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CARING IN DuPage
DEC 2019
630.260.5300 www.brightstarcare.com/wheaton
WHO WE ARE AND WHY THAT SHOULD MATTER TO YOU BrightStar Care at Its Core
We will adapt our care to your needs. We do everything in our power to take care of the unique needs of your loved ones with a personalized care plan and 24/7 accessible staff. Our superb clinical execution is considered excellent by Joint Commission standards, each of our clients has their own Registered Nurse Case Manager who operates as a point of contact for both the client and the BrightStar caregiver, and your important calls to us will never be rerouted to a third party. We always have one of our professional staff to answer your call at any hour of the day. We’re recognized nationwide at what we do. In other words, we don’t just talk the talk. We can say all we want about the care we provide, but it’s not worthmuch if we can’t back it up. The Joint Commission, which accredits the nation’s best hospitals, has declared BrightStar as the Enterprise Champion for Quality for five straight years.
Over the past couple of years, BrightStar Care of Central DuPage hopes this newsletter has given you the opportunity to get to know us a little bit better. That being said, we know that the passing of time and the sheer number of services we offer can sometimes hide who we are at our core. So, we want to take this opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to help you remember everything we can do for those in our community who need in-home caregiver, personal, and home nursing care. We’re always available to help. We knowmany health care needs don’t take a day off. That’s why we don’t, either. Any time, any place, and for any clinical or activity daily living (ADL) needs, our professional in-home caregivers will be there tomake sure our clients and their families don’t have to do it alone. For many businesses, being open 24/7 is just an extra convenience for their customers —but for our clients, it’s an absolute necessity. We develop care plans personal to you. You won’t find any cookie-cutter care here. At BrightStar, we know every client has different needs and care preferences. No two people managers (RN), will work with our clients and their families to develop a truly personal Plan- of-Care. At the same time, our RNs monitor the caregiving relationship as an extra step toward keeping the people we care for healthy and keeping their families informed. are the same. That’s why our caregivers, in liaison with our registered nurse case
The Best of Home Care, a third party organization that evaluates and awards care excellence and client satisfaction from in-home care providers, has also awarded us:
• The "Leader in Excellence" Award • The "Provider of Choice" Award • The "Employer of Choice" Award
Now that you’ve had the chance to get to know us over the past couple of years through this newsletter, we hope you’ll get in touch with us to help you take care of the families who visit your community. As the year wraps up, many of themmight be using their deductible to get those injections, infusions, and replacement surgeries done. We hope you’ll consider referring them to BrightStar Care as their top service provider for any type of clinical or nonmedical in-home care, anytime you need it. This is the optimal time to reach out to us, and we would love to get to know you and your family! To all of you reading this, and to those who have supported us and put their trust in us over the past 10 years, thank you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! —Leonard Sanchez Director of Business Development
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OF BRIGHTSTAR’S CAREGIVING EXCELLENCE AN UNPRECEDENTED RECOGNITION
On Nov. 19, a select group of caregivers from BrightStar Care of Central DuPage and a few of our BrightStar Care elderly clients gathered to celebrate an unprecedented recognition of their hard work and provision for the community. Every year, BrightStar Care selects caregivers from all 330-plus offices across the country to be nominated for the BrightStar Care National Caregiver of the Year Award. The selection process includes interviews over the phone with both caregivers and patients about their work performance, and every year a few caregivers are nominated from BrightStar Care of Central DuPage. What makes this year’s nominations so special is the sheer number of caregivers who were nominated. Usually, we can expect two, three, or maybe four caregivers to earn nominations from their clients. This year, we had nearly triple the usual count, with nine caregivers receiving nominations from our office. By the time we gathered to celebrate these nine outstanding caregivers in November, the recipient of the Caregiver of the Year Award had already been chosen. However, our office still thought it necessary to commemorate the hard work of our caregivers with a celebratory luncheon. In a world where our senior population is experiencing unprecedented growth, we want to make sure the people who step up to take care of the elderly members of our community get the recognition they deserve.
There’s No Expiration Date on Entrepreneurship
THE JOYS OF STARTING A BUSINESS AFTER YOU ‘RETIRE’
As a nation, America is getting older. By 2030, 20% of Americans will be 65 or older. With people living longer than ever before and the baby boomers approaching retirement age en masse, older adults will continue to have a massive impact on the American economy at large. Normally, we think of seniors as people who cash in on the hard work they’ve already accomplished. Many young people even worry Social Security will be wiped out by the time they reach retirement age. But who’s to say older adults can’t contribute to the economy? If you’ve ever tried to change jobs late in your career or pick up some part-time work after retirement, you know it’s hard to be hired as a senior. Quartz recently called seniors “the economy’s most underused natural resource.” Until more employers understand the value and potential of older workers, entrepreneurship remains the most viable avenue for seniors wanting to work after their primary career has ended. There are a number of reasons why seniors find
creating their own business to be rewarding and why they tend to succeed when they do. Unlike younger people, who often become business owners in an attempt to make a fortune, older entrepreneurs can be content with small, sustainable micro-businesses. They also approach their businesses with a wealth of experience that can’t be purchased. As a result, 70% of ventures founded by older entrepreneurs are still open five years later, more than double the rate of the general population. With so much potential to be found in senior-run businesses, it’s no surprise that organizations are rushing to empower older adults with the tools they need to succeed. Senior Planet, a coworking space for seniors with outposts nationwide, teaches classes on skills like website creation in a space that makes older learners feel welcome and comfortable.
way for seniors to generate meaning and value in their lives. It’s never too late to start the business of your dreams. Our owner, Jim Flickinger knows the joy that can come from retiring from the corporate life and starting a business that focuses on serving the community. You can read all about it in his new book Shooting Star: Putting Heart Into Homecare . We have a limited number of copies, so take advantage of this offer while it lasts. We are sending an advanced, prereleased copy to the first 25 people to contact Leonard Sanchez at (630) 260-5300.
BuildingaStar Shooting Star:PuttingHeart intoHomeCare is the story of building an award-winninghome care and facilities staffing organization.With a background in sales, but no experience in leading ahealthcare franchise, JimFlickinger, alongwithhiswife, Judy,workedup to sixteen hours aday, andwithout apaycheck,until everything began to click. And click it did— BrightStar Care ® of CentralDuPage-Wheaton has receivedmore than forty awards of excellence includingNurse of theYear,RegionalCaregiver of theYear,Fran- chisee of theYear, andMentor of theYear, and it has been recognized formarketing, online reputation, and clinical and operational excellence.
Shooting Star PUTTING HEART INTO HOME CARE
BrightStarCare ® wasbuiltonfive core values:
1. beingopen andpositive 2. servingwithpassion 3. alwaysdoing the right thing in anhonest, ethicalmanner
4. doingwhatwe saywewilldo 5. always striving for improvement
These values, alongwith the foundational belief that it’s all about staff and clients, have earned BrightStarCare ® ahealthy referralbase and the loyaltyof caregivers andhealthprofessionals.
JimFlickinger grew up in a smallOhio farming town, but his true callingwas sales.Afterworkinghiswayup fromfield technician to director of sales andmarketing, boardmember, andminority owner at TestingServiceCorporation,hedecided to startanewventure. In2008, Jim and hiswife, Judy, established BrightStarCare ® ofCentralDuP- age-Wheaton,and thenbuilt it intoamultimillion-dollarenterprise that is improving theoverallhealthofpeople in their service area.
On top of being an important economic driver, entrepreneurship can be a wonderful
JIM FLICKINGER
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630.260.5300
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We’re Here to Help You and Your Loved Ones WHENEVER YOU NEED US
Being a family caregiver for an elderly or disabled relative can be tough. In the United States, it’s estimated around 1 in 3 adults work in an informal sense as caregivers for a loved one. Even if you’re not caring for an elderly relative, chances are you can still imagine how challenging it would be to adapt your schedule to take care of not only the family but also an elderly parent or a special needs child. It’s a lot to wrap your head around, we know. Many of us at BrightStar Care of Central DuPage have been in that situation ourselves. While no one’s situation as a caregiver is identical to another, so many caregivers know what it feels like to be anxious, stressed, isolated, and burnt out. So, if there’s one thing we want informal caregivers to know, it’s this: You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Some caregivers might feel like no one can understand what they’re going through, and no one knows their loved ones as they do. While the skilled caregivers at BrightStar might not have the same personal history as you have with your elderly loved ones, part of what makes us good at what we do is how we form personal connections with our clients. Through those personal relationships, we can gain a deeper understanding of our clients’ needs and preferences. Bearing the responsibility of taking care of your elderly family members who can no longer care for themselves is an incredibly noble thing to do, but it’s not something anyone should have to do alone. At BrightStar Care of Central DuPage, our caregivers are ready to help before the burnout sets in. Whether informal caregivers just need an hour to rest, or a weekend away with their spouse and kids, BrightStar Care can take care of your aging loved ones while you’re gone. If you know families who could use a break, tell them to call us NOW at (630) 260-5300.
Ultimately, that’s why we do what we do at BrightStar Care. Even though it’s nice to be recognized for our hard work, our excellence isn’t contingent on receiving awards or recognition. We care for some of the most vulnerable members of our community because it’s our joy to help people, plain and simple. If you know
a family with a vulnerable loved one in need of in-home care, we hope you’ll direct them to BrightStar Care of Central DuPage. Have them give us a call at (630) 260-5300.
Have You Heard the Good News?
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” Acts 18:9-10 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9 13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
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416 EAST ROOSEVELT ROAD, SUITE 105 ● WHEATON, IL 60187 630.260.5300 WWW.BRIGHTSTARCARE.COM/WHEATON
CARING IN DUPAGE SUBSCRIPTION
INSIDE
Who We Are and Why That Matters 1 9 BrightStar Caregivers Nominated for Caregiver of the Year The Power of Senior Entrepreneurship and Our Central DuPage — Wheaton Story 2 Have You Heard the Good News? BrightStar Is Here to Help 24/7 3 Tell Your Legacy and Share Your Wisdom 4
If you know someone in need of home care or more e-learning materials, contact leonard.sanchez@brightstarcare.com.
DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? Share Your Wisdom in a Memoir
The urge to leave behind a legacy is an inherent human instinct. Whether you accomplish this by raising children, building a successful company, or starting a charitable organization, the desire to share your wisdom should not go unfulfilled. If none of these options work for your lifestyle, writing a memoir may be a good option. A memoir not only tells your story but also passes on the wisdom you’ve gained from your many experiences and offers a unique perspective to inspire future generations. Writing can be a therapeutic exercise at a time when your life may be changing due to retirement or your kids growing up and leaving the house. And because personal reflection is a natural occurrence with age,
writing a memoir can be the perfect way to spend your time. As you gain enough distance from life events to grow useful perspectives, the stage is set for self-discovery and transformation. Even more so, your life experiences can give valuable insights to readers of all ages and circumstances. That’s why biographies and memoirs are such popular genres — reading about real people helps others understand the world and how they can live in it.
to leave with my readers? What do I want them to feel or understand by reading my words?” From there, select anecdotes that support your theme. Make sure they’re clear and cohesive. Then, write like you would a fictional novel or story. Show, don’t tell, and keep readers invested by having a narrative arc, whether it flows chronologically or jumps back and forth in time. Remember, this is not a time to air dirty laundry; it’s a time to reflect, grow, and share your experiences with the world.
To get started, pick a theme. Ask yourself these questions, “What message do I want
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