Greetings friends and welcome to another installation of the AltaGolden Blog. Today's topic is a day in the life of running a caregiving agency. My day includes everything from making sure my management staff has all they need to do their jobs, taking care of online postings, coordinating with clients, acting as a back-up caregiver, and providing case management for clients and their family members. Each day is very dynamic, fun, and sometimes a little stressful.
Our primary mission is making sure that all of our clients have exactly the type and level of care they want and need without over providing or under providing.
When potential clients come to us one of the first questions they often ask is about cost. While cost is an important factor, I think the equally important questions include what are your personal needs and what do you need at this moment. I also want to understand our clients so that we know what kind of caregiver is needed and what personality will be the best fit. I encourage our clients to think of their caregiver as their own personal assistant. Our management team works together to review each client and make sure that the services we provide are appropriate in each case. I meet with clients in the office or in their home--often spending much of my day on the road.
We coordinate very closely with family members as well--especially those who live outside the area. We become their feet on the ground and often assist with coordination with doctors or other service providers. We encourage our clients to be independent and to continue to embrace life.
I coordinate with other service providers in the area and our clients know they can call us or come into the office to get trusted referrals. Examples of some of our referrals may be found on our website on our Resources tab.
Another part of my job is managing online marketing. These days most of our visibility comes through the internet. Using a combination of search engine optimization tools, blogs like this, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Yelp, and updates to our website are important so that people know we are out there. It's what the search engines look for when you do a search. Our continued growth helps ensure that we can provide you great caregivers and the best service possible.
Recruiting caregivers is an ongoing process. We are always looking for a variety of great caregivers so that we can meet the individual needs of each client. Some of our clients just want companionship and someone to take them shopping; and some need very skilled CNA or LVN support. Because our clients have very varied needs, we have caregivers that can work at different times of the day and night. Some of our caregivers are part time--working around another job or family requirements. Some are full time. We do our best to give our caregivers the schedules that works best for them while ensuring our clients are well matched and have their requirements fully met.
I also work as a caregiver. I think it's unusual for the CEO of an agency to also be a caregiver but I feel it keeps me grounded and in touch with what we do and why we do it. I started AltaGolden because I wanted to be of service. This can take many forms and I am blessed that, in this case, it is integrated into what I do on a daily basis.
Are you interested in being a caregiver? Are you an older adult who needs a little (or a lot of) help? Are you a family member with an elder loved one in San Diego? Give us a call. We'd love to meet you.
Take care and have a great week. Many blessings to you always.
Laura Barish
www.altagolden.com
858-779-9254
