Interview with Linda Bagby, administrator/president
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: I have been interested in nursing since high school when I was a certified nurse’s aide. Since then I have obtained my bachelor of science in nursing with some masters-prepared courses. I have been in home health since 1993 and decided to start Acaria Homecare after witnessing unethical decisions made by previous managers and owners.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: Acaria Homecare is deficiency free. Our people make the difference. We originally started with a core group that has worked through up to three other companies. Since then, we have also hired more highly motivated and caring people that have created an honest and caring culture that is unmatched in this industry. This extremely knowledgeable staff — many with masters or doctorate degrees — have created a culture that people love to be a part of. Acaria has very high ratings for quality of care. These rating are published by the State of Colorado and under Home Health Compare.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: I will never get tired of the gratitude we receive from patients who experience our excellent health care from our staff. We really are changing patients’ lives, and we get several hand-written letters a month showing thanks and appreciation. This is the best aspect to our line of work.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: We only hire the best nurses, physical, occupational and speech therapists, as well as social workers and certified nurse’s aides. There is a nursing shortage now, so finding highly qualified nurses with good critical thinking and clinical judgment and who are self-motivated enough to work independently is our biggest challenge.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: Acaria is locally owned; we started in 2005 as a group of investors and friends that saw a need to invest in a small business concentrating on a need for quality home health care so patients can stay in their homes. We are not encumbered by large corporate politics or corporate decisions that take the customer out of customer service. We started nine years ago with two employees in a subleased office portion of an office/warehouse, and since have grown to a 4,600-square-foot office building with about 50 employees.
Profile
Business: Acaria Homecare
Address: 963 S. Kipling Parkway, Lakewood
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; patients seen as needed
Founded: 2005
Contact: 303-403-8888,
Employees: 50
