Trusted In-Home Caregivers in White Bear Lake and Chisago, MN

Comfort Keepers caregivers provide personalized in-home care for seniors, veterans and adults with disabilities in White Bear Lake, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, Chisago City and surrounding Minnesota communities. Our caregivers are employees—not independent contractors—and are screened, trained, insured and matched with clients based on care needs and compatibility.

We call our caregivers Comfort Keepers because their work involves more than completing a list of tasks. They provide personal assistance, companionship and meaningful engagement while respecting each client’s routines, preferences, abilities and independence.

What Makes a Comfort Keepers Caregiver Different?

Comfort Keepers looks for caregivers who combine compassion with the ability to provide dependable, respectful assistance. Caregivers must be able to complete assigned services while recognizing that they are working in someone else’s home.

Our caregivers are:

• Screened for empathy and a genuine interest in helping others
• Interviewed and evaluated before employment
• Subject to national and local criminal background checks
• Subject to applicable driving-record checks
• Reviewed through personal and professional references
• Trained before working independently with clients
• Matched with clients based on care needs and compatibility
• Bonded and insured
• Covered by workers’ compensation
• Employees of Comfort Keepers rather than independent contractors
• Supported by a local care and scheduling team

Screening and training reduce risk but cannot guarantee that every caregiver-client match will be perfect. We encourage clients and families to provide honest feedback so the local team can address concerns and make appropriate changes.

What Services Do Comfort Keepers Caregivers Provide?

Services are based on an assessment and personalized care plan.

Companion Care

Caregivers may provide:

• Conversation and social interaction
• Meal planning and preparation
• Grocery shopping and errands
• Light housekeeping
• Laundry and linen changes
• Transportation to appointments
• Accompaniment to community activities
• Games, hobbies, music and crafts
• Medication reminders
• Help maintaining familiar daily routines

Personal Care

Depending on the care plan, caregivers may assist with:

• Bathing and showering
• Grooming and personal hygiene
• Dressing
• Toileting and incontinence care
• Assistance with eating
• Mobility and transfers
• Position changes
• Supervised walking
• Morning and bedtime routines

Specialized Care

Caregivers may also support clients who need:

• Alzheimer’s and dementia care
• Respite care
• Post-hospital assistance
• Overnight care
• Continuous 24-hour shift care
• End-of-life support alongside hospice
• Supplemental care in senior living communities
• Nurse-delegated services when appropriately authorized

Some services require a nurse or another licensed professional. A nursing assessment determines whether a health-related task may be delegated to a trained caregiver.

How Are Caregivers Screened?

Comfort Keepers uses a multi-step hiring process intended to evaluate both caregiving capability and personal suitability.

The process may include:

• Application review
• Interviews
• National and local criminal background checks
• Driving-record review when applicable
• Personal and professional reference checks
• Eligibility and employment verification
• Orientation and onboarding
• Required training and competency checks

A caregiver must complete applicable screening and training requirements before being independently assigned to a client.

How Are Comfort Keepers Caregivers Trained?

Caregiver training includes orientation, applicable Minnesota home care requirements, and the responsibilities associated with each assigned care plan.

Training may address:

• Client rights, privacy and dignity
• Personal care
• Safe mobility and transfers
• Dementia and memory-care support
• Infection-control practices
• Emergency procedures
• Recognizing and reporting changes
• Professional boundaries
• Documentation
• Communication with clients and families
• Comfort Keepers’ Interactive Caregiving® approach

Caregivers performing nurse-delegated tasks receive additional client-specific training. They must demonstrate competency and follow written instructions from the delegating RN.

Training does not make a non-medical caregiver a nurse. Services involving nursing assessment, medical judgment or other licensed functions must be performed by an appropriately qualified professional.

How Are Caregivers Matched With Clients?

A successful care relationship involves more than finding someone who is available at the requested time. Our local team considers:

• Required care skills
• Physical assistance needs
• Schedule and location
• Personality
• Communication preferences
• Shared interests
• Client routines
• Cultural considerations
• Comfort with pets
• Transportation requirements
• Dementia-care experience
• Other client-specific needs

Not every personality is a natural fit. If a client or family feels uncomfortable with a match, we want them to contact the office. The scheduling team can evaluate the concern and determine whether coaching, clarification or a different caregiver is appropriate.

Caregiver consistency is prioritized whenever scheduling allows, but the same caregiver cannot be guaranteed for every visit.

Why Are Comfort Keepers Caregivers Employees?

Comfort Keepers caregivers are employees rather than independent contractors. This means the local agency assumes responsibility for employment-related functions such as:

• Screening and hiring
• Orientation and training
• Scheduling
• Supervision and support
• Insurance and bonding
• Workers’ compensation
• Performance management
• Backup staffing when available

Families do not have to independently recruit, screen or manage a self-employed caregiver.

What Is Interactive Caregiving®?

Interactive Caregiving® is Comfort Keepers’ approach to doing things with clients instead of automatically doing everything for them.

When safe and appropriate, caregivers encourage clients to participate in their daily routines and make choices about their care. For example, a caregiver and client might:

• Prepare a favorite meal together
• Fold laundry
• Take a supervised walk
• Look through family photographs
• Listen to music
• Work on a puzzle or hobby
• Discuss current events
• Shop for groceries
• Attend a faith-based activity
• Visit a senior or community center
• Call or video chat with family

Participation is adapted to the client’s abilities, interests, energy and comfort level. It should never feel like a test.

Why Are Activity and Social Connection Important?

Changes in mobility, memory, health or driving ability can make it harder for older adults to remain socially connected. A caregiver can provide regular companionship while helping the client participate in familiar activities.

The CDC reports that supportive relationships are associated with better physical and emotional health, lower stress and greater quality of life. Learn more about social connection from the CDC.

Comfort Keepers does not claim that companionship prevents illness or eliminates loneliness. Caregivers provide opportunities for connection and engagement based on each client’s interests and circumstances.

How Do Caregivers Support Independence?

Independence does not always mean completing every task without help. It can mean continuing to make decisions, follow familiar routines and participate in everyday life.

A caregiver may support independence by:

• Offering clothing choices
• Asking what the client would like to eat
• Encouraging the client to complete safe steps of a task
• Providing standby rather than hands-on assistance when appropriate
• Helping the client use an authorized mobility device
• Supporting participation in hobbies
• Providing transportation
• Accompanying the client into the community
• Respecting the client’s pace and preferences

The amount of assistance is based on the client’s assessed abilities and care plan.

How Are Families Kept Informed?

Communication expectations are established when care begins. With the client’s permission or appropriate legal authorization, Comfort Keepers may share relevant non-medical observations with designated family members.

Updates may involve:

• Schedule changes
• Eating habits
• Mobility
• Participation in activities
• Personal care abilities
• Increasing confusion
• Household concerns
• Care-plan questions

Caregivers observe and report; they do not diagnose medical conditions. Medical concerns are directed to an appropriate nurse, physician, or emergency service.

Families should identify one or more authorized representatives and explain how frequently they would like routine updates.

Can Caregivers Help Seniors Use Technology?

When included in the care plan, a caregiver may help a client:

• Make a video call
• View digital photographs
• Send a message to family
• Access an online community event
• Use approved grocery-delivery services
• Set basic appointment reminders
• Operate familiar personal technology

Caregivers should respect the client’s privacy and should not access banking, financial or sensitive personal accounts unless specifically permitted by policy and appropriate legal authorization.

Caregivers for Veterans

Comfort Keepers caregivers assist veterans with personal care, companionship, meals, mobility, transportation and household routines.

Eligible veterans may receive authorized homemaker or home health aide services through Department of Veterans Affairs programs. The VA determines eligibility, approved services, authorized hours, local availability and any applicable copayments.

Comfort Keepers can explain the services we provide, but only the VA can determine benefits or authorize VA-funded care.

Learn more about home care services for veterans.

Local Caregivers Near White Bear Lake and Chisago

Comfort Keepers provides caregivers throughout the northeast Twin Cities and Chisago County regions, including:

• White Bear Lake
• Shoreview
• Vadnais Heights
• North Oaks
• Hugo
• Forest Lake
• Chisago City
• Lindstrom
• Wyoming
• Stacy
• Surrounding Minnesota communities

White Bear Lake Office

1310 Highway 96 E
White Bear Lake, MN 55110
651-789-0317

Chisago City Office

11185 Lake Boulevard
Chisago City, MN 55013
651-789-0317

Services depend on the assessment, requested schedule, location and caregiver availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Comfort Keepers caregivers employees or contractors?

Comfort Keepers caregivers are employees, not independent contractors. The local agency is responsible for screening, hiring, training, scheduling, insurance and supervision.

Are caregivers background checked?

Yes. The selection process includes national and local criminal background checks, applicable driving-record checks and personal and professional reference reviews.

Are caregivers bonded and insured?

Yes. Comfort Keepers caregivers are bonded, insured and covered by workers’ compensation.

Do caregivers receive dementia training?

Caregivers assigned to clients with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia receive training appropriate to their responsibilities and care assignments. The personalized care plan identifies the client’s routines, communication needs and authorized services.

Can families choose their caregiver?

The local team considers client preferences, care needs, schedule, personality and compatibility when selecting caregivers. Families are encouraged to provide feedback about the match.  We will change out caregivers if they are not a good match for the client.  

Will the same caregiver come every time?

Caregiver consistency is prioritized whenever scheduling allows, but it cannot be guaranteed for every visit. A small caregiver team may be used when a client needs frequent or extended care.

What happens if a caregiver is not a good match?

Contact the local office. The team will review the concern and determine with you whether additional coaching, clarification, or a different caregiver is appropriate.  Team mentors are available to assist with the caregivers.  

Can caregivers administer medications?

Non-medical caregivers generally provide medication reminders. Certain medication-administration tasks may be performed only after an RN has completed the required assessment, client-specific training, competency verification, delegation and supervision.

Are caregivers supervised?

Yes. Caregivers are supported by the local care team. Staff performing nurse-delegated tasks receive additional RN supervision as required by the task and applicable Minnesota regulations.

How does in-home care begin?

A Client Care Coordinator meets with the client and family to discuss needs, routines, preferences, home environment, and schedule. Comfort Keepers then creates a personalized care plan and begins identifying compatible caregivers.

Meet Your Local Comfort Keepers Care Team

Choosing an in-home caregiver means inviting someone into your loved one’s home and daily life. Our local team is available to explain how caregivers are screened, trained, matched and supported.

Call 651-789-0317 to ask about caregivers in White Bear Lake, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, Chisago City or a surrounding Minnesota community.

You may also contact Comfort Keepers online to request a complimentary consultation.