Why Comfort Keepers?
Our Comfort Keepers Staff
Comfort Keepers Caregivers are Screened, Bonded and Insured!
You see the words Screened, Bonded and Insured in many home care advertisements. What do they really represent?
Screened: AHCA, the Agency for Health Care Administration requires a criminal background check for care staff employed by an agency. Some agencies do more than required by law. At Comfort Keepers all workers have had extensive background checks for criminal violations, driver’s license violations, credit history reviews for soundness and discipline, and personal references are checked carefully. All of these safety checks provide a greater level of safety and security for the clients who are opening up their homes and lives to a stranger. Always ask the care provider how they screen their care staff.
Bonded: Bonded refers to insurance that an employer purchases in the event of employee dishonesty. As with all insurances you purchase a limit of liability. At Comfort Keepers the limit of liability for employee dishonesty is $25,000. In the unlikely event that there is an employee theft issue we want to make sure your valuables are protected. Always ask the care provider if their care staff is bonded and the amount of protection you will have. Make sure you are the recipient of the bond. Contract staff may be bonded only for actions against the employing company not the client.
Insured: This is the grayest area of all. Insured can mean just general liability insurance or a combination of insurances that protect the client from various types of liability. General Liability: Insurance limits for general liability vary by the agency or if the caregiver is self employed as a contract employee for an agency. Make sure you are the recipient of the liability insurance. Contract staff may be insured only for actions against the employing company. Workman’s Compensation Insurance: Workman’s Compensation Insurance covers a caregiver who is injured while working in your home. Only care staff employed directly by an agency are covered by Workman’s Comp. You are responsible for the wellbeing of a caregiver not covered by Workman’s Compensation. Always ask the care provider if their care staff is covered by Workman’s Compensation Insurance and General Liability insurance that protects you.
Comfort Keepers differs from Nurse Registries
In Florida by law nurse registries can only use contract care staff and they cannot manage them. You as the contract holder must manage the care staff you employ.
Comfort Keepers is a Home Health Agency
At Comfort Keepers by law all care staff must be employees. At Comfort Keepers all care staff has had extensive background checks for criminal violations, driver’s license violations, credit history reviews for soundness and discipline, and personal references are checked carefully. All of these safety checks provide a greater level of safety and security for the clients who are opening up their homes and lives to a stranger. Always ask the care provider how they screen their care staff. All employees are covered by liability insurance, by Workman’s Compensation, and are bonded.
With Comfort Keepers, You Get Quality Care!
According to “Private Duty Today,” an industry e-magazine, in the future the quality of in-home care will increase dramatically. Many seniors in Citrus County need service now. By providing in-home assisted living services rather than just the services of a caregiver Comfort Keepers currently provides many of the quality features deemed to be available in the future. At Comfort Keepers quality of care is the responsibility of the company not the individual caregiver.
At Comfort Keepers each home is assigned to a Care Coordinator. The function of the Care Coordinator is to support the care staff in the home should any issue arise. They also monitor the home regularly for quality of service and compatibility of the client with their Comfort Keeper(s). Most homes are visited weekly. Comfort Keepers guarantees scheduled service will be provided. We have a system that caregivers clock in and clock out in the home to verify when the care staff arrive and leave the home. Having this tool provides two benefits. We receive an alert if the caregiver is 10 minutes late (which ties into our ability to guarantee service) and it also provides the assurance that you receive the full amount of time for service purchased.
The training of our caregivers is designed to develop a heightened sensitivity to the needs of their clients. Training includes: Level 1 Alzheimer’s instruction from the Family Alzheimer’s Association; Hospice instruction, by a local Hospice organization, is to understand the grieving process of our seniors who are losing friends and family members; Communication guidance is provided to work with persons who have hearing difficulties, dementia or aphasia. For client safety caregivers are trained in lifesaving techniques of CPR, first aid, home infection control and home fire safety. Regardless of their certification (CNA, HHA, etc. ), Home Health Aides (HHA) that provide personal care services for Comfort Keepers are required to pass a competency test administered by our nurse.
Caregivers are character matched with clients for compatibility in an effort to create a bond of friendship that provides a relaxed, stress free relationship. At Comfort Keepers, the Caregivers are prized for their quality of character as well as their competency. Caregivers with Comfort Keepers are employees dedicated to promoting the company ideals. They are fresh and excited about the services they provide. The local Comfort Keepers’ office has been flooded with applications since we opened; however, only one out of thirty applicants had the necessary skills, and personality be chosen to begin training to become a Comfort Keeper.
Our Local Staff
Comfort Keepers #560 is a locally owned and operated in-home care company that is registered with Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA) as a Home Health Agency. Our license number is 299992888.
