As a result of these difficult economic times, many families are turning to hiring their own private caregivers in hopes of saving some money. In many cases, this may work out just fine – however, there are pitfalls that should certainly be considered. Our list below is meant to raise the awareness of all that goes into providing care to elder clients by a professional home care organization.

The advantages to hiring a professional home care company like, Barton Home Care, for your elder care is as follows:

1. We hand-pick our caregivers after careful scrutiny of their background, talents, personality, compassion and desire to make a difference.
2. We choose only those who have demonstrated their caring capabilities through helping someone in their family or from having a professional care background.
3. Everyone goes through a thorough background check including validation of their social security number, address check, criminal background check and screening of their motor vehicle record.
4. All employees are bonded and insured.
5. Employees sign off on an extensive Policy and Procedures document as well as an Employee Agreement. Nothing is left to interpretation.
6. Every employee goes through an Orientation session to ensure they know our expectations and requirements for providing superlative care.
7. All employees are required to access our training site which covers the spectrum of challenges facing our elder clients as well as the fundamentals of providing extraordinary care.
8. As a company, we carry general and professional liability insurance exceeding the requirements of the State of Colorado license law.
9. All employees are covered by Workman’s Comp insurance so if they are injured on the job – it is not the concern of the client. We take care of the problem.
10. All employees are supervised so if there ever is an issue, our client’s do not have to confront the employee – we handle the issues … and we have very few.
11. Our caregivers keep us constantly updated with the status of our clients. We, in turn, keep the family up-to-date on how things are going.
12. Compatibility is key – we ensure that the client caregiver match is as good as it can be.
13. If an employee gets sick or has personal problems, we will arrange for substitute care if desired.
14. Since we do employ, our clients are not faced with payroll tax issues including completing a 1099 at the year’s end and the potential for the IRS to consider their caregiver contractor as an employee requiring back payment of withholding taxes.
15. As with all home care companies in this area, we are to be subject to regulation by the State of Colorado. Independent, private caregivers have no overseeing authority.
16. Ours is a completely managed process. Our (almost) eight year track record is proof positive that our approach makes the most sense to those families needing elder care.

So, one can conclude that there is much to consider when exploring care for an elder in their home. The cost differential between a private caregiver and employing a professional home care company should not be the only consideration.

Tom Barton

Barton Home Care

“My mother has multiple sclerosis and requires extra help with some of her day-to-day activities. My sister and I do what we can to help Mom, but our work and home lives preclude us from doing as much as we’d like. Thus, it’s been important to have a trusted home care professional in the house with Mom. This is where Tom Barton and Barton Home Care come in.

At first, we had no idea what to look for in a home care agency. We initially hired another company based on the recommendation of one of Mom’s hospital case workers. Unfortunately, that company had a “scheduling conflict” and stranded Mom without the care she needed on her first day home from a long hospitalization. We asked the case worker for a second recommendation, and she gave us Tom Barton’s name. Tom immediately impressed me with his professionalism and his genuine concern for Mom’s well-being. We’ve been with Barton ever since. (I later called that case worker again, and told her that Barton was the company she should have recommended first!)

Tom prides himself on hiring only the best and the brightest home care workers. In the last two years, Mom has had only two main caregivers (not counting the rare vacation fill-in). The first caregiver was replaced only because she moved on to further her career. Tom obviously understands what others don’t seem to: Continuity of care is crucial to the comfort and trust of his clients. He obviously goes out of his way to ensure that his people are in this field because they want to be.

I think it’s fair to say that Barton is the main factor that has allowed Mom to stay in her own house, and at least delay the need for an assisted living facility. This has tremendous financial AND emotional value. Barton has relieved a lot of stress for my sister and me. More importantly, Mom not only has a caregiver that helps her maintain her household and personal needs, but a valued companion and friend as well. This means a lot to our entire family.

Based on all of this, I am happy to recommend Tom Barton and Barton Home Care. They care, and it shows.”

If you or someone you know is considering in home senior care, Denver metro area, please consider Barton Home Care.  You can contact Tom Barton directly at 303.660.5120 or info@bartonhomecare.com. He’ll be happy to answer  all of your questions and share his “Caring to Make a Difference” home care philosophy.

For more information on choosing the best Senior Care – Colorado, please check out our post: Senior Care Colorado – The Benefits of Professional Caregiving.

• Aurora
• Castle Rock
• Centennial
• Cherry Hills Village
• Denver
• Englewood
• Franktown
• Greenwood Village
• Highlands Ranch
• Lakewood
• Larkspur
• Littleton
• Lone Tree
• Parker

These are the areas that we have served for the last six plus years. With the obvious impact of gasoline prices, we do our best to not only assign the right caregiver (compatibility is vital,) but also someone who is within reasonable proximity to the client’s home. Occasionally “demand exceeds supply” and we may not be able to handle a client’s needs in certain areas. Best bet is to call and ask to speak directly with the owner, Tom Barton.

If you have a need for in-home, non-medical elder care, Denver and the following Colorado communities: Aurora, Castle Rock, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Denver, Englewood, Franktown, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood, Larkspur, Littleton, Lone Tree or Parker, CO — call us today and we would be privileged to assist your family.

Call Tom Barton at 303.660.5120.

In addition, if seniors can get help with meal preparation, and if they are offered healthier and more nutritious meals that, too, can help them feel better and stay healthier. Someone to ensure that they take their medications on time and as prescribed is beneficial as well. Encouraging them to drink more water and to get some exercise has obvious benefits.

Someone to listen to their stories, someone to do projects with, someone to take them to appointments helps not only the elder but their family members as well. With the right caregiver to help an elder, family members can once again become family members — as opposed to caregivers by default.

For Home Health Care in Greenwood Village, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado and other communities within the Metro Denver area, if you are a Denver caregiver call 303.660.5120 for more information.

Tom Barton

Owner, Barton Home Care

Nerve cells in a normal brain produce the chemical dopamine. Dopamine transmits signals to the brain that produce the smooth movement of muscles. Most people with Parkinson’s have damaged or dead dopamine-producing cells. Nerve cells are caused to fire wildly, which leaves patients unable to control their movements.

One of the primary drugs used in treatment is levodopa. It is often used in conjunction with carbidopa. Though not perfect, this combination of drugs can be very effective. In 1998, the FDA approved a brain “pacemaker” to help control tremors. A surgical option is a brain operation that has shown itself to be helpful for some Parkinson’s patients. It is called pallidotomy. A tiny electric probe is used to destroy a portion of the globus pallidus, which experts think is overactive in people with Parkinson’s. Studies have shown that this surgery’s effects are often temporary—lasting about two years.

Another brain surgery that offers some hope for treatment involves surgically implanting electrodes to stimulate the part of the brain that is related to impulsivity. When successful, people with the disease are able to reduce their medication intake by more than 60%. Exact placement of the electrodes is vital. A few millimeters can be the difference between success and failure.

An additional avenue of exploration involves implanting specialized cells, not to be confused with stem cells, found in the human eye into areas of the brain that have suffered damage because of Parkinson’s. This treatment is called Spheramine and in its early trials has shown improvement in symptoms with only one significant side effect—a headache.

Click on this link for more information on Parkinson’s Disease…Senior Health Care for the Denver Colorado Metro Area.

Gerri Tyber, Operations Manager
Barton Home Care

Click on this link for the checklist … Need for Elder Services.

Tom Barton

Owner, Barton Home Care

There are many options to consider before making a decision that will work best for your family. If home hospice care is chosen, someone will need to be available on a 24-hour basis. Obviously, this is an exhausting scenario. Relatives and close friends may supply some needed respite, but often additional help is needed to handle around-the-clock needs or possible crises. Home hospice generally costs less than hospital-based or long-term care facilities. Families often opt to keep their family member in a familiar setting. Often they seek help from in-home companion care companies like Barton Home Care. If you are faced with such a selection, you will find there are many considerations to be made before choosing home health care to offer assistance.

Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans, HMO’s and the Department of Veterans Affairs will often pay for hospice care. Some services are provided at no charge to patients who are unable to pay for them. Medicare hospice benefits are available when a doctor and the hospice medical director, who is also a physician, determine that a patient has less than six months to live.

Gerri Tyber, Operations Manager
Barton Home Care

Bear in mind that these are self proclaimed statements and that, as a consumer, you should take them with a grain of salt.

The only way to get a true bearing on how good a home care company’s claims are is to talk to their existing clients as well as past clients and/or their families.

We at Barton Home Care welcome all prospective clients to find out just how those that we care for feel about the care we provide.

That’s the best way to cut through the hype and to help you make an informed decision. A very important decision no less.

To learn more about home health care in the Denver Metro Area, you may contact Tom Barton direct at 303.660.5120.

For more information, you may contact Karen Barton at 720.641.3482 or visit karenbartononline.com. Karen Barton is affiliated with Barton Home Care.

For assistance with good senior care Colorado resource, you can start by clicking on the following link to obtain the right questions to ask during your search:

Home Health Care | Denver, Colorado Metro Area

For related articles of interest, and more information on long term health care, click on the following senior care Colorado resource link:

Long Term Health Care

To help determine your need for elder services, click on this link:

Need for Elder Services

Remember, you are welcome to call me anytime for a no-obligation, free consultation regarding in-home senior care for the Metro Denver Area.

Tom Barton

Owner, Barton Home Care

Direct: 303.660.5120