Yet, when individuals are isolated for too long, studies show a dramatic increase in health complications. Loneliness and isolation can lead to issues including dementia, stroke and heart disease. There’s also an increase in hospitalizations and visits to emergency rooms for those who are socially isolated. We’re trying to minimize these potential issues for in your loved ones by sharing important information during Companion Care Month.

Companion care services can be a lifeline for seniors and other adults, providing them with the necessary and healthy social interaction they need to maintain their overall sense of well-being. This can include anything from sharing meals and playing games to simply sitting and chatting. Companion care services can also provide practical support, such as help around the house, transportation and assistance running errands.

Understanding Companion Care

Companion care needs are not always as obvious as personal care needs like bathing and hygiene. It’s about creating a true connection to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life every day. Having professional caregivers around can have a positive effect on their mental health. From companionship activities like sharing a conversation to reading a book together, companion care offers emotional support and friendship to people who don’t necessarily require medical services.

A wide range of companion care services is offered at home, in the hospital or in healthcare facility settings. Whether you need senior care services or 24-hour care for a loved one, there are overall happiness and quality of life benefits for your entire family when adding personalized care plans to your day-to-day life:

• A companion care provider can handle daily needs such as light housekeeping, errands and keeping seniors, veterans and other adults safe from harm.
• They can help with medication: making sure it’s taken on time and that your loved ones adhere to their specific treatment plans.
• They can focus on your loved one’s nutritional needs. They can do everything from grocery shopping and meal planning to meal preparation and cleanup.
• A companion caregiver can provide social interaction and keep your family member or loved one engaged while at home, attending a social event or even a special occasion.
• They can provide respite care for the family caregivers so they can have a break from their caregiving responsibilities. This break allows the primary caregiver to regroup, refresh and take care of their own personal needs.
• Companion care providers can help you or your loved one get out and about by providing transportation to the grocery store, library, health club or to meet up with their friends.
• They can help your elderly parent, veteran or adult living with a disability to live and feel independent while giving you peace of mind.

FirstLight Home Care: Your Trusted Companion Care Provider

Whether your loved one is in their own home, living with you or in a senior living community, our professional caregivers can provide the right level of companion care. We’ll work with you and your family to personalize a schedule that fits for your loved one, whether it’s on a part-time or full-time basis. We can even provide live-in services on a temporary or more permanent basis, if needed. Some of our companion care services include:

Offering Comfort & Conversation

Just the opportunity to have a friend and confidant to talk with can make a world of difference for your loved one, especially if they’re living alone. This gives them something to look forward to and it provides the social and emotional support they need. With companion care, caregivers can play games, cards, bingo or participate in other recreational activities your loved one enjoys.

Preparing Healthy Meals

A healthy diet is critical to your loved one’s overall well-being. If they’re having trouble keeping up with cooking and eating nutritious meals, our caregivers can help. We’ll prepare regular, healthy meals and can even handle all the clean-up afterward.

Helping with Light Housekeeping Chores

If your loved one doesn’t have the energy or mobility to maintain their household, our companion caregivers can provide assistance. This includes tidying rooms, removing trash, lightly cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, vacuuming and more. We can also wash, dry and fold clothing, including towels and bed linens. Their home will feel fresher, cleaner and more comfortable.

Offering Medication Reminders

Many individuals become forgetful as they age. However, when taking important medications for issues like high blood pressure or dementia, this can put their safety and health at risk. Our caregivers can remind your loved one to take their medications, and we’ll notify you if we see any new side effects or concerns regarding your loved one’s medication.

Providing Transportation

If your family member can no longer drive, it can be difficult to get to appointments or run errands. Our companion caregivers can help by driving them to appointments, to get groceries, or pick up prescriptions or dry cleaning.

Organizing Paperwork & Bills

We’ll make sure your loved one’s mail and paperwork are organized. We’ll keep track of bills and other important messages, as well as maintain an efficient system for paperwork. We can also help your loved one open and read mail if they have issues with their vision or difficulty opening envelopes.

Companion Care Month with FirstLight Home Care

When a loved one is struggling to live independently, it can put stress on you. It’s why – in addition to companion care services – we also offer respite breaks. These will give you and other family caregivers some much-needed space and freedom, whether it’s to spend time at home, manage work obligations, go on vacation or simply go out to dinner. We know caregiving is a challenging role, and we’re here to help you get the time off you need.

If you’re interested in companion care for your loved one, contact your local FirstLight Home Care today. We can provide comfort, support and help through our compassionate caregivers.

Stephanie King, FirstLight Home Care of Omaha, is our Caregiver of the Year

Stephanie, with FirstLight Home Care of Omaha, was virtually recognized for her extraordinary dedication, service and integrity last week during our national conference. The Caregiver of the Year award is typically presented in person at the conference’s annual gala. However, due to COVID-19, the event took place virtually this year.

FirstLight has more than 5,000 caregivers nationwide, with Caregiver of the Year award nominations coming in from all over the country. Nominees were evaluated based on dependability, advocacy, empathy, quality of service and compassion toward clients.

Stephanie was nominated by FirstLight Home Care of Omaha owner Jaye Firmature McCoy.

“Stephanie has dedicated her life to being a caregiver because it just is a part of her,” said Jaye. “She was born with it. You can’t train that; you can’t teach that. It just has to be inside someone. Stephanie is full of love for what she does. This is not just a job to her.”

Jaye went on to say that Stephanie is intelligent, intuitive, kind, compassionate, hardworking, reliable and cheerful. And she handles every situation with impeccable grace and patience.

“This has certainly been a challenging year for us all,” said Jaye. But we are thrilled to celebrate Stephanie in any way we can. Over the summer, our CEO Jeff Bevis, along with his wife, Maribeth, drove more than 1,500 miles to visit us and to personally present this award to our Caregiver of the Year. For that, we are grateful. It really validates how much we truly do believe, from the top down, in our Culture of Care.”

Extraordinary FirstLight caregivers like Stephanie help seniors and other adults with many needs – from personal hygiene and household duties such as cooking, light housekeeping and running errands, to respite and dementia care.

Watch this video to see why Stephanie is so deserving of this award:

Meet Stephanie King, FirstLight’s Caregiver of the Year.

Home care can be a lifeline for seniors who are aging in place, as well as those living with a disability or recovering from an illness or injury. Finding the right in-home caregiver can seem like a daunting task. It can be difficult knowing where to begin and what to look for when it comes to choosing the right caregiving partner for you or your loved one.

Essential to any home care partnership is the caregiver. Here are some important factors to consider to ensure you hire the right in-home caregiver:

Expertise and credibility.  It takes a special kind of person to be an exceptional caregiver – compassion, empathy, optimism, sincerity, trustworthiness. But the best caregivers also are qualified, experienced and reliable.

Find a provider that has years of experience in the home care industry.

Look for providers who have a thorough process for recruiting, selecting and retaining their caregivers.

Make sure all caregivers that are hired receive an in-depth background check and other appropriate employment screenings.

Your home care partner should also secure and uphold the appropriate state licensing to provide services.

Ongoing caregiver training. Select a partner that values ongoing and rigorous caregiver training and that has a well-defined process for managing quality of care. The right in-home caregiver will be trained in privacy issues to protect the confidentiality and safety of clients. The best caregivers are those who participate in continuing education.

Client-caregiver fit. Each person is unique. Look for a home care partner that is committed to matching the caregiver to the specific interests and needs of the unique individual being cared for. The most successful client-caregiver relationships are fostered when the caregiver is a good fit for the style, temperament, needs, interests and personality of the client.

Communication with the family. It’s common for individuals who need assistance to have a family member or other loved involved in their care. The right in-home caregiver will engage the family in the ongoing care plan of the individual. Transparency also is key. Families should have complete access to tools that monitor their loved ones’ schedule and communicate with caregivers daily.

Commitment to client satisfaction. The best home care providers are those that continually assess the quality of care their caregivers are delivering. This includes:

• Regular check-ins with clients to ensure safety and quality standards are being met.
• Resolving issues in a timely, thorough and caring manner.
• Offering clients the opportunity to participate in surveys and to provide feedback

If you believe that hiring a caregiver would provide a needed lifeline for you or a loved one, FirstLight Home Care offers a broad range of non-medical home care services. With locations in more than 150 markets across the United States, we can help you or your loved one achieve and maintain independence in whatever place you call home. And with an unmatched Culture of Care, we can also help enhance quality of life. Find a FirstLight location today to request a free consultation.

By Jeff Bevis, President and CEO of FirstLight Home Care

For people who are aging in place, living with a disability, recovering from an illness or injury, or adjusting to a major life transition, navigating the typical activities of daily living can be an ongoing challenge. Home care can be a lifeline. Non-medical home care services provide the assistance people need to maintain their independence in the places where they live, and to enhance their quality of life along the way. This is different from, and in addition to, the more common home health alternative.

Choosing the right care provider partner
Home care is an important partnership between a person in need of assistance – and, often, their families – and a trusted, qualified provider. But when it comes to selecting a home care provider, where should you begin? What should you look for? To ensure you choose the right partner to fit your needs, consider the following characteristics.

• Longevity. The home care segment first emerged about 17 years ago. Look for a provider that has years of experience in the industry.
• Expert caregivers. Key to any home care partnership is the caregiver. It takes a special kind of person to be an effective caregiver – compassionate, sincere, attentive, trustworthy and experienced. Look for providers who have a thorough process for vetting, selecting and retaining caregivers. Background checks, references and applicable experience are critical. And be sure to select a provider that values ongoing caregiver training and that has a clear supervisory process to oversee quality of care.
• Commitment to caregiver fit. Each individual is unique. The most successful client-caregiver relationships are achieved when the caregiver is a good fit for the style, disposition, needs and personality of the individual being cared for. Look for a home care provider that is committed to matching the caregiver to the unique needs of the individual to be served.
• Continuity of care. Once caregiver fit is established, there is value in consistency. Can the provider ensure ongoing access to the same caregiver or team of caregivers? Does the provider’s caregiving team include professionals with tenure? Is sufficient backup available in the event your regular caregiver or team of caregivers become ill or are otherwise unavailable?
• An approach that engages the family. It’s very common for individuals who need assistance maintaining their independence to have a family member or other loved one that provides ongoing support. Home care is an extension of that support. Look for a provider that engages family caregivers in the ongoing care plan.
• A range of services. Home care services vary. Be sure to examine a provider’s service portfolio. Can it meet your initial needs? Will it be flexible to how your needs may evolve over time? Does it meet any special needs you may have, like language requirements? Does it include any unique services or features that will provide you with additional value?
• Availability. Be sure to understand a provider’s availability to meet your service needs. Are services available on nights, weekends and holidays? Is there flexibility in the number of hours required for service or a minimum duration of a service engagement? Is there a way to reach your provider around the clock if you have an emergency? Consider how your needs may evolve over time and whether the provider has the flexibility to evolve with you.
• Client satisfaction feedback. The best home care providers are those that continually assess the quality of care delivery. Does the provider have a clear process for problem resolution? Is there an escalation process for concerns? Are supervisors involved in assessing the quality of care? Will you have the opportunity to participate in surveys or provide feedback?
• Appropriate credentials. It’s important to seek a provider that secures and maintains the applicable licensing to provide services. Licensing requirements vary by state. Providers should also maintain appropriate bonding and insurance.
• Transparent policies. To manage the expectations for the investment required for home care services, make sure you understand a provider’s financial policies. Written estimates and formal billing for services helps keep everyone accountable. Also inquire about policies for things like caregiver support, caregiver conduct and client confidentiality.
• Enthusiastic references. How can you gauge whether a home care partner will live up to its promises? Talk to people who have experience with the provider. Ask the provider to supply references. Or seek recommendations from people within your network, including healthcare providers.

Validating Quality
Once you’ve covered all of your bases, there’s one more thing that’s valuable in the selection of a home care provider: third-party validation of quality. This can come in the form of endorsements, rankings or awards.

FirstLight Home Care is proud to have been recently recognized as one of the top providers in the industry by the 2017 Best of Home Care Awards^®. Presented annually by Home Care Pulse, a third-party research and quality assurance home care satisfaction measurement firm, the Best of Home Care Awards are based solely on feedback from clients and employees, making them a meaningful consideration in the selection of a home care provider. Best of Home Care Awards are presented to companies that believe strongly in providing the best home care services and have contracted with Home Care Pulse to effectively measure the quality of care they provide. FirstLight was among the most-awarded providers for all of 2016, with more than one-third of our locations across the United States being recognized with a Best of Home Care Award.

Taking the Next Step
If you’ve decided a home care partnership would provide a needed lifeline for you or a loved one, FirstLight Home Care would welcome the opportunity to tell you about what we have to offer. With a broad range of services, and locations in more than 150 markets across the United States, we can help you or your loved one achieve and maintain independence in whatever place you call home. And with an unmatched Culture of Care, we can also help enhance quality of life. Find a FirstLight location today to request a free consultation.

These are the words of an untold number of family caregivers who are struggling to provide care and support for loved ones, while at the same time maintaining some balance in their own lives. The good news is there is somewhere to turn for help. You don’t have to do it alone. There’s a way to ensure the independence and safety of your loved ones while still having time for a job, a home, the rest of your family – and yourself.

Home care is an answer many family caregivers are pleasantly surprised to discover. And when they find out the depth of the home care resource, they often say, “I didn’t know home care could do all of that!”

As we continue to observe National Family Caregivers Awareness Month, here are 50 surprising ways non-medical home care can be there for you and your loved ones.
 

1. Accompaniment to doctor’s visits and other appointments
2. Advice and support for family caregivers
3. Assistance with air travel including airport check-in, ticketing, security/customs and luggage management
4. Assistance with ground transportation for vacations and trips
5. Bathing and personal hygiene assistance
6. Care while family caregivers take a respite break
7. Comfort and company during life transitions, such as after a move or loss of a loved one
8. Company, conversation and companionship through regular visits and activities
9. Continence and toileting care
10. Dog walking
11. Dressing assistance
12. Eating and feeding assistance
13. Engagement and cognition exercises for older adults with dementia
14. Establishing and maintaining routines
15. Game playing
16. Gift wrapping
17. Giving great hugs and support
18. Grocery shopping
19. Hair styling
20. Home organization
21. Laughing and smile making
22. Letter writing and correspondence
23. Light housekeeping and chores
24. Listening to stories
25. Local transportation to recreation, errands, social visits and more
26. Meal preparation, including special diets
27. Medication reminders
28. Memory making
29. Ongoing dementia care
30. Oral hygiene assistance for mouths, gums and dentures
31. Personal mobility and walking assistance
32. Pet care assistance
33. Physical activities for help staying active
34. Picture taking
35. Planning and facilitating activities, recreation and hobbies
36. Post-meal clean-up
37. Post-operative support and assistance
38. Prescription pick up
39. Providing support, relief and peace of mind
40. Safety checks during inclement weather
41. Meal sharing
42. Reinforcing moms when settling in with a new baby
43. Sharing jokes
44. Stair climbing assistance
45. Support during home maintenance visits
46. Symptom checking, monitoring and reporting to prevent hospital readmissions
47. Teaming up to help busy moms balance work, home and play
48. Transferring and posture support
49. Trash removal
50. Washing, drying, folding and/or ironing laundry

How Has Home Care Been There for You?
In many ways, the support home care can provide is limited only by the imagination. If you’re a family caregiver, we’d love to hear about how home care has supported you in your caregiving journey. And how else it may be able to help family caregivers maintain balance in their lives. What were you surprised to learn home care could do? Share your stories and ideas in the comments!

Imagine How FirstLight Can Support You
Need support providing care for a loved one, but don’t know where to turn? FirstLight can help. Imagine all of the ways a little extra assistance could help your loved one – and simplify your caregiving journey. And then call FirstLight. Let’s talk about how we can help you. Find a location near you today.

November is an important and treasured month for FirstLight Home Care. Each year, we observe National Home Care Month, as well as National Family Caregivers Awareness Month. While we’re always grateful for the important role we play – caring for our clients and supporting family caregivers – November is an opportunity for us to truly reflect on just what it means to be a caregiver.

Caring Is Our Calling
FirstLight was created with a purpose: To offer a new way of helping people achieve the quality of life they deserve. For those who invite us into their lives, no two situations are the same. We care for older adults who long for companionship and those managing chronic diseases. We’re there for people with disabilities and those recovering from surgery. We bring an extra set of hands to mothers who have just brought home new babies or people navigating important life transitions. Regardless of our clients’ circumstances and needs, one thing is consistent: We are called to care for them. To support them. To enrich their lives. To go the extra mile.

What does that mean? It means we value the real, personal connections we have with the people we care for. Home care is all about helping with dressing, meal preparation, transportation, medication reminders, travel assistance and so many of the activities that are part of daily life. But for FirstLight, caregiving goes deeper. It’s about cheering on every bit of progress. Honoring every milestone. Celebrating every victory. Capturing every memory. Sharing every heartbreak. For so many clients, we get the opportunity to be more than a service provider. We become an extension of – a part of – the family.

It is the FirstLight Culture of Care that defines us as caregivers and leads us to play such a significant role in our clients’ families. That culture is reflected in every FirstLight location across the country. It means we nurture healthy relationships for life. We are receptive to and anticipate the needs of those we serve. We are empowered to create a unique, healthy and comfortable environment. We foster teamwork and collaboration to exceed expectations. And we constantly strive to learn and grow.

Our Professionals Are More Than Caregivers
It also means that we consider ourselves – we expect ourselves – to be more than caregivers. That’s because we understand that to the people we serve, we are problem solvers. Grocery shoppers. Bathing helpers. Organizers. Hope givers. Tour guides. Listeners. Huggers. Personal chefs. Activity planners. Conversationalists. Hair stylists. Freedom creators. Errand runners. Laundry folders. Smile makers. Confidants. Good friends. And so much more.

Supporting Family Caregivers Is Our Honor
Because what we do is so deeply rooted in the family, we have the opportunity to provide support to those who are truly the unsung heroes: family caregivers.

Family caregivers begin as we all do – as daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, friends. But they’re thrust into situations that push them to transcend – and at times, almost set aside – those roles. They become more focused on another’s comfort and care than they are on their own. They struggle with being stretched thin, stressed out and overwhelmed. But they persevere. Determined to make life better, easier, happier for someone else. And they make a profound difference in the lives of their loved ones.

Just as much as we delight in the blossoming of the people we care for, we admire the achievements of family caregivers. These heroes deserve to be celebrated and supported. Thanked and embraced. It is truly our honor to help them resume their roles as family members, restore more balance in their lives and achieve peace of mind that the people who mean so much to them are being cared for.

We Are Deeply Grateful
As we celebrate National Home Care Month and National Family Caregivers Awareness Month and reflect on our role as caregivers, we are deeply grateful. To the clients who trust us to enhance their quality of life. To the family caregivers who invite us to be part of their caregiving journeys. To the referral sources who introduce us to the people who will bring us joy. And to our FirstLight team members, the people who live out our Culture of Care, who inspire us and who personify what it means to be a caregiver.

We’re Here for You
Being caregivers means we’re always here to support our clients’ independence and help lighten the load for family caregivers. If you have a question about caregiving or need advice, use our Just Ask FirstLight service to connect to an expert.

We Want to Hear Your Stories
Caregivers – whether professionals or family members – have an unspoken bond. And stories about caregiving inspire us all to do what we do. We’d love to hear about what being a caregiver means to you. Share your stories in the comments.

“Agencies providing the highest quality of in-home care services are nominated to receive the Best of Home Care Award from Home Care Pulse,” said Nurse Gina. “We are proud that so many of our FirstLight Home Care offices received an award and recognition of their great work based on their client satisfaction scores from several categories, including compassion, work ethics, communication and training.”

2016 Leadership Excellence Award

Vincent McMahon, Mount Kisco, NY

2016 Employer of Choice Award

Doug Ballinger, Little Rock, AR

Diane & Tom Giansante, San Ramon, CA

Chris & Lisa Ruth, Delray Beach, FL

Chris Oliver, Schaumburg, IL

Brian Foster, Plainfield, IL

Molly & Steve Rowe, Salem, MA

Vincent McMahon, Mount Kisco, NY

Greg & Sarah Lane, Olympia, WA

2016 Provider of Choice Award

David Burns, Huntsville, AL

Danny & Mur Feldman, Danny Lehane, and Jon Lewis, Birmingham, AL

Ashley & Jason McGee and Lane Miller, Dothan, AL

Danny & Mur Feldman, Danny Lehane, and Jon Lewis, Daphne AL

Doug Ballinger, Little Rock AR

Becky & Jim Crews, Scottsdale, AZ

Linda Ford, Peoria, AZ

Charles Park & Ray Kikavousi, Orange, CA

Diane & Tom Giansante, San Ramon, CA

Judy Devincentis, Montrose, CO

Brian Wilson, Boulder, CO

Chris & Amanda Koch, Wheat Ridge, CO

Dean Martinson & Judy Devincentis, Pueblo, CO

Jennifer & Steve Rattner, Clearwater, FL

Chris & Lisa Ruth, Delray Beach, FL

Janice Bayruns, Michelle & Richard Kase, and Terri Hendley, Riverview, FL

Karen Tucker, Oviedo, FL

Chris & Lisa Ruth, Delray Beach, FL

Ed Ukaonu, Conyers, GA

Eric Friedrich, II, Brunswick, GA

Ed Ukaonu, Atlanta, GA

Bobbi Martinez & Brett Chaveriat, Arlington Heights, IL

Chris Oliver, Schaumburg, IL

Brian Foster, Plainfield, IL

Michelle & James Alex, Valparaiso, IN

Kris & Mark Roger, Plainfield, IN

Dub & Wendy Newell, Louisville, KY

Michael & Stephen Stern, Needham, MA

Molly & Steve Rowe, Salem, MA

George Ezikpe, Silver Spring, MD

Carol Larkin & Peter Gartland, Casco, ME

Pamela Davis, Troy MI

Jacqueline O’Quinn, Hazelwood, MO

Biju Nair & Babu Manoj, Matthews, NC

Jaye McCoy in West Omaha, NE

Boyd Lowry, Glen Rock, NJ

Vincent McMahon, Mount Kisco, NY

Dana & Craig Harvey, New York, NY

David Martin and Lili Vazquez, New York, NY

Jane & John Moyer, Clayton, OH

Shirley Nixon, Fairborn, OH

Annette Smith, Chardon, OH

Brian Kreindler, Columbus, OH

Michael R. Senchak & Michael S. Senchak and Mike Senchak, Youngstown, OH

Bob & Lisa Paradise, Westlake, OH

Dan Sam, Warrington, PA

James Vaughn and Jenny Mitchell, Greenville, SC

Jason & Scotty Falk, Franklin, TN

Kevin Stewart, Richardson, TX

Wayne Arrington, Tomball, TX

Kendra Ghanbari, Stephens City, VA

Greg & Sarah Lane, Olympia, WA

Find a FirstLight Home Care location near you.

FirstLight Home Care Conference 2014

FirstLight Home Care just wrapped up our 8^th semi-annual conference, #FLHC2014, in the bold, beautiful, Broomfield, Colorado. We’re proud to announce that this conference was our biggest conference and most-well attended in FirstLight Home Care history to date! Our owners eagerly arrived in anticipation of the conference’s itinerary and events.

For this conference, we wanted to specifically focus on a few items; owner and/or manager networking, and it’s value, which we emphasized with extra, devoted time to allow our owners and managers to network with other managers and owners, sponsors, vendors, and speakers. We fully believe that one of the most powerful aspects of being a part of a franchise is the opportunity to network with other owners and provide support among each other. We also focused on the psychology behind referral sources and the decision process in choosing to refer certain home care agencies versus others, and why FirstLight Home Care is often at the top of referral sources’ lists. We feel it’s vital for our owners to understand the decision-making process, as well as the characteristics and qualities that are measured, compared, and evaluated among families and referral sources when choosing a home care agency, and how FirstLight Home Care ranks in importance among those attributes. All of our keynote speakers were highly regarded with strong, positive feedback from all of our owners, managers, and participants, and we hope to have them speak and inspire us again.

FirstLight Home Care, as an entire franchise system, was honored by one of our sponsors, Home Care Pulse, during conference with the award of “National Provider Best in Home Care.” We are incredibly excited, proud, and humbled to receive this award, and it is our goal to continually earn this title each year.

On our final night in Colorado we celebrated our owners’ accomplishments and hard work with several awards:

Caregiver of the Year Award: Congratulations Tammy Morgan! This award is given to a FirstLight Home Care caregiver each year nominated for providing above and beyond service, displaying a positive and enthusiastic attitude despite any circumstances.

Jason McGee, Awarded Top Mutli-Office

Rookie of the Year: Chris and Amanda Koch—Denver, CO. This honor is given to new FirstLight Home Care owners who have made tremendous strides, accomplishments and success in their first few months and/or year of ownership.

Quality Leader: Jim and Michelle Alex—Valparaiso, IN. For the FirstLight owner who achieved the highest quality scores for the year as measured by Home Care Pulse.

Top Single Office: Dub Newell, Louisville, KY. This award is given to the owner(s) of a single office location who earned top sales, growth, and profit overall.

Top Multi-Office: Jason McGee—Dothan and Montgomery Alabama). Owner(s) who own multiple FirstLight Home Care office locations in one or various markets, who earned top sales, profit and growth among all FirstLight Home Care franchise owners.

Franchisees of the Year: Jason McGee/Lane Miller (AL), Judy DeVincentis/Starla Merling—Montrose, CO and Dub Newell—Lousiville, KY. This award is given to the FirstLight Home Care franchisee who displays a positive attitude, hard work, enthusiasm, operates and upholds FirstLight Home Care values, mission, and goals in terms of care and compassion, and strives to excel in their market, and is always eager to learn and grow as an owner within the industry.

Thanks to all of our sponsors, employees, and franchisees for helping to make FirstLight Home Care’s 8^th annual conference a tremendous success. We look forward to our next conference and more record-breaking news!

Are you or someone you know searching for a new career and wish you could be your own boss? Have you considered owning a franchise in a growing industry? Consider owning a FirstLight Home Care franchise!  Check out our available market map to view availability in your region, download our Franchise Information Kit to learn more about FirstLight Home Care franchising and the home care industry, and sign up for our free, information webinar to learn about franchising and the home care industry. We are always looking for compassionate owners who are ready to make a difference in their community!  Give us a call today: 1.866.985.5348

Well that actually happened last month when FirstLight client Bill Mohr, a World War II veteran of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, celebrated his 105^th birthday with his wife, Jo, and the rest of their family. That same day, he and Jo shared their 70^th wedding anniversary and he also received an honorary high school diploma from St. Joseph Preparatory School. He received a full scholarship to the school as an 8^th grader but dropped out after two years to work to support his widowed mother and their family.

Most senior citizens at this age would be in nursing homes or hospice care, but Bill and Jo split their time between Florida and their Hatboro house. This can be attributed to the round-the-clock in home care provided by FirstLight Home Care of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

“We have been really fortunate that my parents have been able to age in place. Most people their age would be in nursing homes,” said their daughter Jodie Hartshorne, age 63. “They thrive if they can stay in their own home and be taken care of. This is a critical issue in America, how to take care of the aging population.”

As a part of the celebration of their seven decades of marriage, Jo and Bill renewed their vows to each other. After the ceremony Bill said that he has always wanted to visit Ireland, so his daughter is currently working on putting that together.

Thanks to the care provided by FirstLight, the couple who have combined to live over two centuries, are still living independently in their own home with plans to travel the country, and aspirations for the world. Watch a video of Bill and Jo’s celebration on Mashable.com!

We took the opportunity to bestow top franchisees with prestigious awards in many categories including Client Satisfaction Leaders, Fast Start Office, Rookie of the Year and Franchisee of the Year.  Congratulations to all recipients and all other franchisees that have all made positive contributions to the FirstLight team.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Hafenbrack Marketing, See Janet Work, Spectrum TeleTrack Services, SilverStone Group and Home Care Pulse who helped us orchestrate such a successful gathering.