Editor’s Note: We spoke with Mike Levine, the franchise owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Venice. Mike was recognized with our Venice Lifetime Achievement Award last year. His business also received the Health Care Business of the Year Award from the Venice Chamber of Commerce. Please call 941-375-8400 or visit HomeInstead.com/729.
Mike, please introduce your home service business.
We provide bonded, licensed, and insured caregivers who are employees and not independent contractors. Our support includes Alzheimer and dementia care, meal preparing, light housekeeping, laundry, personal care, medication reminders, social support, and transportation for errands including medical appointments and shopping. Each care plan is designed for the individual needs of our client.
What local communities does your team support?
We cover south Sarasota County including Venice, North Port, Englewood, South Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Gulf Gate, Manasota Key, and Casey Key.
What would you like to share about your caregivers?
Our caregivers are dedicated and hard-working in support of our individual clients. We provide them with excellent training and ongoing support, but nothing is more important than their intrinsic regard for helping seniors to be independent.
What’s your process for hiring and training caregivers?
We conduct a level two FBI background check, look at driving records, check personal and business references, and complete comprehensive interviews with multiple team members. Our initial 40-hour training program is reinforced with ongoing training.
Why is it helpful to have caregivers as employees?
As employees, our caregivers are licensed, bonded, and insured. That’s important for our clients and it also contributes to our industry leading retention rate. Many independent contractors do not enjoy the same level of support and training, and some operate without insurance.
Who else is on your management team?
Our exceptional team includes our Care Coordinator, Tammy Rumburger, RN, our Recruiting and Retention Coordinator, Monet Deems, our Scheduling Coordinator, Shelli Fitzgerald, our Process Manager, Carrie Sinclair, our Care Consultant, Danna Koskov, and our Technology Manager, Pam Howland. I’m grateful every day for their competence and dedication.
How’s your family doing?
My wife, Lisa, retired recently after an outstanding career as a speech pathologist. All four of our children and three grandchildren are doing great. We look forward to having a full house for Christmas.
Mike, what are some of your current goals?
My main business goal is to give personal concierge level service to our clients and caregivers. The quality of our entire team allows me to spend time with my family, which is my favorite pastime.
