Get help with the options for medical assistance. Right at Home of Essex County can help navigate the medical system. It can often be complicated or overwhelming to figure out and keep track of caring for the seniors in your life. Things like medical records, billing, appointments, medication can take on a life of their own and become extremely cumbersome. Our team and caregivers are here to help take the guesswork out of this process and support you and your family through this challenging time.
With all that’s going on in our country, our economy, the world, and on social media, it feels like so many of us are under a great deal of stress. Caring for elderly or aging parents can be particularly stress-inducing. We know chronic stress can be as unhealthy as smoking a quarter of a pack a day. What are stress management strategies that people use to become “Stress-Proof? What are some great tweaks, hacks, and tips that help reduce or even eliminate stress when caring for our aging parents? In this interview series, we are talking to authors, and mental health experts, who can share their strategies for reducing or eliminating stress. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Maeghan Scott.
Maeghan Scott is the Owner & Operator of Right at Home of Essex County. Right at Home of Essex County provides in-home care to seniors and adults in Essex County, New Jersey. She graduated from American University where she was an active member of Chi Omega sorority. In addition to her home care “baby” she has two beautiful sons who she absolutely adores. When Maeghan isn’t working or spending quality time with her family, she can be found lifting weights or trying out a new exercise class.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to know how you got from “there to here.” Inspire us with your backstory!
I studied communications and marketing at American University and thought I would have a long career working in public relations in some capacity. I also have a master’s degree in Nutrition Education and combined my studies to represent health focused consumer food and beverage brands on the agency side. I loved the fast-paced agency life and had a blast. While working for an incredible agency six years ago, my dad became ill and I started to take time off to help manage his business, a home care franchise called Right at Home of Essex County. When he passed away, I stepped away from my career and took over his business. For the last six years, I have acted as Owner & Operator of Right at Home of Essex County. We provide in-home care to seniors and adults in Essex County, New Jersey via our wonderful staff of Certified Home Health aides. We could not be prouder of our business growth and the meaningful work that we do.
What lessons would you share with yourself if you had the opportunity to meet your younger self?
Take advantage of every opportunity to learn something. You’ll never know which knowledge will come in handy. You also never know what will stick with you and guide you in the future.
None of us can experience success without support along the way. Is there a particular person for whom you are grateful because of the support they gave you to grow you from “there to here?” Can you share that story and why you are grateful for them?
My dad, of course. He taught my siblings and I that we were capable of anything. I took that to heart.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think it might help people?
We are currently planning for our 20th anniversary in April of 2024! In such a competitive environment, we are proud to have such tenure and experience. We have seen many agencies come and go, especially during COVID. We are proud to have kept our footing while continuing to grow significantly over the years. We hope that through our reflections and celebrations we can learn how to better serve the Essex County, New Jersey community for many more years to come.
Ok, thank you for sharing your inspired life. Let’s now talk about stress. How would you define stress?
Stress involves the feeling of not being able to manage aspects of our lives which are overwhelming.
In the Western world, humans typically have their shelter, food, and survival needs met. So what has led to this chronic stress? Why are so many of us always stressed out?
I observe one of the biggest sources of stress coming from having events that are out of our control which we may not have the tools to handle. We often see this in senior care when families have a parent or loved one who gets sick, or they have a life altering experience that leaves them requiring more attention than the family can provide. When life events happen without a plan in place, we can find ourselves in survival mode. At Right at Home of Essex County, we recommend creating a care plan for the aging adults in our lives, sharing this plan with our loved ones, and seeking support where it might be needed.
What are some of the physical manifestations of being under a lot of stress? How does the human body react to stress?
Stress can lead to many side effects. With our senior clients, we often see the effects that long-term stress can have on their minds and bodies. It can lead to unhealthy life choices, such as lack of exercise or poor eating habits. These can both have detrimental effects and can even contribute to mental illness.
Is stress necessarily a bad thing? Can stress ever be good for us?
Stress can be motivating and beneficial when it appears as excitement, helps us to make a difficult decision, or takes us out of our comfort zone. This might be taking a trip to a place we have always dreamed about or accepting a new job in a city we have not previously visited. Stress can also lead us to change our patterns and behaviors. For example, if our current situation is a constant source of stress, it can lead us to act and create a new environment for us to thrive.
Let us now focus more on the stress of caring for elderly or aging parents. This feels intuitive, but it is helpful to spell it out to address it. Can you help articulate a few reasons why caring for our aging parents can be so stressful?
Many people are at capacity in their lives. From busy or demanding careers to raising families, there may be a lack of the right skills, understanding, or energy to provide the care needed for an aging parent. The challenges might be more than what a person is able to give in terms of care, such as help with dressing and hygiene, providing medication reminders, or simply providing transportation to medical appointments. At Right at Home of Essex County, our caregivers are trusted and reliable, and trained to assist with all types of needs. We deliver an exceptional care experience in a variety of settings: at home, in an independent or assisted living community, or elsewhere.
Can you share with our readers your “5 Things You Can Do to Reduce Stress When Caring For Your Elderly Or Aging Parents”?
- Seek out Support. We offer a wide range of options to help families support their senior loved ones, such as companion care, personal care, and specialty care. Companion care includes helping to keep your loved one engaged and active in life, which could be helping with household chores or spending time doing a puzzle with them. Personal care helps to build daily routines and assists with general hygiene which can be more challenging for the senior to do independently. Specialty care is offered for people who need more medical care, such as in situations where someone may have Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, or Parkinson’s. We have wonderfully trained specialists to help, support, and care for aging loved ones.
- Celebrate and honor your loved one. Spend quality time with your elderly family members and the seniors in your life and learn about their life and experiences. Engage with them in an activity they enjoy and cherish making memories together, and consider documenting some of these moments with video, audio, or photos to commemorate the occasion and preserve them.
- Practice self-care. Take time for yourself to recharge and replenish your energy. This may include having a spa day, or going to a meditation class, and even including your aging parents. Remember to take some solo time to rejuvenate and recharge, such as doing a hobby or activity that brings you joy. You can only fill up someone else’s cup and care for them if yours is being replenished.
- Discuss life plans with your aging parent or loved one. Have a plan and discuss the details of what the person expects at this stage in their life. Understand their affairs such as finances, care plans, and knowing their final wishes. This often becomes a big source of stress among families when plans are unclear or not discussed in advance.
- Get help with the options for medical assistance. Right at Home of Essex County can help navigate the medical system. It can often be complicated or overwhelming to figure out and keep track of caring for the seniors in your life. Things like medical records, billing, appointments, medication can take on a life of their own and become extremely cumbersome. Our team and caregivers are here to help take the guesswork out of this process and support you and your family through this challenging time.
Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or resources that have inspired you to live with more joy in life?
None come to mind, but I should probably find some 😊
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I recently read about an organization called Because I Said I Would. In their words: “a social movement and nonprofit dedicated to the betterment of humanity through promises made and kept.” We could all benefit from accountability and a commitment to follow through.
What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?
Let’s connect!
My personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maeghanscott/
Our business Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RightAtHomeEssexCounty
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.