"Home Care" Means Much to Many

By Laura Dillon
Program Coordinator
Saint Francis Home Care Services, Inc.

Many Hudson Valley residents know that Saint Francis Home Care Services, Inc. has been providing compassionate in-home care assistance to our community for over 20 years. Our patients have received services such as wound care, physical therapy evaluations, cardiac rehabilitation, and the assistance of home health aide visits to the home. But what happens when an individual does not need nursing services or help with their personal care, but instead, they need help with tasks such as: laundry, light homemaking, meal preparation and grocery shopping? For example:

Mrs. S. lives alone. Her children live out of state. She appreciates the help that her neighbors have shown her, but feels that she needs more frequent, consistent help around the house. She can do all her own personal care, but because of her arthritis it is hard to push the vacuum and carry up the laundry basket from downstairs. Additionally, Mrs. S. does not drive and her medications need to be picked up at the pharmacy regularly. Despite these challenges, Mrs. S. wants to continue living in her own home.

To meet the needs of clients who want to stay safely at home as long as possible we have created the “Care-Givers at your Service” program which focuses solely on assisting with non-medical tasks. This non-medical care provides clients with services such as:


· companionship & friendly visitor services
· shopping & errand services
· meal preparation, baking & clean-up
· laundry/ironing services
· homemaking/housekeeping
· attend social/recreational activity
· monitor diet, eating & food expirations
· care of house plants & simple gardening
· medication reminders
· arranging medical appointments
· escort/reminders to appointments
· oversee home maintenance
· assistance with mail & paying bills
· accompany on vacations
· assistance with walking
· assist with pet care


Mrs. S. would benefit greatly from this program. Should her care ever require more medical attention, services can easily transition to our Licensed Home Care Program where nursing and certified Home Health Aide services provide more medical oversight and hands-on care.

For more information about the “Care-Givers at Your Service” program please contact Laura at 845-483-5528 or ldillon@sfhhc.org