Nine Years of Service (Part 1 of 3)

This month, our company celebrates nine years in business. As a founding partner of Elder Care Guides, I've enjoyed this opportunity to reflect on how far we've come, and how much we've accomplished for and with our clients. In these next few posts, I'll recount nine of my favorite memories from my first nine years as a part of this company:

1) Our first day in business together, I woke up in the morning excited to head over to the home of Norman Hannay (Elder Care Guides' founder and President) to get to work. Full of energy and enthusiasm, I headed outside, only to find that my car wouldn't start. I called Norman, we had a good laugh, and then spent our first couple of hours as business partners getting my car towed to the mechanic. It was a frustrating start, but from the beginning, it was clear that we were creating a place where employees would feel cared for and supported.

2) Receiving our first call. A social worker from a local hospital system called to describe a difficult situation she had on her hands, and to ask if it sounded like an appropriate referral to a geriatric care manager. We served her patient for years, helping to get his dirty apartment cleaned up, finding him a companion caregiver who was a perfect match for his personality and interests, and keeping his long-distance family caregiver connected and informed. We kept Mr. S, who had lived alone all of his life and had resisted assistance, safe and happy in his home for several years, and I still think of him often.

3) Our first company holiday party (in 2004) was just myself, Norman, and my husband -- the three of us sharing a meal together around Norman's dining table. Every year since, I've thought back to this old memory as our company has grown, and note that our holiday gatherings today involve a big, bustling room full of people that I'm very proud to call my colleagues.