Senior care agency seeks employees

Senior Helpers is licensed by the state to provide nonmedical care to those in need — care such as help with light chores, cooking, escort transportation (driving a client to a medical appointment or other errands) or running errands for them. Caregivers also assist with hygiene activities, personal care and helping clients stay comfortable.

Lind opened her franchise of Senior Helpers 14 years ago. She said she chose it because she liked the people involved with the parent company and the many training opportunities available.

“They have really great training programs, which is another benefit of working here,” she said. “We have a lot of training on how to care and communicate with someone who has dementia, specific training for working with Parkinson’s disease, training for cooking and pain management, so someone who becomes a caregiver is learning their job really well, but also how to maybe help their own family member or loved one.”

Individuals are hired on an hourly basis, and Lind said she is happy to work with people who have limited availability, such as weekends or evenings. Since Senior Helpers works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they are able to accommodate just about any schedule. Though full-time positions are available, they are in greater need of part-time help.

“This is great for empty nesters who are retired, or their kids have gone off to college and they need something to fill their time,” said Lind. “For example, we have one client who has lost her vision and needs help with meal prep. We have another one who has Parkinson’s, and she needs some cooking throughout the day or errand running, taking her out, helping her so she doesn’t fall in the bathtub. So that doesn’t necessarily require someone there all the time, just part time.”

Lind said while previous caregiving experience — either with a family member or professionally — is appreciated, it is not a requirement. Her company will train all new hires and offer continued professional development.

“It just takes a compassionate person who is reliable,” she said. “You do have to have your own car, because you are going to someone’s home. You can’t take the bus or Uber, because you also need to do errand-running or take our clients out.”

Lind first conducts an in-home interview with a new client, and then matches them with a caregiver. Barbara Eye has been a Senior Helpers client for two years and said she doesn’t know what she would do without her caregiver, Lela.

“I fortunately am able to do some things for myself, but I had major back and neck surgery four years ago, and that limited me,” Eye said. “Lela has been wonderful. I just find that if I ask for something, and she feels she can do it, she helps us. And she can tell me if my request is over and beyond what she does, because she has rights too. But most of the time, we are on the same page.”

For more information on Senior Helpers, or to apply, call 925-677-2150, or visit www.seniorhelpers.com/ca/concord.