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
2
630.260.5300
www.brightstarcare.com/wheaton
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online