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5 Star Home Care Chattanooga Times Free Press - Online & Newspaper Feb 20, 2014 Kenny Higdon remembers the day his mother was forced to make the difficult decision to become his grandmother’s caretaker. The choice came at great personal expense. “I started a home care company in 2007 after seeing the challenge my mom had when trying to find someone caring and honest who would be gentle with my grandmother,” said Higdon, the president of 5 Star Home Care. His mother had no alternative because she wasn’t able to find someone she felt comfortable with. Higdon bases his company on the commitment to treating clients with the same respect and compassion his family wanted someone to show his own grandmother. 5 Star offers professional, comprehensive home care to people who need help performing day-to-day activities. 5 Star’s staff assists those who are living with a disability, recovering from an injury or illness or simply facing the daily challenges that come with aging. Clients receive high-quality personal assistance while maintaining the independence that comes from living at home. The first step in finding a trustworthy person to make this possible is understanding the standards of the home care company and their caregivers. “5 Star Home Care conducts a background check and drug screen on each applicant before they come to work for us. We are also licensed and bonded.” Higdon said. 5 Star offers qualified and experienced caregivers who accommodate client schedules and support a variety of senior needs. “We treat each client like they are our own family. As such, if 5 Star Home Care wouldn’t send someone to their own home, they won’t send them to a client’s house.” Higdon said. Through the company’s years of service, 5 Star staff community members have encountered a number of concerns from families evaluating care solutions for aging or disabled loved ones. More than 70 million family caregivers provide in-home care for a loved one and millions more are searching for solutions. It can be a difficult thing to accept our limitations, but every person reaches a point where they must acknowledge that they can’t do things alone anymore. To many seniors, bringing a caregiver into the home is viewed as giving up some of their independence. “We assure them that 5 Star is only there to assist with their daily tasks so they can remain independent and continue to live at home,” Higdon said. “They usually feel better knowing our presence gives their family community members the peace of mind that they are being cared for.” Home care also spares seniors from feeling like a burden on family community members who might otherwise be forced to sacrifice their careers to provide the assistance they need to get by. Home care becomes increasingly important as life expectancy increases and acute medical conditions decrease. The non-medical offerings offered through 5 Star include but are not limited to medication reminders, bathing, dressing, light housekeeping, laundry, transportation, meal planning and preparation, and companionship. One may wonder when to bring in a caretaker. Higdon recommends using this checklist to help indicate whether a loved one may need additional support at home. If you check one of the items, your loved one may benefit from home care services. A loved one has: A Messy Home Poor Hygiene Problems Driving Dramatic Weight Loss or Weight Gain Feelings of Isolation A company like 5 Star enables people to feel the peace of mind that someone precious to them will be well cared for without having to make the type of sacrifices that Higdon’s mother was forced to make to preserve his grandmother’s quality of life. 5 Star Home Care has a complete guide to home care offerings, to assist families in making the right decisions for their aging or disabled family members. To view the complete guide, visit 5starHomeCareUSA.Com. To inquire about 5 Star’s home care offerings, call (423) 893-8181