In Home Care Demand Growing

Piece of Mind The demand for in-home care is growing, and clients and their families say it is a great way for senior citizens to stay in their homes.
By JORDAN RAUBOLT of the Tribune’s staff
Published Saturday, October 4, 2008

The demand for in-home care is growing, and clients and their families say it is a great way for senior citizens to stay in their homes and keep their independence.
Creola Jones loves her home.
The 93-year-old retired schoolteacher has lived with her daughter, Jackie Jones, in the split-level off of North Garth Avenue for more than 27 years. Because Creola Jones’ mobility is limited by severe arthritis and several knee surgeries, she spends most of her days enjoying the scene in her backyard from her perch in the living room, which overlooks woods and a small stream that host birds and other wildlife.
Jones said the routine has helped her make it to her 93rd year.
Don Shrubshell photos
Leanna Clayton, a caregiver for Home Instead Senior Care, gives client Creola Jones a hug at the end of the day. Below, Clayton, right, waters flowers for Jones. “I call them my daughter’s peace of mind,” Jones said of her caregivers.
"It’s very peaceful here," she said. "I don’t know whether I could have made it without the birds."
Jones also has had some help from Home Instead Senior Care of Columbia. Jackie Jones hired Home Instead in 2006 to provide her mother with companionship and assistance during the times Jackie Jones’ job as vice chancellor of administrative services at the University of Missouri keeps her away from home.
Home Instead of Columbia, a franchised outlet of Omaha, Neb.-based Home Instead Inc., is one of several local businesses that provide nonmedical in-home-care services, such as companionship visits, grocery shopping, meal preparation, light housekeeping and appointment and errand transportation.
"There are times because of my work where I have to go out of town, and Home Instead will send someone to spend the night with her," Jackie Jones said. "You can count on them. I just know that I don’t have to worry."
Creola Jones said there are a handful of caregivers who come to her home five days a week. They help her up and down the stairs, assist with light house-cleaning and drive her to the doctor’s office and the grocery store - and provide good company.
"I love them all," she said. "I look upon them as friends, and they are my friends. I could call on any of them for help."
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one in five U.S. residents will be 65 or older by 2030. And that same age group is projected to reach 88.5 million in 2050, more than doubling from 38.7 million this year.
Don Shrubshell photo
Clayton puts away groceries for Jones. Clayton also cooks some meals for Jones.
Home Instead co-owner Debbie Critchfield said she has seen tremendous growth in the industry since 1998, when she and her husband, Greg, opened their business.
She said Home Instead franchises have expanded from around 130 U.S. locations in 1998 to an international franchise network of more than 800 today. And their business has grown from 18 to 75 employees and now serves anywhere from 60 to 80 elderly clients at any given time.
"It is something that I think is a huge new trend," Critchfield said. "This is a fairly new concept to be able to provide nonmedical, companion home care. ... A lot of people, they don’t need a nurse. It’s the stuff that all of us do every day, but when you’re in your 80s, 90s and 100s, it becomes more of a challenge."
“Handymen are a dime a dozen, but there’s no one who specializes toward the seniors. I’m someone that they’re familiar with and comfortable with.”
— Rod Perry,owner of Senior Hand
Mike Armstrong, fiscal administrative manager for the state Division of Senior and Disability Services, said in-home care is catching on because it’s less expensive than nursing home care. He said it costs about $32,000 to $35,000 per year for a person to receive nursing home care, whereas in-home care typically costs about $6,000 to $7,000 per year.
"It is fiscally more beneficial to keep somebody at home because it’s cheaper, and most individuals would prefer to stay at home if they have the option," Armstrong said.
Phil Melugin, co-owner of the Springfield-based in-home medical-care company Integrity Home Care, said the state has saved $1 billion over the past 12 years by funding in-home care. He said recent studies suggest that home medical care also results in a shorter recovery time for patients after surgery, injury or illness.
"They have their plants, their pets, and they’re able to nest in a setting that many of them have been in for 40 to 50 years," Melugin said. "That is an emotional connection that cannot be achieved in a nursing home facility."
For those who need constant monitoring for their medical needs, in-home care can provide much-needed relief for family members.
Deshai Richardson, 17, said caring for her great-great-aunt - 81-year-old Louise Ellis - over the past few years has taken a toll on her family. Ellis is bedridden and suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure.
"This is like a full-time job," Richardson said. "It’s worth it, though, because she’s done a lot for everybody, so we’re returning the favor."
Richardson said that in 2006 Ellis began receiving in-home nursing and housekeeping services from Integrity. Caregivers assist with bathing, bed changing, laundry, preparing meals and monitoring Ellis’ medications.
"If it wasn’t for the extra help, it would be harder to have our own personal time outside of helping her," Richardson said. "It’s hard, but Integrity makes it easier. We’ll do anything before we’d let her go to a nursing home."
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According to the Senior Network of Columbia, there are more than 13 businesses in Boone County that provide in-home health, private duty nursing, light-duty and respite care. The network consists of local organizations, businesses and individuals interested in promoting senior services. It maintains a directory of local businesses and resources at its Web site, seniornetwork.missouri.org.
One of the newest entrants into the in-home-care market is Living Well Home Services.
Cindy Hansen and Terri Maples opened the business in May. The business, which has 15 caregivers, offers nonmedical care and catered meals for seniors and people with disabilities for $17 to $22 an hour.
Hansen said she developed an affinity for the elderly during the six years she spent working for the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department’s 50 Plus Program, and she saw a business opportunity in providing seniors with assistance.
"The companionship is so important because a lot of these people are living away from their families, and they need stimulation just like anyone else," she said.
When Laura England, 59, moved to suburban Denver this spring, she hired a medical in-home-care company to care for her 87-year-old mother. But she soon realized that her mother needed personal interaction more than a nurse, so she hired Living Well.
"It’s nice to have someone stop in for a couple of hours and visit," England said. "They spend time with her and take the time to help her do the things she enjoys."
Local businessman and auctioneer Rod Perry has filled a related niche.
He recently started a home-based business called Senior Hand to offer handyman services such as rearranging furniture, interior and exterior painting, replacing light bulbs, yard work and other light repairs. The business charges $30 per hour.
Perry said the idea for the business came from hearing his retired mother and her friends discuss the difficulties they had in finding a trustworthy and reliable workman to do various jobs around the house.
"Handymen are a dime a dozen, but there’s no one who specializes toward the seniors," he said, noting that he’s getting a lot of word-of-mouth business as customers refer him to friends. "I’m someone that they’re familiar with and comfortable with."
Creola Jones has her own handyman - or handywoman.
Leanna Clayton, 66, one of Jones’ regular caregivers, has developed a reputation for her handiness. A retired American Airlines accounting officer, Clayton has worked part time for Home Instead for the past two years.
Clayton said all of the caregivers develop close relationships with their clients and each provider develops a reputation for his or her style and set of skills.
"We get categorized," Clayton said, noting that Jones often says, "If we’ve got something mechanical, we’ll wait for Leanna."
Jones said she appreciates the companionship and help of the caregivers, for herself and her daughter.
"I call them my daughter’s peace of mind because that’s really what they are," Jones said.