By Kathy L. Collins
When it comes time to find home care services for a loved one in Eastern Hillsborough County, you can turn in confidence to Visiting Angels Sun City Center (Visiting Angels). Since 2004, Visiting Angels has been providing a wide range of Angels from homemaker/companions and home health aids to certified nurses’ assistance, LPN’s and RN’s for adults and seniors. “Our mission is to maintain the independence and familiar surroundings for those in need of care. If our clients need help with light housekeeping, meal preparation, errands, shopping, medication reminders, bathing, dressing, walking, transferring, toileting, grooming or simple companion care, we have an Angel for that!” said Debbie Waldecker, President of Visiting Angels Sun City Center.
All caregivers are screened and must pass a Level 2 FBI and FDLE background check. In addition, they are subject to DMV checks and must be CPR certified. They undergo health screenings, Department of Homeland Security screenings as well as local county screenings. At Visiting Angels, care is client-driven which means that the patient (client) and their family determine what is needed and what schedule is best for them. In addition, a complimentary initial assessment is completed by the RN or administrator.
“We then match the needs of our patient/client with the experience of our caregivers and give our families the opportunity to interview and make the final decision on selecting any caregiver before care begins,” said Waldecker. “Visiting Angels often works in conjunction with a physician ordered home health care agency or Hospice to supplement the care they provide,” added Waldecker.
One of Visiting Angels’ newest programs is called “Silver Surfer.” The program is part of Visiting Angels’ larger Social Care Program which helps seniors learn about today’s modern methods of communication. “Our caregivers help our clients surf the internet, text, Skype and set up Facebook pages. All of this gives our clients a sense of connection to their families and to events that they might otherwise miss due to their medical condition,” explained Waldecker. Visiting Angels believes that those they care for are more than just clients. “We provide services to families for years because we work hard to establish lasting relationships with them. Our phones are always answered by someone that is familiar with any of our open cases. We never use an answering service,” said Waldecker. For more information, please visit www.visitingangels.com/hillsborough or call 752-0008.
