Not Just For Seniors Anymore
By Edita McQuary
In 2001, Cindy and Steve Glenn found themselves scrambling to find 24-hour care patching together care amongst family members for Cindy’s grandmother after a fall that led to hip replacement surgery. “My grandmother, Marge, was a fiercely independent woman,” stated Cindy. “While in the rehab facility, from the moment she woke up until the moment she fell asleep, my grandmother just wanted ‘to go home.’ ” When Cindy and Steve were advised Marge was being discharged and required 24/7 care they were panic stricken, “and I have a large family who could provide care,” she recalled thinking.
Yet, it is a very stressful event and when a granddaughter or family member is the care provider, the relationship dynamic changes and not always for the better. Steve and Cindy personally felt the need for this kind of In Home Care assistance and realized the need within our community was a very large one. They began Safe At Home in a shared office with minimal staff and a half a dozen clients. Over the last 16 years the need in our community has expanded and Safe At Home Senior Care has grown rapidly. “We now have approximately 100 staff, AM and PM schedulers, an On Call and Day Care Coordinator and On Call weekend and week days staff, 365 days per year,” said Cindy.
“Unlike a franchise, being locally owned and locally operated, when a client or a family member of a client contacts us, we know who they are and our customized approach allows us to adapt not only their scheduling needs but Care Plans as a client’s needs ebb and flow,” stated Cindy. She emphasized, “It has always been our mission to be part of a dynamic in which a member of our community no matter disability or disease retains his or her right to live safely and comfortably and with dignity in their own homes until the end of their lives if that is their wish.”
Cindy stated, “Safe At Home Senior Care has expanded services to those who are undergoing cancer treatment and need in-home care and assistance.” There is a very large population, both elderly and young, whom they have served. Safe At Home Senior Care is also providing In Home Care to those who are diagnosed with Auto Immune diseases such as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease also known as amyotrophic lateral disease and M.S. (multiple sclerosis). Like cancer, Cindy said, “These ailments have no know no boundaries, they afflict the young and old and we can and do provide a very important service at a very difficult time in a person’s life.”
Besides their customized approach, Safe At Home Senior Care’s core foundation is rooted in the high quality caregivers they employ. There is a rigorous process required to become a member of Safe At Home’s caregiving team. Safe At Home Senior Care is registered with the State of California Home Care Services Bureau. Every caregiver is carefully chosen and undergoes an extensive hiring process regulated by the State of California along with Safe At Home Senior Care’s internal process. Each caregiver must undergo a Department of Justice fingerprint scan, background and reference checks, TB testing and many hours of training. Basically, they do not hire anyone who they would not feel comfortable sending to care for their own parents or grandparents.
“We have some really wonderful caregivers who have that unique quality that combines a compassionate heart and good judgment and desire to work in a position that impacts another’s life in a very profound way. They have total dedication, it is really impressive,” stated Cindy. “Some of our caregivers, administrative staff and clients have been with us for over a decade. It really does feel like an extended family at times. We accept many kinds of Long Term Care insurance and are quite knowledgeable about the requirements and parameters to utilize LTC insurance.”
Cindy encourages anyone believing they have no options other than a Skilled Nursing Facility to call them and request a free In-Home Assessment. These may be done not only in a home, but anywhere the individual may be at whether it’s a hospital or rehab facility. They will assess anywhere and advise what may be needed to adapt the home so that the client can return and live safely in familiar surroundings.
In 2013 Steve Glenn, Cindy’s husband was diagnosed with cancer and despite their best efforts, passed away in 2014.
Today, Safe At Home Senior Care is run by Cindy and her dedicated and hardworking staff and family. All of her children were born in raised in Santa Cruz, like herself attending the local elementary schools, graduating from the local high schools. Her son, Ryan, who is getting his MBA from UC Berkley, provides administrative assistance and her son, Nick, a local firefighter, teaches CPR and Standard First Aid for the agency. Daughter Naomi is responsible for all website content and online presence of Safe At Home Senior Care and her youngest son Danny is soon graduating from a local high school and will be off to college in the fall. Safe At Home Senior Care is a proud member of “Think Local First.”
Safe At Home Senior Care is located at 820 Bay Avenue, Suite 101, Capitola, CA. For a free in home assessment you can call them at 831.462.3500 or go to their website at www.safeathomeseniorcare.com
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All caregivers are bonded, insured and covered by Workers Compensation, have clean criminal background checks, are T. B tested, trained and registered by the State of California.