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Caregivers Bring Quality, Reliable Service to You (8/15/2009)

When Eric Hicks needed to find in-home care for his stepmother, the Charleston native quickly encountered some difficulties.

He found there weren’t many services available. There wasn’t good accountability in some of the agencies. Caregivers didn’t always keep schedules that worked best for the customer. Customers often had to reluctantly sign off on time sheets, knowing the caregiver didn’t work the time listed.

“Sometimes, older people are put into a situation where they are afraid of their caregiver, not in the sense of physical harm, but they’re afraid to make the caregiver upset because they may just quit. Then the customer has to start all over trying to find someone else to help them,” Hicks said.

His personal search led him to a nationwide franchise known as Right at Home. In time, Hicks opened an agency in Charleston, and the endeavor has been so successful, he has now opened a Right at Home in Beckley.

“When people found out about us, we started getting calls from Beckley, and we realized there is definitely a strong market here for the services we offer,” Hicks said.

Right at Home provides personalized services to seniors and individuals of all ages, physical conditions and cognitive abilities. A trained staff attends to specific needs, such as those encountered by an individual or loved one recovering from illness, injury or surgery, living with a chronic disability or dealing with the natural process of aging.

“As a service provider for the Aged and Disabled Waiver Program, Veterans Home Health Aide Program, private insurance, workers’ compensation and private duty nursing, Right at Home is able to help many area residents receive quality care in the comfort of their own homes,” Hicks said. “There is a growing interest among the aging population to make home modifications that enable them to be independent and remain in their homes as long as possible.”

Right at Home also functions as a support system for family caregivers needing a little time for themselves by providing respite home care.

“This has tremendous value, as care giving is a challenging and demanding undertaking,” Hicks said.

The agency provides training and has a unique set of measures in place to ensure accountability and reliability of employees.

“We use telephony, a method whereby our caregivers log into a computer system by placing a call from the client’s phone. They log out the same way. That way, we have a record of the exact time they arrive and when they leave. We can monitor attendance, and see at a glance whether or not a caregiver is on the job or not,” Hicks said.

Caregivers also receive a “report card” every three months. “We go over attendance records, performance and whether or not the caregiver has kept up with their required continuing education,” Hicks said. “We can find out early in the game if there are problems we need to address.”

Services begin with the initial care consultation to develop a plan for meeting a loved one’s needs. Collaboration with other professionals involved in the care of that individual the agency to provide holistic nursing and quality-of-life enhancement.

“We work with the local hospitals, nursing homes, home health companies as well as medical equipment companies to meet our clients’ total needs. That can include almost everything from managing appointments and medical care, shopping, social and personal growth activities, as well as providing the basic personal care needs,” Hicks said.

Direct care services include assistance with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, grooming and personal hygiene, incontinence management, transfers, ambulation support, mechanical lift operation and total care for the bedridden.

“We also provide overnight care, sitter service in a facility, housekeeping and errands are available as well,” he said.

The professional staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.

“Our services are tailored to the specific needs of our customers. We offer a broad selection of service and scheduling options,” Hicks said.

The new office, located at 130 George St., Harper Park, Suite H, has been established to serve the elderly and persons with disabilities in Raleigh and Fayette counties.

For more information, call 304-929-2670 or visit www.rightathomewv.com.