Local

Home Helpers: Making Life Easier


Local Business of the Week

Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– Today, many families are challenged with providing day-to-day assistance for their parents, spouse and children. Quite often work, personal obligations and geographical distances make it difficult to help out as needed. Home Helpers is an agency that caters to the sandwich generation — those taking care of their parents as well as their own children — by providing individualized personal care and services. Owned and operated by Park Forest resident, Richelle Howell and Demetris Jantuah, of Palos Hills, Home Helpers takes pride in its’ motto “Making Life Easier.”

Home Helpers is a franchise operation, with locations throughout the nation. Starting out as a home-based business in 2002, the Park Forest location was among the first location in the southern suburbs. The business later rented a small space in the Park Forest Health Department building, and relocated with the Health Department to its current location in Village Hall.

Non-medical services that the agency offers include but are not limited to Conversation and Companionship, such as taking the client to and from the store, movies, out to eat; Personal Care, such as assisting with hygiene, feeding, bathing, and dressing; Activities for the Mind and Body, such as going to religious services, participating in crafts, and reading aloud; and Day-to-Day Activities, such as pet care, daily telephone check-up, and light house cleaning. The agency also provides free in-home consultation, and services from a few hours to up to twenty-four hours a day.

As a registered nurse, with over twenty-five years specializing in cardiology, Richelle Howell clearly understands how a service like her own can make life easier.

“Seniors may feel that they are losing their independence. Our goal is to help them maintain their independence with a little help” she said. The agency is also ramping-up its services to new and expectant mothers. “Today’s women are waiting later in life to have babies. This may lead to an increase in complicated pregnancies. Women are also busier today, trying to juggle family life and professional life. There is a lack of services out there designed to help the busy mother or high risk mother-to-be. Our company fills this much needed niche,” Howell said.

Co-owner Demetrius Jantuah, a register nurse with over fifteen years of experience, specializes in cardiology and emergency room nursing. Having taken care of her ailing mother for ten years, she experienced the challenge first-hand. “It was so hard finding good and reliable help for her. This is one of the reasons I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this business – to provide the kind of good and reliable services to seniors that was not available when I needed it.”

Home Helpers receives referrals from the Park Forest Health Department and the Rich Township Senior Center. Howell and Jantuah acknowledge Chris Blue, Director of Park Forest Health Department, and Sally Fuhrman, of Rich Township Senior Center for their growth.

The agency is staffed with fifteen employees, including Certified Nursing Assistants and home health aides and provides client-specific training to ensure personalized services. For more information about Home Helpers call (708) 283-0916.


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