two decades.

As scientists desperately search for a cure for Alzheimer's, families are experimenting with new prevention techniques in the comfort of their elderly loved one's home.

For National Alzheimer's Awareness Month, Senior Helpers, a leading national in-home senior care provider accredited as an Alzheimer's Association Early Detection Alliance (AEDA) Champion, is helping these families with innovative in-home programs to help seniors exercise their bodies and minds to stave off Alzheimer's.

"One of the most important things we do is to educate seniors and their families," says Peter Ross, founder and CEO of Senior Helpers. "There is no cure in sight for Alzheimer's, but research has proven time and time again that exercise for the body and mind are two of the best ways to prevent the onset and progression of the disease. We have some great activities and programs in place to help seniors work their muscles and their brains on a daily basis so they can stay healthy and sharp."

Senior Helpers' New Alzheimer's Prevention Programs:

• Brainy Day Activities* – program that works different parts of the brain through specially designed games and puzzles

• Life Bio Journal** – Senior Helpers' caregivers work with seniors to chronicle their life story in a journal that works the memory, verbalizes thoughts and provides a great keepsake for family

• Individual Exercise – based on the capabilities of the individual, caregivers get seniors up and moving to increase cardio and muscular health

"When a loved one develops Alzheimer's, it affects the whole family," Ross says. "Caring for Alzheimer's and dementia patients can be difficult physically and emotionally. Sometimes families need help from a trained, certified professional caregiver. This is especially important for people who can't see their elderly loved ones on a regular basis or for those who live far away."

More Fast Facts about Alzheimer's***:
• The number Americans suffering from Alzheimer's (currently estimated at 5.3 million) will more than double in the next two decades.
• Alzheimer's hits women harder than men – 2/3 of those with Alzheimer's are female
• Obesity and diabetes are leading risk factors; diabetes increases Alzheimer's risk by 65 percent
• Annual per patient cost of Alzheimer's in the U.S. is $56,800
• 60 percent of this cost is borne by the family
• Global cost of Alzheimer's care is estimated at $604 billion

We can help you put a local face on Alzheimer's for this story. We can provide a family trying new techniques to help ease the struggle of caring for an aging loved one with this disease and senior care experts in the area can talk about how to care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients at home. This is a timely story that affects a huge portion of your audience this November, National Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Let us know if you'd like to tell it

*The "Brainy Day Activity Program" is a product of HippoCampus Headquarters utilized by Senior Helpers
**Life Bio Journal is a product of LifeBio.com utilized by Senior Helpers
*** Source: Alzheimer's Association

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Encouraging aging loved ones to take part in Autumn activities can provide huge health rewards

Towson, Maryland -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/25/2010 -- As the weather turns and leaves begin to fall this year, new research shows that aging seniors are well served to get up and grab a rake themselves – for more reasons than one. A group of four recent studies published in 2010 Harvard University health and medicine journals shows a surprising and strong connection between seniors, exercise, and mental and physical health, especially among aging women.

"We've known that regular exercise translates to serious health benefits for seniors for years, but connections of this magnitude are incredible," said Peter Ross, senior care expert and CEO of Senior Helpers, the fastest growing in-home care company in the nation. "It's vital to keep mom and dad up and moving as they age, and this is further evidence that proves just how important even the most moderate of exercise efforts can really be."

The four new studies found the following related to seniors, mental health and physical activity:

• Women who exercise regularly (categorized as walking briskly five to six hours per week) at age 60 were almost twice as likely to live beyond 70 with no cognitive, physical, or mental health limitations;

• Women age 65-75 who participated in low-level strength training exercises showed significantly improved executive function (high-order thought processes involved in decision making) and also improved physical walking speed (a leading predictor of fall and fracture risk) compared to a control group;

• Men and women over 55 who exercise at a moderate level or higher (about three times per week) were half as likely to develop dementia later in life compared to those who did not exercise regularly; and

• Women, age 70 and up, with mild cognitive impairments (MCI, a common precursor to dementia) who engaged in aerobic exercise four times per week showed significant improvements over a control group in all administered cognitive and physiological tests over a six-month trial.

"The successes found by these researchers in improving mental function and physical health can be duplicated in the real world," Ross says. "We work with seniors living on their own each day, helping them get out of the house, go for a walk, do some light work in the yard or garden or whatever else they can do. It's crucial for elderly individuals to stay active and exercise, but it's also important to have someone there to watch them, assist them, and make sure they are staying safe while being staying active."

Simple Autumn Exercise Ideas for Seniors
• Sweeping/Raking leaves – even a quick weekly sweep of the front porch or the stoop offers cardio and strength-building exercise for core muscle groups.
• Gardening – tending to a small garden or flower box works the hands, forearms, and extremities and is good for the mind.
• Light Housework – doing the dishes, laundry, dusting, and cleaning offer a great opportunity for an easy everyday exercise routine.
• Walking – the weeks after the summer heat and before winter chill provide a perfect window for outdoor excursions at any point during the day.
• Seasonal Activities – pumpkin carving and corn mazes offer physical activity and a chance to interact with family and friends.

"The physical and mental benefits of exercise among seniors are almost endless," Ross says. "Even the simplest of activities can go a long, long way to promoting a healthy, independent lifestyle among aging loved one, and this new research is the proof."

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Senior Helpers’ client communication helps company maintain rampant growth despite economy

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/27/2010 -- The national economy remains volatile and unstable, but it also presents an interesting opportunity for huge improvements within organizations that are still thriving.

Companies like Senior Helpers, a leading national in-home senior care provider, are finding that they can capitalize on the economic situation and separate themselves from the competition by giving their customers a louder voice.

Starting in June, Senior Helpers began turning to its client base for insight into how the organization is faring across the board. This effort gave the company's clients a new, direct channel of communication to organization leaders, which provides instant feedback that the company is using to improve its services.

"We undertook a huge customer satisfaction initiative this summer to identify the areas where we've been doing well and to get a clearer picture of how we can improve as we continue to move forward," said Peter Ross, Senior Helpers founder and CEO. "Companies in the position to invest in their future now will be in a much better situation when the economy improves, and that is exactly what we're doing through increased client outreach."

"Senior Helpers has done incredibly well over the past five years, growing from just one location in 2005 to over 300 open and operating today," Ross explained. "But there are always areas where we can do better and we're determined to find them."

While some ownership groups are hesitant to make decisions and investments in regard to their future right now, Senior Helpers' management team looks at this as the perfect time to renew the system-wide commitment to being number one in the industry. Senior Helpers has hired a third party organization, Home Care Pulse, to talk to 20 percent of its national clientele every two months to generate a thorough report of how Senior Helpers is doing in key service areas. Randomly selected client participants will be interviewed personally over the phone to gauge client satisfaction, caregiver performance, effectiveness of company communication, overall quality of service and more.

"The home care industry has been a booming sector of the economy for the past several years, and it doesn't look like there will be any signs of a slowdown in the years to come," said Ross. "There is a lot of competition out there, so we have to continually make sure that we are providing the best personalized care possible – which is exactly what our customers have come to expect of us."

For more information about Senior Helpers please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/.

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has over 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Senior care experts advise families to protect elderly from summer health dangers

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/08/2010 -- For most of us, record summer heat means little more than higher cooling bills and more time at the pool – but for aging seniors living on their own, the consequences are far more serious. The National Climactic Data Center reports the Northeast had its warmest March, April and May in history. A stagnant June heat wave brought records for both high temperatures and total days above 90 degrees for a third of the country, stretching from Missouri to New York to the Southeast. The summer heat is already taking its toll, and this is just the start of the season.

That's why the senior care experts from Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing in-home senior care provider, are advising families to protect aging relatives by putting together a simple Senior Summer Survival Kit. These kits are an easy, inexpensive way to make sure elderly loved ones have what they need to stay safe and comfortable during hot summer days – especially when family members may be off on vacation.

"Whether seniors are traveling themselves or staying on their own while the rest of the family is out of town, it's absolutely vital that aging family members have the resources to be safe, happy and healthy," says Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers. "Seniors are far more susceptible to health problems related to summer heat than any other demographic. Taking the time to prepare one of these kits to make sure loved ones have the essentials they need can make all the difference in preventing a serious situation."

Quick Facts – Why is Heat Dangerous for Seniors?

• The amount of water retained by the body decreases substantially with age.
• As a result, seniors are at far greater risk of heat-related health problems such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, severe sunburn and dehydration.
• Over 8,000 Americans have died as a result of heat-related afflictions during the past two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What's in the 'Senior Summer Survival Kit?'
• Reusable water bottle to maintain hydration
• Copies of all prescriptions and health insurance cards
• Phone numbers of health care providers and information concerning chronic health problems
• Sunscreen, at least SPF 30, to prevent serious burns
• Multivitamins to keep the immune systems strong
• Battery operated/hand-held fan in case of power outages and extreme heat

The Senior Summer Survival Kit can be easily purchased and assembled for under $25 in less than 15 minutes.

"Most heat-related issues for seniors can be avoided through simple planning and precaution," Ross says.

"When it's unbearably hot outside for you and your kids, it's downright dangerous for seniors. Take a few minutes and make sure that mom, dad and any other senior family members have everything they need to be safe this summer. A few minutes of planning and a quick trip to the drug store can make all the difference."

We can provide photos of a Senior Summer Survival Kit and interviews/photo opportunities with local senior care experts working with area families for a great summer story.

Media Contacts:
Jon Weiner, jweiner@seniorhelpers.com, 919.459.8161
Sue Yannello, syannello@seniorhelpers.com, 919.459.8162

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Agreement makes innovative emergency response system available to families across the nation

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/25/2010 -- What if something happens and nobody's there to help? Thousands of American families with aging loved ones ask this question every day. Elderly individuals want to continue to live at home where it's safe, comfortable and affordable – but someone with the ability to help needs to be close by, just in case.

Thanks to a new partnership between Senior Helpers, a leading national in-home senior care provider, and Halo Monitoring, an aging-in-place technology company, distance is no longer a problem.

Senior Helpers and Halo Monitoring are working together to make myHalo®, a next-generation personal emergency response system (PERS), available to aging seniors living independently from coast-to-coast. myHalo is currently available to Senior Helpers clients on a limited basis through Navigator™, the nation's first comprehensive senior care solution that provides one point of contact for all care-related services.

"Senior Helpers is dedicated to providing families with elderly loved ones every possible comfort to let them know that when they can't physically be there – we are, and we're taking care of everything," says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers. "We created Navigator as a service and a convenience for families with aging loved ones that provides one point of contact for all their needs. With that in place, when it's time for a family to look into a personal emergency response system for an elderly parent, we take care of it with one call to a trusted partner like Halo Monitoring."

"Partnerships like these allow us to provide the best possible care for all of our clients, keeping service affordable for families across the country," Ross says.

Through the use of a small comfortable, wireless device worn by a senior loved one, myHalo monitors the user's health, physical activity and much more. This information is transmitted from the senior's home to emergency medical response teams, Senior Helpers care coordinators, and the individual's family if desired. The system provides immediate fall detection and the ability for designated personnel and family to "look-in" on a loved one's situation for peace of mind without invading or limiting personal privacy. Updated information and alerts are accessible either online through a 24/7 web portal or via text message. Unlike pendants requiring the push of a button, myHalo automatically sends alerts to emergency personnel, Senior Helpers and designated family if a critical event does occur.

"Halo Monitoring is a leader in innovative, age-in-place technology for seniors, and the opportunity to partner with a company that has the reach, stature and reputation of Senior Helpers is a great step for aging seniors living in their own home," says Chris Otto, CEO of Halo Monitoring. "myHalo is a family's first line of defense in monitoring the wellness of an aging parent. When we combine that with the services offered by Senior Helpers Navigator, families with aging parents can enjoy a new level of comfort and security – along with more peace of mind than ever before."

Senior Helpers Navigator is an entirely new concept, replacing the hours, pain, cost and aggravation of finding individual providers for in-home care assistance, home safety modifications, a geriatric care manager and countless other needs in between. Navigator is currently being piloted in 16 markets across the United States. For more information on Senior Helpers and Navigator, visit http://www.seniorhelpersnavigator.com/.

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/

About Halo Monitoring
Halo Monitoring is helping seniors, caregivers, and their family members by delivering the most accurate, reliable, and easy to use fall detection available. Halo's flagship product, myHalo, is an advanced personal health monitoring and alert system. Unlike traditional PERS (personal emergency response systems) which require seniors to manually press a "panic button," myHalo is the world's first system that automatically detects serious health problems (such as a person falling) without pressing a button and can immediately notify designated caregivers and emergency personnel. Website: http://www.halomonitoring.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Lincoln, NE -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/17/2010 -- Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing provider of in-home senior care, has received top scores from their franchisees in a study performed by the Franchise Research Institute® for the third consecutive year.

The results are based on an independent survey of Senior Helpers franchisees to determine their level of satisfaction with and other feedback on the Senior Helpers' franchise system. The Franchise Research Institute conducts the survey using its proprietary FranSurvey system.

"Visionary franchise companies like Senior Helpers understand the importance of knowing what their franchisees think about their system," said Jeff Johnson, founder and CEO of the Franchise Research Institute. "That's why they conduct annual surveys of their franchisees. And Senior Helpers also understands that unbiased, confidential, third-party research is the most accurate way to obtain honest feedback which, in turn, allows them to identify what they are doing right as well as areas they can improve."

The survey asked Senior Helpers franchise owners to rate their franchisor through a series of questions regarding the quality of the franchise relationship, overall growth potential, quality, support, communication and other areas.

The results, according to Johnson, show that Senior Helpers has an enthusiastic, energetic franchisee community.

"It takes a very strong franchise training and support program to obtain this high level of satisfaction," said Johnson. "Using our FranSurvey system we found 90 percent of the Senior Helpers franchise network graded the 'initial training and opening support' supplied by the franchisor as positive as well as the 'ongoing training and support. That is unequivocal feedback direct from franchisees."

For Peter Ross, founder and CEO of Senior Helpers, the results reinforce that decisions made at the corporate level are, in fact, helping franchisees build strong businesses, despite the economic environment.

"Every member of our corporate team reviews the results of the survey and together we analyze the feedback and break it down to create actionable items," said Ross. "While the positive results reinforce our commitment to excellence in providing our franchisees with the support and tools they need, we also place a heavy focus on the written comments, incorporating them into our strategic planning and initiatives."

More information on the Senior Helpers is available at http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

For more information contact: Scott White, for Franchise Research Institute, 972-728-1450 or scottwhite@bizcompr.com

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

New, buried gem in health care reform helps Americans pay for elderly care

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/11/2010 -- It made few headlines, caused precious little debate and most families don't even know about it. But, hidden in the health care overhaul, Congress gave America a little gift that could save families big in the end. It's called the CLASS Act (Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act), the nation's first public long-term care insurance program that deducts from Americans' paychecks now to pay later for the often crushing costs of long-term care.

Why the CLASS Act?

Currently, an estimated 10 million Americans have trouble performing daily living tasks such as bathing, dressing and eating, and most of these people live at home, not in nursing homes or other institutions. Yet, most are painfully unprepared to pay for non-medical care that is not typically covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

"This is where CLASS Act truly saves the day," says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing provider of in-home senior care. "We find that the vast majority of people need some kind of long-term help but they don't save for it. This is an easy way to help Americans save for their future that won't take a huge bite out of their paychecks."

Who would use the CLASS Act?

Any working person over the age of 18 can receive long-term care benefits from CLASS once they have paid premiums for five years (and have actively worked for three of those five). Once a person loses the ability to perform a number of daily living activities like dressing, bathing and eating, they can become eligible to receive benefits.

"Young people sometimes assume they are going to be healthy all their lives, and that's not at all the case," says 92-year-old Robert Bard of Phoenix, Ariz., who pays for a Senior Helpers caregiver to live in his home and help him round the clock, seven days per week. "I've had some injuries and health problems in the past, and I couldn't live on my own now. I didn't do much planning ahead for what I'd need or think much about the cost years ago, but I need in-home care and couldn't get along without it."

What is the CLASS Act?

• The bill was signed into law in late March as a part of the health care package – it will take effect Jan. 1, 2011.
• The CLASS Act will allow all working people more than 18 years old to opt in through automatic payroll deductions that will later pay for long-term care if they need it.
• All participants must pay premiums for a five year "vesting" period and be actively at work for 3 of those years before receiving benefits.
• Once a person becomes eligible to receive benefits, they will continue to receive benefits for as long as they need long-term care, whether they are elderly with health problems and will only need assistance for 3 years or 25 and have a snowboarding accident that causes them to need care for 60 years.
• Premiums have not been officially decided, but estimated monthly premiums range from $61 to $123 a month to receive about $75 dollars a day (no less than $50) in benefits. The cost of premiums will vary and change over time as participation changes – the more people participate, the less each person will have to pay.
WE WILL PROVIDE interviews with Peter Ross, CEO and founder of Senior Helpers and a national thought leader on senior care and on the CLASS Act. He is available to discuss how this will help millions of American families and can help journalists fill in the blanks on how CLASS will work.

We can also provide families shell-shocked by the cost of elderly care who could desperately use this benefit.

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

National newscast profiles Senior Helpers CEO for advice on caring for aging moms

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/18/2010 -- Leading senior care expert Peter Ross was a featured guest on FOX News' Strategy Room on the pre-Mother's Day, May 7, 2010 show. Ross is the founder and CEO of Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing provider of in-home senior care, and was called on as an expert to discuss the subject of caring and planning ahead for aging parents.

Ross talked about his own experience with his mom and provided insight, guidance and advice for the millions of Americans facing questions about how to care for their parents as they grow older. Part of the discussion centered on Senior Helpers Navigator™, a new concept offering families a one-stop shop for services related to elderly care.

"It's an honor to be invited onto a national stage to speak about a subject very dear to my own heart," said Ross. "My own experiences helped to start Senior Helpers and are part of what led to the creation of Navigator, an entirely new service being piloted right now that will ease the burden on millions of Americans charged with caring for aging loved ones."

"Providing care for parents who can no longer do it all on their own can be a scary thing if you're not prepared," Ross added. "It's important to approach the subject and have those talks before immediate help is needed. They may not be the easiest conversations to have, but it's vital for families to be on the same page and have a plan before something happens and you don't know where to turn."

FOX News' Strategy Room is a live daily newscast targeted to a national audience. The web-based program features commentary on the day's top stories as well as a variety of hour-long shows and prominent guests to cover topics like business, health, technology and entertainment.

The interview can be found online at http://live.foxnews.com/strategy-room/morning-click#/v/4183596/caring-for-our-aging-moms/?playlist_id=86978.

For more information about Senior Helpers, visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About Senior Helpers' Navigator™:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing home or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one Canadian province offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for clients and peace of mind for their families.

Senior Helpers Navigator™ is a first of its kind service that provides a single, qualified point of contact to serve as a guide throughout the entire aging process for a fraction of the cost of a traditional geriatric care manager. With Navigator, a professional care coordinator provides seniors with an initial assessment of what is needed in terms of home modifications, care options, nutrition plans, etc., as well as what might be needed down the road as years progress. A vast national partnership network of senior service providers ensures that all Navigator clients get reputable services and products at a fair price, in addition to a single point of contact that provides expert advice each step of the way.

For more info visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

National morning newscast follows Senior Helpers caregiver throughout a busy daily routine

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/11/2010 -- The work of a professional caregiver with Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors, was featured in a four minute segment on Good Morning America on May 10, 2010. The morning news segment highlighted the valuable work Senior Helpers caregivers do for elderly clients and their families in communities around the nation every day.

Good Morning America is the second highest rated morning newscast in the United States, averaging upwards of 4.6 million total viewers each day. The segment highlighted the daily routine of Shawn Villines, a hardworking caregiver from Spokane, Wash.

Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, commented on the ABC feature, "It was great for one of the Senior Helpers family to be featured on such a prominent national stage. Our caregivers work hard to provide the finest in-home care possible and are focused on improving quality of life for each Senior Helpers client around the country. It's great to have our organization's work highlighted and shown to the nation."

The segment "Gigonomics: The New Job Trend" can be found on the Good Morning America website, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/.

For More information on Senior Helpers, visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing home or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 42 states and one Canadian province offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

New generation of service navigates elderly care from first early warning signs

Holly Springs, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/23/2010 -- It's a ticking time bomb you ignore. But sooner or later – ba boom! – Your aging parents will be in desperate need of help and you don't have a plan. You see the early warning signs of mom's deterioration – a messy house, forgetfulness, unpaid bills, driving accidents. Still, you put off the inevitable and delay making a decision until a crisis happens, a catalyst – like when mom leaves the stove on and causes a small fire. What do you do? Where do you turn?

It's out of this personal family crisis and the changing national demographics of the booming elderly population that Senior Helpers Navigator® was born. For the first time ever, families can turn to one service to steer them through every turn of old age so they know in their hearts they gave their loved ones the best possible care from the very first signs of trouble. Navigator is there before that emergency strikes and gives aging parents a say in their future and the decision-making process by empowering and including them before they can't make tough decisions for themselves. It offers the first ever "Wellness Watch", where among other services, families have 24/7 access to and monthly visits from a senior care expert as long as they need it to help with any senior issue they face.

Peter Ross, CEO and founder of Senior Helpers , the nation's fastest growing provider of in home care, started Navigator after helping thousands of families ripped apart by the struggles of aging parents – including his own. "We heard time and time again, people are desperate for one trusted source to give them everything they need for their elderly loved ones from the start of trouble through their Golden Years," says Ross. "Navigator is the first all encompassing service to guide a family from beginning to end with everything their elderly loved one could possibly need. We are truly ushering in a new generation of senior care."

How Navigator Works:

• At the first warning signs an aging senior need help, one call sends a highly trained registered nurse called a "care coordinator" to your parents' home for a full assessment.

• The care coordinator recommends everything your parents need now and will need in the future from ramps, safety bars, medical equipment, in-home care, assisted living, house repair, lawn service, cleaning – you name it. This differs from other services because Senior Helpers has researched and developed national partnerships with senior care service providers to ensure clients gets reputable, quality goods and services at a fair price. Example: You need a hospital bed for mom? Navigator makes the call to the Durable Medical Equipment company for you and has the bed delivered. You want a home monitor in case mom falls down? Navigator has a relationship with a monitoring company that will install the monitor with revolutionary censors so if mom falls and doesn't get up, you're notified.


• If a caregiver is recommended that person will provide :

- "brain activities to keep the mind sharp – fun, interactive games for seniors suffering from memory loss.
- customized, nutrition based diets – caregivers help grocery shop and prepare nutritional meals
- a personalized exercise regime so seniors have their own personal "trainer" of sorts.

• Navigator's Wellness Watch is a 24/7 "help hotline" that provides anytime access to a care coordinator, one single point of contact, for any advice or service you need throughout the journey.
The care coordinator will do monthly visits and reports to update the senior's condition and recommend different directions in care as the senior's condition changes.

• Navigator guides seniors through all phases of care – early support, when mom needs to be checked up on a few hours a week to transitional care, when she needs help a few hours a day to critical car, when she needs round the clock help and may have to move from her home to assisted living or nursing home.

Ross started Senior Helpers after he struggled with the guilt of putting his own mom in a nursing home because there were no other alternatives. Senior Helpers has grown to 300 locations throughout the country and is the first to introduce an all encompassing service like Navigator.

Why Do This Story:

• It affects or will affect every family in the country with aging parents
• A new idea that has never been done before

We can provide interviews with the creators of Navigator, the research behind it, and access to a family going through the process.

Media Contact
Sue Yannello
syannello@seniorhelpers.com
919.459.8162/919.557.7890

Jon Weiner
jweiner@seniorhelpers.com
919.459.8161/919.557.7890

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300 franchises in 41 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Local senior care provider advises loved ones to consider awareness, risks for seniors

Holly Springs, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/23/2010 -- Diabetes is a serious issue affecting 24 million Americans. It's a major health concern and mounting problem for the country as a whole, especially for the rapidly expanding senior population. In recognition of American Diabetes Alert Day coming up on March 23, Senior Helpers, a local and national leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, is asking families to think about ways to reduce the impact of the disease on the local senior community.

"The population as a whole is aging and the number of seniors dealing with diabetes continues to climb," said Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers. "The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases dramatically with age. It's important for seniors and their families to realize that there are ways to reduce the potential impact of diabetes on quality of life."

Consider the following facts about seniors and diabetes:

• More than 23 percent of Americans age 60 and older have diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association.

• An estimated 50 percent of adult onset diabetes (type 2) occurs in those over 55 years of age.

• Seniors are far more likely to have complicating conditions stem from diabetes, including kidney problems, blindness, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

• The total cost of diabetes in the United States for direct and indirect medical costs is estimated at more than $200 billion per year.

Research has repeatedly shown that physical activity is one of the best ways seniors can prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and complications from the disease among those already diagnosed. As people get older, exercise becomes even more important in keeping the body healthy and able to fight debilitating diseases like diabetes. For seniors, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise at moderate intensity, five or more times per week.

Benefits of Exercise for Seniors Fighting Diabetes:

• Improves the body's use of insulin

• Burns excess body fat, helping to decrease and control body weight

• Increases blood flow to reduce risk of related heart disease

• Keeps heart and blood vessels healthy by lowering "bad" (LDL) cholesterol

"Families should consider diabetes as it relates to care and arrangements for elderly loved ones," said Ross. "Small things like making sure transportation is available, encouraging exercise and preventing isolation can really make all the difference. Professional caregivers can help by providing these services and motivating seniors to remain physically active, healthy and sustain a high quality of life."

Tell the story of local seniors and diabetes in this area.

We can provide interviews/photos/b-roll with elderly care experts who can talk about diabetes and the importance of exercise, companionship and proper care for seniors.

This story touches a huge portion of your audience this March. This is an important issue, please help us raise awareness.

Media Contact:

Jon Weiner, 919.459.8161
jweiner@seniorhelpers.com

For more information about Senior Helpers, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 283 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

National Job Growth in Booming In-Home Senior Care Industry

Holly Springs, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/19/2010 -- With the national unemployment rate remaining stubbornly high at 9.7 percent and more and more news of companies going under, where on earth can you find a job? Look no farther than your aging parents and relatives, who are creating one of the biggest economic booms this country has ever seen. In the coming years, two out of ten people in the U.S. will be age 65 or older and there just aren't enough people to take care of them. That's why care giving for the elderly is an exploding sector of the growing national health care industry. This year alone, the in-home care industry is expected to grow by 12.5 percent, adding more than 100,000 new jobs.

"Senior care is a thriving industry with no sign of a slow down in sight," says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing provider of in-home senior care. "We employ more than 6,000 caregivers nationally and we are hiring at most of our 283 locations. In-home care is recession-resistant, rewarding work that provides peace of mind for families who just can't be with their senior loved ones all of the time."

WHY JOB GROWTH IN SENIOR CARE?

• A recent study by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) shows that over the next 25 years as the Baby Boomers continue to age, the proportion of people needing care will increase while the number of adult children able to take care of them will decrease. Bottom line: There will be fewer American adults able to take care of aging parents!
• More than 43 million people in the U.S. – 19 percent of adults – provide care for an elderly family member or friend.
• The NAC reports the typical caregiver is a middle-aged daughter caring for an elderly parent or grandparent while juggling a family and a job simultaneously. Nearly 100 percent report emotional strain, most report financial strain and 68 percent miss work because of care giving responsibilities.

"The burden usually falls on one of the adult children who already juggles a family, a job and all the responsibilities that go with their own life," says Ross. "More and more seniors want to stay in their own homes and professional caregivers can make this possible by taking the burden off of adult children."

REWARDING WORK FOR AMERICANS – AN ECONOMIC BRIGHT SPOT

Nichole Henry was out of work when she got the job as a Senior Helpers' caregiver. She is studying to become a registered nurse (RN) and works helping elderly clients prepare meals, take their medication on time and simply listen when they want to talk. "I wanted a rewarding job and I've found my calling," says Henry. "There is no job greater than helping others who can't do for themselves. I listen to their concerns with an open heart and it makes all the difference in the world!"

WHY DO THIS STORY?
It affects MILLIONS of people because it's about:

• JOB OPPORTUNITY
• A GROWING ECONOMIC SECTOR
• A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS OR WILL AFFECT MOST FAMILIES

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 283 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/

Media Contact
Sue Yannello
syannello@seniorhelpers.com
919.459.8162/919.557.7890

Jon Weiner
jweiner@seniorhelpers.com
919.459.8161/919.557.7890

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Senior Helpers earns Entrepreneur Magazine’s prestigious No. 2 ranking for “Top New Franchise”

Raleigh, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/22/2010 -- Through the brutal economic climate of 2009, most businesses found it tough to grow and prosper – but Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors, is a remarkable exception.

2009 was a banner year for Senior Helpers, as the company saw revenue swell more than 225 percent and its number of total franchises increase by over 25 percent, for a total of 280 individual locations in 39 states at year's end. This strong growth and expansion helped Senior Helpers climb Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 list for the third consecutive year – landing at No. 2 on the magazine's "Top New Franchise List" for 2010, up from No. 7 the year before, and ranking No. 27 on the "Fastest Growing Franchise List," up from No. 33 at the beginning of 2009.

"When we founded Senior Helpers in 2001, we knew there was a growing need to give seniors high quality care in their own homes," says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers. "The senior care industry is growing, and that trend is projected to continue for years to come. Our franchisees are some of the best in the industry, and our company's accomplishments would have been impossible to achieve without their full commitment to and faith in Senior Helpers."

Over the past year, senior care has remained a resilient sector of the national economy.

Reasons for Success:
• Senior Helpers was able to pair the industry's momentum with a growing desire among aging adults to stay in their own homes. One recent survey found seniors fear going to a nursing home more than dying.

• In this shaky economy, in-home care is a much more affordable solution for senior care than assisted living communities and nursing homes.

• Numbers from The Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics show a rapidly aging U.S. population. Predictions indicate one fifth of the total population will be 65 years of age or older within 20 years.

"So far, our timing and our execution have proven to be successful in establishing Senior Helpers as a recession resistant business with the ability to grow," Ross says. "We've developed great tools and support programs for our franchises, which enable them to thrive and allow the system as a whole to prosper. These rankings and recognition from Entrepreneur Magazine are a tremendous source of pride for all of us, and they position Senior Helpers as a dynamic national leader in the senior care industry."

For more information on Senior Helpers, visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

For more information on Senior Helpers' Entrepreneur Magazine rankings, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/seniorhelpers/321615-0.html.

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 280 franchises in 39 states throughout the country and offers a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

In-home senior care provider to raise awareness of the importance of early detection of Alzheimer’s

Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/18/2010 -- Senior Helpers, the nation's fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors, announced today their participation in the Alzheimer's Association Alzheimer's Early Detection Alliance (AEDA). Senior Helpers has become a "Champion" with the AEDA and will work to spread the word about the warning signs of Alzheimer's.

The AEDA is an Alzheimer's Association national outreach campaign focusing on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's disease. The goal is to raise awareness of the disease's warning signs and for organizations to turn to the Alzheimer's Association as the center for help and hope. The AEDA has developed an online toolkit containing educational information for participating organizations' use in their promotional efforts that includes posters, brochures, television and radio advertisements, logos, widgets and more.

By becoming an AEDA "Champion," Senior Helpers has agreed to disseminate educational information to their franchise owners and clients through various on-line activation opportunities provided by the Alzheimer's Association. This includes placing the AEDA logo on their website, distributing the information on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's and more.

"Joining the AEDA was an easy decision for us at Senior Helpers because of our commitment to educating and helping the senior community," said Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers. "We are glad to be in a position to aid the AEDA in its efforts to spread the word on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's. This is important to the senior community and their loved ones in order to combat this devastating disease. We look forward to working with our franchisees and clients to help the approximately 5.3 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer's."

Alzheimer's Association 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's disease:
- Memory changes that disrupt daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgment
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood and personality

To learn more about the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's disease, contact the Alzheimer's Association at http://www.alz.org/10signs or 877-IS-IT-ALZ.

To learn more about Senior Helpers, or their involvement with the Alzheimer's Early Detection Alliance, please visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who need extra assistance in the place they call home. The company has 280 franchises in 38 states throughout the country and offers a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About the Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. For more information, visit http://www.alz.org.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Families unite and for the first time realize loved ones are in desperate need

Raleigh, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/24/2009 -- The holiday season may be one of the few times families get together and realize their elderly loves ones are in deep trouble and need immediate help. Adult children who may not live nearby are often shocked to come home to a holiday heartbreak with deteriorating relatives they weren't prepared to handle. So this holiday, the family might gather around the kitchen table – not only for turkey and treats - but instead for talk, a big talk, that maps out a plan how to care for ailing, elderly relatives.

"This Thanksgiving and Christmas, thousands of adult children will come home to a sight they never expected to find: Elderly relatives who are lethargic and forgetful. A messy house. Bills piling up. The joy of the season is clouded with the realization that your relatives are suffering and can't make it alone," says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, the fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors. "This is often the best time for family members to hash out care solutions everyone agrees on."

Just ask Paula Peace of Atlanta. Last Thanksgiving and Christmas, Paula and her brother realized their 87- year- old mom, Sally, needed more than just a few presents under the tree. Their mom is legally blind and needed help cooking and bathing. "We saw mom struggling and we knew the best present for her was in-home care," says Paula. "We could see mom's deterioration right in front of us."

Paula encouraged her mom to hire an in-home caregiver from Senior Helpers seven days a week and now the Peaces feel peace. "Senior Helpers has enabled mom to have the support she needs to live safely and independently in her own home. We don't have to worry or feel guilty. The caregiver turned out to be a holiday present for the entire family," says Paula.

The Council on Aging offers the Ten Warning Signs Your Older Family Member Needs Help

• Poor eating habits resulting in weight loss, no appetite or missed meals.
• Neglected hygiene - wearing dirty clothes, body odor, neglected nails and teeth.
• Neglected home so it's not as clean or sanitary as you remember growing up.
• Inappropriate behavior by acting loud, quiet, paranoid or making phone calls at all hours.
• Changed relationship patterns that friends or neighbors have noticed.
• Burns or injuries resulting from weakness, forgetfulness or misuse of alcohol or meds.
• Decreased participation in activities such as attending the senior center, book club or church.
• Scorched pots and pans showing forgetfulness for dinner cooking on the stove
• Unopened mail, newspaper piles, missed appointments
• Mishandled finances such as losing money, paying bills twice or hiding money.

"It's one thing to all recognize there's a problem, but then the whole family has to agree on the solution"says Ross. That's why Senior Helpers advises families to lay out an agenda for a family meeting to reach some kind of peaceful consensus."

Senior Helpers Guide to Family Planning Meetings:

• The person leading the meeting can be the elderly relative who anticipates needing care in the future. If that person is already needing care, an adult child, friend or relative can lead.
• Encourage discussion and get input from everyone. Make sure everyone makes their feelings known.
• Discuss money. Who will pay? How? If the money is coming from the elderly relative's estate, who will be executor?
• At the end of the meeting, everyone present must commit to support the plan.
• Write it down. Good intentions are often forgotten over time and family members must have their responsibilities right in front of them.

We can provide a local family and local senior care experts to tell this story. It's a great piece to put in the can for the holidays.

Contact
Sue Yannello syannello@seniorhelpers.com 919.459.8162
Sean McBride smcbride@seniorhelpers.com 919.459.8161

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 280 franchises in 38 states and offers a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the clients and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm