Herald Star Feature–IC CARE-WEB
By KAYLA VAN DYNE
Times Leader Staff Writer
WHEELING — IC CARE, whose main office is located in the Horne’s Building on Main Street in Wheeling, has been providing in-home care for seniors, the disabled and anyone in need of in-home care since December 2011. Their personal care services include companionship, bathing, grooming, medication reminders, transportation, respite care for family members and diet control among others. IC CARE’s homemaking services can also help with light housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry and errands.
IC CARE is owned by the husband and wife team of Phil and Stephanie Sauvageot, along with longtime friend Jason Lewis. All three owners are Ohio Valley natives and are honored to serve fellow Valley residents who are in need. “We are very proud of our Ohio Valley roots and we are proud to be able to serve our local community,” said Phil who is not only an owner but the accountant for the company as well.
IC CARE is very involved with the local community. Recently, they sponsored “Cider for Seniors” with Weirton Madonna’s Interact Club at Freedom Place Towers in Weirton. With Madonna students, they also organized Christmas caroling at the Freedom Place Towers. Lewis says that the lively interaction between students and seniors has been mutually rewarding to both age groups. “Both the students and seniors get so much joy and happiness from spending time together. The Freedom Place residents were really uplifted by the students’ caroling this past Christmas,” he says.
IC CARE serves the entire northern panhandle in West Virginia, which includes Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall and Wetzel counties. It also serves several counties in Ohio including Belmont, Jefferson, and Harrison counties.
In the last few months, IC CARE’s client base has tripled. Lewis, who takes care of the business development side of IC CARE, believes that this growth is due to the high standard care that is delivered.
Stephanie is a registered nurse and Operations Director for IC CARE. She manages the day-to-day operations of the business, including hiring new caregivers, managing client care plans, and monitoring the quality of the services provided. Both Phil and Jason are quick to point out that Stephanie’s personal involvement and willingness to go the extra mile for IC CARE’s clients has been the key to their most recent success.
Stephanie feels that IC CARE’s efforts in building relationships with local doctors and hospitals has further helped their growth and solidified their reputation of excellence in care. She believes that professionalism that the IC CARE caregivers have also played a huge role in IC CARE’s success. “Our Care Companions are the face of IC CARE. We are very grateful to have such caring employees, but there’s always room to add more quality caregivers to our team” said Stephanie. “We pay our Caregivers higher than most other agencies to recognize these efforts and allow us to hire the best people available.”
“IC CARE trains and orients new Care Companions in IC CARE’s philosophy of care; it’s holistic,” said Lewis. “Human persons are not merely flesh and blood. We are soul and spirit too. Our philosophy of care addresses not just the physical but the emotional, social and spiritual as well.”
“We have not lost a single client due to dissatisfaction with our service since starting IC CARE,” said Lewis. “I credit this success to our philosophy of care and Stephanie’s personal involvement with each of our clients.”
IC Care’s services can be paid through various veterans’ programs, certain long-term insurances, and personal private pay.
According to Lewis, some veterans and spouses or surviving spouses can receive IC CARE’s services without any out of pocket expense.
If you or a loved one is in need of in-home assistance, IC CARE can be reached at (304) 905-8160.
Van Dyne may be reached at kvandyne@timesleader online.com