Since January, Vivia Cares Inc. has introduced its Hawaiʻi-based kūpuna homecare model to residents and caregivers in Olympia, Washington.
What sets the company a part is its Hawaiian culture and values, said Executive Director Racheal Lynch, a Washington native, who will lead the new office located at 3425 Ensign Road, NE.
Lynch previously served as Proxy CEO and executive director of Cascade Regional Blood Services, which closed last year, she said, adding, “I was looking for something community-driven. With Vivia, it was a mutual finding of each other on LinkedIn.”
Since partnering with the National Institute of Health and the Mayo Clinic on research projects, her love for health care has grown. "The disparity between the number of caregivers and seniors, especially as the senior population grows, that’ll leave a huge gap. I'm worried that if it doesn’t get addressed now, we could see many seniors become homeless in the future.”
She added, "Ultimately, my goal at Vivia is to help more seniors stay independent at home for longer."
With the Vivia model, tasks are customizable to fit their family’s needs, she said. A family member might ask for daily check-in visits; daily in-person medication reminders; and weekly help with bathings.
As of this week, the WA branch launched its hospital discharge program in partnership with Providence St. Peter and Providence Centralia hospitals.
“This service is actually for patients of all ages, not just seniors,” Lynch said. “It’s been tried, tested and proven that it works well in Hawai‘i.”
Vivia was developed nearly 20 years ago by Hoʻokele Home Care co-founders Bonnie Castonguay and Dew-Anne Langcaon.
“Our team is thrilled to bring our innovative home care services to the residents of Olympia,” said Langcaon, who serves as CEO of Vivia Cares Inc., in a statement. “Expanding into this new region enables us to assist more families and uphold our dedication to consistent, reliable and affordable care in their own homes for those seeking to age in place.”
According to the company, “Vivia is committed to working closely with local communities, caregivers and health care professionals to ensure accessibility and availability to this transformative model of in-home care in a manner that honors local community culture and traditions, while at the same time sharing the generosity of the spirit of aloha.”
Lynch says "keeping the aloha mentality" is a must from workplace culture to office artwork and the way care team members interact with their neighbors and communities.
In April, the Washington office plans to hold a ribbon cutting with a kahu blessing and catered Hawaiian food. “I’m super excited for the blessing and gathering together. Itʻll be fun," Lynch said. "We do have a large population from Hawaiʻi now living here and were surprised to find many organizations with ties back to the Islands.”
Her role involves integrating with the local community and sharing more about the Vivia brand. “My priority is helping Washington residents see how our approach is different because we care – not just about the numbers or revenues – but about people,” she said.
Another important role is hiring. Currently, the newly opened branch has three caregivers. “The pay is high [$30 per hour], we have fantastic benefits and you get a company car,” Lynch said about the perks. See an Olympia job posting here.
“Iʻm constantly recruiting and looking to use my own network to find the right, mutual fit,” she continued. “The goal is to continue to expand in Washington and beyond.”
For more information about Vivia Cares, visit viviacares.com.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
