Bureau names Andelcare top business | Business

When a company is based on appreciation of its clients and staff, it is rewarding to see it recognized for those values in return. That is what happened recently to Andelcare, a Bellevue-based in-home care provider.

It is the recipient of the Better Business Bureau’s 2011 Western Washington Business of the Year Torch Award. Andelcare’s 100 careworkers are all Certified Nursing Assistants (CAN) and may care for clients from one hour to 24-hours a day as a live-in.

“We select our careworkers through a careful assessment process, but mostly they need to be caring, patient individuals,” said owner Marla Beck of the staff, which on any given week tends about 80 clients. “With a focus on excellence of care and tending clients’ core needs, we carefully match clients and caregivers as well as provide coaching, recognition and rewards to our staff.”

Noting that caregiving is often very difficult work, Beck explained that Andelcare offers some of the top pay in the industry. In addition, workers are recognized as “Careworker of the Month” or their work is spotlighted with a gift such as a gas card or gift card for groceries.

Another key to Andelcare’s success is that it employs an outside service to conduct random surveys of customers and careworkers to rank the company with other services. Said Beck, “The surveys give us constant feedback.”

A Certified Public Accountant with a background in banking and insurance, Beck added that the company is different in that it is not just all about money. “Still, we need to make good money so we can hire and reward top staff,” said Beck. “At all times we ask ourselves, ‘What is the right thing to do?’”

Nominated for demonstrating exemplary business practices, Andelcare was selected BBB’s 2011Western Washington Business of the Year by volunteer judges who scored entries based on customer service, community involvement and innovative business practices.

Andelcare serves King and Snohomish Counties.  It provides companionship, homemaking, personal care and nursing services for the elderly, the disabled, and patients recovering from surgery and hospitalization.

The company began in 2003 as At Home Care and in 2007 the name changed to honor Marla's maternal grandfather; an immigrant from Czechoslovakia who lived just a couple of weeks shy of 102. The Czech word Andel means angel or guardian and more closely reflects the high level of compassionate service the company aspires to offer.