Taking care of your loved ones
Richard Cawthorne speaks to Larry Berkowitz, owner of Bluebird Care, which prides itself on treating clients like their own family
When considering home care for our loved ones, there are plenty of factors to consider and questions to ask when it comes to this complicated and emotive subject.
Bluebird Care Barnet is a medium-sized organisation – big enough to cope and small enough to care is its motto – that prides itself on treating clients like part of their own family.
As director Larry Berkowitz puts it: “Our overarching philosophy and aim is to respect and treat customers in the way that we and our own relatives would expect and wish to be treated.
“We hope to be well-respected and sought after by our customers, local authorities and local government, and the general public.”
Bluebird Care is run by Larry’s company, KLEJ Ltd. He and his team aim to provide customers throughout the borough of Barnet with the highest levels of quality care.
He is equally firm about the importance of treating his employees as “internal customers” and realises how vital this approach is in order to attract and retain carers.
“Bluebird Care recognises that no customer is the same and we aim to offer all our customers individualised care that they want in the comfort of their own homes.
“We are a well-established, tried and tested, loyal, reliable and responsive care company that really does care.”
Bluebird Care’s customers vary from companion care and people who are recovering from injuries and operations to clients with a range
of health issues.
These include dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, cancer and other life-shortening illnesses that fall under the heading of palliative care.
The company has a number of relationships and provides care for institutions and organisations including social services, the NHS, various hospices, charities and support clinics, as well as doctors’ practices.
One important element of the Bluebird Care approach is to appreciate
that people’s care requirements vary widely.
The answer, Larry says, is to be “simple and flexible”.
He points out: “Many customers require care just once or twice a year when their families go away on holiday and they need an
extra helping hand.
“Some customers have care for just 45 minutes a week, others require care four times a day, 24-hours-a-day or need live-in care.
“Bluebird Care is really easy to start and can be adjusted to customers’ needs and requirements as they change over time.”
Live-in care is a highly specialised aspect of its work, and Larry and his team have responded by offering what he describes as a “phenomenal” platinum service, making the company the recognised live-in care specialist.
Not only that but, as he points out, “the price for live-in care is more affordable than one might think – starting at just £784 per week”.
The Bluebird Care service allows families to live independently in their
own homes with round-the-clock companionship, housekeeping and all the benefits that prevent couples from having to be split up should one family member need to go to a residential care home.
Listing what his company offers, Larry says all the Bluebird Care staff are professionally trained to adapt to the environment in the house Concerned and not “get in the way” of those they are looking after.
All the carers live in the borough of Barnet, making travelling to and
from customers particularly easy – and the office is well-staffed enough to have several field supervisors in the community, supporting carers and customers throughout the day.
“Bluebird Care considers its carers to be our customers as well. We look after our people, offering benefits and perks.
“We have a high retention rate and a constant demand from carers wanting to work for us, which people will tell you is not the norm in the domiciliary care sector”.
The company plays an active role in the local community, sponsoring local events and regularly contributing to 14 charities.
As an inclusive organisation, Bluebird Care has also offered employment to people from Norwood with learning disabilities.
Bluebird Care prides itself on a fast and proactive approach, helping ease pressure on the family and giving relatives the peace of mind their loved ones are being cared for in the best way.
Bluebird Care:
149 Hale Lane, Edgware, HA8 9QW.
Tel: 020 3011 0996
barnet@bluebirdcare.co.uk, bluebirdcare.co.uk/Barnet