For us, finding someone is only the "beginning". Not the end.
Finding a caretaker is important. But what happens after, matters just as much. And that's why we stay involved, check in regularly and keep talking to the family and caregiver. Because finding someone to care is one thing. Making sure care keeps working is another.
What makes us "good"?
Our effort.
We know we're not the best. We know there's a lot that we're yet to learn. And we also know that care is not easy to provide. And that's why we're trying really hard to build "goodfolks" differently, across every stage of the journey.
Sourcing
Through communities, not databases
We find caregivers through trusted communities, referrals, NGOs and organisations rather than simply picking from a database. And then we do our own checks. We look at experience, references, police verification and, just as importantly, attitude and fit. Because a caregiver may be experienced and still not be right for your folks.
Training
Taught to care, not just do tasks
Being a good person doesn't automatically make someone a good caregiver. So every "goodfolks" caregiver is trained in three things. The basics of personal care and hygiene through the NSDC module. Basic vital checks like blood pressure and glucose, taught by seasoned caregivers. And, perhaps most importantly, how to care beyond the tasks, with empathy, patience and an understanding of what makes care actually feel like care.
On-boarding
Matched, not assigned
We spend time understanding the person receiving care and what everyday life actually looks like at home. What needs to be done, what needs to be avoided. What the caregiver should know, what the family expects. And what good care should look like for this particular person. Then we bring everyone onto the same page. And stay close enough to know how things are going.
Care Management
Staying involved, not just placement
To explain simply, this is the difference we bring. We don't place a caregiver. We manage care.We create a care plan and have systems in place to keep things on track. We check in with the family, stay in touch with the caregiver and share regular updates. And when something changes, we help figure out what needs to happen next. Because care doesn't stay the same. And neither should the support around it.
We know things can "go wrong".
That's why we've spent a lot of time trying to make them less likely to.
We've seen how frustrating it is when care or a caregiver doesn't work out. So we looked closely at why it happens in the first place, and have built our systems to address those reasons. We know that despite everyone's best efforts, things may not always work perfectly. But our systems are designed to reduce the probability of that happening.
Why "Goodfolks"?
While care needs people, it also needs a system. A system that makes it easier for people to care well. A system where the caregiver gets support, the family gets visibility and your folks get continuity. That's what we're trying to build with "goodfolks".
People first. Systems to make it possible.
"Folks" behind goodfolks
We're three kids with ageing parents. And we've been on the other side of this too. The worry of knowing your folks may need help. The frustration of trying to find the right person. The guilt of wondering if you're doing enough when you can't always be there.
We kept wondering if there was a better way to care for our folks. Better for the ones receiving it. Better for the families trying to make it work. And better for the people providing it. So we decided to build one. Together.
Help us help "better"
"goodfolks" isn't just something we're building as a company. It's something we're trying to change about the way care works. And we know we can't do that alone.We'd like to meet people who care about this as much as we do. People who want to build, question, learn, solve problems and make care a little better along the way. If that sounds like you, just say hello.
