Operations manager Bradley Romp of Acti-Kare (whose corporate headquarters is in Tampa Palms) is a long-time New Tampa resident who comes to your home to assess your family’s home health care (and other in-home care needs) & can set up a customized program to meet them.
Operations manager Bradley Romp of Acti-Kare (whose corporate headquarters is in Tampa Palms) is a long-time New Tampa resident who comes to your home to assess your family’s home health care (and other in-home care needs) & can set up a customized program to meet them.

By Kathleen Schiop

More than ever before, seniors are choosing to remain in their own homes as they age, instead of going into a retirement center or nursing home. Much of the responsibility for elder care falls upon the “sandwich generation”— families who care for one or both elderly parents, as well as their own children. But despite the best of intentions, caring for an elderly relative can become overwhelming, and that’s where Acti-Kare can help.

Acti-Kare was founded in 2007 by Mark Lucas, an innovator in the field of in-home services. The company now has 90 independently owned franchises in 30 states, and is still growing. In 2011, Acti-Kare was selected as one of the top 500 franchises in North America, according to Entrepreneur magazine.

Acti-Kare offers a complete range of care services, utilizing a variety of settings (including in-home, in assisted living facilities and in retirement communities) and offers services in Polk, Pasco, Highland, Hardee, Manatee, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The company’s corporate office is located off Commerce Park Blvd. in the Tampa Palms Professional Center.

Bradley Romp, operations manager of Acti-Kare, says, “Many of our clients are referrals from major hospitals or rehabilitation centers. They’ve been released, but are advised that they still need home care by their social workers or caseworkers. But, we also deal directly with the clients themselves, or their families seeking care for them. We’ve even provided in-home hospice care, depending on the situation.”

The charismatic Romp also has a personal investment in the business of helping people stay independent.

“I started with Mark as a sales franchise developer, until I was diagnosed with MS five years ago,” he says. “Because my wife owns her own business, and my children were in school, I required an in-home caregiver until I could get stronger. There was a point in my life where I couldn’t zip a zipper, or hold a phone, and it became apparent to me how vital in-home care can be.

He adds, “Mark Lucas saw what I was experiencing, and two years ago offered me the position of operations manager because I wanted to turn this from a negative to a positive, and he trusted that I could. It has been amazing for me, being able to speak with families and clients from first-hand experience and to help them out.”

Romp graduated from USF in 1984 with a degree in Business Management. He worked for AT&T for 18 years, before joining Lucas and Acti-Kare. He has been a resident of New Tampa for 33 years, and was married to wife Michele in 1990. They have two sons, Zachary, 19, who is a defensive back for Berry College in Rome, GA, and Jacob, 16, who currently attends Tampa Catholic, where he plays slot receiver for the school’s football team. Diagnosed with MS five years ago, Brad says his passion is helping promote awareness of debilitating diseases, and as an avid biker, has completed six century (100 mile) rides for assorted charities, including the annual MS 150 Bike Ride.

So what makes Acti-Kare unique? In addition to care for seniors, Acti-Kare also offers Family Care services, including child care programs (including children with special needs); Mommy & Me and Mommy-To-Be programs, caring for expectant mothers and supplying postnatal care for mother and baby; personal injury care and recovery care services (for those recovering from an injury or surgery); as well as pet care (including bathing, walking and giving medications to the pet{s} in your home).

Compassion is very evident in Acti-Kare’s approach to finding just the right caregiver for a family. Every caregiver hired by Acti-Kare is hand selected and well-screened. The Tampa office has 25 CNAs (certified nursing assistants) and five companion caregivers on staff. Caregivers are licensed, bonded and subject to a Level 2 state and federal background check with fingerprints. Caregivers also must have a valid driver’s license and current auto insurance. Acti-Kare has a proprietary training and certification program ensuring that its caregivers are thoroughly trained.

Matching a client with a caregiver is a comprehensive process. Romp travels to the client’s home to evaluate their needs. “The service we offer could be as simple as some housekeeping and transportation,” he explains, “or more complex, such as a client with dementia or Alzheimer’s, who needs 24-hour care. And, of course, we always want to find that right ‘fit’ between client and caregiver.”

Once the client’s needs have been determined, Romp interviews the caregiver to ensure that they are the compatible person for the job, and then returns to the client with the caregiver to introduce them.

Acti-Kare recently received its State of Florida Home Health Agency License, allowing the company to provide personal care service to clients in Hardee, Highland, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties and also is licensed to offer companion services in those counties, along with Pasco and Pinellas counties.

“We are waiting on our license (for personal care in Pasco and Pinellas), and should be able to provide that service very soon,” Romp says.

Reliable & Accountable

Romp also says that he is very proud of Acti-Kare’s reliability and accountability.

“We know what our caregivers are doing for their clients at all times,” he says. The caregiver is required, using the client’s cell phone or land line, to check in with Acti-Kare on its Telephony system (a telephone/computer link system) that allows the company to register the exact time that the caregiver arrives at and leaves the home and what they did for the client that day. So, even if the patient’s trustee lives thousands of miles away, he or she can still log in to Acti-Kare’s system and listen to what the caregiver has done. In addition, caregivers keep a written log on the premises, so resident family members can check on the services provided.

One satisfied customer on AngiesList.com writes, “My current caregiver called me Friday afternoon to let me know she was not going to be able to provide services to my elderly father on Saturday the following day. I called Acti-Kare to see if they could possibly get someone out here Saturday or Sunday at the latest as I work weekends and am not able to assist him until the evening time. Acti-Kare not only had someone here Saturday morning, in time for me go to work, the caregiver was extremely friendly and helpful. My father was pleased and requested that we use this caregiver from now on. Acti-Kare stepped up to the plate and earned our business from here on out.”

Romp says that Acti-Kare clients can expect, “full service, handled with understanding and compassion.” The families of clients are fully involved in the selection of the caregiver, and an individualized plan is developed, based on meetings with the family. Input and questions are encouraged, and as needs change, Acti-Kare can change the service plan accordingly.

Another review on AngiesList.com says it all: “My mom loves her Acti-Kare caregiver! Since I work, I’m not able to visit with my mom as much as I would like. From helping my mother grocery shop and getting her to her appointments to sitting down and just chatting with her over a cup of tea, I don’t know how my mom would get along without them.”

To learn more about Acti-Kare and the services it provides, stop by the office (located at 17425 Bridge Hill Ct., Ste. 200), visit ActiKare.com or call (888) 451-KARE (6273) toll-free.

 

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