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.

 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. ​

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.”

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.
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• It’s part of your overall marketing plan. This is your passion, but it is also your business. You need a marketing plan, and you can’t ignore the fact an online presence can be an important marketing tool.
• Families are looking online for housing options for their loved ones. A business website probably won’t come up first on search engines, but you can make your presence known by using services such as Laria Care Finder where people can find detailed information about your home. Additionally, you can create a Google My Business account to be found through Google and on Google Maps. Also, Google My Business allows you to create a free basic website for your business.
• It lends you some credibility. In this day-and-age, if nobody can find your business online, they can become a bit skeptical about your business. This is also true if they visit your website, and it’s obvious you haven’t updated it since 2005.
• You have control over the content. You can post beautiful pictures of the inside and outside of your home, and offer any details that might be of interest to people looking to move to your adult care home.
• It gives people a personal connection to you, as a caregiver. Post photos of yourself and give information about your approach to providing care, and why you chose to go into this business.
• It gives you a forum to post client testimonials. Let people know about the great care you provide by posting client and family testimonials (while always keeping confidentiality in mind).
• Make it easy for people to find you. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to find information about your care home and your contact information.

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?
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Here are several suggestions to help you find your own success.

• Set SMART goals for yourself. Setting goals, along with perseverance, are the keys to success, however you choose to define that success. Recognize success won’t land in your lap; you have to pursue it using your SMART goals as a guide. Set financial, relational, career, and other goals for yourself. How do you see your life in one, five, or 10 years from now? Also, start saving early for retirement!
• Believe in yourself and your abilities. I realize this sounds completely cliche, but it’s really important. Often highly-proficient people suffer from what is called “imposter syndrome.” This is where knowledgeable and skilled people feel they are faking their knowledge and skills, when in fact, they are highly-competent. Embrace what you’re good at, and do it well.
• Take calculated risks. I’ve always been risk-averse, but I realized nothing great will happen without taking some risk. Starting my own business was a calculated risk I was willing to take. Just like in the stock market, the greater the risk, the greater the potential reward. Consider the possibilities and the outcomes of the risk, and make a choice with which you’re comfortable.
• Follow your passion. Don’t take a job simply because it pays well. You’ll be miserable, and money won’t make up for a job you dread going to every day. Find a job that pays the bills but is also something you truly enjoy.
• Network. I never recognized the importance of networking when I was younger, but as I’ve advanced in my career, I’ve realized networking is vital. Join trade organizations and attend related conferences. Connect with others, not for what you can get out of the relationship, but to work together with people who support your vision and have similar passions and interests.
• Help others and give back. Volunteer for a cause that is important to you. Mentor struggling students, help at the local food bank, visit home-bound seniors, or join the board of directors of a local non-profit. Much happiness comes from helping others.
• Have a good attitude. A lot of businesses would rather hire someone with a good attitude and train them for a particular position, than hire a qualified person with a poor attitude. Choose to have a positive mental attitude.
• See yourself as a lifelong learner. Learning can be formal, such as a college degree, but most of our learning is informal. Find areas in which you would like to improve, and either take additional classes, teach yourself online, read a book on the subject, or find a mentor who is willing to take you under their wing. Never stop learning.