Santa Rosa affiliate of national organization grows to 60+ employeesNAPA - In just three years, Visiting Angels, a non-medical senior assisted homecare service in Santa Rosa, has expanded its reach into neighboring Napa while seeing its work force grow from a mere half dozen to more than 60 in 2010.
Albert DeSilver, co-director of the Santa Rosa office of the Pennsylvania-based company, said patients are already being served in Napa, and he expects the number of patients to grow significantly with the expansion into Napa.
Currently, about 40 to 50 clients are served a day in Sonoma and Marin counties, totaling approximately 150 in a year. About eight to 12 new clients are added every month, Mr. DeSilver said.
Mr. DeSilver, who runs the company with his wife, Director Marian Cremin, said they have seen such quick expansion as a result of a fast-growing elderly population, which has enabled Visiting Angels to capitalize on the growing need while other industries remain vulnerable during the bleak economic landscape.
“The elderly is the fastest-growing segment of the American population,” Ms. Cremin said, noting that 14 percent of Americans are over the age of 65.
Mr. DeSilver said this trend is mirrored in Napa. While there are fewer people in Napa than in Sonoma, the population is slightly older, with 15.4 percent of the county population 65 years of age or older, according the 2000 U.S. Census.
“It’s always been a part of our long-term business plan” to expand into Napa, Mr. DeSilver said.
As a result of the expansion, Visiting Angels sought to hire 10 additional care givers, all of whom must be registered nurses, certified nursing assistants or vocational nurses.
So far, four have been hired and an additional six are being sought. Administrative and marketing staff is also being sought in light of the growth.
“The fact that we’re doing a lot of hiring is a good sign,” Mr. DeSilver said.
