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July 24, 2019 Book of Lists 2019

Visiting Angels

Visiting Angels: Leading the industry by example

In 2005, Greg Lindstrom founded Visiting Angels with his parents Robert and Sandra, who were instrumental in developing the company’s core beliefs; upon their retirement, they have left Visiting Angels in their son’s capable hands. Today the company has become one of the leading providers of private duty home care in the greater Worcester area.

The company is the Worcester franchisee of Visiting Angels, Living Assistance Services, which was founded in 1998 and has more than 550 locations in the United States and a few overseas.  The Worcester location has been independently owned and operated since 2005. 

Visiting Angels is a private duty home care agency that provides hourly companion and hourly live-in personal care services for seniors for up to 24 hours a day.  We assist elderly individuals and those with disabilities who live in the Worcester community and surrounding towns. Our staff strives to enhance the quality of life for our clients, while helping them continue to live at home. 

Visiting Angels home care professionals incorporate “Activities of Daily Living” into our services. Our case managers develop a personalized care plan that meets the needs of the individual client. Certified nursing assistants and home health aides provide respite care for families, companionship, personal care, meal preparation, light housekeeping and medication reminders. They will also do laundry and run errands. 

“We firmly believe that excellent customer service depends on proactive communications between office staff and families and caregivers,” Lindstrom said. The company encourages families to ask several important questions before engaging an agency: How responsive is the agency? Does staff answer every question promptly and respectfully? What is the hourly rate and how does it compare to other agencies? How do I know that my family member will be safe?

All agencies should routinely conduct a national background check as well as Massachusetts CORI check. Families should ask if the agency is employee-based and bonded and insured. Is the agency HCA (Home Care Alliance) accredited and how does it measure quality assurance with clients? The HCA of Massachusetts has accredited 60 agencies; clients can be assured of quality care when they choose one of these agencies. Does the agency conduct an independent client and caregiver satisfaction review?  We use Home Care Pulse Inc. to measure our caregiver and client satisfaction scores every month. 

Visiting Angels received the Leader in Excellence award, which means our agency has outperformed all other agencies in the Northeast.

Additionally, families should inquire about the frequency with which staff is supervised in the field. Ideally, a good agency will make unannounced field visits for optimal oversight on caregivers. Do all caregivers hold a home health aide (HHA) or nursing assistant license?  We only hire certified HHA’s and nursing assistants. 

Visiting Angels operates as an upside down triangle with clients at the top followed by office staff and supported by leadership at the bottom. Leadership is responsible for providing staff with tools, structure and a positive environment in which to work. Staff passes these key tools, attitude and support on to the caregivers, who are the most important people in our company. 

Lindstrom attributes the agency’s success to his parents’ backgrounds in social work and sales. “My mother’s case management and general management ethos has served us very well over the years,” he says. “My father’s people skills taught me an invaluable lesson in building long-term relationships.”

Highly respected in the Worcester community, Visiting Angels has been voted one of the top three home care franchises every year, as well as one of the best franchises in general. 

Visiting Angels is proud of its 14 years of service helping elders in Worcester County remain in their homes and is committed to continuing that tradition.

Visiting Angels Home Care

 

Street Address: 255 Park Avenue, Worcester, MA 01609        

Phone Number: 508-757-4014

Website: visitingangels.com

Product or Service Description: Private duty home care

Number of Employees: 75    

Head of Company and Title: Greg Lindstrom, President

Year Founded: 2005