04/08/2025
4 years ago, on April 4, 2021, my dad passed away. He wasnât just my dadâhe was my boss and mentor. I clearly remember one of our last conversations about Health Care Services. I told him I was ready to wear my "big girl pants" and that he could go knowing his legacy would carry on. I kissed his forehead, and I could feel the weight lift from him.
To say the past four years have been difficult would be an understatement. Every fear I had about taking over Health Care Services came true. Remember, in 2021, the world was still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Home care was at the forefront, with people avoiding facilities, facing a severe workforce shortage, adhering to mandatory vaccinations, and navigating complex contact tracing requirements.
Then came 2022. Staffing shortages persisted, our RN of 10 years retired, and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RI DOH) wouldnât renew our home care license because I needed to apply for a change in effective control(CEC). On top of that, we underwent an ACA audit and were mandated by RI EOHHS to implement an operational EVV system.
In 2023, the challenges continued. We had our first RI DOH survey in 17 years, office staff morale was low, finding a new RN was difficult, and our CEC approval was delayed for over a year. I realized I wasnât acting like the owner; I was just trying to survive. All along, my dad sent me signs to continue. Then, I reached a point where I had to make a decision. Thatâs when I received an unexpected call from a business consultant group, who helped me understand what it truly means to be an ownerânot just to operate but to lead...There he was again.
In September 2023, our CEC was finally approvedâbut with one condition: we had to become an accredited agency by September 2025. I felt like it was never going to end...For the past 18 months, Iâve been rewriting 50 years of policies and procedures.
All this to sayâWE DID IT. He sent me another sign, of all the dates we could have been approved - APRIL 4, 2025!
Losing my dad, my security blanket, was incredibly hard, but learning my own strength has been invaluable. Despite all the challenges, the agency has made tremendous progress. Weâve experienced growth, strengthened our internal office, and have an amazing RN team, as well as top-notch CNAs and homemakers. None of this would have been possible without them.
Hereâs to another 50 years of providing the best possible care to the elderly and disabled in Rhode Island as an accredited agency.
