The Private Duty Home Care Advisory Council is made of some of the most experienced and talented leaders in the private duty community. Each of our Advisory Council members is committed to the mission and vision of the organization and ensuring our members are well represented and receive the tools, support, and resources you need to provide the highest quality and caliber care and services to your clients and families.
In our reoccurring Advisory Council Profile series, we invite you to get to know our advisory board members better through a short Q&A interview and learn more about why they choose to dedicate their professional lives to the home care community.
This week we have the pleasure of sharing a little more with you about Barbara Byers, President of Western Illinois Home Health Care and one of the newest members of the Private Duty Home Care Advisory Council.
Barbara, tell me about how you would describe what you do to someone you just met.
I manage staff and resources to assist families to keep their loved ones at home as long as possible.
Tell me about how you ended up working in private duty/home care. How did your professional journey bring you to where you are today?
I started a home health care company 40 years ago. A few years in I saw the need for support services so added that company and service to our operation to service our community.
Why choose private duty home care? Why not something else, or some other part of home care?
I see private duty home care an essential partner with home health care to keep people at home during transitions of health.
What do you find to be the most rewarding about your job?
Hearing from people in my community how we served them and their loved ones and how wonderful and important the service was.
Conversely, what do you find to be most challenging?
The most challenging is attracting and keeping enough staff as demand for services increase.
What is your favorite memory working in Private duty home care? Why?
When my company took care of my brother, I experienced how wonderful our service can be to the client and family.
What is the one thing that keeps you up at night professionally?
Balancing pay and rewards for staff against restrictions of resources.
What made you first get involved with private duty home care at NAHC?
I have been a NAHC member for years for home health care. I wanted to get involved with private duty home care at NAHC because I see the important link these services on national level to advocate importance of both services to keep people at home.
What would you say to someone considering becoming a Private Duty Home Care at NAHC member?
I believe these two services, private duty home care, and home health care are the future to keep people in their homes. I also believe it is vital they understand each other’s service. Having both under one national organization achieves that aim.
What would you say to someone who was considering a career in private duty home care?
It is very rewarding work to be in. It is the future of health care as people choose to stay home. COVID has accelerated this movement.
On behalf of everyone at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, we thank Barbara for her candid responses and sharing a bit more about her experience in home care. We are honored to have her as a distinguished member of the PD Advisory Council and thank her for her dedication, commitment, and passion to the Private Duty home care community.