River City Six – Blake Thomas
Meet Blake Thomas, business development coordinator with CCA Home Care (www.CCAHomeCare.com) and the Omaha and Lincoln Eldercare Resource Handbooks.
Tell us a little about your business.
CCA Home Care, previously named Care Consultants for the Aging, has been around for 30 years and is locally owned. We provide medical and non-medical support to seniors in their home, wherever they may call home. We also staff senior living communities with CNAs and Med Tech around the Omaha and Lincoln areas for a much more affordable cost than your staffing and home care agencies. CCA Home Care publishes the Omaha and Lincoln Eldercare Resource Handbooks yearly as the industry’s “Bible” to the resources for the elderly. This is a FREE resource book that is paid for by those who advertise.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally?
We come into the lives of these seniors at their most vulnerable times and to not be able to bring them the services they need is just heartbreaking. This is why we all must have resources in our back pocket to offer, which makes the Eldercare Resource Handbook vital to us in the industry and the seniors who seek help, answers, and solutions.
What has been your most important achievement professionally?
Working for companies that are known for quality care. We received the STAR Award for the highest move-ins from professionals out of 320 locations.
Tell us a little about your family.
I have been married to Erik for the last 16 years. We grew up together as our parents were close friends. We have three kids: Evan (16), Bella (14), and Lexxie (9), and Savannah, our one-month-old chocolate lab! We moved here from North Carolina and before that we lived in Colorado, Indiana, and Texas. We currently live in Bennington where we own Johnny Ricco’s Brooklyn Pizza.
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life?
As a teenager, my father moved in with his mother to care for her with Alzheimer’s and my mom moved in with her father to care for him during the same time. I saw them struggle to manage raising us and holding a career all while being full-time caregivers. This has given me compassion for the families going through the same situations.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Spend time on the water with family and friends. We love to travel and try new restaurants.
What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know?
Each child of mine was born in a different state.
Who inspires you?
Successful women who are able to obtain their goals while running a household and raising a family.
What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
You are who you surround yourself with.
If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be?
Psychologist or a physician.
What local nonprofit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why?
Alzheimer’s Association due to my grandmother passing from the disease when I was a teenager. Also, Project Harmony in Millard. They support children taken from their homes due to bad situations. We donate to them yearly.
What is your favorite book or the last good book you read?
I love the novels by Nicholas Sparks and read each new one he publishes.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?
(402) 200-8731; (402) 398-1848; Blake@CCAHomeCare.com; www.CCAHomeCare.com; www.LincolnHandbook.com; www.OmahaHandbook.com.