COMFORT KEEPERS OFFER NEW SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY

Life can be extremely stressful for some senior citizens and their families. Simple, daily tasks like getting to doctor appointments, shopping for groceries and clothing, doing the laundry, running errands, and preparing meals can be frustrating events.

The stress that is caused will sometimes lead families into discussions of moving their loved ones into a nursing home.

Rural Jackson resident Linda Bass has obtained a Comfort Keepers franchise and hopes to eliminate some of the stress and make it possible for senior citizens to remain in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

Comfort Keepers provides seniors with the extra assistance they and their families need to manage their everyday life. Bass obtained a franchise to serve Cape Girardeau, Scott, Stoddard, Bollinger, Perry, and Ste. Genevieve counties in December.

Caregivers will be hired in local areas, to go into area homes.

"I'll be doing the paperwork and groundwork, but I'll have caregivers going to people's homes," Bass said. "It's brand new to the area. I'm very excited."

Bass said five caregivers have been hired and one is serving clients. The other four are waiting for a client base to be established.

Bass said that, ideally, caregivers will work in or near their own communities.

"We try to keep them within their own or surrounding communities so they don't have to travel far and to encourage continuity of care," she said. "Once we assign a caregiver to a client, we try to maintain that relationship so they can foster the camaraderie and the friendship between the two."

The applicants for caregiver positions are carefully screened.

"All of our caregivers are bonded and insured," Bass said. "They also go through extensive background checks. They're reputable people."

Although the primary focus is on the elderly, Bass will also offer service to new mothers and post-surgery patients, on a short-term basis.

They provide an array of non-medical, in-home services that are tailored to meet the needs of clients. Their caregivers are available by the hour, by the day or by the week, so a package can be designed to fit almost everyone's budget, Bass said.

"We live in a very mobile society," Bass said. "Years ago, children usually lived near their parents and since there were less double-income families, someone was usually available to provide assistance to their elderly parents."

Today, with many family members living hundreds of miles away, Comfort Keepers can step in to help provide the additional assistance needed, Bass explained.

Because clients decide how often they need the service, Bass said her company's services are an affordable and a practical choice.

Bass is a Cape Central and Southeast Missouri State University graduate and has worked in area doctors' offices for several years.

For information on Comfort Keepers, call (573) 339-1777 or visit them on the Web at: www.comfortkeepers.com.