Seniors and Family Caregivers Now Have an Advocate
'Jill, this is Brenda, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Olivia, your mom's aide, didn't show up this morning and we've not found a replacement for her yet.'
I was livid, it was now 1:00 in the afternoon and I was just being informed that my mother, unable to get out of bed without assistance, was alone.
This was not the first time this home care company had failed to fulfill their promises or to follow my directions and what made it worse, it wasn't the first agency that I had hired.
I live in Glendale Arizona, and mother lived in Cleveland Ohio. Mother was adamant that she continue living in the home she and dad shared, the same home my siblings and I were raised. As the eldest daughter and the only one without a husband and children, the responsibility of coordinating care fell on my shoulders.
The amount of stress I endured during the last five years of mother's life is indescribable. I continued to hire the 'wrong' home care service, I continued to enlist the services of handyman and lawn care services that fell quite short of their promises and I even subjected mother to an unscrupulous so-called financial planner.
I did all the right things. I checked references, held lengthy interviews, wrote out my instructions to the letter so that there was no confusion, I checked the Better Business Bureau and even went so far as to request letters of recommendations of clients from these elder care providers.
Mom passed away while I was home for Christmas in 2000. She died at home, something she truly wanted when her time had come. Now, five years later, I have met the most wonderful woman and my first question to her was, 'Where were you when I needed you?'
I hope that I won't need the services offered by Senior Approved Services any time soon, but if you are the designated family caregiver or perhaps the senior in need, you must know about this ingenious concept of a service.
Senior Approved Services was founded by Barbara Mascio who wanted a method to actively advocate for the right of all seniors to receive excellent care and to most importantly remain safe in the receiving of that care. Seniors and family caregivers access this invaluable service at no charge.
Barbara helps families avoid less than desirable services, and she does this by directing seniors towards businesses that have a proven track record of quality care. Proven, by the very first consumer-driven survey process developed for the elder care industry. As she puts it, 'The seniors currently using a service are the ones that endorse a business, who better to attest to quality care than the senior clients?'
I wondered how receptive the business community might be to a survey of their clients. As it turns out, business owners are as excited about this service as the families are that use Senior Approved Services.
Barbara and I chatted for well over an hour and if you would like the full reprint of my entire interview, please feel free to contact me at jillcauthor@yahoo.com
Barbara is very modest; she has created a unique service that not only serves those in need of services, but offers the business community great advantages.
Jeff Porter of The SCOOTER Store says, 'The SCOOTER Store is excited about our affiliation with Senior Approved Services. We believe the Senior Approved certification will reassure seniors and their caregivers that they can put their trust in The SCOOTER Store as America's leading provider of power mobility'
Paul Stone, owner of a general cleaning and handyman service says, 'We are so proud to be Certified as a Senior Approved Service. Putting this on our brochures, business cards and other advertisement pieces has clearly, without a doubt, increased our client base. Barbara is right; seniors need services but are afraid or confused about which one to call.'
Michael Stowe the Administrator of Life Care Home Health Services Corporation, says, 'In the short time we have worked together with Senior Approved Services, I have been impressed with the comprehensiveness of service referrals, the personal touch and the responsiveness to inquiries. Senior Approved Services offers an extremely valuable service to seniors and their families by connecting them with quality providers.'
Lorice S. Dakdduk, DCR of Sunrise Assisted Living of Rocky River, says, 'Barb and her company offer a unique service that is unmatched in the industry. Her personalization follow through and genuine concern makes this service top notch. Highly recommend for professionals as a resource and for family members not wanting to take this task on alone. With Senior Approved Services you always have someone to count on.'
To read more endorsements from the elder care business community, see www.qualityeldercare.com/seniors
If you live in the United States and believe as I do, that you deserve to receive the best possible service from an elder care service, please contact Senior Approved Services. The web site is www.seniorsapprove.com The phone number is 216-883-3163.
About the author: Jill Conner is a freelance writer and web content developer. She can be reached via email at jillcauthor@yahoo.com