Our hearts desire at Onyx Home Care is to provide quality care to our patients in a nurturing and trusting environment. License number HHA 21280096.
Our heart's desire at Onyx Home Care is to provide quality care to our patients in a nurturing and trusting environment. We offer skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, private duty companion care, as well as specialized Alzheimer's and Dementia care. We are a Joint Commission accredited agency serving Flagler and Volusia Counties since 1967.
03/16/2026
Sleep changes are one of the most challenging parts of caring for a loved one with dementia. Many families are surprised when someone who once slept through the night begins waking frequently, wandering the house, or becoming restless after dark.
These changes are common as dementia affects the brain’s natural sleep-wake cycle. But that does not make the long nights any easier for caregivers.
In our latest blog, we explain why dementia can disrupt sleep, what families can do to support better rest, and when it may be time to seek additional help.
Sleep changes are common in dementia. Learn why they happen, what caregivers can do, and when it may be time to seek additional support in Daytona Beach.
03/13/2026
Many caregivers do everything they can to keep their loved one safe at home. But dementia is progressive, and there may come a point when the risk becomes too great for one person to manage alone.
Some signs that additional help may be needed include:
✔️ Your loved one attempts to leave the house frequently
✔️ They wander at night while you are sleeping
✔️ You feel afraid to leave them alone even briefly
✔️ You are experiencing exhaustion from constant monitoring
✔️ They have already become lost once
These situations can create an incredible amount of stress for caregivers. Feeling overwhelmed does not mean you have failed. It simply means the level of care required has grown beyond what one person can safely provide.
Professional caregivers can provide supervision, safety monitoring, and structured support that protects both the individual living with dementia and the family caring for them.
03/11/2026
One of the hardest parts of caring for someone with dementia is the 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 it requires.
Many caregivers describe feeling like they can never fully relax. Even at home, there’s a quiet worry in the back of their mind about doors, nighttime wakeups, or a moment when their loved one might try to leave.
Wandering is not a behavior meant to cause stress or fear. It often happens because someone living with dementia is trying to make sense of the world around them.
Understanding 𝘄𝗵𝘆 it happens is one of the first steps toward creating a safer environment for the person you love.
Swipe through to learn more about what may be happening beneath the surface.
If you are navigating dementia care for a parent or loved one, you are not alone.
There is a moment many dementia caregivers experience that is deeply frightening.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘂𝗽… 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗲.
Wandering is one of the most common and dangerous symptoms of dementia. It can happen suddenly and often comes from confusion, anxiety, or the feeling that they need to go somewhere familiar.
For families, it creates 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. You may feel like you can never truly relax because you’re always watching the door.
In our latest blog, we walk through:
• Why wandering happens in people with dementia
• Warning signs families often notice first
• Practical steps you can take to reduce the risk at home
• When wandering becomes too dangerous to manage alone
• What to do if your loved one goes missing
If you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, this guide can help you feel more prepared and protect the person you love.
Wandering is one of the most frightening dementia symptoms. Learn why it happens, how to reduce risk, and when it may be time to seek professional help.
03/05/2026
Caring for a parent with dementia often comes with pressure that few people talk about.
Many families feel like they have to 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻, even when the needs become overwhelming.
But dementia care is 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯.
As the disease progresses, safety becomes a bigger part of the conversation. Falls, wandering, medication management, and subtle health changes can happen quickly. Having professional support in the home can help families stay ahead of those risks while allowing their loved one to remain in familiar surroundings.
Support does not replace the role of a son or daughter. 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝘁.
If you are navigating these decisions in the Daytona Beach area, this blog walks through what that promise to “never put them in a home” can actually look like in a real caregiving journey.
Many families quietly carry the weight of a promise: “𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲.”
That promise usually comes from love. From loyalty. From a desire to protect the person who once cared for you.
But as dementia progresses, 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲. Falls become more likely. Wandering can happen in seconds. Medications become more complex. Exhaustion builds for the family member trying to manage it all alone.
Professional in home dementia care helps families protect their loved one while preserving dignity, safety, and quality of life at home. It reinforces the care you are already providing and helps prevent the kinds of crises that send families to the emergency room.
If this promise has been weighing on your heart, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.
If you’ve ever said that, you probably meant it with your whole heart.
But what happens when love isn’t the issue… safety is?
Many families in Daytona Beach are carrying quiet guilt while trying to manage dementia alone. The wandering. The falls. The medication confusion. The exhaustion no one sees.
Bringing in RN supervised in home care does not mean you broke your promise. It may mean you are protecting it in a new way.
If this conversation has been weighing on you, this week’s blog is for you.
Did you promise to never put your parent in a home. Learn how RN supervised in home dementia care in Daytona Beach preserves dignity, increases safety, and adapts as needs change.
02/27/2026
No one talks about how personal dementia can feel.
The accusations.
The sharp tone.
The arguments that seem to come out of nowhere.
You know it’s the disease.
But it still lands in your chest.
If you are caring for a parent with dementia, you are navigating moments that require patience most people will never fully understand. And when conflict happens, it is not because you are failing. It is often because the brain is overwhelmed.
Small shifts in how we respond can lower stress for both of you. Not perfectly. Not instantly. But meaningfully.
And if you are tired of handling it alone, you do not have to.
Support, guidance, and early intervention can make these moments less intense and less frequent.
Some days it feels like you are losing the person you love in pieces.
Not all at once.
Just little shifts. A sharper tone. A distant look. A tension that did not used to be there.
And if we are honest, it hurts.
It hurts to be accused.
It hurts to feel shut out.
It hurts to miss who they used to be while they are still sitting right in front of you.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or even resentful at times, that does not make you a bad caregiver. It makes you human.
Dementia changes the brain. And when the brain changes, behavior changes.
Understanding that does not remove the hard moments. But it can remove the shame.
You are not alone in this. And you deserve support just as much as your loved one does.
If you are caring for someone with dementia in Daytona Beach and need guidance, coordination, or just someone who understands what this really looks like, we are here.
02/24/2026
Some of the hardest moments in caregiving aren’t the physical ones.
They’re the emotional shifts.
When someone you love starts reacting in ways that feel unfamiliar, it can leave you grieving while they’re still sitting right in front of you.
If you’ve been wondering,
“Is this normal?”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Why does this feel so sudden?”
You are not alone in that confusion.
Understanding what’s happening inside the brain can change the way you respond… and the way you carry it.
If these changes are starting to feel overwhelming, support can make this season steadier.
We’re here when you’re ready. 🤍
02/23/2026
You’re not imagining it.
When dementia changes your parent’s personality, it can feel like you’re grieving someone who is still sitting right in front of you.
The anger.
The suspicion.
The withdrawal.
The version of them that feels unfamiliar.
It is one of the hardest parts of caregiving.
And it is not your fault.
We wrote this for families in Daytona Beach who are walking through personality changes in dementia and wondering what is actually happening.
Inside the article:
• Why these changes happen in the brain
• How to respond without escalating conflict
• When behavior becomes a medical issue
• How to advocate if you ever need emergency support
• And how proactive dementia home care can help prevent crisis situations
If you are feeling overwhelmed, hurt, or exhausted, you are not alone.
Heart Month is a reminder to support both heart and brain health. Learn gentle ways to encourage heart healthy habits for seniors with dementia in Daytona Beach.
02/19/2026
“When we support the heart, we are also supporting the brain.”
For families caring for a loved one with dementia, this connection matters more than most people realize.
Heart health impacts circulation, energy, mood, and even cognitive stability. But knowing that and implementing it are two very different things.
Making changes when someone depends on routine can feel overwhelming. Food is familiar. Habits feel safe. Even small adjustments can create resistance.
That is why heart health in dementia care has to be gentle. Realistic. Sustainable.
We shared practical, caregiver-focused ways to encourage heart healthy habits without creating conflict or stress at home.
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Colleen and Michael McGrew purchased The Wallis Agency in 2015 and renamed the business Onyx Home Care in 2016. Colleen, a registered nurse, is continuing the legacy of RN ownership that began with Mary Wallis in 1967. The company has been owned and operated locally by a Registered Nurse for almost 50 years.
After careful consideration, Colleen felt a name change would better reflect the new spirit of the business. Onyx Home Care was chosen based off the use of the onyx stone in ancient healing practices. The onyx stone was meant to aid in the balance of body, mind and spirit. This reflects Colleen’s heart for Onyx Home Care, to see the quality of life, health and independence of each patient improve exponentially. The Onyx Home Care team provides care to patients in a nurturing and trusting environment in Central Florida.
Colleen is a third generation RN owner and is bringing a renewed sense of accountability to home health care. She has a bachelors of science in nursing from Western Connecticut State University. Working as an RN for over 26 years has given her many roles such as: staff, charge, emergency room, and telephone triage nurse. Colleen’s experience in patient care has given her a unique perspective on the needs of patients and their family members. She brings this knowledge into her knew position as owner of Onyx Home Care.
The McGrews love Daytona Beach. Colleen hosts a women’s group once a week that has nearly outgrown their meeting space and Michael has been a part of numerous local activities through his previous position as a plant manager. Colleen and Michael are continually looking for ways to serve their area. Onyx Home Care is a way for The McGrews to use their professional experiences to help their community.
Colleen and her team are excited to continue providing quality, affordable home health care to seniors in the Volusia and Flagler counties.
