TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Everyone Wants To Be At Home, And Company Tries To Help

Hernando Today photo by BOB EAST III

Jan Bongiorno says of her company Life Time Companions' clients: "We want them to be individuals ... We find out how we can assist them."

ADVERTISEMENT

By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: February 18, 2009

WEEKI WACHEE - Jan Bongiorno doesn't have clients or patients.

The eight seniors she and her staff currently care for are independent-minded and prefer to be at home.

They are people who might need some help getting out of bed or require someone to cook and clean for them.

Above all, Bongiorno wants to offer them comfort and companionship. They don't want assisted living and she understands.

"Families can't always look after them," Bongiorno said. "They're not just clients. We have so many wonderful elderly people here who just have difficulty getting out of bed. We want them to be individuals ... We find out how we can assist them."

Bongiorno founded Life Time Companions six months ago. It is a homemaker/companion agency that offers services in Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties.

Her services are available 24 hours a day, seven days per week. She has nine people on her staff and is looking to add more.

Some of her employees are retirees and others are licensed certified nursing assistants.

They do everything from providing meal planning for their clients to serving as their traveling companion. They schedule appointments, offer outpatient surgery support and provide bedtime assistance when needed. The list goes on.

"Our goal ... is to bring quality, safety, peace of mind and friendship to our clients and their families helping them remain independent in their own home for as long as possible," Bongiorno stated in her brochure.

The short version is that she wants to be an "advocate for the elderly," she said.

The former OB/GYN nurse thinks health care in the United States compares favorably to her native England.

The 52-year-old is married to a physical therapist. She has long been ensconced in the health care industry on both sides of the Atlantic. She works out of her home, but she is rarely there. She has a lot of ground to cover each day, she said.

Bongiorno recalled one client whose son had to return to Maryland. He called upon Life Time Companions to care for his grandmother. He hated that he had to leave her behind, but he hoped he left her in good hands. He was thrilled with the results.

"He told me, 'I'm ecstatic about what you've done with my grandmother,'" said Bongiorno. "Who can afford to give up their jobs today? Nobody can."

She charges $13 per hour for her services, she said. Her goal is not to make a mint from her business. She makes sure her employees are well compensated. She needs them to make her business successful.

"This is a much more popular alternative than putting someone in a facility," Bongiorno said. "I just want Life Time Companions to become a household name."

Biz at a glance:

Name of biz - Life Time Companions

Owner - Jan Bongiorno

What it is - At-home companion support service for seniors

Get in touch - 352-573-9678

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT