On behalf of SYNERGY HomeCare, I would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season. One unique aspect of the holidays that always sticks out to me is that people focus on general goodwill toward everyone in need rather than a specific cause. Grocery shoppers contribute coins to the Salvation Army, organizations adopt families and people volunteer at homeless shelters and nursing homes. With this general feeling of goodwill, this is a great time to turn our thoughts toward people with disabilities and their family caregivers.

In the healthcare arena, one of the most conflicted subjects is the issue of care at the end of life. From life support to life expectancy, patients and families alike are part of life and death decisions. A 2008 report from the Hospice Association of America shows that across the US population, more people of every race, age and condition are choosing hospice and palliative care services over ongoing hospital treatments. Hospice services allow people to have peace instead of pain and most importantly, their home environment instead of a hospital facility. While it is physically and emotionally difficult, the end of life is a natural part of being human. When hospice is supplemented by home care, you have an additional source of comfort and support.

Recently, a member of the SYNERGY HomeCare corporate team shared an inspiring story with me. When she was in high school, a close friend of hers was rushed to the hospital for an acute asthma attack, only to be diagnosed with lymphoma. Upon further investigation, the doctors found a tumor the size of a softball sitting on her friend's lung. As Kate spent time with her friend, she was surprised to find that her friend was extremely social and active for a person undergoing cancer therapy, even reaching out to others to teach and uplift. Kate's friend left cancer behind years ago, and went on to achieve world class recognition in skeet shooting, thus earning full-ride scholarships for her Bachelors and Masters degrees.

For our newest franchise owner Jay Portadin in Bordentown, New Jersey, the anniversary of 9/11 is very personal. Jay is a retired NYPD officer and was one of the first responders to the emergency calls from the World Trade Center and an eyewitness to the events at Ground Zero ten years ago. Jay is also an example of brave acts of our nation’s law enforcement officers and veterans.

The families we serve know the round-the-clock nature of caregiving, especially for loved ones with long-term disability after stroke. For stroke patients and family caregivers alike, it is important to look forward and celebrate milestones in the rehabilitation process.

For the many people with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers, daily activities can be a challenge. No matter how hopeful you are for the future, your day-by-day approach to life with this disease affects your outlook and your health. The best medicine is often a personal strategy to overcome the obstacles we face each day and become active participants in our everyday life.

Hello Friends and Family,

The memories of holidays past are warm reminders of the importance of family. As we gather around the fireside, many of us cherish the quality time we spend with loved ones.

Hello friends and families,

This month, I would like to talk about a specific group of people that we feel very close to at Synergy HomeCare: family caregivers. Although family caregivers represent roughly 30% of the adult population in the United States, only a small number of these people identify themselves as family caregivers.

Hello friends and families. The month of October is a special time when we enjoy the fall season and look forward to the holidays that are soon to come. As the days get shorter, the weather becomes crisper and we gear up for winter traditions, our hopes become brighter.

Hello friends and families. How surprised would you be to hear that there’s an epidemic among the elderly that is the number one cause of injury and injury related death that could easily be put in check?

Hello friends and families. Respite care is a valuable and vital service offered by Synergy HomeCare that offers family caregivers a much-needed break from their daily responsibilities.

Hello friends and families. All of us at Synergy Homecare would like to thank you for your tremendous response to our e-newsletter. When we launched this letter, our goal was to create another Synergy innovation in home care by bringing you useful information, relevant news and expert opinion in a format you’d find convenient and enjoyable. From your many positive comments, it seems we are right on track.

Hello friends and families. I’d like to take this opportunity to address a widely misunderstood topic that affects thousands of families on a daily basis; long-distance caregiving.

Hello friends and families. The days of summer are just around the corner, and we can once again dust off the barbeque and gather with those who matter most to us. As Memorial Day draws near, we remember those who have fallen in sacrifice for our great country, as well as all those veterans who we are fortunate to still have with us. It really is a spectacular time of year, reminding us how every moment, and every loved one, truly matter.

Hello friends and family, I hope you are doing well. I am
excited to tell you about the great things happening with
Synergy HomeCare.