Care with compassion

For anyone who has struggled with an aging loved one who wants to stay in their home, yet needs support—from companionship to help with daily living needs to 24-hour care—the newly debuted Seniors Helping Seniors service is a god-send of in-home care customized to them.

As the name implies, the novel model of the service is seniors are paired with mature caregivers, like meeting like, which creates meaningful interactions to “age with independence, grace and dignity from where they call home.”

Opened this spring by Bryan Marn and Julie Dey, Seniors Helping Seniors offers assistance with daily tasks with an appreciation to brighten the lives of local seniors in the comfort of home.

“When we were looking to start a business, in-home senior care was the perfect fit for us,” says Bryan, who is a native of Wickliffe and returned home after more than 20 years in Los Angeles and New York City. “We’re both very close with our families and the communities where we grew up. And we both have experience caring for elderly loved ones who we cherished. We understand the level of compassion caregivers need to have.”

Another reason Seniors Helping Seniors resonated with them emotionally is, like theirs, its origin story is all about caring and connections, too. The company’s founder, who immigrated from India where she worked alongside Mother Teresa, was deeply troubled by how often seniors are overlooked in this country. She made it her mission to change that. Today, her daughter carries on that legacy by leading the company.

“We’ve already had what we consider a resounding success, a senior who calls their caregiver their friend,” says Julie. “That made our day.”

Thriving Through Social Connection

“Research shows people live longer and thrive with positive social connections and we aim to improve the quality of life for our seniors,” says Bryan, who once oversaw a group home for adult men with special needs. “I’ve personally experienced this. I lived with my grandmother after college. When I moved away, we saw her slowly decline without the daily social interaction.”

The organizational model of matching up client to caregiver as peers is working well.

“There’s a very special generational connection,” Julie says. “They don’t feel like a stranger is coming into their home, but rather a trusted someone who is in tune with their life story. And to us, this service is a great comfort and relief to the family, who feel they can be a son or daughter to their loved one instead of a stressed-out caregiver.”

Non-medical homecare services include safety and fall prevention, medication reminders, long-distance check-ins, daily living needs (like bathing, toileting, getting dressed, dementia care), running errands, transportation to appointments, companionship, meal prep, shopping, light housekeeping, yard work, pet care and light handyman jobs.

“We pinpoint things that bring joy to a senior. Maybe they want to work on a genealogy project or do puzzles or go to bingo,” Bryan adds. “And we customize the care to suit them.”

Honoring Fierce Independence

Julie tells the inspirational story of her grandmother, Nana, who was proud and fiercely independent. She recently passed away at 94.

“She was a trailblazer, a semi-professional softball player who came here from Canada and had been widowed for 35 years,” she says. “It was an honor and a privilege to care for her along the journey and that’s the type of care and service we provide seniors in Northeast Ohio. We take the time to get to know their amazing stories and appreciate their wealth of knowledge. We want them to feel appreciated, not forgotten.”

Headquartered in Wickliffe, Seniors Helping Seniors serves seniors in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties. Visit SeniorCareNEO.com or call 440-494-8156 for more information. The minimum is two hours, twice per week, and overnight care is also available. The service accepts long-term care insurance, private pay and is working to become certified to work with veterans’ benefits.