Press Release
COTTAGE CAREGIVERS OFFERS KEY HOME CARE SERVICE TO SENIORS ON SOUTH SHORE, MASSACHUSETTS
For many seniors, the presence of a companion several hours a day in their home can mean the return of freedom and greater independence.
“A companion to a frail senior, or someone with early Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia, can mean all the difference in the world,” said Amy McDonnell, RN, BSN. Amy McDonnell is the Director of Care and Co-owner of the recently launched Cottage Caregivers, a non-medical home care agency servicing the South Shore & Southeastern, MA. “Providing a companion gives homebound people back their freedom and gives them hope. We strive to match the perfect Caregiver with our clients to meet their specific needs,” said Karen Carroll, Director of Caregivers and Co-owner of the business.
The services provided by specialty home care agencies in this area like Cottage Caregivers are in great demand – and will only grow in the years ahead. According to the National Academy on Aging Society, there are an estimated 8.5 million people over age 70 in America with limitations in walking, dressing, bathing, shopping, paying bills and preparing meals. Estimates are that the number will grow to 21 million in the next quarter century.
“We feel very lucky to work with so many great people from our clients to our incredible caregivers. Part of our personalized experience is matching clients with caregivers. To ensure we best meet the expectations and desires of our clients, we take into consideration personalities to ensure the development of solid relationships and trust. We are incredibly rigorous in our screening process and accept only 5% of applicants,” said Karen Carroll.
Providing services like this also present an important benefit to what sociologists refer to as the “sandwich generation,” those baby boomers who find themselves caring for both their children and their elderly parents.
“I tell my contemporaries if they are not facing this problem (with their parents) now, they will,” said Amy McDonnell. “It’s all very close to our hearts. As we both have close family members who have needed that in-home support and we feel very privileged to be able to provide this support for families like ours.”
As people grow older, they become more susceptible to the frailties of old age and those activities that were once so simple, become increasingly more difficult.
Local agencies like Cottage Caregivers – a member of Companion Connection Senior Care, a national organization that strives to maintain high standards of quality care for the non-medical care agencies that comprise its network – provide clients help with their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). This includes supervision with dressing, bathing and grooming, as well as meal preparation, light housekeeping, and transportation to and from doctors’ offices. Perhaps, most of all, seniors benefit from the companionship itself, a necessity for the many whose social world has grown smaller.
“For many of these people, their only option would be to have family members look after them – or they are forced to move into a senior facility,” said Karen Carroll. “Many people either don’t have family members to care for them, or are reluctant to shift the burden of care upon their children. Plus, they don’t want to leave their homes to live in a senior facility, except as a last resort. We provide a third, very viable option – a companion who gives them the help they need, and the social outlet. Even just several hours a day can make a huge difference. Many of our clients say that it’s these hours of the day, or these days of the week, that they look forward to most. We truly live by our motto of compassionate home care from our family to yours”.
For more information about Cottage Caregivers, call Karen Carroll at 781-430-8599 or visit cottagecaregivers.com.
AROUND TOWN: In-home care for local seniors
By Nicole Sands
Posted May. 27, 2016 at 5:00 AM
In 2015, Marshfield residents Amy McDonnell and Karen Carroll launched Cottage Caregivers, an in-home senior care agency. “Our decision to start this business was a personal one, very close to our hearts,” said McDonnell, a registered nurse and the company’s director of care. “Over the years, we’ve both helped senior family members with in-home support.
We saw first-hand how a home companion can greatly improve the quality of life for individuals and their families. We wanted to offer people the chance to provide compassionate and professional home care for their loved ones.”
Today, Cottage Caregivers provides non-medical home care to a growing number of families on the South Shore and Southeastern Massachusetts. The agency is a member of Companion Connection Senior Care, a national organization that strives to maintain high standards of quality care by helping clients with their daily living activities. This includes supervision with dressing, bathing and grooming, as well as meal preparation, light housekeeping, and transportation to and from doctors’ offices.
“As people grow older, they become more susceptible to the frailties of old age,” said Carroll, who serves as the agency’s director of caregivers. “Activities that were once so simple become increasingly more difficult. Some are recovering from surgeries or struggling with early Alzheimer’s or dementia. Some are aging veterans needing extra help. For many of these people, their options are to have family members look after them, or move into a senior facility. Others don’t have family members to care for them, or are reluctant to shift the burden of care onto their children. And many don’t want to leave their homes, except as a last resort.”
“That’s where we come in,” Carroll continued. “Cottage Caregivers provides another, very viable option – a companion who gives seniors the help they need in the comfort of their own home. We give them some of their freedom back, a little more independence. We help them get the dignity and the respect that they deserve. And at the same time, we give families the peace of mind that their loved ones are safe and receiving the best possible care.”
Carroll explained that they are very selective in their screening process for caregivers. “We are looking for the most qualified and compassionate people, so this is an incredibly rigorous process. We only accept 5 percent of applicants,” she said. “Part of our personalized experience is matching clients with the perfect caregiver. We are looking to develop solid relationships and trust in order to best meet the expectations of our clients.” She said that they have hired 20 caregivers to date, and are still hiring.
Both McDonnell and Carroll agree that it is incredibly rewarding to see how the companionship they provide can make such a positive difference. “The social world of many seniors has grown smaller,” said Carroll. “So having one our companions come in, even just for a few hours, can make a huge impact. Many of our clients say that it’s these hours of the day, or these days of the week, that they look forward to most. This is so meaningful to us. And it demonstrates how we truly live by our motto: compassionate home care from our family to yours.”
For information: 781-430-8599,cottagecaregivers.com.
As published in the Marshfield Mariner:
http://marshfield.wickedlocal.com/article/20160527/NEWS/160528062/?Start=1