Staff works to re-create clients’ feelings of family
Hayley Sheeks is a big believer in the importance of family — and the evidence can be found in the way she runs her business.
Sheeks, 30, works alongside her father, co-owner Mark Haselden, and twin sister Courtney Phillips in operating a franchise of Synergy Home-Care of Katy, which provides caregiver services to seniors, new mothers, cancer patients and individuals recovering from surgery.
When clients miss loved ones, Synergy HomeCare of Katy staff members enjoy jumping in and doing their best to fill that void.
For example, this year the company launched its “Adopt-a-Pop” pilot program in honor of Father’s Day.
Staff members brought their children of all ages to Legend Oaks Healthcare and Rehabilitation, 21727 Provincial Blvd. in Katy, and the kids “adopted” a grandfather for the day, filling out custom-
designed adoption certificates for the occasion.
The children and their adopted “pops” spent the day getting to know each other during an ice cream social.
“They had cold root beer, sliders and cake,” said Sheeks, a Spring resident. “One guy played his guitar, and everyone had a blast. They were all hanging out and having a good time.”
She explained that many of the residents at Legend Oaks Healthcare and Rehabilitation do not live close enough for their own families to visit.
“We thought maybe they would brighten up seeing the kids,” she said.
Sheeks said that the Father’s Day celebration was one of many events the company hosts to create a family atmosphere for their clients.
“We provide services in the home — whether it’s an actual residence, assisted living facility or retirement community,” she said.
Synergy HomeCare of Katy provides a number of nonmedical services — from light house-keeping and meal preparation to live-in care.
Sheeks found the franchise shortly after completing her nursing degree in December 2011.
“My father was retiring at the time,” she said. “But he felt too young to retire.”
Haselden, 62, explained that even after a few decades of entrepreneurship he still wanted to do more.
“I still had a lot of energy,” he said. “Hayley had just graduated, and I said, ‘Let’s figure out something we could do together.’ I really wanted to start a business with my daughter.”
Together, the pair assessed various business options. “We chose home care, because of the demand with the aging population,” Sheeks said.
Also, Sheeks and Haselden both had experience personally as caregivers.
She takes care of her grandmother, and Haselden assisted his own father.
“We knew the need was out there, and we had our own personal reasons for believing in home care,” Sheeks said. “It led us in this direction, and it’s been the best decision we ever made.”
Haselden agreed. “It just seemed like the perfect fit for us,” he said. “We jumped in.”
To sign up for services, clients call first for a phone assessment and then are matched with caregivers based on need and person-
ality, Sheeks explained.
She said sometimes children call with aging parents who are slowing down, forgetting to eat meals or not keeping up with their medications.
As the population in Katy continues to expand, Sheeks said the demand for Synergy HomeCare’s services continues to rise.
“Houston was a great market to begin with,” she said. “And in Katy, we have this west Houston medical district — and it’s growing and growing.”
She said a key to the franchise’s success is hiring top-notch caregivers.
“You’ve got to have the heart for this,” she said. “This has to be their passion.”
The business is expanding to the Sugar Land market — as Sheeks and Haselden formally took over that franchise territory on June 29.
Haselden said that in about 10 years, he plans to step back and let his daughters take over the business.
“Hopefully, it will continue to grow, because there’s a lot of room for growth in the Houston area,” he said.
In the meantime, Haselden said that he and his daughters will continue to work to make their clients feel like part of the family.
“We’re compassionate,” he said. “We’re really concerned for our clients — and we look for the same qualities in our caregivers — people who realize that they are taking care of someone’s loved one.”