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Abbotsford News Friday! Magazine
November, 2007
Nurse Next Door knocks on Abbotsford
Making lives better with at-home care
by SHEENA JACKSON, FRIDAY! Magazine
Six years ago, Ken Sim and John DeHart had a hard time finding quality home care professionals to look after their loved ones.
Sim’s wife had given birth, but experienced some unexpected complications. She needed emergency bed rest and they needed help. They called a company to provide a caregiver, but when the caregiver arrived, they found out she hadn’t been through a criminal background check or a formal interview.
In 2002, DeHart found out his father had cancer. He wanted someone to look after him at home.
Both families couldn’t find what they were looking for, so they joined forces and launched Nurse Next Door, which today services more than 1,000 clients in the Lower Mainland and has plans to expand throughout British Columbia.
Franchises in Burnaby, New Westminster and Kamloops were announced earlier this year.
The latest franchise opened in Abbotsford and, with its catchy name and bright pink car as a mobile marketing tool, owner and operator Drew Ratcliffe believes there is a market for it.
“Usually, it’s the type of thing where you’re scrambling and you don’t have the time to do the kind of homework that we do at Nurse Next Door,” said Ratcliffe, donning a company vest with the corporate name and logo on the front and the slogan “Making Lives Better” printed in big capital letters on the back.
Ratcliffe knows all about the struggles of home care, having looked after his mother, who suffers from a brain injury, for years.
With the growing demands of family and work, Ratcliffe sought professional help, including Nurse Next Door, to care for his mother. This way he knows his mother is getting the best care.
The company, which has registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, registered care aides and home support workers on staff, provides seniors with a range of professional home health care services, including companionship to 24-hour live-in nursing care.
Services can also include anything from taking care of laundry, to going for walks to full service shopping and meal planning.
Ratcliffe says before anyone commits to Nurse Next Door, meetings take place with clients to identify their needs and make sure they get the appropriate level of care.
“Everyone has different needs and we find a way to serve those needs,” said Ratcliffe, who said services are affordable, starting at as little as $50 a week.
An aging Canadian population is another reason why Ratcliffe believes there is a need for Nurse Next Door, with approximately 14 per cent of Abbotsford residents currently 65 years or older.
What’s important about Nurse Next Door, and sets it apart from other service providers, is that it allows seniors to maintain their independence, giving them and their families peace of mind, Ratcliffe said.
“We see this as something that Abbotsford is in need of and we’re happy to be here,” he added.
Nurse Next Door has won several business awards in recent years, including Top 40 Under 40 in 2005 and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006.
Since 2001, it has helped thousands of clients and prepares more than 20,000 meals each year.
The company’s long-term goal is to have 500 franchise partners world-wide, serving 50,000 clients each year.
For more information go to www.nursenextdoor.com or call 604-613-7679.
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