Sewickley Heights couple owns Comfort Keepers, providing caregivers for seniors

Sondra MacArtney initially thought paying for a caregiver seemed like an unnecessary expense — but turns out it is “wonderful” to have help.

“I can’t see well and sometimes I need help with choosing the right colors to wear,” said the 87-year-old, who goes by “Sondy” and resides in an independent living community. “One of my caregivers is a good organizer and another one is a great shopper. They are very reliable. I enjoy their company. I look forward to them coming.”

Connecting seniors with caregivers is the passion of Joy and Mark Holte of Sewickley Heights. The couple owns two franchises of Comfort Keepers, a business that helps seniors continue to have some independence.

Caregivers are trained to provide uplifting care, transportation and support from driving to doctor’s appointments and grocery shopping to providing companionship and personal care.

The Holtes look for employees to not only assist with everyday activities, but to hold a hand, offer a hug and to be there to listen.

“We hire people with loving hearts,” Joy Holte said.

Caregiving team

Comfort Keepers is flexible with hours, and the Holtes try to keep the same caregiving team with the same seniors — that helps create a relationship and allows the caregivers to notice if something is different with the senior. One of the things Comfort Keepers offers is something called the “Family Room,” where families, caregivers and staff can share updates and families can access information about a shift and how it went in real time.

The goal is to keep everyone on top of the care and to treat every client like family, Joy Holte said.

MacArtney’s daughter, Sam Ditka of Marshall, said she wanted her mother to have companionship so she would not feel alone.

Finding the right person can be challenging, Ditka said, but Comfort Keepers creates the perfect match. Ditka said having additional help with seniors is part of a village to take care of them.

“I needed boots on the ground, which I have with Comfort Keepers,” Ditka said. “That gives me time to spend with my mom on the fun stuff.”

Her mother said she has gotten to know her caregivers so well that she has a good time with them. Some have become friends, she said.

Being a caregiver to family members at one time, MacArtney said she understands the importance of looking out for seniors.

One of the benefits is that having someone from Comfort Keepers can give seniors more time in their own homes, Ditka said.

It also can prevent trying to find immediate help when a situation becomes an emergency because there is already a relationship established.

“An extra pair of hands is good,” Ditka said. “And with seniors, isolation can be devastating. The aides from Comfort Keepers treat everyone like family.”

Family inspiration

Mark and Joy Holte were inspired to do this work by Mark Holte’s grandmother, who lived in Minnesota. She had Parkinson’s disease and, as it progressed, required support at home.

“By having an in-home care agency, she was able to spend three years at home and pass away peacefully surrounded by her daughters as she wanted,” Joy Holte said.

She and Mark Holte also took care of Joy Holte’s nana in a local facility during the pandemic and afterward.

“They find the right people to do this job,” Ditka said. “My mom is really happy to have the companionship and the freedom to do things. Her caregivers take her places and they watch out for her.”

Karen Hart Warrick, who also is an LPN, has been a caregiver for Comfort Keepers for 15 years. She currently works for a woman in a nursing home and had cared for the woman and her husband when they lived at home.

“They are like family to me,” Warrick said. “When (the woman’s husband) died, that was difficult on me.”

Warrick said the Holtes are awesome to work for and they look out for their employees. They will step in if needed to help.

Their office is in Pine and they provide care services in Pittsburgh, Coraopolis, Sewickley, Wexford, Cranberry, Ross, McCandless, North Hills, Moon, Mars, McKees Rocks, Glenshaw, Carnegie, Ambridge, Crescent, Bradford Woods, Warrendale, Leetsdale, Aliquippa, Avalon, Beaver Falls, Bellevue, Crafton, Dormont, Green Tree, Robinson Township, Shaler, Sheraden, Warrendale, West View, Butler and the surrounding areas of Pennsylvania.

They work with long-term care insurance, but, as they are nonmedical, they do not work with medical insurance. They do work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Health care works for seniors is a hidden group of people,” Joy Holte said. “They care for people and their work goes unrecognized. We want to build support and awareness for what caregivers do.”

More caregivers needed

According to AARP, 63 million Americans are now family caregivers. That is a 45% increase since 2015. This surge underscores the growing demand for family caregivers who provide essential support to those with chronic, disabling or serious health conditions, according to AARP.

Roughly 1 in every 4 adults is a caregiver.

“Our employees take care of a senior like they were taking care of their own parent or grandparent,” Mark Holte said.

The Holtes employ 65 people and provide opportunities for students in the health care field, too.

“I love the impact we can have on so many lives,” Mark Holte said. “We respect our clients and our caregivers. We are helping to keep people in their homes longer. Life is a balancing act — and if you can do something for someone else, that is an important part of life.”

Comfort Keepers’ caregivers are trained to handle challenges, including dementia and Alzheimer’s. Parents of four, Joy and Mark Holte want to show their children the importance of taking care of seniors and to have the conversations about that care as they age and to not wait until it’s a crisis situation.

“We want our children to see what is most important in life,” Mark Holte said. “They see how we care for seniors and that family legacy is so important. We can feed our soul and our family through this work.”

Comfort Keepers is located at 5500 Brooktree Road, Suite 200, in Pine.

Details: 412-787-0709 or comfortkeepers.com