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Local Living
A community podcast for Palm Beach to Parkland.
Local Living
The Always Care Senior Services Story: Family-Focused Care
What happens when frustration with the senior care industry transforms into a mission of compassion? Tashana Chancy, founder of Always Care Senior Services, joins us to share her journey from personal caregiving challenges to creating a revolutionary approach to in-home senior care across South Florida.
Sparked by her own difficult experience finding quality care for a family member, Tashana built a business that deliberately breaks from industry norms. Her company serves Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties with a refreshingly flexible approach – no minimum hours required, personalized care plans, and a genuine family-centered philosophy that extends to how she treats both clients and caregivers.
We explore the comprehensive services Always Care provides, from companionship and personal assistance to transportation and respite care. Tashana dispels common misconceptions about home care, emphasizing that these services aren't just for the critically ill but can dramatically enhance quality of life for seniors wanting to maintain independence. Her insights into building a positive company culture reveal how valuing caregivers translates directly to exceptional client experiences.
Whether you're currently navigating the complexities of caring for an aging loved one or simply planning ahead, this conversation offers valuable perspective on reimagining what compassionate care can look like. Connect with Always Care Senior Services through their website, by phone, text, or visit their Fort Lauderdale office to learn how they're changing lives one family at a time.
www.alwayscaress.com
Call: 954-279-1024
Text: 954-559-3460
Local Living is a community podcast for Palm Beach to Parkland. Are You A Local Business, Resident, Leader or Non-Profit? If so, we would love to have you on the podcast!
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Welcome, welcome everyone to Local Living. We are a community podcast for Palm Beach to Parkland and sometimes beyond. I'm David Conway, your host for today's episode. Us today we have a local business owner, entrepreneur, ms Tashana Chansey. She is the owner and founder of Always Care Senior Services. Tashana, welcome to Local Living.
Speaker 2:Hi, davey, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:You bet I'm glad you came on. I'm looking forward to introducing you and your business to the listeners. Why don't we just start it off by having you tell us a little bit more about Always Care Senior Services?
Speaker 2:Yes, of course, always. Care Senior Services is a licensed non-medical in-home care agency and we're servicing seniors and families that are located in Broward, miami-dade and Palm Beach counties. We provide a wide range of services designed to help our clients live safely, comfortably and independently in their homes. These include our services include companionship, personal care like bathing and dressing, transportation to appointments, meal prep, medication reminders, light housekeeping and even respite care to give families and caregivers a well-deserved break.
Speaker 1:So sometimes it sounds like you know. Like you said, you offer a wide range of services over there, everything from transportation to assisting them with light housekeeping, but also you mentioned just companionship. So sometimes if someone just needs someone to spend a little time with them, you offer that too. Is that right?
Speaker 2:Absolutely, we do. We offer just companionship. So if you feel lonely and you just need someone there to stimulate you and to keep you going, we also offer that service as well.
Speaker 1:So, Tashana, how did you get into the business? How did you decide to make the transition I think you're a nurse, if I'm correct but make the transition into home health care.
Speaker 2:It's a very personal experience. Like many people you know many families I found myself in a difficult position, you know, trying to coordinate help for an aging family member. It was overwhelming. The agencies I contacted were either unresponsive or cold. It seemed, you know, transactional. So it felt like there was no middle ground With that experience. It stuck with me. I kept thinking what if someone created a home agency that treated people like family? You know what if caregivers were valued and supported and empowered to truly make a difference? And you know what if families could feel that relief and not feel stressed when asking for help? So with that I took a leap of faith and I started with one client and then now we're growing into a business. You know I focused on building culture and just prioritizing companion and transparency, you know. So this is all stemming from a personal experience myself.
Speaker 1:So you say you started with one client. Now, when you had this client, had you already made the decision to officially start the business, or was this a service that you provided which really set the table for building a business?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it actually is actually the reasoning behind why we decided to offer the services to more families. I thought about it like listen, this is what I went through. I could just imagine what others are going through, and I'm already in the medical field. I felt like I you know, this is where I needed to step up and offer my services.
Speaker 1:And you mentioned family. So you want Really people that have always care senior services into their home. Feel like they're welcoming family. I have a sense that's the way you treat the people that work for you. Also, Is that part of what you do there to try to create that family culture?
Speaker 2:Yes, we do. As a team, we believe in having fun in our own work culture and so we do caregiver appreciation events, surprise, you know, drop team meetings, you know just to participate our services in local health fairs as well. We go out, we speak to the community. Sometimes it's not just about marketing, it's about connecting with the community and celebrating our caregivers, you know, who are out there making a difference every day, and with that is fulfilling for us. That is fulfilling for us.
Speaker 1:You know it's such a personal thing having someone come into your home when you're maybe a little bit vulnerable and in need and empowering them to take care of what you need to take care of. So that really translates. When you're treating your employees like that right, you're empowering them. They bring that to the client, don't they?
Speaker 2:They do, they absolutely do, and so that is why it's important for us to build a work culture, and so we can use that culture into, you know, incorporating care into whatever families that we mingle with.
Speaker 1:So I know it's probably hard for someone to make that first call You've, I would imagine. Sometimes you get called with an urgent matter and they know they need some help right away, and other times you might have families that probably needed you a year or two ago but just haven't made that call for whatever. Maybe it's something they've got in their head, a myth or misconception about your industry. Do you find that happens on occasion also?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. One of the biggest misconceptions is that in-home care is only for people who are sick or at the end of life. That's not true at all. Many of our clients are relatively in good health but need support with everyday activities like grocery shopping, prepping meals or, like I said, just having companionship so they don't feel isolated. We serve individuals with mobility issues, memory challenges, chronic health conditions. We also support those families. You know and we understand that families are juggling work and parenting and caregiving all at once, and that can be overwhelming, and so that's where we step in to try to help and assist the families with those stressors.
Speaker 1:That's a great answer. So it sounds like you're not just coming on the back end and treating a condition, but you're actually contributing to their quality of life.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely, and that's important because you want to add to anyone's life. It makes it makes us smile, it makes us happy to know that we can assist with you know encouraging someone to live more or to to assist them with whatever their needs are, because sometimes, when you can't find help, you give up and you know it's important for us to extend that.
Speaker 1:So, tashana, I know that much of your efforts are centered around building a great business and and, and Probably constantly 24-7,. When you can't help it, you're focused on Always Care, senior Services and everything that's going on with the business as a business owner. But are you able to take time for yourself? Tell us a little bit more about you, tashauna.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I love spending time with my family. We're very close and so you know I tend to take the time sometimes to journal a lot. I explore different restaurants across south florida. It's fun. I do outdoor walks, like so that you know I can release that those emotions. Um, you know, this work can be emotional, and doing things to refill my cup is essential, and so I encourage all caregivers to do the same, and I encourage my team as well to do the same.
Speaker 1:So you mentioned you had an experience with a family member, them needing health care. Do you draw upon that experience to help guide you with what you're doing with your business?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I put myself in the family's position. We go into the homes to actually meet our families. Before we offer any services, we want to make sure that we're the right fit for that family and so we take the time to go in to meet them, to actually interact and see if it's a good fit, you know. So we take pride in that as well.
Speaker 1:So is it just Broward? You said, your license is actually not just in Broward, but also in Palm Beach County and Miami-Dade too. Is that correct?
Speaker 2:Yes, in Miami-Dade County, so our services are widely spread across South Florida.
Speaker 1:And is there a minimum? So let's say I'm considering services. I'm not sure how much I need or my family member needs. Do I need to commit to 40 hours to have a relationship and work with you? Or what's the minimum for someone to test the waters?
Speaker 2:And this is why I shared earlier, david, that I wanted the experience to be different. You don't limit the hours. Like you know, most families or most places that you call there's a minimum. We don't have a minimum. If you need just you need an hour or two hours out of the day, we're willing to work with you. We're willing to give you that break, and that's what's making the difference with our company we actually want to help. We don't put time limits on the care. If that's what you need, we're here for you.
Speaker 1:So you're saying, let's say, I have a family member, a parent, who I look after and I can't be with them one afternoon and I don't want to leave them alone that day. I could actually call you for a one-time trial, for lack of a better word, and you're going to come out and I can meet you and make sure that I feel comfortable and make sure we're a good match. Make sure that I feel comfortable and make sure we're a good match and you'll have a companion stay for a couple hours and then possibly from that a larger relationship could develop right.
Speaker 2:Yes, and that is considered respite care. So with respite care we don't put the limit, as you stated, within the hours. If you just need some time for yourself or you have an emergency and you need to go, that's where we come in. We are willing to come in and help you with that.
Speaker 1:You know it's funny, you had mentioned respite care before. I'm thinking I don't know what respite care is, what's respite, but it's so. People can have a brief respite, they can have a break. Is that right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, in a nutshell, in layman terms, it's having, it's just taking a break, because we know how stressful it may be to constantly give 24-hour care, and so if you just need a break, we're here. No-transcript. We love connecting with the community, so we made it super easy for our community to reach us. So you can visit our website, which is alwayscares, and that's with 2scom, or you can call us at 954-279-1024. And we also know that there are a lot of texters out there, so we do provide a texting service. You can text at 954-559-3460. If you just feel like texting instead of calling, we want you to feel comfortable. However, you feel the need to reach out to us and if you're in the Fort Lauderdale area, you can stop by our office. It's at 2501 East Commercial Boulevard and that's Fort Lauderdale 333-08.
Speaker 1:So really they can come visit you in person if they want to. So you're transparent. Come on in meet us in person or they can go on the website. That's alwayscarescom with two S's. Two S's or they can call you at the number you provided, or they could even text as a first time to reach out to you.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:That's great, tashana, really great having you today on the podcast. You've been a great guest and I want to thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2:Thank you, david, for having us Like. We really do appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Well, it's our pleasure and, once again, everyone. This was Tashana Chansey. She is the founder and owner of Always Care Senior Services, so be sure to reach out to her. And again, I'm David Conway, your host for Local Living, and we will see you next time.