Admitting it's time for some extra help is a challenge for many seniors and their families. Finding the right help, though, will no longer be so difficult for residents of the Rocky River, Ohio area, where a new Acti-Kare Responsive In-Home Care branch is opening under the direction of local nursing professional Claudia Broscatan. A respected nationwide franchise, Acti-Kare exists to provide non-medical assistive services at a highly individual and adjustable level, helping seniors to stay independent and comfortable in their own homes for as long as possible.
With a lifelong desire to help people in need and a solid background as an RN Associate and then STNA, Ms. Broscatan's own experience has involved a hospital Neurology Ward, a nursing home where she worked with last-stage Alzheimer's patients, and service with a Home Care Agency, where she provided personal care and assistance to the elderly and/or homebound. In fact, nursing has been a lifelong vocation for Ms. Broscatan, who began her training in a nursing high school at the age of 14 and has spent the majority of her subsequent life in the profession. Regarding the decision to open her own Acti-Kare franchise location, she says, "I never felt so much as I do right now that I'm doing the right thing, what I was always supposed to do."
"We want to make a difference," Ms. Broscatan adds about her new branch. "We want to be more than caregivers; we want to give independence back to those who lack it, to help seniors live independently for as long as possible by spending time in their familiar surroundings rather than moving to facilities." Supporting clients' own independence, dignity, and activity levels is key, and Acti-Kare's flexible options can easily match the changing and evolving needs of seniors and their families.
Adapting their services to the level and types of care needed and desired by the individual client is one of the core features of the Acti-Kare franchise as a whole, a respected nationwide operation designed with this individuality in mind. At Ms. Broscatan's new branch and other locations across the country, highly trained and compassionate caregivers can provide a wide variety of non-medical services depending on what is needed, including companionship, transportation and mobility assistance, help with errands and bill-paying, shopping and nutritional aid, light housekeeping duties and/or personal care assistance, and more. Many caregivers have prior experience and/or training in caring for those with Alzheimer's or other special needs, and clients can easily obtain as many hours of support as desired or needed.
Trust is very important in the care industry, too, notes Ms. Broscatan. "During the years I have worked with people, I have learned that trust is very difficult to gain, and is very important when it comes to human relationships," she states. "Our program offers the same caregiver every time, developing a relationship that goes beyond the professional one. The caregiver could become a friend, or perhaps eventually an extended member of the family. Clients or family members can request a certain caregiver, the number of visits per week, and also the days and times of the visit. We can offer one-on-one attention without the discomforts and distractions of a nursing home setting."
"We are determined to raise the standards of care in this area," she adds.
A resident of Rocky River for several years, Ms. Broscatan is excited about serving her community, which she says already feels like a long-term home. "Our goal is to increase clients' and families' quality of life, and we are 100% into this," she concludes.
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