Lending a helping hand

Getting older looks different on everybody, and the type of help needed is different for everybody, too. Often a family member or loved one will take on the responsibility and may not always be around as much as they would like to be. Seniors Helping Seniors gives its clients peace of mind and a sense of comfort by uniquely serving caregivers and care-receivers with different modes of assistance to seniors by seniors.

“Maybe they are not comfortable carrying a pot of boiling water anymore because it’s too heavy, or they get to a point where they need help bathing or getting dressed and they want to stay in their homes,” explains Heather Maver, president and owner of the Chagrin Valley franchise of Seniors Helping Seniors. “We really try to help families stay in their homes for as long as possible.”

Heather is a local Army veteran who has been running a delivery business in Cleveland for the last six years. She bought the franchise last summer wanting to do something different and remembered the help she and her husband received when his grandmother passed away.

“We had some great experiences with people who helped us out and some not-great experiences with people who helped us out. So, when we were looking for what was next for us, we came across Seniors Helping Seniors,” she says.

What intrigued Heather the most about the concept was creating a team of caregivers who were over the age of 50, offering people who are retired or semi-retired a chance to give back. In turn, the person receiving care feels more comfortable accepting help from someone whom they can relate to, paired together based on their compatibility with customizable services based on what the client needs. It can be as simple as coming over a few times a week to go to the grocery store, help with cleaning the house, or taking a class together. 

“We really start with looking for somebody who has a really good attitude and a good heart,” Heather says of the kind of seniors they are looking for. All caregivers are given a thorough background check, as trust and reliability are of the upmost importance. But Heather also wants potential caregivers to know they are not expected to have previous experience or be certified in a specific field. Seniors Helping Seniors provides all the training needed, knowing most people have been or still are taking care of somebody at some capacity in their life.

When it comes to deciding whether it is the right time to bring in someone to assist with a loved one, Heather emphasizes that it is always worth the phone call to get all the information needed and see if it makes sense for their family to make that decision.

 

Heather’s chapter of the franchise spans the Chagrin Valley, including Chagrin Falls, Pepper Pike, Beachwood and more. Her goal is for her Seniors Helping Seniors team and clients to keep growing, aiming to be a gold standard in the industry and the first name someone thinks of when they need support. She hopes their services will provide a sense of peace and security for families, taking some of the weight off their shoulders and easing anxieties over worrying about their loved ones. Seniors Helping Seniors makes it so they can focus on more of the important things, like quality time and making memories.

For more information about caregiving or receiving care with Seniors Helping Seniors, call 216-998-CARE (216-988-2273), follow it on Instagram @shschagrinvalley or visit the website SHSChagrinValley.com.

*Seniors Helping Seniors is a trademark of Seniors Helping Seniors in-home care services.