Local Recommendation for the BBB Torch Awards

Uncategorized  |  June 20, 2019

To those it may concern,

It is my pleasure to support Comfort Keepers of Victoria as a worthy recipient of the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Business Ethics & Integrity.

We have been collaborating closely with Comfort Keepers for almost a year now on an initiative called Heart@Home.

Heart@Home is a program designed to normalize the medication administration process for seniors and other members of the community and monitor their therapeutic outcomes so that information can be relayed to the others in their circle of care. The program essentially creates a closed loop around the patient, facilitating access to their healthcare network, and provides companionship.

Individuals may fail at taking medicines independently due to a variety of factors, such as declining cognitive abilities, visual impairment, issues with dexterity, etc. Traditional care as typically provided blister packs as options for our seniors, but as spatial understanding or mental clarity becomes impaired this option often fails our most vulnerable community members.

Our pharmacy prepares medications for our clients daily to account for any necessary changes, which are then picked up by the Comfort Keepers team and are delivered to each person’s home. The registered care aides (RCA) observe (with assistance as needed) the patients taking them, all while developing a trusting relationship with the patient allowing them to access a healthcare worker when there is an issue or status change without hesitation or embarrassment. This step is integral to our mission, which closes the circle of care around the client so we can provide monitoring information to their caregivers and other healthcare team members.

Other programs like ours offer daily medication administration so that no medications are left in the home to minimize medication errors (missing or doubling a dose). However, through the collaboration with Comfort Keepers we are able to do so much more.

From day one of the program, the professionalism, diligence, integrity and genuine empathy displayed by Comfort Keepers and their RCAs have led to its growth and success. They continue to go above and beyond the simple task of medication assistance. They regularly assist the patients with making their breakfast, tidying up the home, providing professional assistance for those who need help with personal hygiene and getting dressed, among many other small but vital tasks. Through these consistent daily personal visits, we are able to recognize subtle changes – both positive and negative – in our clients that allow us to make informed treatment decisions with them in mind.

Perhaps most importantly, they have helped by providing simple human companionship to our seniors who are often living in isolation. The RCAs have made personal connections with the clients, and report daily on any concerns that they have observed during their visits. I can attest that they have helped several patients avoid a trip to the emergency room by noticing an issue in its early stages.

Moreover, the support from the management team at Comfort Keepers has been similarly fantastic. The scheduling team is always willing to assist with last minute additions to the program and is brilliant at accommodating special requests from clients and their families. The RCAs themselves have been consistent for our clients to encourage relationships to develop and provide stability for these vulnerable persons.

Perhaps best of all, when a health issue does arise, Comfort Keepers has arranged to have their nurse attend the situation immediately (at no charge) and assess the situation. They have also found and supported clients who have fallen overnight and have been the first to respond when a client passed away.

The dedication of the organization to the cause is clear – In all of our months of the program, the Comfort Keepers team has not missed a single day (the owner even came and completed the delivery route on two occasions when a care-aide was unexpectedly sick), ensuring our patients receive their medications and best possible care.

We have never seen such a dedicated team that has routinely surpassed the expectations of our patients, and our team.

It is easy to see why Comfort Keepers has won similar awards in the past and I am proud to support them for this recognition, which is very well deserved. They have true empathy and manage to combine it with integrity and exemplary customer service.

Congratulations Comfort Keepers!

Andrea
Andrea Silver | HBSc(Neuro), BSc(Ph), RPh, CPP, CDE
Pharmacy Manager | Heart Pharmacy

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