Independent HomeCare, a new business aimed at providing services to allow people to receive the support they need to stay in their homes and live independently, has opened in Jaffrey.

Owner and manager Shannon Tremblay held a ribbon-cutting for the business offices, located at 82 Fitzgerald Drive in Jaffrey, Thursday morning. Tremblay has previously worked as an employee for a home care company in Peterborough, but said she really wanted a service that was based out of her home community in Jaffrey and catered to the immediate area.

“I just really wanted to open something focusing on my community and taking care of the people here,” Tremblay said.

Independent HomeCare is not a nursing service, but provides what is considered non-skilled care to assist residents with activities of daily living. Anyone who is in need of support will go through a phone interview and a home visit to determine exactly what kind of support they need, and will be paired with a carer who can provide that. Some will need more intensive care than others, Tremblay said.

“In one home, someone might need help with their breakfast, getting dressed and ready, shopping, meal preparation and medication reminders. Someone else might be in a wheelchair or bed-bound, and need more personal care,” Tremblay said.

That support can mean the difference between someone being able to continue living at home, or going into a care facility.

“The goal for most folks is to stay living at home, comfortably,” Tremblay said. “It can be peace of mind for family members, especially if they don’t live close by, to have someone there that can help and that can see when there might be an issue.”

Tremblay has been certified and licensed by the state and Health and Human Services since April, and is starting her business with three employees, though she said as clientele grows, so will the amount of carers. She plans to serve Jaffrey and 14 surrounding towns.

The services provided by Independent HomeCare include care for dementia patients, personal caregiving for those with arthritis, physical disabilities or age-related health issues, companion care and homemaking care, rides to appointments or for errands such as grocery shopping and picking up medications.

For information, contact Independent HomeCare at 603-407-0004 or officeadmin@independenthomecarellc.com

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.