By Teresa Hidalgo Dance
Seniors make up a good share of Santa Cruz residents, a reality that Safe at Home Senior Care takes seriously. Since 2006, when the company began caring for the aging, SAH has been setting high standards for caregivers it employs.
The range of training SAH requires for its caregivers is extensive. From state-mandated training to its own requirements of in-field and virtual training year-round, SAH leaves no stone unturned in developing its caregivers’ skills.
The Santa Cruz business focuses on meeting more than its clients’ general needs by being attentive to their unique and changing needs.
“We have a highly customized approach to our care,” explained Colligan.
SAH’s client-care coordinators, experts at working with the elderly, assess not just current needs but also future needs that may arise as the individual ages.
“We put together a comprehensive care plan or a strategy for what we’re going to do in terms of care on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis and we update that as we start to provide care and the needs change and to anticipate care needs,” Colligan said.
Colligan stressed that in-home assessment, “for us, is not just assessing need but also assessing interests and hobbies.”
Other factors are taken into consideration when making sure caregivers are the right match to clients. If the caregiver has skills in helping with personal care such as assisting the client to the restroom or getting in and out of bed, that caregiver is a likely candidate for a client who is at risk of a fall.
SAH likewise considers caregivers’ scheduling so clients do not have different people coming into their homes.
SAH is a small business and that has enabled it to keep the communication level between staff and clients very high.
“Our employees are available, accessible at all times,” said Colligan, noting that his business has a 24/7 hotline that not all caregiving agencies have.
Top-class caregivers and easy communication, Colligan believes, were qualities that stood out when Good Times chose them as the best home care adult service in 2020 and in 2022, and among the top in other years. Home Care Pulse and Diamond Certified has honored them with top recognition from both the employee and customer standpoint.
Every quarter, the agency holds a party to celebrate the caregiver deemed to be the best in that time period. Bonuses and awards are given for going above and beyond in their work. Birthdays among clients are celebrated with company support and in collaboration with the client’s family.
Like other businesses, the COVID pandemic made it tough for SAH to operate. But even under such adversity, SAH has managed to shine. COVID presented difficulties in hiring and retaining staff, but the company adapted by raising its pay rates.
“We want to attract the best talent possible so we made a business decision to increase our caregivers’ wages,” Colligan. “This is not easy to do if you are a franchise. You have to abide by the franchise model, but because we are a small business, we make our own rules, we can adapt to what best fits the needs of our customers and all personnel.”
It isn’t difficult indeed to agree with Colligan when he proudly states, “Our quality is what really sets us apart.”
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Safe at Home Senior Care: 820 Bay Ave Suite 101, Capitola. Phone: (831) 462-3500. Website: https://safeathomeseniorcare.com/
Top Photo: Safe at Home Caregivers