by MaryAnne Block
Providing in-home care to a loved one can be daunting, exhausting, at times overwhelming. “Consumer Directions” offers hope and help to the patient and family with a system that helps caregivers who are caring for loved ones at home.
This innovative concept is the brain child of Consumer Directions Chief Executive Officer Lisa Kampfer and its president, Shantel Jaszcak. Throughout the years they have rented several office places, always hovering in the St. Joseph area. They are very pleased with their permanent location at 1140 Elm St. E in St. Joseph, located behind O’Reilly’s Auto Parts in the former Magnifi call center.
Jaszcak and Kampfer knew each other as accountants and saw a great need to make it easier for client families receiving in-home care so they decided to start their own business, offering support to obtain and use funding so families can direct their own care, staff, wages and schedules. When people direct their own care and finances as it best suits their individual family, it results in a happier and healthier home. Thus the name: “Consumer Directions.”
It helps the client family to prioritize and budget. When that happens, stress is reduced.
“About 60 percent of our clients are children, and 40 percent are adults,” Kampfer said. “Some pay for care with their own private funds while others receive medical assistance for funding.”
“Lacey”
The following is just one example of how Consumer Directions helps people:
“Lacey” (not her real name), is an 8-year-old twin who suffered a stroke before she was born, which left her paralyzed on her right side. She wears leg braces and is fed through a feeding tube.
She needs 24/7 care for dressing, bathing, medications and all aspects of living. Despite her disabilities, Lacey reads at an eighth-grade level, sings in the church choir and rides her horse.
“Without Consumer Directions, we would not be able to remain home with the family,” said Lacey’s mother. “Being a paid parent allows us to enjoy and be a part of what other parents get automatically – time. We could not do this without medical assistance – and Consumer Directions.”
Clients hire whom they want, including family members, at the wage they set and schedule hours that work best for them. Consumer Directions then takes care of keeping track of hours worked, pays whoever is hired every two weeks, pays taxes and pays for workers’ compensation. That offers protection if an employee gets injured on the job. Consumer Directions takes care of all the paperwork, thereby eliminating that stress on families.
One starts the process to obtain assistance from Consumer Directions by calling its office. Or the client can initially contact the county health and human services, who will do an initial financial and needs assessment. The county then determines how much financial assistance the client is allowed. The county worker refers the family to Consumer Directions.
“If approved for funding (medical assistance) from the county, the county designates an annual lump sum (for the individual or family who meets financial guidelines),” Jasczak said. “Then the Consumer Directions staff helps the family set goals and wages and schedules for the year. The clients are free to choose whom they want to provide care, whether family, friends or agency help.”
An individual (or family) might have too many financial assets for medical assistance. The county will let them know how much of their assets to “spend down” in order to meet the guidelines for financial assistance. The county checks records throughout the previous five years to make sure no large lump sums have been distributed just to qualify for a yearly stipend. Some of the assets can be used to improve modifications to ensure the client can safely remain in the home.
A private-pay family is not required to spend down all its assets before reaching out for help. The county wants to make sure there are adequate funds to support the “healthy” spouses so they do not later become impoverished or dependent on additional county money. It is best for the family to contact the county sooner than later to learn more.
Sometimes the caregiver needs someone to provide much-needed respite services. Even a few hours can reduce stress and enhance quality of life. Those hours might include time to sleep, bathe, have coffee, go for a walk, get a haircut. Sometimes longer periods of respite are needed. Consumer Directions helps with finding, and funding and paying staff for such needs.
“We started small and grew over the years,” Kampfer said. “We serve the entire state of Minnesota, all 87 counties. We are currently helping about 3,000 clients. Our staff of about 65 employees based in St. Joseph is ready to field questions.”
By reducing stress on clients and their families, Consumer Directions has helped reduce hospitalizations. A greatly improved quality of life for the entire household is also a result. It can be “life changing” for the family.
Its website, consumerdirections.info, provides information about the services and support they offer. Feel free to call 320-257-8333 with questions to learn how they can help make your care-giving less stressful and more rewarding.
“Marty”
The following is another example of people helped by Consumer Directions:
“Marty” (not his real name) receives medical assistance because of failing health. Juvenile diabetes has taken a toll through the years, causing side effects such as neuropathy, coronary artery disease and blindness in his right eye.
“My wife,” he said, “provides for me both as a wife and a paid caregiver. With Consumer Directions, I am able to have quality care from my wife and from close reliable neighborhood friends who chip in.”
Three years ago, Marty and his wife were desperate, so much so they prepared to sell their house. Then Consumer Directions came to the rescue.
“It changed everything for us,” Marty said. “We could stay in our home at a fraction of the cost of an assisted-living facility.”
Consumer Directions CEO Lisa Kampfer (left) and President Shantel Jasczak created an innovative approach to help reduce stress for clients and their caregivers. Their company, based in St. Joseph, now serves all 87 counties in Minnesota.
