Personal Home Care Services in Victoria with a personal touch!
Valerie Fitzpatrick, Executive Director
Valerie started her working career as a Registered Nurse. As a Student Nurse she spent her summers working with Alzheimer patients in a long term care facility. As a graduate, she worked as an RN on a surgical unit in a hospital setting.
Following her marriage Valerie worked with her husband and was involved in agriculture, oilfield exploration and real estate sales in addition to helping raise a family. Through her business experiences, community activities and extensive volunteer leadership roles Valerie has developed wide ranging skills. In her own words she says, “You might call me a ‘jane of all trades’.”
Valerie, as a young RN, watched her Mother pass away from cancer at age 53. This is how she describes that experience. “At the time, I was not prepared to deal with that kind of loss and I regret not being there for my Dad, who looked after my Mom at home, until the final days of her life.” In 2008 when Valerie’s father in law needed palliative care, the family decided to look after him in their home. “I was grateful to be in a place in my life where I could help. When Claude passed away with all of us there, I felt a peace that is hard to explain, but, death no longer scares me.”
In 2009 Valerie began to look for a more fulfilling career. “I want my next career to provide me with a sense of satisfaction. I want to make a difference in the lives of others.” When Valerie heard about Retire at Home, she quickly said yes. As a family member who was involved in the care of loved ones, Valerie could see the cracks in the public system. “One does not really appreciate what kind of stress the family endures in these situations , you feel like you are the only one going through this and are frustrated as to where to go next for help. I want to help people navigate through the system. There are programs out there; you just need to find them.” Her experiences have helped to shape the person she has become and what brings meaning to her life. “I have enjoyed everything that I have done to date and I feel that all of these things have been preparing me for what lies ahead.”
Vicki Mather, PhD, APR, CPCA, Executive Director
Vicki felt like she had come home when she joined the Retire-At-Home family. Her prior career spanned high school and university level teaching, delivering services to teachers, and programming to communities. Late in her 25-year career as a member of the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s executive staff, Vicki headed up a nationally recognized, non-profit organization that grew out of a violence prevention program she developed. That program earned a Best Practice Award from the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements. Vicki’s research and graduate level teaching focused on ethical conduct of professionals: the highly competent delivery of excellent service in a respectful, caring and trustworthy environment where even the most vulnerable can feel safe. Believing in the responsibility to give back, Vicki has been engaged in charity work as a volunteer throughout her life, and was recognized with the 2007 Edmonton Woman of Distinction award.
For Vicki, the Retire-At-Home Victoria business was fitting. Vicki lost her parents at the busiest time of her life while working full time and raising three children. She experienced her father’s years of suffering following a grossly debilitating stroke, and later her mother’s battle with cancer and subsequent dementia. She felt the overwhelming sense of being torn with multiple responsibilities and loyalties. She sympathized with the workers’ challenges in her father’s understaffed care facility and appreciated the compassion shown by her mother’s palliative caregiver.
After an early retirement Vicki attained the necessary licences and worked in financial services. She also renovated and managed vacation properties, but felt there was something missing in her life. Vicki is now a Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA)™ and is reliving the satisfaction she once derived from knowing that her work is contributing to a better life for others.
Contact us today for a Free ConsultationCompany History
Since 1994, we have been providing Personal Home Care Services in Victoria, BC to individuals who are dealing with health concerns that affect their independence. Our goal is to give you the choice to stay at home for as long as you wish while maintaining your independence.
We are proudly Canadian and we have a strong understanding of the Canadian health care system. Our system has been accredited by Accreditation Canada which means that we meet national standards for the Personal Home Care Services we provide in Victoria, BC Over our many years, Retire-At-Home and its owners have won many awards for quality of service, business ethics and community leadership.
Founded in Ottawa, Ontario by Irene Martin, RN, our focus from day one has been to provide seniors with a complete solution of Personal Home Care Services so that they can truly Retire-At-Home!
Mrs. Martin founded Retire-At-Home with the philosophy that quality care must address both the emotional and the physical health of an individual. It has been shown that the healing process is accelerated when they are emotionally healthy. This is the reason we aim to bring peace of mind to our clients and their families by making every effort possible to personalize our services to each client and their individual needs. This is our total well-being approach and is the philosophy that drives our entire team to build strong, long-lasting relationships with all our clients. Together, we have grown as a team and as a family.
With 15 years of experience, a wide range of Personal Home Care Services in Victoria, BC, and compassionate professional team, you can rest assured that you can Retire-At-Home in comfort and safety!
Contact us today for a free consultation on how our Personal Home Care Services in Victoria, BC can help you.
