Nearly every day—and especially on the hard days—Sheri Harvey’s eyes glance fixedly at a photo of her late mother. Catching tears in the folds of her eyes, it gently nudges her heart as a reminder of “why I do what I do.”
Harvey and her husband, Robert, co-own seven territories of Comfort Keepers, an in-home care provider for seniors in San Diego, San Marcos, Carlsbad and nearby cities. The company’s mission is to help their clients thrive mentally and physically in their own homes, while providing high-quality in-home care. Services range from companion care to transportation services, as well as Alzheimer’s, dementia and end-of-life care.
“When a family member is making that call and telling me what they need [for their elderly family member], I know that feeling,” Harvey says. “They’re having their worst day. They might be going through something so traumatic and that person on the other end of the line is their peace.”
Close to home
After her own mother was diagnosed with cancer for the second time and then given six months to live, Harvey desperately yearned for that peace. It also prompted somewhat of a revelation of the importance of in-home care and caregivers for the company’s CEO, with more than 20 years of experience as a business entrepreneur and leader.
“I was so grateful for the help and peace of mind from these amazing human beings. What a gift to have them help in these trying times,” she says. “If this is how I feel, I know this is how our clients feel.”
Older adults are at higher risk for chronic health problems like diabetes, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, each year, one in three older adults suffer a fall, a leading cause of injury for this age group.
“We’re focused on the safety of clients, but also want to make certain they have a quality of life,” Harvey says. “Our mission is to ensure that they truly live an enjoyable life and get the best out of every day.”
Harvey says it starts with a simple question when they field phone calls from potential clients. “We changed our phone message to, ‘How can I make your day better?’ ” she says, adding that one way they implement this mantra is by treating clients as extended family members.
At the heart of the company’s philosophy is what they refer to as interactive caregiving, a holistic approach that considers a senior’s mind, body, soul and overall well-being. For example, staff assist with jobs and activities for clients, instead of accomplishing tasks for them.
Other care services include diet and meal preparation, light housekeeping and laundry, reminders for medications, grocery shopping or running errands for clients who can’t or prefer not to leave their homes, as well as companionship and conversation.
“Caregivers will go wherever the care is needed. Grocery shopping, the hair salon—you name it, we go everywhere. This level of support is amazing,” says Harvey, who wants to continue extending this quality of care in the future while incorporating advancements in technology. “We want to introduce people to home care they might not know about.”
Employees matter
Harvey and her husband also know they can’t have happy clients without happy employees. In addition to meeting with each caregiver and giving them her personal cell phone number, Harvey is a big supporter of employee appreciation incentives. One example is Caregiver Fridays, which could include lunch for the staff or getting their vehicles washed.
“You must take care of the caregivers like your own family. You must. You can’t be in this industry and not do that,” says Harvey, adding that it’s also important to show appreciation to her employees because of the high turnover in general. “There’s just not enough manpower in the world. In other countries, the shortage is astronomical.”
For those looking for a caregiver, Harvey suggests that prior to calling an in-home care service, it’s a good idea to have a family meeting and discuss what the main needs are for your older family member.
“For example, do you need help with nights, days, appointments or dealing with cognitive issues? Have a family meeting to get everyone on the same page,” she says.
Harvey also suggests checking out the business’s license and other legalities associated with the service and caregivers. “Are they licensed, bonded and insured? You’d be surprised how many aren’t,” she forewarns.
Most importantly, Harvey says caregivers and staff members must have heart. “When my mother passed, our employees were the most loving, kind and amazing support system. It changes everything. It changed my perspective, and my level of gratitude went through the roof for what caregivers do. I have an amazing team.”