FCP Live-In: Affordable Live-In Home Care That Helped Ellen’s mother, Georgia, remain at home after she suffered a stroke and was discharged from the hospital
Ellen’s mother, Georgia, enjoyed her independence until she suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. Fortunately, Georgia recovered from the stroke, but her declining health prevented her from taking care of herself.
Knowing that Georgia wanted to stay in her home in South Portland, Maine, Ellen arranged to have around-the-clock care for her mother. Multiple caregivers came to help Georgia each day. But, the costs of hourly home care started to add up quickly and jeopardized Georgia’s ability to have daily care and continue to live in her home.
“Twenty-four-hour care was astronomically expensive,” Ellen explained. “When I realized how much it was, I said, ‘Oh no, we can’t afford this!’ I thought we would have to move her somewhere.”
But then, Ellen talked to a social worker at Northern Light Hospital who told her about FCP Live-In, a leader in the home health care industry that specializes in live-in care.
Although Ellen had not heard of FCP Live-In, she contacted the company and discussed her mom’s needs with Care Coordinator Constance McFarland. After McFarland explained the services FCP Live-In offers, Ellen was relieved to discover the solutions the company provided for her and her mother.
“We found care that was more affordable,” Ellen said. “It was comparable cost to going to a nursing home, but better.”
Unlike a nursing home where caregivers are assigned to multiple residents, FCP Live-In has one live-in caregiver focused solely on the needs of the client. What’s more, residents in long-term care facilities must follow schedules set by the residence. With a live-in caregiver, older adults can set their own schedules and not have to wait for a caregiver to help them get out of bed or with bathing, dressing, or toileting.
What FCP Live-In clients appreciate is receiving care when they need it—right in their own home, McFarland said.
“I receive great satisfaction from helping our clients remain in their own home,” Constance said. “It is also rewarding to provide peace of mind for the adult children of our clients. They know that their loved ones are receiving the care they need safely and securely in their home.”
FCP Live-In Provides Solutions With Live-In Care
Since 1997, FCP Live-In has provided affordable live-in caregiving services for seniors and their families throughout New England. The growing company recently expanded its operations to Florida.
Regardless of where families live, FCP Live-In Regional Sales Manager Andrea Maroto says all families have the same question: “How do I keep my loved ones at home when they cannot care for themselves?” Older adults have questions and concerns, too.
“They do not want to leave their home, their spouse, or their memories,” said Maroto, who has worked at FCP Live-In for two decades. “I often think about how wonderful it would be for seniors to stay home and get the care they deserve and need while not losing what is most important to them: their family, friends, and the special place they call home.”
The options are limited when it comes to caring for seniors who want to remain independent but need help to stay home. FCP Live-In was founded to provide another option of care that allows people to stay in their homes, said David Anthony, the company’s founder, and CEO.
“FCP Live-In is about caring for people,” Anthony said. “Right now, you either have a home health aide who comes to the home for a few hours, or a loved one needs to go into an assisted living facility. But what if you take the best of both? An insured and bonded live-in caregiver that provides one-on-one care stays in the home and is there 24/7. That’s where FCP Live-In comes in.”
FCP Live-In Provides Support for Both Staff and Clients
To provide quality care for its clients, FCP Live-In has a 24/7 professional support system, which begins with live-in caregivers and expands out to a multi-faceted corporate structure.
The company assembles the team through a rigorous hiring process. For example, live-in caregiver applicants undergo extensive state and federal background checks, and all are bonded and insured. Applicants then go through a round of interviews, and those who stand out are invited back for a third interview. On top of that, applicants must take a skills assessments and attend a 2-day orientation where their capabilities and attitude are further evaluated.
FCP Live-In caregivers are Certified Nursing Assistants, Home Health Aides, or Personal Care Assistants with two or more years of experience, and the company provides ongoing training.
The company’s in-depth vetting process is necessary to make sure live-in caregivers will be a good fit for clients who are managing various health conditions, including cancer, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and stroke. There are also highly trained and compassionate end-of-life caregivers who have been with their clients when they took their last breath.
In addition to providing personal care, live-in caregivers do light housekeeping chores, cook nutritious meals, provide transportation to medical appointments, and provide companionship, which so many older adults do not have each day.
Caregiving can become complicated, and some families believe their options are limited when their loved ones have dementia.
“In my experience, one of the biggest challenges that families and their loved ones face is when they are seeking to find care and support for dementia patients,” Maroto said. “FCP Live-In offers assistance with a sense of security and comfort in the ease of your home without having to move into a nursing home or assisted living facility.”
Ellen says her mother has some dementia and does not always understand “who the stranger is staying in her home.” Nonetheless, Ellen said her mom’s live-in caregiver, who has been with her for four months, has “risen to the occasion of providing good care and keeping her safe and at home.” Additionally, having one caregiver provides consistency, which is important for people with dementia.
“She was seeing three different faces every day, and now it is one steady person,” Ellen said. “She may not remember her caregiver’s name, but she recognizes the caregiver’s face.”
Ellen says it took some time to find a caregiver who was the right fit for her mother, who can be “challenging” at times.
“She is able to take my mom in stride and handle her moods,” Ellen said. “She is also into cooking and giving my mom nutritious food. She just has good energy and laughs a lot. Our current caregiver has been great.”
Of all the services FCP Live-In provides its clients, there is one benefit Georgia enjoys the most.
“I think she has appreciated being able to stay in place and not have to leave her home,” Ellen said.
For more information about FCP Live-In’s affordable live-in care solution, call 866-559-9492 or visit LiveInHomeCare.com, and find them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest.