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Mary Britt, owner of the local Nurse Next Door franchise, said the company offers everything from companionship to home care for Airdrie seniors. It allows seniors to stay in their homes by providing mobile help as needed. Britt has 23 years of experience working with seniors.

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Nurse Next Door provides home care for local seniors

Airdrie resident Mary Britt has made working with seniors her career.

After spending 23 years working in a nursing home, she realized that none of the seniors really wanted to be there, and learned the importance of home care options.

Britt made the switch to home care and became a franchisee of Nurse Next Door before bringing the business to Airdrie. The service has only been available locally for about 13 months, but Britt said she has enjoyed being able to work with local seniors.

“It’s very rewarding work,” she said. “The clients are great and it means a lot to me to be able to provide quality care for them in their homes.

“A lot of seniors live here because of the small-town atmosphere, so we’re here to do whatever it takes to make things easier for them.”

Britt said that Nurse Next Door will do just about anything, from simple home care tasks, to proving companionship, to helping clients get to-and-from appointments.

“We will take them to doctors appointments or anywhere else they need to be,” Britt said. “We also offer one-time services, such as picking them up from the hospital, bringing them home, making sure they have everything they need and helping them get settled back in.”

Britt said she likes working with seniors because she enjoys their company.

“They always have stories to tell about how they’ve lived, and they are always willing to offer insight about the way life goes and what the future might hold,” she said. “I get a lot of satisfaction from working with them and with their families, who are appreciative and know their family member is being well taken care of.”

Britt said she is proud of who she hires to provide home care, and goes through a long screening process to find the right candidates. She employs 44 staff, and shares 100 staff with locations in Calgary. Her employees are either companions, healthcare aids, licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or registered nurses (RNs). She said that even those hired as companions are put through a companionship program and are always individuals with are caring and who have positive attitudes.

“I do three reference checks, a criminal check and two interviews,” she said. “Some people are just in the business for the money, and those aren’t the people we want. We go out of our way to find people who like to work and socialize with seniors, and who will do whatever it takes to make their lives better.”

Britt said her staff work hard to “make dreams come true.”

“We had one client who wanted to go to Hawaii, and we couldn’t get him there, so we brought Hawaii to him,” she said. “We wore grass skirts and brought leis and videos of Hawaii. It was the best we could do and it was all about making a difference.”

For more information about Nurse Next Door and its services, contact Britt at 403-837-3767.