Chantilly-based franchise Comfort Keepers offers affordable solutions for non-medical in-home care of seniors, new mothers and those recovering from illness.

The company provides in-home companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errand services, and more. Twenty-four hour care is available, with schedules tailored to client needs.

Comfort Keepers has helped care for 89-year-old Hazel Williams for over a year, often up to 14 hours a day.

"They are like a ray of sunshine in my life," said Williams, who lives in the Oakton home of her daughter, Linda Lewis, 52.

Once Comfort Keepers stayed with Williams overnight for several days so that her daughter and son-in-law could take their first vacation in seven years.

"I can't tell you enough good about Comfort Keepers," said Lewis, a homemaker, whose mother has been in her care for eight years. "They keep mom very happy."

"One thing that sets our company apart from other care-giving organizations is that managers actually go into client homes," said Chantilly's Stephanie Jackson, 39, Chief Executive Officer of Comfort Keepers.

"They are required to perform 10-15 service hours. This not only helps keep us humble, but it also helps us better understand client needs and develop an emotional attachment we wouldn't ordinarily have."

Comfort Keepers has more than 40 highly trained caregivers and currently serves 50 clients hailing from Fairfax, Fauquier and Loudoun counties.

While each Comfort Keepers office is independently owned and operated, there is a national framework of support. Nearly 400 Comfort Keepers offices are located throughout the United States. It is the second largest non-medical care franchise in the U.S.

The company screens applicants, checks their police, DMV and other records. It also offers an emergency response system, an alert system that summons the proper help needed by clients, who are often home alone.

As of January 2003, Comfort Keepers of Chantilly was Medicaid approved. It has been in operation since November, 2001 and partners with a network of more than 100 physicians. It is a member of the National Council on Aging, National Association for Home Care, and a supporter of AARP.

Helping the elderly maintain a sunny disposition is a critical care component.

"If an elderly person becomes depressed or unhappy, their health can take a turn for the worse," said Sully Station's Margit Corey, 46, who assist Williams.

Corey, who came from a nursing home background, has been a supervisor with Comfort Keepers for more than a year. "Linda needs to be able to get out and know that mom is well taken care of," she said.

Williams will make a big trip to her home state of Washington this summer, for her 90th birthday party. Corey will making the trip along with her. She has taken clients to parks, movies, out to dinner, and even to her own home.

The company offers "peace of mind for the elderly and disabled" in the comfort of their own homes. However, acknowledging that some clients do need medical care or are no longer safe in their homes, Corey once helped an elderly client transition to a nursing home. Comfort Keepers also provides long-distance care, for example aiding a local senior whose family lives in Tennessee.

This summer, Comfort Keepers plans to hold a 12-week seminar on How to Care for Aging Parents. Guest speakers will cover topics such as housing and legal aspects of care giving.

"We worry so you don't have to," is one of Comfort Keepers' credos. The company prides itself in alleviating the stress of caring for the elderly or those convalescing from birth or illness — all with a very personal touch.