SESLOC Spotlight highlights local organizations that make the Central Coast the best place to live.
Today we’re shining the spotlight on Bridge of Hope Home Care Services, an organization providing in-home care resources to seniors so they can age in place. Alan Prince, Co-Founder and Board President, explains how the grassroots nonprofit supports homebound seniors in our community:
Bridge of Hope
Industry: Nonprofit
Serving the Central Coast since: 2022
How many employees? Bridge of Hope has two paid contract employees: Janice LaMere who is the Executive Director and works full-time, and Alan Prince who is an Occupational Therapist and works part-time. Bridge of Hope is developing its network of independent in-home care providers to assist our clients. There are currently 10.
How many volunteers? There are 8 volunteer Board of Directors members as well as one volunteer (also a board member) who is providing office assistance including grant writing. In addition, 2 volunteers manage our supplies and equipment.
What’s your mission? The mission of Bridge of Hope Home Care Services is to provide the necessary in-home care resources to our senior community to promote wellness and safety while bridging the financial gap that exists for many seniors seeking in-home care services. Our vision is for every homebound person to receive the care he or she needs to age in place instead of having to go to a care facility. We provide the necessary in-home care resources to meet each client’s safety, emotional, stability, and physical needs.
What’s unique about Bridge of Hope? Bridge of Hope is in business for the right reasons: to keep our elderly population at home, and to not profit off this vulnerable population. Our operations, coordination of care, and oversight of clients are financed 100% by donations and grants. This model allows the client to pay the independent caregiver directly, and pay less overall, as compared to for-profit in-home care providers. Our providers make more per hour, as they rightfully should for what they do. As equally or more importantly, we are raising funds to help subsidize these costs for those who cannot afford these already reduced rates. If we have a patient who needs more help, than what they can afford, we will try to provide a subsidy to offset the additional costs for more care. In addition, Bridge of Hope is fortunate to have a seasoned Occupational Therapist who provides professional guidance and home safety assessments for our clients. His understanding of the medical, physical, and cognitive needs of our clients, gives us a better road map to promote the right care, our clients need at home.
What do you attribute to your success? Our founders, Janice LaMere and Alan Prince. Their vision, caring and knowledge of how to affect change on behalf of this vulnerable population is the key to our success. Everyday these two individuals strive to keep our seniors home and safe. They see the challenges our aging population face and ask the question, “Why should these folks have to choose between paying for food/medications and paying for the needed in-home supportive services they need?” If you cannot qualify for In-Home Supportive Services, through California Dept of Social Services, you must pay privately, or have long-term care insurance or Veterans Assistance benefits cover caregiving and housekeeping duties. We are trying to bridge this gap and the disparity our society faces in this realm of senior home care needs.
What advice would you give someone interested in giving back to the community? Please visit our website to learn about the aging-in-place needs of our community and donate to our mission. This is a grassroots effort. To fill the gap that has been left by our governmental and insurance programs, we must unite as a community and donate to an important cause that we could all be facing: The possibility of being relocated from our homes to an assisted living or nursing facility, whether we want to go or not.
