The Blair County office, now in Duncansville, was opened by Theresa Zurilla in 2000. Owner/general manager Mindy Sheehan bought the franchise 3.5 years ago and also serves as owner and general manager of the Home Instead Bedford franchise.

Home Instead was founded by Paul and Lori Hogan in 1994 in Omaha, Neb., to provide care to Paul’s 90-year-old grandmother.

“He said ‘I can do this for other people and there is a need,'” Sheehan said.

Today, Home Instead has more than 1,200 locations across the United States, Canada and Australia.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Home Instead is at 1923 Plank Road, Duncansville.

“We are an at-home personal care agency providing care for older adults in their own home,” Sheehan said. “We allow you to stay at home rather than somewhere else. People would rather keep their loved ones at home. They don’t want their parents to go into a facility.”

Sheehan’s franchises serve all of Blair County and portions of Indiana and Cambria counties, all of Bedford and Huntingdon counties and a small portion of Fulton County.

Home Instead does not provide medical care.

“We are not nurses,” Sheehan said.

Home Instead does, however, provide numerous services, such as light housekeeping, meal planning, recipe research, cooking, grocery list preparation and grocery shopping. They provide transportation to doctor appointments, worship services, senior centers, fitness classes, club events, volunteer meetings and museums.

Senior care services from Home Instead help to enhance the aging experience by providing practical support at home with a human touch.

“The elderly population suffers from loneliness and isolation,” Sheehan said, noting that the companionship program is very valuable.

Patricia Gildea, an independent living resident at Garvey Manor, enjoys the companionship visits.

“They were wonderful. They would come in and stay with me for a few hours in the evening. They were great, they would always ask if they could do anything for me. A couple of times it was the same person, they were all very nice,” Gildea said.

Home Instead also offers Alzheimer’s and dementia care, hospice support and chronic illness care.

Home Instead is different from other similar agencies. Sheehan said all the branches around the world are owned by locals who are involved in their communities and can better respond to challenges faced by the elderly in the area.

Today, Sheehan’s two franchises serve 225 clients and employ 145 personal care professionals.

It takes a special kind of person to provide the services.

“We are not for everyone. It takes someone with a kind and caring heart to do this. It will test your patience. We celebrate all that is good in life and will hold their hand until their last breath,” Sheehan said. “We hire for personality as well as skill.”

Brandon Pote has been working as a personal care provider for Home Instead for five years. He said he was drawn to the job because he always had a heart for senior citizens and knew he would be able to connect with them and help them through any difficulties they faced.

“The clients need someone, a lot of times it is just companionship. It feels good to be there for them,” Pote said. “Sometimes it is hard, you can’t take anything personally. I am able to adapt; the key to this job is being able to adapt to each situation. If you can’t adapt, this job is not for you.”

Home Instead is the preferred provider for the Veterans Administration and gets referrals from the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center. The organization also gets referrals from the Cambria County Agency on Aging and the Huntingdon, Bedford and Fulton Area Agency on Aging.

Home Instead receives many calls from family members.

“We have a lot of people call, they are looking for guidance. Typically it is a daughter or niece who calls us. Within 24 hours, we can discuss options and we are able to provide care within a week,” Sheehan said. “The last thing you want to have is to be put on a waiting list. We’ve been able to avoid a waiting list, we focus on having the right staff in place to meet the needs of the consumer base.”

Every client is different, so a personalized care plan tailored to fit a family’s needs is developed.

Home Instead’s services are not covered by Medicare. Most clients pay with cash. Long-term insurance will cover the services, Sheehan said.

“The number of clients has doubled since I bought (the business). I see us continuing to grow in the future. If Medicare is approved, we will see a significant increase in business,” Sheehan said.

“My goal is to be the best care provider in the area we service and allow clients to age with grace and dignity. That is how I operate.”

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.