FCP Live-In Helps Jeff Patterson Thrive At Home And Enjoy His Birthday With Friends And Family, With A Special Thank You To His FCP Live-In Caregiver Tairon!
Richard Patterson carefully carried the large birthday cake with lighted candles towards his son, Jeff Patterson, who was sitting in a wheelchair on the front porch. When Richard began singing “Happy Birthday,” other friends and family members who were on the porch started singing, too. Jeff was enjoying the moment. He blew out all but two candles, and his young niece blew out the remaining ones.
The Pattersons made it a point to celebrate Jeff’s birthday and the progress he has made since his medical crisis three years ago. In October 2021, Jeff developed encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) caused by a West Nile virus infection that left him in a coma for a month.
Jeff spent slightly over a year in two hospitals and two rehabilitation facilities recovering from this illness. In November 2022, when it was time for Jeff to go home, Richard and Cindy knew that their son could not live independently since his mobility was limited and he needed help with his day-to-day activities. So, Richard asked a social worker at the rehabilitation facility if she had any recommendations.
“She said I have the best recommendation,” Richard recalled. The social worker told him to contact Donna McGinnelly, a field supervisor for FCP Live-In, an in-home care company that provides live-in care services.
After meeting Donna and Tairon, the FCP Live-In caregiver assigned to Jeff, the Pattersons knew the social worker was right. Before Jeff went home, Tairon visited him at the rehabilitation facility where he worked with Jeff and his physical therapist. The two men hit it off immediately. Jeff said he and Tairon bonded while watching the USA soccer team play in the World Cup tournament. Jeff and Tairon were both soccer fans.
“We are very thankful to have Tairon,” Cindy said. “He’s been a great support for Jeff and for us. He cares so much about Jeffrey, which is very, very nice.”
FCP Live-In Dedicated to Providing Reliable, Quality Live-In Care
Founded in 1997, FCP Live-In, a leader in the live-in home care industry, offers affordable, personalized care by an experienced professional caregiver who lives in a client’s home.
This unique in-home care service is perfect for seniors who wish to age in place in their homes or younger adults who require help with everyday tasks to maintain their independence. Live-in care is an affordable alternative to moving into an assisted living facility or nursing home, which is the only option for some adults who do not have family or friends to help them.
“FCP Live-In is about caring for people,” FCP Live-In’s CEO David 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 who 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 caregivers are certified nursing assistants, home health aides, or personal care assistants with previous experience in caregiving. The company provides its live-in caregivers with ongoing training to ensure they stay updated on best practices in caring for clients.
It doesn’t take long for FCP Live-In clients to establish a positive relationship with their caregivers. For instance, Richard said Tairon is “a member of our family now.”
“He treats Jeff like a brother,” Richard added. “In fact, that’s what he often calls Jeff.”
Just as family members check on each other, FCP Live-In staff have ongoing contact with their clients and caregivers. The company’s 24/7 professional support system extends to a multi-faceted corporate structure to ensure that clients and their caregivers always have the support they need.
Corporate assistance is crucial given that live-in caregivers handle many tasks, such as helping clients with their personal care, such as bathing, dressing, and toileting, performing light housekeeping tasks, and cooking nutritious meals.
Jeff said Tairon cooks for him, but he does so many other things, too. For example, Jeff calls Tairon’s hearing ” unbelievable” because he can hear when a delivery driver comes into the driveway or when the bus comes to pick him up for physical therapy. Tairon also fixes things that are broken or not working or gets things that Jeff said he cannot reach because he is limited to his wheelchair.
“Tairon is my hands and my legs and can do anything that I need,” Jeff said. “So, in that case he is pretty much my ability to do things that I wouldn’t have (done) if he wasn’t there.”
If left to himself, Jeff said he “would last about three days, the time you can go without water and that’s it.”
“I need Tairon to do even the basic things, and he does them,” Jeff added.
FCP Live-In Values Clients’ Family Members
Family members are a vital part of FCP Live-In’s services since the company strives to give them peace of mind, knowing that their loved ones are safe and being cared for by an experienced and compassionate caregiver.
Not only that, but FPC staff are available to answer questions and listen to the concerns of family members.
“Donna always picks up (the phone) whenever I call. Sometimes it’s been late in the evening,” Richard said. “She’s just terrific, and she visits Jeff on a regular basis to make sure everything’s all right, especially when Tairon’s not there. If (another caregiver) comes, she wants to make sure that the replacement is up to snuff.”
Jeff also appreciates having one caregiver rather than multiple caregivers, something he experienced while in the rehab facilities.
“FCP (has) just one person the whole time, so you have a continuity of care, and nothing falls through the cracks,” Jeff explained. “So, I definitely like the one person.
When FCP Live-In caregivers take off, the company finds compatible substitute caregivers for them. When Tairon takes off, Richard says he calls to check on Jeff to see how he’s getting along because he knows what Jeff needs.
Jeff doesn’t expect anything less from Tairon.
“That’s who we are,” Jeff said, “we’re a team.”
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