2024 Franchisee of the Year

We are thrilled to announce that Neelima Gaikwad, owner of A Place At Home – Schaumburg, has been honored with the prestigious International Franchise Association (IFA) Franchisee of the Year Award. This accolade recognizes Neelima’s unwavering commitment to providing exceptional in-home senior care services in Schaumburg, Wood Dale, and the surrounding communities.

A Journey of Dedication and Expertise

With over two decades of experience as a healthcare professional, Neelima’s journey is marked by a profound dedication to enhancing the lives of seniors. She holds a Bachelor’s in Occupational Therapy from India, a Master’s in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Her career began as a pediatric occupational therapist, eventually leading her to become a lead therapist specializing in senior care. This extensive background has equipped Neelima with the expertise to address the unique needs of the elderly population.

Elevating Senior Care in Schaumburg

Under Neelima’s leadership, A Place At Home – Schaumburg has become a beacon of compassionate and professional in-home senior care. The services offered are comprehensive, ranging from non-medical in-home care to specialized programs tailored to individual needs. Key offerings include:

  • Companion Care: Providing socialization and emotional support to combat loneliness and isolation.
  • Lifestyle Care: Assisting with daily activities such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, and laundry to ensure a comfortable living environment.
  • Personal Care: Offering support with activities of daily living, including bathing, grooming, dressing, and mobility assistance.
  • Senior Living Alternatives: Guiding families through the transition process when in-home care is no longer viable, ensuring a smooth move to trusted senior living communities.

These services are designed to help seniors maintain their independence and dignity while receiving the support they need in the comfort of their own homes.

A Philosophy Rooted in CARE

The foundation of A Place At Home is built upon the philosophy of CARE, emphasizing:

  • Compassionate: Understanding and addressing the emotional and physical needs of seniors.
  • Accountable: Ensuring reliable and consistent care delivery.
  • Respectful: Honoring the dignity and preferences of each individual.
  • Ethical: Upholding the highest standards of integrity in all interactions.

This philosophy permeates every aspect of the services provided, ensuring that seniors receive professional care, genuine compassion, and respect.

Join Us in Celebrating Excellence in Senior Care

Neelima Gaikwad’s recognition as the IFA Franchisee of the Year is a testament to her dedication, expertise, and the exceptional services offered at A Place At Home – Schaumburg. We invite you to learn more about how our team can support you and your loved ones in achieving a higher quality of life through personalized in-home senior care.

Are you or a loved one in need of care? Find out more about the location nearest you!

Arbor Day – Love For Our Planet and Those We Hold Close

Arbor Day 2020

Arbor Day – it’s one of those holidays that we don’t take off work for, or exchange gifts. But for our planet, it’s one of the most important holidays of the year. The founder of Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton, had a passion for nature, and trees in particular. Originally from New York, Morton settled down in the Midwest, founding this holiday dedicated to trees in Nebraska, the same state A Place At Home was founded. It is estimated that one million trees were planted in Nebraska at the first Arbor Day celebration in 1872.

 

Impact on our Health and Environment

 

Trees have a major impact on our environment, and our health. Most people know that trees clean the air. But did you know that each year they remove over 46 million tons of air pollution, just in the United States? In the same amount of time, one mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In exchange, it releases oxygen. It’s no wonder then, that 20 percent of the earth’s oxygen overall is produced in the Amazon Rainforest. And trees don’t just affect our air quality. Studies have shown that just being able to see a tree significantly reduces stress levels and improves quality of life.

Impact on our Heart

 

Traditionally, people across the world celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees. Not just to be kind to the environment, but to honor loved ones who have passed away. It’s for this reason that Arbor Day, and the Arbor Day Foundation, is near and dear to our hearts. At A Place At Home, trees represent powerful meaning.  Like others, we think of trees as the symbol of the vitality of life, and those that came before us, and those that will carry on after we are gone. It stands for families and ancestors. It stands for strength, stability, and nourishment.

 

Rooted in Care

 

For every client we have been honored to care for that passes away, A Place At Home plants trees in their memory. Since 2014, A Place At Home franchise network has planted almost 2,000 trees. Memorials to our clients are growing in Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Superior National Forest, Chippewa National Forest, Custer-Gallatin National Forest, and Klamath National Forest. Each tree we plant reminds us of how grateful we are to have been touched by the lives of those families and clients.

 

If you’d like to celebrate this Arbor Day by planting a tree, why not go the extra mile and become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation. First time members get 10 trees free and you can sign up here.

 

If you or someone you know can benefit from extra support in the home, please reach out to us to see how we can help.

2021 National Caregiver of the Year: Molina Schebell

At A Place At Home, we believe that our caregivers are the most essential part of our business – after all, they are the reason we’re able to provide professional, compassionate care to seniors in their homes across the country. Each year, we receive nominations for caregivers across our system to be awarded as our National Caregiver of the Year. This year, that award went to Molina Schebell, a caregiver for A Place At Home – Orange Park.

To be considered for the award, the caregiver must consistently demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to delivering care to clients, as well as their families. On top of that, candidates must continually operate within A Place At Home’s core values of C.A.R.E. They must be Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical in all of their actions and interactions at all times. According to Chris Adams, owner of A Place At Home- Orange Park, Molina not only fits within these parameters, but she also goes above and beyond at all times, personally driven to devote her time to helping those in need.

“She’s a wonderful person to work with because she changes people’s lives the way she treats them and approaches them.”

In Chris’s submission letter, he spoke of the positive response Molina receives from clients from the moment she first walks in their door – they immediately trust her because she exudes peace and comfort. We were fortunate to meet Molina in person and experience first-hand the truth of Chris’s words. To receive her award as National Caregiver of the Year, Molina was flown to Omaha, Nebraska, to attend our annual award ceremony, which happens once a year at our annual convention. Her all-expenses-paid trip included a spa day, as well as a plaque and a check for $1,000. She was interviewed about being selected while in Omaha, and her empathy was evident in every interaction with her. When asked how she felt about winning, she said it came as a complete shock. Winning the award genuinely humbled her.

“The closer it got to me flying to Omaha, it really sank in that I had won this award for just being myself.”

When she says, “just for being myself,” she means it. For Molina, caring for others comes naturally; winning an award for something she does effortlessly seems surreal to her. She says she’s always been the sort of person to give of herself when others have a need. Unbeknownst to her at the time, that mindset is what set her on her path to caring for others professionally. About 13 years ago, her grandmother was diagnosed with dementia. At the time, Molina had never been a caregiver in any official way. At this point in her career, she was the manager of a busy auto shop. Molina enjoyed the job, but her love for her nana and her own empathetic nature kicked into high gear. She decided to resign from her position. She moved in with her grandmother to care for her full time. She wanted to keep her from moving from her home and into a nursing home. She was determined to ensure her nana had the best quality of life and care.

She immediately started learning everything she could about dementia and how to give the best possible care to someone living with the disease.

Over the next five years, Molina was her grandmother’s primary caregiver. Through the state of Florida, her grandmother qualified to receive respite care. A professional caregiver came in three days a week for four hours a day. Those hours were the only time that Molina had for herself. She was the full-time caregiver the rest of the time, seven days a week. It was far from easy for either of them. Molina put her life on hold during that time, and her grandmother suffered from every possible complication that could occur with dementia. On three separate occasions, Molina had to resuscitate her grandmother, who would then have to be life-flighted to a hospital where she would stay for a month, only to return home and go through it again. Even still, Molina wouldn’t trade that time for anything in the world. She was so grateful to be able to be there with her and for her.

“We had the best memories. For five years, we had memories that nobody can take.”

While caring for her grandmother, Molina realized that something that comes naturally to her – caring for others – had become a passion. After her grandmother passed away, she knew that caregiving was her calling. Her experience served to deepen her understanding of what others go through when a loved one is diagnosed with dementia and expanded her empathy to encompass their family, as well. She says, “From the outside, you can’t really see what’s going on behind closed doors, the struggles that family members go through.” This perspective allows her caring nature to reach beyond her clients to the spouses, children, and siblings that love and care for someone with dementia. Molina knows first-hand – she was both the granddaughter and the caregiver. The gravity of being a family member and a caregiver is something that she doesn’t take lightly.

“It’s hard for everybody, not just the individual.”

Now, years later, the ripple effect of realizing her calling through the experience with her grandmother is ongoing. Molina’s compassion and empathy have allowed her to gain the trust of the individuals and families in the Orange Park community. “This is what I’m supposed to do. This is what I get up for, and it’s something I’m excited about.”

Since she started working with A Place At Home, Molina has participated in specialized training to become CARE Certified in Dementia and Fall Recovery. In the future, Molina plans on furthering her career in the medical field, specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia, though she says she’ll always work and care for people in their homes. She believes that when people receive care in their home instead of a senior living community, it’s a better experience for them. And, she can’t really imagine doing anything else.

“I think this comes naturally to me – to care for people. It makes me feel happy to know that I’m providing for somebody how I would want my family to be cared for.”

At A Place At Home – we take our C.A.R.E. standards seriously. If you’re a caregiver – or are intrigued by the idea of a career that directly improves the lives of others – apply to work with us today. And if you or someone you know needs compassionate, professional care, we can help.

A Place At Home Honors First-Ever National Caregiver of the Year

The 2020 Caregiver of the Year went the extra mile in providing exceptional care.

The 2nd Annual A Place At Home Franchise Convention was held in late September. This event marks a time for franchisees to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the past year. This year also marked the first-ever recognition of the National A Place At Home Caregiver of the Year. Franchisee’s submitted nominations from all over the country for one caregiver that went above and beyond the call of duty, demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to delivering quality care to clients and their families and lives the “We are CARE” philosophy. 

“We received many nominations from all over the country and each one was inspiring. It was difficult to choose just one winner,” said Jerod Evanich, President and Co-Founder of A Place At Home.

However, there was one nomination that painted a detailed picture of how one person went above and beyond the call of duty. The nomination read:

Dave came on with A Place At Home after decades of working in the insurance business. He wanted to do something more “rewarding” in his 60s. He got his CNA/CMA and began working to make people’s lives better. 
Dave treats all clients like family. He creates a unique bond with each client he works with. He is always on time, never calls out, and makes sure everything is done to his best ability. 
Dave has worked for the past year with a very high acuity client. He instantly bonded with the young client (49) who due to a rare set of circumstances went from a successful businessman to a barely communicative paraplegic overnight. 
He has spent countless hours working as the main caregiver for this client and his family. Not only does he transport the client to his MANY weekly therapy appointments but works one on one with him in his home. Dave is consistently cheering this client on to make his next personal best in his daily bike exercises and always makes notes when a personal best has been reached. 
Dave has worked with therapists at Madonna to learn this client’s individual therapies and continues them at home as well as trains other caregivers working there in how they can help him gain strides. 
When he heard their anniversary was approaching, he took it upon himself to plan a romantic dinner out so the client could surprise his wife. He took the client out to get a card, made reservations at a nice restaurant, planned for a special dessert, and took time out of his off time to transport them over there in the client’s wheelchair van so they could surprise the wife. 
Dave does everything he can to try to relieve some stress off the wife who is also a mother of four and a doctor. Life for her is crazy and Dave makes sure there is always one less thing for her to worry about in his care for the client. Dave’s level of commitment to not only the client but also to our company goes above and beyond anyone I have ever seen.”

Dave walked into A Place At Home – Papillion shortly after they opened their doors in 2019. Dave interviewed for a CNA position and said he was looking for something that would fill his heart. He had retired from insurance and was now searching to do something more meaningful with his time.

“I remember thinking where the heck did this guy fall out of the sky from?” said Rick Perkins, Owner of A Place At Home – Papillion. 

Dave was placed with Don in August of 2019 and the two found an instant connection. They not only share common interests but are also from the same town and attended the same college. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that brought these two together. But citing six degrees of separation,  Dave said, “There are no coincidences. I’m blessed to be a part of Don’s life.”

As blessed as Dave feels, Don and the A Place At Home team consider themselves equally fortunate to have Dave fulfilling his personal mission: to touch as many lives as possible as a caregiver. 

Dave is firm in his belief that you must have a servant’s heart to work in this industry; you must have empathy, and be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s this mindset that awarded Dave Caregiver of the Year. While he was happy to be awarded this honor, it’s his internal compass that drives his actions.

“At the end of the day, I lay my head on my pillow, and I know I made a difference.” 

A Place At Home Partners with Arbor Day Foundation to Provide Trees in Memory

Arbor Day Foundation Trees in Memory

A Place At Home joined the Arbor Day Foundation in a unique partnership to provide ‘Trees in Memory.’ Trees represent a powerful meaning to the A Place At Home Franchise brand and this partnership strengthens that connection through the ‘Trees in Memory’ program.

The co-founders of A Place At Home developed a logo with a deeper purpose. “We wanted a symbol that represents the strength, stability, and nourishment we bring to seniors and their families. The tree in our logo, is known as “the tree of life.” It serves as a reminder that we are deeply rooted in our C.A.R.E. philosophy and will provide Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical care to those we serve,” said Dustin Distefano, CEO of A Place At Home.

The Arbor Day Foundation was founded in Nebraska as was A Place At Home. “This partnership just seems natural. Not only are our services rooted in CARE, but when those we have cared for are gone, we plant trees in honor of them through the Arbor Day Foundation. The life of those we’ve served have meant something of significance to us and this small gesture will carry on their memory for future generations to provide a symbol of lasting peace and comfort,” said Jerod Evanich, President of A Place At Home.

A Place At Home has franchises nationwide that participate in the ‘Trees in Memory’ program. The trees planted serve as a living tribute that benefits present and future generations. The memorial trees are planted in National Forests. They provide long-term benefits such as cleaner air and water as well as the restoration of natural habitat. A Place At Home Franchise is proud of this unique partnership that will also make an impact on the environment.

To find an A Place At Home location near you, search here.

A Place At Home Honors First-Ever National Caregiver of the Year

The 2020 Caregiver of the Year went the extra mile in providing exceptional care.

The 2nd Annual A Place At Home Franchise Convention was held in late September. This event marks a time for franchisees to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the past year. This year also marked the first-ever recognition of the National A Place At Home Caregiver of the Year. Franchisee’s submitted nominations from all over the country for one caregiver that went above and beyond the call of duty, demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to delivering quality care to clients and their families and lives the “We are CARE” philosophy.

“We received many nominations from all over the country and each one was inspiring. It was difficult to choose just one winner,” said Jerod Evanich, President and Co-Founder of A Place At Home.

However, there was one nomination that painted a detailed picture of how one person went above and beyond the call of duty. The nomination read:

Dave came on with A Place At Home after decades of working in the insurance business. He wanted to do something more “rewarding” in his 60s. He got his CNA/CMA and began working to make people’s lives better. 

Dave treats all clients like family. He creates a unique bond with each client he works with. He is always on time, never calls out, and makes sure everything is done to his best ability. 

Dave has worked for the past year with a very high acuity client. He instantly bonded with the young client (49) who due to a rare set of circumstances went from a successful businessman to a barely communicative paraplegic overnight. 

He has spent countless hours working as the main caregiver for this client and his family. Not only does he transport the client to his MANY weekly therapy appointments but works one on one with him in his home. Dave is consistently cheering this client on to make his next personal best in his daily bike exercises and always makes notes when a personal best has been reached. 

Dave has worked with therapists at Madonna to learn this client’s individual therapies and continues them at home as well as trains other caregivers working there in how they can help him gain strides. 

When he heard their anniversary was approaching, he took it upon himself to plan a romantic dinner out so the client could surprise his wife. He took the client out to get a card, made reservations at a nice restaurant, planned for a special dessert, and took time out of his off time to transport them over there in the client’s wheelchair van so they could surprise the wife. 

Dave does everything he can to try to relieve some stress off the wife who is also a mother of four and a doctor. Life for her is crazy and Dave makes sure there is always one less thing for her to worry about in his care for the client. Dave’s level of commitment to not only the client but also to our company goes above and beyond anyone I have ever seen.”

Dave walked into A Place At Home – Papillion shortly after they opened their doors in 2019. Dave interviewed for a CNA position and said he was looking for something that would fill his heart. He had retired from insurance and was now searching to do something more meaningful with his time.

“I remember thinking where the heck did this guy fall out of the sky from?” said Rick Perkins, Owner of A Place At Home – Papillion.

Dave was placed with Don in August of 2019 and the two found an instant connection. They not only share common interests but are also from the same town and attended the same college. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that brought these two together. But citing six degrees of separation,  Dave said, “There are no coincidences. I’m blessed to be a part of Don’s life.”

As blessed as Dave feels, Don and the A Place At Home team consider themselves equally fortunate to have Dave fulfilling his personal mission: to touch as many lives as possible as a caregiver.

Dave is firm in his belief that you must have a servant’s heart to work in this industry; you must have empathy, and be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s this mindset that awarded Dave Caregiver of the Year. While he was happy to be awarded this honor, it’s his internal compass that drives his actions.

“At the end of the day, I lay my head on my pillow, and I know I made a difference.”

A Place At Home Sells First Corporate-Owned Location to Local Franchisee

Omaha-based A Place At Home is now 100% franchisee-owned.

The day before the 2nd Annual A Place At Home Franchise Convention, A Place At Home Franchise sold its original Omaha location to Papillion franchisees, Rick and Kris Perkins.

“I can’t think of a better match for our Omaha-location than Kris and Rick. They won our 2020 Rookie of the Year award at this year’s convention, they’ve cared about the seniors of our community for a long time, and I am completely confident in their ability to take over Omaha operations. The staff loves them, we love them, it was a perfect match,” said Dustin Distefano, CEO and Co-Founder of A Place At Home.

Rick is a former counselor and manager who spent 20 years with Child and Adult Protective Services. He also served as Program Coordinator for the Juvenile Assessment Center. Kris is a former 911 dispatcher and EMT. She also worked in sales and deployment roles for Motorola Solutions, Inc., where she deployed public safety software across the United States. This husband-and-wife team has been running the Papillion franchise location for over a year now.

“Helping seniors age in their own homes has become a passion for us, and the Omaha team has been so wonderful to work with during this transition,” Kris says.

“We understand enlisting the help of professionals to care for loved ones is a tough decision to make,” said Rick. “We want the Omaha community to know we’ll treat your family like we’d treat our own family. And we want to ease the stress of the transition to an assisted living community when the time comes.”

The Papillion franchise office is located at 10791 S. 72nd St., Suite #104, and serves Bellevue, Offutt, Ralston, Chalco, La Vista, Council Bluffs, and Center Lake. The Perkins will establish the new Omaha location at 9829 S 168th Ave, Suite A in 2021. They will also have a central satellite office at Terrace Plaza, 11414 W Center Rd. They will also serve Elkhorn, Fremont, Blair, Wahoo, and Gretna and the Iowa communities of Council Bluffs, Crescent, and Glenwood.

To A Place At Home co-founders, Jerod Evanich and Dustin Distefano, awarding franchises to the right people is an important part of fulfilling their mission:

“To be passionate professionals providing the compassionate care solutions you need, when and where you need us.”

If you or someone you love needs care in their home, contact us today!

Pearl Miller – One of a Kind

From War-Torn Liberia to Omaha Nebraska, Pearl Miller is one of a kind.

If you ask Cheryll, who Pearl Miller cares for through A Place At Home, you’ll have no doubt about why she was chosen as Caregiver of the Month for May. Pearl has been caring for Cheryll full time for nine months, and the impact she’s made on Cheryll’s life in that short time is evident.

“I appreciate everything about Pearl. She’s an angel, she looks after you, every little detail. She has a sense of humor. She pushes you when you need to be pushed.”

While Cheryll is the most recent person Pearl has cared for, she is far from the first. Pearl’s experience as a caregiver started when she was a young girl in Liberia. She and her siblings took care of their grandparents, and great aunts and uncles. Helping those that couldn’t do for themselves. “At the time, I didn’t know anything about ‘caregiver’. I was just helping a family member.”

Pearl’s caring nature comes to her honestly; her mother was the town doctor. Pearl shares that her mother went to medical school but didn’t finish. Instead, she used her skillset and knowledge to serve the people in their community. No one at that time could afford to go to a hospital. And when war came to Liberia, at the age of 13, Pearl followed behind her mother, caring for the sick and wounded. It was then Pearl decided what she wanted to do in life.

“From there, I started learning how to care for people when they are hurt, when they are wounded…and so I started thinking, this would be a good thing to do, to help people.”

Pearl came to the US when she was 17, to escape the war. She started her CNA career in Maryland, and started medical school, but didn’t finish. She got married, and gave birth to her son, who is now in his fourth year of college studying cyber security. In Maryland, she worked in a nursing home for years. When she came to Nebraska, she went back to school for phlebotomy, and travelled with the American Red Cross. The traveling was difficult for her son, who was young at the time, so Pearl started working in homes as a CNA.

Pearl has been working with A Place At Home since the first year they opened their doors. While she’s taken time away over the years, they are grateful that she keeps coming back. Pearl says that she’s encouraged working for A Place At Home, because the employers “are very friendly and kind, they talk with me like we are on the same level.”

“They make me feel like I am a part of it. And that plays a major role.”

Pearl says her favorite thing about being a caregiver is seeing the results of her work. She’s worked in all kinds of settings, including caring for people in a mental health facility. And when she sees progress in those individuals, she feels satisfaction. “When I’m working, and I see results, I’m like, okay, I’m doing something.”

Her advice for those just getting into the field? Patience, and empathy. “If you put yourself in their shoes, and you also have patience, you will work forever, and everything will go well for you. I always put myself in the patient’s shoes. And by doing that, we are loving ourselves and taking care of ourselves more.”

For Cheryll, Pearl is definitely producing results. Not just physically, but in a way that means even more: “I consider her a friend, too. She’s one of a kind.”

If Pearl’s advice on patience and empathy strike a chord with you, apply to be a caregiver with A Place At Home today!

 

 

 

 

May 12th is International Nurses Day

International Nurse Day 2018

International Nurse Day is May 12, 2020. Nurses are an integral part of our lives in general and here at A Place At Home, but often we don’t think about them until there’s an immediate need. In the moment of an emergency, we rely on nurses to care for us, answer questions, and provide us with compassionate care. How often are we thinking of our nurses outside of those emergency situations?

International Nurse Day – A Day to Celebrate all the great nurses in our lives

Sure, we thank them in the moment, but do they receive our thanks the rest of the year? On International Nurse Day; a reminder to show our appreciation for the care they provide. International Nurse Day became recognized by the White House in 1974; 21 years after the idea was initially proposed. The date of observance was chosen to commemorate Florence Nightingale’s birthday, the founder of modern nursing.

Nursing is of course a career that these professionals voluntarily chose, but what a compassionate profession to choose! It takes a special person to give their all to care for people every day, and these people deserve to be commended.

Here are some ways you can show your appreciation:

  1. A simple ‘Thank You’ goes a long way! Especially if it’s out of the blue
  2. Omaha business owner? Offer a discount for those hard-working nurses that use your services!
  3. Drop off Starbucks cards at your local hospital or nursing home for a little pick-me-up during the 12-hour shifts
  4. Crafty kids? Handmade crafts or drawings can put a smile on any nurse’s face
  5. Volunteer at your local senior care facility or nursing home. Have the residents make cookies and distribute to the nurses
  6. Send catered lunch to the hospital. Short on cash? Bring extra veggies from your garden for an afternoon shift break
  7. Don’t forget about nurses in home care; they deserve special thanks as well!

There are plenty ways to show these individuals your appreciation. For more info about International Nurse Day, visit www.nursingworld.org.

 

Arbor Day – Love For Our Planet and Those We Hold Close

Arbor Day 2020

Arbor Day – it’s one of those holidays that we don’t take off work for, or exchange gifts. But for our planet, it’s one of the most important holidays of the year. The founder of Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton, had a passion for nature, and trees in particular. Originally from New York, Morton settled down in the Midwest, founding this holiday dedicated to trees in Nebraska, the same state A Place At Home was founded. It is estimated that one million trees were planted in Nebraska at the first Arbor Day celebration in 1872.

Impact on our Health and Environment

Trees have a major impact on our environment, and our health. Most people know that trees clean the air. But did you know that each year they remove over 46 million tons of air pollution, just in the United States? In the same amount of time, one mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In exchange, it releases oxygen. It’s no wonder then, that 20 percent of the earth’s oxygen overall is produced in the Amazon Rainforest. And trees don’t just affect our air quality. Studies have shown that just being able to see a tree significantly reduces stress levels and improves quality of life.

Impact on our Heart

Traditionally, people across the world celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees. Not just to be kind to the environment, but to honor loved ones who have passed away. It’s for this reason that Arbor Day, and the Arbor Day Foundation, is near and dear to our hearts. At A Place At Home, trees represent powerful meaning.  Like others, we think of trees as the symbol of the vitality of life, and those that came before us, and those that will carry on after we are gone. It stands for families and ancestors. It stands for strength, stability, and nourishment.

Rooted in Care

For every client we have been honored to care for that passes away, A Place At Home plants trees in their memory. Since 2014, A Place At Home franchise network has planted almost 2,000 trees. Memorials to our clients are growing in Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Superior National Forest, Chippewa National Forest, Custer-Gallatin National Forest, and Klamath National Forest. Each tree we plant reminds us of how grateful we are to have been touched by the lives of those families and clients.

If you’d like to celebrate this Arbor Day by planting a tree, why not go the extra mile and become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation. First time members get 10 trees free and you can sign up here.

If you or someone you know can benefit from extra support in the home, please reach out to us to see how we can help.