Air Companions

November is National Diabetes Month

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Did you know that November is National Diabetes Month? The slogan for this year is "Stop Diabetes". To find out how you can help click on the link below.

Also, November is National Family Caregivers Month. To find out more about family caregivers or if you are a family caregiver and want to know more click on the link below.

The pretty lady in the photo on your right was the caregiver to the gentleman in the picture. Both are gone now. Both were ear friends.

http://www.diabetes.org/

http://www.nfcacares.org/

"Do You Know The Way To San Jose?"

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:46:00 +0000

The title of this blog is kind of corny but when I last flew to San Jose, California several people on the plane were singing that old tune. I'm sure that song put San Jose on the map for a lot of people. Now, I believe it's called "Silicon Valley". What a beautiful valley it is! When you are flying into San Jose, California you see a city with huge gorgeous mountains surrounding it. I never grow tired of seeing it from the air. Unfortunately I've never taken a picture of it. I must try to remember to do that on my trip out there next week.

On your right is a photo of a random airport. After a while all the big airports start to look the same.

I have flown into San Jose, California several times. The first time was when my husband and I flew out to see my late son graduate from language school in Monterrey. Vinny was in the Army then and attended the school in Monterrey for a couple of years. I took a whole slew of pictures of his graduation but my luggage was forever lost on the flight home and the undeveloped films were in my checked bag. I've always been very bummed out by that. Especially now that Vinny is no longer with us. I have posted a photo of Vinny sitting on a bench in one of Saddam Husein's palaces in Iraq. That's where he went after he graduated from language school. He learned Arabic and went to work for a company called SOSi.

Back to my story..... the second time I flew to San Jose, California was last August. Air Companions was hired to accompany a developmentally disabled woman from San Jose to Virginia to visit her brother for a week. When the week was over Air Companions accompanied her back home. It was great fun and she was a wonderful to travel with. I feel like I made some new friends. Her family was wonderful, too.

Next week I will travel back to San Jose, California to once again accompany the developmentally disabled woman to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with her brother and his family. I will be able to be home for Thanksgiving with my family and will fly back to Virginia on Saturday, November 26 in order to accompany my new friend home to San Jose on Sunday. I'm really looking forward to it.

More to come after my trip. Meantime I hope you all have a very wonderful Thanksgiving.

Day of Wellness Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:53:00 +0000

On a beautiful fall morning, the last Saturday of October, Spectrum Generations hosted the 2nd annual "Day of Wellness" fair. The theme of this year's fair was "Learning and Making Connections". The fair was held in the Rockland High School gymnasium from 9am to 12 noon. All the exhibitors represented, in some way, a business or service that encouraged good health and promoted increased independence for the elderly and disabled. One of the big draws this year was the offer of a free flu shot to the first 200 hundred people who showed up on a first come first serve basis.

Some of the vendors represented were ASK for Home Care, Kno-Wa-Lin, The Knox County Triad, Maine Division for the Blind, New Hope For Women, Sentegration, Inc., Rockland Library, Coastal Medical Clinic, and the Knox County Health Clinic. As you can see it was quite a diverse group and I have only named about have of the vendors.

There were also several work shops offered throughout the event. In fact, there were 5 in all. The subjects ranged from helping seniors stay in their homes to fall prevention to scam artists. And, it was all free! What a wonderful community service the Wellness Fair has turned out to be for the community and for the businesses represented to network with each other.

Air Companions has been pleased to be a vendor for the past 2 years. Air Companions held a drawing for an overnight bag filled with goodies. Many people stopped by the table to sign up for the drawing which took place. At the end of the fair one of the neighboring vendors drew off a winner. And the winner was Gloria Whitehouse of Rockland! She is pictured here on the right holding her prize. When I delivered the overnight bag to her I asked if I could snap a photo of her and she agreed.

All in all it was a great day for Air Companions and I suspect for Gloria Whitehouse!

Speaking of Turkeys.......

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Even though Halloween is in a few days I've been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving and turkeys. I live in Maine and the turkey population has certainly grown over the past 10 years. I see turkeys everywhere! In fact, the picture on the right is a snapshot of a flock of turkey's walking down my driveway. They don't usually hang out around my house but one afternoon I looked out the kitchen window and happened to see these turkeys taking a stroll down the lane that leads to my house. It was a very interesting sight.

I like turkeys. I wonder if the turkey population has spread throughout the US like it has in Maine. If anyone out there knows the answer please let me know.

About a year and a half ago I attended a baby shower a few towns over from the town I live in. Most of us arrived early as it was a surprize shower. While waiting for the guest of honor to arrive we stood around outside and visited with each other. Apparently, this tom turkey who lived next door became curious about what was going on and mosied on over to check things out.

His owner discovered he was missing and came over to the grange hall where the shower was held to retrieve her pet. But, the turkey did not want to go home. He was enjoying all the attention. Finally, Jenna, the expectant mother, showed up. She was surprised about the shower and she wondered who invited the turkey. We all got a good laugh out of it.

Finally, we all went inside the grange hall to celebrate Noah's upcoming arrival. I'm sure he will get a kick out of hearing about how a turkey came to his baby shower!

My sister, Stacey, lives in Maryland. She has a farm and is raising turkeys for other people's Thanksgiving dinners. Dday for these turkeys is coming right up. Stacey has a blog called Fresh MacKenzie if you want to check out what's going on at her place.

As I said at the beginning of this blog, Maine has a huge population of turkeys now. My husband and I have a running joke about this. One of us will say to other one, "I saw some of your family today. They were walking through a field." :) Tune in next time for a story called "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" It's a story about Thanksgiving. Happy Halloween everyone. Be safe.

Air Companions Travels Downeast

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:14:00 +0000

A little over a week ago Air Companions was asked to transport a lady from Midcoast Maine to Downeast Maine; almost a 2 hour drive one way. Air Companions was very happy to do this job as the company wants to branch out to ground transportation as well as accompanying people in air travel.

So, late morning on a rainy early autumn day we set out for Penobscot Nursing Home in Penobscot, Maine. Despite the weather the ride was quite enjoyable as we drove along the coast and the Penobscot River. I had not been over the new bridge to Verona Island since it was built. It is quite a bridge to see! Also the leaves were just beginning to change color and the countryside was beautiful!

The lady I transported suffers from a rare and very disabling disease. She becomes car sick fairly easily so I kept a keen eye on her and tried hard to make the ride smooth as possible. One mile from the nursing home she started to complain of feeling ill. Fortunately we made it with no incidents.

The nursing home is large and somewhat run down but the front of the building over looks the ocean which is a stone's throw away. The staff working there were friendly, welcoming and helpful. We arrived at lunch time and the staff immediately set my passenger up with a light lunch. The nurse's aides were eager to find out about their new patient and the charge nurse took time to show me around, gather information and answer my questions. I felt like I was leaving this lady in good hands.

On the way back home I called the family to let them know I had delivered their loved one to the Penobscot Nursing Home. They were very grateful. I wished them well and asked them to keep in touch. I then took my time driving back to the Midcoast taking in all the beauty Maine has to offer.

It's Been Too Long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:00:00 +0000

What can I say?! I know I should be good at this and I am for a while then something happens and before I know it its been weeks or even months before I write another blog. I simply have to get better at this!

I love poetry and Shel Silverstein is one of my favorite poets. Before I started this new blog I flipped through a book of Mr. Silverstein's poems to see if I could find a poem befitting what I want to say. The name of the book is "A Light in the Attic". Well, I found several. Here goes......

Something Missing

I remember I put on my socks,

I remember I put on my shoes.

I remember I put on my tie

That was painted

In beautiful purples and blues.

I remember I put on my coat,

To look perfectly grand at the dance.
Yet I feel there is something

I may have forgot---

What is it? What is it?....

Of course he was talking about his pants but that's how I feel about my poor little blog! Here's another Shel Silverstein poem.....

Overdues

What do I do?

This library book is 42

Years overdue.

I admit that its mine

But I can't pay the fine---

Should I turn it in

Or hide it again?

What do I do?

Haven't we all been there? Sometimes you just want to hide but eventually we all have to face the music.

Finally, I came across the next poem. It doesn't have anything to do with getting things done in a timely matter but its message is very timely indeed. See what you think.....

The Little Boy And The Old Man

Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."

Said the little old man, "I do that too."

The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."

"I do that too," laughed the little old man.

Said the little boy, "I often cry,"

The old man nodded, "So do I."

"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems

Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."

And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.

"I know what you mean," said the little old man.

If you would like to know more about Shel Silverstein I have put a link to his web site. It's worth looking at. http://shelsilverstein.com/indexSitehtml

This photo is a picture of my dad and my grandson. They certainly are not the types to be ignored and they both are happy people. I love this picture. I think it's a classic of an old man and a little boy.

Thanks for reading my blog. I promise to see you soon! :)

Older Americans Connecting the Community

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Sun, 01 May 2011 20:58:00 +0000

The title of this blog is the theme for this year's Older Americans Month. Check out the web site www.agingcarefl.org/whatsnew/olderamericans.

It has a great article about Older Americans Month.

Air Companions loves to connect the community with older Americans. In fact, it's a very large part of Air Companions business! People are living longer and healthier lives. Older Americans remain very active well into their 70's and 80s.

My father is an excellent example of this. He will be 75 years old this month. Dad connects with his community better than anyone I know. He is very politically minded. He worked hard volunteering on Governor LePage's campaign and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Each week Dad volunteers at the VA in Togus as a shuttle bus driver. He is also very involved with his church. The picture above is of Dad a few years ago. He is surrounded by 3 of his 5 grandsons of whom he derives much joy.

My sister, Molly, owns a transportation business and Dad works for her. He drives a school bus every weekday in the afternoon. He also helps out at the garage and runs errands for Molly as she needs him.

Dad has retired but he doesn't let that slow him down. I'm very proud to call him my father.

For more information on the Older Americans Act enacted in 1965 go to www.elderguru.com/what-is-the-older-americans-act-oaa-and-what-does-it-do/.

When I Am An Old Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:17:00 +0000

Not only is April National Humor month it is also National Poetry month. I thought it fitting to post one of my favorite poems in honor of National Poetry month. I have loved this poem since I was in my early 20s and now I'm getting close to being the old woman in the poem. :)

When I Am An Old Woman

I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick the flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and a pickle for a week,

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We will have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old and start to wear purple.

My great grandmother Annie Pease is pictured on the right. She has been gone many years but I remember her well and loved her much.

April is National Humor Month

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:32:00 +0000

Even though this picture isn't hilariously funny I bet it will bring a smile to your face. And there is a lot of truth to the caption. Think about it

What a Great Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:01:00 +0000

The Penobscot Bay Business Expo was a very fun and successful day. My good friend, Carol Pettee, and I were very busy talking to the many wonderful people who stopped by the Air Companions booth to find out what we were all about. As you can see I snapped a picture of Carol talking with someone.

If you own your own business I highly recommend you join the Chamber of Commerce in your area. The networking possibilities are endless and it's a good way to get to know the business community. I've never regretted joining the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce. I just wish I had done it sooner!

As I said, we had a great time and got a lot of good contacts. I also got to see lots of my business friends that I hadn't met up with for ages. That's always uplifting. Beth McKinney of Coastal Creative won the overnight bag filled with goodies that Air Companions gave away. I was pleasantly surprised when I won a gift certificate to the Rockland Cafe given away by Philbrook and Associates Book Keeping. Beth McKinney is pictured on the right holding her prize. Air Companions also gave away lots of candy; chocolate of course!

I just want to say thank you to everyone that stopped by the Air Companions booth. We loved meeting you and you helped make our day extra special. Please don't hesitate to contact Air Companions if you would like to know more about the services we offer. We would love to talk with you.

Penobscot Bay Business Expo

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Air Companions will be at the Penobscot Bay Business Expo on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at the beautiful Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine from 3pm to 7pm. We would love to meet you and tell you all about our services.

Tell us you read this blog and you will receive a 15% discount when you use Air Companion's services. Give us a referral that turns into a customer and Air Companions will pay you 10% of the profits from that customer.

The Penobscot Bay Business Expo is a very fun and informative event. There is not charge to get in. So come on by, you'll be glad you did. Don't forget to stop by Air Companions and say hello!

On your left is a photo of Camden Harbor taken last summer at my friend's daughter's wedding. Camden Harbor is, of course, part of Penobscot Bay. What a beautiful place!

A Few Helpful Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:21:00 +0000

I wanted to take the time to share some of my recent finds in helping folks help their folks or anyone who is taking care of the elderly.

Here is a site with many resources for aging parents and elder care.

Here is another blog on eldercare.

Here are some tips on travel for the disabled.

We hope this helps makes a smoother life for you whether you are caring for your mom in your home, managing an elderly aunts care in assisted living or traveling yourself.

Happy Spring!

Five Simple Tips When Caring For The Elderly or Disabled

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:47:00 +0000

If you are caring for an elderly parent or a chronically ill loved one following are some simple tips to help you keep them more healthy.

1. Our skin is our biggest organ and the first line of defense for the body. Keeping the skin healthy and intact goes a long way in keeping a person healthy. When you are assisting a disabled person with personal care remember to keep skin clean and smooth. An open sore on someone's skin can lead to an infection or worse.

2. As a rule people generally do not take in enough fluids. When you are caring for a disabled loved one remember to push fluids unless otherwise indicated by the doctor. One should try to drink at least 2 quarts a day. I know, I know, that sounds like a lot! When you take in enough fluids you have better skin integrity, less pain, better digestion, and overall better functioning of the body. Remember, our bodies are made up of 2/3 water.

3. Keep moving as much as you are able even if you don't feel like it. It is not good to allow a loved one to sit or lay in one position for long periods of time. If this happens one can develope pressure sores. Also, the old saying, "if you don't use it you lose it" is very true. If you are taking care of a disabled loved gently persuade them to get up and walk every hour or so. If they are wheelchair bound at least assist them in changing their position often. Pictured above is an elderly gentleman I have cared for. He walks with the assistance of a walker. He loves to go to church with me.

4. People are social creatures. When they are left alone for long periods of time their health usually declines. This is especially true in the elderly and physically disabled. If you are caring for a chronically ill loved one remember they need to engage in some socialization. Everyone is different but I believe that if someone socializes for just 15 to 30 minutes a day you will see a difference in them. There are lots of ways to socialize. A few examples are: Visiting one on one, taking a ride in the community, going to church, family functions, adult day programs and volunteering or getting a pet.

5. Often times when one is chronically ill they do not want to get dressed. They would rather stay in their p.j.s as it takes such an effort to clean up and get dressed for the day. Believe it or not when one cleans up and puts on fresh "street" clothes they usually feel better. Staying in the same clothes and not taking care of yourself daily can lead to depression and greater physical illness. If you are caring for a disabled loved one encourage them to start the day by getting cleaned up an dressed. Pictured on the right is an elderly gentleman I cared for several years ago. He got up every morning and dressed in a jacket and tie.

I have taken care of people for over 35 years and have followed these tips throughout my career. These tips have proven themselves over and over again. Of course there are many other variables that go into caring for people with disabilities but the above 5 simple tips are a sound starting point.

A Few Tips on Caring for the Elderly

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:09:00 +0000

I am Sonja Burns, LPN, founder of Air Companions. I have also taken care of people, mostly the elderly, since I was a teenager. Over the years I've picked up picked up a few tricks of the trade and thought I would pass a few along. I know there are many people out there caring for their loved ones and perhaps will benefit from some of the things I have learned working as a caregiver for over 30 years. Since this is a blog for Air Companions I thought it would be appropriate to start off with tips on traveling with the elderly.

By the way, the photo below is a picture of my husband's grandmother, Beatrice. She was 100 years old at the time. She lived with my husband and I for a couple of years at the end of her life. She passed away in September 2009 at the age of 101. She was quite a character!

1. Make absolutely sure your loved one has a picture ID. I have discovered that older people who no longer drive and need care often do not have a picture ID. If you do not have one when you enter the airport you will not be able to fly.

2. If a person is wheelchair bound and cannot walk through the metal detectors at the airport they will be required to be patted down. So, if you are flying with a loved one who cannot walk please give them a heads up about going through security. They will be patted down.

3. Airports offer escort services in the airport. I have discovered that airports often contract with a company that provides those services within the airport. I have also found the escorts to be very helpful and courteous. They can help you get checked in, take you to your gate, and assist a wheelchair bound person on and off the plane. I honestly don't know what I would of done without their help when I have been accompanying very disabled people from one destination to another. Another good tip is to remember these people enjoy a good tip, money that is. :)

4. I always carry a small package of wet wipes in my purse. When you are traveling with someone who needs assistance with their care wet wipes are invaluable for numerous reasons!

5. Always bring along extra supplies for your loved one. If they are incontinent bring extra incontinent pads/underwear. If they have an ostomy bring extra ostomy supplies. And so on ans so forth......

6. Make sure your loved one dresses comfortably. I would suggest a fleece outfit as it is warm and roomy.

7. When purchasing a ticket the best solution is to go first class. But, not everyone can afford that. If you have to fly in coach ask for seats by the bulkhead. There is more leg room by the bulkhead. Tell the agent you are flying with someone disabled. The ticket agents really do try to help you out.

8. If your loved one hasn't flown in a long time it might be a good idea to tell their doctor about the upcoming flight. If you think the flight might stressful to your loved one perhaps you could ask the M.D. for a mild sedative to help them get through the trip.

9. Make sure your luggage has wheels! When you are pushing a wheelchair it is very difficult to carry bags on your shoulders. A small carry on bag on wheels is a very good investment!

10. If all this sounds like too much work contact Air Companions! We would love to accompany your loved one in air travel! Or, any kind of travel for that matter. We would love to hear from you.

I hope these tips have been helpful. Next time I will give some tips on general care of the elderly.

A Recent Testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:02:00 +0000

How are you doing? Gee, it's interesting how connected I feel to the people who helped me out with the folks and the move!

The above statement was written to me in a recent email from a satisfied customer. I blogged about the trip. Check out "From Freeport to Freeport".

How To Mess Up a Referral

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:46:00 +0000

I am so upset by this I have to blog about it! Last week while driving in the car I received a call for Air Companions. Let me back this up just a little....Last week while driving in the car and answering a call and trying to placate a confused elderly gentleman I was caring for a call that I did not recognize came in on the other line. I answered. To my delight the lady calling was inquiring about Air Companions accompanying her mother from Syracuse, N.Y. to Long Beach, California on December 23rd. She also wanted Air Companions to accompany her mom home from Long Beach on January 3rd. The lady, who told me her first name but I have forgotten it, said that her mother was 80 years old and in good health. The very nice lady went onto say that her mother was some what fearful of flying and would just feel better if she had an escort. I told the lady that Air Companions would love to accompany her mother. The lady then asked what I charged. At that point I told her I was in the car. I told her I would be home in a half hour and at that time would call her back so we could discuss the details. She was agreeable. I told her I did not have access to pen and paper but I knew her number was on my phone so there was no need to write it down. We said our goodbyes. Little did I know that it would be forever!

Once I got home, got everything and everyone settled I made a couple of calls to help me accurately price out the potential trip to Long Beach, California. Feeling fairly confident I picked up my cell phone to retrieve the number to call the lady back. To my horror I could not find the number! I looked everywhere I could in the phone. (Mind you I am 53 years old.) In desparation I called my 33 year old daughter and told her, almost hysterically, what had happened. I could see her rolling her eyes even though we were talking on the phone. She said in an exasperated way, "Mom, the number has to be on the phone. Are you looking under Missed Calls?" I told her I had looked everywhere that I usually look to retrieve a number and the number wasn't there. At the time Rachael was caring for three children; her son 1.5 years old and her niece at 4 years old and her nephew at 10 months old. Needless to say, she was very preoccupied. I know I had to go another avenue so I sarcastically thanked her for her help and told I would call the phone company.

I called the cell phone company and told them my terrible plight. I asked them to please rertrieve the number for me so I could call this lady and at least explain why it had been over an hour since I had last spoken with her. I was put on hold for a few minutes. Finally the customer service lady came back on the line. She asked if the call from the lady had been a call waiting call. I told her it was. She then told me that there was no way to retrieve the call due to the fact it had come in as call waiting. I was stunned! I couldn't believe my ears! I am a big fan of Law and Order and CSI. They seem to be able to retrieve cell phone numbers from anywhere and everywhere! Now the cell phone company is telling me what I am asking is impossible! I felt like throwing up. The customer service woman was very apologetic and very sad that she could not help me. I thanked her for what she did do. Defeated I said goodbye and hung up the phone.

I could feel myself getting more and more stressed but then I said a prayer and told God that the only person who could fix this was Him. I was hopeful the lady would call me back wondering what had happened. It's been a week and she hasn't called. Despite all this I have learned a BIG lesson. No matter what if you have to get back to someone write down their name and number. Do not trust the cell phone!

If by some miracle the lady who called me is reading this blog I would very much like to talk to you about accompanying your mother to Long Beach, California for the holidays. I am so sorry this happened. Believe me, it will not happen again!

Diabetes and Family Caregivers

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:15:00 +0000

Did you know that November is National Diabetes Month and National Family Caregivers Month. Check out the links posted below to learn more about these very important subjects.

http://www.nfcacares.org/

htt p://www.diabetes.org/

Ten Reasons You Should Consider Using Air Companions

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 23:12:00 +0000

1. Your disabled elderly parent needs to fly across country and you are too busy with the husband, kids, job and other commitments to do it. Air Companions with treat your parent as if he or she was their parents.

2. You are divorced and your developmentally disabled grown child visits his/her other parent out of state. You and your ex need someone you can trust to accompany your special needs child throughout the trip.

3. You live alone and are struggling with a chronic illness and need to travel back and forth to a hospital for regular treatments. The treatments are exhausting and you are unable to drive yourself back and forth.

4. You or a loved one winters in the south each year. You need someone to accompany you/your loved one to your destination, drive the car, help get settled and fly home. That is one of Air Companions specialties!

5. You have always wanted to take a train across country but feel very vulnerable doing it alone. You would prefer to have someone with some medical training accompany you. Air Companions loves trains.

6. You have always wanted to go overseas but you are physically disabled in some way and your are afraid of flying and navigating the airports alone. Air Companions would love to accompany you.

7. You are getting married next year and are planning a huge wedding. Many people will need to fly to the island in Maine where your wedding is being held. It's the breath taking setting that you have been dreaming of your whole life. You so want your dear grandmother to be there. But she is wheelchair bound and suffers from mild dementia. She needs someone to help her get dressed every day and to make sure she takes her medications. She hasn't flown in years. But, it just wont be the same if Grammy isn't at your wedding. Air Companions to the rescue!

8. You would love to send your aging parents on a 2 week cruise somewhere warm in January after the holidays. But, they need someone to go along to help them out to make things easier and more fun. Air Companions has been on cruises and seen that many elderly people would have a better time if they had a travel companion with some limited medical skills.

9. You or a loved one struggles with mental illness and find that you need to travel for whatever reason. You have difficulty navigating your way through airports and feel afraid in big crowds of people. Air Companions can cut your stress level in half!

10. You have an elderly disabled loved on in a nursing home in another state and you want to bring that loved one to your state to live in a nursing home closer to you. Air Companions has done this sort of trip several times and it has always been a success.

So the next time one of these scenarios comes up I hope you will think of Air Companions. Remember we are not just "your guardian angels in the air" We are "your guardian angels everywhere!"

From Freeport to Freeport

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:46:00 +0000

Hi All. It's been a while and I apologize. Summer is so busy. Time just flies by. Before you know it it's almost fall and you haven't been on the computer for weeks! I guess I'm grateful I have such a busy life. I could be sitting at home wringing my hands and wondering what to do. So far this has not happened to me. In fact, quite the opposite and I'm happy about that.

Let's see.....where did I leave off? Oh yes, a lovely couple from Freeport, Maine hired Air Companions to go to Freeport, Illinois to accompany the Mrs.' elderly parents from a nursing home there to a nursing home in Maine. Since both the elderly man and woman were very compromised and in wheelchairs I decided to ask my husband to go along to assist me. I was very excited to have another adventure! Plus I was happily anticipating seeing some of the state of Illinois. I really had never been there. I have landed in O'Hare a few times, but that doesn't count.

We flew out of the Portland Jet Port on Monday evening, July 26. The weather was perfect as it has been all summer in Maine. However, our flight was delayed because of mechanical problems with several of the planes. We landed in O'Hare about an hour later than originally scheduled. I said a silent prayer that there would be no delays on our flight back to Maine the next day.

As you can see I snapped a picture of my dozing husband on our flight out to Illinois. I hope he really got some rest on the plane because we surely didn't once we got into the rental car at 9:30pm and started the second leg of our trip from Chicago to Freeport! Once we left the city it was quite dark out so we didn't have much of a chance to enjoy the scenery. One cool thing we did notice was that the city didn't just gradually fade out to a suburb to a town to country. We were in the city and all of a sudden we were driving through miles and miles of corn fields. Just like that! City....corn fields.

Finally, after what seemed hours of driving we arrived in Freeport, Illinois only to find that the main roads were blocked. There was no detour and no reason posted as to why the roads were closed! For the next hour or so we drove around in corn field and prayed until we found an open road into the heart of the town. At 1am we drove into our hotel parking lot. Needless to say we were exhausted. We asked the friendly clerk why all the roads were closed. He told us that the town was flooded from heavy rainfall over the weekend. We told the clerk there were no detours mapped out and it was only by the grace of God that we found the hotel. He was as perplexed by that as we were. We got our room keys, found the room and collapsed into bed!

Next morning we got up, got ready, ate breakfast called our contact person and headed for the nursing home. When we arrived we met the elderly couple, their son and daughter in law and the staff of the nursing home. All were very nice and helpful. I will call the elderly couple "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". Mrs. Smith is a small woman who suffers from dementia. She also walks with a walker. Mr. Smith was in the end stages of Parkinson's Disease. He could no longer walk and he was very stiff from the Parkinson's. He also suffered with dementia. I could see that the trip home was going to be a challenge and I was so glad my husband had come along. I could of not done it without him! Once we got all the instruction we needed and all the necessary things were packed we got our new friends into the rental car and set out for Chicago. It was another beautiful day and we really enjoyed viewing the scenery. Even Mrs. Smith commented several times about the beauty of the state of Illinois.

When we got to O'Hare Airport we were greeted by wonderful people who immediately came to our aid. All airports contract with companies who provide in house escorts. I think we were assigned the nicest escorts ever. They helped us in every way possibe and and made our time at O'Hare easy and pleasant. I took a picture of the two young ladies who assisted us. They were awesome! I truly do not know what we would have done without them. O'Hare is like a city unto itself!

Once we got to our gate we had to wait for about an hour before we could board. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith were cooperative and patient and even seemed to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the airport. We all ate a light lunch and soon we were on our way on non-stop flight to Portland, Maine.

The flight went amazingly well. We had first class seats which was a big help because the seats are bigger and there is more space to move around. The Smiths sat beside eachother. Mrs. Smith held and patted her husband's hand thoughout the trip. It was very sweet.

When we landed in Maine a very nice group of young men employed by the escort company assisted us all the way to the sidewalk and waited with us until my husband came around with the car. The young men even helped get the Smiths into the car! I was so grateful. From Portland we started the last leg of our trip. We took the Smiths to a nursing home nearby their daughter's home. At the nursing home we met up with our employers, the Freeport, Maine couple. We assisted the Smiths into the nursing home, gave instructions, said our good byes and left for home. Another Air Companions job well done!

July 24 is Amelia Earhart Day

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:53:00 +0000

In commemoration of the first woman pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, July 24 has been named Amelia Earhart Day. Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 and disappeared after July 2, 1937. Below I have pasted a few words written about Amelia from her official web site. To learn more click on the link below.

"Amelia Earhart was a strong, successful woman and really a pioneer for women. She never allowed anyone to tell her she could not accomplish what she had put her mind to.
As most everyone knows Amelia is known for her dedication to flying and her final flight. The last flight she ever took was attempting to fly around the world. She knew that no one had ever successfully done it, but she just figured she'd be the first.
She disappeared during her trip never to be heard from again, but that single attempt made her a role model for young girls for years to come.
In 1932, she was the first woman to ever fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, she was the first female to ever receive the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross. Only a few women proceeding her have been able to receive the same honor."

The Official Website of Amelia Earhart

Part 2 of Air Companions is on the Job!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:28:00 +0000

Picking up from my last blog I believe Doris and I had arrived at the Fort Walton Airport in Fort Walton, Florida, returned the rental car, confirmed our airline tickets and were heading for security. Once at the security area we were asked to show our picture IDs. I had my passport on me so that was not a problem. But, (and I mean a BIG BUT!) Doris did not have a picture ID. I instantly became nauseated for reasons I'm sure I don't have to explain. All I can say is that if something like this had to happen (and believe me it will never happen again on my watch!) I am so glad it happened at a little airport in the South. Can you imagine what it would of been like in New York City or Boston? Not fun.

The security guards were so nice and accommodating that I could hardly believe it. They apparently called Washington, D.C. to run a check on Doris to try to determine her identity. Meanwhile time is marching on and I am praying (literally!) that we would not miss our flight. Finally, after completing some paper work they confirmed Doris was who we said she was and we were sent through security. However, we didn't get off that easily as they had to "pat down" Doris. Female security guards completed this procedure. They were very kind and considerate. I can't say enough good about these people! Did I ever learn a lesson! Always make sure you and the people you are traveling with have a picture ID!!!

Because Doris is wheelchair bound they had to put her into a special chair to get her into the plane. Two strong young men gently lifted her from the wheel chair and placed her onto the special chair. They strapped her in for her own safety and carried her onto the plane. Then they undid the straps and gently lifted her from the special chair and placed her in her assigned seat. I was very impressed. I snapped this pic on your right from my window seat.

Once the plane took off Doris told me she was a little nauseated. I gave her a pill that the doctor had prescribed specifically for her trip to Maine. Twenty minutes later Doris was feeling much better. The stewardess was extremely helpful and waited on us by inches. When I got off the plane I told her she was the nice stewardess that I had ever met. One hears so many complaints about the service in airports and in flight and I did not see any of that the entire trip.

The flight to Atlanta was not long. We had a 2 hour lay over there and then the next leg of our trip would take us to Maine. Good thing we had a 2 hour layover because we certainly needed the time. As I said in my previous blog, the Atlanta Airport is HUGE! First Doris needed to make a stop in the ladies room which took a good 30 minutes. Once we came out we sought out help from the airport staff. They gave us an escort to our departing gate which, of course, was on the other side of the airport. We finally got there with very little time to spare. I grabbed something to eat and it seemed it was time for us to board. Doris and I were the last to board as she needed to be taken on the plane in the special chair. Again 2 kind young men assisted Doris and the whole thing went very smoothly. On the right I have posted a piture of the crowd waiting for the flight to Maine.

We were happy to be on the last leg of our journey. Doris was such a trooper. Mind you, she had not even been in a car outside of the nursing home for over 2 years! This trip home to Maine was a very big adventure! We finally arrived in Portland in the late afternoon. Doris' daughter was waiting for us. After settling our business I helped Rebecca get her mother into the taxi. I hugged both of them goodbye and wished Doris all the best. I got into my car and headed for home. What a great day!

Air Companions is on the Job!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:05:00 +0000

Air Companions was on the job last Sunday, June 20, 2010, Father's Day! I flew out of the Portland, Maine Jetport in the late afternoon. I snapped this photograph right from my window on the plane.

I sat by two young men. We were all strangers. The one in the aisle seat was very quiet and busy doing his numbers puzzles. He did tell us he was from Scotland. The young man sitting in the middle seat was a fellow Mainer. He was young enough to be my son and he enjoyed the art of conversation. We talked steadily for three hours! It was very interesting, though. His name is Tim and he is an engineer. It seems that engineers can have very diverse careers just like nurses. Tim inspects railroad bridges. He flies all over the country inspecting railroad bridges. Sometimes he has to wade through swamps up to his chest in disgusting swamp water! He does wear waders, but still?! GROSS! He told me he sees huge snakes and spiders all the time. I was sickened, yet enthralled. Anyway, I told Tim that it's a good thing God didn't make us all the same. He agreed because he couldn't imagine doing what I do. When we landed in the HUGE airport in Atlanta we parted ways. Tim was going to Savannah, Georgia to inspect railroad bridges. I was going to the pan handle of Florida.

I arrived in the Fort Walton Airport at about 11p.m. I rented a car and drove about 18 miles to a little town called Crest View. I got lost trying to find the hotel and stopped at a convenience store to ask directions. The young man standing outside kindly gave me directions and I found my hotel easily. By the time I got to my room it was almost midnight. I didn't sleep well. I was too psyched to do my new job! Finally I guess I got a few hours sleep but I was up with the birds.

I ate a quick breakfast at the hotel and headed for the nursing home to pick up my client. We were flying out of Fort Walton at 10:20a.m. Once in the rental car things went downhill rather quickly. The night person at the hotel had printed me out a map to help me navigate to the nursing home. Even with that in hand I somehow got VERY lost! I found myself on a divided highway called Route 10 heading for Tallahassee! I was scared and sick to my stomach. What was I going to do?! Up ahead I saw a rest area and it looked to be an information station, too. I parked, got out and saw it was indeed a rest area but it was unmanned! It had bathrooms, vending machines and information, but no people! I was getting sicker by the minute. I knew I was going to blow this job and Air Companions would never get off the ground! I walked back to my car desperately trying to figure out what to do. Low and Behold I saw what I thought was a policeman! I was never so happy to see a policeman in my life! In my mind I'm thinking police escort to the nursing home!

I walked up to the policeman and discovered by that he was a security guard. He was very nice and asked me how my day was going. I told him it wasn't going well and relayed to him my troubles. He told me that the next chance I had to change my direction was 10 miles down the road in Tallahassee. I knew that I would miss the scheduled flight. Then this wonderful man said that if it were him he would maybe do a U turn on the median. He reminded me that this was an illegal thing to do, but he was just finishing up for the day and had to go out back to tidy up. If I was going to do a U turn maybe that would be a good time. He then drew me a map and explained in detail how to get to the nursing home. I figured out why I made the mistake I did. Believe it or not I usually am not bad at directions. I think the "guardian angel of the air" met up with her guardian angel at a rest stop in Florida.

I made the U turn and headed back to Crest View and found the nursing home. The staff was waiting for me inside. My client was just about ready to leave for her adventure. Her name is Doris and she told me that she had not even been out of the nursing home in at least 2 years! Doris' husband was there helping her get ready. He still lives in their home nearby. He visits Doris faithfully everyday. He is staying behind for a week to get the house packed up and he will fly to Maine in early July.

Doris is wheelchair bound. She suffers with some dementia and she has a G tube. She is very thin and tall. She needs assistance with most everything. Doris was somewhat apprehensive about flying but she was a real trouper. I instantly liked her. She told me she was a teacher and taught children how to read. I told her my grandmother was a teacher and taught children how to read.

Finally we were ready to head out for the airport. We said our goodbyes to the wonderful staff at the nursing home. (Have you ever noticed how very nice the southern people are? I really love that about them.) I wheeled Doris out to the car and helped her transfer into the front seat, stowed the wheelchair in the front seat and we were off! Doris thoroughly enjoyed the ride to the airport as she had not been out for a ride for a very long time. Once we got to the airport we turned in the rental car and headed into the airport to go through the rigmarole one has to go through to get on a plane. Little did I know what a rigmarole it would be! I'll give you a hint: Doris did not have a picture ID on her!

I'm going to stop right there and let you imagine what happened to Doris and I at the Fort Walton Airport when we went through security. In a couple of days or so I will write the second half of my story about Air Companions first job.

In honor of all those who have served.....

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:16:00 +0000

I was going to do a special post for Memorial Day but never got to it. Then I was shooting for Flag Day and never got to it. So, I'm doing it now. I think that we all have a patriotic feeling from Memorial Day right through July 4rth. Of course we should all year, but I think this time of year really stands out. Anyway, I have a dear friend who served in combat in Vietnam. I sent him an email about Memorial Day and he sent me back the following email sharing a very solemn experience. I think what he has to say says it all about war and what our troops give up so we can be free. My friend did not want me to use his name except for the letter T. Here's to you, T, and all of our troops who have served in times past and present......

To share a nugget of experience which I seldom do on this subject...

For a time, my unit was at Tan San Nhut Air Base in Saigon to re-organize. We were delegated to sleep right next to the flight line. Each night at 11 p.m., a fleet of large, low-bed, open trucks would arrive and park in the row of aircraft standing by to deliver the scores of that day's casualties home. The scene was etching as the moonlight reflected off the coffins, too many to count - predictable, night after night after night. Each was transferred to an aircraft with utmost reverence, each soldier receiving the respect of patience and time as each coffin was handled ceremoniously by comrades who worked through the night to avoid the revealing daylight image that would demoralize our own and cheer the enemy. At first, I would watch for a time, somehow compelled to face the reality of my own presence. Later, I only waited to hear the trucks arrive before falling asleep playing the nearby scene in my mind. It was every bit as stirring as it sounds, and I shall always remember it as if it was yesterday.

The Trip to Rehobeth, Delaware with Sherman

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:50:00 +0000

A year ago last June (2009) my sister and I split one week's rent on a condo in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware. She had been there several times, but I had never been there. My mother and Molly's best friend joined us along with our husbands and Molly's 8 year old son, Sam and his friend, Mabel. Dan, my husband, and I decided to bring along the 84 year old man I care for in my home. So, all in all there were 9 people going on this little vacation (if you want to call it that). To your right is a picture of my nephew, Sam. He's pretty cute and a great kid.

My sister, Molly, drove down a day before I did. And it's a good thing she did or we would probably still be looking for the condo! We started out mid-morning the next day. As I remember, it was a beautiful summer day; perfect for driving.

It took us hours to pack. The roof of my 2003 Ford Escort station wagon reminded me of the Beverly Hill Billies as everything but the kitchen sink was tied to the top of the car, including a commode/pot chair. I'm sure we did not go unnoticed down the highway!

The trip was fairly uneventful for most of the way. We made a lot of stops along the way so that Sherman could move around and stretch. It took us 13 or 14 hours to get there and then we got lost! Of course, it was dark and raining which made everything harder to see. I think we drove at least ten miles beyond where we should of turned off before we realized we were going in the wrong direction. All I can say is THANK GOD FOR CELL PHONES! What did we do before they were invented?!

When we travel I like to drive and my husband likes to keep an eye on the map. But, when the going gets tough things don't always work out that way. I have to say that our worst arguments have been over finding a destination. I called my sister, Molly and she talked us through it until we got to the condo. By then it was at least 11 pm! Sherman was not happy and neither were we. The condo was on the second floor so we had to take everything up via stairs or the elevator. Not fun when you are tired. Finally, I got Sherman settled into bed and my husband and I collapsed in bed shortly afterwards.

Rehobeth is pretty, but very commercialized. It was not really my cup of tea. I prefer a little adventure to nonstop shopping and lying in the sun. Sherman, on the other hand, didn't like any of it. He suffers with dementia and nothing was sitting well with him. After all, I had taken him out of his familiar environment. It made his dementia worse. Things seemed to be going down hill fast. I pretty much regretted going to Rehobeth Beach from the minute I landed there.

We suffered it out for a few more days but then both my husband and I just wanted to go home, not to mention the Sherman was practically yelling it from the rooftops! So, 4 days into our vacation we set for home and we were never so thrilled to get home as we were from that trip!

Sherman is pictured above at a Christmas partly last December with my dear friend, Marie.

I learned a big lesson from that trip. Sometimes people just don't want to go on vacation and when you take them you are not doing them or yourself a favor!

The Herald Gazette: Business Expo showcases local commerce

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:09:00 +0000

The Herald Gazette: Business Expo showcases local commerce

Air Companions, Inc made it's debut at the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on Wednesday, May 26, 2010. It was a great day and Air Companions even got a write up in the Friday, May 28th edition of the Herald Gazette! Click on to the above link to learn more!