Westchester Family Care (WFC) opened its doors in January 2016. From the beginning, our mission has been to “let family members be family again while we provide the personal care.” We have been providing outstanding in-home care to our growing family of clients throughout these five years. Indications of our success include steady growth in business volume, new referrals from satisfied clients, attracting exceptional employees, plus industry recognition and awards.
However, nothing could have prepared us for the challenges brought on by COVID in 2020. The pandemic forced all of us to make strategic and tactical adjustments in the wake of having to suddenly close the office, stay indoors, allay the fears of clients and workers, and yet continue to provide exemplary daily services to the most challenged population by the disease – our senior citizens.
more, More, MORE
COVID made us flex our skillset muscles and deal with challenging situations in new and creative ways. In the process, the pandemic accelerated existing plans or created opportunities for WFC to become more of an exemplary home care agency.
…We’re investing more in technology that, in turn, creates more efficient processes.
…We’re hiring more top-notch caregivers/professionals.
…We’re operating with a more engaged workforce.
…We’re working with more opportunities to virtually connect with employees.
…We’re taking on more in-home clients with challenging medical needs but within our scope.
…We’re delivering more complex service offerings.
We are grateful that it’s made WFC more of a “go-to” option with seniors looking for an alternative to long-term care facilities.
“COVID is going to force a national conversation about how we take care of our elderly. We should be able to provide more services in the home setting that can enable somebody to be independent.”
Seema Verba, Administrator – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service
Planned and New Changes Take on Urgency
Before the pandemic, there were already plans to upgrade systems and acquire new technology. Plans were in place for HR to modify in-person procedures related to recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and ongoing training.
In effect, the pandemic sped up the implementation of procedures, modifications to existing systems, and efficiency planning. As a result, we accomplished a lot of things that were both in the planning stages and were a direct result of the pandemic.
- Moving the office team to remote work on relatively short notice
- Acquiring new equipment
- Implementing new and fuller use of existing technology
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom
- Vidcruiter
- Docusign
- Additional features in Clearcare
- HubSpot
- Using new virtual tools to recruit
- Increasing communication at a time when everyone is more distant
- Twice-daily Team Calls
- Hyper communicating with clients and caregivers
- Transitioning recurring training to virtual, instructor-led
- In-Services delivered via Zoom
- Opportunities for virtual town halls
- Modifying Orientation and HHA Training that need to remain in-person
- Multiple HHA Training classes held
- Regular orientation of new caregivers with hands-on skills assessments
- In-person, in-home Nursing Visits
- Determining which classes can be a hybrid of “virtual-and-personal” training
Supporting our Relationships with Community Partners
Our community enrichment programs changed with the pandemic as well. We felt it necessary to continue with the same high level of excellence but focus on the matters at hand.
Right out of the gate, we provided comfort and support to our Community Partners, such as Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities, for their clients who had to isolate in place and their staff who were not allowed to go home.
WFC delivered baskets with games, brainteasers, and snacks for their clients. We also catered breakfasts for the staff of Partner Assisted Living Facilities where we provide home care services. We even rented an ice cream truck as a treat for clients and staff at one of our Partner Long Term Care Facilities.
The second COVID wave hit our Long Term Care Partners even harder. We demonstrated our commitment to these facilities by continuing to do field visits when many other agencies suspended them. In so doing, our own RNs and LPNs continued to provide supervision and medication management to our clients in homes and facilities.
During this time, our 24/7 responsiveness to Partners’ inquiries was especially appreciated.
Recognizing Our Caregiver Heroes
WFC is proud of our high employee and client satisfaction ratings. For five years, we have never wavered from seeking out top-notch caregivers to demonstrate our commitment to deliver the best possible client care. This year, our caregivers responded to the COVID crisis with nothing less than tireless and exceptional efforts.
At the same time, we are always thinking about what WFC can do to differentiate ourselves on recruiting, incentives, and retention. We offer industry leading pay programs and caregivers received “Hero Bonuses” in addition to their pay raises. We are establishing a financial safety net program for caregivers with our Employee Hardship Fund. It will provide necessary monies to employees facing immediate, unexpected financial issues such as those related to housing, medical, or car repairs.
We’ve also continued our WFC’s employee recognition programs. WFC has a monthly program to recognize caregivers who’ve demonstrated exceptional service. Three of our caregivers were nominated for the Heroes in the Home™ honor, a Statewide Recognition Program by the New York State Association of Health Care Providers (HCP) that honors caregivers identified by their agency as outstanding home care caregivers over the last year. HCP member agencies hold a caregiver recognition/award program of their own and submit its award winners to be recognized as part of the Heroes in the Home™ recognition program. Congrats to HHAs Danso Kodua, Sandra Zhinin, and Cynthia Malcom.
Thanks for the Recognition of WFC
We are also thankful for the many awards recognizing our success, our growth, and, most proudly, our caregivers.
We were again honored to receive 2020’s Best of Home Care® Leader in Excellence Award in addition to the Provider and Employer of Choice Awards. This places us among the top 5% of home care service providers nationwide and makes us only 1 of 2 home care agencies in New York State to receive this award!
For the fourth year in a row, we’ve been designated a 2021 Caring Super Star by caring.com. It is especially meaningful to us because it is based on receiving top ratings from WFC clients.
And for the first time, we were thrilled to be identified as one of America’s Fast-Growing Private Companies in the 2020 Inc. 5000 list. “Westchester Family Care ranks 1745 on the list with impressive three-year revenue growth of 245.1%.
George Floyd’s murder made us think hard and worry about many of the women on the WFC team who may be mothers, spouses, or sisters. They quietly live with an unimaginable, persistent real fear for the lives of their sons and loved ones who are at risk solely because they are Black.
The foundation of the home care industry is built on delivering quality care with respect, dignity, and compassion. At WFC, we value the diversity of our caregivers, nurses, and office professionals as well as all of the clients who are equally entitled to be treated in a respectful, dignified, and compassionate manner.
- We are about people taking care of people.
- We are a diverse group of people taking care of others, regardless of race/religion/gender.
- Respect, compassion, and inclusivity are encompassed in our values.
- We will continue to treat people with dignity and respect.
- We will continue to value one another.
- We can and will do more.
What Lies Ahead
We look forward to putting 2020 behind us and to maintaining the momentum we’ve created in facing up to COVID’s challenges. We are a more cohesive team; our caregivers are extremely engaged; (they all learned how to use ZOOM!) and all WFC communities – caregivers, nursing staff, office staff, and management — are communicating with each other more effectively than ever.
“We don’t think about getting back to normal because COVID put ‘normal’ in the rear-view mirror. Frankly, the pandemic has made us stronger. We will keep refining our strategies, as needed, and maintain a “hyper” level of communications that has served to keep us all on the same page.”
Glenn Lane, Founder
The trend away from Nursing Homes and Long Term Care facilities is among the strongest factors fueling our growth organically. To accommodate those coming from Assisted Living or a Nursing Home, WFC is ready to take on more clients with greater medically complex needs over a longer term. We are increasing staff levels, training, and monitoring of the care provided to our clients. Whatever the 2021 COVID experience turns to be, WFC is on the path to recruiting more skilled caregivers and offering more skilled nursing and LPN services.
We welcome the challenge. We proved our mettle in 2020. And we are preparing to accept more medically complex cases and provide the ultimate home care service: A Nursing Home “At Home.”
Westchester Family Care Inc. assists people of all ages, by customizing home care plans to maintain healthy quality of life and safety at home.
Contact WFC for an immediate family need or when planning for future needs: info@westfamilycare.com, 914-764-7500, www.westchesterfamilycare.com.
Westchester Family Care Provides Peace of Mind and Confidence that the Elderly Are Safe and Living with Dignity in Their Own Home.