Safe and effective elder care is an urgent need for many families across the United States. Now, Kendal at Home, an elder care nonprofit, is one of the local organizations offering a solution.
Kendal at Home is a Westlake, Ohio based at-home elder care organization. Founded in the late 1960s, the organization’s founding values are based on the core principles of the Quakers. Since its founding, the Kendal at Home operates in eight states.
Kendal at Home made the recent decision to expand into Northern Kentucky, the service will expand into Kenton, Campbell, Boone, Grant, Pendleton, Gallatin, Bracken, and Mason counties. The service is now authorized in Kentucky and is available to anyone over the age of 50 who are currently healthy, independent, planning for retirement, and want to remain in their homes as they age.
“As we began to grow the program in the Cincinnati region, people in Northern Kentucky started reaching out and in fact, even prior to our expanding into Kentucky, people from that region were beginning to express interest in joining the program,” Lynne Giacobbe, CEO of Kendal at Home, said. “So it just made logical sense that that would be the next step. I think Northern Kentucky seems like the perfect place to serve people that live in their homes and want to stay in their homes as they age.”
The U.S Census Bureau projects that by 2030, 1 in 5 US citizens will be over the age of 65-years old. The age group is expected to increase to 88.5 million 2050, which is double the current number. This demographic jump will result in more Americans requiring at home care.
“Older adults have options for how and where they age as they enter their post-retirement ‘second acts’,” Giacobbe said. “For those whose best and most desired option is to remain at home, Kendal at Home provides members the resources and services to help them age in place while retaining their autonomy, dignity and peace of mind.”
Users of Kendal at Home will receive the benefits of living in a retirement community, without having to leave their home. Members of the service are connected with care coordinators who help people plan for overall healthy aging, set wellness goals, and maintain quality of life. According to Giacobbe, less than 2% of our members have gone into a nursing home or a permanent placement.
“We know that we can help people stay at home if that’s where they want to be,” Giacobbe said. “If they decide memory care or assisted living, or even nursing home is something they need, we’ll coordinate those services and we will pay for them as well. Ideally, when they come into the program, they’re able now to make a plan for the future so that if and when they need care, they know that we’re going to be helping to navigate that journey for them. We’re also going to be paying for those services.”
Kendal at Home is hosting an information seminar at 2 p.m. at the Kenton County Library in Erlanger on April 27. To enroll in the seminar, people can call (440) 788-7962 or email coursesandseminars@kahome.kendal.org.
