Jared Gotcher: I worked as a CNA during my college years in a psychiatric facility and later in a medical/surgical unit. I witnessed firsthand the difficulties seniors face as they begin to lose cognitive and/or bodily health; I witnessed especially how these difficulties tend to be amplified when seniors are removed from their homes, where they still feel safe and in control. Unfortunately, I also witnessed how devastating it can be for a senior to be without the support they need.
I eventually stopped working as a caregiver because of my own health crisis; I have Addison’s Disease, but was undiagnosed for many years. At 22 years old, I experienced the embarrassment of losing independence, being sometimes too weak even to hold a pencil and write. I experienced the fear of feeling like I was on death’s doorstep, supposing each time I laid down that I might not wake up again. God answered our prayers for relief. I was diagnosed in 2018, and my illness is well managed with the right medication, but I will never forget what it was like to be in that place, the very place many of our seniors find themselves.
For many years I watched my mother care for her father, an Army veteran, as dementia took him. He lived in another state, and she did her best to communicate and coordinate care for him from local friends. After nearly a decade, his condition became too much for those friends to handle, and she had to make the difficult decision to put him in a facility. He died just a few months later, in December of 2021. Shortly after I returned from his funeral, I was introduced to Preferred Care at Home; I knew very quickly that this is exactly what I was supposed to be doing.
Both of my grandfathers were military veterans; my paternal grandfather served 20 years as an aircraft mechanic for the U.S. Air Force. My family and I are so proud to be serving the veterans & families of South Tampa, to be the support and provide the care they need to safeguard the dignity and independence of their loved ones in whatever place they call home.
Melissa Lopez-Gotcher, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC: I began in senior care when I was eight years old, helping my mother care for my grandmother after dementia had brought her to live with us. We took care of her in our home for the better part of 10 years. Through those years, I felt the privilege of protecting my grandmother’s dignity and felt called to pursue a career in caring. So, I became a nurse and worked in the ICU, wanting to make a difference where tragedy had struck hardest, for my patients and for their families.
I soon realized that I wanted to do more for patients than I could do at the bedside. I went back to school to become a Family Nurse Practitioner and fell in love with primary and preventative care. I wanted to go “upstream” to catch patients before they were in crisis and needed acute care services, which is when quality of life is either completely lost or greatly threatened. However, in that setting also, I found myself still frustrated by the lack of time, dedicated attention, and human touch that is so needed in healthcare. I’ve seen seniors especially confused and overwhelmed by the healthcare system, and unfortunately, many care providers either can’t or won’t take the time to make sure seniors have what they need to remain safe at home.
That’s why I’m thrilled now to be the co-owner of Preferred Care at Home of South Tampa. We send reliable and compassionate caregivers to provide the one-on-one care needed to improve our clients’ quality of life and keep them safe at home for as long as possible.
Designations, Certifications & Licenses
- Melissa Gotcher is a board certified nurse practitioner
- Our HCA License number is 239829
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