We “Support Local” at Maple Cottage, but What Does that Mean?
The global pandemic of 2020 has taught us some important local lessons. Big box stores like Lowes, Walmart and Kroger, to name a few, have thrived due to their deemed “essential” nature, while local enterprises have had to shut their doors due to restrictive government edicts. In response, many of us are learning to drive past Chili’s and Bojangles, and to prioritize the restaurants and shops of our neighbors and friends, recognizing that if we don’t support these locally owned and operated enterprises, we will be left with only faceless corporate entities who exist to pay dividends and produce a bottom line—not so serve and provide a quality product to neighbors in the community in which they reside. What a great loss this would be. That’s why we choose to support local at Maple Cottage.
Big Business Does Not Mean Great Senior Care
I see similarities in the world of senior care, and even healthcare overall. Outside of corporate entities, run by real estate investors and financial experts in other markets, we are left with few options. The local, self-employed doctor is largely gone from our landscape, replaced by physicians who are “employees” of large corporate players like Tri-Star and LifePoint. Hospitals, once the domain of charitable and church-based organizations, are now instruments of big business and big profit. Nursing homes and assisted living communities are owned and operated by corporate giants like NHC and Brookdale. In all of these businesses, local inquires and requests for individualized services are often met with the response “I don’t make those decisions; I’ll have to talk to corporate.”
By Choosing to Support Local, You Support Quality, Diversity and Accountability
But I am encouraged by the resurgence in interest I am witnessing in the quality, dynamic services and ACCOUNTABILITY offered by locally owned and operated businesses. Have you enjoyed a meal at Café Rakka, Someone’s in the Kitchen, Café 393 or Lyncoya Cafe? Have you experienced the personalized retail services offered at Ginger Bean, Baylor Bone Interiors, or even the new, locally owned ACE Hardware? Have you benefited from the great care at the handful of independent medical and chiropractic practitioners who still practice in our town? (I could mention a hundred great, quality-focused local businesses here—these are but a few!)
Advantages of “Shopping Locally” for Holistic, Accountable, Professional Senior Care
And when it comes to Nursing Homes and Assisted Living/Memory Care, have you experienced the difference between “corporate care” and locally owned and operated “caring”? Your opportunities to experience this are limited as the corporate intrusion into the “business” of healthcare is very nearly complete. If you or a family member needs nursing care, assisted living or memory care, I strongly encourage you to investigate locally owned and operated options. At Maple Cottage Assisted Living/Memory Care, we are always happy to talk with you about the advantages of “shopping locally” for holistic, accountable, professional senior care, focused on relationships and personalized support.
Corporations are limited in their ability and desire to serve your individual needs. The businesses owned by your local neighbors and friends exist for this exact purpose. Indeed, the pandemic has taught us some important local lessons. Let’s make sure we are learning them!
