Lana's Love and Trust - Private Elderly Care Services

May 23, 2008
As I sit here with my Mother, watching, “As Time Goes By,” some 1 1/2 years after my Mother’s traumatic compound ankle/tibia fracture, I am reminded of “as time goes by.” The past year and a half has been an eventful one with numerous medical setbacks. Lana has been there since the beginning and has been instrumental in helping my Mother attain her independence. Once again adaptability to changing requirements, laughter, and common sensibility are among the characteristics that I most value in Lana. Although my Mother no longer requires Lana’s expertise, as a personal support worker, she has chosen to have Lana continue her assistance and present in her life and this alone speaks highly of the person and the presence that Lana is in my Mother’s life. Having Lana as a presence in my Mother’s life has not only provided comfort to the family, but allowed my Mother to return to her independence in her own home. Lana is a compassionate, caring person and ideally suited for her chosen profession. I would have no difficulty in recommending her as a personal care giver, and would be happy to speak with anyone personally.
Susan McFarland

May 2008
Lana’s Love & Trust has been a part of our lives for about 18 months now assisting in various levels of individual and joint parental needs.
Originally, Lana was assisting to fill long hours when a visually disabled Mom was alone for long periods and recuperating from a fractured hip. Activities encompassed reading, exercise encouragement, assistance with walker mobility, getting fresh air, manicures, nourishment breaks and generally a “feel good special time.”
When the health of Dad deteriorated with his fractured hip, Lana stepped up to the plate. Under the guidance of physiotherapy, she enforced and encouraged mobility and strengthening exercises routinely – something he would not willing let his daughter do, but Lana was allowed to take on this roll. (Even to the day dad passed away, he was still doing his leg exercises in his hospital be so he could resume that routine with Lana on his return home.) All the while she maintained that “feel good special time with Mom.”
During the period of dad’s death and a subsequent move for mom to a more caring and structured residence, Lana continued her supportive “feel good special time” with Mom. She continues to seek out reading material resources, current events discussions, reminiscing of the past, manicure/pedicure, gentle exercise and massages to fill long lonely hours with a severely visually disabled Mom.
Mom doesn’t leave her room much now. Lana’s Love & Trust is affording the family time to put their lives back together knowing that Mom is being stimulated with fresh conversation, lots of reading (bring on the humour, she loves it), manicures, encouragement with walker mobility and nourishment breaks.
It’s a win win situation for Mom and the family.
Thank you to Lana’s Love & Trust.
Sincerely, Thelma’s Family

May 6, 2007
Regarding Lana Sowchuk of L.L.&T. (Lana’s Love & Trust)
To Whom it May Concern,
I came to know Lana following a serious, debilitating injury. Her attention to my personal needs was primary and exceptional. In between these duties, she shopped for food, prepared meals and snacks, did laundry and light housework and accompanied me to medical appointments.
Her knowledge of restorative care and exercises helped prepare me for independence. In the event that I will require further surgery, I have asked Lana to be available.
We met as strangers and are now fast friends.
Yours truly, Heather McFarland

This letter concern’s the care given to one of my clients who has been in the nursing home since last September. A little background on the client, she has no family in the immediate area and the closest relative is 400km away. My client was an only child so her only living relatives are cousins, with growing families of their own who don’t have a lot of time to spend with her. I have known the client for 6 years, she likes to be pampered, is a very private person but can be demanding and difficult to handle at times.
L&L&T (Lana’s Love & Trust) has been great for her. She loves the one on one treatment the service provides. Some of the special treatments Lana has provided for her are taking her out for picnics on the nursing home grounds as well as driving her along the waterfront to see the boats. These are things she misses as no one is available to do these little extras for her she once loved.
Lana has also accompanied her to the hospital several time as well as attended her doctors appointments, so she doesn’t have to be alone in the waiting rooms. This in itself is very frightening to a client who doesn’t leave the nursing home very often. She also takes her on shopping trips to buy any necessities the client might need and they always stop at the Tim Horton’s for coffee on the way home.
The days that Lana visits and the client feels down or not up to doing anything, they will just sit and talk. Lana tries to encourage her to walk as much as possible with her walker, otherwise she would be left just to sit in her wheel chair. Exercise is very important to the elderly.
When her feet were layered in calluses Lana got a doctor to look at them and had her feet fixed up in no time. She works hand in hand with the nursing staff to help her clients in every way and always makes sure her clients are treated properly and tries to make their lives as comfortable as possible.
This has helped me in many ways, it is great that someone is there for my client as my full time job is really busy. I visit when I can and I know my client has found a new best friend in Lana.
Lynda M Johnson, CFP – RBC Investments, Sarnia On

Dear Lana
Last spring was an especially difficult time for our family as my widowed father, Bill Duffy was leaving hospital and returning to his apartment in my brother’s house. Heath care personnel at the hospital commented on how unusual this situation was for an 85 year old with severe lung disease not to be going into an institutional placement. Although he qualified for government funded home care, we decided to hire a private agency for a number of reasons.
Although his respiratory difficulties severely limited his general mobility, his mental capacity is very good for his age and he is proud of his independence. He very much enjoys the company of others however; we knew it would be easier on him if he only had a few new people to get to know. Lana and her staff met with our family to make introductions and the initial phase as smooth as possible.
The staff attending to my Dad’s needs are professionally certified Personal Support Workers who have been extremely dedicated and conscientious over the last 10 months. Beyond the professional expectations, our family has seen genuine warmth and caring from everyone at L.L. and T. (Lana’s Love and Trust) is well chosen.
Sincerely, Marg Duffy – Komoka On

To Whom It May Concern,
I hired Lana’s Love and Trust to provide personal care for my mother. Lana and Ethel were kind and compassionate. They had a way of getting my mother to cooperate. I was very pleased with Lana’s service and would hire her again if the need arose with my family.
Sincerely, Gord Gark

To Whom It May Concern,
Over sever recent years Lana Sowchuk’s small business, Lana’s Love & Trust, has been an invaluable service to me and my family. Lana’s business provide care for the elderly and infirmed, allowing piece of mind for family members who feel most responsible for the care if their loved ones, but cannot help for various reasons.
Lana and her two wonderful assistants provided care for my elderly cousin, Mollie, who was institutionalized in a nursing home for approximately five years until her recent passing a few months ago. Mollie was living a four hour drive away from her closest family members, and as a result, this proved to be too great a distance for us to provide her with the type of individual care and attention she required and deserved. Mollie would have been very lonely and sad if not for the visits she looked forward to on a daily basis from Lana and the girls. They stepped in to give Mollie the best care possible at a time in her life when it was most needed.
The communication with Lana was second to none. Lana provided us with a written monthly report of the activities she was providing for Mollie’s benefit. Most of these activities went well above and beyond those that could be provided by the staff of the nursing home. The report allowed us to have a consistent and solid understanding of Mollie’s health situation and her overall well-being. As well, if we had any questions or concerns, we were able to address them with Lana in a timely manner.
Lana’s interest in Mollie’s life was obvious by the way she went out of her way to treat Mollie with respect and dignity on every possible occasion. Lana made an extra effort to get to know our family so she would be able to talk to Mollie about her family. Also, Lana would effortlessly try to get Mollie to smile. An example of this is when Lana dressed up in a clown costume to make Mollie’s eightieth birthday celebration extra special.
Our family grew to trust and rely on Lana and her girls to provide our cousin with the care she wouldn’t have received any other way. Lana was there for Mollie during her final moments, providing the same consistent care that she and her staff had always provided. This was great reassurance for our family. I would highly recommend Lana’s Love & Trust to anyone who is seeking a similar service for a loved one.
Sincerely, Kathy Fitzmaurice – Barrie On

To whom it may concern.
This is a letter of reference for L.L.&T. (Lana’s Love & Trust)
I have hired the services of L.L.&T, since December 1, 2004. During this period, they looked after my wife, in many capacities. They have sat with her for evenings, bathed her, got her ready for and into bed, they have taken her to the doctors and to clinics as well as light shopping. They have also cleaned the bathroom and done laundry.
Two persons have serviced my wife… Lana Sowchuk and Kathy Lanteine. The deportment of both ladies is commendable.
I am not so familiar with Ms. Lanteine’s portfolio as with Mrs. Sowchuk, but Mrs. Sowchuk is certified in many fields of Senior’s nursing.
Yours Truly, Ken Burgess – Sarnia On

To Whom It May Concern,
I would like to compliment L.L.&T. on their compassionate care that they gave to my Grandmother.
My Grandmother was diagnosed with pancreases cancer and needed some extra care, seeing she lived alone. My Grandmother insisted that she didn’t need any help and was reluctant at first. It didn’t take long for L.L.&T. to win my Grandmother’s trust.
The last six months of my Grandmother’s life was full of joy and happiness. L.L.& T. took her for errands, doctor’s appointments, luncheons and even accompanied her in the ambulance.
My Grandmother knew that L.L.&T. was only a phone call away and when her cat knocked over all her pills on the floor, L.L.&T. was there to pick them up and calm her down.
In the last weeks of her life, L.L.&T. visited daily at the Palliative Care unit to feed her and bring a smile to her face. They massaged and even sang quiet songs to her in her last moments. They even came in during the middle of the night and stayed with her and the family until the end.
L.L.&T. was there for the family and helped console them through their loss.
I have always said, that L.L.&T. gave Grandma some of the best times of her life. She couldn’t wait to tell her family what they had done together. She especially loved to show off her newly painted red nails which she never would let us change.
I would highly recommend L.L.&T. to care for your loved ones. They are caring, trusting and compassionate.
L.L.&T. takes the stress off of family members at a very difficult time. The compassion the showed us was above and beyond anything you would find anywhere else.
Yours truly, Lisa Kennedy

Lana has been providing care/support to my mother who lives in a nursing home for the past two years. There is something joyful and comforting in knowing Lana visits my mother every week.
Lana has a refreshing, vibrant personality which everyone enjoys. Even though my mother is confused to time and place, she is readily attracted to Lana and thoroughly enjoys their interactions. Lana has a genuine interest in each person as an unique individual and makes them feel important. Lana has been creative and innovative in her visits/excursions. Lana is reliable and dependable.
In summary, I would say Lana is a gift and blessing to all she meets.
Sincerely, Marilyn Couture

Dear Lana,
I want to take a moment to tell you and your staff what a difference you have made in my father Roy’s life.
Knowing that you or one of the girls will be coming to accompany him and drive him to the bank and shops gives his day meaning. He looks forward to the companionship afforded him and the good humour brought by all of you. Television programs are now worth watching and paying attention to because he has someone with whom he may discuss what he has seen.
When you and your “girls” come in and shop for groceries with him and them come back and cook up something, this activity makes him feel like he has a normal life – not a senior’s life. When you remind him about calling his cousin or friends he feels competent and then has something to say at the supper table.
Being a senior is fun while your health and all your abilities are still fine. What is difficult for senior’s is when socializing, banking, shopping, and the casual gestures of fellowship exchanged in daily life become difficult to execute and there is anxiety about doing them. Especially ALONE. Your companionship for these outings enable him to have a friend accompany him to take care of HIS things HIMSELF. Independent but not alone.
The relief for the family members is felt by all. No more hustling Grandpa out for his massages, no more being impatient with him because he is taking a bit longer that I have to give him before I have to do something else or get back to work. The teenagers can actually ask him what he did today, which without fail leads to some observation or comment which keeps the conversation rolling along. The teenagers have even noticed people in the stores and said “hey that’s Grandpa’s friend. Do they need a lift?” Whereas before they were more impatient with him. In fact he has gained their respect since you have been taking him out and about since they see this action as him taking the initiative to take care of himself.
Hi self confidence is very apparent in his walk and posture. He is no longer reticent about discussing or pointing out things that he has difficulty with so that they may be remedied. Your little written reminders help him remember what is planned and he values them, especially those about how many cookies he should have.
You and your staff have all made a wonderful difference to my father. His daily life has no monotony. He has visits and outings to look forward to without the time being squeezed in between being what I can do and what I need to do. He feels confident with all of you and trusts you. I know that if there are any questions you will ask me or notify me.
Your service works and I am grateful. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who has senior parents who live independently.
Yours Truly, Patricia Darlington Saint-Germain

To Whom it May Concern,
I hired Lana to care for my mother who is in a residence. It is very time consuming taking care if my mother, raising two children, working full time and running a home. Lana has been there for me. She makes my mother happy when I see to make her sad. Because I am her daughter we tend to not get along very well. On the other hand, Lana is somebody from outside the family and my mother looks upon her as a friend. Lana takes her for different outings, for lunch, to the Old Port, and doctor’s appointments. Lana even brought my mother to one of her old nurse’s homes for a surprise birthday party on her behalf. Lana writes letters for my mother, holds her hand when receiving doctor’s treatments and in all has a happy attitude even when things are going bad. Now that I have Lana, I have more time to myself and more time to spend with my immediate family. Lana is always just a phone call away and is always willing to help me.
I had to go away for two weeks recently, and I felt at ease that Lana was there to take care of my mother. My trip was much less stressful than if I had to leave my mother alone at the residence.
I would recommend Lana for taking care of anyone’s mother. She is insured, has first-aid with St. John’s Ambulance and CPR. One of the most important things about Lana is that she really cares.
Yours Truly, Pauline Harkins