CCOR

as could be expected. Al went to his job late and checked on his sister at lunch. His wife, a teacher, was home to care for her by 3:30 p.m. With this schedule Muriel was only alone a few hours each day. During one of his lunch-hour checks, Al came home to discover Muriel stuck under her hospital bed - she had been laying there unable to get up for three hours. Al and his family realized more help was needed; that afternoon the family started calling home care agencies to set up services. Unfortunately, none of them could complete an evaluation for 72 hours. Even once services started, Al and his family found them completely inadequate. In the week and a half that service was scheduled, only a few shifts were filled in their entirety. Later that week, Muriel was taken to the emergency room, where she passed four days later. After the funeral, Al reflected on the care his sister received. He mused, “There must be a better way to treat people.” He began to search for alternatives to meet the needs of individuals in distress. From his experience and research, Al Gauvin ultimately decided to establish his own solution and in October of 1997 Companion Care of Rochester, Inc. (now Blossom: Modern Home Care Solutions of Western New York) was born. Initially our agency offered non-hands-on care, providing quick responses and quality care to older adults and individuals with disabilities. In 2008, we became a Licensed Home Care Services Agency, able to provide both medical and non-medical care. Over the years, our service area grew to include 18 counties, we became a Fiscal Intermediary for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), and we added Care Management to our services. In 2021, to better convey the scope of who we had become, we changed our name to Blossom: Modern Home Care Solutions of Western New York. Throughout it all, our goal has remained the same: to treat those we care for and their families like our own. Since our inception in 1997 we have built our reputation by providing quality, individualized care to loved ones. We consider it a true privilege to offer a service which allows our clients to thrive in their own homes. We have discovered that there are thousands of families facing the same dilemma Al’s family once faced - how to provide simple, day-to-day assistance to their loved one while avoiding institutional care. Whether the service is highly skilled home care, basic companionship, or coordination of your medical services, our staff encourage a safe, nurturing, independent lifestyle for you or your loved one. Blossom: Modern Home Care Solutions of Western New York strives to give you and your family responsive and quality service, allowing you peace of mind knowing your loved one is well cared for. Let us give you and your loved one the care, dignity, and independence you deserve.