Article by Alyssa Elting McGuire, MA, MPA November is National Caregiver Appreciation Month. In honor of the work adult care home providers and staff do day-in and day-out, I would like to take time to recognize and appreciate the work they do by telling their stories. Recently, I interviewed provider Vicky Barbu and her business partner and daughter Adriana Gavozdea about their experiences moving to America and starting their adult foster home in Tigard. They shared their stories of how they came to work in the adult care home field and provided their ideas on what makes adult care home providers, and other staff, successful. Interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity. Interview with Adriana Gavozdea How long have you worked in the adult foster/care home business? I’ve worked in this business for eight years, since I moved here from Romania. My mom owned the adult foster home for eight years prior. I came here to start a new life, and I actually started this job two days after I landed. My mom trained me at her level because someday when she wants to retire, I can take over the home. We work together, and we’re a team. What do you love most about the work you do? I love that I make a difference, honestly. For example, when a resident can’t brush their teeth and you help them, it makes their day better. Recently, a client who wasn’t doing well was having trouble putting on her sandals. She asked me to do if for her, but instead I coached her and watched her closely, and she did it by herself. She was so happy at the end and thanked me so much. That’s my joy. What do you believe makes someone’s work successful? Compassion, and you have to be built for this. What I mean by that, is I’ve met people in this industry who didn’t have passion and they were miserable. You have to love what you do and help other people. If you do it for the money, you may succeed financially, but at the end of the day you’ll be so burned out, it won’t matter. You have to like to help people. Anything else you’d like us to know about you? I think we’re amazing! My mom and I were doing other things back in Romania. I never worked in healthcare before. She was an accountant and I was CEO, and we ended up in America, starting a new life from scratch. You land here and have to start all over. My mom arrived at age 45 and I arrived here when I was 30. Since we have other skills, there is always another option, but we want to do this. We’re not stuck in this job, but we like this work. We got used to being at home, being home with you kids, be at home for meals. We are so family oriented. In Romania, you take care of the seniors, so we are used to being in the home with the older generations. In Romania, after I gave birth to my daughter, I went back to work. My grandmother took care of my daughter until she was four, and my grandmother was at my house all the time. It’s a cultural thing. You have to love what you do and help other people. Interview with Vicky Barbu How long have you worked in the adult foster/care home business? I opened my home in 2007, and before that, I was working as a caregiver in another adult foster home. We came to the U.S. in April of 2002, and I started as a caregiver in June. I was a bookkeeper in Romania for manufacturing, and I was also a foster mother. I came to America when I was 45. It’s hard to go back to school with new culture and language. When I arrived, I could understand English, but it was hard for me to talk. I learned to speak English well with residents while working. What do you love most about the work you do? When you are helping residents. When residents really need help and you can give them the help they need, you get to see how happy they are and how well they are feeling. This makes you proud and think, “I did something good today.” What do you believe makes someone successful? I am trying to do my job the best I can do. It is very hard work, and especially working with people with disease processes. Sure, it sometimes makes you crazy, but you have to have patience and try to understand the residents’ needs, that it’s not their personality, but it’s the disease. They don’t necessarily want to do what they’re doing. In this work, you need to have a lot of patience. It’s important to show residents you care about them. Much of the time, we know them very well, so we should try to be their voice (e.g. to medical staff and others). With every resident, you’re learning something new. Use that new information to learn and help the next residents. I learn a lot with every resident. You have to be open to learn new things. You don’t have to know everything. Open your mind and pay attention, and then you will learn. Anything else you’d like us to know about you? I am trying to make everything very smooth for my business behind the scenes. I know what I have to follow, so I’m trying to follow rules and make it run smoothly. My advice is make residents happy and follow the rules, and things will work well. My advice is make residents happy and follow the rules, and things will work well. ![]() About the Author Alyssa is the founder and consulting & training director for Oregon Care Home Consulting & Training. Email Alyssa
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Article by Alyssa Elting McGuire Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. March is Women’s History Month. Every day should be a day to celebrate the lives, strengths, and accomplishments of women. It’s no secret that women make up the majority of caregivers for both seniors and children. It has been researched and written about for years. In families, of course, the care burden is primarily placed on the shoulders of female spouses and daughters. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Approximately two-thirds of caregivers are women…and one-third of dementia caregivers are daughters.” ![]() If we look at the numbers for adult care homes, we can see there isn’t a significant difference between family and professional caregivers, in this regard. There are almost 1,600 adult care homes in Oregon, and based on a quick sampling of the State’s long-term care facility search site, it is clear a significant percentage are operated by women. I think we’re starting to see a slow paradigm shift in our culture where there is less expectation of caregiving being “women’s work,” and where more men are proudly taking on caregiving roles. Anecdotally, I’ve seen a significant increase in the number of men who are professional caregivers and nurses opening adult care homes over the past few years and being the primary caregivers, or working along side their female partners. This is a good thing. Even with this slow shift taking place, the majority of caregivers are still women. According to a 2018 Portland State University report on adult foster homes in Oregon, 88% of licensees live in the adult care home, and a third had children under 17 living at home. From this, we can conclude that many women are both providing care for residents and their children. This is both a benefit and a challenge. It really is more of a benefit, though, if we consider these women would be caring for children, or having to find and pay for care for children, regardless of where they worked. The adult care home business provides women with the opportunity to be their own bosses yet also care for children or aging parents while working at home and making a solid income. What other business truly provides this opportunity for women? ![]() In this regard, one significant benefit of owning an adult care home is that parents can stay home with their children while working. The adult care home business provides women with the opportunity to be their own bosses yet also care for children or aging parents while working at home and making a solid income. What other business truly provides this opportunity for women? So, on this International Women’s Day, let’s take the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the work of women around the world, and also here at home. Let’s continue to recognize the important work of adult care home providers and support those providers who are making an important contribution to both the older generations, and the next.
Article by Alyssa Elting McGuire, MA, MPA I was recently sitting in a class on the topic of website marketing offered through the Small Business Development Center, and I started thinking to myself, “why do so many adult care home businesses not have websites?” I’ll be the first to admit I’m no marketing expert, but I can say I recognize the value of a small business having an online presence. Why, as an adult care home provider, should you invest the time and money into having a website or an alternative web presence for your adult care home business? I’d like to give you seven reasons why you need an online presence that showcases you and your adult care home.
You don’t have to be a web designer or developer to create your web presence. If you have some understanding of website development and design, you can create your own site, but your time is money, so I would encourage you to consider hiring out this service, or using a service that will do the work for you to market your home. Let the professionals handle it. It will be worth your time and money, and you’ll be on the right path to creating a professional, online presence for your adult care home business.
Article by Alyssa Elting McGuire, MA, MPA When I was a young college student, my professional goal was to ultimately become an executive director of a non-profit organization, or reach a higher-level position in government. I also wanted to make a good income. Yes, I realized as I got older it was a bit idealistic and naïve to think I’d make a lot of money working in the public sector. Over the years, though, what I have learned about myself is that money and prestige are not the main motivating factors in my life. I eventually recognized my original goal was not actually about position or money, but about being in a position with enough authority to make a real difference.
What is your personal definition of success? Is having a high-level position and a high income important, or is having a family and helping others your definition of success? Should we define a successful person as a well-rounded person? Here are several suggestions to help you find your own success.
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