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Home Instead Senior Care moves expanded headquarters to Ft. Mitchell, growing to meet demand


At the ribbon-cutting of the new headquarters in Ft. Mitchell

At the ribbon-cutting of the new headquarters in Ft. Mitchell

By Vicki Prichard
NKy Tribune Reporter

To accommodate the growth of an aging adult population, Northern Kentucky Home Instead Senior Care moved its headquarters from Florence to an expanded facility in Fort Mitchell.

“We are growing fast in an industry that is experiencing explosive growth. The need for quality care for our area seniors has never been more acute, and Home Instead is set up to address this need,” says Eric Schuermann, owner and operator.

In 2014, a survey conducted for Home Instead Senior Care found that 43 percent of adult caregivers in the U.S., ages 35 to 62, live with a parent, stepparent or older relative for whom they, or someone in their home, provides care.

Schuermann says the new and expanded facility at 224 Grandview Drive, will allow him to thoroughly train and prepare Home Instead’s caregivers as well as become a community resource by hosting continuing education for caregivers, client families, senior care referral partners.

Most elderly clients, says Schuermann, prefer to remain in their home, but time that family caregivers put into the caring for elderly family members can take a toll on their own quality of life.

Respite care

“They call it respite care where you’re providing respite for the caregiver,” says Schuermann. “Some of the caregivers are with their mom or dad 24 hours a day, seven days week. If we come in, even if it’s for three hours, it gives them a chance to get out, get a cup of coffee, and meet a friend.”

Home Instead offers in-home care services, up to 24-hours a day, throughout the year. Its services range from companionship services to hospice care support. They povide non-medical care to clients, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, laundry, transportation, personal care, toileting, or incontinence care. Caregivers can provide medication reminders but cannot administer medication. Rates are $19.50 an hour, and they can do as little as three hours a day. Clients requiring 24 hours, receive a reduced overnight rate of $433 a day.

Home Instead’s care is covered through long term insurance and Medicaid. Schuermann says they have a partnership with the VA for clients who are veterans, or the spouse of a veteran, qualifying them for free care.

“So those are two ways where there’s some financial relief,” says Schuermann. “That’s been a neat partnership for us.”

Companionship, says Schuermann, is an essential feature for many clients.

In addition to safety training and Alzheimer’s training, Home Instead caregivers are taught the effects of aging, and all the things to look for with different illnesses and diseased that can happen as you age. Schulman says they teach a whole section on building relationships, which is where the level of trust comes in, in communicating properly with seniors.

It’s about relationships

“I think with our caregivers, they build relationships with the clients, they build trust with them, adding a little extra life to their living situation by providing companionship for them,” says Schuermann.

Vicki Rodarte, of Covington, whose parents received in-home care, said she didn’t know what she would do without the care.

“Home Instead has been caring for my Mother and Father for close to two years,” says Rodarte. “I rely on the caregivers to understand my parents’ good days and bad days, and to work with them accordingly. I also appreciate the great communication from the office staff, and their quick response to emergencies has been a godsend.”

Schuermann says they make a point to share notes like Rodarte’s with their Home Instead caregivers.

“It’s tough work that they do and they’ve got to hear that the client cares about them,” he says.

Sally Denton, Home Instead’s 2014 caregiver of the year says working with clients brings her so much satisfaction.

“I have built great relationships with these seniors, and I look forward to seeing them each day. It is amazing how my relationships with them have grown from the first time I met them,” says Denton.


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