Comfort Keepers
“Comfort Keepers Gave Us Back Our Family
On July 23rd of this year, my 94-year-old father returned home after spending several difficult months in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities following a complicated surgery. While we talked about in-home care after my mother passed away, Dad had always been fiercely independent. This time, however, after months of hospitalization and transfers between two different rehabilitation facilities, it was clear that he needed help.
Several years ago, I had tentatively reached out to Comfort Keepers on Mule Road in Toms River while I was researching possibilities for my father. I will never forget my first conversation with Ms. Payel Paul, Client Care Manager. She patiently answered my many questions, made me feel welcome and comfortable, and never pressured our family to make a commitment before we were ready.
That mattered.
When the day finally came that we truly needed help, Comfort Keepers was there to guide us through the process.
We started slowly because we didn't want to overwhelm Dad. He was genuinely confused about where he was and how he had managed to return to his own home after so many months away. Fortunately, Ms. Paul had taken the time to personally visit and assess Dad during the final week of his rehabilitation. That personal understanding made all the difference.
Roseann, the Comfort Keepers scheduler, carefully matched the right caregiver with Dad on the right days. What began as three days a week gradually became five days a week—and, amazingly, Dad began looking forward to the days when his caregivers would arrive.
And then something wonderful happened.
Jocelyn, one of his caregivers, is energetic, organized and personable. She somehow manages to convince Dad to “try” even when he isn't particularly in the mood. Her encouragement and good humor have helped him become more engaged in his daily life.
Diana found another way to reach him. She plays Scrabble with Dad to help rebuild his vocabulary, cards to encourage visual recollection, and arts and crafts to rekindle his connection to lithography and the printing industry, the trade he worked in for many decades before retiring.
These aren't simply activities to fill the hours. They are connections to the man Dad has always been.
That is what impressed me most about Comfort Keepers. The caregivers, Roseann, and Payel all work together so seamlessly that the coordination seems effortless. Yet behind that apparent effortlessness is something very important: communication, careful attention, genuine compassion and a real understanding of the individual being cared for.
And the result?
Our home is once again a place of smiles, laughter, respect and genuine gratitude.
For a family caring for an aging parent, that is an extraordinary gift.
Comfort Keepers didn't simply help us care for Dad. They helped us find Dad again.
And, in doing so, they gave us back our family.
For that, we will always be grateful.
If you are facing the difficult decision of bringing in-home care into the life of a parent or loved one, I cannot recommend Comfort Keepers of Toms River highly enough. From our first conversation with Payel years ago to the wonderful caregivers who are now part of Dad's life, we have felt supported, respected and genuinely cared for every step of the way.”
