Safe At Home Senior Care: Superior Service, By Edita McQuary

BUSINESS PROFILE

Safe at Home Senior Care

By Edita McQuary

Superior Service

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main,” wrote John Donne, English poet and pastor.

However, family life in these current times can be especially challenging when family members live far away from each other. It can be difficult to be certain that seniors and/or disabled loved ones get the proper care they deserve. Safe at Home Senior Care has been helping families do this for 21 years.

Started by Cindy and Steve Glenn, the company has now passed the torch on to their son, Ryan Colligan, and his wife, Debora.

Ryan grew up in Capitola and attended local schools. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Cal State-Chico and a master’s in business administration degree from UC Berkeley. Debora, originally from Brazil, is a documentary film maker and will soon preview her latest film here in Santa Cruz.

Safe at Home Senior Care is a local, non-franchise business which is fully invested in our local community. They are registered with the State of California. They also own Oceanside Supported Living in Santa Cruz, which provides in-home care for developmentally disabled adults.

Care Plan

“We have a customized in-home assessment process with an in-home assessment by a care coordinator who meets with the family to get a thorough understanding of the client’s needs,” said Ryan. Taken into account is what kind of help is needed and for what time period.

The client’s medical history, activities, interests, and services necessary are also considered. This very careful and deliberate assessment process enables the care coordinator to come up with the right match of caregiver, whose personality matches that of the client.

Covid

“Covid has made it challenging to hire good people. Because of California state vaccine mandates, we have had to let some of our employees go. Also, there is a fear surrounding working in this field. Some of our employees have opted to leave and wait until things get better,” according to Ryan.

“However,” says Ryan, “There is no shortage of new customers needing care providers. We need experienced people with compassion and a good attitude. Training is provided on-line as well as in-house. Also, there is an orientation process one-on-one with an experienced Caregiver as well as on-going refresher training.”

Due to having fewer workers and having to pay lots of overtime, Safe at Home Senior Care did take advantage of the government’s Paycheck Protection Program with the outstanding help of Santa Cruz County Bank.

“Home Care Plus”

Safe at Home Senior Care has contracted with “Home Care Plus,” an outside agency, to do anonymous monthly surveys on client satisfaction- regarding whether the client feel supported, the caregiver is prepared, has good communication skills, and what, if anything, can be done better.

Award-winning staff at Safe at Home Senior Care.

Caregiver Socials

At one time, Ryan himself was a caregiver so he knows how important it is to recognize good service. As a result, he has started “Caregiver Socials” every 2-3 months which take “Covid has made it challenging place at a different to hire good people. Because of California state vaccine mandates, local restaurant each time. Caregivers and clients are invited to we have had to let some of our relax and socialize. employees go. Also, there is a fear There is recognition surrounding working in this field.” of the “Caregiver of — Ryan Colligan the Quarter” award” with a cash bonus. A newsletter comes out quarterly to keep all informed and “in the loop.” n ••• Safe at Home Senior Care is located at 820 Bay Ave., Suite 101, Capitola. For a free home in-home assessment, please call 831.462.3500 or go to the website at www. safeathomeseniorcare.com. All caregivers are bonded, insured and covered by Workers Compensation, have clean criminal background checks, are T.B. tested, trained, and registered by the State of California.

Photos courtesy of Safe at Home Senior Care

“Roaring Camp Railroad” from page 13

Roaring Camp, incorporated in 1958, offers tourist trains on the Felton branch line, which it owns, has a contract with Progressive Rail to provide freight service on Santa Cruz branch line in Watsonville. Progressive Rail intended to stop service.

Most of that 32-mile line — bought by the RTC in 2011 for $14 million, including $11 million in voter-approved funds — has been inactive. A 1.2-mile trail for pedestrians and cyclists was installed next to the track in Santa Cruz for $6.4 million.

Roaring Camp contends South County is seeing growth in multiple local industries but RTC failure to repair two rail line bridges is preventing freight service in areas north of Watsonville, thus hampering economic growth and expansion of jobs.

Roaring Camp also contends the RTC plans threaten its tourist trains, which carry 200,000 guests a year pre-pandemic, helping fill local hotels and taking 9,000 beach visitors’ cars off the road.

In Roaring Camp’s view, Roaring Camp’s rail line would be the first domino to fall in a series of moves that would conclude with abandonment of entire 32-mile Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, which would end any possibility of passenger rail service for Santa Cruz County.

The railroad operator calls this “potential aggressive action,” which should be “a major wake-up call for anyone who is interested in a future that includes both a rail and a trail system for our county. This isn’t just about Roaring Camp. It’s about our entire community and our future.”

RTC Says

Munz, the RTC spokeswoman, said the agency has been negotiating with Roaring Camp about railbanking the sections of the rail north of Watsonville, which would save the RTC $50 million to $65 million in repair costs so as to focus on building a bicycle and pedestrian trail next to rail line.

Roaring Camp has indicated that it will oppose railbanking the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, according to Munz.

Munz said the RTC has offered Roaring Camp a long-term license on the RTC-owned branch line, which would permit continued Roaring Camp recreational rail service to the Boardwalk and potential new recreational service to Davenport.

She said the RTC has also offered financial considerations if Roaring Camp’s equipment needs to be to be delivered by truck.

Railbanking is a method by which federally regulated freight rail lines proposed for abandonment can be preserved for future re-activation of freight service through interim conversion to trail use.

Filing the adverse abandonment action for the Felton Branch Line would provide clarity on whether the RTC might be able to railbank the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, according to Munz.

She contends railbanking would ensure the RTC’s property rights to use the railroad easements for the construction of trail segments without the potential need to purchase additional property rights.

Munz said the RTC has not taken any action to approve filing an adverse abandonment application, which is what Roaring Camp is referring to.

If the RTC were to authorize filing of an adverse abandonment action, Munz said, the RTC would ask the federal Surface Transportation Board to order the abandonment of only federally regulated freight services on the Felton Branch Line.

She contends Roaring Camp would be able to continue its passenger tourist service on the Felton line and could potentially also continue the same type of service on a portion of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line M upon entering into a mutually acceptable agreement with the RTC.

Guy Preston, RTC executive director, said, “The Commission would prefer to reach an agreement with Roaring Camp to not oppose railbanking, but to date we have been unsuccessful in negotiations. Adverse abandonment of the Felton Branch Line is a potential procedural action toward accomplishing railbanking of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, in the event an agreement cannot be reached.”

He added, “We have a lot of respect for Roaring Camp. They are a valuable asset to the Santa Cruz County community, and we want to ensure that they continue to have a successful business for the long term.” n

C Y CM MY CY CMY K

Roaring Camp CEO Melani Clark (center) attends the electric street car

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