The Family & Nursing Care Foundation – Establishing a Legacy

Sandy Kursban HeadshotFamily & Nursing Care was recently recognized by the Washington Business Journal as one of the top 15 midsize companies for giving in the Greater D.C. area. The Family & Nursing Care Foundation plays a big role in the company’s philanthropic efforts.

“When I founded Family & Nursing Care in 1968, my dream was to provide older adults and their families peace of mind by offering them a resource for reliable, dedicated, and compassionate home care whenever it was needed,” says Family & Nursing Care’s founder and visionary, Sandy Kursban.

At Family & Nursing Care, they clearly understand that the cost of home care may be a barrier for lower income older adults who could benefit from home care. That’s why Sandy established the Family & Nursing Care Foundation, a fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, in 2008.  Through grants to community partners the Foundation helps lower-income older adults gain access to needed home care.

“It warms my heart that so many members of our Family & Nursing Care staff have chosen and continue to choose to make donations to the Family & Nursing Care Foundation – whether through payroll deduction, at our annual holiday party, or through initiatives such as our GivHero challenge,” says Sandy.

Fostering the Next Generation of Caregivers

The Family & Nursing Care Foundation not only helps low-income older adults to have access to quality home care, but the Foundation also awards scholarship funds to Montgomery College to help local students become the next generation of trained Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs).

Sandy says it’s rewarding to talk with the scholarship recipients – especially upon graduation – and hear how grateful they are for the support that provided them an opportunity to not only improve their lives, but also the lives of others.

“This is what my life, both personal and professional, is all about,” says Sandy. “With the work of the Foundation, our commitment to helping others can extend to more people than ever before.”

Sandy recalls a time when a scholarship recipient inquired with her about joining Family & Nursing Care as a Caregiver. After following Sandy’s guidance and gaining two years of long-term care experience in a nursing home or private duty setting (Family & Nursing Care’s prerequisite for onboarding Caregivers), the CNA scholarship recipient is now a Caregiver with Family & Nursing Care and is helping to improve the lives of clients through compassionate care.

What’s Next

The number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to more than double to 98 million by 2060, and Maryland’s projected population of people over 60 is expected to make up 26% of the 6.7 million total population by 2030. Recent studies have shown that there will need to be more than 1.3 million new Caregivers to meet the home care demand for this growing population.

“I started the Foundation because I wanted to offer assistance for older adults who couldn’t afford care,” says Sandy. “Now, it’s also really important to make sure that we have enough Caregivers as the population ages.”

It is the Foundation’s goal to continue to advocate for low-income seniors and the care they deserve, all while supporting the next generation of Caregivers who will provide care for those seniors.

“Together, we can make a huge difference in the lives of so many others,” Sandy says.

Learn more about the Foundation here.

Family & Nursing Care Awarded with the 2022 NBRI Circle of Excellence Award

NBRI Circle of Excellence SealFamily & Nursing Care is thrilled to have been recognized with the National Business Research Institute’s (NBRI) Circle of Excellence Award for the seventh consecutive year. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievements in Customer, Staff, and Caregiver Satisfaction based on data gathered from 2021 annual surveys of Caregivers, staff, and clients.

The data collected from the survey helps our team understand the experiences of our clients and their Caregivers and allows us to identify areas of excellence, in addition to opportunities for growth and improvement. With a focus on delivering the best client, Caregiver, and staff experience, this validation is meaningful to Family & Nursing Care, and we are proud to share:

  • Caregivers categorized all 10 topics addressed in the survey as strengths, with Technology and Benefits & Compensation seeing a significant increase in satisfaction over the 2020 survey results. Additionally, 94% of respondents answered that “Overall, I like being a caregiver with Family & Nursing Care.”
  • This year, we added an office staff survey gauging 14 different areas. Our office staff identified all 14 areas as strengths, with Values & Vison and Supervision performing at a best-in-class level of 90% or above satisfaction rating.
  • Clients expressed 94% satisfaction with the initial intake process, and 96% of respondents answered that they would recommend Family & Nursing Care to a friend or family member.

Family & Nursing Care embraces the best practice of continually assessing customer and worker experiences (including staff and Caregivers for Family & Nursing Care) and targeting the variables that drive these experiences to provide Family & Nursing Care with the keen insight and actions necessary for the continuous improvement of client, staff, and Caregiver thinking, behavior, and experience.

Meet Lauren Whaley – A Client Services Manager Who Has Made a Big Impact in a Short Timeframe

Lauren Whaley HeadshotLauren Whaley joined the Family & Nursing Care team in October of 2020 as a Client Services Manager Associate. In her short time with us, she has already made a big impact, including receiving a promotion and assuming a full caseload as a Client Services Manager.

The wealth of knowledge she gained assisting families in need through her prior work at Make-a-Wish Foundation and Easterseals, paired with her diverse skill set and passion to enhance the lives of others, has allowed her to jump right into her expanded role. Lauren provides home visits to her clients to better understand their needs, assists with our afterhours program, and more!

As a Client Services Manager, Lauren’s attention to detail, dependability, organization, and calm demeanor allows her to effectively communicate and connect with clients and co-workers alike.

A graduate of University of Maryland, Lauren enjoys spending her free time with her family, staying active with yoga and Peloton, and traveling.