Hello, my name is Sarah, and this is the story of how Empathy Works LLC was founded.
It happened too soon; Grandma was in hospice. She had moved from California to my hometown to be close to her family. After only a year spent together, Grandma’s health declined rapidly. The hospice staff helped us set up a space for her in the living room, so she didn’t feel tucked away in the back bedroom. Grandpa put on her favorite TV shows, her son and daughter-in-law came for dinner and dice games, and the grandkids popped in for visits and advice. But something was missing.
Even though I had medical training and experience as a paramedic, I felt completely useless. I struggled to know how to interact with Grandma in this new season of life. All the things we used to do together were no longer possible. We had incredible hospice nurses who came in and put everyone at ease. I wondered why I couldn’t do the same. I needed to adapt to the new normal, so I started looking for resources. I wanted to find activities that were engaging and suited to Grandma’s level of care. I searched for products suited to our situation, yet no kits or bundles, no matter how simplistic, could be found. It wasn’t until years later that I finally realized that I would have to create the resource that I sought.
When I began a career in private home health, I still felt ill-equipped. I experienced the same helplessness and inadequacy I had felt when caring for Grandma. It seemed like seniors spent too many hours watching television, taking naps, or waiting in silence for infrequent visits. I empathized with my clients as they mourned the loss of their mobility and their ability to complete the tasks and activities that had given them purpose. Indifference would not suffice; it was time to make a change. I knew that with the right planning, many meaningful activities could be adapted to meet each aging adult’s level of care. I could help my clients rediscover a sense of purpose and a passion for life. By the grace of God, that’s when Empathy Works LLC was founded.
The journey to launch Empathy Works began with research and field testing. The demand for in-home and long-term care is rapidly growing. Empathy Works is here to help families seeking support, as well as home health agencies and hospice providers looking for innovative tools to enhance their care services and improve patient outcomes. During my research, I found that there were no care kits for individuals with dementia, Alzheimer's, intellectual differences, or limited mobility that are all-inclusive, come with step-by-step instructions, and respect the dignity of the person using them. While single activities or “busy boards” were sold online, many of them were too complex or too simplistic and childish to suit my clients. I wanted to create safe activities that were interesting and engaging for adults, instead of being humiliating to use. While working with my clients, I planned and adapted projects to engage them and improve their quality of life. I compiled the most popular activities into a kit that I brought with me when traveling for in-home care. I tailored activities to serve individuals with memory loss, those who were bed-bound, or those who had limited fine motor dexterity. I saw almost immediate progress in my clients. When those in my care had something to look forward to, they perked up and became more engaged with their day-to-day care.
I couldn’t keep the Care Kit to myself. I needed to make this tool available for others. If family members and caregivers could get their hands on a Care Kit, they could bring purpose to and exponentially improve their care routines. Caregivers and families often feel helpless and disconnected when a loved one enters their final season of life. We offer a simple, hands-on way for families and caregivers to connect with aging loved ones, rediscover purpose, and ease anxieties during a challenging time.
Through our Care Kits, Empathy Works LLC is dedicated to empowering caregivers by providing tools that will transform challenging caregiving moments into opportunities for restored dignity and empathetic connection.