BOSTON—Senior Helpers, a provider of in-home senior care services, received Age-Friendly Care at Home certification from the Community Health Accreditation Partners (CHAP), making it the first private-duty, in-home care provider in the United States with the certificate. On Aug. 13, locally owned Senior Helpers of Boston and South Shore joined the list of Senior Helpers’ CHAP Age-Friendly Care at Home certified locations, becoming the first of their agencies in Massachusetts and the northeast U.S. to achieve this certification.
Mark Friedman, owner of Senior Helpers, said it was an honor to be the first franchise in the country to attain this certification.
“Our decision to voluntarily pursue this certification further demonstrates our dedication to providing a higher standard of care,” Friedman said.
“Senior Helpers’ proactive approach in implementing numerous tools to enhance care for older adults, even before receiving the certification, speaks volumes about its commitment to excellence," said Teresa Harbour, chief operating officer of CHAP. "Its use of the LIFE profile to reduce the risk of hospitalizations, its senior gems program for dementia care and its centers for excellence for staff training and competency set it up for success. Adding the Age-Friendly Care at Home certification was a logical next step."
What is Age-Friendly Care at Home?
The certification was created to meet the demand for high-quality care of older adults. Additionally, it showcases companies that use all-encompassing, person-centered care to address the unique needs of every individual. The certification focuses on the "4Ms" (what matters, medication, mentation and mobility), a research-backed, evidence-based care approach. To receive the CHAP certification, Senior Helpers Boston and South Shore worked to ensure that the 4Ms framework was an integral part of operations and daily interactions with clients. The 4Ms are as follows:
- What matters puts clients at the center of care and empowers them to be involved in goal setting and preferences for their care.
- Medication should be used in an age-friendly way that does not interfere with what matters to the client.
- Mentation focuses on preventing, identifying, treating and managing depression and dementia.
- Mobility ensures older adults move safely and maintain function so they can do what matters to them.
CHAP provides training, certification and accreditation for senior care providers, ensuring quality and compliance with the highest standards of care by using the 4Ms framework and other guidelines.
Senior Helpers Elevates Care Standards for Seniors
In addition to the CHAP certification, Senior Helpers Boston and South Shore works to elevate its care for clients through three key programs: the proprietary life, independence, function and evaluation (LIFE) profile assessment tool, the senior gems program and the center of excellence training spaces. The programs are detailed below.
- The LIFE profile is a research-based technology tool that uses data to identify a client's risk of being hospitalized.
- The senior gems program provides effective strategies for supporting and caring for loved ones throughout normal aging and late-stage dementia, focusing on what is precious and unique about each senior at every stage.
- The Senior Helpers’ center of excellence is a training space designed to simulate a client's home, allowing caregivers to learn and train in a real-world environment and demonstrate their ability to provide the highest quality of care in a client's home.
Senior Helpers Boston and South Shore provides in-home care for seniors, helping them age in place and live quality lives. They provide personalized care for patients with chronic diseases, Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's and end-of-life care, as well as end support with errands, transportation, meal preparation and more.
