Affordable FCP Live-In Home Care That Helped Susan’s 94 Year-Old Mother Remain At Home When She Opted For Palliative Care!
Susan M’s mother was living independently at 94 years old. She had mobility and used a walker to get around the house. Although she could no longer drive because of her vision, she had someone do grocery shopping for her, and a house cleaner came once a week.
“But other than that, she was caring for herself,” Susan said. “She was a pretty vibrant and feisty woman.”
Her life was going well until she began losing feeling in her feet.
“Her most recent medical situation,” says Susan, “was that she was no longer getting blood flow to her legs,” Susan explained.
Her mother was hospitalized and given treatment options that ranged from amputation to major surgery. Susan said her mother rejected both treatments and opted for palliative care at home. This meant she would need a higher level of care and someone to be with her around the clock.
“We knew that we needed more 24/7 care because she was going to need help getting out of bed and accessing things,” Susan said, “that’s why we reached out to FCP Live-In.”
Since 1997, FCP Live-In has been providing affordable, live-in caregiving services to older adults who want to age in place and remain independent but need help staying in their homes. FCP Live-In caregivers reside in their clients’ homes and are available around the clock, unlike caregivers who work set hours each day and leave after their shift is over.
Inviting Someone You Don’t Know Into Your Home To Care For A loved One
FCP Live-In Care Coordinator Sarah Levesque met with Susan and her mother to determine her mother’s needs and answer questions about live-in care. Susan may have had answers, but she was still concerned about having a caregiver—a perfect stranger—living with her mother.
“Inviting someone that you don’t know to live with your loved one, it gives pause,” Susan added.
FCP Live-In staff are keenly aware of the understandable worry clients and their family members have about someone moving into the home—especially if the senior lives alone.
“I know that can be a big scary piece for people,” Sarah said.
But Susan’s fears were allayed when she discovered the agency’s in-depth background checks on its caregivers and regular visits by FCP Live-In field supervisors. What’s more, Susan was no longer worried after she saw the strong bond formed between her mother and live-in caregiver.
Matching FCP Live-In Caregivers To Clients
“Our caregiver was absolutely lovely and just incredibly respectful and treated my mother with dignity and a lot of respect,” Susan said.
Susan recalled a time when she was administering her mother’s medication with a visiting nurse. Susan’s mother was watching her set up the pillboxes when she turned to her caregiver and said, “I don’t think she (Susan) did it right.”
“I think she trusted the caregiver more than me, even though I was the one setting it up,” Susan said, laughing. “I think that actually spoke to the relationship that she developed with the caregiver.”
FCP Live-In Conducts Thorough Vetting of Caregivers
Since 1997, FCP Live-In has been providing affordable, live-in caregiving services that ensure clients receive the support they need to live in a safe environment. The live-in caregivers are Certified Nursing Assistants, Home Health Aides, or Personal Care Assistants with two or more years of work experience.
FCP Live-In’s rigorous hiring process allows only the best candidates to interview for caregiver positions. Candidates who demonstrate exceptional performance have multiple interviews and are invited back to complete a skills assessment and attend a two-day orientation. Once hired, the agency provides ongoing training.
FCP Live-In Caregivers Have a Unique Caring Skillset
FCP Live-In also has a system to match caregivers with clients. Susan said her mother and live-in caregiver were perfect matches and had a “great relationship.” Her caregiver also knew how to make her mother feel comfortable.
“She was able to create these nests with pillows so my mother was off any pressure points,” Susan said. She also knew how to change her mother or change her linen with “the least impact and the most comfort for my mom.”
“I think my mother had the best person for her, but also somebody really skilled and knowledgeable about how to do all those things,” Susan said.
FCP Live-In caregivers provide care at every stage of the aging process through end-of-life, in coordination with doctors and other health care professionals, for far less than the cost of a nursing home or assisted living.
FCP Live-In Is More Affordable Than Assisted Living
When reviewing literature about FCP Live-In, Susan said it was hard to believe the agency saying that the cost of its live-in care services was less expensive than the cost of a nursing home or assisted living. But, Susan said she found it was “actually true.” What’s more, Susan said her mother also received “more personalized, individual care that she needed than if she were in a nursing care facility.”
Live-in caregivers handle similar tasks to those provided at a senior residential facility, such as helping their clients with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and other daily living activities. They also do light housekeeping, grocery shopping, prepare nutritious meals, and take their clients to medical appointments and social activities.
Because of FCP Live-In’s careful vetting process, caregivers are well-qualified to assist clients who have severe health conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Caregivers also provide palliative care and comfort their clients with compassionate end-of-life care.
FCP Live-In Also Focuses On Family Members
FCP Live-In not only ensures that seniors are receiving excellent care, but the agency’s staff and live-in caregivers also keep family members informed about their loved ones. The agency aims to provide peace of mind to family members and let them know that their loved ones are in good hands.
Susan said her mother’s caregiver would send a text to her and her sister in the mornings to let them know what kind of a night her mother had.
“My sister and I could sleep and feel confident that she was being cared for,” Susan said.
Susan said her only regret was that she and her sister did not find FCP Live-In sooner when their mother initially needed health due to her deteriorating health. While they looked at other companies that provide caregiving services, Susan said they could not find one that could provide around-the-clock care to ensure their mother had coverage when needed.
Although her mother is now deceased, Susan said her mom’s FCP Live-In caregiver resonated so much with her and her sister that they want the same live-in caregiver “when our time comes.”
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