Homecare cost goes beyond dollars. If you are reeling from “sticker shock” over the cost of eldercare, you are not alone. It is a reaction we in the homecare world, see all the time. But when you compare the cost of an hour of house cleaning with the cost of an hour of caregiving, you will likely find an hour of care costs less than an hour of cleaning, and yields far greater rewards.
For starters, you will most likely come home to a clean house either way. I can only speak for Hanson Services, but our “Care” includes, light housekeeping, in addition to companionship, meals, transportation, personal care and much more. Our goal is a clean, safe, enriching environment for your loved one.
The rewards of good care are not measured in money saved per hour, but in the quality of the care and the richness of a loved one’s daily life.
That is how we measure the value of Hanson Services care. We have been around longer, have a larger staff, and provided more consistent quality care than anyone else. We are a team of people, dedicated to enriching the lives of those around us.
We are also not “for sale.” For much of the past 2 decades, founder and CEO Maryann Hanson has been turning away attempts to franchise Hanson Services. We are not an investment opportunity, we are rooted in people, organic in our growth via reputation, not marketing campaigns.
Just as our clients are unique and important to us, so are our caregivers. Every caregiver is our employee, carefully selected and screened, with ongoing education, raises, and benefits. We are rewarded with loyalty and longevity. On average our caregivers have been with us for 5 years, including some for the 18-year life of the company. The administrative staff experience totals more than 150 years.
That kind of longevity means that we can handle an emergency need for care in a matter of hours, and we answer the phone no matter what time of day, or day of the week. We also pride ourselves on being “weatherproof.” Our staff includes a driver, dedicated to getting caregivers to client’s homes on time, despite bad weather or car breakdowns.
We have a multi-lingual client liaison who oversees client care and facilitates communication among caregivers, family, and administrative staff. We speak 11 different languages within the Hanson Services staff, as well.
Our Education Director is a sought-after speaker at community, philanthropic, and social events. She also teaches continuing education classes at hospitals and institutions. Her classes and geriatric expertise are available to clients and family members, in addition to our caregivers.
Finally, our most under-appreciated, unofficial “staff member” is the system that allows us to track check-in and checkout times, so our caregivers can focus on their clients.