Kindhearted Home Care adds Adult Social Center

Kindhearted Home Care LLC recently opened an Adult Social Center at 101 Scott St. in Merrill. Owner Diane Goetsch had previously operated the home care service out of her home.

"Our business had grown to the point that we needed to find office space," Diane said.

Opened in June 2010, Kindhearted Home Care has already served more than 80 clients in Lincoln County and the surrounding area.

"I saw a need for people who wanted to stay in the homes as long as possible," Diane said. "I knew there was a need, but I didn't realize how fast it would grow."

The Adult Social Center was started in May 2012 to provide social interaction and enriching activities for the disabled, developmentally disabled and the elderly, while allowing respite for caregivers.

"I wanted to give them another opportunity," Diane said. "So many people who live at home are isolated. We provide supervised, structured social interaction."

The Adult Social Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The facility is state certified and can accommodate 10 participants at a time. The caregiver and participant select times and days of the week that work best for them.

Some activity examples include word or card games, sing-alongs, arts and crafts, music appreciation, wellness education, famous sayings, baking, pottery, balloon volleyball, holiday programs, parties and celebration.

Programs at the Adult Social Center are designed to help delay the progress of existing disabilities, preserve and improve the participant's health and level of functioning, aid in maintaining and certain level of independence, and provide healthy nutritional meals and snacks. The center provides help with daily living and personal care skills in a safe and secure environment. The program also allows the participants' caregivers time to attend to outside responsibilities.

"I felt it was so important to bring this service to the community," Diane said.

Kindhearted Home Care continues to provide short term or long term services including post operative assistance, shopping and errands, meal planning and preparation, laundry/linen washing and ironing, grooming and dressing assistance, housekeeping, companionship and conversation, respite care for family, and coordinate and schedule appointments.

Kindhearted Home Care now has a staff of 18 employees, all of whom have been carefully screened due to the personal nature of the work.

"I make sure I have top quality people," Diane said.

Every client has unique needs, Diane said. Kindhearted Home Care offers a confidential consultation to assess the needs of each prospective client.

Kindhearted Home Care can be reached at 715-218-3772 or by email at info@kindheartedhomecare.com.