You could say Andrée Vetrano was born into the healthcare business long before she opened her first ComForCare franchise at 3820 Merton Dr., Ste. 203, Raleigh, NC on August 5, 2005. Growing up, she spent her summers working as her father's assistant.

"My father, Dr. George W. Corbin, Jr., was a general practitioner in Wake Forest for 40 years," said Vetrano. "He was the old-timey doctor who made house calls before and after office hours. He never billed a day in his life. Either you paid him there at the office or left vegetables and fruits at our doorstep."

Vetrano watched her father work very long hours and that had a profound effect on her current work ethic. "My dad took care of the working people and never turned a person away, which typically meant he would see patients well into the night," said Vetrano. "His dedication, integrity, and compassion for people inspired me to make life better for others as my dad had."

After having worked as a computer programmer for Nortel for more than fifteen years, Vetrano left the company as it was closing and decided it was time to run her own company. "When I came across ComForCare, I knew in an instant it was meant for me," said Vetrano. Since then, she has striven to make it "The highest-quality home care agency available so that I could make a positive difference in the lives of our clients."

Ten years later, Vetrano is still working hard to make her franchise a success and applying her high standards for care to her entire business. Vetrano and her ComForCare location recently received their certification in DementiaWise®, ComForCare’s comprehensive care program designed to enhance the lives of those living with dementia. Using research-based behavioral interventions, DementiaWise teaches ComForCare caregivers to understand and anticipate changes caused by dementia, and to use compassionate, practical strategies that help prevent and reduce difficult dementia behavior. Her location will be hosting DementiaWise events in the upcoming months to help educate family and professional caregivers.

"In five years, I hope we are recognized throughout our community as dementia specialists who have gone above and beyond providing meaningful activities to our clients and have enriched the lives of our clients through our care," said Vetrano. "We have also just recently added nursing services as an offering and I hope that part of the business will consist of at least 25% or more of our total business in five years.

Now Vetrano is able to fulfill her dream of following in her father's footsteps. Wake Forest is one of the territories her franchise services (in addition to Vance, Franklin, Granville, Chatham, and Durham Counties), so she is often able to help the very same clients who were patients of her dad so many years ago. But thanks to changes in technology and research, she is able to help them in ways her father could only have dreamed of.

"I chose this industry because of the ability to help others and to make a difference in the lives of our seniors," said Vetrano, "The continued focus and education in dementia care and the ways we can enrich the lives of our seniors is very exciting to me."