“Staff Soundbytes”

Betsy – Administrator

I’m very proud that I’ve spent the last 17 years here. Over a decade of that was was spent as the Administrative Manager being mentored by and working alongside a very special nurse who founded this agency using her keen business sense and wonderful nursing skills.

Our referrals come from many different sources and we’ve worked with many area providers for over 27 years; hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, senior centers. Last year we served a client – a National Disease Foundation – looking for caregivers to assist clients attending their annual convention in Chicago. They checked our agency out through the National Private Duty Association, the Department of Labor, the Attorney General, the IL Department of Public Health and the Better Business Bureau. We came through their extensive screening process with flying colors and they returned to us again this year for assistance.

On a smaller, but just as important, scale a large percentage of our clients come from client referrals. I think that speaks volumes when you know that people who have used our services feel comfortable recommending our care because we helped them and they know we can help you too.

Roberta – Administrative Coordinator

When I pick up the phone and it’s a caller looking for care for their family member, I so often wish I could just reach out and let them know they’ll get through this task and they’ve come to the right agency to help them through it. A-Abiding CARE has 27 years in the business that is tried and true when it comes to providing home care solutions that really work. I’ve been in the position that many of our callers find themselves in; providing care for a loved one and realizing that person needed more care and assistance than I could provide on my own. A-Abiding CARE, Inc. can help in those situations; allowing a good transition to home care and most especially helping family members get back to being the daughter or son or grandchild while our staff handles the home care.

So many calls begin with, “You don’t know my Mom” or “You don’t know my Dad”.

That’s true, but we will get to know them. Personalized care really is our goal. We keep our client load manageable so our staff really gets to know the clients, their situation, their family. And chances are we’ve heard some version of their story and family dynamic before. Our team can take their years of experience and apply it to each client’s unique needs to provide the kind of care that works.

Our caregivers and administrative and nursing staff have great professionalism but there is also a tremendous amount of heart and empathy for the client and their family. I think these two aspects of our service combine to make us an Agency I am very proud to work for these past 11 years. This is also why I know that we can be the home care solution our callers are looking for.

Bernadette- Human Resources

The people who come to us seeking work very often start their calls with, “I’ve been doing this for x amount of years” and that’s a great start. But we are looking for more than that from our caregivers.

A heart for caregiving is important and certainly experience taking care of family members is a step in the right direction but we are looking for more. The caregivers we hire must have more than heart, they must be able to complete our extensive application process, provide multiple professional and personal references and complete our interview and review process.

And that’s all before an offer of an employment.

After that, they must undergo a criminal background check as required by Illinois law.

Then, HR and other administrative and nursing staff also spend an entire 8 hour day with them during orientation, training and competency – all this before they are even assigned to a case! After they are hired, caregivers must undergo 8 hours of annual additional training per year. So you can really see, it’s not just a case of hiring good hearted people and sending them out – it’s so much more than that when you secure a caregiver from A-Abiding CARE for your loved one. This makes me feel good about my work in HR and being part of the A-Abiding CARE, Inc. team.

Dottie – Nursing Supervisor

I’m Dottie McGuire – the Nursing Supervisor for A-Abiding CARE, Inc.

The nurses and the work we do with our clients add value and continuity of care as well as peace of mind for the client and family. Before a caregiver begins working in a home, our nurse has already been there to do an assessment visit with the client. The nurse completes a Care Plan, leaving a copy of this Care Plan in the home – a road map for the caregiver to follow while providing the care requested. The Care Plan identifies the clients care needs, their limitations and our expectations of the caregiver. I know how important the Nursing Visit and the Care Plan are because I was an assessment nurse for several years before I became the Nursing Supervisor.

The nurse doesn’t step aside after the initial visit but remains involved in the client’s care. The caregiver provides care in the home supported by the nursing team who are available 24/7 should the client, client family or caregiver have any medical questions about care. The nurse returns to see the client every 6-8 weeks to reassess the client’s needs and update the Care Plan. The nurse also meets with the caregiver to see how things are going.

Oh, and I have to add – these nursing visits are provided at no additional cost to the client. This is part of the value of our services. So we’re not just sending a caregiver in with a general idea of giving care – we all have the support of nursing and administrative staff working with us and following a plan of care. This team approach to care really makes me proud to be part of A-Abiding Care.

Susan – Community Liaison/ Marketing

I think I’m extremely fortunate and blessed to do what I love and I love what I do… every day! My relationship with AACI began over 6 years ago as the Scheduling Coordinator. I created staffing plans for complex cases, coordinated all the scheduling needs, communicated with caregivers, clients and their families. I would get energized when I received report on all our new clients and started to develop a relationship with them and understand their care needs. Sometimes a listening ear was all they needed. Other times, I knew I had the support of my team with me to handle just about any client care need that came our way.

I returned to A-ACI and for the past two years, I have proudly promoted AACI services to hospitals, physicians, geriatric care managers, attorneys, LTC providers and most importantly, the population at large; YOU, the consumer. Securing home care can be extremely overwhelming with all the choices available today whether you are 90 years old or 45 years old.

The adult children of parents needing care have been referred to as the “sandwich” generation” as they are sandwiched between raising their own young families and caring for their aging parents. Healthcare needs are usually an unplanned event in anyone’s life and we want to help people who are feeling the squeeze of these concerns. As we respond to individuals who are in need of immediate assistance or who are just starting to gather their facts, we can offer them a wealth of valuable resource information along with practical, time-tested, compassionate home care solutions.

What I really enjoy is marketing for an agency that has the depth of experience in the office, my team has almost 200 years of collective wisdom and experience – and that’s just with AACI! Our caregivers have reached 20, 15, 10 and 5 year anniversaries with us. Loyalty is alive and well here at AACI. Our referrals know of our reputation, integrity and commitment to being the necessary advocate; the eyes and ears for our client’s and their families. So whether you are considering care for a senior who wants to age in place or a 45 year old recuperating from an illness or surgery, AACI is tops in my mind to care for me and my family and friends and I know we can work for you too.