The Washtenaw County Elder Justice Coalition is a group of health and social service practitioners and community members working to acknowledge and prevent elder abuse in Washtenaw County through awareness, education, advocacy, and enhanced partnerships. Recently we spoke with Breanne Stuaart, President/CEO of Homewatch CareGivers. Homewatch CareGivers pride themselves on providing excellent care at a variety of levels ranging from respite care and post-surgery care to Dementia care and 24-hour care.
Ahead of the Curve: If you had to give an “elevator speech” about what your organization does, how would you describe it?
Breanne Stuart: Homewatch CareGivers is an in-home care agency that offers a wide variety of tailored, expert-level services to support the unique circumstances of people of all ages and needs. Owned by Brian and Breanne Stuart, Homewatch CareGivers of Ann Arbor was established in 2008 to serve four counties which include Washtenaw, Livingston, Oakland and Wayne counties.
With a long history of caring for their own loved ones, the Stuarts gained a passion for caring for and serving others, regardless of age or health condition. That’s why Homewatch CareGivers offers elder and dementia care as well as care for chronic conditions or hospital discharges to people of all ages. In addition to many other services, staff offer support with daily activities—from meal preparation, laundry, transportation, and grooming to companionship—all to allow clients to be comfortable in their own home.
Homewatch CareGivers delivers compassionate in-home care for the whole person, not just their condition and aims to improve quality of life and promote peace and dignity. By providing clients with the opportunity to maintain a healthy level of independence and normalcy, the agency aims to enrich and empower all individuals.
To uphold the highest quality of care, Homewatch CareGivers maintains membership with the Home Care Association of America’s Michigan Chapter and the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce. Homewatch CareGivers is a multi-year winner of the Home Care Pulse Provider of Choice and Employer of Choice. It was also named the Detroit Free Press Employer of the Year.
AOTC: Walk me through the step-by-step process. What happens when you get a phone call/referral?
AOTC: What organizations do you work closely with?
BS: We work closely with a variety of organizations. I would say our closest partners so far this year has been Dovecart, a medical supply company and @Home Pharmacy. Both organizations have been integral on our caregiver and client townhall meetings to get us the PPE and knowledge base that we need in order to help our clients stay safe at home.
AOTC: What are some things you wish the public knew about your role?
BS: I wish they knew how important our role in the health care continuum is. I wish they also knew that we are uniquely organized with care managers that can help navigate through needs that enable the clients to stay safe in the home.
AOTC: What tips do you have for someone with a loved one that’s going through this issue/needs assistance?
BS: My first tip would be to be honest with yourself about your needs and seek more care than you think you need. It’s important to recognize that respite is absolutely essential for families to stay healthily engaged- everyone needs a break! Finally, be open to accepting help from those offering and keep an open mind about what home care is and isn’t.
AOTC: Is there anything you would like to add?
BS: I would like to add our creation of a helpful resource experience through the Washtenaw County Community Connector! I feel it has really impacted people’s real time knowledge base about what’s going on here in Washtenaw County and surrounding areas.
Thank you to Breanne for sharing information about this valuable community program!
You can learn more about Homewatch CareGivers by calling them at (734) 622-8190 or visiting their website.
Visit the Ahead of the Curve Resource Directory for information about other caregiver resources in the community.
