VANGUARD CARE ASSESSORS LAUNCH AN 'ELDER CARE ASSESSMENT & MONITORING SERVICE TO CURB ABUSE

Private Firm Offers Affordable Weekly Unannounced Evaluation Visits To Our Elderly Who Are Under Long-Term Custodial Care

Newport Beach, CA. Breaking new ground in the care giving industry, Vanguard Care Assessors announced today that it is launching a new assessment and monitoring service for the elderly and infirm, who are living in long-term care, assisted living, residential facilities, and in some cases private homes.

Vanguard Care Assessors pro-active assessment and monitoring approach ensures that the highest quality of care is being administered to dependent seniors receiving long-term care. Vanguard Care Assessors offers peace of mind for family members responsible for overseeing their loved-ones care giving needs by: 1) monitoring their care giving on a weekly basis, UNANNOUNCED; 2) raising the level of custodial care, and 3) providing an alert assessment service in case of abuse or neglect.

Vanguard Care Assessors mission is to curb elder abuse - one step at a time, so excerpts from articles like this (below) are gone forever!

·   My mother experienced beating, malnutrition, dehydration and neglect"
·   I couldnt get anybodys attention, Id have my call light on for hours, but nobody came"
·   The screaming is what got to me the worst, I couldnt get to sleep until 1 or 2 in the morning with all that screaming going on." (Sources for the above excerpts: Fatal Neglect," TIME.com by Mark Thompson).

Elderly care giving abuse, especially in nursing homes, is on the rise " said Deborah Hunter, Vanguard Care Assessors CEO and Founder. Challenges include a shortage of qualified staff and government funds but most importantly, a monitored system of checks and balances.

Our States Attorney General, Bill Lockyer is doing diligent work in curbing elder abuse through his 'Operations Guardian program" said Deborah Hunter. Please visit their site for full details on the program. We should all be very proud of his work in curbing elder abuse. Check out The Office of the Attorney General's site at: http://caag.state.ca.us/bmfea/elder.htm.

On average, twenty-four hour 'unmonitored care giving expenses are typically $3,000 to $5,000 per month for a long-term care facility. In-home care expenses average anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 per month, depending on the care for a single or double 12-hour shift. With these kind of care expenses," said Ms. Hunter, doesnt our elder loved one need and deserve a private pay 'third party monitoring service?" Our government certainly cannot afford this kind of aggressive monitoring service or bear this financial burden. Our government is already contributed more than $45 billion in government care funds, mostly from Medicare and Medicaid, to nursing homes annually. This amount comes to nearly 60% of the national tab for such eldercare. We need a collaborative effort in monitoring these care expenses and on a regular bases. Everyone should become involved! This will take team work from private sector, government assist and volunteer efforts.

We know that the high cost of custodial care is no reflection on the quality of the care received," said Hunter. The fact is, unless outside 'third parties are monitoring our loved ones, there is no way to ensure the level of care they receive. Again....COLLABORATION! Even if family members are able to visit, there is no substitute for a regular and rigorous assessment by trained professionals." Vanguard Care Assessors WEEKLY evaluations are on-site, unannounced, thorough, and includes a monthly report that is sent directly to the family member or individual overseeing the custodial care.

Ms. Hunter has actively participated in the research and development of elder care giving for the past five years, including the assessment of her mothers care through five major operations observing less than satisfactory care. During that time her passion to improve the quality of care administered to the elderly and infirm led to the launch of Vanguard Care Assessors. The dramatic growth in elder abuse is the most important issue facing senior citizens," said Hunter.

Ms. Hunters company uses care/case managers, registered nurses, social workers, and LVNs as their assessors. They arrive 'unannounced to evaluate the quality of care administered and any signs of abuse or neglect. This allows Vanguard Care Assessors the advantage of observing the quality of care in a true-to-life care giving environment. Our assessors use a detailed guide sheet (questionnaire) -- as well as their trained eye -- for observing, recording and reporting poor", good," or excellent" care giving services. The long-term care facilitys living environs and their staffs care giving performances, including private duty care giving (in home) are graded on a scale from 1 to 10 - 10 being superior. This report along with a monthly 'body bruise chart and photograph of patient is sent to the elders family or legal guardian as well as to the long-term care facility administrators.

Our fees are very reasonable; $150 per month, for a one (1) 60 minutes full assessment visit per month, as well as one (1) unannounced 30 minute companion 'social visit per week (total of 4 visits per month). These weekly visits assure us that your loved one is receiving the best possible care and at the same time provid ing your loved one with a 'look forward to social visit once a week.

About Vanguard Care Assessors
Vanguard Care Assessors, based in Newport Beach, Ca., is leading the way to promote collaborative efforts and new proactive approaches to curb elder abuse. Let us work together applying new monitoring systems of 'checks and balances. Anyone who has new ideas or would like to work with us in curbing elder abuse is welcome to contact our office.

Vanguard Care Assessors will also be donating a percentage of its revenues to local and national 'elder abuse advocates of our clients choice. For more information on Vanguard Care Assessors call Dody Biebelberg, Principal and Director of Public Relations at: 949-650-1344.

Vanguard Care Assessors web site will be up and running by September 1, 2001 (http://www.vcassess.com)
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