Everything we do at Home Instead is based around quality care. But however good we are at providing this, there are always areas where some specific expert help comes in very handy. That’s why we’ve partnered with several other companies who also place an emphasis on different aspects of care. They can all either add something extra to the service we already provide or help us in raising awareness of issues affecting older people and the benefits of elderly home care.
For instance, we were particularly delighted to become the first home care company to be available to Boots UK’s customers via the Boots Health Hub. This will make it even easier for people to find out about the range of home care services we provide. It will also help boost people’s awareness and understanding of home care and how it works, given that Boots is a trusted brand and a company that people often turn to for advice. From Boots’ perspective, it’s another piece of the jigsaw that helps them to support customers who are looking for healthcare support.
One important aspect of helping older adults is through educating them so that they can live the quality life they deserve. We’ve joined forces with Barclays Digital Eagles. Digital learning helps to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation among seniors, as they can then tap into the exciting world of the Internet. However, many of them will first need help with getting to grips with the technology and staying safe while online.
That’s where Digital Eagles comes in. They give our care teams access to online training resources so that they in turn can explain the wonders of the digital world to their clients, their clients’ families and the wider community. The online learning can be easily accessed by our local offices. They can then help their clients feel confident and safe in using technology to stay in touch and to enhance their everyday enjoyment of life.
We’ve also teamed up with Parkinson’s UK, who have helped us develop a tailored training programme for our franchisees. This equips them to train their Care Professionals in the skills, knowledge and resources needed to support somebody living with Parkinson’s. It’s a fantastic way of achieving franchise growth.
So far, over 100 of our franchise offices have opted to take part in the training programme, with many more due to join. Already, some 350 Care Professionals have been trained in Parkinson’s care across our franchise network. This entitles them to wear a ‘Parkinson’s Partners’ badge to show they’ve successfully completed the course.
One example is Dawn Hedger, a Care Professional at our East Hertfordshire office who’s completed the training. She says: “I found the training so informative that I now feel confident about caring for somebody living at home with Parkinson’s. I wear my Parkinson’s Partners badge with pride!”
We’re proud of our partners because they can enhance our clients’ lives and help the wider community too. And that will make it even easier for older people to stay at home with our help if the time comes when they need some support.