Corp America March 2017

CORP AMERICA / MARCH 2017 41 , Patrick Burns of Visiting Angels is wise beyond his years as he talks to us about the industry, what keeps himmotivated and how technology could be the answer. Young at Heart Visiting Angels is an in-home care agency where caregivers go to homes to provide assistance to the elderly population in Albuquerque, New Mexico and surrounding areas. Baby boomers are turning 65 by the thousands each day across the United States, and with Albuquerque/Rio Rancho being a prime location to retire due to the low cost of living, coupled with the breath-taking mountain views, the demand for homecare will be rising rapidly over the next 20 years. Patrick Burns is the Executive Director and Owner of the Visiting Angels homecare franchise, a position he has held for just under three years. He tells us a little bit more about his role within the organisation. “I conduct all the in-home assessments to all our clients to get them started with caregiving services,” he says. “I also do all the marketing to grow the care opportunities for seniors within the area. Finally, I oversee operations, payroll, and caregiver relations to ensure our company is operating at its best. Patrick got into the industry straight from college via a Texas investment group who owned several of the Visiting Angels franchises. Patrick was already familiar with the brand as they had provided excellent care for his ageing grandmother, who was a sufferer of Alzheimer’s disease. I was originally 22 when I was first hired,” he explains. “I am now 25, and I have learned so much about the aging population. I am excited to find innovative solutions to help seniors remain independent and healthy in their homes for as long as possible.” Patrick may only be young, but he has a very mature attitude. He states that he manages his staff by always staying positive. “Homecare is a very unpredictable, and is sometimes a depressing line of work due to the ailments seniors suffer with every day. However, our staff realizes that it is not all about the bottom line, but its more about how we can genuinely care for our elders, who have provided us with so much knowledge, wisdom, and foresight over the years. As a millennial, providing them with satisfactory care by caregivers who are happy, positive, and helpful is the absolute least we can do to pay back the aging population for the guidance they’ve given me.” Patrick also has a very positive attitude when it comes to keeping his clients upbeat. He finds client negativity one of the many challenges he faces on a daily basis. “A challenge for me is to always find ways to instantly gratify our clients to make them feel better in the moments they are desperate for care. In this digital age, I know I am an expert in instant gratification (i.e. Netflix, Facebook, smart phones, etc.) and it’s a pleasure to find innovative ways to gratify the elderly population in a way that respects their dignity and values as they enjoy the remaining moments and years of their lives.” Technology is hugely important in Patrick’s line of work, he regularly keeps up-to-date with emerging technology and predicts it will become even more crucial in the coming years to ensure seniors are as comfortable and healthy as possible. “I will say that the elderly population has personally helped me realize how dependent my generation is on technology so I think the more ways younger and elderly people can help each other, the happier each generation will be across the board.” Patrick ensures his service is the best in the market by providing excellent care as quickly as possible. “When these senior clients are desperate for help due to their physical obstacles, our caregivers are there immediately to assist them. I have conducted signups for our services at 11pm on weekend nights when people are unfortunately at their most vulnerable. The goal is to always to provide consistent, nurturing care as fast as possible to alleviate the struggles seniors are facing in their homes. Regarding the future, Patrick has plans to help as many people as he possibly can. “I never thought I would be in a position at such a young age with the responsibility of caring for our elders; however, I think more millennials need to brainstorm more ways to help them. In turn, if this happens, you will see a lot of differences in the USA dissipate across generations when we realize we can all help each other out in ways we never thought possible. “My aspirations for Visiting Angels is to provide for as many seniors as we possibly can in not just Albuquerque but nationwide. Seniors are not getting any younger, and millennials have the innovative technological ideas to care for them in the ways they deserve.” K Company: Visiting Angels Name: Patrick Burns Web Address: Follow this link to learn more about our services: youtu.be/kbe6nlG12Dg Address: Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107 Telephone: +1 505.506.3795 1702CA37 “Age is mind over matter, if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” - Mark Twain