Flexible Homecare Service Poised to Comfort at ‘FirstLight’

After 12 years of parenting (a job moms and dads know is fairly demanding), Jen Santosuosso knew it was time to get back into the workplace. With experience at America’s Cancer Society, and a knack for caregiving, she knew her best option.

With the help of her husband Jim, she has opened a FirstLight Homecare operation based out of Parsippany. The new business, already open, has a central office at 1280 Route 46, in Parsippany, but more broadly, will service patients in Morris, Essex and Passaic counties.

More specifically, the center of their focus will be in: Morristown, Morris Plains, East Hanover, Parsippany, Whippany, Fairfield, Caldwell, Verona, Clifton, Wayne, Little Falls and Lincoln Park. 

The Santosuossos

“I always wanted to own a business,” said Santosuosso. “There’s needs for in-home care in the community. We found FirstLight, and offered (to become apart of) the franchise.”

Prior to being a stay-at-home mother, Santosuosso was director of special events at the Cancer Society, and worked within the Passaic office. She saw patients on a daily basis, accounted for all of the special events (including Relay for Life) and said care-giving “Is just a part of me.”

Santosuosso considers herself a lifelong New Jersey resident, but was born in Brooklyn.

As an only child, she said that she’s already been keen to helping her elderly parents, and provides round-the-clock care for her children, so this business venture is right up her alley.

With three children, aged six, 11 and 13, the FirstLight owner says that owning her own business will provide for more flexibility, allowing her to attend travel games and be a mother ‘on-call.’

“The kids even want to come in and work,” said Santosuosso cheerfully.

Her husband Jim, boasting a financial degree, takes care most of the behind-the-scenes work, dealing with payroll, accounting and general financing. He already owns two Exxon stations (on Route 10 East and in Bloomfield).

On searching for a business locale, she said, “We thought Parsippany was great. It’s neutrally located (and can serve the surrounding area).”

The Santosuossos receive leads from referral sources they have, and are also affiliated with caring.com, where additional leads come through.

The Start-Up

At the moment, according to the former Cancer Society employee, the business is going through the customary ups and downs of a new business, but confesses that a real need for in-home care is surfacing in the area. She said she firmly believes that this franchise will really blossom.

They’re also currently going through a bit of an internal reorganization, where Santosuosso will be looking for a full-time networker to come aboard.

A notable setback that occurred in the process of getting the entire operation set up, according to Santosuosso, was (plainly put), Hurricane Sandy.

“We were applying for our (franchise) license just as Sandy hit,” she said. “And the mail service and (practically the whole) state was shut down. But we obtained our license by January.”

Super-storm aside, the franchise is swiftly making its presence known, as two of its specializations come in the form of Dementia care and re-admission rescue.

'Personalized Care'

Certified home caregivers, according to the owner, run a Dementia care program that sees them utilize “personalized care” because “it’s about the individual not the disease.”

They use a “Who I Am” booklet for patients with memory trouble, allowing them to acclimate themselves with their surroundings and not have the caregivers trigger any frustration.

Regarding their re-admission rescue, they provide safeguards for patients to help ensure hospital compliance with the Affordable Care Act, which inflicts fines on hospitals if discharged patients are re-admitted within one month.

“If someone is let go from being in the hospital, and they’re put back in within a month (there’s fines),” said Santosuosso. “So once they’re back into homes, we take vitals, blood pressure, can check for water retention, and see it (all) there before they’re re-admitted.”

Thorough Training

The mother of three then went on to discuss the training that her home-care providers receive.

“They’re all certified home house aids, certified in the state of New Jersey,” she said. “Once they come to us, we complete drug, background and personality tests, and then they’re put through a four-hour FirstLight training. There, they learn about HIPPA, personal care, and standards that we want to uphold and want to go to the clients with.”

Available care options are very flexible, and include: 24-hour care, live-in care, or just having a companion stop by for a few hours per week. The assistance is tailored to the client’s needs.

The pricing for such care, she continued, is extremely competitive with other relative business outlets. It’s $19 per hour for companion care, and $21 for personal care.”

“(Our services) keep seniors in homes and helps them to be independent for longer…It also reduces healthcare costs; they’re better off at home, in their own environments. That’s what we want to provide, a happy, safe environment with trained caregivers…We’re ready for the challenge.”