A commentary by the CEO of Care & Company Ltd. Senior Care Victoria, a locally owned and operated business that has been providing home support to seniors and their families for 15 years. A reboot of our continuing series on the impact of COVID-19 on local businesses. Months after a lockdown and re-opening, business people share the experience and their views on moving forward.
Care & Company provides essential workers to safely provide care for those most at risk.
During COVID we have been challenged, but the availability of personal protection equipment has made delivery of care possible.
Operating our small business also hinges on the committed caregivers on our team.
When reading past submissions to this column series, the comment we hear over and over is 鈥渟hop local.鈥� We are locally owned and operate throughout Greater Victoria. We are active in our community volunteering, training caregivers and are committed to helping our community of seniors.
Many things have changed since the pandemic started in March and the challenges we faced then we still face now. The need for in-home care for seniors on the rise.
As families are choosing to keep their loved ones at home, we find ourselves appealing to the community for individuals interested in providing care and companionship to join our team.
As a small business, we provide aging-in-place services to keep our seniors in the comfort of their own homes for as long as possible. Proactive private senior care is in demand; it enhances what the already burdened government care provides. We are not a one-size-fits-all company, but use an approach that carefully looks at each individual, their likes and dislikes, and matches them up to the exact person we think will be a good fit.
Many baby boomers are building caregiver suites into their homes for future care as the old models don鈥檛 necessarily fit their needs any longer. Going to a care home or to independent living isn鈥檛 their first choice and after having lived in your own home for 40-plus years, many seniors want to stay where they are.
Doing business through the pandemic has been challenging. We don鈥檛 talk about our company in terms of revenue because we consider our business more of a calling than employment. After all, our seniors are not a commodity.
We have a wonderful team of very committed people caring for our clients, and a very dedicated administrative support team is available for caregivers, seniors and families any time of day or night 24/7.
COVID protocols have been in place since the beginning and all PPE鈥檚 including isolation gowns, extra scrub sets, masks, gloves, and sanitizer are provided to all our care workers for their shifts. COVID has increased our need to be extra careful caring for our seniors in-home. We schedule the same workers to the same homes and co-ordinate with families on visits and COVID protocols. Our caregivers receive weekly updates regarding the changes in our community and their roles with regards to safety.
As a business working during COVID, we want to give a voice to our caregivers 鈥� our essential workers 鈥� out in the community. Hear what our caregivers are saying about 鈥渢aking care of business鈥� during COVID and why they enjoy working with seniors under the umbrella of private care.
Tanya: Why do you think the addition of private care is important for seniors?
Private care gives seniors the opportunity to choose what they want and need for care. It gives them a voice in how they will be cared for. They can choose how often they want care and have the option to change caregivers when they don鈥檛 feel a connection to that person. They have more flexibility when using a private agency. Without the option of private care they have to accept whatever help they鈥檙e given. This might not meet all their needs, involve a stream of different caregivers and result in an unhappy situation for the senior.
Debbie: Why do you like working with private care as a companion/caregiver?
I enjoy working with seniors and providing different types of care to each individual client. It makes it very personal and for some clients they really look forward to your visit. I also like that we are able to build a relationship and get to know the client you are working with. Working for a small company makes it feel like a family and you are able to always call the office for any help you need.
Anita: Why does working with a small company work for you?
鈥淟ove what you do, do what you love.鈥�
Caring for seniors is my greatest joy. It鈥檚 not what I do for them, as much as the pleasure and enjoyment each senior shows when we are there to work with them each day. It鈥檚 the circle of life, giving back to the ones we love. Working with a small company is beneficial for me. I get to pick the shifts that work for me, I have a say in care, I鈥檓 listened to and they are thankful for everything I do. Knowing they are with me every step of the way.
Nancy: How do I make a difference in my senior鈥檚 lives?
A lot of the seniors we care for just want some company; they want someone to tell their stories. I take away the loneliness they feel everyday especially during these uncertain times. I bring them peace of mind helping them with tasks around their homes, making a delicious meal for them, getting their groceries and taking them to their appointments. I make them as comfortable as possible in their homes where they wish to stay rather than the alternative of going to a care home.
Elizabeth: Why do I like 颅providing senior care?
I do the work I do because I want to make a difference in the lives of my clients. I want them to have the experience of someone caring deeply about them, their health, comfort and well being. I value private care companies because they enable clients to have consistent caregivers who can provide this to them.
