Today we’d like to introduce you to Nelum Walker.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I moved to Georgia from Tennessee in 2017. My husband and I were juggling 4 kids while working full time jobs. When I moved to Georgia, I decided I was going to look for a job that fit the life I needed to spend more time with my family, versus a specific type of job. That is how I was introduced to palliative care. I began home visits as a nurse practitioner and really enjoyed spending time with patients and being in their home. However, after working for several companies that were a part of acquisitions, I became burned out with the politics of healthcare. I decided to take a chance on starting my own business and that is how QOALA home care was birthed 4 years ago. I knew I wanted to focus on providing quality care to patients and therefore the company name is an acronym, a spin on the Koala Bear (pronounced the same way). The letters represent Quality of Abundant Life Advocates (QOALA). We have cared for over 500 patients since opening and continue to provide care to over 260 active patients currently. We bring primary and palliative care to patients who have difficulty getting out of their homes due to aging, memory loss and decreased mobility. My dream was to also have a very diverse team- at present, amongst the 6 of us, we represent 6 different ethnicities. This is important to me because I want our patients to know, that no matter our backgrounds, we can all find unity, especially nearing the end of their lives, when they still have time to let go of any racial tensions they have experienced or felt in the past
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been very difficult working long hours and trying to create the type of company that I want caring for my parents when they need help the most. Finding staff that carry the same values has been difficult, but we are finally at a place where we have an amazing team. With being a smaller company, we do have larger corporate companies that often threaten to take a lot of business from us. However, our patients have been very loyal to us and have stayed with QOALA which has been a huge blessing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a group of Nurse Practitioners, RNs, LPNs, and certified medical assistants who provide concierge visits to private residential homes and visits to assisted living communities, independent living, and personal care homes. We specialize in Geriatric care. We currently provide primary and palliative care visits on a monthly basis and as needed. We are contracted with lab companies, therapy companies, and mobile imaging companies to bring as much care to a patients’ homes as possible. This helps limit the need for them to have to sit in an office for long periods, which is often difficult due to memory loss, decreased mobility, and age. We are known for the high level of quality care we provide. We communicate with patients and families often and are very easy to contact. We are known as the purple crew, as our main brand color is purple- the color of royalty, caregiving, and represents the alzheimer’s association colors. We all wear purple shoes and purples attire with our logo.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Make a checklist of all the things that need to be completed to start a business and then plan to get one thing completed daily. Make sure you have a great support system, because you will want to quit often and you need people in your corner reminding you of your purpose and mission and why you should keep going. Network and find other people in the same boat as you- they will help guide you, help you grow, and give you an extra shoulder to lean on. I wish I knew how hard and tiring it would be when I started out, but don’t have regrets about taking the deep dive into entrepreneurship. It’s been an amazing ride!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.qoalahomecare.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QOALAHomeCare/
Image Credits
Melinda Plakiotis with Shutter and Show
