The Heart of Home Care: Niran Gunaratnam of Mint Home Care, Fairfax, VA

Niran Gunaratnam, co-owner of Mint Home Care in Fairfax, Virginia, sits down with host Valerie VanBooven, RN BSN, to talk about how an independent agency hires and matches caregivers, and what families in Northern Virginia should know before they start home care.

From church visits to a home care agency

Before Mint existed, Niran spent close to 20 years volunteering through his church, visiting residents of a continuing care retirement community near Washington, DC. The residents had meals and activities taken care of, he says, but "what they are missing is the emotional connection with people." When the company where he met his two business partners wound down, the three of them started Mint with no home care background and learned the business from scratch. They chose to stay independent rather than buy a franchise, so Mint serves Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, Alexandria, Arlington and the rest of Northern Virginia.

Hiring for heart

Niran or his partner John is involved in about 90% of Mint's hiring. What he listens for does not show up on a résumé: "whether they have a real interest in what they're doing, whether they have a passion, whether they have their heart in the right place." Many of Mint's caregivers are immigrants, some raising children on their own, and the agency plans around that. Mint pays above market rate, with gas money when prices spike, a holiday bonus and a birthday gift.

Home care is matchmaking

"This business is all about matchmaking," Niran says. Some matches come down to physical ability, such as a client who is bedbound. Others come down to personality: a quiet caregiver who excels at cooking and keeping a house running is not the right fit for a family whose main goal is keeping a talkative mother engaged in conversation.

The first days home from the hospital

Niran shares the story of a nurse who arrived for a routine assessment and stayed seven hours, making the follow-up calls a newly discharged patient and her husband had no idea how to arrange. Valerie and Niran also talk about clearing clutter before someone comes home, because, as Valerie puts it, "the clutter is the death trap," and about calling before a planned hip or knee replacement rather than after.

Hesitant parents, holidays and honest scheduling

• The holiday visit: adult children often come home for Thanksgiving and find dishes, laundry and unopened bills piling up. Parents rarely ask for help, so it usually falls to a son or daughter to start the conversation.
• When Mom says no: Niran suggests a one- or two-week trial. Clients who start out reluctant often end up looking forward to their caregiver.
• No weekly minimums: Mint asks for enough hours per shift to attract the right caregiver, and four hours is a common starting point. Split shifts, such as mornings and evenings only, are harder to staff, but Mint has covered them for clients for years at a time.
• Not every client needs care forever: sometimes the goal is helping someone recover until they can manage on their own.

Read Mint Home Care's write-up of the conversation, with answers to common questions, on their blog: The Heart of Home Care: Meet One of the Founders of Mint Home Care, Fairfax, VA.