DANIEL TYLER GOODEN

PHOTO: FRIENDS AND COMPANIONS, Don Caves sits with his longest resident,Daisy May Abadie. The two joke around as best of friends, poking fun and having a good time. Abadie is in her fifth year with Caves and is one of six residents cared for by Caves and his nurse attendants. (Staff Photo by Daniel Tyler Gooden) What Don Caves has to offer is a rare commodity, security and the comfort of home in your old age. As a registered nurse and owner of ARCH (Adult Residential Care Homes), Caves welcomes elderly citizens into his own home on Belle Grove Drive in LaPlace. The purpose is to provide a ministry of care, said Caves, and to focus not on more residents but caring more for the residents he has. Caves has been a nurse for quite a while, working previously at F. Edward Hebert Hospital as a discharge planning nurse. In that position, Caves had little to offer elderly patients looking for places to stay after their discharge form the hospital. “The Lord gave me the vision of caring for his elderly people,” said Caves. He began in 1996 by starting ARCH and bringing Daisy Mae Abadie into his home. Getting used to his new friend took some time. “At first it was very difficult and it took a while to get adjusted to them and them to me,” said Caves. Five years later, Caves and Abadie play around and joke as if they’ve been friends forever. Caves has six female residents now. “We treat them as our mothers or grandmothers,” said Caves. Focusing on keeping a small house and not losing the identity of his patients through increasing numbers has been a main goal of ARCH. Staying small allows Caves and his care attendants to “know exactly what they like and don’t like, rather then knowing them as the person in room 13,” said Caves. His care attendants are carefully chosen and hired, all being certified nursing assistants. The job very specifically requires someone who cares about the residents, said Caves. There are five care attendants that do basic tending, housekeeping and serve as companions to the residents. The house on Belle Grove Drive has single rooms and double rooms. For his newest resident, Caves even gave up his own bedroom and is now homeless in his own home. Televisions are frowned upon in the bedrooms. Caves wants to make sure that everyone comes out to socialize and doesn’t isolate them selves off from the others. The residents are allowed to bring a piece of furniture or other belongings if they like, though Caves supplies everything they need. The main room has a television, a baby grand piano, and plenty of room for friends, family or guest speakers. “We do all sorts of activities ourselves,” said Caves. Field trips and outings are often held, allowing the residents to get out and about. Religious speakers come regularly and the residents are taken to the church of their choice, upon request. The backyard is spacious, with lawn chairs, fish gardens and flowerbeds, all for the residents to use. Most of the ladies like to work in the flowerbeds and though there aren’t any gardens, Caves would be happy to serve tomatoes and such at the dinner table if the residents wanted to grow some. The meals are carefully prepared and are heart healthy, being low sodium and low cholesterol. Two of his residents are diabetics and their diets are prepared in accordance. The meals aren’t prepackaged or generic, but down-home Southern cooking, just like they grew up on, said Caves. “If a resident wants butter beans and cornbread, we cook them butter beans and cornbread,” he added. Caves also sits down every morning and acts as the beautician for the bunch. Each of the ladies gets her hair and makeup done. “We try to be as near home as we can,” said Caves. Before Caves started ARCH, there were no businesses of this type in Louisiana. Caves researched similar companies in northern states and began his company. Since then, the residential style of caring has begun to grow. Caves is preparing to open another home within the year. Anyone over the age of 18 is allowed to stay, said Caves. From perfectly healthy to bedridden, Caves and his staff are prepared to care for a resident’s every need. There are hospital beds in some of the rooms and space for some medical equipment. “This type of business isn’t easy. If a resident passes away it’s like a piece of you goes with them, said Caves. Every day I think this may be to difficult, but then I remember my calling,” he added. The friendship with his residents and the comments he receives from visiting family members is the real pay he receives. “I wanted to give them the sense of living in a residential community, to be able to see the kids returning from school and the people working in their yards, not confined to a ward,” said Caves. His business then is very honorable, one talked highly of but often forgotten about. The Lord told Caves to take care of his elderly, and Caves listened.