Local care agency's new location to further support for growing elderly population

Jun. 21—Three years after taking the helm of local elderly in-home care agency Village Caregiving, registered nurse and Village Caregiving Executive Director Toni McNett celebrated the culmination of her team's hard work during a recent grand opening of the agency's new office on the historic streets of Star City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Mountain State stands above the national average for elderly population, with about a fifth of its population aged 65 or older. Challenges faced by older adults in West Virginia include social isolation, fall risks, transportation inaccessibility and food insecurity. Village Caregiving strives to address the statewide divide between elderly care needs and professional caregivers with its flexible, personalized care plans.

The agency's caregivers provide assistance and support in daily living, ranging from household chores and companionship to hygiene assistance and medication reminders. The central mission of its services boil down to one goal—helping its clients stay safe and comfortable in the familiarity of their homes for as long as possible. With the expansion of its team and the launch of its new location, the Morgantown office looks forward to supporting its patrons to an even-greater degree.

The need for a new location became clear last year when the Morgantown team expanded to accommodate the high volume of clients, caregivers and service hours fulfilled by the office. Unveiled during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the agency's new location in Suite #101 at historic 3420 University Avenue offers a welcoming venue at street level for increased accessibility compared to its previous second-floor site.

Since its opening, the office has been busy with prospective clients and employees following the signs welcoming them into the lobby.

The location's history is as rich as its current mission, McNett explained. Built between 1890-1910 and previously host to coal mine foremen, the new office sits on a historic street of Star City currently considered for beautification and preservation by a historical society.

"The community support was amazing, " said McNett of the ribbon-cutting celebration. "It was a fantastic turnout ; I couldn't be more thankful for it."

Watching the company grow over the last few years has been like encouraging her own child to thrive and succeed, said McNett, something that can largely be attributed to the hard work of its compassionate and kind caregivers.

"Just seeing the growth that we've had in the office with the number of clients we're serving, and the number of caregivers we're providing with opportunities, it's like watching your kid grow up, " she said. "I took over the office, and to see it grow and flourish, and to see all the happy faces and positivity [at the ribbon-cutting ceremony ] was rewarding for me."

Visit VillageCaregiving.com /Village-Caregiving-of-Morgantown / for more information.

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