Page 24 - Top Workplaces 2019

24 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019 THE MORNING CALL

Amada Senior Care-Lehigh Valley’s

employees are its No. 1 assets

By Mandy Housenick Special to The Morning Call Amada is The Morning mother.Hesaidsheneededa Ed Duborg,
Call’s No. 2 small business in company like Amada. center, and
“At Amada, we see people
aryannBrowerwasonherway Amada the 2019 Top Workplaces like my mother every day, Tod Meixell,
survey.
toseeaclientasacaregiverfor Senior Duborgandco-ownerTod people who are working, right, owners
of Amada
Amada Senior Care, when she Care- Meixell founded Amada’s people who have kids,” Senior Care-
Msuddenly became ill. Lehigh Allentown franchise in 2017. Duborg said. “They barely Lehigh
Brower called her supervisor, Melissa Valley The nonmedical home care have enough time to go see Valley,
Gunn, Amada’s client care coordinator and company has 41 employees. their parents, never mind meet with
nurse. No. 2 Despite Amada’s not yet provide them with the care employees
Gunn’s response told Brower all she small offering health care cov- thattheyneed.Ihavebeenin Melissa
needed to know about her decision to work company erage, employees are willing companies where the people Gunn, center
weren’t treated the right way
to wait based on how well
for Amada. they are treated. and they were getting fired left, and
Sarah
“They treat you like an adult, not a 5-year- “They are like family,” or laid off right before the Whitehouse.
old,”Browersaid.“Theytoldmenottoworry, Brower said. “They appreci- holidays. I always had the
that they’d get my shift covered. I have never Founded: 2017 ateitwhenyougooutofyour itch to do things the right
had a boss who has done that. Everyone says Ownership: way. When I first started way.” APRIL GAMIZ/
THE MORNING
that if you’re sick, take the day off, but most Partnership here, they said their clients Meixell brought the idea CALL
Sector: Senior
employers get mad.” care aren’t their No. 1 asset. They of buying a franchise such as
Brower was Amada CEO Ed Duborg’s first Employees: 41 said their employees are, and Amada to Duborg, and the
twoconnectedonhowtorun
their actions show it.”
hire in August 2017. She has no plans to leave Website: Duborg learned from life’s a company — especially one
because of the way Duborg and his staff treat AmadaLehigh experiences what he wanted as important as senior care.
her and other employees. Valley.com when the time came to run a Amada specializes in
It allowed Duborg to reach one of his goals company. Compassion was helpingseniorswithbathing,
in the first year of operation. histoppriority—notthebot- toileting, dressing, meal
“You have a vision and you live it every tom line. preparation, light house-
day,” Duborg said. “I hoped that it would re- He also remembered keeping, medication remind-
sult in us being a top workplace. We were watching his mother try to ers, shopping, getting to ap-
take care of him, his four sib-
definitely shooting for that.” lings and his ailing grand- Please turn to Next Page