By Thomas Falk
Executive Director, Team Jayne, LLC
At Assisting Hands, our mission is to offer our clients personalized non-medical support services in their homes, assisting the elderly, disabled and others needing assistance to maintain quality of life. Our services support the individual’s choices and preferences to maintain their dignity and independence. We assist clients in a spirit of concern for their welfare, gaining satisfaction and a sense of pride for the value that we add to their lives.
My wife, Jayne, is one of nearly 1 million people in the United States stricken with Multiple Sclerosis, a crippling auto immune disease which affects the central nervous system. There is no cure. The simplest chores in life that we take for granted – dressing, bathing, walking – are cumbersome and sometimes painful for her.
We made the decision to invest our life savings in an Assisting Hands franchise to help others, and to ensure that Jayne would have the care she needed as her disease progressed.
On October 1, 2012, Assisting Hands opened its doors in West Columbia. We opened our agency with the promise of transparency and to treat our caregivers and clients with dignity and respect. This was a difficult transition for me personally, from a corporate life to first time business owner. We quickly learned the challenges that face any new business owner and worked diligently to overcome them successfully. Through this trial-and-error period, we quickly learned that we had to establish a track record of great service to earn trust. We were fortunate to have been able to do that thanks to our great staff that truly care.
Nine years later, we are counting our blessings and still going strong with 35 “award winning” caregivers on our staff. Our caregivers are the eyes, ears, and lifeblood of our business. Our nurse, Tonya Richer, acts as a client liaison and initiates the care plans. She also provides oversight and training to our care staff. Our caregiver skillsets range from Certified Nursing Assistants, Personal Care Assistants, to companionship sitters. Our age range of caregivers are from 21 to 75 years old. It truly takes a village!
We utilize a web-based state-of-the-art software system that delivers scheduling, integrated telephony, and two-way caregiver messaging. It is a complete HR tool and dramatically reduces administrative time. The client portals offer schedules and daily care documentation. Prospective caregivers can submit their application online through our website and their information goes directly into our database. The software enables us to match caregiver skills to the client needs.
Assisting Hands is licensed, bonded, and insured. We provide non-medical in- home care in the privacy of a client’s home or Assisted Living Facility, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our services include personal care such as bathing and dressing assistance, medicine reminders, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and accompanying to doctor appointments. We offer a free, no obligation home safety assessment.
Please visit us on our website at www.assistinghands.com/midlands Our office is located at 104 Hamilton Street in Lexington. 803-661-7557
Assisting Hands Home Care – Helping you remain Happy and at Home!
