Tom and Patty Bay began a new business in the fall of 2003, Anita's Angels, Inc. Gaining inspiration through Tom's mother* Anita's recent battle with cancer and learning by performing the many facets of care giving them selves. They chose to make a positive impact on what was obviously a glaring need; affordable reliable in-home care for seniors. They believe every senior should have the opportunity to stay in their home, with their independence and dignity intact, for as long as possible. Thus they became members of a national senior care organization. The Seniors Choice. Based in California it provides its members with a combination of ongoing training and consulting with a proven formula for success.

"Research shows that older people who remain at home live longer and happier lives than people of similar circumstances who are forced to leave their homes," Patty says. "We want to help the elderly stay in their homes as well as give respite care to their adult children who look after them while they work and provide for their immediate families."

It is estimated that up to seven million women are unpaid caregivers to the elderly. They struggle to cope with exhaustion; loneliness, mental and physical demands, and heartbreak of watching a loved one grow weaker. They need help desperately!

The Bay's together with 13 trained and bonded staff, provide in home meal planning and preparation; light housework; incidental transportation; running errands; medication reminders; safety monitoring while bathing; assistance with bill paying; information and referral services; and companionship for people or couples who require non medical assistance. They plan to be experts in their field in a very short period of time.

The 65 plus population will grow from one in eight Americans to one in six by 2020, and one in five by 2050 according to census bureau figures. "Elder Care has become the top problem in our society today," says Tom, "it replaces childcare as the number one issue for the people in today's work force!"

Anita's Angels caregivers are carefully selected individuals who are thoroughly screened, bonded and insured. "We only hire A+ caregivers and special attention is given to matching caregivers with clients to achieve the utmost compatibility," says Tom, "our mission is to accelerate the pace of in-home care to the elderly allowing them to stay independent longer." The Bay's give ongoing; one on one attention to each client, well after the caregiver is placed.

Thursday January 24, 2004
The Hunterdon County Democrat
By Timothy Bond
RAMTAN TWP. — Patricia and Tom Bay have launched Anita's Angels, a business that provides professional caregivers for senior citizens at home.

According to Mrs, Bay, the business was a few years in the making. "Tom and I took care of his father Thomas and then his mother Anita, who passed away last April. In doing so we realized it was very important for us that they had a quality to their life. We wanted to keep them as active and as busy as possible until they could no longer be as involved. When we lost Tom's mom, the peace that we had was that she was still as involved as she could have been. She died with dignity and with peace."

Armed with this personal experience they sought to start a business that would enable seniors to stay at home for as long as possible. Mr. Bay had worked in sales and marketing for athletic apparel and shoes. Mrs. Bay will remain a senior director for The Pampered Chef.

She oversees 160 consultants and does sales.

"It is important that we offer that to other seniors, whether they are healthy and their legs are just a little weak and they can't dress themselves so easily in the morning, or need help preparing meals or just can't drive to their weekly meetings."

The Bays, together with 13 trained and bonded staff, provide in-home meal planning and preparation, light housework, incidental transportation, running errands, medication reminders, safety monitoring while bathing, assistance with bill paying, information and referral services, and companionship for people who require non-medical assistance.

Mr. and Mrs. Bay also know the toll caring for a loved one can take on a family. Mrs. Bay said, "There were times when we were in need of additional help, and on waiting lists for home health aides. We were working 24 hours a day between our family and taking care of his mom. A little bit of a rest would have been healthier for us and our family. We want to offer that to anyone in the same situation.

All services and schedules are tailored to the needs of the client. Caregivers are available for daily, weekly, overnight, 24 hour or live-in assignments. The cost varies, said Mr. Bay. The business takes Medicaide and charges $16- $22 an hour.

Though they are not part of a franchise, Mr. Bay said, "We are part of a national health care organization called Seniors Choice, and they have put us through intensive training in order to make sure we are well qualified to take care of seniors no matter what their particular situation may be. We passed on that knowledge and training to those we have hired."

February 17, 2004
The Courier News

Angels to the rescue
Business helps families with care
By Paul Grzella
Staff-writer

Tom and Patty Bay believe senior citizens should be able to stay in his or her home, with their independence and dignity intact, for as long as possible.

From personal experience, the Bays know that can be difficult, particularly in finding affordable and reliable in-home care for ailing older people. They found out first-hand as they helped Ibm's mother, Anita, through a two-year battle with cancer.

This experience led them to become members of a national senior-care organization. The Seniors Choice. Based in California, the organization seeks to provide its members with a combination of ongoing training and consultation that will allow them to be caregivers for the nation's aging population.

With that combination of training, support and personal experience in hand, the Bays began their own business, Anita's Angels, last fall.
"We cared for my husband's mother for two years, and saw the need for exactly the type of services we offer," Patty Bay said.

Anita Bay died nine months ago. The care given to her by her son and daughter-in-law allowed her to divide her time between her own home and the Bay's Hunterdon County home. The experience also allowed the Bays to show their children — ages 10,15 and 16—how family members can support and care for one another during difficult times.

"Research shows that older people who remain at home live longer and happier lives than people of similar circumstances who are forced to leave their homes," Patty Bay said. "We want to help the elderly stay in their homes as well as give respite care to their adult children who look after them while they work and provide for their immediate families."

Mr. Bay said his mother was very involved with numerous social and religious organizations and was known for giving of her time to others. "She was very well known for her service work, and that has inspired us, as well," he said. This also inspired them to name their business after his mother.

The Bays bring decades of sales and marketing experience to this new venture. Mr. Bay worked in sporting goods sales (athletic apparel and footwear) for more than 23 years. During that time, he worked for other companies and also ran his own agency. Mrs. Bay was a senior director for Pampered Chef, a direct sales business, and oversaw more than 160 consultants.

With their business background, the Bays had planned on doing sales and marketing support for Anita's Angels, but found that word-of-mouth and some newspaper coverage led to a continual stream of people in need of their services.

The Bays work with 13 trained and bonded staff members. Anita's Angels provides in-home meal planning and preparation;light housework; incidental transportation; running errands; medication reminders; safety monitoring while bathing; assistance with bill paying; information and referral services; and companionship for people or couples who require non-medical assistance.

The Hunterdon County-base business, serves all of Central Jersey.
Statistics show there will be an increasing need for such services. The 65-plus population will grow from one in eight Americans to one in six by 2020, and one in five by 2050, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.

"Elder Care has become the top problem in our society today," Tom Bay said. "It replaces child care as the number one issue for the people in today's work force."

The Bays said that Anita's Angels caregivers are carefully selected individuals who are thoroughly screened, bonded and insured.
"We only hire A+ caregivers, and special attention is given to matching caregivers with clients to achieve the utmost compatibility," Tom Bay said. "Our mission is to accelerate the pace of in-home care to the elderly allowing them to stay independent longer."