More Than Just Senior Care

At Comfort Keepers we’ve made it our mission to do more than help seniors live independent lives. We also seek to improve senior’s quality of life by providing what we call Interactive Caregiving®.

Our Interactive Caregiving philosophy simply means that we look for opportunities for meaningful conversation and activities that engage and enrich the lives of seniors physically, mentally, socially and emotionally.

This practice of Interactive Caregiving contributes to longer, healthier, more purposeful lives for seniors—as indicated by many research studies that point to the health benefits of active living in later life.

Sometimes we are very lucky to capture these incredible moments, and today we’d like to share one with you.

Introducing Clif and Marylin

Clif was a former United Airlines pilot and he loves flying. He hasn’t flown for many years and one of his wishes was to fly again. As Clif’s Comfort Keepers we knew he spent many years flying his own airplane at Orange County airport, so we decided to call Orange County Airport to see if they did private airplane rides.

We spoke to the commissioner of the airport and when we mentioned Clif’s name, we were amazed to find that Clif was a legend at OCA. Not only would they be willing to take him for a flight, but it would be in the airplane he owned for many years. The commissioner also stated that the pilots would be bickering as to who would have the honor to fly Clif and Marylin.

Because we knew this was going to be a very special experience, we decided to surprise Clif and only told Marylin and his family of our arrangements. The day we had scheduled the flight turned out to be a picture perfect day. We told Clif to be ready at 9:00 am and that we (his Comfort Keepers) and Marylin would be going for a road trip, and that our destination was a surprise.

As we were driving Clif thought we were going to Lake of the Woods, but to his surprise we pulled into OCA. The smile on his face was priceless! As he walked through the building to go outside we then told him he was going to be flying in his old airplane. He was overwhelmed with joy as we helped him and Marylin into the airplane he had flown so many years ago.

We took their picture before the grand takeoff. The flight lasted about 40 minutes and during that time we spoke with a pilot that had flown with Clif years ago. We learned so much about Clif that we had never known. He was a very influential and respected pilot by many other pilots.

As Clif and Marylin landed we welcomed them back with tears of joy on all of our faces. It was so rewarding to allow Clif to have his wish to fly one more time, and it reminded us why we love being Comfort Keepers so very much.

Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages, Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 855-592-0013.

Caring For You & Your Loved Ones

At Comfort Keepers we’ve made it our mission to make your family our family.

It’s stories like these that make us feel so very lucky to be able to be part of our client’s lives.  What follows is an email we recently received from a Comfort Keepers client:

Dear Karen Anne:

Just wanted to thank you for all the help you have given us over this past week with my ailing mother and step-father.

Your and your staff have been patient, understanding, and responsive to all of our requests even when the requests have been over and above the line of duty.

I really don’t feel like I am dealing with a service to care for my folks but rather people who really care about their health and above all their happiness. Karen Anne, when I talk to you I feel as if I am talking to trusted best friend.  Your job is like a ministry to the elderly and infirm and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your loving caring concern.

Very best regards,

Lilly Riordan

Thank you Lilly for reminding us of why we love what we do!

Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages, Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 855-592-0013.

At Comfort Keepers, our philosophy is Interactive Caregiving(tm). Our in-home care providers offer companionship as they assist seniors with the tasks of daily living. When homemaking and personal care tasks are completed, an in-home care provider can share in a senior’s favorite pastimes. This could be playing a board game, going for a walk, or going to a social organization or church function… or riding a bike!

We’d like to share the following story, from a resident of Oak Hammock in Gainesville, Florida. Don’t miss the photo of our Comfort Keeper in action!

Gainesville Seniors get Great Exercise at Oak Hammock Health Pavilion

Not everyone is blessed to have a wonderful daughter like Gayle Quinn Wheeler. Bob Quinn is one such person. Recently widowed and homesick for New York, he settled in at Oak Hammock to be near his daughter. Now he doesn’t have much time to spare from all the fun he and Gayle are having.

She found a side-by-side tandem bike that they ride together around [Oak Hammock's] lovely grounds, stopping occasionally in the afternoon by the lake to enjoy a beer and visit.

The bike, a team dual trike made by Worksman Cycles of New York, has three gears, hand brakes, a musical horn and a canvas sun shade. It is designed so that one or both may peddle and both have brake controls. This bike is unique in that one rider does not sit behind the other, making conversation difficult, but instead riders are cozily belted in side by side with seat belts that insure a safe and enjoyable ride. Gayle’s future plans for the trike include drink holders for water bottles.

Comfort Keeper Vickie Paugh is on hand to be Bob’s bike partner, too. She and Bob modeled it for photos before riding it back to the Health Pavilion together.

Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages, Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 855-592-0013.

Reprinted with permission. Original article by Susan Shafer appeared in The Oak Leaf (Vol. 7, Issue 4, September 2010)

Jan 2010

Dear Cindy,

Want to thank you and the Comfort Keepers for the wonderful package of cookies — our first Christmas gift!

Needless to say  that they were gone by the time you got out of the building!

We also loved the little snowman bag they were in and went that very day and bought some for our usage!

We are still enjoying our Christmas card with all of your names on it.

Many thanks to each and everyone of you for all you do to make our lives happier and easier – we do love you.

Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages, Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 855-592-0013.