Firefighter Uses Decades of EMT Experience to Provide Safer Home Care
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) April 26, 2016 -- Aventa Senior Care is celebrating its sixth year in business this spring by shining the spotlight on co-founder Todd Nuckols, a local firefighter and EMT with more than 20 years of service to the Phoenix area community. The unique insights that a first responder brings to owning a senior care business have proved invaluable to both the home care company, its customers, and their loved ones.
Throughout his career as a firefighter and EMT, Todd has responded to all types of emergencies, including those that take place in the homes of older adults. One thing he noticed early on in his career was that when he responded to emergencies where a caregiver was in the home of an older adult, very often he was surprised to find that the caregiver did not have the proper medical information to give to first responders, such as a list of medical conditions, medications, allergic reactions, etc.
“It was sobering to see how many caregivers were not able to convey basic health information about the person they were caring for. It really concerned me that they didn’t understand how important that is,” says Todd.
According to Todd, “Many older adults have multiple chronic diseases. That means they have several different ongoing medical conditions they are managing. Because of this, there needs to be some clinical guidance for caregivers. The care that’s provided should be informed by an understanding of the older adult’s health history. What I saw during my emergency visits was both a lack of caregiver training and a lack of nurses being involved in the care process.”
This realization led Todd and co-founder Jeff Giedt to start a home care agency that focused on the elements they knew would result in better quality, safer care for seniors – comprehensive, ongoing caregiver training and clinical nurse oversight – and that today is rated by clients as the Best of In-Home Care in Scottsdale for 2016. According to SeniorAdvisor.com, this designation is awarded to less than one percent of providers nationwide.
“We decided we would have a team of nurses involved in all aspects of care, from the initial interview of the person who needs care, to the hiring, training, coaching, and supervision of our caregivers,” said Giedt, “and our ability to have clinicians managing the care process has made a world of difference for our clients, their loved ones, and our caregivers.”
According to both founders, what they have been able to achieve with their home care agency is a team of caregivers who feel empowered to reach out to the agency’s nursing staff to make sure they have everything they need to provide the highest level of care to clients.
Todd’s 20-year career as a firefighter has also naturally influenced how the agency approaches home safety for seniors. “Safety in the home is such a big issue for older adults,” says Todd. “Because firefighters have a natural reputation as being helpers, I’ve had the opportunity to play a proactive role within my department to help area seniors create safer living spaces and reduce injury risks in and around their homes, and that experience has translated into excellent training opportunities for our caregivers.”
Two years ago, Todd and Jeff also started Stepping Up For Seniors, a not-for-profit organization that raises resources to provide assistance to older adults who do not have the financial means or family support to meet their care needs. Since its inception, other community providers also have partnered with Aventa Senior Care to support Stepping Up For Seniors.
“My experience as a first responder has shown me that the need is growing for coordinated care in the home for older adults. I’m honored to be able to take that experience and make a difference in the community.”
About Aventa Senior Care
Aventa Senior Care is a non-medical home care agency, serving the Arizona communities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Sun City, Sun City West, Chandler, Gilbert, and Tucson, and Palm Springs, CA. Aventa Senior Care was founded by Todd Nuckols, a local firefighter and EMT, his wife Kearstin, a veteran social worker, his friend and business partner Jeff Giedt, with a strong background in management, and Jeff’s wife Julie Ann, an adult educator. Aventa Senior Care uses their unique Nurse-Guided Care™ system to ensure experienced nurses manage all aspects of care for each of their clients at no additional charge. For more information, visit http://www.AventaSeniorCare.com or call 623-428-2100.
Jeff Giedt, Aventa Senior Care, http://www.aventaseniorcare.com, +1 (623) 428-2100, [email protected]
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