It's Hot out There! Tips to Battle Heat Stress...

Beat the Heat:

Tips to Battle Heat Stress among the Elderly

As temperatures rise, the elderly have to battle the effects that heat can have on their bodies and everyday activities. As a caretaker or the family member of an elderly loved one, it is crucial that you become aware of the dangers that accompany heat stress in an individual, the signs and symptoms, and the treatment or first aid options you have as a caregiver. Being proactive in this area will help you “beat the heat” when it matters the most.

Heat stress is the general term used to describe the body’s inability to cool itself down; under the umbrella of heat stress are illnesses caused by heat, which include heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The elderly are more susceptible to heat stress for several reasons—the ability to recognize changes in body temperature decreases with age, they have underlying health issues that cause their body to adapt to heat at a slower rate, and prescription medications may make them prone to dehydration or unable to regulate body temperature properly. These added risk factors make the summer season a more dangerous time for seniors and their health.

Being able to recognize common signs and symptoms of heat stress will allow you to approach the hottest time of the year with caution and care for your family. Several of the typical symptoms of heat stress include, but are not limited to:

·       High body temperature

·       Rapid or strong pulse

·       Red, hot, or dry skin

·       Headaches

·       Dizziness or fainting

·       Nausea or vomiting

·       Chest pain

·       Trouble breathing

The severity and fluctuation of symptoms may indicate the level of heat stress that the person is experiencing, whether it be heat cramps, exhaustion, or stroke. The chart below helps to clarify which symptoms align with which heat-induced illness, and gives essential first aid tips for each illness. 

  Taking action and providing appropriate first aid is necessary in situations where signs and symptoms are present, but there are precautions that can be taken in order to avoid heat stress to begin with. Use these tips during high temperatures to help keep not only the elderly safe and healthy, but also yourself and your family.

•  Drink plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration, especially water and juice. Avoid alcoholic or caffeinated drinks.
• Wear appropriate clothing that allows your body to “breathe”; choose light-colored, lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and hats when necessary.
•  Stay inside during the hottest parts of the day. Avoid going out for extended periods of time between the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Take it easy and try to avoid strenuous activity, especially if it is outdoors.
• Watch the heat index, which will help you stay up-to-date on the current conditions.
• Seek out air-conditioned environments to regulate body temperature.
• Get plenty of rest and take a cool shower or bath to cool down.
•  Know the warning signs of heat-related illness and be quick to act when they are present.

For more information, here is a resource on this topic from the CDC:

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/older-adults-heat.asp

Do you need In Home Care?

Every day at Comfort of Home Healthcare we see and hear about more and more seniors who need professional help brought into their homes, yet they hesitate in actually making the decision to  go through with hiring an agency to provide any services.

The family needs to start taking an active role in keeping their ageing loved ones safe in their homes. Unfortunately, there isn't a "Home Care for Dummies" book at the office supply store to pick up and tell you what to do if you find yourself in this situation.

So here is some helpful information that we have picked up along the way through being in the home care business AND personally being in your shoes by needing to find a home care agency  (*see the who we are page) to provide services for our own loved ones.

Your family needs to ask this question: “Do we need to bring in a caregiver to help out?"

Here are some questions that can help you make this decision more efficiently.

1.   Does your loved one need help walking?
2.  Has there been a recent emotional or medical crisis with your loved one?
3.  Is your loved one unable to do errands alone?
4.  Have there been recent falls/injuries?
5. Have you noticed any recent memory issues? Early onset of Dementia/Alzheimer’s?
6.  Is your loved one neglecting their hygiene?
7.  Are they wearing the same clothes each day?
8.  Are medications either running out too soon or being left over?
9.  Does your loved one seem depressed?
10.  Is your loved one losing weight or having changes in appetite?
11.   Is your loved one neglecting their home?
12.   Has one loved one become the caregiver for the other?

If you can respond yes to even one of these questions, you really need to start seriously thinking about and considering in-home care for your loved one.

Once you have made the important decision to bring in help for your loved one, now you need to decide on whom. Through our (both owners) experiences before opening Comfort of Home Healthcare, we found that not all agencies are created equal.

You are going to have to interview and do research on who you are going to bring into your loved ones home to help out. We can’t stress enough how important this is. You need to feel comfortable with the agency you choose; and they should also be transparent about how they run their agency.

This is especially true in the private duty (private pay) industry. When there are no regulatory bodies, such as Medicaid or Medicare, etc. there are really no standards imposed on the industry.  You could potentially hire an unprofessional agency and unintentionally expose the home owner to a plethora of liabilities.

Here is a list of questions you’re going to want to know about the agency you hire:

1.        How long has the agency been in business?

a.       Is it privately owned or a franchise?

b.       If it is privately owned, why have they started the company? What’s their story?

c.       If it’s a franchise, who are the owners and who is the Director? 

2.       Are caregivers employees of your company (not 1099 contractors) and protected by workers compensation?

a.       If they are not employees, they are probably not protected by insurance and work comp.

3.       Does your agency carry liability coverage?

a.       If they do not, the home owner is completely liable if there is any accidents, etc. with the caregiver.

4.       Does your agency provide 24/7 telephone service?

a.       People need help other than 8a-5p Monday through Friday.

5.       Are your caregivers bonded and insured for theft/damages?

6.       Do you conduct national and local criminal background checks and driving records of all employees?

7.       Do you drug test employees?

8.       Do you provide backup coverage in the event a caregiver can’t make it to work? How do you do this?

a.       If they do not provide backup coverage, when the caregiver quits or is sick, there will be no one provided to help.

9.       Does your agency require a minimum number of hours per shift? If so what is it?

10.    Can your agency provide 24/7 services?

11.      How much say will the family have in your services?

a.       Do you get a say if you have a complaint?

12.     Do your services include personal care such as bathing, incontinence care, mobility assistance and medication assistance?

13.     Does your agency provide transportation services for clients?

a.       If so how do you bill it?

14.    Does your agency maintain a business office where I can meet you and the office staff?

15.     How does your agency document the caregivers work done in the home?

a.       If there is documentation from caregivers, what does it look like and where is it kept?

16.     Does your agency make supervisory visits to a client’s home?

a.       If so, by whom and when?

17.     Can you provide a list of professional references from families you have served in the past?

18.     Does your agency possess any state/local/federal contracts to provide in home care services?

19.    How does the agency ensure patient confidentiality? How?

20.   How quickly can your agency initiate service?

We hope you find this information helpful, and like always you can always call us with any question you might have. Were here to help!

Beat the Heat: Tips to Battle Heat Stress among the Elderly

Beat the Heat:

Tips to Battle Heat Stress among the Elderly

As temperatures rise, the elderly have to battle the effects that heat can have on their bodies and everyday activities. As a caretaker or the family member of an elderly loved one, it is crucial that you become aware of the dangers that accompany heat stress in an individual, the signs and symptoms, and the treatment or first aid options you have as a caregiver. Being proactive in this area will help you “beat the heat” when it matters the most.

Heat stress is the general term used to describe the body’s inability to cool itself down; under the umbrella of heat stress are illnesses caused by heat, which include heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The elderly are more susceptible to heat stress for several reasons—the ability to recognize changes in body temperature decreases with age, they have underlying health issues that cause their body to adapt to heat at a slower rate, and prescription medications may make them prone to dehydration or unable to regulate body temperature properly. These added risk factors make the summer season a more dangerous time for seniors and their health.

Being able to recognize common signs and symptoms of heat stress will allow you to approach the hottest time of the year with caution and care for your family. Several of the typical symptoms of heat stress include, but are not limited to:

·       High body temperature

·       Rapid or strong pulse

·       Red, hot, or dry skin

·       Headaches

·       Dizziness or fainting

·       Nausea or vomiting

·       Chest pain

·       Trouble breathing

The severity and fluctuation of symptoms may indicate the level of heat stress that the person is experiencing, whether it be heat cramps, exhaustion, or stroke. The chart below helps to clarify which symptoms align with which heat-induced illness, and gives essential first aid tips for each illness. 

  Taking action and providing appropriate first aid is necessary in situations where signs and symptoms are present, but there are precautions that can be taken in order to avoid heat stress to begin with. Use these tips during high temperatures to help keep not only the elderly safe and healthy, but also yourself and your family.

•  Drink plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration, especially water and juice. Avoid alcoholic or caffeinated drinks.
• Wear appropriate clothing that allows your body to “breathe”; choose light-colored, lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and hats when necessary.
•  Stay inside during the hottest parts of the day. Avoid going out for extended periods of time between the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Take it easy and try to avoid strenuous activity, especially if it is outdoors.
• Watch the heat index, which will help you stay up-to-date on the current conditions.
• Seek out air-conditioned environments to regulate body temperature.
• Get plenty of rest and take a cool shower or bath to cool down.
•  Know the warning signs of heat-related illness and be quick to act when they are present.

For more information, here is a resource on this topic from the CDC:

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/older-adults-heat.asp

In Home Care, the Basics..

Most phone calls we receive are from people who have never had never needed any type of in home care before and don't know what is out there.

From this initial conversation I have a quick talk of what I call "In-Home Care 101", or the basics. There is a very common misconception out there that Medicaid will pay for in home care. Medicare will pay for some things, but extended care is not one of them.

So here it is, a very simple and short explanation: In Home Care 101

First off, Medicare will pay for SKILLED NURSING only. You need a physician order to qualify for all skilled nursing/Medicare services.

Think of skilled nursing as task oriented; a nurse will come out to the home and perform some sort of task (E.g. bath, med set up, wound dressing, physical therapy). Once they are finished with that task, they leave.

The two main services for medicaid skilled nursing is 1. Home Health and 2. Hospice.

Here is a blog from a home health agency that explains Home Heath in further detail. 

&     Here is a article that explains Hospice in further detail.


For many people skilled nursing is not enough and they need caregivers to come out and help with their loved one for longer period of time. This brings us to In Home care; you can think of it more as time oriented rather than task oriented services.

This is the type of services that Comfort of Home Healthcare provides. We can go in and provide what is called ADL's or activity of daily living. We come in and do some of the same services such as bathing and medications etc, but we can also do some of the other tasks that your loved one can no longer do themselves such as toileting, cooking, cleaning, etc.

These services range anywhere from 3 hours a couple times a week, all the way to 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Unfortunately Medicare does NOT pay for these type of services. However Medicaid will pay for some of these services.

Since Medicaid is income based, most of our phone calls do not qualify. This leaves families to pay out of pocket for in home care services.

If your loved one was a veteran or the widow of a veteran there might be some assistance from the VA, but that is about it. There are some other assistance but too few would qualify to put in this post.

This all can get very confusing. If you need any further assistance or have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact our office. We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

Effective Communication

Effective Communication
with the Elderly or Disabled

When a family member has to become the caregiver for an elderly parent or disabled family member the dynamics of a relationship will undoubtedly change. Effective communication needs to be a priority during this transition. Sometimes it is difficult to know how to best communicate with an elderly parent or disabled family member, because of all the changes that are taking place.

Communication needs to be beneficial for both the caregiver and the ill family member. Effective communication will keep relationships healthy and strong, and will help avoid problems that may come from miscommunication. The article below has some things you can keep in mind when trying to communicate with your family member. 

A communication breakdown during this time can be very harmful to everyone involved. So, this topic cannot be overlooked; it is essential to the caregiving process and to everyone's overall well-being. These simple tips can greatly improve your communication with the elderly or disabled. 

7 Communication Techniques for Talking to Elderly Parents

Caregiving results in major changes in a family: physical, emotional, social and financial issues can arise. It changes the roles, responsibilities and feelings within the family, which can lead to tension and fighting. Caregivers in the AgingCare.com community frequently support each other with "tricks of the trade" when it comes to effective communication with elderly parents.

We would like to share this knowledge, gained from caregiving day-in and day-out, with you. It doesn't always work, and it won't be easy, but we hope it helps you to cope and try to maintain or repair family relationships – and help you keep your sanity during your caregiving journey! 

Don't Give Advice Unless It's Asked For

Parents have advised their children their whole lives, so hearing advice from a child – albeit an adult child - might not go over so well. That parent-child role reversal is hard on the parent. Therefore, giving advice is best avoided unless you are sure it has been asked for. It is generally better to let an outside person be the advisor. You can encourage and provide support, without doling out advise. 

Listen to What Your Elderly Parent is Saying

Really listen. Listen to what the person is saying. Don't interrupt or try to fill in the silence. A period of silence could mean your family member is contemplating a response, thinking through the conversation and how to reply. Listening goes both ways, so try to determine that the person is hearing what you say.

Accept Differences of Opinions

No matter how close a family is, and despite the dynamics involved, everyone is not going to agree all of the time. There is sure to be differences of opinions. Respect the opinions of others; don't disregard them. Listen to all sides, and make a decision together when possible.

Speak Distinctly

Some older adults do not like to admit that they cannot hear or understand the conversation around them.  The higher pitch of women's voices may be a problem for older adults; consciously think to lower the voice pitch. Remain calm and talk in a gentle, matter-of-fact way, keep sentences short and simple, focusing on one idea at a time.

Don't Condescend

Make sure your attempt to "turn up the volume" and slow down your speaking patterns doesn't come across as condescending. Even if your parent suffers from dementia or extreme hearing loss, don't speak to them as you speak to a child. Patronizing is a sure way to start an argument.

Choose the Right Environment

Avoid competing noise or activities such as TV or radio. Face the person as you talk to them. When talking in a group, make sure that the elder is not on the end of the row.  It is better to place the senior in the middle so that the conversation is around them. Or perhaps a quiet walk works best for your elderly parent.

Consider What It Is Like To Be Old

Most seniors experience a series of losses during their later years and are trying desperately to stay in control of themselves and their environment. Letting others help feels to them like giving away control of things.

Pick Your Battles

Most elderly face multiple challenges as a result of growing older. The most common include mobility limitations, decreased stamina, living alone and memory problems. You will need to prioritize the issues you want to address and hope for small victories.

Laugh When you Can

Laughter really is the best medicine. Even in a difficult and stressful caregiving situation, there are some humorous moments. A shared laugh can ease tension while building closeness. However, be sure to laugh with your family, not at their expense.

In Home Care 101!

Most phone calls we receive are from people who have never had never needed any type of in home care before and don't know what is out there.

From this initial conversation I have a quick talk of what I call "In-Home Care 101", or the basics. There is a very common misconception out there that Medicaid will pay for in home care. Medicare will pay for some things, but extended care is not one of them.

So here it is, a very simple and short explanation: In Home Care 101

First off, Medicare will pay for SKILLED NURSING only. You need a physician order to qualify for all skilled nursing/Medicare services.

Think of skilled nursing as task oriented; a nurse will come out to the home and perform some sort of task (E.g. bath, med set up, wound dressing, physical therapy). Once they are finished with that task, they leave.

The two main services for medicaid skilled nursing is 1. Home Health and 2. Hospice.

Here is a blog from a home health agency that explains Home Heath in further detail. 

&     Here is a article that explains Hospice in further detail.


For many people skilled nursing is not enough and they need caregivers to come out and help with their loved one for longer period of time. This brings us to In Home care; you can think of it more as time oriented rather than task oriented services.

This is the type of services that Comfort of Home Healthcare provides. We can go in and provide what is called ADL's or activity of daily living. We come in and do some of the same services such as bathing and medications etc, but we can also do some of the other tasks that your loved one can no longer do themselves such as toileting, cooking, cleaning, etc.

These services range anywhere from 3 hours a couple times a week, all the way to 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Unfortunately Medicare does NOT pay for these type of services. However Medicaid will pay for some of these services.

Since Medicaid is income based, most of our phone calls do not qualify. This leaves families to pay out of pocket for in home care services.

If your loved one was a veteran or the widow of a veteran there might be some assistance from the VA, but that is about it. There are some other assistance but too few would qualify to put in this post.

This all can get very confusing. If you need any further assistance or have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact our office. We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

The Aging Process: What Can Be Expected?

The Aging Process

What Can Be Expected?

From birth, we begin to experience the lifelong process of aging. Most of our life this is marked by constant growth and new abilities. There is a point in ageing when a person's health begins to deteriorate or decline physically and mentally. The elderly population can often be misunderstood as they begin to go backwards, but this is a natural part of the aging process. Understanding the aging process will allow us to help enhance the quality and even the quantity of an elderly persons life. 

Not all of the effects of aging are harmful, such as the thinning of hair, hair turning grey or white, skins thins and becomes less elastic, wrinkles will be more present, and weight may change or become more concentrated in a specific area. Even though there will be more obvious changes that take place, there will also be changes that happen inside the body and that will effect the overall health of a person. These changes may vary depending on genes, lifestyle, and disease, but there is a "normal" pattern that is observed as people enter their later years (typically age 65 and older). 

Some very specific changes that will take place as a part of this process include changes in: (www.agingcarefl.org) 

• Eyesight: Loss of peripheral vision and decreased ability to judge depth. There may also be a decrease in the clarity of colors. 
• Hearing: Loss of hearing accuracy, especially sounds at the higher end of the spectrum. Also, decreasing ability to distinguish sounds when there is a lot of background noise. 
• Taste: Decreased taste buds and saliva. 
• Touch and Smell: Decreased sensitivity to touch and ability to smell.
• Arteries: Stiffen with age. Additionally, fatty deposits build up in your blood vessels over time, eventually causing arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries). 
• Bladder: Increased frequency in urination. 
• Body Fat: Increases until middle age, stabilizes until later in life, then decreases. Distribution of fat shifts, moving from just beneath the skin to surround deeper organs. 
• Bones: Somewhere around age 35, bones lose minerals faster than they are replaced.
• Brain: Loses some of the structures that connect nerve cells, and the function of the cells themselves is diminished. 
• Heart: This muscle thickens with age. Maximum pumping rate and the boy's ability to extract oxygen from the blood both diminish with age. 
• Kidneys: Shrink and become less efficient.
• Lungs: Somewhere around age 20, lung tissue begins to lose its elasticity, and rib cage muscles shrink progressively. Maximum breathing capacity diminishes with each decade of life. 
• Metabolism: Medicines and alcohol are not processes as quickly. Prescription medication requires adjustments. Reflexes are also slowed while driving.
• Muscles: Muscle mass declines, especially with lack of exercise. 
• Skin: Nails grow more slowly. Skin is more dry and wrinkled, and heals more slowly..

The better we understand the aging process, the more efficiently we can help our loved ones during this time. Although this time may be marked by significant physical, mental, and emotional changes, this is also a significant time for people as they get to spend time with their families, reflect on life, try new things, and make lasting memories. It is important that we are able to talk to our loved ones about what they are experiencing, even though we may not directly or fully understand the process yet. 

There are some contributing factors that will help strengthen the elderly during their aging process, and that are known to help with both the length and quality of life. Some of these factors include:

• Dietary and nutritional factors. 
• Moderate consumption of alcohol.
• Physical activity throughout life.
• Sexual activity continues in later years.
• Social involvement factors.
• Physical environment factors.

Being actively involved in your health now will most likely result in better health conditions in your later years. It is necessary that we stay knowledgeable about the aging process, for the benefit of ourselves and our loved ones. 

Discovery health provides a very helpful resource that gives more specific information on the aging process: The Aging Process

Were Hiring!!!

We still have several job opportunities with Comfort of Home Healthcare.

Please forward this link to anyone you know that might be interested in working for us.

Come on in and fill out an application and you can get an interview on the spot!!!!

We are located at 2207 S 36th Street, St. Joseph MO. (There is some road construction so look at the map below to see the detour on how to get here)

Comfort of Home Healthcare Open Positions: 
(Caregiver Tip: The more available you are on when you can work, the more hours we can give you)

NEW!!!! DAY SHIFTS IN WESTON MO!!!! (Posted 7/28/14)

Personal Care Attendant/Direct Care Aide (Caregiver)

Comfort of Home Healthcare has several of these positions open! We are in the need of part time and full time caregivers.
Comfort of Home Healthcare provides caregiving services in the home of seniors and people with disabilities.
If you are a person who feels compassion for others and is drawn to take care of people, this is the perfect match for you!
All shifts are available, but the majority of our open positions will be either evenings and/or overnights.

Personal Care Attendant/Direct Care Aide (Caregiver) Rosendale/Savannah

Comfort of Home Healthcare is looking for a couple outstanding Direct Care Aide's to work evenings and some weekends in the Rosendale/Savannah area. Will pay mileage to get you there and back.

House Manager

Comfort of Home Healthcare is looking for a outstanding person to fill a management position with our company. Any client of Comfort of Home Healthcare who receives more than 16 hours of service daily will have one person dedicated to manage that particular home.

This position is typically a 40 hour weekly position and works the day shift in that home, but must be available 24/7 to answer questions and take calls from staff in that home.

Link to Comfort of Home Healthcare Application
(for your convenience, just print it and bring it in!)

Map with Detour

Depression and Suicide Prevention

Depression and Suicide Prevention

in the Elderly

There is no age group that is immune to depression, but statistically the elderly suffer with depression resulting in suicide more than any other age group or group of people. Statistics show that the elderly comprise about 13% of the United States population but they are responsible for over 18% of the total suicides in the United States. Even though depression is very common in the elderly this does not mean that it can't be treated. Often the cause of suicide in the elderly is depression that is left untreated or mistreated. 

Depression can result from various changing circumstances, but is ultimately a chemical imbalance in the brain. The symptoms of depression can be recognized more quickly if you are aware of what you should be looking for in yourself or in your loved one. It is vital that depression does not go untreated, because it will result in a low quality of life and could lead to attempted suicide. 

Here are a few warning signs that someones may be struggling with depression:

• Loss of interest in things or activities that were previously found enjoyable. 
• Cutting back on social interactions, self-care, and grooming.
• Breaking medical regiments. (Such as prescriptions, diets, etc.)
• Expecting or experiencing a significant personal loss.
• Feeling hopeless and/or worthless.
• Loss of appetite, loss of energy, and weight loss.
• Insomnia and restlessness.
• Suddenly putting affairs in order, giving things away, or making changes to wills.
• Stock-pilling medication or obtaining other lethal means.
• Preoccupation with death or a lack of concern about personal safety.
• Expression of suicidal intent. 

In addition to specific warning signs that you can keep watch for, there are also specific characteristics or situations that may put a person at high risk for depression. A person does not need to have all of these characteristics, but these characteristics may be contributing factors to putting someone at a higher risk for depression. Some of these include:

• Increased age.
• White male.
• Divorced.
• A major psychiatric disorder.
• Misuse of alcohol or drugs.
• Any medical illness.
• Family discord.
• Financial trouble.
• Physical disability.
• Unrelieved pain, or chronic pain.
• Loss and/or grief. 
• Social isolation or solitary living.
• Inability to face and manage crises. 

If you recognize any of these characteristics or warning signs in yourself or your loved one, it is necessary to get help right away. The best way to get help is to visit your doctor and be honest about what is being experienced, from there your doctor can assess your well-being and take the steps they feel necessary to better your health. Your doctor will have more information about medications that need to be given or taken away, and about lifestyle changes that may need to take place.

Your loved one needs to know that the lines of communication are open, because it may be a daunting task for them to come to you about the problems associated with depression. If you are more aware of the symptoms, you will be more effective in preventing depression and suicide in your loved one. 

Unfortunately, the chances of suffering with depression or knowing someone who is suffering with depression is extremely likely. In the case of depression, awareness may be prevention. We must be ready to act when we are faced with these situations, especially in our families. 

This article will give more research based information about depression and suicide in the elderly: Suicide in the Elderly

Business Grows from Personal Experience

We are so excited to share with you that Comfort of Home Healthcare had an article written yesterday about its success!!!

Tad and I sat down with a reporter from the News Press and did our interview that we appreciate so much. Reporters have a difficult job in condensing a 30 min conversation into 150 words or less. With that being said, I wanted to give you a little lead-in to the story that our article did not have room for. 

I just wanted to be clear that Comfort of Home Healthcare was a shared vision between Tad and I. Also that we could not have excelled the way we have without the support from our loving families and supportive community that helped two guys start a business from nothing. We are also blessed with a number of wonderful employees that take care of our clients as if it were their own families. 

I also would like to mention that being a primary caregiver is one of the most difficult tasks one can be challenged with in this life. I have witnessed Tad though the years being the primary caregiver for is son and am in awe of how he manages it day in and day out and has done it for over a decade. It is inspiring to see and I feel privileged to have him as a business partner and our clients are blessed to have that kind of commitment and determination in giving their own families the care that they deserve. 

Lastly I wanted to clarify that with my In-laws, my wife was the primary caregiver and poured her heart and soul into giving her parents the best care anyone could wish for their own family. I wanted to clarify that because I want to give credit where credit is due and we see all to often that not all families come together in times of crisis. She is a little angel for our family and we would not be where we are today without her. 

Being a caregiver to anyone, being a parent or a child , is truly a family affair in every since of the word. 

Thank you to everyone who made this possible!! Tad and I are truly humbled and blessed by all our support over the years. 

Original article can be found HERE. 

Tad Ulmer and Jason Douglas share a lot of common ground.

They’re both fathers. Primary breadwinners for their family. Passionate about caring for people.

But perhaps the most notable thing they have in common is experiencing that moment of complete exasperation and loss — that “I’ve had it” moment that brought them together to create Comfort of Home Health Care.

When Mr. Ulmer and Mr. Douglas became caregivers for family members who needed 24-hour attention, they realized the difficulties involved with finding quality care. It was an uphill battle from there.

For Mr. Ulmer, it was with his son. Mr. Douglas, his in-laws.

Mr. Ulmer’s 15-year-old son Brandon was in a car accident that left him paralyzed on his left side and recovering from major brain damage. Brandon lived in a nursing home for five years before returning home. Mr. Ulmer shuffled 150 to 200 different caregivers in and out of his house trying to find quality service.

“They wanted to run my life,” Mr. Ulmer said. “They wanted to force caregivers on me that I knew were not good.”

He battled staff just to get Brandon a shower every day.

Mr. Douglas spent several years taking care of his dying father-in-law. After he passed away, he became the primary caregiver for his mother-in-law, who had Alzheimer’s disease. He was plagued by lackluster staff that didn’t fulfill their family’s needs, he said.

Mr. Douglas’ frustration brought him to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, where he met Rebecca Evans of the Small Business & Technology Development Center. She knew Mr. Ulmer was facing similar difficulties and encouraged Mr. Douglas to give him a call.

That night, Mr. Douglas was at Mr. Ulmer’s house with a vision.

One month later, they had gotten their business license. A month after that, they had sold everything they owned and cashed in their 401(k) plans.

And a few days into 2011, they were moved into their office and were ready to take their first client.

Mr. Douglas said the clients’ needs always come first.

“It’s weird having other people come in your home,” he said. “It just is. There’s no way to sugarcoat that. And (other home health companies) say, ‘Hey, this is how we’re going to do it.’ Whereas we come in and say, ‘How do you want us to take care of your loved one?’”

And if that means it costs more money, so be it. For the first six or eight months of working the business, neither of them brought home a penny.

Mr. Douglas vividly remembers having to sell a car to pay his bills one month because they had nothing left. It was his last — and only — option.

“The first month we were able to take money out of here was the month after I had no idea how the hell I was going to pay the next month’s bills,” Mr. Douglas said. “God’s gonna help you out, but He’s gonna make you sweat it a bit first.”

After three years of operation, they’ve grown to 89 employees.

Comfort of Home recently started expanding into Kansas City, and they said they hope to continue to grow into other surrounding areas.

Only a year and a half into the business, they’d already surpassed their three-year projections. They hope to continue to grow while providing quality service.

“It can be tough,” Mr. Douglas said. “In this job, you can have basically the most rewarding day of your life one day and the toughest day of your life the very next day. You never know.”