News & Events

Chester Heights, PA, September 29, 2009  - When Dana and Lynn Sheeler were looking for a caregiver to help their mother who was battling emphysema, they found it was relatively easy to find one, but a lot harder to find the right one.  With Lynn living in Florida and Dana nearby, but struggling to balance her own responsibilities along with Mom’s needs, the sisters needed real help – a dependable, experienced, and compassionate caregiver who could not only tend to their mother’s physical needs, but also, be the right fit for her personality and emotional needs. 

Mildred Sheeler, Dana and Lynn’s mother, was battling the latter stages of emphysema in mid-2009 and was placed in a hospice program.  Mildred was adamant that she wanted to stay in her home – a home that she loved and which was comfortable for her.  Although both sisters did as much as they could for Mom, they couldn’t be there 24/7 and they truly wanted to honor their mother’s wishes to stay in her home.

The sisters decided it was time to get the help their mother needed and deserved.  However, their first choice for in-home care turned out to be a huge disappointment when they inadvertently hired a registry service and not an actual agency.  The recommendation to hire from a registry came from the hospice provider that was taking care of their mother.  As Dana and Lynn later found out, registry employees are not actual employees, and do not have the rigid standards an actual agency employs with its caregivers, including stricter supervision, training, licensing and insurance, along with benefits that come along with full-time employment (insurance, workers’ compensation, etc.) for added security and protection.

“My sister Dana knew in about a half an hour that this woman was not the right fit for Mom,” recalls Lynn.  “She took no initiative to get to know our Mom, didn’t even go into her room to see her – she just began to unpack. She completely lacked the experience and maturity, and more importantly, the compassion we were looking for.”

With the caregiver proving to be a bad recommendation from the hospice provider, one that their mother Mildred picked up on right away, Dana and Lynn let her go after only one day.  That’s when they decided to give Home Helpers a call.  Home Helpers is the leading provider of non-medical, in-home care for seniors and others needing special care.  Lynn knew Home Helpers because she had worked for them prior to moving to Florida.  In fact, Lynn was one of the first caregivers hired by the Chester Heights Home Helpers office, owned by John Squires.  “We were more than happy to help Lynn and Dana with their mother’s needs and are grateful we could get the right caregiver for them almost immediately,” says Squires,  “and Tom Carroll, our Director of Client Relations, always has just the right caregiver in mind based on a client’s needs and personality.” 

Ida Seeyon, a caregiver with the Chester Heights office of Home Helpers, was placed by Tom Carroll the next day.  “We saw an immediate and wonderful difference,” Lynn Sheeler happily recalls.  “This woman was so much different, so genuine, and so compassionate – Dana and I were so pleased, and so was our mother. She and Ida got along famously and Ida made Mom so comfortable near the end of her life.  Dana and I are very grateful.”   In addition, Ida was in constant contact with Dana and had frequent contact with Lynn via the telephone.

Sadly, Mildred Sheeler passed away only a short time after Ida Seeyon became her caregiver.  But Ida and Home Helpers left a legacy of compassion and care that followed even after Mildred’s passing.  Lynn Sheeler recalls, “Dana even spoke about Ida at our mother’s memorial service and the wonderful care she provided. Home Helpers was there when Mom needed competent, dependable and most of all, compassionate care – at a very difficult time. We can’t say enough about Ida, John and Tom in the Chester Heights office of Home Helpers.”

To learn how Home Helpers can design a Total Care Plan™ specific to your needs, or to learn more about our full suite of services, please call us at (877) 464-9090 or visit us on the web at www.HomeHelpersPhilly.com.