In the News

Senior Helpers keeps seniors in their homes

By Jennifer Edwards
Staff Writer for West Sherburne Tribune


“I had been a business person most of my life,” he said. “Then about eight or nine years ago my mom in Wisconsin had a stroke.”
While his mother survived the stroke physically, it was no longer possible for her to live alone.
“So she went to live at my brother’s place,” Eichinger said. “It just didn’t work out for either of them. She began to deteriorate almost immediately and it soon became evident we had to make a change.”
Eichinger made the decision to move his mother back into a place of her own, then set about finding in-home care services for her.
“The change was dramatic,” he said. “After sitting on the couch all the time at my brothers she was up within five minutes doing things again. I really believed that saved her life. I was very impressed by what the in-home care people managed to do.”
Time passed. A mature business Eichinger had established was taking care of itself and his construction business began to decline. It was then he had the idea to start Senior Helpers.
After careful investigation, Eichinger decided to try offering services for seniors similar to those his mother had received, which had helped her so much. He settled on purchasing a Senior Helper franchise and set up shop in Big Lake about four years ago.
“The need is there and what we do is terrific,” he said. “What we do is what families and neighbors used to do when communities were smaller and closer.”
The work of caring for an aging parent typically falls on one family member who probably also has to go to work and care for their own teen-aged children.
Frustrations can arise out of the pressures of role reversal. The caregiver has little time to spare and Mom or Dad doesn’t necessarily want to follow their children’s suggestions.
“That’s where we can help,” said Eichinger. “There is quite a gap between a senior who just needs a little help to stay in their own home compared to needing the help of an assisted living facility.”
“First we spend time talking to the senior to get to know them a little better and what they like to do, then we make a plan, which maybe no more than weekly visits to attend to little chores they find difficult and socialize,” he said.
“Sometimes the senior is resistant at first but when they realize we can help them stay in their own home and they see what we can do for them, they change their minds.”
From simple activities such as daily chores or taking a walk to help with personal cares as needed, carefully vetted staff go into seniors’ homes to make sure their needs are met.
“One simple example is hydration,” Eichinger said. “If you are 25 and you get dehydrated, you drink a bottle of Gatorade, rest for a while and you will soon feel better. If you get dehydrated at 85, you don’t have the same kind of leeway. Body organs start shutting down.”
“We have three goals,” Eichinger said. “We want them to have some fun. We want to help reinforce their sense of self esteem, help them find a purpose, and we meet their needs for company. We also help them out with any physical needs they may have or chores they can’t quite manage on their own.”
“We really try to find out who the person is, what brings them joy or sadness. We are not like the medical field where a person becomes a number with a chart full of problems. We look for what they can do, not what disabilities they might have.”
While Medicare will not pay for their state licensed services, the advantage Senior Helpers has is they don’t have to follow Medicare’s rules. Most of their clients are private pay, have long term disability insurance or VA benefits.
“We can really be the most help before the senior becomes ill or injured,” Eichinger said. “Most people wait way to long to call us. Our services are best used to maintain health and safety.”
For more information on Senior Helper in-home care services, see their website at www.SeniorHelpers.com/biglake or call (763) 262-9966.