This month’s ‘South Jersey Spotlight’ post features Karlyn Williams, co-founder/owner of A+ Senior Care in Cinnaminson, New Jersey. I will fully disclose that I wrote a series of newsletter articles for A+ on topics ranging from fall prevention and urinary incontinence to caregiver burnout.
The ladies of A+ Senior Care offer a valuable service that allows seniors to maintain an independent lifestyle in the comfort of their own homes. It’s my pleasure to highlight their company and services for those of you who may have a family member in need of such assistance:
By All Writes: Why did you and Gail Jones (co-founder/owner) decide to start A+ Senior Care? When did you start it?
Karlyn Williams: Gail and I met during college. We discovered along the way that one of our mutual interests was healthcare. After interning at a nursing home, we talked a lot about our shared love of seniors and wanting to provide meaningful options for them.
Years later, during one of our weekly conversations, we talked about the time being right to follow our passion. Gail introduced the idea of us founding a home healthcare agency. With Gail’s background in long-term care and my combined social services and home care experience, we felt qualified to run and grow such a business. And so, A+ Senior Care was launched in June of 2008.
BAW: What services do you offer your potential clients?
KW: We offer seniors companionship, home helper services, transportation to appointments, assistance with errands, meal preparation, medication reminders, and personal care assistance (i.e., bathing, dressing, and ambulating). We also provide respite care for those who have become a loved one’s caregiver. Additionally, we can provide temporary assistance for someone recovering from a minor health setback.
Of course, our clients’ needs are quite diverse. Some individuals require minimal assistance, while others need 24-hour, live-in care. We usually perform a service assessment to determine each client’s individual needs level.
BAW: Who makes a good client for you?
KW: Well, any senior who needs help maintaining an independent lifestyle in their home and selects A+ Senior Care is an ideal client! In many cases, our first contact is with a client’s adult child whose main concern is Mom or Dad’s ability to continue living at home on their own.
BAW: What is your ultimate “happy moment” when working with your clients?
KW: Without a doubt, that moment occurs when someone expresses heartfelt gratitude because we’ve matched them up with a home caregiver they love. Fortunately for us, this happens 99% of the time! We work diligently to select the most compatible caregiver for each client. We listen closely, personally introduce the aide on the first day of service, and always call to check in at the end of that caregiver’s shift. This approach is highly effective and serves our clients well.
BAW: If you could relocate your in-home senior care service to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
KW: I wouldn’t necessarily want to relocate our business. We’ve been very successful operating in New Jersey. If anything, we’d like to expand to other counties within NJ. Our current marketing strategy targets Burlington, Camden, Mercer, and Middlesex Counties. However, we have worked with clients as far north as Somerset and Monmouth Counties. Our goal is to open an A+ Senior Care office in Mercer County quite soon.
BAW: What is your favorite book to read and why? Please share generously!
KW: I’m very open-minded about what I read, so I’m not committed to any one particular book. Some of my all-time favorites include Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Beyond contemporary literature, I’ve read and enjoyed the Harry Potter series (my son convinced me to do so – surprisingly, I enjoyed these books). I’ve also read the complete Hunger Games trilogy and Cheryl Strayed’s Wild. I love books that reflect human emotions, offer great character development, and weave a compelling narrative arc.
If you have a relative in need of compassionate in-home care or know someone who now faces this growing need, visit A+ Senior Care online for more information. To speak with Karlyn Williams directly, please call her at either 609-450-1719 or 856-470-9018. Please let Karlyn know you found A+ Senior Care via the By All Writes LLC blog (thank you)!
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