Heart for Seniors (HFS) is a home care agency that opened its doors in January 2019. It is built on a simple philosophy: people should be able to age with dignity, doing the things they enjoy in the comfort of their own homes, while their families gain peace of mind.
HFS was founded by Debbie Perdue, an RN with more than 40 years in the field, most of which was spent working at the VA. Her connection to veterans began while attending Bacone nursing school. Debbie participated in a summer program at the Veteran Hospital in Muskogee for nursing students. Here she found a cohesive, collaborative environment among staff and veterans that she had not seen during most of her training at a private hospital. This appealed to her and so after graduating, she applied to work at the VA.
She worked in many roles over thirty-five years and gained deep knowledge of the benefits available to veterans. She saw first-hand how common it was for veterans and their families to not know all of the benefits available to them. It was also not uncommon for her to help some veterans get registered in the system. She was always happy to help them to do this so they could use the benefits they had earned
in service. Debbie noted that many veterans don’t feel they deserve this care.
Debbie retired in 2017 and opened HFS two years later. While her nursing career at the Veteran Hospital was mostly focused on veterans coming to the facility for care, she hadn’t seen the need in the wider community. Her own family helped inspire the business. Debbie worked with the VA to arrange home health aide and respite care for her father,
a WWII Navy veteran. He passed away at the age of 95.
As his health and ability to care for himself declined, she recognized the need that HFS would fill. Her mother, now 92, has lived with her for more than four years, and HFS caregivers help care for her. Debbie also cared for her husband at home until his death last June.
These experiences have given Debbie a perspective that adds true value to the role of HFS because she knows what it feels like to have someone come into your home and care for a family member. She describes how her personal experiences have provided her with the necessary knowledge of the needs that families anticipate. Because families often reach out for services from exhaustion and burn out, Debbie understands the value of being a good listener to best meet their needs. Because of her lived experience, she encourages family members to practice self-care so they can be better caregivers to their loved ones. As we are taught in airline safety demonstrations, it is important to put your own oxygen mask on first.
Why choose HFS over another home health care service? HFS is not a franchise. It is owned by an experienced RN who has walked in the shoes of the people they serve. The agency regularly asks for client feedback and acts on it, fixing issues as they arise before they grow into frustration or animosity. Clients are encouraged to tell caregivers exactly what and how they want things done in their homes, which keeps control in their hands and contributes to them feeling seen and heard.
The care team includes a current staff of 50-60. One of Debbie’s daughters serves as the Director of Operations. Debbie spends most of her time in the field performing
client assessments. April Williams, the Community Relations Specialist for the past two years, manages customer satisfaction and is the point of contact for customer issues.
Through VA benefit assistance, HFS provides high-quality home care so veterans can live safely and comfortably
at home. Services include help with daily living activities, personal care, hygiene support, companionship and emotional support. The agency is committed to delivering the respectful, dependable care every veteran deserves. They are passionate about enhancing the quality of life for their clients and their families by tailoring care to individual needs. To date they have served more than four hundred families, the majority of which are veterans.
While the main office is located in Coweta, some of the communities and counties HFS supports are: Pittsburg, Mcintosh, Cherokee, Mays, Rogers, Nowata, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Osage, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington and more. story by Jill Stephenson, contributing writerInquiries for service can be directed to their 24/7 phone line 918-505-3109 or by visiting their website. www.heartforseniorshomehealth.com
