In-Home Angels at 114 Sodom Lane in Derby.
DERBY — A non-medical home health care agency is expanding its services to Derby to provide a “home away from home” day center for adults.
In-Home Angels was founded by owner and CEO JoBeth Foley in 2016. The agency’s home health care aides provide companionship, personal care, hospice care and support for cancer and dementia patients in their homes. But the latest expansion of the business in Derby will now provide a physical location for adult day care at 114 Sodom Lane.
The adult day center was slated to open June 24, according to Foley. On Tuesday (June 4), Foley was joined by members of her staff, Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell and others to welcome the facility in a pre-grand opening celebration.
“We’re not designed to feel like a facility, but more like a home away from home,” Foley said of the 1,800-square foot building that houses the adult day center. “I think this is the best way to help our older population struggling and getting them the care they need in a safe facility.”
The building’s interior features a tranquil blue, gold, and white theme, complete with a living room with comfy couches, TV and a fireplace, kitchen and dining area, bathrooms, an activity area with tables to do crafts and play bingo, and an outdoor deck, which adult day manager Stephanie Canapari said will be home to “happy hours.”
Foley, an Ansonia resident and mom of three, said the facility will accommodate 10 – 20 adults daily with non-medical needs. Costs for a half day will be about $60 and a full day will be about $120. The facility will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday, and transportation will be provided, according to Foley.
Unlike senior centers, Foley said adults struggling with dementia, for example, or those requiring some personal care, like bathroom assistance, can get that here.
“It’s great socialization for adults, while still getting them the care they need, at a fraction of the cost of in-home care,” Foley said.
Foley said her In-Home Angels business, now with a home base in Milford, will be consolidated into the Derby facility. She has a staff of about 70 employees, who will both staff the new center and continue to work with clients in their homes.
Foley said her staff is certified in CPR, first aid, dementia and Alzheimer’s support and undergo extensive background checks, drug screenings, and on-site training.
Foley said making clients feel like family is important to her. Prior to starting In-Home Angels, Foley took care of her aunt who had Alzheimer’s and her mother, who battled colon cancer, for several years.
“I’ve always been a natural caregiver of the family and after my aunt and mom passed, I went to work for a non-medical home health agency, and I didn’t necessarily like how certain things went so I went out on my own,” Foley said. “I think that a lot of people lose their personal touch if the facility gets too big and they lose how they cater to clients. We want to grow with quality, not quantity.”
In 2017, Foley herself was diagnosed with cancer. During chemotherapy treatments through her recovery, she relied on some of her own home health care aides for help. She said if she didn’t trust her aides with her own care, she wouldn’t think of putting them in someone else’s home.
Purcell said expanding the business to now include an adult day center is a great addition to Derby and the Valley.
“This is home care with a heart,” Purcell said during Tuesday’s celebration. “We have watched as JoBeth has evolved with her business and this is such a natural fit. You feel the love, you feel the comfort of this beautiful space as you walk through. JoBeth and her staff take great pride in the care that they provide.”
More information can be found online at In-Home Angels’ website.
