Comfort Keepers provides one-on-one, in-home care
Leah, LPN client care coordinator at Comfort Keepers, assists a client, Perry, at his home. Comfort Keepers is a locally owned home care organization in St. Cloud and Waite Park. Contributed photo
Being able to stay in your own residence as you advance in age is paramount. Not only do you feel more comfortable, but there is also a sense of security that goes along with it.
But of equal importance to clients and their loved ones is having a caring, friendly and reliable care provider to come into that home.
Comfort Keepers is locally owned by Sue Thorson. As a home care nurse for over 25 years, Sue recognized that she wanted to bring home care for seniors to the next level. She partnered with Comfort Keepers franchise in September 2004. Sue makes sure her team of caregivers is fully screened, trained and personable. It is a career of passion for Sue, filled with purpose and reward.
“It’s important for families to get that one-on-one care for their loved ones,” said Samantha Pfeifer, the marketing and business development manager for Comfort Keepers of Waite Park and St. Cloud. “We can provide that specialized type of care.”
Comfort Keepers of Waite Park and St. Cloud is a leading provider of senior care services for seniors in Minnesota. They work with clients and/or their families to ensure that their personalized care is selected to fit within their physical and mental abilities, as well as the client’s likes and dislikes.
Susan T., one of 66 caregivers for Comfort Keepers of St. Cloud and Waite Park.
What makes a successful business is a dedicated and hard-working staff that caters to the needs of their clients.
“Our care providers are kind-hearted people that want to make a difference,” said Pfeifer. “They treat the people they care for as if they were their own grandparents.”
Jodi S. has worked as a caregiver for Comfort Keepers since June. And it didn’t take her long to realize she made the right decision to switch occupations.
“At the job I was at before I was hired by Comfort Keepers, it was the same thing day after day,” she said. “I wanted to work somewhere that I could help people and make a difference.”
Jodi S. now enjoys the myriad of duties she has in taking care of elderly clients.
“I love helping them in any way I can,” she said. “It’s a very rewarding job. But we’re not just there to help them cook and clean. We’re friends and companions, too. I try to treat my clients like I would like to be treated.”
Sometimes an elderly man or woman may be fully capable of taking care of themselves in their own home, but family members want to make sure they aren’t lonely.”
The caregivers recently told us what they like about working at Comfort Keepers. Here is Marie’s reply.
“One elderly woman I care for two days a week for four hours each time,” Jodi S. remarked. “She can do most things herself, like cook and clean. But she doesn’t drive. So we’ll go out for lunch or shopping. The family doesn’t live in the area and wants someone to spend time with her.”
Comfort Keepers of Waite Park and St. Cloud has a staff of 90, including 66 caregivers, 14 nurses and 10 office personnel. Employees join the Comfort Keepers team only after a thorough screening and interview process, and then are well versed in all areas of Comfort Keepers’ special brand of care, “Interactive Caregiving.”
Each employee also must pass extensive background checks and complete continuing education. They are bonded, insured and covered by workers’ compensation insurance to protect Comfort Keepers’ clients and their families.
“Before I started here in June, I had worked in senior living facilities for 20 years,” said Nicole Sassen, the RN supervisor for Comfort Keepers of Waite Park and St. Cloud. “And you can really see a difference in those people being cared for in their own home by how happy they are and by their comfort level, compared to those in a senior living place.”
Sassen and Pfeifer said it takes a special type of person to be a caregiver for Comfort Keepers.
“They need to have that desire to want to help others,” Sassen said. “And our caregivers all have that desire.”
Briana W. enjoys the excitement at Comfort Keepers.
“They want to make a difference and have a sense of accomplishment,” echoed Pfeifer.
And the company wants to make sure its employees feel appreciated, too, knowing that its clients will benefit most from those that enjoy the work they do for them.
“It’s a great place to work,” said Jodi S. “(Comfort Keepers) provides breakfast for all its employees on the second Friday of every month. They treat us very well.”
Many of the caregivers were asked recently to complete the following sentence: “Working Here Gives Me …”
A sample of their responses reveal the overwhelming positive attitudes of Comfort Keepers employees.
“A sense of accomplishment.”
“The satisfaction of helping people in need and making their day better.”
“Strength and happiness.”
“A feeling like I’m making a real difference in people’s lives. To see their smiles warms me up inside.”
“The ability to love my job.”
Jessica gets a sense of pride from her job.
Services offered by Comfort Keepers include: in-home care, interactive caregiving, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease care, end-of-life care, transitioning home, private duty nursing, and 24-hour home care.
Comfort Keepers provides senior care services to seniors in the following Minnesota communities: Clear Lake, Clearwater, Collegeville, Cold Spring, Foley, Sartell, St. Augusta, St. Cloud, St. Joseph, St. Stephen, Sauk Rapids, Watab and Waite Park.
For more information, visit the Comfort Keepers of Waite Park and St. Cloud website at http://waitepark-581.comfortkeepers.com or call 320-230-9939.
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