by James Coburn – staff writer
Lisa Wariboko-Alali, RN, aspired to make a difference in patient’s lives and become a good employer. All Faith Home Care gave her the opportunity to serve the family of mankind as the owner of the company she founded.
Alali earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oklahoma and has been a nurse for 30 years. She began her career working in the post-coronary care unit at Southwest Medical Center before making the transition to home health.
She needed a more flexible schedule when she married and started raising a family. Home health met her needs. (story continues below)
“I fell in love with home health and found my niche,” she said of the business she opened in 1996. “It’s totally enriched my life. I think it’s been my calling. My mother was in the health care profession. As a little girl I watched her care for my sick dad. I watched her care for other families by sacrificing her time. And I think that really inspired me to be a nurse and caregiver.”
Home health is not only a business, but a ministry for Alali as well. Advantage waiver case management was added over a year ago, a program to help seniors stay at home and funded by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
The staff is what makes All Faith Home Care a success, she said.
“I love my staff so much. They are totally committed,” Alali said. “Some of my staff have been here for 15 years, some for 10 years. They are compassionate and caring.”
All Faith Home Care is also a blessing for families in need of knowing their families are secure. Many of the referrals received by All Faith Home Care are by word of mouth.
“That’s so rewarding. It helps us to keep going, especially during this time of the COVID pandemic and nursing shortage. It’s a very challenging time to be in health care right now.”
All Faith Home Care wears personal protective equipment to enhance patient care during the pandemic, said Brenda Guthrie, RN, director of Clinical Services, who has been with the company for 10 years.
“With several COVID patients we make sure we go above and beyond what they need. So, it is a calling,” Guthrie said.
She aspired to become a physician when thinking of a career. Guthrie passed all her tests but could not afford medical school. She chose nursing school and has kept going since 1979.
“I get attached to all of my patients and I can’t imagine not seeing them. I took care of Lisa’s mom, and I took care of my husband while he was dying. I will hold someone’s hand if that’s what they want at the end,” Guthrie said.
Guthrie began her nursing career in an intensive care unit for trauma. She went on to be an ER nurse and did flight nursing. Guthrie also has the distinction of having served as the health services administrator for the state of Delaware Prison System. She managed the hospital there for eight years.
“Then I came back to Oklahoma to take care of my parents and here I am,” Guthrie explained.
Alali understands that her staff has family issues, too, and is given the flexibility to take care of that, Guthrie said.
Spokesperson Michael G. said All Faith Home Care has a great relationship with independent and assisted living centers.
All Faith Home Care will travel beyond its 50-mile service range whenever a doctor notifies them that nobody else will accept a patient, Guthrie said.
Most Medicaid insurers only provide 36 home health visits a year, Michael said. Currently more than 20 clients have exceeded the 36 visits. But All Faith Home Care did not discharge them. Alali ensures that her clients, some in a rural area, will continue being cared for beyond 36 visits.
“When the poor people don’t have anymore visits, we don’t cast them out,” he said.
Guthrie said their clients are their families and will not be deserted when All Faith Home Care will not be paid to see them.
“Time after time we’ve had patients that would not have lived if All Faith Home Care had not stepped in and provided the services,” Alali said. “There’s been several occasions when Brenda has gotten a call from a patient and has ended up saving that patient’s life.”
On many occasions Brenda will be in a home and do CPR on a patient.
“I just don’t know how to describe it, but I know it’s a divine assignment for her. She has left the office on the way to see a patient and she’ll come up on an accident and she’s there just at the right time to save someone’s life,” she said. “And other times, it’s been a family member and not a patient, and she’s gotten there just in time to save their life. That’s the ultimate calling.”
Guthrie said they have walked into homes with an empty refrigerator.
“All I have to do is call Lisa, and she’s calling Michael or one of the nurses and we’re out buying groceries, and we’re getting them set up with food banks,” she said.
For more information visit: http://www.allfaithhc.com/ or call 405-340-5100.
