Comfort Keepers Specializes in Interactive Care
Wednesday, August 8th, 2012
Comfort Keepers offers a service that many people may not realize is available: in-home non-medical care that can enable elderly or other individuals to stay in their homes and out of a nursing home or other institutional care setting. Licensed by the state of Georgia in April 2009, the company serves a nine-county area surrounding Valdosta.
“I wish I had known that in-home care was an option when I was caring for my parents,” said Lisa Register, who with her husband Scott is the owner of Comfort Keepers in Valdosta. “So many times people think that they must move their mother or father to nursing home when this is a real good alternative.”
Through 650 franchised offices in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia and Singapore, Comfort Keepers provides quality in-home senior care to seniors and other clients who need help with the activities of daily living. Their goal is to enrich the lives of clients by enabling them to maintain the highest possible level of independent living in their own home for as long as possible.
INC. Magazine named Comfort Keepers one of the fastest growing franchise systems in the U.S. The company was also rated a "World Class Franchise" by the Franchise Research Institute in May 2009 and listed in the "Top 200" list by Franchise Times in Oct 2009.
Meeting a Growing Need
In-home care is a relatively new industry that addresses the needs of an aging and mobile society. People are living longer and staying active longer. At the same time, children are more likely to move away from home, which means they may not live close enough to care for an elderly parent.
"Comfort Keepers can help with the Activities of Daily Living that keeps the loved one in their home. We provide personal care – bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting and companion care that helps with cooking, cleaning, transportation and medicine reminders. We are not sitters, we are doers. We specialize in interactive care, which means we challenge our clients to get involved in their care,” Scott said.
In-home care can also be a time-saver for those who have elderly parents nearby. According to Lisa, one client commented that she used to take a half or full day off work when her mother had a doctor’s appointment. With Comfort Keepers, she is able to meet her mother at the doctor’s office – taking less time off work and making it easier on herself and her employer.
Since opening in 2009, Comfort Keepers has grown steadily in Valdosta. Currently, the company employs 30 caregivers and has a registered nurse on staff. Finding qualified caregivers is one of the biggest challenges the Registers face in growing their business.
“People not only must have the right skills, they also must have a passion for care giving. We are adamant that our employees have the right personality,” Lisa said.
According to Scott, they work with the local technical schools to find people and network with referrals from employees and clients. Nursing students are also prime candidates for in-home care giving while working on their degree.
Providing Technical Aids
To complement its in-home care, Comfort Keepers also provides a variety of technical aids. Emergency response kits, door alarms and bed alarms help family members, neighbors and other caregivers better monitor seniors living alone in their homes.
While Comfort Keepers provides a range of technology, they firmly believe in the value of a personal touch. That’s clear to anyone calling the company’s Valdosta phone number.
“We don’t use an answering service. A person in our office answers our phone 24/7, and 99 percent of the time Lisa or I answer,” Scott said.
For more information on Comfort Keepers, call (229) 241-0002 or visit online
http://www.chamberorganizer.com/valdostachamber/mem_ckeepers.
